No, you can’t order a cappuccino after lunch. You might wander around the city searching for a trash can for hours. If you need to use the restroom, be prepared to pay. And if someone tries to kiss you on the cheek, don’t freak out. They’re just being friendly!
When traveling internationally, it’s a given that you should mentally prepare yourself for some cultural differences. But no matter how many times they visit a place, some Redditors can’t seem to get behind all of the local customs. Below, you’ll find some of the quirks of various countries that travelers sometimes struggle with, as well as a conversation with travel expert Alex Miles from offMetro!
This post may include affiliate links.
This is an extremely controversial opinion, but religion-based "modesty" clothing that is designed to protect women's "sexual purity" will always rub me the wrong way. I don't care if the religion is Christian, Muslim, Pastafarian, or whatever else: I just think it is abhorrent and archaic when women are singled out as the ones responsible for keeping men from being sexual predators and deviants and are made to cover any portion of their body because of some religious mandate. I also do not agree with the logic that this can ever be a woman's choice or a "feminist act" as long as a religious community is the source of the pressure to dress a certain way.
The unhinged tipping culture in the US. I just wanna go to a restaurant without feeling like I'm either either an ungrateful scrooge or ripping myself off. I understand that staffing is an expense, just factor it into the price!
Less egregious but in a similar vein is not including tax in stores.
I come from a non-tipping country and yeah, it kind of puts a downer on the whole experince and awkwardness when you're eating with other people and they don't really understand/want to tip. Plus you also forget when you're not used to it, I'd got out and eat a meal that was already probably too expensive for my travelling bugdet and then you have this horrible realisation halfway through eating that you have to also then pay another 20% on top.
To learn more about some of the cultural differences that might prove challenging to travelers, we reached out to travel expert and editor at offMetro, Alex Miles. Alex shared with Bored Panda that even he has had difficulties adjusting to the local customs in some places.
"I once found myself in Japan, a land of incredible sushi, impeccable manners, and a penchant for bowing that would make your head spin. Now, don't get me wrong, I adore sushi. But let me tell you, there's an art to bowing, and I've got two left feet when it comes to it," he explained. "On my first day, I nodded like a bobblehead on steroids, while the locals performed graceful, synchronized ballets of respect. It was like trying to dance the waltz at a rave party—slightly out of place."
QR codes for menus in the US, and probably other places, not sure.
"Hey welcome to Zany Bob's House of Kebabs! Scan the QR right there on that nasty sticker on the table and you'll be brought to our site. Click on the menu, scroll through a too-large PDF of the menu on your phone because the owner couldn't get a proper developer for this, then order online! Isn't that easy?!"
"Oh, what's that, Grandma doesn't have a phone? Well, I'd love to bring you a paper menu, but it's gonna be about 10 mins because we only have a few in the place."
"Hey here's your food! I'll be back in 20 minutes to rush you out and expect a 20% tip for doing absolutely f**k all. Y'all come back, now!"
Dubai not allowing people to hold hands in public. And also that they have the death penalty if you're gay.
Natural resources don't always lead to progress, sometimes they prevent it as a resource curse.
There is a huge difference between how Emerati are being treated and how foreigners are being treated. Yet, the country could not function without foreigners. Treat them accordingly!
In general, the notion that turning down food is rude.
I appreciate that someone cooked a meal for me, but forcing me to choke down something I don’t like is ruder than me simply saying “No, thank you.”
We were also curious if there are any customs in Alex's home country that he can't get behind. "In the good old U.S. of A, we're known for our generous portion sizes," he noted. "Sometimes it feels like our motto should be 'Supersize Everything!' But there's a caveat to this American indulgence. The portion sizes may be large, but our waste bins are equally enormous."
"The amount of food that goes to waste is a monstrous problem," Alex explained. "So, being an eco-friendly activist, I found myself yearning for the Japanese custom of ordering just enough to savor every bite, reducing both my waistline and my ecological footprint."
How American public restroom stalls have that gap between the door and frame wide enough for you to make eye contact with anyone walking outside the stall.
China - people spitting all over the place right in front of you, on the streets, on the sidewalks. It’s disgusting.
Unfortunately this is a real problem. Discussing this in a class and asking for ideas to stop it one small boy suggested,, that since it was usually older people doing this, young people should all carry a stick and give offenders a smack. You had to love him.
The tipping screen at a coffee shop in the US requesting 20%/22%/25%/other.
Every other country in the world has figured out how to pay service employees without tipping. How has America not figured out how to run a business without handouts?
