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Cultural diversity is a beautiful thing, and learning about traditions in other countries is always an enriching, eye-opening experience.
However, some acceptable customs in some areas of the world may be peculiar and nonsensical in others. A Quora thread tackled this, asking, “What is normal in your country but weird in the rest of the world?”
People from all over the globe chimed in, from Iceland to Uzbekistan, the UK, and Egypt, among many others. Discussions touched on mundane matters such as winter attire and more serious topics like arranged marriages and the blurred lines between patriotism and nationalism.
These are interesting reads, especially if you’re perpetually curious about the world around you. If you have unique traits from your culture, share them in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The Netherlands here.
When we greet someone, we give each other three kisses on the cheek.
Normally, we have a calender with people's birthdays in our bathroom.
We actually celebrate second Easter day and second Christmas day, and we're working on the third.
On work and school days we bring our own lunch with us from home. Usually a slice of bread with cheese, or Nutella, or peanutbutter or chocolate sprinkles. A slice of bread with peanutbutter AND chocolate sprinkles is also an acceptable lunch.
We cycle everywhere.
When it's about 15 degrees Celsius outside, we'll wear shorts.
When we celebrate our birthday with the family, we sit in a circle.
We eat dinner at 6 o'clock.
In the summer we flee to foreign countries to escape our shitty weather. The locals go out, the tourists come in.
We’re mad about iceskating. We try to skate on, for example, the canals and the lakes every winter, even if the ice is still too thin and there’s a real chance we’ll fall through and die.
Flevoland is a province of the Netherlands we made ourselves. It used to be sea.
The Netherlands is so flat the Gods can use it as a pool table.
When someone has their birthday, we don’t only congratulate them, but also all their friends and family.
…Don’t get me started on Sinterklaas, the absolute weirdest thing we Dutchies do.
Apart from partying on the canals in orange on the king’s birthday.
We’re very tall, and we even have the tallest average height of the world! Dutch guys are 183 centimeters on average, and Dutch women 169. I am 1.80m myself (5′11″ I believe). I don’t notice this much back home, but in other countries I’m a literal giant.
We're bicycle crazy. We have about 22.5 million bicycles for 17 million people. My family is especially bicycle mad. We have 10 bicycles for 4 people. My dad has a station bike, a short distance bike, a mountainbike and a race bike; my mum has a bike you can fold, a short distance bike and a long distance bike; my sister has a bike in Amsterdam and a bike at home, and I just have my one bike. We put kids on bikes when they're about 3 years old.
The nieuwjaarsduik (the new year's dive): In the morning of the first day of January, the Dutch join each other on the beach and run into the sea to greet the new year. I have to be honest, I've never even been on the beach on January first, let alone in the sea. It's just too cold. Thousands of people do this though and a lot of people I know do too.
Our houses usually have very big windows, but we rarely close the curtains. It is rude to stare or peek in though, however tempting it may be.
Dawn Marie 10 months ago
I have always been interested in The Netherlands since grade school when we studied different countries other than the U. S. I believe it was 3rd grade and we each pulled a slip of paper out of the hat with the name of a country on it. That was our country for the year. We studied it and told the rest of the class about it on each holiday that was celebrated there and other interesting facts each month. That was 50 years ago!! You have just convinced me to put The Netherlands on my bucket list. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. You have just brought back some wonderful memories. THANK YOU!!
Jayjay 10 months ago
Even though I am Dutch, and lived here all my life, and love to go abroad, UK, Morocco, Egypt, but also Barcelona, I never thought the Netherlands were very interesting to foreigners. Now I have several international students from all over the world (Chile, Indonesia, Germany, Switzerland) and they love it here. We are not famous for our "cuisine" but stamppot (stew) and cheese, speculaas spices and more are very appealing to them. I show them all kinds of interesting sites in the Netherlands and took them to the Escher Museum which is in an old palace in The Hague. When you're ready to come? Make a post asking people here what is worth to visit! Amsterdam is not :). I see lots of Dutch people here on BP, so you will probably get a nice advice on where to go. By the way: the Netherlands is very small, you can get across by train in one day easily! And you can rent bikes at nearly every station.
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on second thought.... 10 months ago
The Vaalserberg (Vaalser mountain), located in the very south of the province of Limburg and a whole 322 meters (1 056 feet) above sea level. Highest place of the Netherlands :)
Load More Replies... Jayjay 10 months ago
Also, old people ride bikes, and if you're handicapped, you can get a trike. Cars just don't work in Dutch cities. Plus, you forgot the cheese and speculaas! I have two international students to help me in the home, I show them typically dutch food like pindakaas, speculaas, kruidnootjes, and cheese of course, they love it:). And finally: clean drinkable water from the tap and Deltaworks: how we manage enormous amounts of water where everywhere else in the world flooding is the norm.
DadManBlues 10 months ago
"nieuwjaarsduik " someone said Dutch language sounds like when a totally drunk English guy tries to speak German :)
Jayjay 10 months ago
Argh, Old English is based in Old Dutch :) and German and Dutch differ a lot even though these languages are related. Dutch is a beautiful expressive language! But okay, we have vocals that are hard to pronounce like "ei", "ij", "au" and "ui". I have a funny story on that: a moroccan friend of mine tore her calf muscle and needed to fysiotherapy. Calf = kuit in Dutch, calf muscle is kuitspier. She went and told the fysiotherapist had a torn "kutspier" because she couldn't pronounce the "ui". The therapist was shocked at first because kut is slang for vagina :).
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Debbie 10 months ago (edited)
- Many don't eat at 18:00 but between 17:00-19:00. - Closing the curtains: Many DO close it. (Maybe it's a regional thing or maybe I don't notice because as soon as lights go on indoors I close them). - The Netherlands is not flat. Holland is. The Netherlands also has the Veluwe, and Limburg. There's curvature in the landscape there. - Don't forget about Carnaval in the south parts (sorry but Brabant doesn't count...) Go to Maastricht with Carnaval (40 days before easter, starting on the Friday before Carnival with many people going into town not dressed up, and on Sunday it starts with parades and dressing up). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival. You either love or hate it - if you happen to be a Southener and hate it, you'll usually go on wintersport then.
Alexia 10 months ago
LOVE your bicycle obsession. It's very unpopular in my country. There are no bike tracks; you can bike in the traffic among cars, but drivers are rude and impatient, so you're literally putting your life at risk. I've seen several accidents with bikers hit by cars. (Planning to relocate in bike-friendly country).
Disgruntled Panda 10 months ago
Living in a country that's very flat also makes things a lot easier. And our country is tiny and very full, you can reach many places by bike and aren't bothered by congested traffic. It's one of the things I love the most about living here
Load More Replies... Bell-icose 10 months ago
You missed the best part about Dutch culture. Salted licorice! Not only is it amazing, but nobody else wants to eat your candy (in Canada anyway).
RELATED:
#2
Naked children playing around “on the street”, topless women (much more braless, first), long haired men, and well accepted “trans-women” or feminized men (that we call Mahū, or several other ways).
I come from a place called Polynesia, which is a collection of little islands and atolls, as large as Europe in scale, spread in the Pacific Ocean. This place had been colonized by several Europeans, around the 18th century, but there are many books that were written since and some behaviors still persist. And it’s good, very good.
In fact, there was no such thing as body-shaming, and when the first Europeans came there, they were mainly shocked by how free the population in Tahiti was. They were so shocked by the sexual freedom in there that they wanted to make forbidden the traditional dance that we fortunately continue pridefully today. And we have no problems teaching 5yo children to dance “as sexy” (because it is not sexual!) as this beautiful girl right there:
Although we are in the 21st century, now, when I grew up on one of those savage atolls (by savage I mean isolated and natural), I was mostly naked, but I can still see some little kids playing naked in the most isolated parts of Polynesia. Some women still live topless and the traditional dance even encourage this behavior, this lifestyle, if I can say. Also, men are free to wear whatever length of hair they want. Really, it’s even part of the culture. Longer your hair are, for a man, closer he is to his culture, Polynesian (women here love to free their long hair!).
Oh, and, something that most of the developed world had apparently a hard time to accept: feminized men. Guess what? The persons who tend to act like women while being born with male genitals are part of the society, here. They’re even considered as a whole, with their specific name, and they are well appreciated amongst women’s activities. This approval is not exclusive to Polynesia though, it happens in other places in South-Asia, like the Philippines, or in some places in South-America as well, like Brazil.
Sexuality is… clearly taken differently than many other countries, if I can say. Polynesians have a history of respect towards the nature of things and especially the Body. Its nature. Our statues still have phallic representations or our men still dance half naked (where it’s funny to see how Europeans (this happened again last week!) react to our uninhibited dances).
By the way, for those who don’t know, the word Tattoo comes from the Tahitian language (Tattoo comes from the word Tatau). So, Maōri, Polynesians, and many other Pacific Islanders like Samoans practiced the tattoo, and still today, as a way to represent their belonging to the culture, which is very far from the historical representation of the criminal the tattoo can have among the developed world.
geezeronthehill 10 months ago
The indigenous tribes of North America also recognized the "two spirit " people.
Tiger 10 months ago
Trans & LGBTQ folks have existed for as long as we’ve been human :) I think it’s kinda beautiful.
Load More Replies... Thee8thsense 10 months ago
I found the people on the various islands I visited in Polynesia to be some of the nicest in the world.
Thay Cavalcante 10 months ago
Not like Brazil. Unfortunately we are number one trans people killers in the world. Thanks to right wing religious conservatives.
weatherwitch 10 months ago
This is fabulous. It drives me insane that so much is sexualised!! Innocent stuff. Breast feeding sexualised, how on Earth did this happen?? I'm Asexual and regularly gobsmacked at what's sexualised in the West
#3
Iceland here:
If it’s 10degrees or hotter outside [50 degrees Fahrenheit, for Americans] we will go out in bikinis and sunbathe.
Almost every family owns at least one summer cabin that is frequently visited.
We say ‘good morning’ or ‘good evening’ to everyone we pass on the street, depending on the time of day.
We will often have long discussions (*hem* arguments) of what type of snow is snowing at the moment.
The first real day of summer was three days ago and almost everyone took a break from work to go and enjoy it (it was around 14 degrees or something).
It snows from August to June.
All the houses are built like fortresses so they can withstand the frequent earthquakes.
We await the next volcanic eruption with excitement.
Most of us watch football religiously.
Dried fish is a delicacy.
We loudly announce when we go to the toilet and ask if we have permission to do so.
Going on dates is a formal and a rare experience, not standard at all.
