“You Eat Them Raw?”: 30 Shocking And Surprising Lifestyle Differences People Learned About After Visiting Someone Else’s Home
Visiting someone’s home can tell you a lot about them. Maybe they have beautiful art on the walls from dozens of countries they've visited. Perhaps you learn how much they love animals after meeting their four dogs. Or maybe you find out that your friend’s childhood dream was to become a professional chef after they prepare you an extravagant home-cooked meal. Among the infinite list of things someone’s home environment can tell you about them, strange living habits are included as well.
Last week, Reddit user SaltyOpinionNo1Asks4 reached out to the Ask Reddit community asking for the most shocking and surprising things other users have learned after visiting someone’s home for the first time. The responses were flooded with comments about quirks, gross habits and upsetting family dynamics, so we’ve gathered some of the most interesting replies for you to read below. Be sure to upvote the answers you find most compelling, and let us know if you’ve ever learned anything shocking after visiting a friend or family member’s home. Then if you’re interested in another Bored Panda piece featuring guests in people’s homes, be sure to check out this list next.
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Went to a friends house when I was in the 7th grade, heard their dad coming in through the door and went to run and hide in my friends bedroom. She followed me puzzled and said come on out and say hi to my dad, he's excited to finally get to meet you. I was astonished to see all the kids gathered around their dad, they had 7 kids, and they were all happy to see each other. He was scooping up the little ones as they each told them one thing from their day, the eldest brother asked him for help with his math homework....to which he said yes, just give me a few minutes. Then came up to me to say hi and learn some tidbits about me, genuinely interested.
I have never seen a dad walk into a room and the kids run towards him instead of away. He didn't drink a drop of alcohol, and had at least one little one in his lap while he helped the eldest with his math until he felt sure his son understood what he was doing.
I went home and told my brothers that they were a weird family and the dad was a goody goody. I was 12 years old and had no idea that's what a healthy family dynamic looked like. There was no yelling, no screaming, no shaming. And I thought they were weird.
It is sad. I broke my habit 2 years ago of yelling at my kids cause I realized I was being just like my parents and I hated it. Now I talk calmly to them. I've only raised my voice once and that was when my boys where about to fist fight over a girl (very close in age and teenagers). It's amazing the difference it makes. I'm not proud of yelly me, but hey.... you live and you learn.
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All these stories of abusive households make me feel way more privileged than I like to think
I can relate - I grew up in a very dysfunctional family, and thought it was "weird" when parents and kids told each other that they loved them. "Suckers!" is probably along the lines of what I thought, instead of "what a pleasant and well-adjusted loving family." Sad, but we learn as we grow up...
It's sad that your first thought was to hide, a child should never have to think like that.
My husband and his siblings would hide or run to bed and pretend to be asleep. When we started dating in high school I would find bruises on him occasionally, never the face, though. He would just say IDK when I asked how he got them. I later witnessed what was happening in the home myself. I was terrified.
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I was mildly shocked when visiting my friend's house whose parents can make regular conversation
Wow, i had the opposite experience. I went to my friend's house often and every time her dad came home the house felt very tense, occasional yelling. We were careful to stay out of his way and stay quiet. My dad was always very gentle and supportive, so it felt very strange to be scared of someone in your own home.
My friend had the same kind of family. Eight kids and they all adored their father. Both their mother and father took their parenting responsibilities seriously. When my friends mom asked if I wanted to help them in the kitchen with cooking, I said ok. I learned a lot and they were very patient and understanding. She would raise voice with the kids on occasion, but never yelled at or hit the kids. My friend adored her parents and their family, though extremely large, was very tight. It was noisy and chaotic at times in her house...but it was fun. Especially since her Dad was like a teenager trapped in a middle aged mans body.
Wow!! There are just no words! My partner had a revelation like this in his childhood but it was reversed. He grew up with both his parents, his elder brother and younger brother who was severely mentally handicapped and required constant care. His mother was at home all the time and his dad worked. They sat down every single night to a home cooked dinner of good meat and 2 veg. His childhood friend however had a completely different home. His parents drank and he was left to see to himself most of the time. When my partner realised all this about his friends homelife he was shocked and ended up taking his friend to his house to make sure he had a good meal in him. My man thought everyone had the same kind of home life as him and it shocked him to find out they didn't!
