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Travel enthusiasts would likely agree that one of the most interesting parts of traveling is getting acquainted with different cultures; and there sure are plenty of different ones. Boasting various unique customs, authentic languages and food traditions, among other things, some might be closer to what you’re used to, while getting acquainted with others might feel like stepping into a completely different world.
The latter is what netizens on X (formerly Twitter) have discussed when one user asked them about the biggest culture shocks they’ve ever witnessed. Quite a few people shared stories of what surprised them the most while immersed in one culture or another, ranging from food to language, to recycling and transportation-related matters.
Curious to see what other culture shocks they’ve experienced? Wait no longer and scroll down to find their thoughts on the list below, where you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with Professor at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, Sean Doherty, who was kind enough to share his thoughts on culture shock.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Nick Triantafyllidis 1 year ago
Everyone was in shape? Which Greece did you go to? Not the one I grew up in, for sure.
michael reid 1 year ago
America is a people farm. They certainly don't want you to die any sooner, just to consume a lot more along the way
Betty Swallocks 1 year ago
When they're born you can hear the pita patter of tiny breads .....
Jane Hower 1 year ago
So true. This 'fat free', 'suger free' c**p is all hype to get more money for the food industry. And don't get me started on the pharmacy industry.
Netizen’s answers in the X thread covered nearly anything and everything there is, which is not surprising bearing in mind how different even the most mundane of things can be in different places.
Take food, for instance; something that’s a necessity for everyone in the world can differ quite drastically from country to country. (Even though some cuisines, such as Italian or Chinese, seem to be quite popular outside of the two countries as well.)
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#2
SCamp 1 year ago
Weeeell, not quite silence, it is a mega city after all, but yes a packed train in peak hour Tokyo (and that IS packed let me tell you) can be remarkably quiet
setsuriseikou 1 year ago
Yup, can vouch for that. Also, the trains are quite literally packed, since station workers (very politely) press passengers into train cars and hold their backs until the doors close, to make sure nobody is crammed between the doors.
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rullyman 1 year ago
Until it's election season, and then vans drive around from 7am, with a megaphone on the roof shouting the name of their political candidate. I'm not joking.
setsuriseikou 1 year ago
Oh, right, we've had them regularly :) By the way, how about vans blasting "roasted potatoes, ro-oasted pota-a-toes, ro-o-o-oasted pota-a-a-ato-o-oes"? Like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RBpIBcPkdo
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#3
Sue User 1 year ago (edited)
Sadly, this is already a thing. People are using Uber and Lyft for hospital rides.
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Maggie Fulton 1 year ago
When I lived in San Francisco , I was waiting on one of the Muni platforms, and a woman was on the ground in a circle of people, and she was screaming “Don’t call an ambulance! Don’t call an ambulance!” An example of the so-called best medical system in the world.
Sam Lombardo 1 year ago
So is it 10k for 30 miles? (Asking silly from a country with universal health care)
Cat Chat 1 year ago
It varies. But it's not necessarily billed per miles, but the level of care provided. A broken bone where the EMT is just sitting next to you watching for potential further higher care will cost less than someone who is actively bleeding out, having a stroke, or MI, for instance.
Load More Replies... SCamp 1 year ago
$100 family membership per year in Victoria Australia - trip number and distance are unlimited no more to pay
Sue User 1 year ago
Where i live ( rural west usa) , you can get a membership for air ambulance, because if you think auto ambulance is expensive, wait until you see the bill for air ambulance. Heres the data from 2017: $36,400 for a helicopter transport and $40,600 for a fixed-wing transport.
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David 1 year ago
Cost is depending on your state and local area, as well if you are have insurance or are low income. Where I live, it is free, they bill your insurance who must cover it in full, but if you do not have insurance, they cannot bill you for it.
Donna Sempek 1 year ago
You survive your medical emergency then relapse when you get your bill
Rich Black 1 year ago
This so true. Ambulance rides earn first responders a fortune. But their firefighting responses are free.
Adrian 1 year ago
You must be American, where fire services are combined with emergency medical, for some strange reason.
Load More Replies...While food is a necessity in order for us to survive, it is much more than that, especially in the context of culture. A study delving deeper into the links between food and culture, as well as religion and traditions, emphasized that learning more about food by asking questions such as how something is made, what ingredients are used, and why the dish is called a certain way can help people understand the culture and its approach to life better.
“In the end, we can say that food functions symbolically as a communicative practice by which we create, manage and share meanings with others,” the study read in part.
#4
That One 1 year ago
You can almost hear the sound of thousands of graffiti enthusiasts packing their bags now.
Joe Reaves 1 year ago
Well I hope they bring cameras, because you probably don't want to annoy the Finns. It's like poking a sleeping bear. They're allcalm and laid back until they're not.
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Nea 1 year ago
Spent a semester there, can never love another city as much anymore.
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TheOneWhoKnows(Nothing) 1 year ago
There's no leather seating in our metro. The new tram seats are fake leather, but not all and there ARE graffiti in our metros. Maybe you did hiccup in to the future and saw what it will look like after WW3-5?
Quitterie Ruokonen 1 year ago
It is shiny plastic. Not leather🤣🤣🤣 and there's metro only in Helsinki, the capital.