Blind dates is something that doesn’t happen.
In swimming pools we wash without clothes with everyone else of the same gender, no stalls.
We drink a lot of milk —it goes with everything.
We leave our babies outside in their prams -of cafes, our homes, in the garden, in our unlocked cars.
We love sauces; we probably have hundreds of different types, also ice cream shops normally have about six different sauces.
We will have barbecues in any weather.
We drink lots of alcohol: beer, wine, you name it.
It’s never cold inside our houses, ever.
We party until way after midnight —if you are camping and want to sleep, don’t camp next to Icelanders.
Believing in elves and trolls is normal and we have tons of stories that we’ve been told about them since we were young.
We have 13 Santa Clauses.
We have a Christmas Cat that, if you don’t get new clothes for christmas, will come and eat you (particularly children).
The christmas cat is owned by a pair of trolls called Grýla and Leppalúði. they are the Santa Clauses’ parents, who are also trolls.
Grýla kidnaps, cooks and eats misbehaving children.
We have a day dedicates to eating these delicious balls of air.
The water quality is 500% and so when we visit other countries we are dying because the water tastes so bad there.
We are taught from a young age that we should never ever ever step on the moss and if you do then u deserve to burn in hell (ok maybe not but that’s the idea).
Everyone hates Justin Bieber for that music video he did. (+We had to close down the park a part of it was shot in because the tourists were tearing up the moss.)
In winter we all wear the thickest coats you’ll see while still trying to stay fashionable and we all look giant.
Conjugation is a thing so a noun has 16 different variations of itself.
Tourism is the top industry of Iceland.
Ice cream is enjoyed whenever; in a snow storm or on a rare hot day; doesn’t matter.
Maria Maria 10 months ago
I am from Iceland, and I can tell you that more than half of this is ridiculous and complete nonsense.
Johnnynatfan 10 months ago
Iceland is a magical place and my trip there changed my perspective on how to navigate the cold months.
tracy black 10 months ago
this sounds nice too but does it get warm i freeze in anything less than 60 degrees F
Liam Walsh 10 months ago
Warm summer days can reach 20–25 °C (68–77 °F). The highest temperature recorded was 30.5 °C (86.9 °F) in the Eastern fjords in 1939. Annual average sunshine hours in Reykjavík are around 1300, which is similar to towns in Scotland and Ireland. It is a stunning country. I'd highly recommend it and, no, I didn't get cold and I loved the neverending days. I might choose not to go there in the winter...
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Sara Shamsabadi 10 months ago
I love love love Iceland lol I'm going to live here in the future :)
#4
Among thousands of Indian families, young girls are either prohibited, prevented or at least discouraged by their parents from even talking to or socially interacting with boys. Then one fine day, (or rather night) she is expected to go to bed with a perfect stranger. This was normal in our country for centuries, but today, things are changing. —
Jayjay 10 months ago
The same goes for many islamic countries, it's not just hindustan culture. Also, India, just like China, has a low male/female ratio because of the dowry system in India, and in China because of traditional wage inequality. The fact that all over the world, women in so many countries are still considered inferior to men is scary anno 2025. John Lennon's "women are the n****r of the world" is still unchallenged unfortunately.
Vee Lyons 10 months ago
I remember a young Indian woman I worked with telling us she was getting married to a man she'd never even met. Everyone in the office was stunned.
Papa 10 months ago
A young man from India worked with me about 15 years ago. He was about to be married, and the parents had arranged the marriage. He seemed okay with it.
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highwaycrossingfrog 10 months ago
My partner's family are Indian, though he and his siblings were born and raised in England. His elder siblings had arranged marriages (although they did meet and interact with their partners beforehand), he did not. Either because he is quite a lot younger than his siblings, or because their father passed away before he was old enough to marry and his mother was less inclined towards arranging his marriage, or a combination of the two
#5
Normally we think of poverty as correlated to hunger and being skinny. In America, because unhealthy food is so cheap, poverty is actually strongly correlated to obesity. Obesity isn't uncommon in other classes either. The obesity epidemic is seen as a scourge of prosperity. It’s really, really, easy to get fat here if you aren't disciplined.
Ace 10 months ago
This may be even more prevalent in the US but is by no means unique to it, very common throughout the world. The fact that so many Americans are overweight doesn't mean, surely, that it's accepted as "normal" even there, does it?
Michael MacKinnon 10 months ago
It's also a question of **time** poverty -- lots of commenters cluelessly say things like "why don't they just cook their own food?" But the fact is that people would need time to navigate grocery-store "deserts" (nothing but corner convenience stores in some areas), time to get off work (when often two jobs are needed for a basic family income), time to get home (when the transit systems have limited coverage and are slow), and then time for the kids to be patient while waiting for dinner. So Big Macs and fries it is.
Nelson Álvarez Sáez 10 months ago
Not only a US problem. Carbs are usually cheaper, so obesity is prevalent among the poor in many countries.
Tiffany 10 months ago (edited)
This drives me nuts!!! It does. I am a very poor American without benefits from the government. My husband has a hefty debt due to dental needs. I learned how to buy cheap food on a very tiny budget that is healthy and nutrient dense. Single ingredient foods. I forbid us to eat mac n cheese, ramen or hot dogs kinda thing. I cook all beans and lentils by hand and freeze them. I always go after produce sales and learned to freeze as much as possible. We think we need more food then we actually need most of the time. Single ingredient non processed food is also filling. I didn't make recipes. I just had split peas with carrots and a boiled chicken tender or an egg (meal example). I was only spending $50 to $80 a month for 2 people. I had to re learn everything. But I was able to do it. I was told to go to food banks but couldn't get myself to take a good chunk of what they gave. I was for a bag of apples though! I'm just sick of the "food" that's available in America as a whole. Most of it isn't even food. So I learned ❤️
Magenta Blu 10 months ago
Of course, unhealthy food is way cheaper, and at least you don't feel hunger. Healthy food is unaffordable
ZestyBison 10 months ago
You have to also consume a higher amount of calories, regularly, to be fat. I've lived in poverty and I've been homeless as well and I was 15 lbs underweight from a lack of food.
Marisol Obregon 10 months ago
A balanced diet is affordable here you just have to know how to shop. Bad eating habits are learned from childhood and watching tv. There’s so much marketing geared towards fast food and junk hood. They add toys and cute and colorful stuff to everything! Who could resist. There are healthier options when eating out. Consider ordering from a restaurant that serves more balanced foods, like a sit down restaurant, and pick it up before heading home, if you don’t have time to cook. We have options but we’re simply just too lazy and/or depressed her in the U.S. to do it.
#6
My country is Ukraine, and even though it is located in the center of Europe(geographically), we have lots of customs similar to the middle east, I will describe something what is common in my city, Lviv and in the west of Ukraine.
We have lots of phrases, which actually have different meaning. F.e. if guests are in the house, and you want them to leave, just suggest them a coffee of tea (that means that celebration come to the end), BUT when guests are leaving we usually play the game “oh, you are leaving so soon, stay for some longer time”.
We always invite someone for coffee, and that doesn't means the you will drink coffee. Basically that is invitation to meet up. Also it works as invitation for a date. A girl would not agree to meet up for a drink, but will happily go for coffee, even if they will drink beer.
We complain a lot about our country/city/village, but still love it to the moon and back.
We do big weddings to show off among relatives. For the same reason we repair the apartments with the best furniture.
We never swear near to older relatives, and it is not good to do something against parents, so first of all we need to prove that we are right, receive approval and only than we an act.
If lady goes to wedding, or any other family celebrations, with her boyfriend (or a guy with girlfriend) that means that their wedding is coming soon.
We play a game of the good family, on the celebrations, even if that is not true.
We cook too much food for different holidays, And I mean it TOO Much (Below is standard Ukrainian celebration) Probably that is related to big famine (Holodomor in 1932-1933)
Since you are 16, your relatives will ask you, when will you get married. If your are older than 25, they will pray for you to get married and have children :D
There are a lot of beautiful girls (I know that beauty is different for everyone, but still), girls always make up, and dress up beautifully before leaving the house, even if they go to the shop. And we used to wear high heels, we can dance all night long on the high heels and stay gorgeous.
We never drink alcohol without food, if someone does - he is alcohol addicted.
We still sing national songs, dance national dances and wear national clothes (embroider shirts) for holidays.
If I go on with the list, it will be endless :) Hope you found out something new from my writing.
Trillian 10 months ago
Just scrolling and seeing the food I knew it had to be Ukraine 😍. And Lviv is my favorite city in the world.
KatSaidWhat 10 months ago
tbh, thought it was Poland, but close enough...
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BeesEelsAndPups 10 months ago
That Ukraine would have some cultural links with the Middle East isn't particularly surprising. Ukraine shared a border with Ottoman Empire, and was a strategic area during the War of the Holy League against the Ottoman Turks. I think Crimea was either part of the Ottoman Empire, or it was a protectorate. I don't recall the exact details.
Tiger 10 months ago (edited)
I LOVE Ukraine. I’ve been to Kyiv (pre-invasion) and it’s my favourite city in the world. The women were so fashionable and beautiful, I felt grubby in my toque and hiking boots. Everyone was so kind. The food was incredible. The coffee from street vendors was AMAZING. Even McDonalds coffee was good - they give you free cookies with it! I wrangled a pony that got free from it’s owner in the middle of the city, shot an AK-47, drove an old WW2 tank around a field, got lost and ended up in the middle of a huge street-wide wedding celebration, lost a bag in a huge market and returned an hour later to have someone recognize me and return it to me, took a private day tour from Kyiv to Chernobyl….it’s just such an interesting, unique, beautiful city with so much rich history. Oh and I also saw kittens riding pigs, that was interesting. 🥰
Sarah Pryde 10 months ago
I LOVE all the cultures/countries that LOVE to cook "too much" food at different gatherings.....the food all always looks so delicious
BeesEelsAndPups 10 months ago
I think you'd be surprised by how similar global cultures are. I am Brazilian, and work with a lot of Indians. And we share a lot of cultural traits. Particularly when it comes to family and traditions involving food (although which food is very different).
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Anne Young 10 months ago
At one point in time in the states people got dressed to go out even just to the store.
#7
Men holding hands / placing your hand over someone’s shoulder! In India, it is common to see men hold hands. These are seen as gestures of affection, care and friendship. However, in North America and Canada , these gestures are “gay”. They mean you’re in love with “him”… Talk about a confusing world, eh?
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 10 months ago
I have the belief that no gesture is inherently romantic. Its all about the intention behind it.
