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“The Whole Place Smelled Like Hot Garbage”: 50 People Reveal The Biggest Culture Shock They’ve Ever Encountered
Getting out of your comfort zone is always a part of traveling. That’s why, despite the joys new countries and exotic places bring us, many people prefer to stay in the comfort of their home and don’t step foot into the unknown.
In order to see what kind of exact differences are waiting for travelers, Bored Panda looked at the various Reddit threads where people shared their biggest culture shocks.
Like a cold shower, it taught them a lesson that the societal norms they took for granted change depending on the culture and location you disembarked from the plane. Scroll down through the most interesting stories below!
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We had this akward conversation with a family in Venezuela who we had invited over for dinner. They just wouldn't leave! My dad was doing the polite Canadian thing and mentioning that "we were tired", that "usually we would be in bed by now", that "it's been a long night and they probably want to get home", walking them toward the front door. And then we were stuck just standing there staring at each other. My dad finally just blurts out "Why won't you leave?! We're tired and want to go to bed!" And in frusteration they reply "Why won't you just let us go?!"
Turns out that in Venezuelan culture it's rude to leave on your own as an invited guest. The polite thing to do is to wait for your host to open the door and guide you out, but in Canadian culture it's rude to ask your invited company to leave and you wait for them to open the door and go on their own.
This is hard to admit, but as someone who grew up in the USA I was taught in a thousand ways that this country sets every standard and deserves deference from everyplace else on earth.
It was so ingrained that I didn't even know it was an assumption ... until I was outside the states and it was obvious that the USA is not the center of the universe. People are doing just fine all over the place without, you know, being us. What's more, the myth we tell ourselves is that everyone in the world would live here if they only could.
No, they wouldn't. A whole lot of people see us as a collection of fools, greedheads, and bumblers who happen to have been born in a place with a lot of natural resources. Since Trump, of course, the idea that our system of government is magically self-correcting is also under serious question.
Our rampant gun violence, corrupt police, dystopian healthcare, and widespread rejection of climate science probably don't seem very appealing to outsiders.
I am genuinely bewildered as to why the idea of socialised medicine is so vigorously opposed. And the gun violence is equally impossible to understand-the thought that you'd rather teach your children shooter drills from age 5, have armed guards in schools, even think about arming teachers than bring in proper legislation against guns that no normal person needs to have access to is beyond me. The fact your politicians are happy to accept the mass slaughter of innocents is frightening.
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I’ve often said that Americans are brainwashed as soon as they enter school that America is best country in the world. It’s not
Not by a longshot lol, i would bet that right now its Norway
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I’m from the u.s. and I’ve never thought that way- In fact, kind of the opposite. Travel helps.
Same!! My grandparents are all from Europe, my parents first generation Americans and I noticed from a very early age that we were being brought up very differently than our friends were.
Load More Replies... The gun situation really puts me off the US. The UK had one school shooting back in 1996 and immediately implemented very strict gun controls laws. No school shootings since. Simple. The US just doesn't seem to get that notion and will insist on their 'right' to bear arms. I'm not saying that there are no guns on the streets in the UK, but they're certainly a lot harder to find than in the US. I find it mind blowing that people can just walk down the street with a gun in their pocket or that you can buy them in shops. Or that schools have to make children go through metal detectors before they're allowed in. As the mother of a teenager it would terrify me.
Yeah It is just insane when you think about it. In germany you can be sure that 99% of all people on the streets dont carry a gun. Only police or security guards for money transports do. You dont have to be afraid, to get shot when going for a walk. I could not even imagine to live in the US..
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As someone currently in the American School System, yeah 100%. I'll admit, even now I think like that a lot of the time, but I try to correct myself on it, reread before commenting on stuff, etc. but we are very much taught that the US is the center of the world and also better than everywhere else.
It's good that even at a young age you recognise that this is happening but also scary that it's happening and many many other young people won't realise that isn't the case.
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Love living in USA. But have never been taught, nor do I think I am superior to anyone else
This reminds of the time my MIL accused me of coming to the US for the better social services and healthcare. Mind you, I'm originally from the Netherlands lol.
For the "better social services and healthcare"?? 😂. Were you able to keep a straight face? Lmao
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The thing I have always loved about the US was the diversity of cultures and different ethnic groups. I was proud of the US being known as “ the melting pot”. Even though it seems that Americans are racist and closed minded, I don’t believe that is true for most, especially due to multi-generational families and younger people with a global acceptance mentality. The loudest aren’t always the strongest.
I never used to give the flags flying everywhere a second thought. Now I look at them and get angry. People are so brainwashed by the idea of “freedom” and how helping your fellow man is *gasp* socialism. Plus, our government can’t seem to decipher the constitution. They bend it to their will and don’t consider it’s true intention based on the time period it was written.
The USA seems to be a cruel place to live-it seems to be every man/person for themselves. If you can't afford healthcare then screw you, if you don't have a job and can't feed your family, then screw you. A civilised country looks after its vulnerable citizens, it has adequate social security, affordable healthcare, compassion for each other so there is adequately funded family and social support, and mandatory sick leave and maternity/family leave as needed. USA only seems to work for those citizens that have a decent income and the good luck never to get seriously ill.
And, as an American expat with family who still lives in the US...God forbid you try to enlighten them to the fact that they've been force-fed the kool-aid their whole lives and they need to get out...does not go over well.
"People are doing just fine all over the place without, you know, being us." Love that line. I'll have to use it.
Im gonna be honest, i would NEVER live in the US, 1st i love my country ( with all its flaws ) and i don't inteend to leave, however if leaving was indispensable, the only American continent country i would consider would be Canadá.
