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What’s normal for you and me might not be normal for someone we know who lives abroad. Or their neighbor. One of the harsh truths of life is that reality isn’t always as objective as we might think it is.

In a viral thread, Redditors shared the best examples of what’s completely normal for people from their country and absolutely weird for foreigners. We’ve compiled some of the best answers that we hope will make you smile and laugh.

Scroll down and upvote your favorite things that are normal for some people, but are unusual for the rest of the world. If you enjoyed this list, why not share it with your friends? And be sure to let everyone know in the comments if you’ve got any of your own stories about what’s normal for your country, but that you realize to be strange when you go abroad.

#1

Going bankrupt from medical debt. (USA)

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Ceredwyn Ealanta
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We don't just find it weird, we find it sad and we're worried about if you're okay.

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#2

Everyone rags on the US for using imperial, but can we talk for a second about how weird we are here in the UK for using both inconsistently?

You buy a pint of milk or beer, but a litre of coke and 25ml of whiskey

People know how many miles to the gallon their cars get, but you buy fuel at pence per litre.

You watch the weather forecast and the temperature is in Celsius but the wind speed is in miles per hour

Most people can tell you their weight in kilograms, and their height in feet, and if they can't give you kilograms they can probably give you stone instead, which is even older than pounds, which nobody uses as a unit of measurement, probably because of the confusion between lbs and £...

It's a glorious mess.

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Nunya
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The US also uses Metric...and Imperial. Perhaps not that the extent described. But alcohol, soda, and other products are measured in liters, milliliters, etc. Milk, water, etc are in gallons, ounces, etc. medications are in milligrams but food is in ounces/pounds.

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#3

upset? have a cup of tea

happy? cup of tea

bored? cup of tea

literally any feeling? cup of tea

edit: yes, I’m from the UK, tea is our answer to all of life’s problems.

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Lucas
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, tea. I'm in the UK. My sister got married and had an afternoon tea party. FFS. Celebrating with bloody tea.

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Reddit user Ojlol2’s thread on the ‘Ask Reddit’ subreddit got more than 63,000 upvotes in a day, as well as over 48,000 comments. Wow, now that’s a lot of people wanting to share their experience about how normality can differ from nation to nation.

From bizarre actions to eyebrow-raising phrases, there will always be things that seem out of place, as long as different countries, cultures, and ethnicities exist. And it’s a wonderful thing because a shift in your perspective can lead to more creativity and a more objective understanding of yourself.

#4

Unsuccessfully helping your dad look for one of his missing thongs and then watching him squeeze into one of your mum's so he can go out into the back yard and get the laundry. I'm told the rest of you (incorrectly) call them flip flops. (Australia)

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#5

Eating with our hands.

In 1969 (the same year the man landed on the moon), Miss Gloria Diaz coveted the Philippines' first Miss Universe Crown. During the preliminary Q&A, she was asked "Is it true that you Filipinos use your hand when you eat?" To which she replied "Why? Do you use your feet?" and went her way to winning the crown. (Phillipines)

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#6

Tax not included in advertised price (USA)

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The United States of America is one of the most powerful countries on Planet Earth, but it doesn’t mean that everything its citizens do is the norm across the world. Some things are minor differences. While some take you aback, make you stop, and keep you awake at night thinking about the cosmos, Multiverse theory, and humankind as a whole.

#7

Bears on motorcycles driving on roads, drinking vodka and playing balalaikas.

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Hahaha! Gotcha. What I said was untrue. Russia doesn't have roads.

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#8

Putting broken glass bottles on the walls around your house so burglars cant jump it and rob you. I moved to Canada and they don't even have walls around the houses! (Brazil)

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Guido Pisano
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is not so common but you can find also in italy

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April Simnel
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a child in the 70s, you'd see this in my (rather poor) neighborhood, put in by the older people on the block who were the few homeowners living in the area. By the 80s, those were mostly gone, because that was made illegal. Upper Midwestern city in the US.

