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“What’s Something Foreigners Think Is Common In Your Country, But Really Isn’t?” (44 Answers)
Visiting a new country can feel like stepping into a whole new world. Everything is exciting at first: the food, the streets, the accents, the everyday routines that feel unfamiliar yet fascinating. But somewhere between sightseeing and small talk, you often realize that not everything you’ve heard about a place actually holds up.
That’s exactly what sparked an online discussion when someone asked, “What’s something foreigners think is common in your country, but really isn’t?” From assumptions about everyone being able to sing or dance, to ideas about bland food or exaggerated habits, people from around the world chimed in to set the record straight. The replies were funny, surprising, and a reminder that stereotypes rarely tell the full story.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Italy
Italy - using a spoon to help you twist spaghetti around a fork
this is a German thing, nobody in Italy does it.
Dirk Daring 1 day ago
If you can't logically explain the reason behind an etiquette rule in one or two sentences, I don't follow it. I will twirl my fettucine in my spoon with my elbows on the table. Because it works.
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
Everyone outside of Italy seems to. Italians never do in my experience!
Rick Murray 1 day ago
I made the mistake of doing this at an Italian eatery. Even though I was about eight at the time, the waiter smacked my hand hard enough the spoon went flying, and then showed me the correct way to do it. And, really, the spoon method is a lot more faff and bother... [note: it was the early 80s, he'd never get away with doing something like that nowadays]
Otto Katz 1 day ago
If they don't want you to use the spoon, why provide the spoon?
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Katharina Sei. 1 day ago
I remember my italian family members telling me it was not the right way to eat spaghetti with a spoon and I should use the plate instead. Now I use a weird combination of both... .
Remi (He/Him) 1 day ago
I still think spaghetti is easiest to eat with chopsticks, but not crazy enough to do it in a restaurant
RELATED:
#2
Germany
Lederhosen and Dirndl. It's Bavaria only!
Chrissie Anit 1 day ago
And surprise surprise, not even all Bavarians wear Lederhosen and Dirndl.
RamiRudolph 1 day ago
"Really, don't we?" I ask while eating Schweinsbraten with Knödel while sitting in my Lederhosen, jodeling loudly and dancing the Schuhplattler. Hollera-hiti!!!
Load More Replies... Rick Murray 1 day ago
There is (was?) a German satellite channel that used to feature a lot of people dressed like this dancing and singing by windmills and on open fields. I never worked out if it was serious or some sort of really subtle self-mocking comedy.
#3
Canada
I live in western Canada, where maple syrup is not produced, nor is it something found in every home.
Very few people say "eh" the way they did when I was younger.
In my part of Canada (eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains), snow comes and goes thanks to the warm, moist wind called the chinook, so we don't deal with huge snow drifts all winter. No igloos!
We are still stupidly polite, though. I'll apologize when someone steps on MY foot. 🤷♀️.
April Pickett 23 hours ago
I was born in Canada, but have lived most of my life in the United States. I'm always the one apologizing for stuff other people do. Is that a Canadian gene or something? Maybe in the DNA?
Michael Largey 1 day ago
Vancouver is to Seattle what Toronto is to Chicago. Except for humane health care, and democracy, and a living wage, and ...
There’s something incredibly exciting about packing for a new destination. The planning, the playlists, the outfits, and the daydreams about food, culture, and scenery all make it feel like you’re stepping into a whole new world. But thanks to social media, movies, and pop culture, we often arrive with a long list of expectations already formed.
We think we know how people dress, eat, behave, or even speak. Some of these ideas come from harmless stereotypes, others from viral clips that show only one side of a place. The reality, however, is usually far more layered. Once you’re actually there, you realize how misleading those assumptions can be. Cultures are complex, people are diverse, and everyday life rarely fits into neat online narratives. Travel has a funny way of gently proving us wrong.
#4
Brazil
Not all Brazilians dance and are super happy; in fact, one of the most melancholic phrases in history was uttered by a Brazilian: "I didn't have children because I don't want to continue the legacy of our misfortune." And many here work 10 hours a day to buy things that an American (USA) could buy with 1 hour of work.
UnclePanda 1 day ago
Wait, wait, wait! A pro-American statement on BP? What is it, Christmas or something?
Ian Webling 1 day ago
I think it's more anti-Brazilian than pro-American, as in, even the poor Americans don't have it this bad. /s
Load More Replies... #5
United States Of America
Not everyone wants to retire to Florida. That’s a very specific Northern Midwest or Northeast demographic.
Alecto76 1 day ago
That everyone supports Trump. The majority of our population is in the cities, mostly "blue" -anti-Trump. Here in Chicago, like other blue cities, never voted for him. But because of the electoral college, he won. We hate him and all that he stands for. That is why he is deploying his thugs into our cities, which we are fighting, and threatening us with our own military.
Big Chungus 1 day ago
I live in Florida, and it's been ruined by the current climate. I want to go back where our biggest problems were hurricanes and the florida man.