Buzzy 10 months ago
North America AND Canada? And I’m pretty sure North America is not the only place that “these gestures” would be seen as gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with it.
Nea 10 months ago
Unfortunately, due to outside world’s association of such behavior with ‘gay’ behavior, even Indians have started shaming/ frowning at boys and men doing this.
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#8
Let’s say you got invited to a Mongolian herder’s family. You arrive and meet the hosts and see a sheep outside. You play with it, take pictures and go inside the ger. While inside, the hosts prepare milk tea and some dry curds. After a while you go outside and see this: The cute sheep that was tied to outside the ger was your lunch. It was killed in your honor and you are about to eat it…. I have seen many times the shocked expression on the faces of the foreigners when they see that….
tracy black 10 months ago
then i dont want to go here i dotn want any animal killed in my honor i would be cfrying so hard i couldnt eat even if i was to ever even think about eating a lamb
#9
Greece here!!
Being Greek is like harboring a very powerful virus. Once you get it, it’s yours forever and it inhabits all you do. When my family first saw “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” when it came out in theaters, no one laughed. Every so often, in the dark of the theater, my grandmother would reach across the back of the seats and smack my father before he had the chance to laugh at whatever was happening on-screen. It was funny, but not uproariously so because it’s mostly all true. If you’re Greek, you know that it’s all that matters. And you also know the following.
1. You’re skinny. At least you are when Yiayia (grandma) hasn’t seen you in approx. 7 days. Forty minutes into being at her house, once you’ve eaten homemade bread, spanakopita, cookies, ice cream, potatoes, etc., maybe you’re not so skinny since the last time she saw you.
2. You’re fat. Much more of a certainty than number one. “You look like you’ve put on a little weight… have you put on weight? Are you still doing the exercise? Oh popo…” or if you’re lucky, “Your father looks like he’s gained weight. Don’t you think he’s gained some weight? Tsk tsk. He needs to quit eating so much.”
3. If you’re not married, you might as well be dead. This seems harsh, but I actually feel like I am being pretty gentle. The disappointment in my grandmother’s face every time she remembers/knows/inquires as to the fact that my am 26 years old brother is not married, well, it never lessens. She is very good at looking like she feels a new hurt all over.
4. Your Yiayia/Papou (grandma/grandpa) is already dead, even if they’re alive. “Yiayia, I love your dress,” is a grave mistake. It’s answered, without a beat, with “Oh, you can have it when I die!”. Grandma's often knit and make many, MANY embroided table clothes, actual clothes ..etc and all that is considered your “preka" which is basically homemade stuff you'll get once you get married or your grandma or mom dies and then you'll pass it on to your children and they to theirs.
5. Your significant other is dead to your family if they don’t go to church. First question, right off the bat every time I have ever started dating anyone is “Does he go to church? Does his family go to church?” Don’t even bother saying no.
6. If YOU don’t go to church, oh my god. See #4. “I pray for you every day, koukla (dear). Who’s going to pray for you when I die??”
7. If you don’t want to have children, see #4. There is no excuse that will satisfy Yiayia. Oh, you just got a full professorship? You’re a doctor? Don’t care. Make the babies!
8. You need to know how to cook. The entire Greek arsenal cookbook. And cook it well. Men need to know how to cook the meat, and women need to know how to cook essentially everything else. How will you survive if you don’t?
9. You need to know all (and I mean ALL) of your Greek relatives. Including your third cousins who still live in Greece. Go see them! Before they die!
10. Your name only counts if it’s a saint’s name. My cousin's first name is Lauren, but not to anyone on my Greek side of the family. My great-grandmother refused to even pronounce the name Lauren. Her name, in all holy rights, is Elizabeth. My sister is Maria. My father is John (Yianni), my grandmother is Katherine (Katarina), on and on. If Jesus wouldn’t call you it, it’s not your name!
11. Real Easter is not everyone else’s ‘Easter.’ Greek Easter is almost always on a different Sunday than normal Easter, and god help us if these American schools don’t recognize it. My cousin once got a test postponed for her entire science class because the professor asked if anyone was Orthodox, making a joke. My cousin is Orthodox. Test postponed.
12. Easter eggs only get dyed red. Because Jesus said so!
13. If you get the quarter in the Vasilopita (a pie we eat at New year's Eve) you’re golden. But chances are, you won’t. However I get it almost every year and I still carry that Seran-wrapped quarter around in my wallet cause it is considered to bring good luck.
14. If you don’t say ‘Christos Anesti’ first thing as your head pops up off the pillow on Greek Easter morning, you’re in deep shit.
15. You don’t revere the actual Greeks who live in Greece right now. As Yiayia will readily yell at you, “What have the Greeks done in 2000 years?!”
16. Italians and Jewish people are your kindred spirits. Who else can yell so loud, eat so much, and scold so fiercely? No one. But don’t tell Yiayia. She thinks we are special.
17. You grew up thinking everyone toasted at holidays saying “Skinnyasses". “Stin igia mas” is Greek for “cheers”.
18. People who don’t like feta (Greek cheese) are too weird for words.
19. No matter what Yiayia is lecturing you about, she is 100% right and you are 100% wrong.
20. There is no set measuring system in Greek cooking. It’s a handful of this and a dash of that. But it better come out perfectly or you are shaming your Greek ancestors!
21. You will eat a huge breakfast at 10:30 AM and better be ready for the holiday meal at 12:30pm. Koukla (dear), you need to eat. Eat!
22. You don’t want any dessert? Here, have some baklava.
23. There is no pleasing Yiayia. There’s an old joke about a Greek son whose mother gets him two ties for Christmas. He comes down dressed for Christmas mass wearing one of the ties, and the Greek mother says “What’s the matter, you didn’t like the other tie?” (The original joke is actually about a Jewish mother, but don’t tell Yiayia.)
24. You are never hungry. Even if you want to be.
25. You are never alone. Even if you want to be.
26. You are never without guilt. You think Catholic guilt is a thing? That is some pansy stuff compared to Greek guilt.
27. Catholics think Orthodox are Catholics, too. Orthodox don’t think Catholics are Catholic.
28. As you age, you get Greeker and Greeker. For better or worse. Before you know it, you’ll be that Yiayia.
29. When you set out on a road trip, you say “ ke ipanayia mazi mas”. You basically ask for the blessing of Holy Mary so that your trip will be safe. It's kinda like “Lord be with us”.
30. You see people make the sign of the cross and in your head, you hear yourself saying, “You’re doing it wrong!” Those damn Greeks.
Ace 10 months ago
I got halfway down before I realised that this was written by an American with Greek roots, not by an actual Greek person, which probably explains all the exaggeration and hyperbole.
meeeeeeeeeeee 10 months ago
Same, once I saw that they don't live in Greece I wondered was it an American
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Abraxas59 10 months ago
They are all true ! I’ve got a Greek uncle lmao in uk ok not seen him in decades im now 60 n he was old ish when i was 14 he was in his 40.s but she’s not exaggerating one bit lmao The joke made me laugh I could hear Maureen lipman saying it she’s a Jewish actress and comedian here in uk but yup all spot on 😂
JayhawkJoey 10 months ago
This is great! My husband is half Greek, and so proud. It doesn't matter what the other half is; he is GREEK!
Lulu Waters 10 months ago
This sounds miserable. Don’t force me into your religious beliefs, family or not
Annita Stephanou 10 months ago
I am half Greek, half GreekCypriot with a Greek grandma following the Julian calendar. Not a single person in either side of my family, including my grandma ever made me go to church.
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#10
In the UK:
Someone walks into me - I apologise.
If someone asks me to do something, I do it and then thank them.
I ask “How are you?”, I don’t want an answer, I want them to say “How are you?” and then I won’t answer either, I’ll just ask “how are you?”
Anything terrible in life (eg death, divorce, sacking) will be dealt with by making a cup of tea.
In a foreign country when I order tea and someone says - what tea? I have no idea what they mean…I want tea.
I once broke a rib on an event, working. Didn’t go to hospital until the next day, didn’t want to cause a fuss.
I have never looked a stranger directly in the eye.
Brown sauce - not what you think is brown sauce but actual brown sauce.
Single glazing, in, what is, let’s face it, very often a cold country.
My mum once wrote a letter to the milkman asking if we could reduce our order - it was 1000 words long.
I’m incredibly proud of our free healthcare system (despite being from Europe, where many countries have a free healthcare system).
Obsessed with ‘Indian’ food, except when in India, where the food is nothing like what I consider Indian food.
Would actually die for the Queen, she doesn’t think that much about me.
That’s all I can think of, off the top of my head.
Tobias Reaper 10 months ago
the traditional British greeting of "alright" correct response is "alright" we don't actually want to know if you're alright its how we say hello. And if course the tea time alarm when it goes off no matter where you are or what you are doing you must make and drink a cup of tea. failure to do so can result in being locked up in the tower of London.
Tiger 10 months ago (edited)
Hahaha first time my Canadian àss worked with a British guy, I walked into the office and said good morning, and he’s like “morning, you alright?” I was like “yes? Do I not look alright? Is something wrong with my face?” 😂 usually people don’t ask if you’re alright here unless it seems like something’s wrong.
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Hannah 10 months ago
You've forgotten the delights of queuing. This is a very important life skill.
StumblingThroughLife 10 months ago (edited)
This is a bit (read: a LOT!) over the top, lol. Most of my friends and family drink coffee (mostly), although my mum (Yorkshire gal) prefers tea only. Monarchy? 50/50 cap-doffing - probably less. NHS: 100% proud, but getting slaughtered by successive govts. I haven't seen single glazing since I was a young teen/late 70s/80s. Most rooms in our house had fireplaces- but my stepdad put in a boiler/radiators - but with 12ft ceilings (old house), we still used most of the fireplaces. We do open dialogue when meeting/bumping into peeps, with the weather that day. Daddy's (brown) Sauce was created in 1904; Tomato sauce (1930), & the former is better (IMO). I always look peeps in the eye... I try not to, though, as many look uncomfortable, so think it's prob 50/50 either way. As Tobias Reaper says, we usually say, 'Alright'? & not expecting anything but a nod or them repeating it. Also, 'morning/afternoon'. There's so much typecasting in this one - and maybe the same, re: other Countries?
highwaycrossingfrog 10 months ago
I doubt it's because I'm British, but I genuinely had no idea you were supposed to look people in the eye until I was about 40. I spent my life up till then looking at people's mouths when they talked - because that's where the sound comes from, and if you miss a word you can often decipher it from lip-reading. I now look people in the eye but it always feels a bit weird. Probably everyone I spoke to up till then thought I was weird!