Lululoohoo 1 year ago
Same thing in Japan & Taiwan. Metro systems are very clean, everybody is respectful & there's no trash & graffiti to be seen.
Pepperoni Pizza 1 year ago
Yeah, they know how to respect public property, unlike one of the so-called "developed" countries.
Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
That's because the peole there have manners and they're not both entitled and mad at the world.
Carl Roberts 1 year ago
I've only been on two subway systems. Marta in Atlanta, and BART in San Francisco. I only rode a Marta train once, but it was fairly clean. BART, on the other hand, I've ridden most of my life. EVERY station, EVERY train....smells like urine. Badly.
#5
Jennik 1 year ago
Of course they know their rights! There's a whacking great sign telling them!
RabidChild 1 year ago
We have a duck crossing by a wonderful park near my house in SW Pennsylvania and the ducks do seem to know precisely where they are supposed to cross It's hilarious.
Lotekguy 1 year ago
That makes them smarter than deer who routinely ignore the big yellow signs for them.
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Mark Fuller 1 year ago
We have a fair few in the UK - warning about deer are common place. Hedgehogs and ducks less so, but not unknown. And occasionally we warn people about old folks stumbling into the road...
While different eating habits can be a common cause for culture shock, many people seem to be intrigued by or interested in acquainting themselves with new flavors; if not abroad, then in their home country, at least. Studies suggest the popularity of ethnic foods in the US has been on the rise, arguably meaning that more and more people are open to trying out something not that customary to their area.
#6
Přemek Marek 1 year ago
Sadly, oftentimes it is placebo-like effect and the trash is later mixes together. However, I believe that in Germany they would keep it separate :-)
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Sven Horlemann 1 year ago
That is an exageration. We got 4 different thrash container, bio, paper, plastic, normal thrash. And yes, we got "Wertstoffstationen" were you drive to and can get rid of the electric or whatever hazardous stuff - for free, btw. To me, it is worth the effort.
Surenu 1 year ago
I must live in a different country named Germany because I don't have 11 different trash containers. I have 4, plus the battery deposit at the supermarket.
Verena 1 year ago
In front of your house, 4, for the daily created trash. No need to remove paper from metal cans. Papeg wrappings of plastic containers are designed to be easy to remove. At your own discretion either one big basket for the recycling station or pre sorted bags for batteries, bulbs, ink cartridges, chemicals, frying oil, paint, glass (white, brown, other), small electrics, clothing, hard plastic, construction stuff. Broken furniture and appliances are picked up.
DE Ray 1 year ago
It absolutely enrages me that recycling, which is largely a scam (the amount of recyclables which actually get recycled is miniscule - and even when individuals send something for recycling the purported recycler just sends it on to landfills), is so much put on individuals, when the majority of plastic pollution in the world can be traced back to fewer than 200 companies, more than half of carbon emissions come from exactly 57 sites worldwide, and recycling of low-quality paper like newsprint actually takes more resources and produces more pollution than not recycling it. The average person shouldn't have to worry about recycling, because their individual environmental impact is a rounding error to the big companies which are destroying the planet by polluting and not recycling.
Glen Ellyn 1 year ago
This is what bugs me about using a single bin for all recycling. Do they really separate it? Or do they just take it all to the dumpsite?? I'm guessing it's the latter.
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Jane Hower 1 year ago
Would love that here in the states, but will never happen and recyclying isn't working - both containers are taken to the same land fill.
#7
Papa 1 year ago
My wife and I went to Belize earlier this year. Beer (and maybe soft drinks also) came in glass bottles. You paid a deposit when you bought it, and got the deposit back when you returned the bottle. The bottles are returned to the bottling plant, where they are washed and re-used. That practice was common in the US decades ago.
RabidChild 1 year ago
I remember when this was standard in the US (70s, early 80s) my mom bought 8-packs of 16 oz bottles (price included a small bottle deposit) at the grocery store and return the empties the following week to get the deposit credit. Why we don't dump plastic and go back to this standard I'll never understand.
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Diolla 1 year ago
Where I live it's normal to pay a deposit for the bottle (even for plastic bottles) and get it back when you return the bottles which are then returned to the factory. Have never known otherwise. It surprises me that this system apparently is unknown in some other countries :-D.
Adrian 1 year ago
My dad had a grocery store in the UK. People would return bottles and he would have to give them the deposit. He would put them in the back yard until the wholesaler picked them up at the next delivery. The local kids figured out they could climb over the wall, grab some bottles, then "refund" them, ad infinitum...
Dont Sellmyinfo 1 year ago
I first experienced this in Tecate Mexico in the 90’s. Though, they would pour the soda in a plastic bag and give you a straw if you wanted it to-go
artisticINSURRECTION 1 year ago
In the USA, you can tell old beer bottles because the areas where they touched other bottles would get scratched and you'd end up with two scratched circles around the bottles. The more it was reused, the more scratched it would get. Now they don't do that anymore, probably because people freaked out about reusing bottles. Americans can be crazy- I admit it.
