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If you're still unsure (or need reminding) that the concept of normal is relative, there's one online thread that should, once and for all, convince you.
It began when Reddit user SackOfPotatoSacks made a post on the platform, asking everyone to share what's considered routine where they live but would probably be seen as something crazy everywhere else.
Immediately, people started describing the peculiarities of their local area that they've grown accustomed to, proving that culture seeps deeper into us than we often realize.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
My city is EXTREMELY bilingual, everyone speaks both English and French. You’ll hear people speak both languages in conversations quite often, sometimes in the same sentence. In stores, most of the time, people greet you with both languages and you reply in one of them, which tells them which language you prefer to talk in. They go "Bonjour, Hi!" And you say Bonjour back if you want to continue in French or Hi if you rather speak English. It’s kinda crazy.
I’m from Montréal, Canada.
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#2
I live in Dublin and when we tell people who live in America that we put crisps in sandwiches they laugh at us. Just try it mate. It’s so good
#3
Free Sundays (germany)
Everything, literally everything is closed on Sundays which is amazing cuz everyone (except from the most essential like doctors, firefighters and the police) have a free day which is awesome!!
#4
In Austria around Christmas/St Nicholas time we have events called "Krampusläufe" where people, mostly young (drunk) men dress up as demonic devil-like creatures called Krampus with fur suits, creepy masks and cow bells and pull of shows that include lots of fire, smoke, witch burns etc while mainly Ramstein plays in the back. They also like to whip people in the audience with cow tails. And hell yea we enjoy the show while getting drunk on hot punch. We even bring our kids along.
#5
In Australian rural towns we all had our back doors unlocked; and friends are allowed to go through the back door and make themselves a cup of tea/coffee while they wait for you to get back from whatever you were doing.
Ivanh 3 years ago
It's not just rural towns. I grew up in Melbourne and this was true for everyone we knew in melbourne suburbs. We would come home and my mates would be in the living room or garage watching tv waiting for me to get home. Doors would never be locked...still rarely are to this day.
#6
Experiencing 4 seasons every day. Jacket on, jacket off, it's sunny but it's raining, freezing and windy, then it's hot again... I like to wear shorts and puffer jacket combos for both extremes. Tasmania.
#7
In the Eifel, germany, on the night to 1st of may, people paint a long line from one house to another. The line means that someone in these households is having an affair. Every year several relationships break up because of this. I love it.
#8
Alligators. Just...everywhere. I live in a swampy area of Florida, and it's pretty normal to come across alligators in small ponds, ditches, around pools, or just chilling in a parking lot. I've nearly tripped on alligators more times than i'd like to admit. Thankfully they're pretty chill and won't really bother you unless you mess with them or go near a nest. The police are even trained to deal with rogue alligator calls.
#9
I live next to a game reserve in South Africa. It's not that surprising to hear baboons in your back yard, or spot a rhino 10 meters from your fence.
One time a whole troop of baboons ran over our roof. It's only corrugated iron and we all shat our pants.
Ian Webling 3 years ago
Our neighbourhood has a WhatsApp group to warn people to lock their doors and keep their animals inside when the baboons are on the prowl.
#10
Madagascar. Every now and then we dig up corpses of our loved ones, bring 'em through the village where they lived for a visit, change the tissues they where covered in (several layers) with new ones and put them back in the grave and all that while partying.
#11
I live in NJ and it’s illegal here for you to pump your own gas/fuel. All stations are full service by law. I believe Oregon is the only other state in the USA that has this law.
#12
In Norway it's normal to release two million sheep (read: ***two*** ***million*** ***sheep***) into the *wild*, mostly unsupervised, where an estimated *100.000* of them die to either injuries, illness or predators, with the farmers crying and complaining (usually only to that last one), and then repeat the same process again the next year, and every year after that.
Does Norway kind of have a f****d up and moronic sheep farming practice? Yes, yes we do.