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Blueplanet
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In China we used to stick glass shards in wet cement on walls we dont want ppl to jump. It also looked rlly pretty :)

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Anthony J Cornish
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True, but here in Brazil the prepared thief brings a piece of carpet that he can put on top of your broken glass so that he doesn´t cut himself.These days razor wire is used a lot.

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KT Trondsen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in cuba they had that around institutions, as well as razor fence and guards with AK47's

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ispeak catanese
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Puerto Rico we have pretty wrought iron over our windows, doors and carports in any neighborhood. In the US that's only seen in "bad" neighborhoods.

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elfin
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What you have done with a wall like that is informed burglars with thick gloves that you have something inside worth stealing.

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Mireia Dos
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was very common in Spain too 3 decades ago, but you can still see it.

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Luisa Vasconcelos
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Angola have, I can't speak for all country but at least in Luanda (capital city of Angola) we have as the cheapest but effective security system.

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Asi Bassey
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is very common in Nigeria. In fact, the walls around my house have embedded glass shards for security.

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Sergio Bessa
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not common in urban homes in Brazil these days, except in very poor neighborhoods or slums.

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Jeff Requier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The houses in the 60's and 70's used broken bottles in their Stucco before people went to using siding

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Molly A. Block
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen that in New Orleans, too, when I lived there in the 90's.

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Nunya
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US, that would be considered illegal in most states and the homeowner can be sued if the thief is injured.

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Kathleen Barlow
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You find this is Malta also....which is even stranger since it's an incredibly safe country and having your house burgled is a very rare occurrence.

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Melissa Centurion
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have seen this on some of the islands. The use of colored glass made some of these look like art.

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Femur!
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Almost all the houses in México use the same SUPER SECURE AND THREATENING DEFENSE SYSTEM!!!! jajajajajajaja (laughs on Mexican)

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Simon Murray
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was really common in Ireland when I was growing up, you don't see it so much now due to insurance claims

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Florence Hastings
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Glass? Walls? We don’t even lock the doors sometimes! (Denmark). 😏

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Nadine Francis
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess you haven't seen Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Marjorie Merriweather Post had it done surrounding the entire estate in the 20's. It is now owned by that cheeto head in the whitehouse

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Melissa Dowling
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had that in Arizona (USA), except instead of glass, the previous owner had welded nails w/ the pointy part up along the front fence (razor wire around the back fence).

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Jette Wang Wahnon
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and last but not the least,PORTUGAL and though it will not deter hardened criminals it will give owner of walls a chance to make an artistic statement using multi-coloured shards of glass....pretty in sunshine..

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Lily dL
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Really common in Uruguay too (for the ones who can't afford electric fences)

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OdangaUsagi
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US you could sue the house owner if you get hurt on their property. That's why we don't have it here...

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Melissa Hamilton
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was common years ago in the Canary Islands, I think it´s illegal nowadays

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Non-New-Toni-An
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's illegal in England. But I think it should be up to you what you do to your own home!

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Jane Alexander
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have seen this in Wilmington Delaware USA. The DuPont (the chemical people) place, I think.

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miten sasmita
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is also common in indonesia. Some even has barbed wire embbedded into their fences.

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Rose Brien Harrington
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We did this when I lived in Dublin. It was the only way to keep the bastards out of the house.

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Saulo Frota
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was more common in the 80s. Nowadays it's a good way to show the robbers you're broke and you have nothing to steal. Most people now use metal spikes or eletric fences.

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MAN
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There I was thinking broken bottles on walls was peculiar to Ghana lol

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David Jeu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was like that at my high school in Belgium. Looked like a prison.

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Nadia Klima
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

South Africa has the razor wire on the fence. I've seen the glass bottle one, my cats are the only reason I have not tried it

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Jakub Wasilewski
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't worry, with influx of immigrants, they will have walls in Canada as well soon :)

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Lesley Watts
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It used to be common in Britain. Also barbed wire but health and safety ruled it dangerous for the criminals 🙄

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Jon S.
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just looked this up and found that barbed wire and glass topped walls are in fact legal in the uk. They have to be clearly visible (i.e. not set as traps) and more or less have to be inaccessible to children and not a hazard to passersby or visitors such as postmen (basically, above head height). If someone injures themselves on your property in the course of a crime, they can only sue you in some very specific circumstances, usually not at all. The main restriction in their use is actually local planning permission - they are deemed unsightly if publicly visible. Council's fault, not health and safety.