My partner also struggles to understand my own family dynamics. He loved both his parents madly and vice versa and always had a fantastic relationship with them. So much so that he still cries when he talks about them dying and they both died in the 1980's. I should point out here that my man is actually older than me, 19yrs older to be exact. His parents both had heart problems and they did die pretty young. Anyway, I didn't have a great relationship with my mother all my life and for the past 14yrs I've had no relationship with her at all, thankfully. She treated my younger sister and I like c**p and idolised our younger brother. He was the first boy born into our family in 27yrs and he was her golden boy. My sister killed herself when she was 17 (long story behind that), and things just got worse with my mother and I after that. Now my brother has finally realised how bad my mother is and barely speaks to her. She is evil and not a nice person in the least.
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I grew up thinking the abuse and inconsistency of our home life was somehow "normal". I didn't understand mental illness and was 40, by the time I really came to grips with my mother's and oldest brother's behaviors. It sadly ruined a lot of lives and relationships. But I finally learned that I was not the cause of all the misery in their lives.
It honestly sounds like all of movies, and I’m also saddened that this sounds like a movie
How terribly sad for you to only have experienced fear of your Dad. My Dad was and still is, like your friend’s.
My wife brought some of her students to our home. Many of them would hide when I came in the front door. Once they discovered I was nice they warmed up to me.
I invited an ex friend over for Thanksgiving one year and she was shocked that we played games ate and with 50 people over it wasn't any arguments just enjoying each other's company
I can relate - I'm the youngest and have two sisters. My father was an alcoholic and my mom used to hate to go out with him to family gathering because it was always embarrassing... he used to get home late because always after work used to go to the bar (pub) so , around 11pm my sisters and I were sleeping already but at the very end we some times could my father and mother arguing
What came naturally to this man is what men now wish was in their DNA. With practice tho it can be done.
My family wasn't quite like that or like the other one I guess kind of in between.
My brother would berate his first wife because she'd hug and kiss her sisters and brother and tell them she loved them. He'd say, "What, are you having an affair with your brother?" Our family never showed affection like that. But thanks to that side of the family, my brother's daughter grew up knowing how to give and receive affection.
It’s no secret that every family lives a little bit differently. Whether it’s their eating habits, their nightly routines, how much time they spend with their children or how many pets they have that makes them stand out, no two families are exactly alike. There are plenty of factors that can create differences in lifestyle habits, like cultural customs. If you walk into a home in Sweden wearing your outdoor shoes, your host might have a heart attack on the spot. But if you did the same thing in the United States, your host might not even notice. It just depends on the household.
The responses on this list range from shockingly gross living habits to concerningly dysfunctional behavior. You never know what you’re going to be confronted with when you visit a friend, family member, or date’s home. It’s best to stay open-minded and avoid judging them for anything you find peculiar. But that doesn’t mean we can't secretly analyze what their homes say about them and share that information on the internet...
He accidentally broke a plate when he was doing dishes & his dad *didn’t* scream at him or hit him or threaten to ground him or anything. The first thing his dad said was to ask my friend if he was hurt. Shouldn’t be shocking, but to me it was.
He only had a dirty old matress on the floor for him and his older brother ( I once drove him home and his brother was banging a girl in there, super awkward ), his single mother was chain smoking cigarettes, the smell was awful and their meals were those 3$ microwave meals where you get like 3 frozen nuggets and a dozen fries, for every meal. I suddenly understood why he was always at a friend's house and why when he came over he'd eat all my bagels. It bothered my mother at first but after I told her about his home she was like yeah give him all the bagels he wants. Never heard a word about his father. He's doing much better by himself now.
According to some psychologists, our homes really can say a lot about us. From what books line our shelves to what photos hang on the walls, our living spaces can be a direct reflection of our personalities. According to psychologist Sam Gosling, author of the book Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You, “People tend to be happier and more productive when they are able to convince others to see them as they see themselves.” He notes having a snowboard or a musical instrument on display in someone's living room to show guests what's important to them. Gosling is an expert in analyzing people’s spaces and assessing their personalities, but apparently the less things people have, the harder his job is.
Purging personal belongings has been a trend in recent years with the rise of minimalism and Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method. While these ideas can be taken to extremes, the intention to reduce clutter isn’t a bad idea. According to University of Arizona professor Catherine Roster, physical clutter “has a direct negative relationship to one’s sense of well-being, safety, and self-identity in one’s own space”. Now, everyone may have their own definition of what qualifies as clutter, but in general, it’s not healthy to have too much of it. Your living space should allow you to feel cozy and like it's your own, but it certainly shouldn't induce stress.