#13
Where I used to live in Manitoba, nobody had fences, mainly because when the properties were divided up, the town planners left space that belonged to the town behind all of them, that was just a strip of forest and Canadian shield. So almost nobody put up fences because it cut off their view & access to what was essentially a super cool nature trail network throughout the town. Everyone knew once you hit mowed grass, that belonged to someone. Us kids barely ever went anywhere on foot via roads or sidewalks, we always took the trails (we rode bikes on the roads though, there were too many rocks on the trails for a regular kid's bike) Of course, living in a forest had some unintended consequences. We frequently had bears, so I remember when I wasn't even 5 yet being taught what to do if I saw a bear. And two separate years we had a mountain lion, which was a lot worse. The town would hire someone to trap and relocate these animals but it always took a while. I remember watching a bear lying down under the crabapple tree in our front yard just eating all the windfall apples for ages, not a care in the world.
Quinn Enestvedt 3 years ago
Important distinction: was the bear a black bear or a grizzly bear? One is significantly more dangerous than the other.
#14
Driving 3 hours at 100km/h and still being in the middle of nowhere (Australia). In parts of Europe you’d have crossed 3 borders in that time
#15
Starting college, meeting your class on week 1 and then having introductory sauna the next week, boys and girls all drunk & nekkid. Finland :3
moon_magic 3 years ago
Sounds like a good way to instill a healthier attitude towards the human body.
#16
People who are 12-14 driving tractors on the roads in rural Ireland. The legal minimum age is 16, but most farmers don't really care.
EDIT: I didn't realise that this is a rural thing. Still comes as a shock to urban people though.
#17
Driving over the mountains and shouting "mint sauce" out the window to the sheep....
Wales
( And fellow welshys... Don't lie..you know you've done it)
#18
Free public transport in the whole country: buses, trains, trams.
Caroline Sinclair 3 years ago
If this were universal it would make such a difference to so many people, as well as to the planet's carbon budget.
#19
Having your birthday party look like this: Your livingroom is transformed so that there's a great circle of chairs with a coffeetable in the center. If it's an afternoon party, guests will visit between 14:00 and 17:00 or 18:00 - 21:00, but not both! there's 1 timeslot for friends and 1 for family). As a guest, you arrive, you congratulate the birthday boy or girl, hand over your present. Then you introduce yourself to the group if you don't know them yet. Then, you go over the circle and shake everyone's hand and ALSO congratulate them with so-and-so's birthday. After making your way through the circle, you take your empty chair and that is now your seat for the rest of the party. After everyone arrived, the birthday person will bring you a piece of cake and a beverage (usually coffee or tea). Everyone eats their cake and talks to the person sitting next to him/her. After everyone is done, there'll be a tour of the house and any new things will be pointed out to you. Now is your moment to ask some questions like "oh, was it expensive?" and also compliment the host on how great it is. After the tour there'll be another round of food and drinks, snacks will be laid out on the coffeetable, but you shouldn't eat much of it. This is the only food that will be brought out and everyone has to share it. After guests were there for about 3 hours they'll leave again. Everyone knows they're expected to leave but you need to come off as really wanting to stick around longer but you just couldn't because the dog needs to go for a walk or something, make up any excuse that sounds probable. Then, repeat the cycle again in the evening with the other group. The weekend after that, invite your close friends to come over and have the real party.
#20
Brazil: Apparently being in a restaurant for hours and hours and only eating in 1% of the time. We talk for hours before and after eating here, so we don't leave right after eating. Everyone I knew from other country found it strange
Annymoose 3 years ago
I'm guessing you pay servers a living wage, not that BS $2 an hr plus tips here in US. Should be illegal. This sounds really nice but here you feel obligated to move along so the servers can make $.
RafCo (he/him) 3 years ago
Not living wage. The cost of labor in Brazil is very cheap. It's why the middle class can afford to have maids and nannies. But they do not get paid more to serve more tables. So they take their time. They get their wages, but no tips.