Pencil 10 months ago
Is there any place in the world where, when you greet an acquaintance with "How are you?" or its equivalent, that a genuine, complete answer is common or expected? To my understanding it's pro forma pretty much everywhere.
Deborah 10 months ago
I say, OK, or not too bad, and that's all that's needed.
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G A 10 months ago (edited)
Never heard of anything about not looking people in the eye. Sounds BS to me. Same with the milkman letter one, unless the Mum's having an affair with Milkie! No one, not even their bodyguards, would die for the royals, UK Indian food is actually Bangladeshi (I understand) and has been adapted to suit our palate over the years. A lot of people don't like tea. Definitely a generational thing. I barely touch it. And there are plenty of blends in the shops. What they are talking about is "Builder's Tea"-orange coloured, splash of milk, two sugars, in a mug. If you walk into someone these days, you are more likely to get called a cvnt than get an apology. If you are in London, you'd probably get stabbed. And brown sauce is OK but if it disappeared tomorrow, I'd not be bothered!
Dill 10 months ago
Well.... I must be incredibly lucky! I bump into people all the time in London (am clumsy) and have never been stabbed or called a cvnt. Once, one woman crossly told me to 'look where I was going' when we bumped into each other. That's been the worst. Can't say it happens to my friends or family either. I know stabbings get in the news, but that's because they aren't so much of an everyday occurance that someone being seriously hurt or killed wouldn't make the news. When you read knife crime stats that includes possession of any form of knife, used or not. 225 murders involving a knife or sharp instrument in all of England and Wales in the 12 months to June 2024. Still a terrible amount, but out of 204 countries we're about 12 from the bottom as a percentage of knife deaths. Knife crime is growing globally, not just the UK. I completely agree with you about Brown Sauce!
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G A 10 months ago
It's very old fashioned these days. But then we have brick built houses so they are better insulated in the first place.
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#11
Denmark here.
When celebrating a birthday, we will carelessly decorate everything around us with our national flag ("Dannebrog"). The food, the cake, the gifts, the house, the dog. Everything. My last birthday, I was woken in bed by my daughter, singing, laughing and waving the national flag in my face. I loved it.
Ask any Dane. Flags equals birthday.
Birthday cakes decorated with our national flag, "Dannebrog".
I have no clue why we do it. It's not a nationalist thing. People across the political spectrum, from far far right to far far left, will do it. I guess we just like the colors, maybe.
But it gets weirder. In other contexts, the presence of even a single national flag will cause heated arguments. A few years back, politicians of our national parliament ("Folketinget") went nuts about the sudden presence of a (albeit pretty large) national flag inside the parliament chamber. A blatant symbol of nationalism and an outrage, some parties argued. Other parties thought it looked pretty neat. A large national conservative party even adopted the flag as their logo, much to the dismay of others.
But during birthdays, each and every Dane agrees that flags are a thing. Preferably a lot of them.
It didn't really occur to me until my daughter came of age and we started watching all sorts of non-danish TV-shows and cartoons together. Naturally, sometimes a character in one of these shows/movies/whatever will celebrate his or her birthday. "But daddy, where are all the flags?" she asked me. And she was absolutely right. I saw all sorts of decorations, silly hats, beautiful cakes, colorful flowers, balloons galore and candles - but no flags. Even in content from our immediate neighboring countries, Sweden, Norway and Germany. "They forgot the flags, love," I told her. "But dad, you can't celebrate a birthday without flags!" she almost yelled.
Well, not if you're from Denmark you can't.
TheElderNom 10 months ago
I'm half Danish and for every big celebration my grandmother would bake kransekage and it was always decorated with flags. Usually both Swedish and Danish flags, but Sweds really don't do the flag thing.
Charles Kormos 10 months ago
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Denmark for making the best socks ever. I have about ten pair I bought about ten years ago. Good as new. I can wear one pair all week on/off without stink. Brand? Dunno, but got the Denmark flag sewn into the sock. Flag good as new also.
#12
In Canada, specifically Ontario and I think Quebec, we buy our milk in bags. Funny thing is, I'm 32 and never knew this was an odd way of storing milk until just a couple years ago. Makes sense why I always saw big plastic jugs in the movies. Ha!
WalterWhiteSavannah 10 months ago
As a west coaster I would like to kindly ask everyone to understand that at least half of Canada thinks bagged milk is batshit insane.
Sweetie Dahling 10 months ago
Thank you. I've lived in Manitoba for 7 yrs now and have never seen bagged milk
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Michael Largey 10 months ago
The only bag proven to be a good milk container is found under a cow.
Trillian 10 months ago
Dito. So many would burst in the supermarket even and there was no good way to store them at home.
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PenguinEmp 10 months ago
Not only in bags. If fact most of us don't but it is an option and a popular one back in the 80s. Also we have no school shootings, free healthcare and access to abortion. For free.
Wang Zhuang 10 months ago
When I was in elementary school in the US (Georgia, specifically), the milk we got with our lunch, whole or chocolate, always came in plastic bags. I had gone to school in New York before, and I thought drinking milk from plastic bags was so weird!
DadManBlues 10 months ago
For decades, the only milk you could get in shops here in Hungary was bagged milk. The cartons arrived in the late 1980s and a few years later the bags disappeared from the shops. You can still buy it from smaller producers and there are also large packs (5l/1.3gal) for industrial kitchens.
#13
As an American, something normal here, but (almost) nowhere else has to be The Imperial System.
So, while the majority of the civilized world is using simple, universal measurements based off of 10, us Americans (and Liberians) just use inches, feet, yards, and other things that don’t make sense and are outdated.
When watching the weather forecast, we Americans see the 32 Degrees Fahrenheit and are like “Yay snow!”
All while the Canadians up North (Or East for Alaska) will say, “32 is such a random number. What’s wrong with 0 Degrees Celsius? Well, Americans.”
There was a time that a $327 million space program designed to orbit Mars was destroyed just because the scientists were using because its altitude-control system used imperial units but its navigation software used metric units.
I feel bad for when people from other countries have to convert the Metric system to a far less optimal measurement system just because us Americans can be too stubborn to round to 10.
If the British invented the Imperial system, but later switched to the Metric system - why can’t we (Americans) do so too?
It’s just one of the myriad reasons other countries think we’re weird.
General Anaesthesia 10 months ago
American cowboys will never exchange their ten-gallon hats for 37.85412-litre hats.
The Scout 10 months ago
Ironically even the U.S. military, intelligence and all of the medical and scientific community use metric by now. Same with so-called "military time", which is by now the usual format in practically all the rest of the world.
Deborah 10 months ago
That's why my next watch will be an analog watch with both numbers on it for those of us who can't translate in our heads.
Load More Replies... Johnnynatfan 10 months ago
That story about the space program being ruined because of the wrong measurement is a bit exaggerated. It was not 327 million but half that. And for those who don't know NASA ALWAYS uses metric. It was a private company that provided parts that used imperial and didn't tell NASA this. Also the Brits still use imperial for some things. Hell they measure weight in stones!
Anony Mouse 10 months ago
Why are all the other countries cool fun facts but America is “everyone is fat” and “imperial measurements are dumb”. There’s a lot of cool stuff here, but I guess I’ll scroll on until I get to another fallacy about fake cheese or sugar bread then quit the site again for a couple weeks.
Immortal Jellyfish 10 months ago
Basically everything in the UK is metric except road distance and speed! Why?
Adrian 10 months ago
Last time I lived there, lumber (timber) was weird. You'd buy 2m of 4x2"
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 10 months ago (edited)
Every culture clings to useless things from the past. Europeans have kings and cathedrals; Americans have feet and inches. Exactly when do those metric clocks and calendars roll out? And if all measurement has to be in terms of powers of 10, should a right angle now measure 100 degrees?
Angie May 10 months ago
When I was in middle school there was a big push to try and convert to the metric system, we learned about it in math and science classes, the teacher kept insisting America was gonna switch over, then nothing really came of it. It was weird, and yeah, the metric system made WAY more sense so my little 13-year-old brain was like "why aren't we swapping over?" To be fair, my now old-brain still wonders.
Matt Du 10 months ago
Up to age 6 I was taught imperial then 7 on mostly metric. The 11+ exam decided your secondary education, everyone understood that this was mostly pre-decided based of places and who you knew. But when I reached 11 they tore it all up, the school system changed from Grammer school(academic) and Secondary Modern(trade) to Comprehensive School most of the teachers had no clue what they were doing or refused to teach those they deemed below their standard, so for the next few years they still acted as two schools now in one location with one big combined budget, except for the caveat that the academic side could creamed off both the best teachers and trade schools funds. Then came a mad scrabble when the Government combined the two completely separate exams "O" level and CSE into one exam GCSE, most of which, my school had only taught to the top 3 classes up until that point. And this was just public school the best education was and still is a mile down the road at the private school
StumblingThroughLife 10 months ago
Yeah, I recall taking the CSE's and then O-levels - both at the end of 5th form (then going into 6th Form for A-levels). I assumed they combined the two to make it easier/fewer exams to take, and was a bit miffed, when I found out, tbh, lol.
Load More Replies... Hannah 10 months ago
In the UK there is still a slightly odd mixture. Even the oldest generation will use metric for certain measurements, e.g. temperature. We use metric for most things, actually, but most people of any age will still refer to the imperial system - miles, inches, feet, but are equally at home with metric. E.g. a builder might measure something in ml, cm or metres etc. but they might also say something is so-many-inches, or a driver will tell you their speed or distance in miles. Same for height and weights on the whole, but again, most people will work with either. However, not many people can make conversions without checking a formula then using a calculator.
Reviewer01 10 months ago
I remember noticing a fabulously British moment in a TV show where he gives the results something like Steven got 3 inches, John got 19cm, Joanne achieved 3 feet, but the winner is Gregory with 2.08m and there's no pushback at all on putting those units in their places in our British minds.
Load More Replies... StumblingThroughLife 10 months ago
TBH, here in the UK, many peeps use both, lol, more the older generations, but my grandkids use Stones/lbs & Feet/Inches and also the Metric system, & produce often have both measurements. Pints-and-...01ea83.jpg 
#14
There are a lot of things that are quite unique in Nepal, but this one is particularly interesting.
You can see living goddess in Nepal called Kumari.
There is a tradition of worshiping young girls who are yet to reach the puberty as the incarnation of Hindu goddess Durga who is considered as the indication of divine female energy. Young girls from, Kathmandu’s Newar community, Shakya or Bajracharya are chosen as Kumari by a committee. It is a privilege to have your daughter contest in this selection process.