And has a reverential view of, and therefore inability to change, the constitution.
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Speaking as an American, I HATE guns and our healthcare SUCKS. This isn’t a bad place to live, but I can think of a several other countries I could definitely be happy living in…
Speak for yourself. I live in the US and my healthcare is AMAZING
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And no question this was always true, but then, my mom's fam isn't from the US, so I have a different view. (Born and bred US. Never thought it was the center of any universe but the American media's.)
I found that out in the 1990s when I went to Europe for a 6-month backpacking trip. The USA was actually hated. Halfway thru the trip, I actually put a Canadian flag on my backpack and started saying "eh" a lot. Sorry, my Canandian friends. I was young. On a side note, I just could not believe that no one had ice for sodas and no iced tea.
I wish people would stop calling out 'The US' for bad policies and behaviors. This country is very divided in our thinking. There is probably an even split between citizens who look at our country with embarrassment and shame and those who have their heads up their arses.
As a non American, I feel that is harsh. Every country has a good and a bad side. Equally, most people believe that their country has ‘got it right’. Unless, of course, they’re talking amongst themselves.
I completely agree with the first part of your comment. There's no perfect country, they all have pros and cons, it really depends on what's important to each person. All countries have room to grow, and could learn from others. And sometimes we love a place because of the friends and/or family we have there. People make the place. But in some countries people do complain about their country a lot, and don't think it has got it right atm, but instead some crucial changes are urgently needed. I guess maybe some countries are better structured, have less corruption, and have a better social security net than others. :)
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I've never been taught this. They must have grown up in a conservative area because that's a narrative they espound. Must of us aren't like that.
I wonder what would happen if we picked our politicians based on competence instead of popularity. 🤔🤔
I watch travel shows so much, and see how people are friendly in so many places... but that it's not always a good idea to say that your from the US.
Actually, as a Canadian who has seen many American-centric Americans, it's hopeful to know that some Americans are aware of the behaviour and disappointed by it.
That's not a USA thing. That's a "You have parents who raised you that way thing".
Ok I am American as well, never once was I told, or assumed that anyone anywhere should bow in deference to me simply because I, only a human, just happened to be born in a different country then someone else. At least you learned differently, but please don't blanket everyone American with your ignorance.
It's not about you, a mere human. It's about America as a country. Google 'American exceptionalism'. It's real, and well known and documented.
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and your health system terifies me , and shooting people , but i love visiting
My family immigrated to the US in 1977 when I was 2 from an island nation that, at the time, our dollar and the US dollar were worth the same. So, no, not a third world country. I was on a road trip with my younger cousins when I went home about 15 years ago. The thing that was impressive to me was that they had such a grasp on American politics. They have a dry wall company, they were in their 20’s at the time. I don’t believe, at the time, I would have found many guys like them in the US that knew anything about politics let alone politics on the other side of the world. They asked questions like “does everyone carry a gun.” That’s what most of the world believes. Some other cousins came to visit and asked WTH was with this Walmart thing. I took them to one and they walked around bewildered. Couldn’t understand why anyone would need a gallon of mayonnaise. They bring all of the medications in their house just incase something happens, they don’t want the US medical bills!
Didn't William Lederer explain this in 1958's The Ugly American? ..... And you expect anything has changed?
Careful. I made a comment stating just about this exact same thing on a thread a few days ago and got banned for it. This site is so freaking unpredictable and inconsistent.
As an American still in the school system: Pretty much yeah. We're pretty much trained to think our country is the best. They have us pledge our allegiance every morning to our flag, and like, in almost every classroom we have a huge flag somewhere on the walls, to remind us that our country is great. Honestly, sometimes America feels like a cult lol
If the offer was worded like that it would be fine. America is a continent, and I'm already in Mexico, so a free million! (But I know what you mean!)
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You’ll ever hear about the fact that our forefathers said to create a MORE perfect union not A perfect union they knew s**t was not gonna be easy they knew that it was going to fight itself so why the hell would anyone think that we are the perfect country? Patriotism brainwashing or stupidity maybe
It's the same in the UK though, maybe every country. They think that all military activities, including occupying countries and enslaving their people, were for the benefit of the people they killed, all economic activity including steal a nation's wealth and treasures, was legitimate, and leaving corrupt governments and divided countries just proves that they needed British control in the first place.
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Since trump it is you, usa citizens, getting to know it. The rest of the world new it long before that. Sorry to open your eyes... Again. We also know you are a deeply divided country and half of you are ashamed of how the other half behaves. I like your half: you were simply blinded by the lights,. But you know now and trying to change that. The other half is still blind and wrong.
Education that takes a life time to pay off - assuming you don't get shot at school - then medical banckrupcy and working till you drop being all you have to look forward to ... That's a pass from me.
Wow, I didn't grow up to think like that. I have lived around the world, been to war, and to places that experienced an earthquake so bad, they couldn't help themselves. People are people, some are kind, some are not, and some just need help. So, I saw what there was to see, tasted the foods, enjoyed the culture, defended the vulnerable, and helped out as much as possible. And that all happened throughout 4 presidents. I guess it really just boils down to who YOU are as an American.
Yep, I am honestly ashamed to be American as a mixed race, Hispanic, lesbian, genderqueer person.
Interesting view. As a person of color in the U.S., I grew up with a very contrasting opinion of America. Oh the American Ideal was preached, but experience is the great teacher.
Yikes. This bumpkin's closed minded world view is certainly not a blanket statement for everyone who grew up in the u.s. may have been particular to her situation...definitely not mine.