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Tiki Stanford 3 years ago
I'm a slow eater, and fairly talkative, always have been. I tend to always take leftovers home from restaurants. Not necessarily because I was done eating, but everyone else is. Even at home, I'm the last one to leave the table. Which isn't the worst thing in the world, as most of the time the dishes get done while I'm still eating ;p
June Gem 3 years ago
I think it is great but here in the US the wait staff gets mad because they rely on tips (because the way they are paid is not even minimum wage) so we try to be in and out in an about an hour and a half or less. The pay in the US is a joke it is so hard to live on what people get paid unless they are in the 1%.
MARCOS FERNANDEZ ESPIN 3 years ago (edited)
Spanish here! We do the same. Edit: in Spanish we even have a word to refer to this habit: la sobremesa. I've heard this word had no translation into English.
Lord Mysticlaw 3 years ago
I hate it when it feels like waiters in a restaurant are rushing me to finish my food and go!
Ivona 3 years ago
Same here. They jump at me asking me what I'd like to drink even before I've had a chance to look at the menu. Then keep coming over with questions which are designed to break up any involved conversations which might slow food consumption down. And they bring the check before I've asked for it. All designed to hurry people along.
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Mia Black 3 years ago
I like this. I think to stay after your meal for like a half to an hour is common in european countries too (But not several hours), isn't it?
PolymathNecromancer 3 years ago
I am in PA, USA and hate NOT eating leisurely like this..... everyone else pissses me off to no end :-(
PolymathNecromancer 3 years ago
To Annymoose, I ALWAYS leave the best tip I possibly can on my available $ so they're not too inconvenienced...
Load More Replies... censorshipsucks 3 years ago
in south africa our distinction between a restaurant and a take-away (takeout) place is whether you sit around for hours talking rather than eating.
Raye West 3 years ago
In the lower half of the USA you just MIGHT get cussed out for this. Servers rely on quick rotations of tables to make their money bc the system only gives them min wage per hr.
D00FINSHMERTZ 3 years ago
Almost everywhere in the USA. If you take up a table in a server's section for hours you had better tip well.
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Lara Verne 3 years ago
We do it too. Restaurants, cafés, etc. aren't only for eating, it's also place where people could relax and talk.
Noah Libitsky 3 years ago
That's literally the total opposite in America. Everyone is like eat and get out.
DuchessDegu 3 years ago
You end up ordering more drinks or small meals/desserts because you're sitting there for hours! But if it's really busy the waiters will politely ask if you want the bill so you know it's time to go
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Rafael Gonçalves de Menezes 3 years ago
Not precisely true. The image you're seeing there is not a restaurant, but a shopping center's food court. Brazilian people DO talk during meals as menfioned, but we DON'T stay chatting "for hours after eating".
Marci Rommal 2 years ago
This American does not find that al all unusual. My family does this EVERY time we get together, whether out at a restaurant or at someone's home. We all pitch in to cook, set the table, carry dishes, clear the table, get dessert, etc. We are often at the "dinner" table for hours on end.
Lisa Pockat Bork 2 years ago
Here in the states, in my area anyway, we eat, maybe talk for a while, and then leave to make room for another customer.
Stan Chung 3 years ago (edited)
lmao, the opposite of somewhere like Hong Kong, where you would be shown out the door for not ordering anything significant. Space is limited and businesses need to make money for rent and paychecks.
CherBear 3 years ago
When you could still afford to have stay at home moms we could do that to..my friends n I actually still do this..after dinner coffee n dessert n catch up conversations for hours..
CherBear 3 years ago
But please tip appropriately, cuz every hour you sit there that server could be turning that table n making more money...be kind,, be fair
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Ruth Harper 3 years ago
This feels rude to the restaurant who wants to fill their seats with customers who are paying and who probably have more customers waiting to be seated.
Ahimsa Soul 3 years ago
If it is the norm, it's not rude. You just know that a meal will take longer and you organize your business accordingly. If customers stay longer, they usually order another round of drinks.
