Traveling is all about expanding your horizons, but in the process, you often experience some cultural differences that leave you feeling surprised. Redditor Next_Examination3015 asked, “What’s something you discovered in another culture that felt totally unexpected or even shocking to you?” Here are some of the culture shocks that stood out, according to travelers.
1.
“In the UK, shots are measured for alcoholic beverages. It’s all done by machines, so there’s no going over one shot per drink.”
2.
“In Germany, the grocery checkout clerks basically work at lightning speed when scanning your items.”
3.
“In Jordan, people were driving over the lines on the highway, just slotting in wherever and disregarding the lanes. I had to just say to myself, ‘pretend it’s a video game and just do whatever’ lol. And the unmarked speed bumps, pedestrians slowly crossing the highway at night, and random animals on the road were also big shocks. Once I got into the groove, it wasn’t so bad, but it was an adjustment!”
4.
“Having to wait for a restaurant to open up at 10 p.m. in Madrid to get dinner and then still being the only patron at 11 when people start coming in.”
5.
“In Singapore, there is a literal underground city to escape the heat. There are entire underground malls connecting subway stations. I got really claustrophobic a few times, thinking how far away I was from the outside.”
6.
“Maybe not shocking, but certainly unexpected. I learned that until 2023, in South Korea, when you were born, you were immediately classed as one year old as opposed to zero years old in Western age systems. In 2023, they standardised the age system to bring it into line with Western systems. The end result was that everyone in South Korea got 1 year younger!”
7.
“I had a friend from Thailand. Her mother would always insult me. I looked tired, I was getting fat, my hair looked awful, etc. I told my friend I didn’t want to be around her mother because she hurt my feelings. My friend told me her mother really liked me. In her culture, compliments attract evil forces. By insulting me, she was actually complimenting me.”
8.
“In Japan, I saw more dogs being pushed around in prams than I did babies.”
9.
“Americans eat dinner as early as 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. I’m in France, and 5 p.m. is way too early! We are still at work, then. How are we supposed to cook and eat dinner at five? Even my middle and high school age kids end school at 5:30 or 6 p.m, so they can’t be at home to eat at that time.”
10.
“As a Korean, I was shocked to learn that ‘You look tired’ came off as passive-aggressive in the US. In Korea, it indicates the speaker is caring (and overworking had been regarded as a virtue, so…). You say this a lot to your coworkers or partners as a way to acknowledge or commend their hard work and busy schedule. It’s almost like saying you are incredibly hardworking, but please take care of yourself. I must have come off as a real bitch to American colleagues.”
11.
“While visiting London I was told that if someone behind you quietly clears their throat it’s the New York equivalent of ‘get the f out of the way.'”
12.
“Pregnant women get to jump to the front of the lines and park close to the store in France. There is also parking for large families, right next to handicap parking. Basically, being pregnant or having multiple children is considered a handicap.”
13.
“How all the infrastructure in America is built for cars. There are gigantic cars on gigantic roads everywhere.”
14.
“The bath towels in Korea are so small. I lived in Korea for over a decade and never stopped wondering, ‘How is this preferable?’ I had a huge argument with my Korean husband about replacing our towels.”
15.
When Brits ask ‘How are you?’ they don’t want a real response. It is not a question. Rather, it means hello.”
16.
“On my trip to Japan, I was shocked to learn a few things about Japanese culture. First of all, passengers were completely silent on the subway during rush hour. Also, you can often change each train seat to face the direction of travel (if it doesn’t do so automatically). Finally, you can buy hot tea from vending machines on the street.”
17.
“In Cambodia, almost no one knows how old they are. Birthdays just aren’t really a thing. Had a friend who celebrated a 30th birthday because ‘he felt 30ish’ and a mother told me her son was nine, 10, or 11 maybe.”
18.
“I lived and worked a lot in central Africa, and in places like Congo, men hold hands a lot. If you’re working there, you’ll be holding hands with your boss or coworkers to make a point. Two straight men holding hands and in deep discussion is very common.”
19.
“The biggest culture shock when I moved to America is that people wear their shoes inside their homes (even in New York City!). I’m Canadian, and we do not do this in Canada. I will never get used to it. Every time I’m in someone’s apartment and people have their shoes on, all I can think of is all the dirt and garbage particles being smeared around.”
What is something about another culture that has surprised you while you were traveling to a different country? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.
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