April Pickett 23 hours ago
When you live 60-70 years with snow over the top of your house, Florida looks good, besides, you'll catch up with your neighbors from home
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
But then what do you do when the daily huge gunfight in the street breaks out?!
Load More Replies... #6
Spain
Catholics, or at least actually religious Catholics. Like, most people who baptise their children are doing it for cultural reasons (to make grandma happy) not because they believe in God.
Rick Murray 1 day ago
Mom had me baptised when I was ten or so. She gave me some story about lost souls, I said I don't care because heaven sounds like a tedious place. She offered me a tenner, I accepted. 😂
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 23 hours ago
Here's two examples. Both Paul McCartney and George Harrison were baptized Catholic as babies. Paul's family was not particularly observant. George's family was deeply religious, which may explain his life-long interest in spirituality.
Michael Largey 23 hours ago
Ever? Well, it was a lot less Christian than today in, say, 100BC.
Load More Replies...And clearly, a lot of people are out there seeing this for themselves. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, more than 1.1 billion tourists traveled internationally in just the first nine months of 2025. That’s millions of people crossing borders, experiencing new cultures, and quietly unlearning things they thought they knew. With travel bouncing back stronger than ever, more travelers are realizing that countries can’t be summed up in a single trope or trend.
#7
Switzerland
Cuckoo clocks. Switzerland is known for watches, but cuckoo clocks are more of a German thing.
Jeanbore Dilford 1 day ago
Cuckoo clocks were invented in Bavaria. Secondly, I have lived in Switzerland for over 40 years and have only seen cuckoo clocks in tourist shops...
Nash Nopper 1 day ago
nope they where invented in Black Forest (Baden) not Bavaria! German clockmaker Franz Ketterer (or Franz Anton Ketterer) from the Black Forest is widely credited with creating the first modern cuckoo clock around the 1730s, using bellows to mimic the bird's call, but primitive cuckoo mechanisms existed earlier, with Ketterer popularizing the concept in the Black Forest region where clockmaking flourished.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 23 hours ago
The association of Switzerland with cuckoo clocks comes from a quote by the artist James Whistler, which was later famously adapted by Orson Welles in "The Third Man". Harry Lime speaking: "Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, m****r, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."
#8
Germany
Trains always being on time. Nope, not all, not even the slightest.
Pferdchen 1 day ago
From National Public Radio the other day: "Germany's train service is one of Europe's worst. How did it get so bad?" "The train conductor wishes passengers a pleasant journey 'as far as it's possible,' adding 'we should just about make it to Berlin.' They've even made a cute promotional video (link below) but you can't watch it on the train because the wi-fi isn't working 🤣
Apatheist 1 day ago
They had a joke in Switzerland: if a train leaves late, it's not a Swiss train - or it's not a Swiss clock.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 1 day ago
This came from the F*****t eras of Germany and Italy and the supposed order and efficiency they imposed. The phrase was "At least Mussolini made the trains run on time." But of course he never did.
#9
Turkey
I NEVER SAW A CAMEL IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!
Kristy Marion 1 day ago
You need to come to Australia then. More camels than anywhere else apparently
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
And we export to Saudi Arabia, because we have wild ones and they don't!
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Trashy Panda 23 hours ago (edited)
Do people really associate Turkey with camels? It's not even a desert. Camels make me think of Saudi Arabia.
Captain Kakapo 6 hours ago
Just get out of the bath house, raise your head above your cup of coffee and look around))
Sometimes, travelers only truly understand a place once they hear from the people who live there. That’s when stereotypes begin to fall apart. To explore this idea, we spoke with Rakesh, a 19-year-old local who gives guided tours of Mumbai’s Dharavi to foreign visitors.
Living in the community himself, he offers a perspective most tourists never expect. “Dharavi is one of the world’s largest and most densely populated settlements,” he begins. “It’s located right in the heart of Mumbai, not hidden away.” He says many visitors arrive with fixed ideas before even stepping inside. And those ideas rarely survive the tour.
#10
Finland
Eating reindeer. It's mostly a special treat because it is quite pricey.
Kristy Marion 1 day ago
I had reindeer burger and reindeer salami in Helsinki and both were delicious
Apatheist 1 day ago
There were only two mentioned in the song. Rudolf, and Olive, the "other reindeer"...
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quentariel 1 day ago (edited)
This depends a lot of where you visit. You can find reindeer meat mostly in more expensive restaurants in lower parts of the country and other that those is rarely available. In the Lapland it l's much more common, as it's the reindeers' living habitat, and the meat can be found in almost every restaurant as well as supermarkets. It can be expensive, but you can also find it quite affordably if you know where to look (and avoid most touristy areas)..
#11
Scotland
Kilts, we only wear them for weddings and special occasions.
Apatheist 1 day ago
Also that they weren't worn until well after Braveheart - and that "Braveheart" was actually Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace.
L.V 1 day ago
Braveheart, the film... Easier to count historical accuracies than inaccuracies. And don't do a inaccuracy drinking game, or you'll be in a coma before the first half
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Kira Okah 1 day ago
Depends on region. Kilts as everyday wear very much exists outside of larger built up areas.