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Athena Marie 3 years ago
Dont do that in America! We want you to eat and move along ! You aren't paying to rent that space. A server makes their living off how many times they can turn over that table and get new customers. We call you campers and we hate you for it lol
Benita Valdez 3 years ago
Their Uruguayan neighbor does the same. 2-4 hour "meals" is very typical.
Crouching hippo hidden panda 3 years ago
Not great for business for the restaurant owners, wonder how they make a profit at all
Ralph Watkins 3 years ago
In Mexico the noon meal is supposed to be siesta time. I was working there & had to find places that served much faster food. I only got 30 minutes for lunch, not 2 hours.
Valiant Woodward 3 years ago
Americans consider it rude if the place is busy and you are holding up a table that someone is waiting for, but otherwise it's not that weird.
Richard scott Crandall 3 years ago
15 minutes is my maximum for dinner! Any more beyond that is too long
#21
Drinking alcohol for the first time when you're around 14 y/o. In Germany, it is legal to buy beer and wine when you're 16. So the majority of parents don't see it as a problem when the first drunk experience happens a few years earlier. Actually it is hard to find a teenager here that never tried alcohol before.
#22
Calling an uber instead of an ambulance or going to work while sick during a pandemic.
Gotta love freedom
#23
Romania. Being a witch/medium is an official job, meaning you need a permit, your profit is monitored and you pay taxes.
When killing a pig, raw skin covered in salt is the first food consumed, as it is considered a delicacy.
We also fill the pig's small intestine with a mixture of meat, rice and garlic and put it in the oven for about an hour. Yum!
Many people believe that if you look at a baby for too long, you can unknowingly put a curse on it, which will make it cry until you pour holy water on the child and pray to make the curse go away. Parents are an exception, they can not curse their own child.
moon_magic 3 years ago
Ah yes, that well known method of quieting a crying baby, tipping water on them
#24
Many (but not all) Germans restricting themselves to exactly one hot meal per day. I've heard sentences such as:
"No I can't, I already ate warm at lunch"
"I tried so hard to find a breakfast place that sells cold food"
"Let's just eat bread, I've had hot lunch"
"You can't eat two hot meals, that's too much"
I still don't get why it has to be no more and less than one hot meal? And why do breakfast pancakes not count as hot food?
BakedKahuna 3 years ago
This is one thing I struggle with. I am Asian, born and raised in Germany. While being little i hated having rice every day. Sometimes up to three times. Then I moved in with my ex, with whom I still live with. He has bread for breakfast and bread for dinner, almost every day. If you add two pickled cornichons and two cherry tomatoes and maybe even a soft boiled egg for dinner, it's considered a feast. I couldn't function without proper hot meals and learned to appreciate my rice now 😅
#25
Today (in Japan)over a hundred people lined up (staggered for social distancing) at 9:00 am on a Saturday. First one hundred get a ticket. At 10:30 we all line up again. One at a time we draw a number; 1 to 5. Then we go over to a big basin of the best quality of rice and take as many scoops as the number we drew. You are encourage to make each scoop heaping. This is not a food bank thing (I hope) just the promise of “good rice” draws a crowd.
It was at a roadside tourist shop/complex.
#26
Israel. Where I live, it is normal.for about 15% of the population not to work and get paid by the government since they are praying to God and that's important too. Off course, the rest of the ppl pay for them. f**k them and their god
Kat Min 3 years ago
15% unproductive adults is a hell of a lot for a society to carry. Although, I read, it's just the men that do this. The women are raised to be the workhorses in those cults (sorry, but if you raisechildren into this, it's a cult not a cloister/temple/monestary) and do ALL the work.
#27
Welp, in Lithuania we have hill of crosses with over 200 k. crosses, we have a hotel where you live in a jail cell and ex KGB agents shout at you and dogs bark at you all the time.
#28
Sweden: The government has monopoly on any alcohol above 3.5% and can only be bought at one store dedicated to it.
#29
In Cincinnati we eat spaghetti noodles topped with a soup-like chili and a 1/4 pound of shredded cheddar cheese. And it’s delicious.