This person must be very young... anyone older than 40 knows that the US isn't the center of the universe, SMDH
I'm surprised how many people don't realize this is all propaganda taught in school, sold in ads and on the news before they graduated high school. Smh
Keep in mind, they're also seeing the world through their own rose colored lens. So unless they too have traveled and lived in those other cultures they're guilty of the same thing.
Nope, it's specific to America. Just as China used to see itself as the centre of the world, for a long time now America has seen itself as some sort of unique place that's better than all other places. Other countries don't have this exceptionalism.
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"the myth we tell ourselves is that everyone in the world would live here if they only could" Like heck I would ever want to live in the US. One medical emergency and boom, a debt you probably need decades to pay off.
If at all possible, people should travel out of their home countries. Better if one can live for a year in another country.
I questioned whether this one was even real, or just made by a non-american out to try to prove a point, but some people in the comments seem to agree with it so I guess it must be. There are certainly many who were not raised this way, and don't understand this ideology. I remember being taught as a kid that we (my family) were lucky we didn't live in a third world country, because we had enough food to eat and running water, but that was about it. It wasn't based on politics or nationality. Everybody's experience is different, I guess.
We're not the center of the Universe but most of the world views us as their personal bank and protector. The same nations that call us fools have their hands out stretched for handouts and beg us to protect them at our expense. They didn't like Trump because he had long demanded an end to that.
Geopolitics means that the US will continue to be bank and protector because you wouldn't like the alternative where most likely China or possibly India took over this role and diverted resources away from US.
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God Bless America! I have always been taught to respect to treat everyone with the same respect...No country is perfect.
I was offered to go toUS a few years back. Like, I live in Sweden, and has a handicapped wife that needs very expensive meds and constant care by doctors. Why in the world would I take a job and move to US where things like free health care is something you scare the kids with? Here, we pay around $240/year for her meds (that would easily cost thousands a month), and around $180/year for doctors, fysio therapy etcetera. Well, not dollars, but what amount to those numbers in Swedish Krona
It's sad to read that people are taught to hate their own country through the lens of political Indoctrination.
This is quite depressing to read. Very many Americans definitely believe that their country is the greatest and the rest of the world looks up to it, when that’s just not true.
Could not agree more. I hate that we are seen as such idiots because of a bunch of idiotic, entitled windbags.
I am so disappointed in my country. I feel defeated. I am powerless to fix these problems. Thank you to our lovely friends from Europe who revel in pointing out our flaws. It's like having a really bad haircut and putting on a few pounds and then going to a family reunion that never ends until one day you die.
The biggest no go for even just teaveling to the US is the gun laws and that half of the people happyly let's their kids get shot at school instead of voting for a mental health tests before you get a gun license.
People all over the world pity Americans. You're so caught up in the myth of your freedom, that you ignore the massive erosion of your human rights. Your educational system is failing you, healthcare is the most expensive in the world and often poor quality, workers don't have the rights or benefits common to every other developed country. You have the highest incarceration rate in the developed world, and a legal system biased against poor people and non-whites. Gun crime is rampant, and your children aren't even safe at school. America is seen as a dumpster fire of a country, and the vast majority of people in developed countries would never want to live there.
We don’t ignore these things. Why do you think so many people are protesting and trying to change laws and fix our issues?? My god, we’re not all idiots who believe this is the greatest place in earth.
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Weird. American here. I was taught everyone hates us just because we were born, period. Then I started reading BP and realized that is 100% true. We're "arrogant" for not using their unit of measurement, lacking culture.. specifically THEIR culture, seemingly too confident; I mean, who gave us permission... and on and on. What people EVERYWHERE fail to see is EVERY culture is different.. that's what makes it a culture. Not everyone has to see and do things exactly as any one country does. And why, oh WHY are we shamed for not being exactly as "insert whatever country/culture you want here" and then ridiculed when we take pride in ancestry for that exact same place? Damned if we do, damned if we don't. American bashing is the new world identity. Here's an idea; mind ya own. Get a hobby. Be better. (BTW; show me a politician anywhere that has any clue how normal people live.)
On my most recent visit to the US a few years ago we spent a couple of weeks in SoCal and I distinctly remember telling my husband that things must be really sh*t in Mexico if so many Mexicans want to cross the border into the US. Your food for starters is just over-processed garbage.
Croatia: it's a standard expectation that you clean the street outside your house as part of cleaning your house (at least in the small towns i was in -not sure about the cities). The cleanest streets I've ever seen and a real sense of communal civic pride.
I moved to Australia when I was 20 and I thought people were going to be speaking English. I was wrong.
Me, "I'm going to McDonald's, you want me to get you a breakfast burrito?"
Shane, "Oi Maccas Fair Dinkum mate! Had to ruck up early for the physio and me ute was out of petrol so stopped at the servo and asked the Sheila if they had brekky but noooouaahho just lollies so ive been getting aggro"
None of the sounds that just fell out of your head were words. Do you want a burrito or not?
In Spain, no chit chat from the waiter. None of that "I'll be serving you" stuff that we hear in the US. Just "tell me." My introvert self loved it. I tell you, food arrives, I eat.
I was shocked by how friendly most people in the US are. When we're buying groceries, the cashier would make small talk with us about what we're buying. I bought KFC and was having trouble with american coins (they're all the same color ok!) and the nice cashier helped me (there was no one else at the store so he had time). My uncle was raised in the US and knew all his neighbors, he loves riding bikes so he knows everyone around the neighborhood who also rides. I'd walk his dog while I was there and people would just randomly stop and talk to me about the dog.