ThisIsMyDisplayName 23 hours ago
I was raised in a rural area of Aberdeenshire, travelled extensively throughout Scotland, now live in a wee village, and aside from Highland games and gatherings, ceilidhs, and the aforementioned weddings and special occasions, kilts aren't everyday wear for the majority of men - I'd love if they were, but not in my experience.
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#12
Poland
Drunk people, constant cold and snow, poverty everywhere - while the truth is Poland is one of the most developed countries in Europe, public drinking is forbidden by law, and snow is only present in winter for like two/three weeks but the hot season lasts from end of April till September.
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
Not me. I have no opinion on Poland at all, in fact.
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“The first thing people tell me is that they didn’t know Mumbai was so developed,” Rakesh says. “They’re shocked to see massive malls, modern infrastructure, and luxury buildings so close by.” What fascinates visitors most, he explains, is the contrast. “You have some of the most expensive real estate in the country right next to Dharavi,” he adds. For many foreigners, it’s the first time they’ve seen wealth and hardship exist so closely together. That sharp contrast often challenges everything they thought they knew about the city.
#13
Spain
Bullfighting. The dictator Francisco Franco tried to normalize the presence of the culture of bullfighting by building bullfighting plazas around all Spain when not every place appreciates them.
Nowadays, a lot of them are or not used, used for other stuff (concerts, for example) or...
...completely abandoned (that's Oviedo's bullfighting plaza).
Pilar Cuenca 1 day ago
Also many of us are totally against bullfighting as this is bloody soulless animal mistreating practice dressed up as "tradition"
WindySwede 1 day ago
I would even say a t*****e to the death for the bull 😿
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R Dennis 1 day ago
I think that's only in Mexico City. There used to be a small bullring outside Cabo San Lucas. I never went, but the only good thing I can say is they transitioned to non-lethal exhibitions because many people (including tourists) didn't like it.
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#14
Norway
Running into polar bears. They only live on Svalbard, and even there, you’re safe within the town borders.
Roxy222uk 1 day ago
Hee hee. I met a Finn many years ago (before everyone was online) that had been to America to study. He had enjoyed telling his American cohorts that he had to learn how to fight off a polar bear so that he could walk to school safely. I also worked with a Portuguese guy that used to tell Americans that he went to school on a donkey.
Auntriarch 1 day ago
Guilty of the same crime. Coming back to a UK primary school from Nigeria, I told people we had leopards knocking the lids off the dustbin, when they complained about cats doing it
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#15
Spain
Nobody goes home to nap in the middle of the day.
Usually people go to pick up their kids from school, go home to have lunch and bring them back to school, do chores since it’s too late when they close, etc.
I used to have a 2h lunch break in my previous job but I was just walking around the office since it took me more than an hour to get home.
At least for me it sucks. Your whole day from Monday to Friday just revolves around work and work only.
Ace 1 day ago
Not necessarily to nap, but many Spanish people do indeed go how for two or three hours in the middle of the day. Certainly true in Madrid from my own experience.
Jrog 1 day ago
Not true in Madrid since decades, the Jornada Partida still exists only in some parts of the south, and is becoming even more rare.
Load More Replies... Remi (He/Him) 1 day ago
Still quite the difference between getting a 30 minute lunch break and a 2 hour one
Trashy Panda 23 hours ago
I'm not Spanish but when I spent time in Spain everyone definitely took 2-hour lunches
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
But does the rain fall mainly on the plain? Enquiring minds want to know!
Miriam Insidecor 23 hours ago
Siesta is definitely something that can disrupt your day. So many businesses are closed during those hours.
Rakesh says one of the biggest misconceptions is about employment. “Some tourists honestly believe that everyone here is unemployed or begging,” he explains. “They’re surprised when they learn about the small-scale industries we have.” Dharavi is home to leather workshops, textile units, pottery makers, food production, and recycling businesses. “A lot of people here work extremely hard,” he says. “These businesses support families and contribute to the city’s economy.” For visitors, this reality is often eye-opening.
#16
France
We don t eat frogs legs.
You see this on menu in foreign French restaurants in order to drag curious customers. But actually you would find them extremely rarely in a French restaurant in France.
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
I've definitely eaten them in a 'normal' (ie not tourist) restaurant. It's not particularly common, but about as prevalent as snails in my experience.
Ace 1 day ago
Never seen them in a normal French restaurant, TBH. Very common in Chinese/Vietnamese restaurants though, you get the choice of chicken, prawn, pork or frogs' legs for many dishes.
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Jrog 1 day ago
OP is clueless. Frog legs are definitely a regional traditional recipe in France. Extremely common in eastern France, in the Bourgogne, Lorraine and Auvergne regions, especially around Ain and Lyon. They are often on menu on traditional French restaurants because they are, well, traditional...
Julie S 1 day ago
A weird thought I had when I couldn't sleep once was, what do they do with the rest of the frog?