#30
Putting a block of cheese in your hot chocolate. Colombia.
#32
still being in the same house as your parents after marriage. also with kids.
#34
UAE. As a female:
1- Not having to move out of my parents’ house unless I get married.
2- Obtaining a degree is a must, but working is a complete option. Also if I choose to work, I don’t have to share my income with my spouse.
3- I get the superiority in lines so I don’t have to stand in long lines with men. Which happens rarely anyway because women don’t run errands in here.
#35
It seems insane to me to put residential areas on 25 degree inclines but Clifton in Bristol sure does exist
MS 3 years ago
In San Francisco you have some residential hills that a parked car can flow downhill in a strong rain. They require people to park perpendicular to the curb to prevent this. x9gv224xzpc61.jpg 
#36
Spending 3/4 of the year inside. Phoenix, AZ, where it's common to run your air conditioner on Christmas and New Years.
#37
During hunting season, the real OGs would sell venison jerky for $5 a small ziplock on the school bus. My bus had 2-3 hunters any given year, some was more tender, some was seasoned better, some were just bigger bags. It was awesome and I bet they made bank.
Michal Dolyniuk 3 years ago
OG mean here real gangsta or old school. I googled that and I now I'm not sure.
#38
Picking up roadkill for your table. Gotta temp it first, but if it's fresh or new and frozen, it's good.
#39
Dedicating a website to just tell you when a chicken sandwich is on sale. (They are btw) Also: hurricane parties and school trips to parks with gators.
#41
In the next 16 days there will be two public holidays in my city. Both of which are to recognise different sporting events. One of those sporting events is taking place 2000 odd kms away. The other is taking place in my city - though with very few attendees because of ‘Rona restrictions. Gotta love Melbourne.
Michael Largey 3 years ago (edited)
But in Oz, 2000 kms away is just down the street and around the corner.
#42
In the north of Portugal we have a very typical rice dish that's made with the chicken or pig's blood. It´s very delicious but I met people for other countries that call us vampires
TotallyNOTaFox 3 years ago (edited)
We in Germany turn blood into sausages, so who are we to judge? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (Not a fan of that sausage though)
#43
Putting a chair in the road to reserve a parking spot. Not only do people do it, but people respect people who do it.
Michael Largey 3 years ago
In my neighborhood, putting a chair in a parking spot is the recognized symbol for "Free Chair!"
#44
Every Last Tuesday of the year people make fire and literally blow up everything on the city streets. It's called "Charshanbe Soori"
#45
Saudi Arabia: Kids, as young as 10 years old, driving. The police don't really care much, and you see primary schoolers driving themselves and their siblings to school. Nope, most of them aren't orphans, their parents are just.... extremely free here. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death here unsurprisingly. I think it's a real shame that people are so careless.
#46
Paying $1,000,000 for a house that should cost $250,000 anywhere else
Christos Arvanitis 3 years ago
Lots of places but that's the case in much of Massachusetts USA
#47
Being in a hot room naked with bunch of strangers.
#48
Staying at your parents house until 40-50 yo, then they die and it becomes yours. Also most people here chew food with their mouth open.
Phobrek Taz 3 years ago
What country is this please, just so I know to avoid? I don't care about the cohabitation, just the mastication
#49
Some people not wearing any footwear to observe a festival, for nine days, even if they go out.
Roxanne D'souza 3 years ago
Never seen this actually happen though. And I live in Mumbai. Maybe it's more of a village thing?
#51
Adults dating 15+ minors... It's honestly very concerning to see that the majority doesn't see the problem with that
#52
Calling a water fountain a “bubbler”, calling an ATM a Time Machine, REAL tailgating, cheese on apple pie, and wearing foam cheese on your head.
Phobrek Taz 3 years ago
So this sounds like Wisconsin, but from the first phrase I'd thought "oh hey, Wuhsta!" (Worcester, Massachusetts... we also call water fountains "bubblers." Or, um, "bubblahs.")