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Andy Betony
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Up until a while ago this was also common in the UK. Now barbed wire/razor wire is more common but mainly on industrial buildings.

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RaroaRaroa
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This reminds me of the US where so many people don't even seem to have fences around their back yards. Not sure how you know where yours ends and the neighbours starts.

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Mark Kelly
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Glad I live in Canada. I have an open garage and nothing stolen.

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Heidi Matsumoto
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Putting broken glass on the walls against burglars is extra....wow... In my country, it''s common to have gates and fences designed to put broken glass on top so burglars can't have the chance to approach your house not even your walls.

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Ana Bazac
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have lived in Canada for 13 years and still can't deal with the no big walls around the house. .. I'm from Mèxico and we have big walls and some with broken glass. .

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Bill
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stupid town council won't let that one fly in most American towns. Stupid zoning laws

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#9

Having a reality tv star as president (USA)

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Emerald Joanna
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or an actor as president? Or a non-American actor as governor? Americans must think that people in the public eye are automatically qualified to run things...

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For example, one thing that is really odd is how Americans write today’s date by starting with the month, then writing down the day, and ending with the year. Most countries in the world start with the day or end with it. While we’re on the subject, how is it that the US still uses the Imperial System? It seems like the American War of Independence didn’t get rid of all of Britain’s influence over the colonies.

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#10

In my high school (US) we had a group of australian students come to live a day in the life of an american high school. They all thought it was so bizarre and cult-ish that every morning we had to stand and recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag with our hands over our hearts. I couldn't agree more that it is, indeed, bizarre and cult-ish.

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#11

Direct democracy in Switzerland. It often baffles me when I read what the government can pull off in other countries without ever involving the population. Like...yea, you get to elect representatives but it often seems to me that those people then elect someone who elects someone who elects someone...is it really still democracy if you're about five steps removed from the actual decisions? (Switzerland)

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#12

Men holding hands in public as a display of friendship is normal in Afghanistan but super weird in the west.

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Constantly tipping everyone, no matter how well they did their jobs, also causes a lot of people to shrug and give Americans peculiar looks. Japan’s a real wonderland in that regard: there’s almost no tipping.

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#13

In my country you bike everywhere. Cars aren't used much. For longer distances you mostly use train and public transport. Also being 6 foot is normal (The Netherlands)

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#14

I have two to share since I'm half and I get to see those every year. Dead. We celebrate dead and we have parades about dead. We laugh about dead. Dead is our friend. In Mexico we treat dead with love and fun.

Also in Japan we celebrate kanamara Matsuri. Wich is basically a parade about fertility with dicks everywhere. Small dicks. Giant dicks. Dicks as food.

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chi-wei shen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This means during Kanamara Matsuri you can tell someone to go eat a d**k without sounding suspicious.

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#15

Small talk in Poland actually is quite sincere. If someone asks you what's up, you tell them exactly that it's s**tty etc.

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#16

Being left off of maps (New Zealand)

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#17

Whole restaurants cheering when a plate or glass is smashed (UK). Once was in a Canadian bar/restaurant on holiday and a waiter dropped a tray of glasses, the local looked horrified when i was out of my seat screaming “wheyyyyyy”

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#18

Leaving your baby alone outside for their nap, even if it rains or snows. (Norway)

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MagicalUnicorn
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lithuanian there, was sleeping in balcony straight out of hospital (born at the end of November), this is also very common in Estonia

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#19

Being middle-class with a property having a 6' wall, electric fencing linked to an alarm, automated gate and garage doors (with security clamps over the gate motor to prevent theft of the motor), security gates over every door, burglar bars, and a house alarm system with infra-red sensors linked to armed response with a reaction time of under 3-4 minutes. (South Africa)

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Catherine Waite
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was something I found very hard to adjust to when I moved to South Africa from the UK. I went from if you forget to close a window or lock a door odds were you would be fine. ~To nope nope nope, you do that and you're probably coming home to an empty house if lacking said security features.