Charronne Johnston 1 year ago
Same in most of Canada. In our province, drink containers , glass, plastic, ,metal require a deposit, refundable when returned. Where we live, there is a woman who will come by the house when you call, to tell her the returnables are all bagged up, she collects them and the refundable cash goes to SPCA and similar animal rescue charities. Most towns have people who collect from your house, or from designated easy access spots, and they will even sort the container, you just have to get them there.
#8
LAWLAWLAW 1 year ago
In the UK we call them Lollipop ladies/men as the big sign they hold yup to stop traffic for the kids looks like a lollipop
Lee 1 year ago
I got told off by one last month for not keeping up with 'the other pupils.' I'm 36 lol.
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Kimberley Wilson 1 year ago
In the uk they have developed ones that know if you are stood there ie if you press the button but there is a gap in traffic and you cross anyway it knows not to turn red - saves a lot of queuing for nothing.
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artisticINSURRECTION 1 year ago
I am always somewhat surprised when people in the Boston USA area stop for pedestrians in crosswalks (like they are required by law to). Not the ones with buttons like the post mentioned. It's pretty rare that cops pull people over for not stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk but it certain does happen. Most drivers just don't look and drive through the crosswalks. Pretty dangerous considering that so many people have their noses glued to their phones even when crossing the street!
Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
We also have traffic volunteers who take the kids accross the street morning and afternoon when school kids are out. And speed bumps on streets close to schools or simply with a lot of children. And big signs stating, "Watch out for our children".
According to Dr. Sean Doherty, another common—likely the biggest and the most immediate one, too—cause for culture shock is an unfamiliar way of speaking, be it a different language or even an accent. “It can be so difficult to perform even simple tasks, such as acquiring transport or booking a hotel, when you cannot communicate effectively. After that, trying to fit in and engage with locals is very difficult if there is a language barrier. I’ve had many culturally isolating experiences result from not understanding what is being said, or being able to share with locals,” he told Bored Panda.
#9
Jennik 1 year ago
NZ police only carry pepper spray and batons. They have tasers in a locked box in the car. I remember when a guy was threatening me with a machete on the street three police cars screamed up and three officers jumped out of each car with their their batons at the ready. They seemed a little disappointed I'd already talked the guy into sitting in his car and waiting for the police to arrive.
BoredPossum 1 year ago
Wait until you hear about how rare it is for police to fire their guns in the rest of Europe.
Robert T 1 year ago (edited)
Only trained firearms officers carry guns, but tazers are becoming more common amongst regular officers.
Load More Replies... Mark Fuller 1 year ago
Try the UK. They don't necessarily carry either... As it should be. They are officers of the law, not prison guards ready to pounce on anyone who steps out of line.
#10
Michael Olsen 1 year ago
Here in Denmark a plastuc bag at the supermatket costs $.80 and it works great to cut down on plastic use most people bring their own reuseable bags.
Upstaged75 1 year ago
We pay for shopping bags where I live in the US too. It's to encourage us to stop using plastic ones.
#11
Stardust she/her 1 year ago
Elephants is a bit of a stretch. Everything else wanders wherever they want. You’ll have to watch out for cows wherever you go
ConstantlyJon 1 year ago
I saw elephants in the road one time in India, but I'm pretty sure it was a touristy thing and not just someone riding an elephant like they do every day.
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Evelien Stijger Martens 1 year ago
To me, al that business is the quietest place to be. Everything falls at peace in there and nothing bothers me.
Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
Port-of-Spain is Trinidad's capital city. Goats and chicken in the streets.
Vishrut Rao 1 year ago (edited)
Cows in traffic is really a nightmare....goats,pigs and chicken? you must be like in remote rural place you won't find them outside farms. Elephants with cars is complete bs, unless there's some kind of religious procession. We just happen to have a lot of s****y drivers who have no regards for traffic rules, therefore pointless traffic.
Rina DSouza 1 year ago
With access to the Internet, isn't it time to retire the old trope of elephants walking around in India!!! Seriously! They are magnificent creatures that are slowly becoming endangered and then you read this s**t!
Joshua Seaman 1 year ago
My second day traveling alone in India walking down some random street: 0093-66330...517627.jpg 
“Other reasons for culture shock that I have experienced stemmed from attire, infrastructure, and transport differences,” Dr. Doherty continued. “We may look around and see unfamiliar attire and feel like we stand out or don’t fit in. We may end up in a city or town with buildings and roads laid out much differently than our home towns which can be disconcerting. The way people move about can also be dramatically different, with more people walking, cycling or using transit; all this can be a shock at first. Embracing these differences, or at least tolerating them, I think would reduce the culture shock.”
#12
GoodWolf 1 year ago
When I was pregnant I once had to use one of those squatty hole toilets in Italy. The walls and the floor were nasty so I didnt want to touch anything but I could barely get back up again due to my huge belly 🙈
Sue User 1 year ago
The first time i used one (Switzerland), the only thing i could thibk of was: pregnant women, disabled and old.
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Lord of the laserprinter. 1 year ago
I can’t do squatties, first I am scared of falling in, or something falling in and my knees would just laugh at the thought.
KatSaidWhat 1 year ago
Take some latex gloves with you when travellling to squat toile countries so you don't have to touch anything directly.