The friendliness makes my trips to the US very wholesome and nice.
The sheer awesomeness of Japanese convenience stores. My local 7-11 has sticky floors and doubtful looking packaged sandwiches. The 7-11s in Japan are clean, well-lit, have a great selection of lunch/dinner prepackaged meals, and not only do they have a cold drink section, they have a special heated unit for hot drinks. When I saw all the technological innovations in Japan, I felt like I came from a third world country.
Barefoot people EVERYWHERE in New Zealand. In Starbucks, in the mall, on public transit, walking down the street. No shoes, no socks, no f**ks to give.
Chile. "Tomorrow" means next week. "Next week" means never. "I'm already there" means "i'm thinking about starting to prepare to go out".
For a ten-minutes-early person that was jarring.
Indonesia. People just sit next to you in the train/bus. Ask personal questions immediately. Want to know why you don't have kids, or a husband. And why you're fat or that you should get a haircut because your hair is ugly.
It felt like Christmas at home, but then for months, from multiple people instead of my mum.
Go to some countries, like Germany or Britain, and tell the locals that you're going for a short 2-4 hour drive. Many will look at you like you grew a second head.
Here in Canada, people will do 2 hour drive for groceries. It takes 10 damn hours just get to the next province.
Where I live in Australia, it's a 2 hour round trip (just the drive) to get groceries.
Not necessarily shocked, but dudes holding hands in India. Thought they were gay, turns out it's a normal custom.
I was in Germany a couple years ago with a friend of a friend who was born in the Soviet Union (and who still lives in a former Soviet satellite).
Someone tried to get us to sign a petition. After the guy left, I had to explain the concept of a petition and he said, "Oh. In my country if you want to change the government you just disappear."
In Thailand a little kid had never seen a white person as pale as i was and he put his little hand on my knee to see if it was real. Culture shock for both of us i guess.
This reminds me of a story my dad used to tell: back in the 90's he worked in Minneapolis. The Twin Cities are home to one of the largest Hmong communities in the U.S. Anyway, my dad was outside doing his thing when this little Hmong child walked up to him and touched my dad's hairy legs. Apparently Hmong people don't have as much hair, so the kid was really fascinated with my dad. My dad was pretty confused, and even thought he was getting pranked.
In parts of Ireland in my grandparents time it was considered rude to accept food or beverages from a host the first time it was offered.
The exchange was supposed to go something like:
"will you have a cup of tea?"
"no thank you, I won't, I won't trouble you"
"ahh you will sure, go on"
"ahh I will so, if you're making one for yourself"
When my parents first went to America, they were shocked to find that people didn't do this, so instead it went:
"would you like a cup of coffee?"
"no thank you, I won't trouble you"
"okay!"
"wait! I did actually want coffee!"
"then why did you say no??"
One of my grandmothers was like this until she died, would get really snippy with you if you accepted a drink or a biscuit the first time she offered it.
Japanese discipline.
I was visiting the Hakone Outdoor Museum (a huge sculpture garden). At the end of the tour is a onsen foot bath where visitors can dip their feet in the nice hot water.
Tourists of every stripe gathered around the foot bath and the attendant instructed us on the rules. The rules were to be followed to the letter:
Remove shoes. Remove socks.
Place socks inside shoes.
Place shoes in designated area behind you, in basket provided.
Pants cuffs are to be rolled up in this fashion: roll back hem to the outside, then fold each additional roll in approximately 1 inch folds.
Continue folding up trouser cuffs until the roll extends past your calf muscle.
Last fold should be a tight fold to keep your trouser cuff up.
Place feet in onsen foot bath and enjoy.
When finished with enjoyment, take shoes and socks from basket and retire to bench to let feet dry.
When feet are dry, unroll trouser cuffs and re-install socks and shoes.
You may now leave.
This attendant went up and down the line, repeating the instructions, correcting people whose cuff rolling was sub-optimal. He wasn't mean about it. He was just...exacting.
The Japanese guests complied with bows and "HAI!". The foreigners bumbled along, trying their best, and getting a bit irritated. It was a hoot.
Balinese funerals and how they celebrate death. I was sitting on the beach on my first day there and heard a crowd coming, carying food and playing festive music. I thought it was some kind of party or wedding until I realized they were carying a corpse.
A lot of cultures have "festive" funerals. Saw a few over the years.
As someone who has lived in the Philippines for most of his life, I am considered quite chubby or overweight here. When I travelled to the USA a few years ago to study, I was shocked when people over there looked at me and said I was quite fit. Huge culture shock in terms of body image, and an even bigger culture shock at the portions of food in the USA.
Went to San Francisco. Was shocked to see the amount of homeless people there. Not to mention the amount of human s**t on the ground. It's literally disgusting, like third world disgusting.
You amercians need to fix that.
Oh now I'm scared... I'm flying there on Christmas Day (from Australia)
I went to The Netherlands as an LDS (Mormon) missionary. The first person I tried to talk to stopped me and said, "uh, I don't speak Dutch, and I'm gay, so Jesus won't work for me". And he walked away. My companion just laughed and said, "welcome to the Netherlands".
Netherlands being a very secular country in general, I doubt trying to "sell" mormonism was a success.
Visiting China and seeing how aggressive/pushy people are. Makes sense, there are 1+ billion people, if you are polite and wait your turn you'll be left behind. So everybody is pushy, cuts in line, shoving you out of the way, etc. Of course I just had come from Japan where it's the total opposite....
My parents are Chinese but I grew up in Europe, therefore I'm considered a banana.