#53
A royal house with no power, no authority, is an absolute money sink and only exists for status and nostalgia.
Fabian Bernard 3 years ago
In fact, the Royal Family in UK cost less per year than our president and his suite in France
#54
Only having a snow day if the buses can't physically get to school, or the temperature is -40° F or below without wind chill. (I'm from northern wisconsin)
Kevin Sutton 3 years ago
Haha, in the UK, as soon as it settles deep enough to sledge on, schools out! Let's find the biggest effing hill and throw ourselves down it in a bin bag!
#55
People walking around barefoot. its way more common in beach suburbs, but even in suburbs 20km+ away from the beach you will see people (especially young people) walking around super markets and shopping centers with no shoes on. and not because they cant afford them. Australia.
#57
In my hometown, it was totally normal to say and write on your car, "Go bust a nut!" during high school football season. My high school's mascot was the acorn.
#58
Kangaroos, koalas, a bunch of spiders, crocodiles, never snows. I’m in Australia. Edit: rarely snows in WA which is where I live.
#59
Cars that cost $30k USD can cost up to $80k USD here (Singapore)
Bec 3 years ago
I live in a college town in the U.S. and was commenting on seeing Maseratis and the like around town and an international student told me kids who come here from Singapore and Hong Kong will get cars while they are here for school since they can't really have them at home and often go overboard on them
#60
People carrying around m16s in the streets with out a second look
#61
Living with your parents until your late 20s.
🤣🤣🤣 (Me while reading bp) 3 years ago
UK as no-one can afford a house. In my area they have doubled in price in 10 years
#62
Going 155 miles per hour on a motorway legally.
TotallyNOTaFox 3 years ago (edited)
Germany, on 1/3 of our Autobahn (the rest has speed limits)
#63
$3k a month for rent in any 2/2 apartment being considered inexpensive.
#64
Taking well over a year to make a new government.
Vix Spiderthrust 3 years ago
Is this Belgium? I remember that at the time of the 2008 global financial crash Belgium was without a working government for about eleven months...and its economy did better than any other EU state's.
#65
Getting hammered at the picnic table out in front the mini-mart.
#66
Drinking beer bottles while driving and left-hand lobbing them over the car to try to hit speed limit signs. It’s called “sign tag”, my 60 year old aunt is the county champion
Christos Arvanitis 3 years ago
Nothing to be proud of... drinking and driving, littering with broken glass FFS
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What do you think ?
Ali H M Salehuddin 3 years ago
I'm Malaysian. We have the culture of 'open house' during festivities. During this time, anyone, even strangers can come to your house to celebrate. They'll be treated with foods, drinks and a token sum of money (only for kids) . Back when I was little, my friends and I made rounds to neighbors' houses to collect these token money. And kids from neighboring villages did come to my house and my parent gave them money too. Nowadays though, only relatives and close friends come for a visit. No strangers come anymore. I suppose if strangers do come, we are still culturally obliged to offer them food and drink. In the last 20-30years, our Government has adapted this culture by having open house for major Malaysian festivals. During Eid celebration for example, our prime minister will set 1 day for an open house for anyone to come; regardless whether they are Malaysians or not. This year, the attendance was in excess of 100K people.
David K 3 years ago
I was wondering if the Easter whip tradition we held in Czech Republic will be on the list because I know that people from different countries find it quite crazy. On the morning of Easter Monday, men gently spank women with a special handmade whip. The whip called pomlázka consists of withies (willow rods or other twigs), is usually from half a meter to two meters long and decorated with coloured ribbons at the end. Women wear multiple long dresses to avoid the minor pain that would be caused by the whipping. If men arrive at women's houses after 12 o'clock, women throw a bucket of cold water on them. In some regions the men also douse girls with water or spray perfume on them. When going house to house, the male first sings a verse relating to eggs and spring themes like bountifulness and fertility. If the young woman doesn't have any decorated eggs she turns around and the man takes a few whacks at her legs with the whip.