When I was about 15/16 I was staying at a friend's house for the first time, and while he and I were in his room playing computer games, I heard his mother scream his name.
He turned to me with a serious look I'd never seen on his face and said "Please stay here" before walking out of the bedroom.
I heard him shout his father's name before a couple of loud crashes.
That was the day I found out his father would get drunk a physically assault his younger siblings. He was 15/16 f*****g years old and was the only thing between this grown man and his pre-pubescent loved ones. And it was so normal that he knew what was up when his mother called his name. His mother knew she needed him, he knew what he was going out there to do, and he knew he didn't want me to witness it.
We had some very honest discussions about a lot of things after that. As he got a little older, he started addressing these issues at more appropriate times than when it was forced upon him. His father sought help and they are now a loving and supportive family.
I often think about that night (and a few subsequent ones). When I think about the man I want to be, it is no secret amongst the people that know, that I want to grow up to be like that 15 year old boy. And I'm lucky to still call him one of my best friends over 20 years later.
**tl;dr** I found out my childhood friend was living with an abusive father.
When I was a little kid we had new neighbors move in, they were Korean. They didn't speak any English at first and the twin daughters were in my brother's class. By the end of the school year their English was decent enough to communicate and actually play with the rest of us.
They invited me over to hang out and their Mom was making some snacks. She handed me a bowl of rice with some type of sweet potato, and one of the twins told me that back in Korea, that's all they had to eat in a day, and now they could have that for a snack.
I was too little then to realize it, but they were *North* Korean. Their growth was severely stunted, and they had moved in with essentially strangers after they made it to the US. I learned all this years later when I talked to my Mom about it, apparently the people who took them in were part of a Korean church and semi regularly took in North Korean refugees.
My friend was like, "Want a Kit-Kat?" I said sure. He proceeded to unwrap the candy bar, set it on a plate, and then put it in the microwave until the chocolate had melted off the wafers. I was freaked out and said I don't need mine microwaved. He looked shocked and said, "You eat them raw?!"
Your home might be giving away facets of your personality without you even realizing. Best Life published a list of Things Your Home Can Reveal About Your Personality, and some of them might provide great insight into your partner’s or your friends’ minds. Apparently, having a messy sock drawer is actually a trademark of detail-oriented individuals. Dr. Helen Fisher says, “I have found that the Builder type—who are typically orderly, conventional, respectful of the rules, and detail-oriented—have the messiest sock drawers.” The proposed reasoning for this phenomenon is that these are people who are so concerned with organizing every other part of their lives that keeping something like a sock drawer neat is just not as significant. As a person who perfectly fits Dr. Fisher's description, I can confirm this theory. I never thought too much about why I don’t mind my sock drawer being messy when everything else in my life has to be perfectly organized, but her hypothesis checks out.
As a young boy back in the 70s I visited a friend from school's house.
It smelled different from any house I had ever been in. which was mostly my parents friends homes and my relative's homes.
I visited several times before I figured out why it smelled different.
No one in the home smoked cigarettes.
It makes a big difference. I used to visit my grandfather's house once a year and he was a big smoker. I would wash his walls and his knick knacks when I came and they would always be covered in yellow grime. Luckily when he got his new home he didn't smoke in it. But I have lots of memories of scrubbing this c**p off walls.
I was spending the night and her dad came in and told us a bedtime story. It was the first time I'd realized that not everyone had a psychopath for a father and sometimes fathers did things for their kids just because they loved them.
My best friend growing up was a born again Christian and I hated the fact that they tried to minister to me. But I absolutely loved their family dynamic. All the kids mom and dad were so loving. But they were kind of crazy they told me my cabbage patch dolls were likely infected by a demonic spirit and that I should accept Jesus and get rid of them right away. My mom was so angry but I could never look at another cabbage patch doll. Not even the one my grandmother had bought me before she died. I think that's what ticked off my mom.
Few years back, was invited to my ex’s house to meet her family for the first time. Walked in and got hugs from her mum, sister, and nephew. Got a handshake and a pat on the shoulder from her dad.
All of this completely threw me off, suddenly realised how little affection I got back at my own house and had me questioning whether I was doing enough to show I cared about someone.
However you guys show affection, whether it’s through compliments, physically, letters or cheesy gestures, let people know they’re loved. (P.S. Please don’t be creepy though!)