The weird thing is that American business owners will tell you that paying their staff low wages and forcing them to rely on tips help them to keep prices down, to the customer's advantage. While it keeps the advertised price down, it's no advantage to the customer, who's obliged to pay AT LEAST an additional 20%. It benefits the business owner, no-one else.
"As for some tips for fellow travelers who may find themselves dancing on the tightrope of cultural adaptation, first and foremost, research, my friends!" Alex told Bored Panda. "Google is your best pal. Learn about local customs and etiquettes before you step off that plane. It can save you from a world of awkward encounters."
"Next, don't be afraid to embrace the unknown," the travel expert continued. "You're in a foreign land, after all. Experiment with local customs, even if you look like a lost puppy trying to fit in. Most locals appreciate the effort, and they might just teach you a thing or two."
Working in Japan temporarily:
Yeah, we'll be here ready to go at 8AM
Ok, it's 8PM, time to call it a day.
But first, the boss and the big boss want to take us out to dinner
Now we have to go with them to the bar for drinks and karaoke.
Ok, it's 1AM, Boss and Big Boss have left. See you in the morning at 7:30.
Yep. That's Japan. And during those 12 work hours there is no time to walk, you have to run.
Tipping and taxes not included on the price tag.
Alex also urges travelers to keep an open mind. "Remember, you're not just observing customs; you're experiencing a way of life. Be patient with yourself and others, and be ready for some slip-ups. It's all part of the adventure," he explained.
"And here's a secret sauce tip: learn a few essential phrases in the local language. Nothing earns you more goodwill than a heartfelt 'hello' or 'thank you' in the native tongue," Alex added. "It's like sprinkling a bit of magic on your interactions."
If you'd like to gain more travel tips from Alex and the rest of the offMetro team, be sure to visit their site right here!
Squatting toilets. I know it is just local culture/tradition, but I hate going into a public toilet and be welcomed by others' effluence...
In Serbia where people mistreat their dogs. Leave them in cages in the front yard, or just outside unwashed on a chain, even in the snow.
The lack of spatial awareness in China, like people rushing to get into the elevator before you can exit it. Men casually coughing up phlegm and spitting everywhere. Shirts rolled up above belly to cool down. All the stench that can catch you off-guard anytime anywhere.
Aaah yes, the Beijing Bikini, greatest of belly flexes
Lack of air conditioning in Europe and no screens on the windows. I was staying in Italy at a Marriott property and the hotel room was sweltering in December. I opened the window and the room was immediately flooded with mosquitoes.
Portuguese waiters disappearing after serving you the desserts!
A guidebook told me that dessert is seen as the best part of the meal therefore they give you plenty of time to enjoy it. But I wanna pay and move on!
On the other hand: in the US they bring you the check when you haven’t even swallowed the last bite. I don’t like that either 😆
Find some middle ground!
They are not disappearing, they are leaving you alone to enjoy your meal without pestering or useless small talk. If you need anything (reorder, check) just raise your hand or call them, is that so hard?
Squat toilets. I'm a woman and I live in jeans. Every time I encounter one where there aren't other options (which has been infrequent, thankfully), I feel like I'm about to try solving a quadratic equation where if I get the answer wrong, my foot gets soaked in pee.
I've been to Spain twice and can't get my head around everything happening 3-5 hours later than I'm used to... Breakfast at midday... Dinner at 11pm... Out for drinks until 4am...
I can't get used to how nothing in the US is the advertised price, and why starters and mains have the wrong name on menus
As i said elsewhere: It sort of violates a rule of contracts. The contract is, e.g. , the restaurant advertises a meal at a certain price, and the customer accepts to pay that price. But the restaurant then repudiates that contract by expecting the customer to pay another 20% on top of the advertised price. Same goes for state and local taxes not mentioned in the advertised price.
The amount of food on a plate in most US restaurants, and how much leftovers of it go to the garbage, along with the exaggerated use of single use disposable cutlery.
Don't forget that giving them to homeless or letting homeless dive for them in the dumpster is illegal too.
Wearing shoes inside the house 🤢🤢
I also have a vacuum cleaner .... however it's still pretty gross to track in the dog pee bird poop spit random drugs that are on the sidewalk/ parking garages....
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It’s movies and TV, folks. If all is to be believed, I’d assume the rest of the world prefers to speak English amongst themsleves. The US is not a monoculture, the shoe thing varies from household to household.