Some years ago, i was visiting my family in China. We were in a very rural area with lots of small cottages. We saw a family eating dinner and my grandma asked them if we could join so we paid a few bucks and ate a meal with a random family. Not really a shock but It felt really weird.
Back when me and my family flew to America (my first time), we landed in Houston to switch planes and went to a fast-food diner in the airport.
I ordered a milkshake and not only was it served in a cup that was like twice my size, they also gave me the shaker in which it was made so no ice-cream is left behind.
At that moment I was assured I was gonna love America.
Nap-time is everything in Spain. Visited Barcelona a few months ago, and it was my first time in Spain. Couldn't believe when my friend told me that all the shops and businesses are closed because it's "siesta time".
Love my naps and all, but that just drove me crazy.
Edit: every siesta is a fiesta tbh
It’s proven scientifically that humans that nap mid-day for a “siesta” are better for it. I’m always tired AF Around 3-4 pm. Spain has the right idea.
Not me but my dad went to India for business and said there were children missing body parts, eyes missing, across their face begging for money. Driver told him their parents did that to them to make them look more pathetic so people will give them money
Indian here. It is very hard to comprehend the hardness of life some people go through in India. In fact. it is impossible to empathize because it is so different from life in the west for most. When people are super desperate, and they have no hope, no way to get out of the cycle of poverty, probably because of their caste and everyone treats them way worse than anyone would treat their pet animal, they lose sense of “normal” standard of compassion. Not to say that some people can just be EVIL. That’s also possible. But i don’t think it’s possible to judge someone like whom i mentioned from the lenses of a developed nation. We all have our lenses and ways of looking at life. We can’t expect to impose that on a completely different culture that has totally different circumstances
When I went to Bangladesh with my girlfriend last year we went to the city her father grew up in before he came to the States. I remember at one point we walked past a station and seeing people climbing on the roof of a train due to the crowding, some in business suits, was quite an eye opener. After seeing that I have never complained about riding the subway again
You see this a lot in parts of Asia, also the Middle East and parts of Africa. First time I saw this was in Egypt, people boarding the train through the windows, climbing up on top. I thought, how am I getting on this train, lol.
I live in northern Canada in a less than 800 people town in the middle of nowhere. So the first time I went to California was a massive culture shock. Big cities, 8 lanes of freeway traffic, having to lock your doors, skyscrapers (anything above 3 floors), subways, well... everything really. I think what got to me most was the lack of trees.
Went to Egypt last summer. We had hired a personal tour guide because there was no way we would be walking around by ourselves in Egypt. The service came with an Egyptian government security guard to protect us, and at one point my mother asked our tour guide (not the guard) what life what he thought of the government right then, and he said it was great. Later when the guard was getting us into a site, the tour guide told my mom not to ask questions like that in front of the guard because he (the tour guide) could be punished for talking negatively about the government. Really scared me.
What in God’s name would possess someone to have such a huge lapse of judgement? You’re literally hiring a guide with government security to simply *visit* this nation. WHY would you ask something so tone deaf???? Is she planning a stop in North Korea next to get a feel for it over there???
Went to the Philippines.
On the trip from the airport a group of homeless children took control of a bridge and demanded payment for people crossing it. People actually paid too.
The air pollution in major Chinese cities is so bad that your eyes water the second you step out of the airport. You also undergo a sort of acclimation sickness within the first couple weeks. The other thing about China, is that it's such an old country, that you have ancient temples and monuments, some 1000s of years old, right next to hyper modern 8 story shopping centers.
When i went to London, all the faucets in all the public bathrooms had handles so you could turn the water on and off like a f**king adult, and all the stall doors went all the way to the floor.
I landed in Juba, South Sudan. There were anti-aircraft guns on the roof of the airport, child soldiers in the tiny arrivals hall. The airport gift shop was selling loose raw eggs and salt. There were no roads, no electricity, no bank system, no running water and no garbage collection - so the entire city smelled of burning garbage.
This is not as good a story as a lot of these here, just saying upfront. I live in the Netherlands. Water is all around me. From the sea, to the canals, to waterways dividing the fields between different farms. The first time I visited Iowa and drove around there it took me a couple of days to realise there wasn't any water between the fields and acres. Sure, there's a river and what not, but essentially it's just endless actual ground. It made me feel uneasy for a couple of minutes.
Not being able to flush toilet paper in most of Latin America. Trash bins full of sh**ty toilet paper in +35 weather.
Had often thought about retiring to South America, somewhere like Colombia ... when I found out about that ... thought nope ... I have standards, they might be low, but I still have them.
On my first day in Tokyo:
Spending an entire train journey with two small girls (probably 4 or 5 years old) staring at me inches from my face like they had never seen a white guy before. The mother looked terribly embarrassed but didn't try to stop them.
Queuing up in a shop and being asked to stand in a different line where there was a white guy that spoke English at the counter for that line.
Discovering that Japanese pavements get dangerously slippery when it's been raining because of how clean the pavements are - There's no friction at all.
Going into a trendy cafe in Shibuya that was blasting out incredibly vulgar gangster rap music during the middle of the day. The lyrics were in English, so I guess that the owners of the cafe didn't know how inappropriate it was.
I'm from one of the most unequal countries in the world, but going to India still blew my mind. Delhi is a heaving, throbbing city, people sleeping in literal dirt next to mansions. Perhaps the pilgrimage to the Taj Mahal was the most eye-opening. By far the most beautiful, perhaps most opulent, man-made structure I've seen on earth, but its mired in the most saddening poverty imaginable.