James Doe 1 year ago (edited)
If you are healthy they are amazing. I'd much rather do a frog (full squad) and stay easily clean than a ski jumper (mid squad) to hover over a nasty public toilet seat
Rose the Cook 1 year ago
Most comments seem to be about toilets. Having lived here for over 12 years I have to say this person is very wrong about taking home uneaten food. Rich or poor everyone I have known does it.
Stephanie Did It 1 year ago
Has China reduced the constant spitting problem since the pandemic? I truly hope so.
Lululoohoo 1 year ago
Rural areas in Asia still have the squatting toilets in the ground but for the most part, they are still much cleaner than the public bathrooms you see here in the states.
Kevin Hickey 1 year ago
It makes me sad when I think about all of the old photos from China in the 1970's where everyone was on a bicycle. They've embraced the corporate car culture.
#13
Gavin Johnson 1 year ago
But they can employ thousands of foreign workers, treat them like c**p, retain their passports and who cares if the odd one or two die because of cack working practices?
#14
SCamp 1 year ago
Whaaaaat??? No! This one gets me. If I bring something to your house, it’s yours - that half packet of barbecue chips? Yours. Those 3 remaining beers in the 6-pack? Yours. That unopened box of chocolates? Yours (damn it)
OneWithRatsAndKefir 1 year ago
For me, it depends on what I brought. A small pack of tic-tacs that I wanted? Mine. If I got them for you, yours. A giant pack of donuts? Always yours, I’ll only take one or two while I’m there, but never back home.
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Melanie Kongerslev 1 year ago
I am from Denmark. I dont know who you visited but this isnt the norm.
Mia Black 1 year ago
Hm. From my German experience here on the few parties I have been, it was common to ask the host if you shall take leftover of what your brought. Because otherwise the host will have to much stuff from all the guests and may throw them away - your don't want to throw away food and drinks
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
Yes, that is the only sensible constellation I can see here. Also: when there are a lot of leftovers (say a big pot of soup, lots of potatoes, or two whole cakes) the host may ask guests if they like to take anything home, even if it was not something the guests had brought. For exactly the same reason: no matter how delicious the ghoulash was, after three days and counting you get sick of it.
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xxariess 1 year ago
would love to know wich countries this is a normal thing. im dutch and we are known for being verry stingy or frugal but we do not do that. if we take something with us its for everyone and we leave it unless its a thing where you take back the left overs but thats not a normal thing.
Marianne Nielsen 1 year ago
That is NOT true ! In Denmark if you bring food and drinks they are left to the host
Birma Gustafsson 1 year ago
I don't recognise this at all! I'm Swedish, and if I bring something to you when I visit, it's a gift, a thank you for inviting me! It can be more of a teenage thing to do, you visit a school mate, you buy some chips on the way, and you share, but it's your chips.
Be it food, socializing, traffic rules or other aspects of living in—or even traveling in—a certain country that evokes it, culture shock can take some time adjusting to. Gitnux revealed that among overseas workers, for instance, roughly one-in-six need a year to adapt to the new work culture.
Gitnux also pointed out that quite a few people are likely to feel reverse culture shock, which stems from coming back to the country of origin after some time abroad. Statistics show that as much as 15% of foreign women in Japan feel said shock upon going back to their homelands.
#15
KatSaidWhat 1 year ago
People jump from moving buses and trains in several African countries...
The Short Lady 1 year ago
This is OP's culture shock moment, jot a travelogue.
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Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
You should see the cabs in Trinidad... they're like busses who keep pickng up people until they're full. When they stop, it's like taxis in a cartoon: you see 10-12 people coming out and out and out and out, and you're there watching the stream and wondering if there is going to be an end to it.
#16
Mark 1 year ago
You haven't lived until you've ridden a tuktuk through downtown Thailand open air on a 6-lane road with the driver cutting through 2 of those lanes to avoid the on-ramp onto an expressway that is above another expressway. True Story
Upstaged75 1 year ago
The scariest ride I've had anywhere in the world (and this includes the bed of a truck on narrow mountain roads in St. Thomas) was a cab in NYC. :) There were no seatbelts and my friend and I were being thrown from one side of the car to the other as the driver whipped around turns.
Lululoohoo 1 year ago
haha yes, I say that the traffic signals are merely suggestions & not really the law. LOL my booty is always puckered when I am the passenger in Taipei. I don't dare drive
Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
Taxi drivers in Trinidad eating lunch and turning back her head talking as she's driving at 90 miles an hour. Oh, and she was so short I'm not sure she could see over the hood...
#17
KatSaidWhat 1 year ago
Yeah, but I wouldn't want to be in one of those... (ex-Saaffa)
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Roan The Demon Kitty 1 year ago
and in the UK, it costs nothing. (thankfully, since I've had to have a lot of them lately)
Robert T 1 year ago
X-rays are usually done same day, though the departments can be busy, but they get through them as digital x-rays are very quick. CT and MRI scans do have long waiting lists as they take upwards of half-an-hour a patient, with not many machines.
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Upstaged75 1 year ago
That totally depends on your insurance! I paid nothing the last time I had an Xray. I actually paid nothing after spending 3 days in the ICU - but that was because I'd already hit my maximum out of pocket for the year.