Jrog 1 day ago
The rest of the frog is not edible, it's mostly bone and unsavory organs with no muscles or meat. Also, the back of the frog has glands that produce dangerous toxins, so it would be harmful to eat.
Load More Replies... Captain Kakapo 6 hours ago
Then how come there are villages in Western Ukraine that are living off catching frogs for export?
April Pickett 23 hours ago
I don't know if they still are eaten there, but 'long ago' they used to be pretty normal food for folks in the rural South. The thing I never liked was the legs jumping around in the frying pan.
Kelly H. Wilder 21 hours ago
We sell loads of these in our store. I can't imagine ever eating them, but that's true of several things we sell an abundance of (souse, pork brains, chicken feet, pickled bologna, etc). Popular food choices here are deeply rooted in the area's lengthy history of unbelievable poverty, which has ironically driven the prices of these items higher because supply/demand.
Load More Replies... #17
United Kingdom
Brits only eat bland food like fish & chips.
Years ago, an American friend was advised to only eat at Indian restaurants on his first UK trip as “British food is so awful”. Too many foreign visitors have bad food experiences in tourist-trap restaurants in London serving over-priced low quality frozen stuff, not realising that real British food is actually very high quality, richly diverse and flavourful.
Paul C. 1 day ago
If your Fish and Chips are bland, shoot the cook. Done properly it's bloody stunning!
R Dennis 1 day ago
I've only been to London and the chance of getting good fish and chips is a crapshoot. But the Indian food was phenomenal. Tower Tandoori and Dishoom were the best.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 23 hours ago
Italian as well. There's a good reason Brits adopt dishes from other countries.
Load More Replies... Scott Rackley 1 day ago
I had a very good beef wellington over there, very nice. I like yorkshire puddings too.
Rick Murray 1 day ago
Oi! Dafuq's wrong with fish and chips? Or a full English breakfast (which may or may not include fried mushrooms/hash brown/dried tomatoes/black sausage depending on region)? And you haven't lived until you've had a proper Devon or Cornish cream tea (in a little family place, not one of those crappy touristy places). Just don't ask how one says the word "scone", we're still arguing over that. Afternoon tea with buttered crumpets? Lamb hotpot with mixed veg? I'll stop here as I'm starting to get upset for the things I've not eaten in a quarter century as French cuisine is entirely different.
Auntriarch 1 day ago (edited)
I'm not going to get involved in this argument, other than to say "English Food" by Jane Grigson. Edit: I'm at a loss to understand why I have downvotes here.
L.V 1 day ago
Like everywhere, if you research where you're going, you can find great food! Haggis for example sounds weird at first, but it's actually really good if made by someone who knows what they're doing
RamiRudolph 1 day ago
I visited London in 2016 and had some really good Fish and Chips. Also tried one with cheese instead of fish. Delicious!
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
I went to the UK and remember that every single cafe served bacon and eggs with sausages. All day. Mind you, it was VERY good bacon eggs and sausages. I really got a taste for it.
TonjaLasagne 21 hours ago
The only disappointing food that I had in the UK was a hot dog from a place near the Triumph Factory and that’s only because the dog to bread ratio was way off (the bun was HUGE). But every place where we had fish & chips seemed to top the previous place! One big piece of fish, just one, not three undercooked, limp pieces. And I think that it’s the breading that makes it different from the American versions. I live in the Pacific Northwest and Ivar’s is the to-go place for fish and chips up here but I’m sorry: it just can’t compare to the stuff that I had in the UK.
#18
France
Like everywhere else, berrets are usually only worn by bald people. And mustaches are not so common. I've seen far more mustaches on Australians than on French.
General Anaesthesia 1 day ago (edited)
How about carrying your baguette in your armpit, especially in the summer?
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
Actually, yes. It is very common, because they're difficult to put in bags.
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Kristy Marion 1 day ago
Are you thinking of the Onion Johnnie from Breton that sold garlic from their bicycles in the UK? With the striped Breton shirt and beret?
Load More Replies... “We’re more than a million people living here,” Rakesh says proudly. “And we’re incredibly diverse.” He explains that Dharavi is home to people from different religions, cultures, and regions of India. “What surprises foreigners most is how strong our sense of community is,” he adds. Neighbors support each other, celebrate festivals together, and share resources. Laughing, he says, “They always ask me, ‘How is this possible, Rakesh?’” For many, that unity is unexpected.
#19
Australia
That our native animals are everywhere and even catch public transport.
Tucker Cahooter 1 day ago
It's harder for kangaroos to catch public transport in Canberra these days as the buses have gone cashless so they can't keep coins in their pouches. I carpool with a few of them and drop them off at the nature reserves to graze on my days when I go into the office
Michael Largey 23 hours ago
Even the people will try to talk you to death.
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Onan Hag All 1 day ago
Outside of the major cities, not including Canberra, they are. I had roos on my lawn, possums in my loft, and wombats at the end of my garden when I lived in Canberra.