Before chosen as Kumari the girls are tested for 32 very specific physical attributes, including “eyelashes like a cow,” “thighs like a deer,” “Mona Lisa Like Smile” and a “voice as clear as a duck.” She is also put through a secret test for signs of fearlessness and serenity.
Kumari lives with her father and mother, who left their jobs to become her full-time caretakers. The Kumari is not allowed to leave her place of residence except for some Holy festivals and her feet are never supposed to touch ground. She is carried everywhere, even inside her home.
Kumari are not Kumaris for life. Once they hit puberty they are forced to return to life as a normal human being.
Nelson Álvarez Sáez 10 months ago
If I told my sister that she has the eyelashes of a cow or the voice of a duck, I would be in real danger 🤣
Kari Panda 10 months ago
So she‘s not allowed to go outside, and then when puberty hits - with all the puberty related troubles that everyone faces - she‘s suddenly supposed to live a normal life?
Michael Largey 10 months ago
In the West, it's the reverse. Once you hit puberty, you never live as a normal human being ever again.
#15
It may not be my country but I’ve lived in Montreux, Switzerland for 7 years now and there’s a few curious things to me that are seemingly normal here.
Here are 5 weird things I see in Switzerland as an immigrant…
Snitching - on literally anything!
There is a culture of snitching in Switzerland. It goes along with little laws that have been made up to make society more agreeable. For example, my teacher left her car parked for 2 days once in the same spot, so someone called the police because it was suspicious. It was a relatively new, unscratched car as well! It’s completely socially acceptable to snitch on others if you see something wrong - no guilt attached, and no hard feelings afterwards.
Saying you’re going to the beach, but actually going to the lake.
In Montreux we don’t have a sea - Switzerland is a landlocked county. However, we do have a gorgeous lake called Lake Geneva, and the area is called (half jokingly!) the Swiss riviera. In the summer when it’s hot, you’ll often get invited to go to the beach. There are little parks and rocky beaches along the lake. It’s weird to me coming from a little Island where we have many actual beaches, but completely normal here!
Paying CHF15 (equivalent of 15 dollars) for a cocktail.
Switzerland is notoriously expensive. It’s pretty normal to pay upwards of 6 CHF for beer, and 15 CHF for a cocktail. This is regular where I am. The funny thing is, even people who have relatively low incomes seem to have no issue paying up - it’s just accepted. You want that? This is the price.
Drinking water straight out of any random fountain you find on the street.
In most areas I’ve been in Switzerland, there are fountains, both for decoration and also for drinking purposes. It’s completely normal to stop by and stick your head under the tap to take a drink. These fountains not only taste amazing (by taste I mean they’re fresh and cold year round and genuinely feel nice to drink from), but are also checked every 2 weeks for ph levels etc. I’ve seen fountains closed when they’re deemed even slightly off before. You can more or less guarantee what you’re drinking is as pure as it gets.
Taking the train everywhere!
Don’t get me wrong, people do own cars and they do drive in Switzerland. However, often the train is the best option. Instead of driving 2 hours to another city (Lausanne to Zurich for example), why not take the equivalent train route? The trains in Switzerland run to the minute, and are surprisingly inexpensive when compared with other countries. My train pass takes me from where I live above Montreux to school in Lausanne for about 1500 chf per year, about 400 chf of which we recollect from ‘communal incentives’ (kind of like a tax rebate but from your local ‘commune’, which is a sort of town council - rebates also offered on purchases like electric bikes and a number of other things). To put it in perspective the total amount I would spend annually on this journey would be closer to 6000 if I did not have the pass, so it’s a bloody good deal if you ask me! (The distance between where I live and lausanne is about 30km, and costs about 7.80 chf per journey. The trains here are the cheaper, more efficient option in most cases, and you can always rely on local public transport when you arrive at your destination.
Hope this has been an interesting read! If you have any questions or have visited Switzerland yourself, I’d love to hear your opinions! Do get in touch…
Tobias Reaper 10 months ago
Switzerland is a lovely place to live healthcare beautiful scenery and the flag is a big plus
Michael Largey 10 months ago (edited)
Snitching? The Swiss can be pretty closed mouthed about bank deposits. Ask anyone in Argentina.
Ace 10 months ago (edited)
All true, by and large, although not all cities have potable water in their fountains (but they will be clearly marked if not). This poster has still not got his head around the fact that Swiss people don't think of things as expensive because they're not converting prices to dollars or other currencies. Exchange rates skew apparent prices, but it's really only incomers and tourists that notice it. In effect, earnings match prices, exchange rates just make almost everywhere else in the world really cheap. . . .Oh, and this person lives in one of the most left-leaning cantons with massive social and welfare budgets, and high taxation to match. Other cantons and especially the big cities are not quite as utopian as this makes it sound.
Charles Kormos 10 months ago
I went to Yosemite three times and considered it heaven on earth. Then I went to Switzerland where the whole country is packed with Yosemites. I've looked at residency there and it is simply impossible. Good for you.
Anne Young 10 months ago
That was so surprising to me in rome. Consuming water from public fountains. In some places the water isn't ok to consume.
#16
Dowry
Fraudulent Saints
Making temples for celebrities
Cow in the middle of the road
Confusion between patriotism & nationalism
A flood in one part and a famine in another
Student suicides
Trains delayed by more than its running time
An angry anchor on prime time
Free internet but no free education
Mass production of engineers
Taking offence for no reason at all
Lack of political know-how
Capturing of poll booths
Arranged Marriages
Invisible law system for the rich
Vehicles on footpath
Elections 365*7 in some part of the country
Brain Drain
Misinterpretation of Feminism
Roadies
Politicians who never took sex education
Reservation system based on caste
Honour k**ling
Biased media
The list is long but at least we didn’t donate money to a girl so that she could become the youngest billionaire. We believe in corruption only!
#17
Pakistani here.
1- Same sex people can hold hands in public. It is a sign of friendship among boys or girls.
2- If you go to your relative's house and the door is open then you don't bother to knock it.
3- Doctors don't write the formula of the medicine on their description rather they write pharmaceutical company name. In addition doctors inject injection on hips without removing the clothes.
4- Shooting in air by using light and heavy weapons like AK47 on weddings and other occasions.
5- Arranged marriages and marriage with first cousins. E.g; when I was 15 years old I came to know that I'm already engaged with my first cousin.
6- People like to touch and to be touched. Touching your shoulder while talking is considered as a warm relationship.
7- You can't leave your parents. You're supposed to stay with them until their last day on earth. Leaving your parent's house is usually frowned upon.
Some myths which are deeply rooted in Pakistani society are
1- If a black cat cut your way a bad thing is about to happen same is true for breaking of mirror.
2- If the first customer leaves the shop without buying anything it is considered bad luck. So the shopkeeper will reduce the price if you're the first customer.
3- Don't wear black suit in thunderstorms or get hit by lightning.
4- Ghosts are attracted by the people who use perfumes.
5- If you walk over a growing child who's lying flat on the earth his growth will stop.
6- It is widely believed that One drop of Semen is equivalent in energy to 100 drops of blood.
Alright guys Thanks for taking your time to read my answer.
Nea 10 months ago
Injections through clothes is new for me, considering I thought I knew our neighbours.
Sue 10 months ago
I just thought they meant they pulled the clothes down a bit & injected into the hip instead of baring your butt. It seems a little more risky to give a shot through clothes.
Load More Replies... Tiger 10 months ago
#3 confuses me - do they mean that instead of prescribing, say, Viagra, a doctor would just write Pfizer on the script?
Huddo's sister 10 months ago
I was thinking maybe Viagra instead of sildenafil citrate.
Load More Replies... Deborah 10 months ago
Black cats and mirrors are common in many cultures. The seeing/breaking of them being bad luck, I mean.
Dill 10 months ago
Black cats are lucky in Britain. The mirror thing though...yep. Though I was told that you had to be looking into the mirror at the time it broke. Though that might just have been a dig at me from my mother!!
Load More Replies... Russell Bowman 10 months ago
And ... burning tyres in the road ... for any reason ... usually political
Orange Panda 10 months ago
I don't understand never leaving your parents. If you get married to someone, doesn't someone have to leave their parents?
Huddo's sister 10 months ago
Not sure about Pakistan, but in many places who stays with the parents often depends on child's gender and how many children there are.
Load More Replies... #18
Nigeria is a great country with over 500 tribes and languages.
There are so many things we do that would be considered weird by other countries.
Let me give you just 3 main norms in Nigeria that are weird in other countries.
1. EATING WITH OUR HANDS.
In Nigerian we love to eat out indigenous foods with our hands.
It may seem weird in many countries but we enjoy it here.
2. HAWKING
In Nigeria hawking is a norm and its now part of our lives.
We do buy things on the bus in traffic from hawkers and they really help because you can't stay in traffic for an hour with all the heat and smoke without wanting water.
3. YOU HAVE TO UNDERGO ALL THREE TYPES MARRIAGES BEFORE YOU GO HOME WITH YOUR WIFE.
Before you go home with your wife you have to undergo these three types of marriages before going home with your wife in nigeria:
TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE:
This is a must in Nigeria, without seeing the parents and doing all necessary things in the village of the bride YOU CAN'T GET MARRIED TO A NIGERIAN LADY, The most important aspect of it is the "PAYING OF BRIDE PRICE",
COURT WEDDING:
You have to get your marriage certificate from the court so this one is a must in Nigeria too.
You have to make your marriage legal (Recognised by the Government)
WHITE WEDDING:
Due to how Religious we are in Nigeria we always make sure every couple gets married in the church or mosque.
Now we also after the religious rites have been performed and completed, we move into the second aspect of the white wedding
THE RECEPTION.
This is where we eat and dance and celebrate because after this last set of marriage the Groom can now take the bride home.
All these Norms makes NIGERIA unique and special despite all political difficulties and challenges.
Corvus 10 months ago
There is a similar bride ritual in Bulgaria as well - the groom and his close friends go to "kidnap" the bride, and then have to pay her some money so that she would agree to come to the wedding (the banknotes/coins are often put in the bride's shoe).
Victor Botha 10 months ago
Eating foods with your hands isn't unique to Nigeria. Basically the whole of Africa does this and also large areas of Asia as well, especially among indigenous rural populations.
Michael Largey 10 months ago
Nigeria is on a trajectory to exceed the populations of China and India.