Even though culture shock typically takes some time to get adjusted to, it is a completely natural part of immersing yourself in an unfamiliar environment, be it traveling in or moving to an unfamiliar place.
For Prof. Doherty, immersing yourself in different cultures and environments is one of the most important things to do in order to have a fulfilling experience whilst a visitor. “I try to seek these experiences out, be it traveling to markets and residential areas where the locals actually live, or seeking out natural or built environments different than back home. Sticking to tourist areas, or all-inclusive resorts, has limited appeal to me. But it can be challenging to identify these areas, stay safe, and not fall for tourist traps. Having a local friend, relative or guide is invaluable for this.”
#18
Donkey boi 1 year ago
In the UK Lunch is referred to as 'dinner', except when it is referred to as 'Lunch', or 'luncheon'. Dinner is referred to as 'Tea', except when it is referred to as 'supper', or when it is called 'Dinner'. 'Tea', is dinner, except when it is drunk. Or when it is in the afternoon or cream (then it's scones, finger sandwiches, and cake). Sometimes Tea will be high, then it is is sandwiches, cold meats and scones.
El Dee 1 year ago
This is regional. Could be dinner and tea or lunch and dinner or lunch and supper etc. But the midday meals at school are called 'dinners' and served traditionally by 'dinner ladies' regardless of region..
Bec 1 year ago
Yes, I was very confused as a kid because dinner was at noon in our house and the evening meal was supper, but my cousin insisted dinner meant the evening meal (we were from the same place but rural vs. town)
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Joshua Stovall 1 year ago
No, its not. Dinner is the largest meal of the day by definition. in England yes you might have tea but you still have a large meal of the day and that meal no matter when it is is called dinner. if you have it at around noon it's still called dinner and a small meal after dinner and tea is called supper. He is not your last meal of the day it's just not it never is there is always a last meal.
Don't listen to me 1 year ago (edited)
I grew up in Yorkshire & still think of meals as Breakfast, Dinner & Tea. With a late Supper sometimes. The working men all came home at midday for a hot dinner. School meals were a hot dinner. Tea is cold but substantial & lots of bead&butter & tea! Supper is cocoa & bikkies.
rullyman 1 year ago
Tea is only at 5pm if you're a child. Adults eat it much later, as we don't get home from work until at least 6pm. My mum calls it tea because she's from Manchester :)
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Jeevesssssss 1 year ago
Depends where in the country you are (and to a certain extent, your class). Midday meal can be lunch or dinner. Evening meal can be tea, supper or dinner (yes, it can be confusing) and is eaten any time between 5-8ish.
Lynn Morello 1 year ago
In the UK AND in Australia, Dinner is the mid-day meal, Tea is about 5 or 6 pm.
#19
User# 6 1 year ago
You were shocked to see people sticking to traffic rules? What country do you come from?
Captain McSmoot 1 year ago
Umm...nearly every single country on the face of the planet.
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Robert T 1 year ago
Suprisingly the place where the cars were most friendly to pedestrians that I have been was in the USA. Santa Fe was amazingly relaxed, with no honking and seemingly very patient drivers.
Robert Beveridge 1 year ago
Next time, visit Massachusetts. Your outlook... may change a tad.
Load More Replies... Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
Same in Germany. Regular people are gonna shoot daggers with their eyes if they see you jaywalking, even on a completely empty street. In Montreal jaywalking is a way of life.
Chris Keller 1 year ago
In Mexico most intersections have no lights or signs, people work it out okay
#20
General Anaesthesia 1 year ago
They probably mean electricity to power a refrigerator. "Chronic electricity shortages have been a perennial problem in Nigeria, which has Africa's biggest economy and population. The country has a woeful lack of generating capacity and part of the energy that is produced goes to waste because it can't be distributed through the dilapidated grid." - bloomberg.com
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Auntriarch 1 year ago
This is not new. In 1963 the electricity went off every Thursday in Kano. Which didn't mean that it wouldn't go off at any other time.
KatSaidWhat 1 year ago
And now it goes off any given day in current South Africa...
Load More Replies... Schmebulock 1 year ago
With all those princess you would think they could afford plenty of light
“To me, it’s the new experiences, interactions, and conversations,” Dr. Doherty continued. “I love trying local foods, especially seeing how they are grown or prepared. New sites and natural areas can be exhilarating. Talking with locals about their experiences and lives, and sharing your own, can be uplifting and insightful. All this can dramatically change your own perspective and life when you’re back home, and build confidence to explore even further.”
#21
Přemek Marek 1 year ago
Unlike everywhere else, where you can get the huge turkey thigh??? https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/turkey-legs/
Vix Spiderthrust 1 year ago
Guy I know went to China for a few weeks not realising that what we in the West think of as "Chinese food" is, in fact, Chinatown food, and what the Chinese actually eat is very different. After struggling to find anything he could stomach he thought, "I know, they can't f**k up a salad". So for his next meal he ordered a salad. After some lengthy explanation he was presented with his delicious meal - a whole cucumber. Boiled.
Susan Raskin 1 year ago
they sell the same turkey thighs at the Disney properties in the USA. Fun and delicious
#22
troufaki13 1 year ago
In Greece we go to the supermarket in sweats or leggings, but when we go shopping or for coffee we're dressed casually/relaxed but not overdressed. At least me and my friends.