I remember the friends i valued the most as a kid where the best functioning families. One of them was dirt poor, but golden values
Keeping a beautiful garden is also apparently a sign that someone is happy. According to a study from Gardener’s World, 80% of people with gardens are happy, and 90% of them said that gardening even boosts their moods. Planting some flowers and veggies might not solve all of your problems, but it is a great opportunity to get some sunshine, connect with the earth and maybe even make your days a bit more joyful.
Another part of your home that might give some insight into your psychology is your bed. If you have a neat bed that’s made every morning, you’re more likely to regularly go to the gym. A nicely made bed is also a giveaway that someone enjoys their job. Perhaps this is because people that are satisfied with their lives keep their living spaces more organized, or maybe making your bed feels easier when you’re not dreading getting out of it each morning to go to work.
Not me, but my gf at the time, we were around a month into officially dating.
I took her to my grandmother's birthday and introduced her to my family, mind you we were around 30 people and not everyone showed up, grandma was turning 80 and was healthy as a horse.
On the way back (left early since she had a curfew and it was a 40 min drive) she started crying, and not just weeping but full on bawling her eyes out. When she calmed down she told me she never knew that so many people could gather for a festivity and actually got along in a lovingly and respectful way, her family is very broken, her mom and grandmother were/are pathological liars, which made her family the "black sheeps" within ber family, and the rest of them are just a**holes (few exceptions tough), so every festivity for them was composed of discussion turned fights, people who are not on speaking terms with eachother, enduring back handed comments, etc.
I am lucky to have a big family who cares about eachother and are always eager to help out, and now she has that also.
Fully clothed, positioned and posed mannequins all throughout their entire home. Posed to watch television, sat at dinning table, holding wine glasses ect...very strange.
First time meeting my exs parents. Walked in and nothing was on the walls. No art no pictures nothing whole houe just bare walls and not like nice panels or anything, like regular middle class home painted walls they also had 0 stuff out. Nothing on the counter, had a coffee table nothing on it corner table nothing on it. It was all just empty, im still not entirely convinced they werent all aliens trying to fit in.
Minimalism. I guess they just like to keep it simple. Definitely not sentimental types there's no pictures.
Do you keep your closet neat and tidy or is it a land of chaos? Apparently if it’s a bit of a mess, you might be clinging too tightly to the past. According to Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner, “Nostalgia can make clearing out a space nearly impossible.” She recommends doing a “speed elimination”, where you set a timer and gather anything you no longer use or need for twenty minutes, if you're looking to clear up some space. As great as it is to reminisce, it’s also wonderful to be able to see your closet floor and not live in fear that something stuffed on the top shelf will come tumbling down every time you reach for a pair of shoes.
I met this girl at work and really clicked. We had kids around the same age so she invited us over for a play date. First off - her house was hoarder level disgusting and absolutely filthy. I didn’t want to even stay inside so suggested we go out in the backyard which was overgrown and a mosquito haven. Second - she didn’t just talk to her kids, she was always screaming. It was hard to differentiate if she was angry or just giving instructions. The kids just tuned her out but mine were terrified. Never, ever again.
I spent a weekend with a friend who was the youngest of 8 boys. I come from a very soft spoken household, and all 10 of these people would communicate by yelling. Now they were a loving household and there was no abuse going on, but until that point in my life, really the only time someone yelled in my presence was when someone was in danger, or someone was very very angry, and here these guys were screaming at each other to get a slice of pizza. I understand, when there's 10 of you, 9 of you boys, you have to yell to get heard, but my internal danger meter was set to 11 all weekend.
I have a roommate that only uses her outdoor voice. She is so loud that I have to wear earplugs in my room during the day because she sets off my anxiety. Especially when I'm sleeping if someone yells I think there's danger. I've talked to her about it but she insists there's nothing she can do about it. Right.
My school friend lived on a farm in Wales. The first time I went round a sheep ran down the stairs as we were going in through the front door. There was also a newborn baby lamb warming in the Aga because it was struggling to stay alive.
This is typical of most small family farms - the sheep (cows, hogs) are income producing assets & you do whatever's necessary to keep them alive! I remember one really cold & snowy winter when we woke up to a newborn calf in the bathroom - my father found it frozen in a snow drift in the middle of the night & he brought it in to thaw out. Mom wrapped it in an old blanket & laid it on the heat vent in the floor. Calf survived & grew into a healthy cow!