#19
As an Iranian, I think there are many laws and traditions in my country that sounds unbelievable to the rest of the world:
Compulsory Hijab: The first thing you notice when you enter Iran is every female has her hair covered. The coverage can be done with a scarf, shawl, or chador. Unlike other Muslim countries, Burka not common in Iran. If you take off your headscarf in public/wear revealing clothes, you might get arrested by the morality police. This law seems unfair to Iranian women as much as it seems to the rest of the world, but they just can't do anything about it, except being fashionable even with the restrictions. There are other laws that take away their freedom even more, like not allowing them to sing solo, or enter the stadiums.
Nose jobs: Tehran is called the capital of rhinoplasty, and every person living in Tehran knows at least one person in family or friends who has done it.
Kallé Paché: A traditional Iranian food wich is made by boiling the head (kallé) and legs (Paché) of a sheep. It smells and looks disgusting but it is actually very delicious!
Relationship and marriage laws: families are strict when it comes to relationship. They expect girls to keep their virginity before marriage. The groom's family promise to dedicate an amount of money as “mehria” to the bride so that she has a financial support in case of a divorce. Another thing that sounds wierd is the “marriage loan” , which is given to just married couples to help them with buying a house or with the ceremony.
Iran has many other traditions and laws that are in common with other Islamic countries. However, It also has cool traditional clothes, foods and arts which are not weird but beautiful.
I think Iran is the only country which media has focused on its differences and Islamic laws this much. In fact, the most weird thing about Iran to the world is that when they visit Iran, they realize that Iran is not as weird as they thought it is.
Slapdash1 10 months ago
Clothes and food are cool. The whole capital punishment for being gay thing isn't. Stop normalising homicidal regimes.
Coffee 10 months ago
What do you mean normalize, like we're celebrating it. Unfortunately, most people are powerless against this regimes. No one is normalizing it, if anything people have died in recent years trying to stand up to the regimes.
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SlothyK8 10 months ago
Historically, Iran and the Persian Empire of antiquity have been a veritable incubator of rich and beautiful cultural traditions. It would be so great if the people could liberate themselves from theocracy and gain freedom of self expression; the result would undoubtedly be a nation filled with learning, beauty and goodwill.
Coffee 10 months ago
Well, thanks to the US for meddling in their elections and giving power to the extremists, Iran is what it is today.
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Craig S. (EvilSausage) 10 months ago
Well okay, I'm American and my country doesn't get along with Iran because reasons. And there are a lot of things about Iran that I will never approve of (the strict and punitive religiosity), but the idea of a marriage loan to couples who are just starting their lives together makes all kinds of sense.
Warren Peece 10 months ago (edited)
"Compulsory Hijab" It didn't used to be that way. But then you overthrew the government and installed a new one.
Tamra 10 months ago
The US and, to a lesser extent the UK, bear a large responsibility for meddling in the governmental affairs of Iran, starting at least in the 1950's.
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#20
In Uzbekistan:
1. It is normal to lift your hand and any car becomes a taxi.
In fact, most of the people prefer this. Because $1 can get you a 10–20 km ride.
2. I think we eat too much bread.
People eat bread with anything. You name it. Rice with bread. Tea with bread. Dumplings with bread. Bread with bread. As a child I used to eat bread with coke ( like you do Oreos with milk). I quit eating bread but my family still buys 5 loaves of bread a day.
3. If it is too hot outside and you want to cool down. Drink hot tea.
It's a tradition, if there is no tea on the table, then none will enjoy their food. Morning - Drink Tea, Afternoon - Drink Tea, You met your friend? Drink Tea, You have a headache? Drink Tea, You want to drink cold stuff? Drink Leftover Tea. Basically, the Uzbek body has more tea than blood. Indians need chilli(or spices), Uzbeks need tea. Oh I almost forgot, some old women gift tea packs when they visit someone.
4. You need to rent limos for your wedding.
A bus too, if you want to impress. If you can't afford, then take a loan. One car should cost you around $100. Your salary? Maybe $200–300. But hey, you get married once (maybe twice, the third time you don't need these), you and your wife can repay the debts after the wedding.
5. You want to get married but you're shy to tell your parents to find a girl for you? No, problemo. We have the perfect solution.
We still have the culture of arrange marriage. Suppose, I am not in a relationship and want to get married through an arrange marriage. Then I will put the carrot in my father's shoe, this will mean that it's time for his son to get married. Or “yo father, I need a wife, please tell mom to find one”.
This was a common thing in the past because people couldn't open up to their parents(controlling parents or dictator parents) as much as we can today.
6. Guys carry purse-like-wallets.
If you dont have one of this, you're not the cool guy. I guess I will never be :(
7. 90+ percent singers lip sync in their concert shows. Even their banners have this disclaimer: Fonogramma Orqali Ijro Etiladi.
It means: The singer will lip sync throughout the concert. Maybe once in a while they may shout “ahha” “ohho”, “everyone together”, “I can't hear you all” but nothing more than that.
I don't understand why people go to such concerts. Is it fun to watch someone lip syncing? Worst part - everyone will be sitting as if they were watching a movie.
Huddo's sister 10 months ago
A few decades back it was common in Australia to drink hot tea when it's hot too. First of all because it tastes good and is easy to prepare anywhere you can build a fire and use a billy. Secondly because it can make you sweat, which means any breeze will cool you faster. Not so common now that less people live on and work on the land in the heat.
Ann Coffman 10 months ago
I agree. Poster has a good sense of humor. "Want to drink cold stuff? Drink leftover tea" LOL!
Load More Replies... Brian Droste 10 months ago
Here is another one to long and to many different things I don't want to read. Only read part of it.
#21
Yes, I must admit that we do have some strange habits.
#1 Priorities.
Most Norwegians don’t mind spending 2 minutes sending an sms to bid for an apartment 300.000 NOK (about 35.000 USD) over the tagged price, but they will drive several hundred kilometers in a day to Sweden in order to buy a bottle of wine 50 NOK (about 6 USD) cheaper than what it would have costed in their own country.
#2 Janteloven (Law of Jante).
Whatever achievement you managed to make yourself proud of (dived at 12 meters deep, skied for more than 10 km, swam 3 km) there will always be a Norwegian around to let you know he/she did double or triple that “achievement”, and repeats it every week. Janteloven says they can’t say they are better than everyone else so they find other ways to do exactly that: tell you how much better they are than you.
#3 Honesty.
Unlike in the rest of the world, Norwegians will leave you the keys to a remote little wooden hut and expect you to be honest, write down your name to receive the bill for the nights you stayed there and clean behind you for the next people coming. This is, I believe, the most marvellous strange thing Norwegians do.
#4 Party hard for a month…just before your exams.
Foreign fans of the SKAM cult tv-series may have caught on to the fact that Norwegian high-school students are crazy about buses. In (rich areas of) the larger cities a graduation tradition has emerged where students group together to buy—buy—a bus, bling it up in the year leading up to graduation, and drive around and party in it during graduation celebrations. This period of celebrations—true of many Norwegian high-school students who partake—takes place throughout the month before exams begin.
Apparently, the decision to put the celebration a month before exams is quite rational: this allows students to get back to studying with enough time to do well. However, with the whole month now dedicated to drinking for many, it’s fair to say that that idea isn’t what was originally envisioned.
Also, students wear the same pair of red dungarees during the entire month and are not supposed to wash them. The whole thing climaxes on the National Day, where the red russe-students often walk in the parade looking suspiciously worn out.
Warren Peece 10 months ago (edited)
I will quote Christina Applegate (as Kelly Bundy) in the TV series Married with Children. "I don't know anything about Norwegians. I've never been to Norwegia."
Charles Kormos 10 months ago
If the whole world did #3 then we'd have a Utopia. Billionaires would never do that. But Norway already solved the billionaire problem.
#22
In my country,
If I see a girl younger than me
I call her bahini(younger sister),
If i see a girl elder than me I call her didi (elder sister)
If I see a guy younger than me
I call him bhai(younger brother)
If I see a guy elder than me
I call him dai (elder brother) Unless I have crush on him,
If I see a woman of her age
I call her aunt.
If I see a man of his age
I call him uncle
If I see an old woman like her
I call her hajuraaama( Grandmom)
If I see an old man like him
I call him hajurbuwa (Grandfather)
I call all people either brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunt or uncle irrespective of whether I have any kind of relationship with them or they are complete stranger to me instead of sir, madam,mr., mrs. etc.
You see, that’s what normal in my country but not so normal in other countries except India .
AND
Venerate and beatify the dogs as god maybe?
Abel 10 months ago
Why the heck dont you say wich country is it, you lazy BP "writers"!? Too much effort?
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Moxitron Jazz 10 months ago
any country/culture that gives praise to doggos are doin something right...
S 10 months ago
It's also very common in islamitic countries like Morocco, Syria and Turkiye etc. Every stranger is like a brother, sister, uncle or aunt to you. I think it's a nice and warmly part of a culture.
G A 10 months ago
I must admit I dislike it when a complete stranger calls me "brother". I'm not keen on anyone using "bro" either, though....
Liam Walsh 10 months ago
I know what you mean. I'm also not anyone's uncle bar my nephew's. That relationship matters to me and it feels (to me) that it weakens it to call just anyone that title when they are unrelated to me. Which shows just how much these things are very cultural. I can see, and respect, that its use is very different elsewhere and I don't mind that, for them.
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S 10 months ago
Nothing happens. It's no big deal. Maybe you will get a dirty look when you call a woman aunty instead of sister! :-)
Load More Replies... Jaya 10 months ago
I wonder what they do when they don't know whether someone is older or younger, so when someone appears to be of similar age.
S 10 months ago
Than you drop the word sister, brother, uncle or aunty. Than you just use the informal you.
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#23
In Switzerland, every young man has to go to do Military service. You often see guys like that in trains, with their guns on the seat next to them. It’s the most normal thing here. The guys usually travel back to their families and have to bring all their things. It actually is very dangerous, because some leave their guns unattended when they go to the bathroom, but I don’t think anything ever happened.
Ace 10 months ago
Typically a Swiss man does a week or two of service each year, and they need to bring their weapon with them. It may have changed now but it used to be that they would not be in uniform when travelling to and from their barracks, so yeah, I guy in civilian clothing getting on the tram with an assault rifle slung over his shoulder was pretty weird the first time I saw it in Basel around 20 years ago. The guns are not loaded though, and they don't carry any ammunition with them.