@TeenieMeanie....Thank you for explaining that. It boggles my mind, as a USA person, how so many people think what they see on media is the truth for the whole country. LMAO
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People seem to think that taking off your shoes is an Asian thing, but my mom is Norwegian and she was raised the same way with no shoes in the house, her whole life, way before she met my dad (who is asian.) Americans should take notes. I know some do, but too many don't. Know what's worse than shoes in the house? shoes on the bed. 🤢🤢
Know what's worse than shoes in the house? Scorpion stings on bare feet in the house. And yes, that is an issue in the Southwest US. Or spiders in the Southeast. Or the fact the floors might be near freezing in the North. And sure, we could blanket our homes in pesticides and burn more fossil fuels - but wearing shoes is easier.
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Never understand American movies/series. They hang around the whole city, streets, restaurants, restrooms, mud, rain, snow, everywhere. They enter their home without taking shoes off and even laying on their bed relaxing. Oh my...
You answered your own question. Is just TV and movies. It's not real.
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Wait it's really a thing? I thought it only happened in movies and TV shows. Always felt weird. I lived in Ukraine, and in many cities in Ukraine and Russia (and even more so in little towns) there are only three types of weather: "Mud", "The mud dried up", "The mud froze"
I want to move to a village in NE Ukraine. The smaller and less modern the better. The invasion pushed my plans back a few years but I might do it anyway next year.
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This one always ends up as an argument. So stupid. How about everyone do whatever they want in their own home and ask what the host prefers before you enter someone else's home? I can't walk without shoes on due to physical reasons, so I wear them in the house. I have specific house shoes that I save for indoors, but if I'm coming from outside I just wipe my feet on the mat and walk to my room where I change them. Obviously I don't track mud or water around if my outdoor shoes get dirty. I also clean my floors frequently. Some of the grossest houses I've been in are ones where shoes aren't worn - and I end up coming home with gross dirty socks covered in pet hair or dust.
We generally don't sit around the house wearing shoes, but we don't necessarily take them off right at the door. I walk to the bedroom and leave them there. Only if they are caked in mud or something would I leave them at the door.
how do you bring in the groceries? do you have to take off and put on shoes between each load?
I put the grocery bags inside the door if I have to go back and forth. When I'm done, I get inside and take off my shoes and put groceries away
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When I see people in tv shows jumping on the bed in their shoes... Like, yuck!
Nobody really does that. Most people take their shoes off when relaxing at home too. Don't believe movies.
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I wonder what the science on this (if any) says. Does the average shoe outsole have more germs or the average foot? Harmful germs that is. I won't be swayed by those b******t sensationalist headlines that are like "a door handle has more germs on it than a toilet seat, oh noez!!!1" If it's not more of the harmful ones, who gives a f**k?
I would actually be insulted if someone took their shoes off to come inside my house, we have wooden floors, three dogs two adults and a 14 yr old. If you have time to fuss over floors, I got some chores like splitting wood, processing meat, shoveling snow thatll wake you right up from that throne.
This differs everywhere depending on the person, their job, their age, their personal preference, what sort of flooring they have, what sort of orthopedic needs they have, what sort of allergies they have, etc. It depends on the homeowner/renter/guest in every province, county, state, country, continent, etc. I don't ever allow others to wear shoes in my home, and I never go on the carpet with shoes. But if I'm in the yard, and I need to rush to the kitchen sink with my shoes on? It takes me less than a minute to wipe up the floor. My parents are in their eighties, and both have bad backs and I have steep stairs in my home. Unless someone wants to volunteer to pay their medical bills, or come and carry them around my home, or rip out and install a new staircase, they can wear their 'town shoes,' in. What would you do? I honestly don't understand how people can't think up these scenarios on their own.
I don't disagree with anything you say here - your home, your situation, your rules. The only thing I'd add is that I have a pair of shoes that I use for indoor only (like slippers but more supportive as I have painful feet and dodgy joints!), as does my spouse. My regular family and friends wear slippers that they bring with them. However, I have hard floors downstairs that are very washable so I'm also not that worried. Being paranoid about germs and dirt doesn't strike me as being very healthy either! You can't hermetically seal your home after all 🤷
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We have hard floors throughout. So we don't wear shoes (or only "inside" shoes) in the house, but I don't ask guests to remove their shoes. Most do though when they see ours by the front door.
This goes back tot he era before pavements and when 99% were farmers. You left your outdoor shoes by the door and had indoor shoes. Get past it, already.
In Australia everyone has differing ideas. Some people don't wear shoes at all if they can avoid it, others remove them at the door and others will wear them at all times except in bed.