If you consider yourself to be the life of the party, a brightly colored door and an overflowing fridge might be dead giveaways. Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, says that, “Someone who paints their front door a vibrant pink or yellow is making a statement that life should be fun.” Some people don’t adhere to the typical color palettes of homes because it’s just more exciting to mix it up! These individuals might also have a fully stocked fridge if they’re entertaining often. Extroverts who are always looking to throw a party or invite over friends are likely to have plenty of food on hand to share. They might also be “imaginative shoppers”, who buy whatever looks interesting and exciting when grocery shopping, but those items will always come in handy for a spontaneous gathering.
I grew up in a very well off family and usually hung out with other neighborhood kids that were also from quite well off families so I was pretty naive on how middle-lower class families live. I befriended another kid from "the other side of the tracks" at summer camp thing. I went to sleep over at his house one night, I remember being surprised that his mother had a job/had to go to work in the morning and that he shared a bedroom with his brother and sister.
I remember him asking his mom if we could get Ice cream, her answer was "Sorry hun we can't afford it"
His mom saying those words shocked the hell out of my spoiled a*s 10 year old brain, I remember feeling panicked.
I remember as a young kid (4/5yo) going to a friend’s house and being astounded at how big their house was. Her dad was a high court judge (and they also had a swimming pool! In England!!)
I came home and immediately told my mum that her ‘conservatory was big enough to ride a bike in!’
‘Big enough to ride a bike in’ has now become a family expression.
I love the "big enough to ride a bike in". Our kitchen is big enough to strech your arms when nobody else is in...
Went over to friends for a birthday. Was warned they were ordering takeout because they don't cook. Got there and they had no dishes or pots or pans. No glasses. No coffee cups. Literally none. The kitchen cabinets were full of random things like a Pictionary game and some batteries and spare light bulbs. Disposable plates. A drawer full of plastic spoons and forks.
It’s not just the physical aspects of our homes that tell a lot about us. As many examples on this list show, how we treat others, family members and guests, in our homes can be very insightful as well. Not everyone will go so far as telling visitors to “make themselves at home”, but it is nice to ensure everyone is comfortable. For example, one of the respondents on Reddit mentioned going to a friend’s house where the entire family communicated by yelling. This made them feel stressed as a person from a soft-spoken family, but in that case, they were just yelling to be heard, rather than out of anger. When it comes to yelling at children to scare them, that's never actual communication, says Dr. Laura Markham. Young children may respond by crying, while older kids might just give a glazed-over look, but both will shut down and stop listening. And it never primes them for developing healthy communication skills in their futures.
The first time I stepped into the house, it was like stepping into a black room. I could see patches of colour on the walls but the house walls were basically charred coloured. Didn't think too much of it at the time but at one point I was bored and alone and took a closer look at the charred walls and discovered that it wasn't burnt,
It was MOLD. Dude was living in a Mold infested house. When I went home, I took the longest shower I ever took and washed my clothes there and then. Felt like I've just walked into a radioactive area.
We were in middle school, so we're maybe like 12 years old? Me and another friend are visiting one other friend's house. Their dad invites us in and immediately asks us "Hey, do you all wanna come over and watch some porn?". Me and my friend look at each other and go "WTF?" and politely decline. I still think about how friggin strange that was because the kid didn't seem bothered at all.
Went to someone’s house who I thought was only mildly well off. Turns out they were giga-rich and just lived, dressed, and acted more modestly. They had a 4 bedroom house that looked like upper-middle class on the outside, but like a billionaire’s wet dream on the inside. You would have never guessed their family was so wealthy.
Wealthy people don't need to show off. People who aren't used to having (lots) of money are the ones who spend it on flashy s**t.
When yelling out of anger is normalized, children grow up thinking that’s the only way to communicate frustration. It can become a never-ending cycle, as kids become desensitized to their parents’ scolding then treat their future children the same way because they never saw examples of healthy communication. Dr. Markham notes that there are always alternatives to shouting that are more effective at getting through to children and avoid causing psychological stress. One response that can get a child’s attention without upsetting them further is using humor. “If the parent responds with a sense of humor, you still maintain your authority and keep them connected to you,” Dr. Markham says. Besides, as a parent, you won’t feel guilty later for making your kid laugh. The same can’t always be said about screaming.
Was invited to a friends house in high school and that's when I learned that his parents weren't just well off like mine were, they were f*****g loaded. His house was not a house, it was a compound. They had the main house, a pool house (where he lived), a casita (where his older sister lived), and a club house.