90HD 10 months ago
Sounds like the national guard in the US, except for the incessant random deployments
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Geoffrey Scott 10 months ago
Here go the downvotes. Spent 3 years in USCoast Guard, wasn't fond of it, but unless you are enrolled in College or a trade school, I am in favor of at least a year (after boot camp) of compulsory service. Especially in today's world where structure and consistency are SORELY lacking. The carrot of the carrot/stick system, would be at LEAST a 2 year cert or degree once out.
quentariel 10 months ago
Mostly this is very familiar to me as Finn. A whole military service, then many using public transport to go home for a breaktime always wearing their uniforms. We affectionally call them "kurkkusalaatti" aka cucumber relish, as that's what the uniform reminds everyone of. But a big difference is that the guns stay in the military base and no-one has them while off-duty.
Start Wearing Purple 10 months ago (edited)
When I was the age my male friends had to do military school, they used to call the camouflage overall "Vierfruchtpyjama", four-fruits-pajamas. But ti like cucumber salad, too
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#24
In Indonesia
Using vehicles (cars/motors) just for a short distances that could be walkable (even less than 500 m).
For toilets, we don’t use tissue. We use water to clean it.
If you’re having a birthday and invite a group of friends, you choose a restaurant. No, they don’t pay for your birthday. YOU pay for all the restaurant expenses.
It’s normal whenever you go on holiday and your friends request oleh-oleh (souvenirs) as a sign that you are their friend.
People can use the road in front of their house for events such as birthdays and weddings (as if it’s their own road).
Some foods are appropriately eaten by hand. Of course, you have to wash your hand.
When we greet someone, we kiss them in the cheek with our cheek or we kiss them on the hand.
Being a busybody on your friends’ family, or neighbors’ affairs. Such things would be unthinkable in societies where privacy is valued.
Among the Minang people, there is a tradition of merantau (literally migrating) to different parts of the country so they can be “someone”. In other words, to be successful and return when you are already such.
Using a bolster to help us sleep. Literally every Indonesian has these in their house and can’t sleep without one.
highwaycrossingfrog 10 months ago
I think everyone needs a bolster, at least as you get older. If I sleep without mine my shoulders and hips are not happy!
#25
Staying with your parents throughout your life!
In India, it is perfectly normal for a male to stay with parents throughout his life- it is, infact, appreciated and indicate that the son is ‘fulfilling responsibilities of being a good son’
As parents take care of children when they are young, children are expected to reciprocate these actions when parents are old. As such, the system of ‘joint families’, wherein parents stay with their sons, daughters in law and grand children in quite common in India, more so in the villages. The tacit understanding is- “I take care of you now, and you will take care of me later.”
In the Indian joint-family household, the grandparents are very involved in raising the grandchildren. Families take decisions as a whole- Grandads and Grandmoms stay with the grankids and raise (spoil:)) them like they raised their own. Men and women can go to work without worrying about day care because of 'elders' at home.
Indians live in a ‘Collective society’ as opposed to an ‘Individual society’ prevalent in the west. Hence, money is also generally taken to be in a collective bank account, rather an individual’s personal bank account. As such, parents pay for their children’s education (even college and post graduation) and their weddings. On the other hand, as parents get older, children spend for their medical expenses (On a sidenote, the penetration of medical insurance is dismal in India. Indians pay for medical expenses out of their pockets)
However, you will rarely see a daughter live at her parents’ home after marriage with her husband as in the Indian culture doing so is quite taboo - they even have a term for it “ghar jamai” or house guest son-in-law.
#26
In Australia, the word c**t is “totally normal. ” It can be used as both a cuss and a term of endearment. If an Australian refers to you as a “ f*****g sick c**t,” that means you’re a really cool bloke. In how many other countries can you refer to a police-officer as a c**t and get away with it?
ROSESARERED 10 months ago
As an Aussie, no, it's not totally normal. I don't hear it all day long, and none of my family or friends use it as a' normal 'word. Alot of Australians find it offensive
Ace 10 months ago
Yeah, same in the UK to a certain extent. Within relatively closed groups it can indeed be used as a term almost of endearment, but in general day to day life it's absolutely not normal, indeed is pretty much the worst of the swearwords.
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Michael Largey 10 months ago
I would never use as casual slang the name of places I have spent so many pleasurable seconds in.
Dill 10 months ago
On a note separate to who took it to the US, I love the origins of the word. The earliest known use of the word, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, was as part of a placename: an Oxford street called Gropecunt Lane, c. 1230, now by the name of Grove Passage or Magpie Lane. Use of the word as a term of abuse is relatively recent, dating from the late nineteenth century
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Uncle Schmickle 10 months ago
In agreement with below comment. Lots of "ockers" ( you'll have to look that up ) may call each other mildly abusive names, but it's all taken in fun. For example a man may say to his wife, if she's late and still fussing around : " come on, you're stuffing around like an old mole at a wedding ". Two mates might interact as follows : " I've lost me keys " " you'd lose your bloody head if it was screwed on, you silly bastard ". This type of language is dying out though.
Lotekguy 10 months ago
He's my frame of reference for that, too. And a great comedian who's a lot smarter than his stage persona.
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I'm talking about Bangladesh here.
The University of Dhaka is the oldest and most prestigious university of the country. At the center of this place we have a building called TSC (teacher student center) which is basically a place for students to unwind.
Today, the 23rd of July was a rainy one, and a young couple shared a kiss in front of the place. A street photographer captured the scene.
It went viral
as a symbol of love and romance. For the most part.
However, other people came out of the bushes soon enough and began commenting things like:
* what's the difference between dogs then? Both have sex on the street
*western values are destroying the country
*this is a university not a brothel
*what are their parents doing? These girls should not be being educated
*what will my parents say if they come to DU( dhaka uni) & see this
And a lot more. I would like to say that this is Bangladesh & sadly this university, MY university is also known for: police attacks on students, student clashes, harassment by student political leaders on ordinary students, eve teasing of the worst kind, attacks on teachers and innocent people protesting the quota movement.
But almost none were as outrageous to the common dhaka university student who is probably spending his first year in the city after a childhood in the rural areas, than this photo.
Anne Young 10 months ago
Whoever said that thing about brothels. Intelligent although inaccurate as coitus happens in brothels. Unless they saw one of the two have coitus for money. No, of course it's not a brothel.
#28
Eating food with hands. Roaming in the house without using slippers. Starting the day with a cup of tea. We love spicy. High traffic density. High percentage of vegetarians in our country. Democracy. Touching the feet of elders.
Sue 10 months ago
You eat a burger & fries with a fork? What a delicate little flower. Touching old people's feet is more weird to me lol
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#29
In Singapore, people love Durian.
Now, let me be clear, there are only two teams in this, either you love it, or you don’t. But most Singaporeans I know love this. Heck we even have a building designed to look like this.
But take this fruit outside of South East Asia? God have mercy on you, as the wrath of everyone staring daggers at you. Not just for the looks (I mean, what’s up with that guy carrying this weird green spiky ball everywhere), but also the smell. Oh god that smell, it’s like something large died inside that bag, a smell so bad that if your nose could, it would vacate its position on your face and run screaming in the opposite direction of this pungent fruit.
The smell is so infamous , even the countries which love it bans its presence on public transport. But anyway, I digress. Most foreigners who come here would give a strange look to you if you started eating this fruit in front of them. But hey, their loss right?
Tempest 10 months ago
When I was living in China I learnt that they were obsessed with durian too (idk if it’s throughout the country or just where I was). You get vendors on the side of the road selling durian stacked high on a cart which you often smell before you see. You also get durian pizza, durian ice cream, etc. Once I excitedly bought an expensive box of fries with cheese sauce from a fancy new restaurant. One bite dipped in the sauce and I realised it was a durian sauce. Sigh!
Deep One 10 months ago
I am in the U.S. once there was a durian fruit in the grocery store. I hadn't seen one before so I bought it and looked up how to eat it. It smells like a natural gas leak (In the U.S. or atleast Maine they put a smell in the natural ga so you will know if there is a leak in the house.) But it tastes like a custard, very good. You have to eat it within 1 or two days as it spoils VERY quickly.
#30
Pickup trucks are very popular in the US. So is watching American football and grilling food. One thing people in the US do that the rest of the world finds weird is combining things like these together. Welcome to the wonderful world of college football tailgating. Why wait until you get into the stadium to eat your burger when you can have it right in the parking lot? Even better when your truck has an attached grill! Sure, other countries have tailgating, but they don’t do it like this. The country that once brought you peanut butter and jelly in the same jar now gives you the full tailgating experience in one convenient package. Because of course we needed this! Who doesn’t need a grill attached to the back of their truck? Dragging a grill from the back of the truck is so old fashioned! Americans, mor...
Skara Brae 10 months ago
For those outside the US, ownership of a pickup truck that rarely transports anything substantial in the back, or the ones jacked-up so high that you need to climb up into them, is one of many subcultures, like people who own Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The majority of people don't do this. It's not that people need those specific vehicles, it seems to be more of a declaration of group membership in the subculture. Tailgating grilling in parking lots is a group activity that promotes fellowship, like when HD motorcycle owners ride down the freeway in large groups or converge in Sturgis, South Dakota.
Kathy L 10 months ago
Pickup trucks are mostly a peer pressure thing. I suspect many of the owners never haul big stuff around, and never drive them anywhere except to their cubicle jobs.
Load More Replies... G A 10 months ago (edited)
Would never take off in the UK-no car parks actually near to sports stadiums, and if they are they charge a fortune to park and the spaces wouldn't be big enough!
Dill 10 months ago
Oh, I so agree! UK has so many multi storey car parks built in the 70s when cars were much smaller! When I recently bought a new car I was looking for one that specifically wasn't physically so much bigger that I'd have to go miles to find a parking space I could shove it's massive asre in! I had a volvo estate, so I'm used to fairly big and long, but I don't want to have to do a limbo dance to get out under my car door because I can't open it properly!!! If they're going to make cars wider every year, they're going to have to do something with car parks. Yet, make the spaces wider and you lose some and there are more people!! Park and Ride I suppose, but I find buses hurt me as they are very jolty and last time I was on one, I ended up falling off my seat as the driver had to do an emergency stop! No I definitely don't want a pickup!
Load More Replies... Craig S. (EvilSausage) 10 months ago
Pickup trucks are common in some parts of the country. I live in the northeast, and you don't see them that often here. But I once visited North Carolina, and they were everywhere.
90HD 10 months ago
Go to the least densely populated and most random places on the map, they are everywhere.
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Serena Myers 10 months ago
e than any other population, are about convenience. Selling convenience is a big industry in the US. Don’t feel like cooking? Have a pizza delivered, or order from any restaurant with Uber Eats. Don’t want to drive? Call Uber! They’ll take you anywhere you need to go. Don’t want to drag the grill to the game? Build it right into your truck.