Roan The Demon Kitty 1 year ago
spain and france is not all of Europe, and in most of Europe, even in most parts of spain and france, you won't be ridiculed for wearing sweatpants or leggings. (heck, if you're in the UK that's pretty much high fashion >.>)
BoredPossum 1 year ago
Why would anyone comment on that? Never heard of that in my entire life.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Grimsby Ontario Canada has the highest percentage of adult women wearing black stretch pants than any place in the entire world, I think. It is the most hilarious thing. Not counting dog walkers (they dress practically for the weather), the very young or the very old (or males), if the person is a woman and they're walking, there is like a seven out of 10 chance that she's wearing black stretch pants. Not jeans, not a different color stretch pants, not a dress or a skirt or shorts or trousers, black stretch pants. It's the weirdest thing and once I noticed it, I love visiting Grimsby Ontario because it's fun to count what the total will be on any particular day.
Lee 1 year ago
Whenever I go on holiday to Spain from the UK I wear my sweats. Have never had so much as a second glance from anyone.
May 1 year ago
For real. And most of the youth in France wears sweat pants, leggings and trainers, even in Paris. You're just not expected to wear your pyjamas to the store.
Load More Replies... Lise Brouillette 1 year ago
If they ridicule you in France for your leggings, it's because you don't have the legs for it... France is the land of elegance. You can wear anything you want at 108 if you've got the bod for it. A 300-pounder in leggings and a tank top is not acceptable. Mind you, I don't mind, but THEY do.
Annita Stephanou 1 year ago
"Speaking from experience in France and Spain". So, if she visited Washington DC she would be talking from experience about California. Europe has 44 countries. Even if we are only talking about EU, there are 27 countries.
#23
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago (edited)
Depends. Many bus stops are close to the entrances of a mall (at least where I live) while the parking lot may be big enough to make you look for provisions for your trek from your car to the mall.
Load More Replies...But for those who find it overwhelming, there are some ways to cope with it, such as spending time with someone who can explain certain customs or help with learning the language, connecting with other foreigners in the country or with things you find familiar and comforting (such as your local foods, activities, or rituals). Finding a hobby that can help relieve stress is also likely to help.
#24
Mohsie Supposie 1 year ago (edited)
Two negatives makes a positive. Surely everyone knows that!
Annette Jones 1 year ago (edited)
not true at all. "Tak" is "yes" and "nie" is "no". Polish do not say "no, no" unless they speak English and mean NO!
Blue Mar 1 year ago
You are wrong , it is true - NO means yes but it's more slang and casual talk, more like "yeah". I am Polish.
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Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
This could explain a lot of the troubles that Poland has had in foreign relations over the years.
Czeslaw Aleksander Liebert 1 year ago
That isn't a culture shock related thing, but a language thing. Or is it a shock that people speak polish in Poland?
#25
troufaki13 1 year ago
I'm assuming you meant napkin, right? Fun fact, the word serviette in Greece means period pad
ynyrhydref56 1 year ago
Conversely, they're called sanitary napkins in some places.
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T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
Trevor Noah does a whole bit on this, equating "napkins" to "nappies" and a guy at a taco stand talking about the mess you'll make without them. Hilarious.
Kris 1 year ago
Is that even an english word? We have the same word in norwegian, but I have never heard it being used in english.
Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago (edited)
I'm a 40-year-old American and I've never heard the word before in my life
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Zelda McLink 1 year ago
I asked for cutlery at a US fast food place and he didn't know what I meant. I had to say, "Knife and fork?"
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
Upstate NY translations.... Serviettes=napkins. Bathroom=Restroom Pop=Soda Homo milk=Whole milk Chocolate bar=Candy bar: Just small changes, but it's amazing what difference of language considering we live only 5 minutes drive away in a different country
#26
Kali Chaos 1 year ago
Right? Must be super cool to internationally travel as a dude.
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Donald 1 year ago
Its so safe that if your a consenting gay man you'll be put in prison or killed. If you are blasphemous or try to convert someone away from the Islamic religion you'll be put in prison. If you're a woman you have to ask permission from a male guardian to make normal, everyday life choices or you could be put in prison.
LGBTQpanda 1 year ago
Donald is absolutely correct. Same-sex relationships are illegal and can be punished with jail time. Americans may know that having sex outside of marriage is illicit and legal punishment can occur if the relationship is disclosed but some may not know that Qatar’s dress code requires women to have their shoulders and knees covered at a minimum. Men should not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts in public. Specific venues may have their own dress codes, so you must check before entering. Specific hand gestures and body movements can bring about imprisonment or fines. It would be best if you never gave a thumbs-up sign or crossed your legs in Qatar, as it portrays derogatory meaning in the country. Unmarried men and women are not allowed to touch, and shaking hands should be done by following the male’s lead. Certain emotions are prohibited from being expressed in public.
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David 1 year ago
ahhhh a dictatorship without civil liberties, over 500,000 people in slavery, accused by the UAE, Baharain, Saudis, Egypt, etc, of funding terrorism, hosted the Taliban in exile and helped them seize control of Afghanistan in 2021, funds Hamas, etc. I would rather live anywhere else.