They had an 8 car garage AND a yacht garage, with their goddamn yacht in it at the time. Oh, and as if that wasn't enough they had water way that ran in front of their house which meant they had a bridge over which was an honest to f**k draw bridge.
I delivered a big screen TV and brought it into their finished basement. The room was obviously set up for professional pornography with lighting and video cameras all facing a bed with a backdrop.
I didn’t know that central heating and AC was a thing till I was around 10. Sleepover a friends house and was perplexed at the noise of it and the vents on the ceiling. And being there felt weird, everywhere you went was the same temperature. At home we had a wood stove in main living area and in summer fans.
Some stories on this list mention realizing the struggles a friend was facing after seeing their home life. Whether a friend was living with an abusive or neglectful parent, living below the poverty line or had come from a country with much less resources available, these experiences were certainly eye-opening for those who shared them. One positive about these situations is that once these people were aware of a friend in need, they could actually do something about it. When you don’t know that your neighbor's parents never buy enough groceries for their family, you might not think to send your friend home with a box of leftover pizza. But being invited into someone’s home gives you insight into what they’re dealing with and allows you to be a better friend when needed.
They were very open about their bdsm lifestyle. Which is a thing in itself. But different when you go over for dinner and there’s a sex slave in a cage and sex toys every where.
Why do people have their p**n stuff out in the open?? Why?? Like I don’t care what you do in bed but don’t show me
I went to a friend of a friend's house after a few at the pubone night. Walked in the house and it was bare. No walls, no real flooring, the kitchen was a random sink and there was two chairs to sit on. There was also a stereo and funky lighting to go with the literal bones of the house.
After some time I really needed to pee but I had been trying my best not to have to use the bathroom. I mean, who knew if there was even walls?
Finally went and omg, it was like walking into a presidential bathroom suit. The tiles, the lighting, the bidet, stained glass window - it was the best bathroom I have ever seen
Asked my friend a few days later what's up and she said that that the were doing really well in life, bought the best house on the best street, started renovations then got bored. Decided to use thier money on holidays and other fun things
Did anyone else spend quite a few moments trying to figure out what a "pubone" was? I only ask because I'm feeling slightly stupid right now.
Probably get burried but here it goes.
I use to work inspecting shoreline stabilization construction projects on lakes. I had this one project at a multi million dollar new construction home. (The owner built a new mansion after tearing down the existing million dollar mansion.).
Anyways, the project is nearing completion and I had to go sign off on the stabilization project. As I'm there, the General Contractor asks if I had seen the interior of the house. I said no and he said well you gotta see this cause it's nuts.
The home was three stories with a indoor/outdoor pool on the bottom floor. The middle floor had the living areas, two bed rooms, and a huge bathroom. There was a also a glass viewing area to the indoor pool below.
The third floor wasvery open and had nothing on it but a walkway. The walk way led to the the two middle floor bedrooms and bathrooms. Over the bedrooms and bathrooms were large viewing platforms onto the beds below and bathtubs in the bathroom.
The home was a purposely built sex house. The owners wife showed up to sign the documents and invited us to the move in party saying that they were flying in strippers from Vegas.
While we all like to portray the best versions of ourselves out in the real world, there's nothing more intimate than seeing how we really act in the comfort of our own homes. Inviting friends over is a great way to develop closer bonds, but seeing something shocking in those situations can really stand out in our memories. Enjoy reading the rest of this list, and don't forget to upvote the stories you find most surprising. Then let us know in the comments if you've ever witnessed or experienced anything particularly startling at a friend's home; we'd love to hear your personal stories.
NOT at a friend's house, but I once took a couple guys I didn't know all that well to get lunch because this one guy's car wasn't running so he couldn't drive, and on the way back he wanted to stop by a friend's house to pick up something.
We all ended up going inside and it turns out this friend (an immigrant from Poland, I think) had an altar to Hitler in his living room. Like, an actual altar, with a photo of Hitler and Nazi flags and Nazi effects and fresh flowers and whatever. It was the craziest thing I had seen till then.
Imagine being from POLAND and admiring HITLER? Lol. The stupidity of some people.
Grew up in a less sh***y part of a sh***y town. I’m talking more poor then lower class, us being the one of few middle class. I went to a friends house in the real slums for a sleep over only to find that their toilet was broken and they just shat in a bucket in the back of their house.
A realtor would probably say the bathroom was the best in outdoor open orifices.