Yep, it’s the land of extremes alright. I spent time travelling there after my parents died, some of the poorest folks I met had the biggest hearts and the happiest have met. I left a part of my heart there and I can’t wait to go back. I’m saying that, the scenes of poverty and deformity outside the Taj Mahal will haunt me forever.
I`m an American living in the poorest province in China and I have been thanked repeatedly for dropping the atomic bombs on "those Japanese monkeys." I have also spoken to someone who believes that all black people have Aids and they are responsible for spreading it to the rest of the world.
I am not at all excusing their attitudes toward Japanese people, but perhaps it can be explained by how Japan treated China during WWII. It was absolutely brutal.
Went to Japan. First night at 1 AM in the metro and it was loaded with people in suits and other formal clothing looking completely exhausted almost falling asleep on each others laps, just an ordinary day for Tokyo people.
I went to France and Belgium from the US and was shocked at the lack of the highway advertising. No billboards or anything
First time out of the country? Most countries would prefer you to keep your focus on the road without too many distractions.
Not from my travels, but I had a client that went to Bhutan. Real conservative lady, I ask how it went. She goes "It was great.......they really like.....male....genitals......over there" I asked her to elaborate. She said there were d**ks everywhere. Physical representations of d**ks on hats, on the sidewalk, everywhere. There was a parade where some important guy had a penis staff and "knighted" dignitaries with it. that made me happy.
In Jordan, and I'm sure most Arab countries, if you compliment something, it's considered impolite for the person not to offer it to you. I thought the warnings were an exaggeration until my friend complimented a waiter's watch and the waiter had it literally unlatched, trying to push it into my friend's hands. Four is the appropriate amount of times to say no, and if you actually do want it, it's rude to say yes after fewer than three.
I was in India earlier this year and their taxi drivers take you wherever they feel like before taking you to your requested destination. And would be deeply offended if you were like 'WTF, where are we going?'
So, that's how I ended up on a boat in the middle of the Arabian Sea when all I wanted to do was exchange money, and at a random zoo when I just wanted to go shopping. I eventually exchanged money and went shopping but had to go on field trips first to see the sites. Good times.
So I went to Vietnam a couple years back with my friend Marcus. Marcus is black, I am not. We’re eating at this small place tucked deep in the mountains when our server comes up to us, his friend in tow. The server, without saying a word, saddles next to Marcus, strikes a buddy Jesus pose, and walks off to get our food. I looked at Marcus and said “You’re on some dudes twitter right now with the caption ‘Not Obama, but met my first black guy’ or something similar.”
Hubby and I lived on a tropical island for a few years. Almost every time we were at a certain beach people from India wanted us in their videos or pictures with us. We were invited to weddings of Indian people we didn’t know. Apparently, it’s ‘good luck’ to have ‘white’ people at their ceremonies.
The Chinese toilets that are just holes in the ground. It is even worse in the countryside, where there are no walls and you just don't look at each other when squatting, and everything falls in this smelly ditch underneath where you can actually see all the poop
Germany: How f*****g clean are bathrooms. I've frequent to Germany for business reasons along with rest of Europe but Germany takes the cake in terms if cleanliness of the bathrooms. Every stay I had I found my bathroom to be absolutely spotless. I found their bathrooms to be cleaner than the rooms.
Despite my parents being Argentinean, we eat dinner at around 7 or 8 Pm. You should have seen my face when I went to visit family and found out it's the norm to eat dinner there around 10 or 11 Pm.
Many people in Canada consider 7:00 or 8:00 late to eat dinner! I don’t understand how they manage to get home and dinner cooked by 5:30, but I know many families that do.
In Beijing old fat men do this thing called the Beijing bikini where they tuck the bottom of their t-shirt into the neck to expose their gut. It wasn't exactly a shock but it was hilarious.
They also let their kids s**t on the floor.
When I first came to the country and found out "grounding" is a form if punishment when kids get in trouble or acts up here in America. Back in China I use to get beat with a stick.
My dad would hit me and yell at me. I just wish I was grounded instead
Malaysia as a woman from the USA. I got harassed for wearing shorts. I got rocks thrown at me. A gun pulled. Men wouldn’t address me. The hotel we were at assumed I was a second wife to my married couple friends. In fact, I always had to convince them that I wanted my own room. I was never Ms. Mongooseoflove. I was always Mrs. AnyMaleFriendIWasWith.
When you go to other countries, respect their cultures and dressing habits. Don't play victim. You are a guest in their house. It is very simple. If you don't like wearing skirts, caps shirts, etc then vacation elsewhere.
Note: this post originally had 85 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I was surprised by how basic JFK departures lounge was. Considering it's a huge airport I thought they'd have lots of shops, restaurants etc. It was literally a few coffee shops and nothing else. The big UK airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, Manchester, Birmingham airports have departures lounges that are like shopping centres with shops, restaurants and pubs. Even Glasgow airport has more going on in departures than JFK. It's an unwritten law in the UK that holiday starts at the airport and the departures lounge is one of the few places it's acceptable to drink alcohol at 6am.
I think it depends which terminal you're in. Terminal 4 at JFK, which I've come to know and loathe over my adult life, has very few real shops compared to many other airports. I don't count a 'kiosk" as a shop, even if they do, LOL.
Load More Replies... Sort of in reverse. Spent some time in Kenya and Uganda. Finally returned home and on the way from the airport had to stop by a walmart to pick up a few things. Was blown away by how much stuff was available, and how much of it seemingly useless. I had gotten used to very little in the shops and much of the food local. Clearly recall a woman with a cart piled high and a talking fish wall plaque on top. Like WTF do you need that for?