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#20

We have no sun here. Around this time of year everyone start asking each other "You been taking vitamin D?". It doesn't matter if you're talking about feeling sad, dealing with the flu, or missing limbs... you been taking vitamin D bro? (Canada)

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Geoffrey Holland
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It depends on where you are in Canada obviously. We have plenty of sun here on the West coast.

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#21

To get money back when you bring empty plastic bottles to the supermarket. In Germany its called Pfand. Each bottles makes 25 cents.

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Katchen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish we had that where I live. I remember buying soda “gegen Pfand” in Germany and turning the bottle back in.

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#22

On Valentine's day, men don't give any gifts. Only women give gifts, they only give it to men, it's always chocolate, and they get it for all the men in their lives, including coworkers. Then there is a day on the 14th of March where the men reciprocate. The gifts are only from men to women this time, and are chocolate or jewelry or nice clothes, and the amount spent is directly related to the amount of chocolate received. (Japan)

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#23

Eating most of the organs of an animal, I had some people look at me in disgust when I told them how tasty the brain and the heart of an animal are (Romania)

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Heins Zhammer
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that's the main problem with today's western culture-when thinking of a chicken you get chicken breast or a leg rather than a chicken medley. post-CCCP countries (romania, bulgaria, poland, lithuania, the whole eastern block and the balkans), much like still asian and african cultures, utilized not so long ago the whole animal and did not waste any parts, hence the brain (stir fried), gut soup, bone soup, blood sausage, lard with bread, cow tounges and many other delish dishes.

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#24

I think tips are a thing in other countries, but in America you have to tip almost everywhere you eat or you get hardly judged by everyone. And if the tip isn’t big enough, they judge you too. It’s so dumb.

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Wil Vanderheijden
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In civilised countries employees are paid a proper wage and their tips are an extra for them. Tips are considered a token of appreciation on how well the server did. Bad service means no or very small tip. In America servers rely on their tips to get a decent income.

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#25

People are always shocked at in my country: 1) our “public” restroom stalls are constructed in such a way that you can pretty much see what a person is doing in there thanks to a constant crack between the door and its frame... 2) I say “public” in quotes because most of our so-called public restrooms are in private businesses who don’t let our surprisingly very large number of homeless use and since there is no actual fully public restroom to use, said homeless often piss and sometimes even s**t in our streets. Oh- and we have a higher percentage of our population in jail than literally every single nation on earth. (USA)

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Wil Vanderheijden
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A lot of people refer to the US as "Backwardistan" or "Dumbfvckistan" since the tangerine toddler took office.

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#26

Strangers sitting totally naked skin to skin in a steamy room heated to +80 to +100C... and us having competitions on who can last the longest in there. (Finland)

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chi-wei shen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some 50 years ago this was unthinkable in Austria but today it's common for strangers to sit naked in a sauna, except for the skin-to-skin part. Even the slightest touching is totally inappropriate.

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#27

In my friend's country, Easter is when gangs of boys roam the countryside, pouring water over girls and beating them (gently) with sticks. The girls then have to thank them for it. I thought that was pretty weird. (Slovakia)

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#28

Queuing politely (UK)

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Si
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don’t understand the mentality that it’s okay to push in front of somebody who’s already waiting.

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#29

Putting cable ties, branches, fake eyes etc on helmets, buckets and hats in spring time to scare away the birds. Magpies are vicious bastards (Australia)

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OhForSmegSake
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm 30+ and I've never been swooped. In fact I used to take refuge from the school bullies underneath the magpie trees because the birds would swoop the bullies but not me.

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#30

Calling a Traffic Light a Robot (South Africa)

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