Had a grad school professor, seemed like a pretty chill dude. Maybe a bit of a cleaned up older hippy. Went to his place for dinner with him/his wife/other students and faculty.
Had two fully kitted out sex swings installed in the living room. Cool, cool, cool.
Note: this post originally had 61 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Didn't happen to me, but I thought this was hilarious. My biology teacher told of the time he when he first went to college, and after a few days, he ran, panicking, to the nurse to complain there was something terribly wrong with his heart. He couldn't feel it! A long conversation with a very puzzled nurse later, he came to realize that you're not SUPPOSED to "feel your heart." His parents' cooking had just so consistently given him heartburn, the thought that was normal.
We were very poor, and once we were invited to another family's house for dinner. It was the first time I'd ever seen or tasted salad dressing. I remember thinking, "What is this magic salad sauce?"
When I was a kid I made friends with the new girl in my class, whose name was Gabby. One day she invited me over after school, and when we got there no-one greeted us at the door. Her mum was in the living room in front of the TV looking like she'd been there all day and barely even bothered to glance up at her kid, let alone crack a smile or say something like "oh, and who's your friend?" She spent the entire visit completely ignoring both of us, and while we were in Gabby's bedroom she picked up a framed photo of a man and looked sadly at it, saying "things were so much better when he was here". I didn't ask because I was young and confused, but I think it must have been a picture of her dad. Having grown up with a mother who was always happy to see me when I came home from school and would ask how my day was and introduce herself to any friends I bought over, I couldn't understand why hers would act like that. Gabby moved away the next year. I still feel sad when I think about her.
When I was about 10-11, I went to a friend's house after church. Kids would go over after church, spend the afternoon and be brought back to services that night. Middle to upper middle class families at a southern baptist church in Texas. Ate lunch, went to her room to play. She asked me if I wanted to see her special room. Sure, I said. She takes me to this little 8x8 room that had a half size door behind her clothes in her closet. The walls are plywood between studs. And on every inch of the walls were pornographic photos and centerfolds. She said it was a secret and I couldn't tell anyone- it was for her and her dad. She didn't like it much but her dad said she was special. I didn't understand ANY of it but I was
2/2 scared and queasy. She said she'd get the belt if I told, so I didn't say a word. I had no idea what any of it meant until I was about 14 and it clicked one day listening to a news story about abuse. We had moved across the country by then. I think of her all the time and apologize in my head and heart. I hate that she went through that, trusted me enough with her secret, and I was too naive and stupid to understand. (I was so very sheltered. I never heard the F word spoken 'in person' until I moved to California when I was 13. Only once on TV.)
Load More Replies...
I have a couple. Like the 1st time I visited my inlaws. They ate at the table! Just like on TV. Their house was so quiet. No blaring TV or yelling or tons of people coming and going. No kids running around. It was unnerving. And don't get me started on their family reunion! Their family is so small! Like less than 50 people! See, I come from a big loud fun family with dozens of cousins Aunties and uncles. I grew up in a 4 bedroom house with 12 people.
I grew up in a family of 6, on a farm, and we were always quiet in the house. I'm 70 years old now & it still makes me a bit nervous to be in a large crowd of people. I like peace & quiet in my home!
Load More Replies... When I was 12 I went by a friend's house to have her come out. Invited in to wait while she got ready. Out she walks into the living room where her dad was reading the paper...stark naked. We were no longer little girls, but pubescent young ladies. I was freaked.
Eeeuwww, that's just nasty. Sure, the dad has every right to be nude in his own home, but he could have at least kept a small lap blanket or towel to cover up with when his daughter's friends are going to be inside!
Load More Replies... I did not know my family was poor . . . we made do, did a lot of free things, went to carload drive-in movie nights. When us kids got into high school, we moved to the country. Boys for miles around found out my dad was a professional mechanic/repaired cars (we were doing better by then) so they started coming around in herds! And he taught them car basics. It was the most popular house in town!
There aren't lifestyle differences but abuse stories, a more appropriate title would have been nice. Hope you'r all doing well, but i'm gonna pass on this one.