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Colleen Glim 10 months ago
If you get garbage food when going out to eat, you’re doing it wrong
Load More Replies... #31
Indonesia
I knew an Indonesian family who brought their long-serving maid to Australia to take care of the kids and the house. You can imagine the reactions from their Australian friends, who thought they were “lucky” but I gathered they meant “crazy”. Even by Indonesian standard that is pretty crazy.
The thing is, maid service is very popular in Indonesia.
Maids are after all working professionals, but in reality they are regarded as an extra member of the family.
It is common for Indonesians to have a spare room in their house called ‘kamar pembantu’ (the maids room).
It is a common sight to see families bring their maids to shopping malls or eat at the same tables in restaurants, even in high end outlets.
It is so common that you will probably be greeted by the maid at the gate when visiting an Indonesian house.
Maid service is not exclusive to wealthy families.
Here in Bali, many Indonesian families bring their maid on vacations. I have seen maids taking care of families in beach clubs or resorts.
Maids are a well respected member of the family, I have known several maids whose lives were transformed for the better because their bosses took notice on their hard work. In fact, one maid I know has a daughter who now works and has a family in Australia.
But maids have some of the most demanding jobs due to their 24/7 working days. Physical and sexual abuse are still prevalent problems among the maid community and to some extent, stories of murder and violence are reoccurring headlines in the local newspapers.
I can predict that demand for maids will surge in the future mainly because of young families where both parents have busy working schedules.
Upil 10 months ago
Im a local and im sorry most of this post is not common. Family which have maid IS FORTUNE. Maids salary is event almost the same with reguler job worker here, so most reguler worker can not afford to hire a maid, let alone have a special bedroom for one. I supposed OP only wander around bali and its beach houses, bali is not a vacation place for reguler people. Flight ticket to Bali and vacation cost is sooo expensive we prefer to go vacation to malaysia or singapore that is waaay cheaper then go to bali. Yes rich families often take maid as an extended family, but no having main is not common for people in indonesia.
Anne Young 10 months ago
But how are people supposed to become independent and self reliant? Self sufficient? I'm not sure they are.
#32
During a foreign trip, I had a colleague, a US national, who took me around his city.
We were at a food counter and I was paying for the food items, when a penny dropped from my wallet. Being a religious person, I immediately took it up, touched it on my forehead and put it back.
Then, the mocking begins -
Him, with wierd smile - I have seen this before, why do you guys do that?
Me - We consider that money is God, infact a Goddess, and letting it fell down was a disrespect to it. While touching it on my forehead, I asked for a forgiveness.
Him, condescendingly - If money is God, can I worship it to get more of it? Will I get Indian money or US dollars?
Me - Yes, by worshipping God of work, that is by working more, you will get more money. You see that we have Gods for everything.
Him, trying to act smarter - Then what is a purpose of money God?
Me - Not only for money, but we have Gods for all animals and objects around us. That makes us respect every being and thing around us, and in turn we become a better person.
I mockingly continued….
And after becoming a better person, we go on to become CXO's of all the major US mnc's.
He was lost on words, probably trying to come up with a more wittier answer, but gave up after few seconds.
Probably, our religious activities are weird for rest of the world.
Sue 10 months ago (edited)
I bet God or Gods are rolling their eyeballs all the time at all of us. A lot of religions seem to be created by OCD people.
Load More Replies... Geoffrey Scott 10 months ago
No, I think our(US) idols are FAR weirder. May I present to you, the President elect. The 'effiency experts' who are "self made" billionaires (HAH!).
#33
People carrying guns over their shoulders. TV shows about obese kids with weird names. Deep-fried butter. And… Having a reality TV star as president. I'll let you guess what country I'm from. Edit: This satirical answer is not a full representation of America. To be clear, 100% of America is NOT deep-fried butter. This answer is not America-bashing.
Tiger 10 months ago
100%, me too. It sounds kinda gross but I need to know what the experience is like 😆
Load More Replies... Geoffrey Scott 10 months ago
No, fried foods are not our only diet, gotta have some grilled meat too!
Colleen Glim 10 months ago
Problem occurs when the only thing you need to be protected from is the other bugger with a gun
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LtsGoBck2the90s 10 months ago
You have the choice to eat the fried food or not RFK will be helpful America out with the bad food availability and healthy eating strategies. We do have a reality star as president, he's also a strong business man who can help our country get out of debt, no matter what your opinion is on him personally. My question is why do you hate America so much, if it's YOUR country. You do have the freedom to leave. It's really not that hard to do.
Tamra 10 months ago
A strong businessman?! Trump's unsuccessful business ventures have included numerous casinos and hotel bankruptcies, the folding of his New Jersey Generals football team, and the now-defunct Trump University. He and his businesses have been involved in more than 4,000 legal actions, including six business bankruptcies. You Trump supporters are in a cult and are being conned by the biggest grifter this nation has ever seen. 🤣
Load More Replies... #34
There was a news related to Japan that Japan keeps a train running just for a girl. This headlines attracted the attention of media and social media of many countries. This thing was weird for the world, because it shows that how Japan as a nation, serious about its children and their future. People are praising Japan authorities for making education a top priority.
But if I talk about my country India, then it is a normal thing. Japan runs a train for a kid only, but in India, we are running a political party for a kid to make him a Prime Minister.
Though no media house of world talking about it because such things are normal in our country.
Sven Grammersdorf 10 months ago
A reference to this: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-08/japan-keeps-the-defunct-kyu-shirataki-train-station-open-for-just-one-high-school-girl
Load More Replies... LtsGoBck2the90s 10 months ago
I believe they did this because young women and school girls were getting sexually assaulted on the trains. If this is why I 💯 % praise Japan.
What do you think ?
XenoMurph 10 months ago
In Ireland we don't drink nearly as much as people think. Except Tea! Ireland drinks more tea per capita than any other nation, except Turkiye.
Iampenny 10 months ago
Tea is the answer to EVERTHING! Currently drinking my 8th cup of the day and just put on a fresh pot ;D
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Brian Droste 10 months ago
Some of these were to long and to many items in one post. Posters need to keep to one or two items per post. Some of these I started to read than realize how long they were and quit reading that post and went onto the next story.
Tiffany 10 months ago (edited)
I wish I could be more positive about America. I guess even though I don't have insurance and can't afford medical I can easily find a way to get an antibiotic if needed. But I'd die of cancer as I couldnt afford the treatment. I love thrift stores on sale days. Saves me money and I get things I need. I'm grateful for those. I'm not very happy and I suffer. I'm happy I'm free of any religious ☺️ beliefs or obligations especially how women are treated in other parts of the world. But without access to healthcare. . I'm utterly miserable mentally and physically. It shouldn't cost $850 a month to be added to my husband's health insurance from his work. Ive been to some parts of Mexico where its very different and very poor. So I try to remain grateful 🙏 with what I do have.
Dill 10 months ago
Yet Mexico scores higher, a 7.0, on the life ladder compared to 6.52 in the United States. They are poorer, have a more corrupt government (watch this space with Trump...) but Mexico scores higher on things like support from family and friends and freedoms to make their own choices. I know that goes against the accepted view when there is the influx of people from there to the US but, again, they're making that choice when people in the US probably feel stuck with where they are and what they can do. It's a freedom of sorts.
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T'Mar of Vulcan 10 months ago
South Africa - everyone is really friendly. We make eye contact with everyone on the street, in shops, whatever. If you're outside taking the bin out in the morning & someone walks past on the way to get a taxi or walking their dog, you say good morning and even ask how they are. Huge disparity in living standards, but everyone is still friendly. People may live in a shack but they will have a satellite dish attached so they can watch DSTV. It's not common for people who live in urban areas - like Jozi and its environs, or Durban and it's outskirts, etc - to not be racist at all. It's more the people who haven't met those of other colours who have weird racist ideas (and some Boomers here who still don't seem to grasp that everyone is the same under the skin). Everybody loves samoosas (those triangular Indian pie things) and bunny chow (curry inside hollowed-out bread - usually lamb, beef or chicken - no bunnies involved). Everybody loves pap (pronounced like 'pup' as in a small dog)!
XenoMurph 10 months ago
In Ireland we don't drink nearly as much as people think. Except Tea! Ireland drinks more tea per capita than any other nation, except Turkiye.
Iampenny 10 months ago
Tea is the answer to EVERTHING! Currently drinking my 8th cup of the day and just put on a fresh pot ;D
Load More Replies... Brian Droste 10 months ago
Some of these were to long and to many items in one post. Posters need to keep to one or two items per post. Some of these I started to read than realize how long they were and quit reading that post and went onto the next story.
Tiffany 10 months ago (edited)
I wish I could be more positive about America. I guess even though I don't have insurance and can't afford medical I can easily find a way to get an antibiotic if needed. But I'd die of cancer as I couldnt afford the treatment. I love thrift stores on sale days. Saves me money and I get things I need. I'm grateful for those. I'm not very happy and I suffer. I'm happy I'm free of any religious ☺️ beliefs or obligations especially how women are treated in other parts of the world. But without access to healthcare. . I'm utterly miserable mentally and physically. It shouldn't cost $850 a month to be added to my husband's health insurance from his work. Ive been to some parts of Mexico where its very different and very poor. So I try to remain grateful 🙏 with what I do have.
Dill 10 months ago
Yet Mexico scores higher, a 7.0, on the life ladder compared to 6.52 in the United States. They are poorer, have a more corrupt government (watch this space with Trump...) but Mexico scores higher on things like support from family and friends and freedoms to make their own choices. I know that goes against the accepted view when there is the influx of people from there to the US but, again, they're making that choice when people in the US probably feel stuck with where they are and what they can do. It's a freedom of sorts.
Load More Replies... T'Mar of Vulcan 10 months ago
South Africa - everyone is really friendly. We make eye contact with everyone on the street, in shops, whatever. If you're outside taking the bin out in the morning & someone walks past on the way to get a taxi or walking their dog, you say good morning and even ask how they are. Huge disparity in living standards, but everyone is still friendly. People may live in a shack but they will have a satellite dish attached so they can watch DSTV. It's not common for people who live in urban areas - like Jozi and its environs, or Durban and it's outskirts, etc - to not be racist at all. It's more the people who haven't met those of other colours who have weird racist ideas (and some Boomers here who still don't seem to grasp that everyone is the same under the skin). Everybody loves samoosas (those triangular Indian pie things) and bunny chow (curry inside hollowed-out bread - usually lamb, beef or chicken - no bunnies involved). Everybody loves pap (pronounced like 'pup' as in a small dog)!
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