Judes 17 hours ago
I've seen a koala on train platform in Adelaide (just one stop from the central railway station), and kangaroos sometimes appear in the suburbs. Of course, it's debatable whether or not you consider Adelaide a major city. Also, birds are everywhere, and many of them are native (I'm currently sitting in my parent's unit and I can hear the cockatoos squawking outside).
Load More Replies... Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
I live in the suburbs and once a kangaroo got into our backyard. Another time I found a d**n great goanna on the driveway. We've had echidnas come trundling into the neighbourhood as well.
Poppy 20 hours ago
I visited Australia in October 2024 and I was so disappointed that I didn't see more wildlife than I did. I saw one Wallaby at the side of the road and the backside of 1 kangaroo hopping off into the bush. I didn't see any reptiles, insects or spiders. I saw more Australian wildlife in Perth Zoo.
Trashy Panda 23 hours ago
Your native animals may not be everywhere, but they are definitely the scariest!
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
My best mate got eaten by a wombat. True story.
Load More Replies... Rick Murray 1 day ago
Depends upon your definition of "catch". If you mean catch as in wait at the door and then hop on, then no, that's not believable. But if you mean catch as in hunt, attack, and drag the wreckage away, yeah, I can totally believe Australian wildlife catching public transport.
#20
Netherlands
Some people do still think historical windmills are more prevalent and wooden shoes are in every household.
Edit: added historical to windmills. Because yes, the modern electricity producing ones are around a lot :p.
WindySwede 1 day ago
A wind turbine is quit remote from a windmill though? Just the usage of wind is the same, but so does sailing boats etc. 🙃
Jaya 1 day ago
Yes, but in Dutch we use the word windmolen (windmill) for both kinds. You can also call the modern kind windturbines, but many people just call them windmolens.
Load More Replies... #21
Kyrgyzstan
As I usually say when similar questions come up. While we do have a history of nomadism, it no longer exists in full, as the Soviet Union collectivised all nomads in this region. Seasonal nomadism in the summer is rare but happens in a few mountain pastures. So you won't see tons of yurts everywhere like in the steppes of Mongolia, you'll see villages with animal husbandry and agriculture.
The only fully nomadic Kyrgyz left are in the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 1 day ago
I honestly never thought about kyrgyztan my entire life, let alone stereotypes 😬
“We live close to each other, we work close to each other, and our lives are deeply connected,” Rakesh explains. Space may be limited, but relationships are not. He says visitors are often struck by how much cooperation exists in such a crowded environment. “People help each other out here,” he says simply. From shared workspaces to shared meals, daily life is built on collaboration. It’s a side of Dharavi that rarely makes headlines.
#22
Italy
That we not have pizza with pineapple. There are some pizzeria that made this pizzas (not so common but exists), and people who eats it (not foreigners).
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
Fun fact: in South Africa a pizza with pineapple is called an Hawaiian pizza!
R Dennis 1 day ago
I believe that it's called that globally, except probably in Hawaii. Oddly enough, it originated in Canada.
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Jrog 1 day ago
It's called American Pizza (sausage and fries) or Patapizza (fries only). It's commonly found as "baby menu" for little kids and toddlers. It' exceedingly rare for an adult to ask for it.
Load More Replies... Captain Kakapo 6 hours ago
I tried pizza with chikory in Rome... I should rather had one with pineapples!
Sue Ellen Jensen 18 hours ago
My favorite pizza is pepperoni, pineapple and jalapeño. People think it's weird but I think it's great.
Trashy Panda 23 hours ago
It's well known that Italians don't eat American-style pizza
Load More Replies... #23
Ireland
Corned beef and cabbage. Literally nobody eats it.
Kira Okah 1 day ago
Why would it be? The Irish dish is bacon and cabbage, quite sure that corned beef and cabbage is Irish-American.
Pheebs 1 day ago
It is. Originated with Irish immigrants in New York City as a cheap alternative to the foods they were used to. Corned beef was cheaper than bacon. Cabbage was also always pretty cheap and easy to get.
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Cuppa tea? 1 day ago
Irish breakfast is far superior to English. Guinness stew or pie is sublime, Clonakilty pudding is delicious.
szvz5t8d4m 13 hours ago
My Irish granny made us ribs and cabbage every Saturday we stayed over as children, church in the morning then home to either a stew or a roast dinner. Happy times x
#24
South Africa
Having wildlife as pets.
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 day ago
Also: TIGERS ARE NOT INDIGENOUS TO AFRICA. You might see them in zoos or places that do 'rewilding' rescues or on some private holdings. But you will not see tigers "in the wild" here. (About two years ago, two tigers escaped from private smallholdings within a week of each other. Those were fun headlines.)
Rakesh also mentions how pop culture shaped many assumptions. “After Slumdog Millionaire became popular, a lot of people came here expecting only misery,” he says. “They wanted to see poverty the way it was shown in the movie.” What they find instead often surprises them. “Yes, there are challenges,” he acknowledges, “but there’s also creativity, entrepreneurship, and resilience.” He concludes by saying Dharavi is not just a symbol of hardship—it’s a living, breathing community full of innovation and life.