First time I went to my one friends house for dinner it was so awkward. First, they all sat at the dining room table (already weird, only time we sat at the dining room table was to play board games), then they all start praying out of nowhere and I have no idea wtf to do, and as if that wasn’t awkward enough, they then went around the table asking the person next to them how their day was and when it got to my turn I just froze up. Growing up it wasn’t unusual for the only words my parents and I spoke to each other to be “dinners ready; thanks” and “goodnight; night”. So being forced into a conversation with someone out of nowhere (who’s name I didn’t even remember) had me completely panicked
Didn't happen to me, but I thought this was hilarious. My biology teacher told of the time he when he first went to college, and after a few days, he ran, panicking, to the nurse to complain there was something terribly wrong with his heart. He couldn't feel it! A long conversation with a very puzzled nurse later, he came to realize that you're not SUPPOSED to "feel your heart." His parents' cooking had just so consistently given him heartburn, the thought that was normal.
We were very poor, and once we were invited to another family's house for dinner. It was the first time I'd ever seen or tasted salad dressing. I remember thinking, "What is this magic salad sauce?"
When I was a kid I made friends with the new girl in my class, whose name was Gabby. One day she invited me over after school, and when we got there no-one greeted us at the door. Her mum was in the living room in front of the TV looking like she'd been there all day and barely even bothered to glance up at her kid, let alone crack a smile or say something like "oh, and who's your friend?" She spent the entire visit completely ignoring both of us, and while we were in Gabby's bedroom she picked up a framed photo of a man and looked sadly at it, saying "things were so much better when he was here". I didn't ask because I was young and confused, but I think it must have been a picture of her dad. Having grown up with a mother who was always happy to see me when I came home from school and would ask how my day was and introduce herself to any friends I bought over, I couldn't understand why hers would act like that. Gabby moved away the next year. I still feel sad when I think about her.
When I was about 10-11, I went to a friend's house after church. Kids would go over after church, spend the afternoon and be brought back to services that night. Middle to upper middle class families at a southern baptist church in Texas. Ate lunch, went to her room to play. She asked me if I wanted to see her special room. Sure, I said. She takes me to this little 8x8 room that had a half size door behind her clothes in her closet. The walls are plywood between studs. And on every inch of the walls were pornographic photos and centerfolds. She said it was a secret and I couldn't tell anyone- it was for her and her dad. She didn't like it much but her dad said she was special. I didn't understand ANY of it but I was
2/2 scared and queasy. She said she'd get the belt if I told, so I didn't say a word. I had no idea what any of it meant until I was about 14 and it clicked one day listening to a news story about abuse. We had moved across the country by then. I think of her all the time and apologize in my head and heart. I hate that she went through that, trusted me enough with her secret, and I was too naive and stupid to understand. (I was so very sheltered. I never heard the F word spoken 'in person' until I moved to California when I was 13. Only once on TV.)
Load More Replies... I have a couple. Like the 1st time I visited my inlaws. They ate at the table! Just like on TV. Their house was so quiet. No blaring TV or yelling or tons of people coming and going. No kids running around. It was unnerving. And don't get me started on their family reunion! Their family is so small! Like less than 50 people! See, I come from a big loud fun family with dozens of cousins Aunties and uncles. I grew up in a 4 bedroom house with 12 people.
I grew up in a family of 6, on a farm, and we were always quiet in the house. I'm 70 years old now & it still makes me a bit nervous to be in a large crowd of people. I like peace & quiet in my home!
Load More Replies... When I was 12 I went by a friend's house to have her come out. Invited in to wait while she got ready. Out she walks into the living room where her dad was reading the paper...stark naked. We were no longer little girls, but pubescent young ladies. I was freaked.
Eeeuwww, that's just nasty. Sure, the dad has every right to be nude in his own home, but he could have at least kept a small lap blanket or towel to cover up with when his daughter's friends are going to be inside!
Load More Replies... I did not know my family was poor . . . we made do, did a lot of free things, went to carload drive-in movie nights. When us kids got into high school, we moved to the country. Boys for miles around found out my dad was a professional mechanic/repaired cars (we were doing better by then) so they started coming around in herds! And he taught them car basics. It was the most popular house in town!
There aren't lifestyle differences but abuse stories, a more appropriate title would have been nice. Hope you'r all doing well, but i'm gonna pass on this one.
First time I went to my one friends house for dinner it was so awkward. First, they all sat at the dining room table (already weird, only time we sat at the dining room table was to play board games), then they all start praying out of nowhere and I have no idea wtf to do, and as if that wasn’t awkward enough, they then went around the table asking the person next to them how their day was and when it got to my turn I just froze up. Growing up it wasn’t unusual for the only words my parents and I spoke to each other to be “dinners ready; thanks” and “goodnight; night”. So being forced into a conversation with someone out of nowhere (who’s name I didn’t even remember) had me completely panicked