David 1 year ago
Exactly. Not a bad place to live as long as your personal views are in lockstep with the folks making the draconian rules. It also helps if you don't have a vagina. Similar to how living in a southern slave state probably didn't seem so bad if you were one of the white plantation owners and not one of the black slaves.
Load More Replies... David 1 year ago
Me, sitting in my USA living room, watching the deer resting in my yard and listening to an owl hooting for a mate. Stop acting like all of the USA is a crime ridden war zone. Meanwhile, google "things you can't do in Qatar" for a long list of things I CAN do at my house if I want to. You may not get mugged, but you can go to jail for having a book they disapprove of. Which includes any religious book that isn't Muslim.
HighNMightyBigshotBossOfWorld 1 year ago
Tokyo is that way as I go out for a jog at 3am, without a care in the world.
Research on culture shock’s impact on one’s psychological well-being suggested that action to minimize the detrimental effects can be taken even before coming into the new environment. The feelings of depression, anxiety and helplessness that often entail culture shock can be reduced by preparing for it - understanding the process of culture shock itself as well as the features of the new culture.
When in the new country already, working on self-confidence and optimism, accepting new cultures, and seeking social support are the three ways to overcome the psychological discomfort, if any.
The aforementioned research also suggested that sometimes the stress caused by culture shock can stimulate one’s passion for cultural learning, which can speed up people’s adaptation to new cultural circumstances. That’s why it might be beneficial to work on trying to minimize said stress rather than eliminating it altogether.
#27
Biofish23 1 year ago
I'm guessing they were in the south and served "sweet tea". Which is essentially sugar syrup tinted brown. Or they got some sort of premade out of a soda machine Nestea type product which is also quite sweet but also doesn't taste much like tea and can have a weird chemical flavor. Most non fastfood restaurants in the north will serve you black tea over ice with a slice of lemon. If in doubt ask if it's 'fresh brewed' and specify UNSWEETENED.
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Stephanie Did It 1 year ago (edited)
I drink iced tea every day and brew my own at home so it is always fresh, and it's my go-to beverage in restaurants. Here in Texas, you have to specify unsweet tea. Here's what I don't understand: iced tea is a great thirst quencher but only if it's unsweet. The sweeter the tea, the more thirsty it makes you. The hotter the area, the more sugar people put in their tea. Why is that so difficult? Oh well, more unsweetened for me.
Arcady Royzen 1 year ago
i call BS on this one... . Unless your in the deep south, the wait staff will always ask you sweet or unsweet. the choice of words in this tweet makes me question her mental state
MsPlants 1 year ago
I call bull on the south asking sweet or unsweet. I live in the south and they do not ask. I grew up on the west coast so sweet tea is candy water to me so I have to specifically ask for unsweet tea or every single place from fast food to sit down places with default to giving you sweet tea. Half the time places with double check I even asked for unsweet when I order it. "you said unsweet correct?" and when its self serve you will always see way more freshly brewed containers of sweet tea and usually only 1 container of unsweet for us "heathens" that drink it that way in the south.
Load More Replies... Anony Mouse 1 year ago
As a life-long Southerner, sweet tea is tea that is brewed with sugar. If you order iced tea, they always ask "Sweet or unsweet?" It's also very popular in Indonesia.
KaBobs 1 year ago
Like I understand wanting a little sugar to sweeten a drink but yuck they put too much in. I'm unsweetened all the way. I've said to ppl who make fun of my unsweetened tea "sugar is not a flavor." They seem to kinda get it then
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Tiffany Munday 1 year ago
In Canada our ice tea is usually made from sweetened powder. Where as in the US it’s actual cold tea !
Stephanie Did It 1 year ago
Why don't Canadians just brew it? That powdered stuff is nasty.
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Eiryn Elliott 1 year ago
I feel this one. Several times. I thought they'd made a mistake. SO disappointing!!
#28
Kali Chaos 1 year ago
This doesn't track or make any actual sense. Could you possibly rephrase? Or maybe no one was trying to trip you up, you just tripped.
Gustav Gallifrey 1 year ago
Well, if you can't answer questions about your presentation, that reflects more on your own understanding of your presentation subject, and the effort that you put into it.
#29
Anna Boes 1 year ago
Lots of countries, especially with muslimic influences, have some way of washing yourself afterwards, and in a lot of countries wet wipes aren't just for infants, either. If you're used to feeling freshly cleaned before leaving the bathroom, the idea of simply using tp, dry, and pull your pants up is ... outlandish.
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Adrian 1 year ago
And Brits and lots of other first world countries. Why is this a culture shock?
SBocker78 1 year ago
My grandfather used to have a box labeled "Electric Toilet Paper". Inside was a corn cob with a power cord. I think he got it from a joke shop.
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Dread Pirate Roberts 1 year ago
There are cultures that don't wipe at all? 😳
Load More Replies... Nadine Debard 1 year ago
Ah, the famous scene in Deadpool 2 when Matt Damon explained how gross it is to just wipe with TP... I cried laughing.
amy harvey 1 year ago (edited)
Ah yes... dry tissue. I never called Toilet Paper in my life, obviously.