#25
Sweden
People who look like models. Don't know why people seem to think that's common, but I've heard that people legit believe like all Swedes look perfect. It's weird imo. We're just humans.
Börje Strömming 1 day ago
Because only super good looking mostly talentless women moved to L.A and tried to make it in hollywood. We even have a show called Swedish hollywood wives with above said type of woman that didn’t make it as actresses but married some rich guy. Its complete and utter trash tv on the level of The Kardashians. My bestie is related to the absolute worst of them all Gunilla Persson.
Miriam Insidecor 23 hours ago
When I was travelling around Denmark and Sweden I saw better looking Danish men and women than Swedish.
Kitty Litter 1 day ago
A relative used to travel to Sweden frequently for work and most of the randoms in his photos were all so photogenic that it was borderline disturbing. All blondes, no one overweight, definitely not the type of people you get in the background of photos in the usa.
Ace 1 day ago
As per the picture, blond hair and blue eyes do give you something of an advantage.
PenguinEmp 1 day ago
Hot humans. 3 friends from years ago. Hot as all get out. Their siblings? Hot. Mom? Hot. Grandma was pretty fit too. Something about being a very athletic and healthy country m
#26
Canada
It’s actually very hot here during the summer.
B.F. Gibb 1 day ago
Southern Ontario here, and it can get into the low +30sC in summer, with humidity around +40C
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 1 day ago
It can get in to the 90's or 100's in some places - just like the US.
Load More Replies... #27
Finland
Drinking.
In my experience the stereotype is outdated and normal Finns, at least younger generations, don't drink more than people from other countries.
It’s always refreshing to hear directly from locals about what life is really like in their country. Posts like these cut through the myths and show us the reality behind the stereotypes we often believe. From surprising cultural truths to everyday details outsiders rarely notice, these perspectives offer a whole new way of seeing the world. Which one of these myths shocked you the most or caught you off guard?
#28
Finland
People dont use Nokia 3310 amymore.
Brian Droste 1 day ago
I don't know of anyone around me or just out in public that uses a Nokia 3310 phone here in the US.
quentariel 1 day ago
Maybe not use, but most families still have one of those in some cupboard drawer. And they still work after decades (after charging, of course).
Remi (He/Him) 1 day ago
The weakest point of old Nokia phones are the batteries. After several years they start to get tired to the point you can't talk on the phone without charging it at the same time. Or at least that's happened to everyone I know who used theirs to the end
#29
Japan
Not everyone in Japan is an anime or manga otaku. In fact, they are so widespread that there is hardly anyone who hasn't seen or read them, but the people who follow the popular works today are those who make it their hobby.
#30
Switzerland
People believe there's no poor people in Switzerland an that we're all filthy rich...
Jeanbore Dilford 1 day ago
In Switzerland, around 8 % of the population is currently below the national poverty line, and roughly 16–20 % are considered at risk of or near poverty. Only 16% of people are rich. There are so many ridiculous fantasies about Switzerland that it makes my blood boil. Health insurance and rent eats up 40% of our salaries.
Toothless Feline 21 hours ago
Whereas in the US, health insurance and rent EACH eat up 40% of our salaries—and the insurance covers nothing, and the place you rent has never met code. I think I’ll take what you’re bïtching about.
Load More Replies... Ace 1 day ago (edited)
And a Kuwait plate on it - not sure how that's supposed to represent anything Swiss. (The shop signs behind it are indeed Swiss though).
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Scotira 1 day ago (edited)
New statistics show that the top 1% owns ("only") 50% of all the wealth in Switzerland. In that regard we are better off than other countries. That said I think it was something like the top 10% owns 90% of the wealth, so there is that 🤷♀️. And every time I read about the "average" salary in Switzerland I feel like someone owes me money 🤦🏻♀️
Kid Murray 1 day ago
Just the bankers. There's good money in d***s and stolen Jewish treasure.
#31
Netherlands
Tulips. It is a seasonal crop so when they come to us in summer and ask where they are we say come back next spring. And they are only very common in the Westland not everywhere else.
#32
Belgium
Waffles, everyone seems to think our main sustenance is waffles. Most people I know rarely eat them.
Pernille 1 day ago
Of course it isn't, frites with mayonnaise is what keeps you going, at least that is what I tell myself every time I'm in Belgium, and eating frites for all three main meals. The beer also have nutrients, and they are both made from veggies, so it is a balanced diet:)
nottheactualphoto 1 day ago
Upvote for Belgian beer. Belgium is the wonderland of beer.
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#33
Australia
Shrimp on Barbies.. exactly 0.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 1 day ago
Prawns. They're prawns. And we're going to eat a cra.ptonne of them at Xmas :)
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
We don't HAVE shrimps in Australia, mate! We do have prawns, but not on barbies. That's just a silly Paul Hogan humorous advert.