AD 3 years ago
Ah yes, so many of my friends are still traumatized by this idiotic, degrading tradition. Someone tries to whip me now I'll whip them right back. What does a stranger or WORSE a creepy uncle or a family member have to do with my fertility. F**k it so much.
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Epona 3 years ago (edited)
Is anyone else getting ads at the top of the page that take up 3/4 of the page? I use an add blocker, but it doesn't seem to always do its job properly. It is very frustrating! It wasn't happening yesterday when I was on the site. Why is it happening today? Anyone have any tips?
Edison Michael 3 years ago
Here in Brazil, the host at a birthday part is expected to lay all gifts over their bed and show the guests how many gifts they got before leading them to the actual party. Also, you *HAVE* to cut the first piece of the cake yourself if it is your birthday and can only give that one to the friend you love the MOST! While you are cutting, it is common that those around you will start shouting the reasons why you should give THEM the first piece (things like "remember that time we did X together?", "remember when we went to that place?" etc), which is a cool way of being reminded of good moments with your friends in a humorous tone. If you are too shy, confront adverse, a huge spoilsport or simply a coward, you can take the safest, most diplomatic (and by far the most boring) road and give that precious first slice to one of your parents, a significant other or your own kid. People will usually boo that a bit as being super artificial and a coward's choice, but it's all in good fun.
Dodo 2 years ago
I remember seeing a video online of a kid giving the first slice to his little brother. It was adorable, little brother burst into happy tears.
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lauralett50 3 years ago
This an interesting look at other cultures. I am fascinated by all the different things that each area does . Sometime soon I hope to travel to each place . Thank you to all whom contributed.
Merilyn Horton 3 years ago
Growing up in country Australia, we wandered at will into all our neighbours houses, called everyone’s parents Aunty and Uncle.
Reddog McGraw 3 years ago
The State of Texas has a rich history. Being that it was literally once considered (and in some parts, still is) the "Wild West" there are a lot of things that happened. So when you drive through the state, even in the middle of nowhere, be on the look out for Black Iron Plaques called Historical Markers, that tell the story of what happened there. Growing up there was one near our home that told the story of a Comanche raising party that slaughtered (and I do mean, in detail how they died) a small family of settlers and stole the children. Sure enough, you go back into the woods in the middle of nowhere and there is still a tiny family plot of graves with nothing but prairie grass and oak trees to watch over it
AD 3 years ago
It's really not, the water throwing happens on a very small scale compared to the whipping. It would also happen quite often that the men get progressively drunker during the day and end up basically whipping the s**t out of women and calling it "a bit of fun".
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ADHD McChick 3 years ago
Well, here's another BP post with nothing but negativity for the US. Look, I know there's a lotta things that suck here. We're aware of that. But there's also a lotta GOOD things, and good PEOPLE. Please stop putting us all in one ugly basket. Thanks.
Mimi M 2 years ago
We all say this all the time - that all countries have their negatives and positives, just like all people have their negatives and positives. But the people at BP that make these continuous divisive, stereotypical and biased posts do not care. But we keep saying it anyway. Maybe just for our fellow Pandas to know that we object and that it's unbalanced and unfair. Oh well.
Load More Replies... Ali H M Salehuddin 3 years ago
I'm Malaysian. We have the culture of 'open house' during festivities. During this time, anyone, even strangers can come to your house to celebrate. They'll be treated with foods, drinks and a token sum of money (only for kids) . Back when I was little, my friends and I made rounds to neighbors' houses to collect these token money. And kids from neighboring villages did come to my house and my parent gave them money too. Nowadays though, only relatives and close friends come for a visit. No strangers come anymore. I suppose if strangers do come, we are still culturally obliged to offer them food and drink. In the last 20-30years, our Government has adapted this culture by having open house for major Malaysian festivals. During Eid celebration for example, our prime minister will set 1 day for an open house for anyone to come; regardless whether they are Malaysians or not. This year, the attendance was in excess of 100K people.