I almost always don’t wear shoes inside, unless I’m going in and out a lot. It’s gross, cleaning is easier when there’s less dirt. I think it’s becoming more common in the US, most people I know take off their shoes inside.
If people only realized (or cared) how full of germs etc those shoes carry into your home!
What kind of germs though? Is it more bad ones than bare feet?
Load More Replies... where do you draw the line, truly asking, are apartment hallways shoe-less?
My shoes are comfy, and protect my toes from being stubbed against the table. Barefootedness can suck my a**e
I wear my shoes indoors,it's quite common here in UK....wipe feet (footwear) before entering property, unless it's muddy wellington boots or really filthy footwear ....we even have an expression for when one is instantly is being put upon by a family member when getting through the door,not even had a chance to take one's coat off at this point " yeah hold on.....let me get s**t off me shoes will ya "
Not in my family or friends group. Shoes off at the door! I’d say you’re all savages south of the border but I’ve family in the midlands and, inability to enunciate properly aside, they’re relatively civilised too and take off their shoes indoors.
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It's so gross. You don't know what kind of c**p you're bringing inside.
I don’t wear shoes inside the house— doing that seems gross and would be a pain to clean
I cannot. I always see people wear it into carpeted bedrooms and it baffles my how the carpets are not brown already.
There are no places I regularly go where I am walking in dirt.
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explain. (really, i don't get it ) i don't know what kind of shoes you're wearing that are bad for you... oh,, i just got it.. heels. Edit: adding that heels are one example I thought of. Not meant in any gender bigoted way. It's just the shoes I have give me arch support.. I was just thinking of shoes that may be bad for feet.. As a former goth /punk clubber I mean no shame.. I was just wondering for clarity.
Load More Replies... it depends. If you have dogs like I do then it's moot because those guys just filthy a place anyway. But I agree if you don't have dogs then shoes must come off.
I have 3 dogs and I don´t wear shoes inside. I clean their paws when they come in.
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Not keen on having someone else's stinky foot fungus or worse on my floors... keep your shoes on. What I always wonder about is if Americans wear their shoes in bed like on TV. Also, dogs in bed. You do realize dogs don't even use toilet paper, right?
If you're one of those people that live with the terrible, disgusting reality of wall to wall carpeting, yeah shoes in the house make a gross thing disgusting. Any other flooring option? Wipe your feet before you come in the house. That's it, you don't even have to mop your floors anymore just turn on the robot vacuum/mop. When you're doing something that requires you to walk in and out of the house over a significant period of time, it gets really annoying when you're shamed into taking off your outside shoes, so you can put on your inside shoes. What's that? You need to go back outside after 90 seconds, well you can just take off your inside shows and put your outside shoes back on. You don't have to pretend your feet are caked in mud and $hit at all times.
Don't like it also. Imagine stepping in dog s**t than you walk all over the house with that shoe. Not clean
For me, it's in Mexico where the septic system can't handle toilet paper, so there are small trash cans next to every toilet for the.. um.. used paper.
People clapping after a plane lands. This is done in several places but I’m most familiar with it in Russia. Men squatting in public, as often witnessed in Central Asia. People in Bulgaria shaking their heads to mean yes and nodding to say no.
I have a mnemotechnic thing for that! They're NOdding...they mean NO! Hope that helps
Women being hissed at as they walk down the street. A method of catcalling in many countries. I experienced it most in Latin America.
Cat calling for real. Hissing and meowing at people sounds like a mental disorder.
Idk how to phrase this but the absolute disregard for noise pollution in Manila. It's almost impossible to escape the noise. There's loud cars and beeping everywhere. Also, nobody uses headphones. People will play videos at full volume and nobody seems to mind and so many of those videos have these really annoying sound effects. I feel like I developed some disorder there lol.
I’m Filipino. Brought my Canadian husband home, he had a hard time adjusting his appetite because we eat 5 times a day. 😅
For me it's the chronic car dependency (US, Canada and the Gulf are particularly egregious). Also I love Iraq but always find it somewhat unsettling how disproportionally few women you see in public (federal Iraq anyway, Kurdistan has is much better in this regard)
US and Canada are massive countries with 500 million people. And poor public transport systems.
I learned in Italy if you see a shop you want to visit and it’s open, go in right then and there because they’re bound to close with no notice at any time during the day without explanation. I don’t think I could ever get used to unpredictable business hours.