All Walmart stores are like that, full of pointless junky cr@pola. ;)
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I was visiting a Thai hill tribe with friends in 1998. They kept bringing out food and we kept politely eating it. Dish after dish after dish. Frog curry, fern stir fry… we honestly couldn’t eat any more, but didn’t want to seem rude. It wasn’t until I remembered from my Lonely Planet that in Thailand you should always leave some food on your plate to show the host that they were so generous that they left you stuffed and full that we finished eating and left the food. They were relieved and carried the remaining food back to themselves so they could finally start eating. We’re so used to being told to finish our plates, that we thought we were being polite, but really, we just needed to stop so they could eat the leftovers.
I must spend my life in the toilet as both my culture shocks took place in them , First one whilst travelling in France I didn't know that they have same sex toilets and waited ages for a man to come out for me to go in, to have a man push past me and just walk in before me. I was told to just go in and yes it was a shared toilet...thankfully they had cubicles . The second time was whilst on holiday in Turkey, we went to a tiny place called Altinkum, any place that served food declared they had a toilet. The toilet consisted of a shed with a hole in the floor that you just 'shat/peed' in .. no toilet roll ....
My first time abroad wasn't really a cultural shock. It was more a realization my mental image of the place had been created by Hollywood. It started during my taxi ride from de Gaulle airport. Oh, right, Paris also has poor and ugly parts, like other cities. Then, after I had checked into my hotel and had sufficiently figured out the lay of the land and the metro system, I started exploring the city. After a couple of hours I realized I was among people who were going to work, making a living, taking care of life's stuff, just like I had been at home. It's not all beautiful people at sidewalk cafes with "La Vie en rose" playing everywhere.
It speaks well of you that you had that realization and didn't blame the entire city for not being like Disneyworld, because I can't tell you how many tourists I've heard complain that Paris is an actual real city and not like it is in Ratatouille. These were adults, too. They also complained that there were too many tourists in Paris, seemingly without any self-awareness.
Load More Replies... I was surprised on the difference between rural north Sweden and the cities in the south. It felt like I dropped onto another planet when I november down here 30 years ago. For starters, people actually thought there was nothing to do in thw countryside because "there are no shopping". To this day, I feel the same; there is not much to do in cities. No fishing. No farming. No just roamning around miles and miles away from nearest human. None of the essentials in life
In my country, and maybe in lots of parts of the world, is polite to leave your plate empty when you're invited to dinner, but in some countries it means you're not satisfied, so your guest served you more until you leave a little bit of food left, meaning you can't eat anymore
I've lived in Canada my whole life, but I've seen foreigners bewildered with our culture. On the bus I was sitting across from a group of Brazilian exchange students (I'm assuming, but they were teens) and they were talking amongst themselves how weird dating customs are in Canada compared to . Apparently, from what this guy said, it's normal and acceptable in Brazil for a guy, even if he has a girlfriend, to give any other girls kisses in the air, hug them, compliment them, and the girlfriend won't get jealous, or lash out about it. He went on saying you just can't do that in Canada. Idk how accurate this is but it's something that's been living in my head rent-free. The people in Brazil I hear are also a lot more comfortable showing their skin and it's common for girls to take their tops and bras off right in the middle of an outdoor beach shop to try on bikinis. But that was told to me by a guy who knew someone who ran a swimsuit shop at a beach in Manitoba. Might've lied.
My husband is French and kissing friends and even strangers on the cheek is normal. It's also much more normal to have close platonic friends of the opposite sex from a young age, so there is less jealousy around your romantic partner being close with opposite sex friends. People there just seem to be a lot more chill about relationships.
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I moved from an average sized town (not small that everyone knows each other, not giant that you can find whatever you heart desire) to a really big one whitin another state in the same country and it was and still is a cultural shock. Things have different names (specially bread which is commonly called a very ugly curse word in my state), people stare at my ID as if they don't know what it is, documents work different, not to mention how f*****g far everything is. In my state, in 50 mins you get from my home to the capital of the state, here in this place you can drive for 50 minutes and not leave the city.
What amazed me (from Australia) was driving long distance through Europe. The border between urban and rural land was so sharp and clearly delineated. Towns with houses and blocks of flats, then clean and green farmland. No intermediate zone of poorer housing with run-down gardens, areas of sheds and rusting machinery, piles of abandoned construction material, etc. You could literally stand with one foot in the rural area and the other in the urban area
#49 is so relatable, I had to explain to my mom the concept of grounding and then she was like "Why make you suffer long term when I can inflict the same amount of pain in less then ten minutes"
Yeah...almost zero people in Australia actually speak like #4, unless they're messing with you. Which is a popular Australian pastime.
Much appreciation for info Loki. I think part of the problem are reasons why people downvote comments. There are times when someone should get suspended for something but it seems that people downvote just cause their opinion is different.
This post makes you apprehensive about visiting some foreign countries 😳
There are stone really over-generalized statements here and racist choices for pictures. What’s up with Bored Panda allowing stuff like this? It’s a promoted article too.
This is why you need to travel. To see how wrong and anecdotal most of these are.
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I was surprised by how basic JFK departures lounge was. Considering it's a huge airport I thought they'd have lots of shops, restaurants etc. It was literally a few coffee shops and nothing else. The big UK airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, Manchester, Birmingham airports have departures lounges that are like shopping centres with shops, restaurants and pubs. Even Glasgow airport has more going on in departures than JFK. It's an unwritten law in the UK that holiday starts at the airport and the departures lounge is one of the few places it's acceptable to drink alcohol at 6am.
I think it depends which terminal you're in. Terminal 4 at JFK, which I've come to know and loathe over my adult life, has very few real shops compared to many other airports. I don't count a 'kiosk" as a shop, even if they do, LOL.