David K 3 years ago
I was wondering if the Easter whip tradition we held in Czech Republic will be on the list because I know that people from different countries find it quite crazy. On the morning of Easter Monday, men gently spank women with a special handmade whip. The whip called pomlázka consists of withies (willow rods or other twigs), is usually from half a meter to two meters long and decorated with coloured ribbons at the end. Women wear multiple long dresses to avoid the minor pain that would be caused by the whipping. If men arrive at women's houses after 12 o'clock, women throw a bucket of cold water on them. In some regions the men also douse girls with water or spray perfume on them. When going house to house, the male first sings a verse relating to eggs and spring themes like bountifulness and fertility. If the young woman doesn't have any decorated eggs she turns around and the man takes a few whacks at her legs with the whip.
AD 3 years ago
Ah yes, so many of my friends are still traumatized by this idiotic, degrading tradition. Someone tries to whip me now I'll whip them right back. What does a stranger or WORSE a creepy uncle or a family member have to do with my fertility. F**k it so much.
Load More Replies... Epona 3 years ago (edited)
Is anyone else getting ads at the top of the page that take up 3/4 of the page? I use an add blocker, but it doesn't seem to always do its job properly. It is very frustrating! It wasn't happening yesterday when I was on the site. Why is it happening today? Anyone have any tips?
Edison Michael 3 years ago
Here in Brazil, the host at a birthday part is expected to lay all gifts over their bed and show the guests how many gifts they got before leading them to the actual party. Also, you *HAVE* to cut the first piece of the cake yourself if it is your birthday and can only give that one to the friend you love the MOST! While you are cutting, it is common that those around you will start shouting the reasons why you should give THEM the first piece (things like "remember that time we did X together?", "remember when we went to that place?" etc), which is a cool way of being reminded of good moments with your friends in a humorous tone. If you are too shy, confront adverse, a huge spoilsport or simply a coward, you can take the safest, most diplomatic (and by far the most boring) road and give that precious first slice to one of your parents, a significant other or your own kid. People will usually boo that a bit as being super artificial and a coward's choice, but it's all in good fun.
Dodo 2 years ago
I remember seeing a video online of a kid giving the first slice to his little brother. It was adorable, little brother burst into happy tears.
Load More Replies... lauralett50 3 years ago
This an interesting look at other cultures. I am fascinated by all the different things that each area does . Sometime soon I hope to travel to each place . Thank you to all whom contributed.
Merilyn Horton 3 years ago
Growing up in country Australia, we wandered at will into all our neighbours houses, called everyone’s parents Aunty and Uncle.
Reddog McGraw 3 years ago
The State of Texas has a rich history. Being that it was literally once considered (and in some parts, still is) the "Wild West" there are a lot of things that happened. So when you drive through the state, even in the middle of nowhere, be on the look out for Black Iron Plaques called Historical Markers, that tell the story of what happened there. Growing up there was one near our home that told the story of a Comanche raising party that slaughtered (and I do mean, in detail how they died) a small family of settlers and stole the children. Sure enough, you go back into the woods in the middle of nowhere and there is still a tiny family plot of graves with nothing but prairie grass and oak trees to watch over it
AD 3 years ago
It's really not, the water throwing happens on a very small scale compared to the whipping. It would also happen quite often that the men get progressively drunker during the day and end up basically whipping the s**t out of women and calling it "a bit of fun".
Load More Replies... ADHD McChick 3 years ago
Well, here's another BP post with nothing but negativity for the US. Look, I know there's a lotta things that suck here. We're aware of that. But there's also a lotta GOOD things, and good PEOPLE. Please stop putting us all in one ugly basket. Thanks.
Mimi M 2 years ago
We all say this all the time - that all countries have their negatives and positives, just like all people have their negatives and positives. But the people at BP that make these continuous divisive, stereotypical and biased posts do not care. But we keep saying it anyway. Maybe just for our fellow Pandas to know that we object and that it's unbalanced and unfair. Oh well.
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