Doofnuts 1 year ago
It's because we're tough. Hasn't been that long since we shifted over from sandpaper.
Upstaged75 1 year ago
Everyone in my US family uses wet wipes after we poop. I don't think just TP gets you clean. But why are we talking about other people's butts anyway?
Adrian 1 year ago
I hope you don't flush them. They block up the sewer system.
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Leesa DeAndrea 1 year ago
Because bidets are not common (for the most part) in the US. And our sewer systems are designed to handle the waste, unlike some systems elsewhere. But please don't flush wet wipes! They don't disintegrate like TP does.
Birma Gustafsson 1 year ago
Not as weird as americans flushing their wipes down the toilet. Hello, clogg!
#30
Exploring the diverse reactions people have when stepping into others' homes can provide valuable context on culture shock.
For more insights into how everyday environments influence our perceptions and experiences of unfamiliar cultures, you might find it helpful to read about some eye-opening experiences shared by visitors in unique domestic settings like this.
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What do you think ?
ConstantlyJon 1 year ago
I spent a semester in NE India and had some pretty intense culture shock. Eating with my hands was interesting, but I sure as hell wasn't about to be the only one using a spoon. I visited a very remote village near the Myanmar border at one point, and they nervously asked me if I brought my own spoon because they didn't have any in the whole village. I went to use their outhouse, which was of course a squatty potty (totally normal there), but above it was a hen laying on eggs. I just didn't poop for a few days, I was so terrified to poop. I rode a bus back into town from that village and MAN they do not make bus seats for people over 6' tall. I went up top and rode on the roof with the luggage.
Nadine Debard 1 year ago
Naples. There are specific unwritten traffic rules that foreigners don't get immediately. They don't respect stops or priorities, it's just a rule of one after another (like in Canada for example), which isn't the European union rule. So even if you're supposed to pass, you don't because someone was waiting for longer time than you, and sometimes you're not supposed to pass but people stop to let you go. They also honk A LOT but it's mostly friendly or to warn you about a danger. When you get used to it it's lovely to drive there. Wonderful place and wonderful people too.
Certainly not Dan 1 year ago
In Rome traffic lights are an indication, in Napoli they are decoration
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Colleen Walker 1 year ago
I was desperate for a good coffee when I got off the plane from Australia to LA. I was asking for a flat white and was trying to explain what it was. After a couple of minutes and a line behind me an Aussie voice said "Ask for a latte". My hubby went into a bar to try American beer. When he came back he said all the girls are very friendly here. Bless his innocent little country boy heart.
Papa 1 year ago
I haven't traveled a great deal, but my wife and I went to Belize earlier this year. The international airport in Belize city was a bit of cultural shock. The planes just park out in front of the terminal, they wheel stairs up to the plane, and the passengers walk down the stairs and into the building. Then at Placencia, where there was a strip of concrete about 4' wide serving the same purpose as a street, with stores, hotels, and homes on each side.
Ephemera Image 1 year ago
This used to be normal everywhere fifty years ago. Walk down the wheeled stairs then across the tarmac to the airport. Lots of fun in 105 degree heat, lol.
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ConstantlyJon 1 year ago
I spent a semester in NE India and had some pretty intense culture shock. Eating with my hands was interesting, but I sure as hell wasn't about to be the only one using a spoon. I visited a very remote village near the Myanmar border at one point, and they nervously asked me if I brought my own spoon because they didn't have any in the whole village. I went to use their outhouse, which was of course a squatty potty (totally normal there), but above it was a hen laying on eggs. I just didn't poop for a few days, I was so terrified to poop. I rode a bus back into town from that village and MAN they do not make bus seats for people over 6' tall. I went up top and rode on the roof with the luggage.
Nadine Debard 1 year ago
Naples. There are specific unwritten traffic rules that foreigners don't get immediately. They don't respect stops or priorities, it's just a rule of one after another (like in Canada for example), which isn't the European union rule. So even if you're supposed to pass, you don't because someone was waiting for longer time than you, and sometimes you're not supposed to pass but people stop to let you go. They also honk A LOT but it's mostly friendly or to warn you about a danger. When you get used to it it's lovely to drive there. Wonderful place and wonderful people too.
Certainly not Dan 1 year ago
In Rome traffic lights are an indication, in Napoli they are decoration
Load More Replies... Colleen Walker 1 year ago
I was desperate for a good coffee when I got off the plane from Australia to LA. I was asking for a flat white and was trying to explain what it was. After a couple of minutes and a line behind me an Aussie voice said "Ask for a latte". My hubby went into a bar to try American beer. When he came back he said all the girls are very friendly here. Bless his innocent little country boy heart.
Papa 1 year ago
I haven't traveled a great deal, but my wife and I went to Belize earlier this year. The international airport in Belize city was a bit of cultural shock. The planes just park out in front of the terminal, they wheel stairs up to the plane, and the passengers walk down the stairs and into the building. Then at Placencia, where there was a strip of concrete about 4' wide serving the same purpose as a street, with stores, hotels, and homes on each side.
Ephemera Image 1 year ago
This used to be normal everywhere fifty years ago. Walk down the wheeled stairs then across the tarmac to the airport. Lots of fun in 105 degree heat, lol.
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