They’re not unpredictable, they’re different than what you’re used to (lunch break / nap break / afternoon break / early closing etc) It’s usually written somewhere, or so customary that it’s not necessary.
The lack of public trashcans in Japan. I realize it's Japanese custom to take your trash with you / dispose of it at your own home, but having trashcans at least in heavy tourist areas would be appreciated!
Note: this post originally had 55 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Some of these people need to stay home. The rest need to research before they go to a country because, guess what?, they're not going to change for you.
If you want everything to be like it is at home, then don’t travel abroad. Otherwise, get used to doing some things differently. It’s part of the fun!
I am not understanding the complaints about store closures on Sunday. I'm 46 and live in a fairly large city in the US and when I was little it was still very normal for small stores to be closed on Sundays. I feel like the open on Sundays has only expanded in the last 20-25 yrs.
All people have to do is check the opening times within the country they're visiting and make arrangements around it.
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In France, most of the time, you will not get served in any retail outlet (largely cafes) unless you greet them (Bonjour) first.
Time sense. Be there at 10, means be there at 10. Not 10:30, 10:50 or 11:15
Part of the fun of traveling is to get out of your comfort zone. Why travel to a different country if you are not open to experiencing other people's cultures and learning? Yes, some customs may different from what you are used to, but please remember that you are a visitor in someone else's home.
Thank goodness there is finally one post on BP that isn't sh**ing on the USA exclusively.
Correction, this list is not awful, it's absolutely horrendous.
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This is local travel in the US, but I'll never get used to Vegas, where traffic is supposed to stop for pedestrians *ANYWHERE*, not just on traffic lights or crosswalks. On my first trip, I was astonished to see 4 lanes of traffic frozen if you even got close to the curb. We didn't want to cross, were just dumb tourists looking around at the sights & taking pics, but we learned quick. I hope I never have to drive there. May end up running someone over since this is not the custom anywhere else in the US (that I know). Certainly not in NYC where I lived at the time.
How does any of that prevent a store putting their full price on the shelf? It's on their computer system for the till - so they do know it.
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BP can't win, can they? You whine when they do an article about the US, so they do an international article and you post a whinge on that as well. Be careful - the lesson you're teaching them is that you're going to moan either way, so they might as well do whatever gets more clicks rather than worry about keeping people happy.
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Of the 55 entries, 43 of them either make no reference to America or are by Americans talking about somewhere else. If you can't see them there may be a problem with your browser.
Load More Replies... Some of these people need to stay home. The rest need to research before they go to a country because, guess what?, they're not going to change for you.
If you want everything to be like it is at home, then don’t travel abroad. Otherwise, get used to doing some things differently. It’s part of the fun!
I am not understanding the complaints about store closures on Sunday. I'm 46 and live in a fairly large city in the US and when I was little it was still very normal for small stores to be closed on Sundays. I feel like the open on Sundays has only expanded in the last 20-25 yrs.
All people have to do is check the opening times within the country they're visiting and make arrangements around it.
Load More Replies... In France, most of the time, you will not get served in any retail outlet (largely cafes) unless you greet them (Bonjour) first.
Time sense. Be there at 10, means be there at 10. Not 10:30, 10:50 or 11:15
Part of the fun of traveling is to get out of your comfort zone. Why travel to a different country if you are not open to experiencing other people's cultures and learning? Yes, some customs may different from what you are used to, but please remember that you are a visitor in someone else's home.
Thank goodness there is finally one post on BP that isn't sh**ing on the USA exclusively.
Correction, this list is not awful, it's absolutely horrendous.
Load More Replies... This is local travel in the US, but I'll never get used to Vegas, where traffic is supposed to stop for pedestrians *ANYWHERE*, not just on traffic lights or crosswalks. On my first trip, I was astonished to see 4 lanes of traffic frozen if you even got close to the curb. We didn't want to cross, were just dumb tourists looking around at the sights & taking pics, but we learned quick. I hope I never have to drive there. May end up running someone over since this is not the custom anywhere else in the US (that I know). Certainly not in NYC where I lived at the time.
How does any of that prevent a store putting their full price on the shelf? It's on their computer system for the till - so they do know it.
Load More Replies... BP can't win, can they? You whine when they do an article about the US, so they do an international article and you post a whinge on that as well. Be careful - the lesson you're teaching them is that you're going to moan either way, so they might as well do whatever gets more clicks rather than worry about keeping people happy.
Load More Replies... Of the 55 entries, 43 of them either make no reference to America or are by Americans talking about somewhere else. If you can't see them there may be a problem with your browser.
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