Load More Replies... Sort of in reverse. Spent some time in Kenya and Uganda. Finally returned home and on the way from the airport had to stop by a walmart to pick up a few things. Was blown away by how much stuff was available, and how much of it seemingly useless. I had gotten used to very little in the shops and much of the food local. Clearly recall a woman with a cart piled high and a talking fish wall plaque on top. Like WTF do you need that for?
All Walmart stores are like that, full of pointless junky cr@pola. ;)
Load More Replies... I was visiting a Thai hill tribe with friends in 1998. They kept bringing out food and we kept politely eating it. Dish after dish after dish. Frog curry, fern stir fry… we honestly couldn’t eat any more, but didn’t want to seem rude. It wasn’t until I remembered from my Lonely Planet that in Thailand you should always leave some food on your plate to show the host that they were so generous that they left you stuffed and full that we finished eating and left the food. They were relieved and carried the remaining food back to themselves so they could finally start eating. We’re so used to being told to finish our plates, that we thought we were being polite, but really, we just needed to stop so they could eat the leftovers.
I must spend my life in the toilet as both my culture shocks took place in them , First one whilst travelling in France I didn't know that they have same sex toilets and waited ages for a man to come out for me to go in, to have a man push past me and just walk in before me. I was told to just go in and yes it was a shared toilet...thankfully they had cubicles . The second time was whilst on holiday in Turkey, we went to a tiny place called Altinkum, any place that served food declared they had a toilet. The toilet consisted of a shed with a hole in the floor that you just 'shat/peed' in .. no toilet roll ....
My first time abroad wasn't really a cultural shock. It was more a realization my mental image of the place had been created by Hollywood. It started during my taxi ride from de Gaulle airport. Oh, right, Paris also has poor and ugly parts, like other cities. Then, after I had checked into my hotel and had sufficiently figured out the lay of the land and the metro system, I started exploring the city. After a couple of hours I realized I was among people who were going to work, making a living, taking care of life's stuff, just like I had been at home. It's not all beautiful people at sidewalk cafes with "La Vie en rose" playing everywhere.
It speaks well of you that you had that realization and didn't blame the entire city for not being like Disneyworld, because I can't tell you how many tourists I've heard complain that Paris is an actual real city and not like it is in Ratatouille. These were adults, too. They also complained that there were too many tourists in Paris, seemingly without any self-awareness.
Load More Replies... I was surprised on the difference between rural north Sweden and the cities in the south. It felt like I dropped onto another planet when I november down here 30 years ago. For starters, people actually thought there was nothing to do in thw countryside because "there are no shopping". To this day, I feel the same; there is not much to do in cities. No fishing. No farming. No just roamning around miles and miles away from nearest human. None of the essentials in life
In my country, and maybe in lots of parts of the world, is polite to leave your plate empty when you're invited to dinner, but in some countries it means you're not satisfied, so your guest served you more until you leave a little bit of food left, meaning you can't eat anymore
I've lived in Canada my whole life, but I've seen foreigners bewildered with our culture. On the bus I was sitting across from a group of Brazilian exchange students (I'm assuming, but they were teens) and they were talking amongst themselves how weird dating customs are in Canada compared to . Apparently, from what this guy said, it's normal and acceptable in Brazil for a guy, even if he has a girlfriend, to give any other girls kisses in the air, hug them, compliment them, and the girlfriend won't get jealous, or lash out about it. He went on saying you just can't do that in Canada. Idk how accurate this is but it's something that's been living in my head rent-free. The people in Brazil I hear are also a lot more comfortable showing their skin and it's common for girls to take their tops and bras off right in the middle of an outdoor beach shop to try on bikinis. But that was told to me by a guy who knew someone who ran a swimsuit shop at a beach in Manitoba. Might've lied.
My husband is French and kissing friends and even strangers on the cheek is normal. It's also much more normal to have close platonic friends of the opposite sex from a young age, so there is less jealousy around your romantic partner being close with opposite sex friends. People there just seem to be a lot more chill about relationships.
Load More Replies... I moved from an average sized town (not small that everyone knows each other, not giant that you can find whatever you heart desire) to a really big one whitin another state in the same country and it was and still is a cultural shock. Things have different names (specially bread which is commonly called a very ugly curse word in my state), people stare at my ID as if they don't know what it is, documents work different, not to mention how f*****g far everything is. In my state, in 50 mins you get from my home to the capital of the state, here in this place you can drive for 50 minutes and not leave the city.
What amazed me (from Australia) was driving long distance through Europe. The border between urban and rural land was so sharp and clearly delineated. Towns with houses and blocks of flats, then clean and green farmland. No intermediate zone of poorer housing with run-down gardens, areas of sheds and rusting machinery, piles of abandoned construction material, etc. You could literally stand with one foot in the rural area and the other in the urban area
#49 is so relatable, I had to explain to my mom the concept of grounding and then she was like "Why make you suffer long term when I can inflict the same amount of pain in less then ten minutes"
Yeah...almost zero people in Australia actually speak like #4, unless they're messing with you. Which is a popular Australian pastime.
Much appreciation for info Loki. I think part of the problem are reasons why people downvote comments. There are times when someone should get suspended for something but it seems that people downvote just cause their opinion is different.
This post makes you apprehensive about visiting some foreign countries 😳
There are stone really over-generalized statements here and racist choices for pictures. What’s up with Bored Panda allowing stuff like this? It’s a promoted article too.
This is why you need to travel. To see how wrong and anecdotal most of these are.
Load More Replies...