Beak Hookage 16 hours ago
We have a bunch of different species of shrimp, but we don't eat them!
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#34
Singapore
*deep breath because scared*
We aren't always rule enforcing to a fault. Most prominently, people jaywalk and our gov...doesn't seem to bat an eye.
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago (edited)
Wow! You rebels! Yes, it is very regulated in Singapore. Drop a cigarette bůtt and fined (sic) out.
#35
Canada
Bagged milk: it is completely non existent in most provinces/territories of Canada. I myself have never seen it in person.
Most stereotypes that pertain to Canada come from the eastern half, but said stereotypes feel mostly irrelevant to the rest of us elsewhere lol.
PenguinEmp 1 day ago
Um there are 5 brands at my local shoppers d**g in Toronto. Or up north or I've seen them at a local mom and pop variety in Calgary.
S. Mi 18 hours ago
Toronto is pretty much definition of 'eastern half' Seeing something on occasion further west does not make this relevant to us.
Load More Replies... Rick Murray 1 day ago
Used to be bagged milk in France. It was done like that because it was unpasteurised and didn't want to mix it up with the normal milk... but they can't sell unpasteurised milk any more so it's bricks and plastic bottles for fresh milk and usually just bricks for the UHT. Oh, and if you like full cream milk (usually a red cap), check very carefully because if you get "lait ribot" (also red cap) by accident... 🤢
Kira Okah 1 day ago (edited)
People say the bagged milk one about the UK too, where I haven't seen hide nor hair of it. China I can definitely confirm does have bagged milk.
Roxy222uk 1 day ago
Who says there’s milk for sale in bags in the UK??? I’ve never heard anyone say that. And of course it’s completely untrue.
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#36
South Korea
Being hot like Kdrama actors.
RamiRudolph 1 day ago
Might just be personal taste, but I don't find any of the people in the picture hot. Good-looking, sure. Hot, no.
szvz5t8d4m 13 hours ago
I agree, the Asian obsession with beauty being correlated to looking child like is disturbing to me.
Load More Replies... Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 1 day ago
There are sometimes quite unhot people in dramas, too. Just not the main character 🤣
#37
United States Of America
All-you-can-eat buffets. Perhaps this is a regional thing, but I live in a mid tier city in the Northeast and I can't think of any nearby (?).
Michael Melfa 1 day ago
Most buffets have died out. I remember going to them a lot as a kid. Golden Corral might be the only buffet style restaurant left.
Ozymandias73 1 day ago
Ever since after the pandemic, a lot of them didn't reopen. There are 2 casinos here in Reno, NV USA that still operate their buffets, and a couple other ones but mainly, they are hard to come by now.
Toothless Feline 21 hours ago
Between COVID and the disgusting behaviors displayed in public by way too many Americans, I don’t think I could ever be comfortable eating from a public buffet again. I’ve seen too many grown adults doing things at buffets that even a child should know not to do.
Load More Replies... White Sauce Hot Sauce 1 day ago
Buffet only restaurants may be dying out, but a lot of restaurants still offer buffets during lunch.
Kitty Litter 1 day ago
Really? I can think of 6 of them that are within a 20 mile radius of me right now and I'm in the northeast as well.
Lee Gilliland 1 day ago (edited)
Golden Corral is still around, and we have a couple of Chinese buffets floating around. And there's a bunch in Vegas.
Brian Droste 1 day ago
There is one style Chinese buffet restaurant in another town nearby where I live. Next buffet style restaurant is probably about 30 minutes away.
Big Chungus 1 day ago
Where I live (swfl) we have none that I can think of, which is a good thing since they are usually bacteria breeding pools
#38
Japan
Doing this when you start a meal 🙏.
#39
Mexico
Cartels.
Lots of people (including Mexicans) seem to believe cartel members are all over the place.
In reality 99% of Mexicans will never cross paths with them, I would even say it's more likely for a foreigner to do so (for a reason).
This is true even in "cartel heavy" regions.
Kira Okah 1 day ago
The avocado farmers arming themselves to stop the cartels from trying to scare them away from avocado farming so they can reap the avocado business? Hanging bodies from bridges as a demonstration of what they do to people against them? Being deeply embedded and woven into government?
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 1 day ago
Then why so much cartel crime, murders, kidnappings etc in Mexico?
R Dennis 1 day ago
Yeah, no. I used to travel to Mexico a lot - mostly Baja and Yucatan. Even though most of the violence was along trade corridors and tourists were mostly left alone, it has expanded. Especially into protection rackets in tourist areas. After some shootings in Tulum and Merida, not to mention the attempted bombing of the PDC-Cozumel ferry, I wasn't comfortable going anymore. It's sad... I looked into buying a restaurant in Progreso and moving my family down there.
Chicxulub 23 hours ago
There is so little crime in Mérida/Yucatán that the news headlines are along the lines of "kitten rescued from drain." If you don't believe me, look up crime stats on Numbeo.
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#40
China
Eating dog. Most Chinese people don’t eat it at all. It’s only a tiny portion of people, mainly in parts of Guangxi province, who do. And those dogs are raised specifically as meat dogs for consumption.
PenguinEmp 1 day ago
It's horrible and made more disgusting witbthe phrase raised specifically as meat dogs for consumption.
UnclePanda 1 day ago
I was in Guangxi province and asked about eating dog. The amount of shame I saw in response made me feel terrible. The reason? Starving people eat their pets before turning to leaves, tree bark, and mud. This also covers, "Who was the first person to eat a snail?"
Kristy Marion 1 day ago (edited)
One of my worst memories is of being in Guilin passing a restaurant with dogs in cages and a chef coming out to k**l a German Sheperd. His screams stay with me
Carol Spradling 20 hours ago
Not one dog in all of history should ne “raised as meat”. Not one. Ever.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 1 day ago
Not for much longer, see my comment above. Like i said, it is not very common, i have seen far more people eating dog in cambodia ( where it is illegal)
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szvz5t8d4m 13 hours ago
They can eat dogs as long as they dont deliberately spread their man made viruses via wet markets again
Julia Ford 18 hours ago (edited)
That’s not true. They capture them and t*****e them because they think the meat tastes better if they die scared. There are TONS of documentaries about this.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 6 hours ago
I do not believe that for a second. There are tons of documentaries about people abducted by UFOs, they have similar value
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#41
Philippines
All of us can sing ☹️.
Ace 1 day ago
Never even heard of this stereotype. Maybe it's just the Filipinos who think that every one thinks that they can all sing... or something like that.
Auntriarch 1 day ago
When we were in the UAE, all the bands in the hotels were Philippine. And they could not only sing, they could reproduce the accent and sound of anyone they were covering. I can see a stereotype growing out of that.
Load More Replies... szvz5t8d4m 13 hours ago
I’ve never heard of that stereotype. I think of mail order brides and she men for sale before singing!
#42
Netherlands
Bikes
Yes they are common but no they are not that common. There are, as weird as it might seem, people in the Netherlands who never ride bikes and also a few who only ride bikes occasionally.
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago (edited)
Massively common. Look for pictures of train stations in Amsterdam. Literally thousands of them!
Remi (He/Him) 1 day ago
Netherlands leads the bike usage statistics with Japan and Germany being second and third and way behind so, yes compared to other places, it's really common
Rali Meyer 1 day ago
and Amsterdam has like 2,3 bikes per person. And during an auction of abandoned bikes you bid on a lot of 100 or so at a time
Jaya 1 day ago
Absolute nonsense. Of course there are SOME people who barely ever ride, don't own a bike or don't know how to ride one. But bikes are extremely common, there are way more bikes than people in the Netherlands! And we use them a lot! Official numbers: 27% of all 'travel movements' is by bike, the average citizen rides a bike 266 times a year, 96 hours a year, 1065 km a year.
#43
India
Eating from those dirty stalls, trust me it isn't common, lol there's a reason those are so cheap it's because barely anyone buys.
Stardust she/her 1 day ago
Yeah, honestly most folks with common sense do not eat at these stalls and the ones that do are usually either stupid or desperate
#44
India
I've never been scammed, never consumed unhygienic food, and never seen anyone ever relieving themselves outdoors. Contrary to what many of you believe/ ragebait on social media highlights, these things aren't the norm but absolute exceptions.
Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
Well, I've spent many months in India, on several different occasions. I can tell you that it's all true. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Uncle Schmickle 1 day ago
That's so much bull. I've seen all those things. It's the most unhygienic and polluted country I've been to ( and I've been to plenty ).
Sapna Sarfare 1 day ago
Live in India. relieving yes.. hygiene is gone at shady places. there are many influencers who purposely show the bad places..
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Lynchamigsakta 1 day ago
One of my friends fell into a deep hole walking home late at night in India, the hole was in fact a "toilet"
szvz5t8d4m 13 hours ago
I wonder why Indians don’t defecate outside in India but do it all over when they arrive in the UK? Or why every scam show in the UK has multiple Indian scammers caught on them?
Stardust she/her 1 day ago
Depends on where you are in India. I’ve seen the absolute cleanliness in one section of my city while on the complete opposite side you have abysmal hygiene. I can’t blame those folks who litter as there is a complete breakdown of the system in some areas where no matter what, your trash will pile up since the municipality s***s at doing its job in the poorer sections.
What do you think ?
Julie S 1 day ago
It makes me sad that Canadians don't put maple syrup on everything and all Swiss people don't have cuckoo clocks.
oktopus 1 day ago
On the other hand, most Swiss people sing to their clocks, and Canadians put maple syrup on their cuckoos.
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frankiehurley 17 hours ago
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Julie S 1 day ago
It makes me sad that Canadians don't put maple syrup on everything and all Swiss people don't have cuckoo clocks.
oktopus 1 day ago
On the other hand, most Swiss people sing to their clocks, and Canadians put maple syrup on their cuckoos.
Load More Replies... frankiehurley 17 hours ago
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