Travel,CuriositiesJUN 21, 2023

30 People Reveal The Biggest Culture Shock They’ve Ever Encountered

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Traveling to another country is often very exciting and fun; however, it can often be followed by culture shock. There are so many different people and traditions in the world that it's not surprising they often catch us off guard. Some countries are more introverted and people there keep to themselves, while in other cultures it's often normal to say 'hello' and smile at strangers.

With this in mind, some online users asked others to share the weirdest and most shocking differences they noticed in cultures, and many chimed in to share. We have gathered answers from many threads, and here are some of the best ones. If you have anything to share, make sure to do so in the comments down below.

#1

30 People Reveal The Biggest Culture Shock They’ve Ever Encountered

As a Swede, people here are in general pretty good at not interacting with strangers, looking out for themselves etc.

I was in Thailand during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami, and in the aftermath, holy f**k -- so many Thai people were always helping me and my family, making sure we were well fed, had dry and not too dirty clothes to wear, helped us locate each other as we had gotten separated.

I will NEVER forget how amazed I was. It was neither my first nor my last trip there, but the fact that they were so kind and thoughtful and selfless even during a time of crisis, it showed the world to me and it has given me a permanent faith in humanity.

Ahlvin, Shawn Huang

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445points

We spoke to Dr. Gleb Tsipursky about culture shock and he had lots of great facts to share: "Culture shock is a phenomenon that individuals often experience when they are suddenly immersed in a culture that is different from their own. It's a natural response to the unfamiliar, a reaction to being out of our comfort zone. It's akin to being a fish out of water, where everything you've known and understood about social interactions, behaviors, and norms is suddenly turned on its head."

#2

I'm Black British, but I never felt my race mattered until I went to America.

SFSylvester, TUBARONES PHOTOGRAPHY

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437points

#3

When a large Maori man asked to touch noses with me in greeting. The dude looked pissed until I manned up and was the first to touch noses. Then he had one of the best smiles I've ever seen on a mountain of a man. It lit up the entire cultural center.

TheNaud, U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo

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390points

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky continued on why people experience culture shock in the first place: "People experience culture shock because our brains are wired to seek familiarity and comfort. When we are thrust into a new environment where the language, customs, social norms, and even the food are different, it can be disorienting and stressful. This sudden change can cause anxiety, confusion, and even feelings of isolation."

#4

Moving from war-torn Chechnya to Brooklyn, NY.

I never really understood that life was more than death, that it actually had a purpose.

I never understood that people live their whole entire lives in relative peace and prosperity, simply going to their day jobs all day and partying and drinking all night, without a care in the world.

I lived in Grozny as it burned to the ground in the 1990s, my mother was killed and my sister was horrifically injured, and I spent my time as a homeless 10 year old attempting to survive and somehow get food.

willmaster123

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382points

#5

Mine was also in Japan.

I was walking down a main street in Kyoto on a sunny summer day. Up ahead I see a police car and a policeman and a long folding table on the sidewalk. As I approached, I saw the policeman was flagging down certain drivers with his gloved hand. The drivers pulled over, quietly got out of their cars and calmly took a folding chair at the table.

The police officer produced paper work for the drivers to sign. They each read the paper and signed it and bowed respectfully to the cop. Then they got in their cars and drove away. I watched for a while longer and realized these drivers were being pulled over for traffic infractions. There were cops blocks ahead checking speed, then radioing the cop at the table with descriptions and instructions.

I could not belive it. I kept think about how this might work in America. Every single driver would be screaming in protest. "This is b******t! I wasn't speeding! I'm not gonna sign this! This is B******T!" Blah blah blah.

But the Japanese? They knew they screwed up and meekly and respectfully took their punishment (a small fine). That, my friends, was culture shock. It was even weirder than all the weirdness I saw in Tokyo. And there was a lot of weirdness in Tokyo.

CitizenTed, Chris Gladis

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359points

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky also shared some tips and tricks: "For those experiencing culture shock, I would recommend the following: First, do your research. Understand as much as you can about the new culture before you immerse yourself in it. Second, keep an open mind. Different doesn't mean wrong, and there's often much to learn from other ways of life. Third, find a support network. This could be people who are going through the same experience or locals who are willing to help you navigate the new environment. Lastly, take care of your mental health. It's okay to feel overwhelmed, and it's important to acknowledge these feelings and seek help if needed."

#6

I grew up in Japan and moved to the U.S. when I was 9.

Before we moved, I'd only learned about the U.S. from what was on TV so I imagined it was this awesome suburban utopia where everyone was nice and all the houses had huge lawns and school was super clean and awesome. I had so much to look forward to and you could imagine how excited I was to move to the greatest country in the world.

But we moved to Alabama

Pi-Guy, nola.agent

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338points

#7

I am from south-central Texas. Until I was 24, I had never left the state.

Anyway, I get to Las Vegas (of all places) and *Oh my f*****g god, my entire family is disgustingly obese. We should be embarrassed.* Seriously, I am not sure if some sort of convention was going on, but holy cow, everyone was *tiny* compared to us.

Anyway, I got home, felt like s**t and lost 40-ish pounds.

**EDIT:** Whoa. My highest rated comment ever and it's, of all things, about how I used to be a whale.

ThisCityWantsMeDead, Andres Ayrton

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311points

"Culture shock can be both a good and a bad thing. On the one hand, it can be stressful and challenging. On the other hand, it can be a powerful catalyst for personal growth. It forces us to question our assumptions, adapt to new environments, and develop a deeper understanding of the world. So while it can be uncomfortable, it's often an invaluable part of the journey of exploring new cultures," continued Dr. Gleb Tsipursky.

#8

In University, in London, I went to the communal kitchen in just a pair of shorts. When I entered a female Muslim floor-mate started screaming like crazy and ran out. I felt awful.

Until she came back a minute later with her headscarf and started *profusely* apologizing for not wearing it in the first place. I'm standing there mostly naked as she apologized for being rude for thinking she could just hop across the hall and make some food in a few minutes without her headscarf on, and how she should have known better.

Once, she let me in her room, just the two of us, though the door stayed open. We talked about our culture and the differences (we'd bonded a bit over the headscarf thing). That was super, super racy for her and I appreciated what it meant for her (very friendly, very open, very progressive).

gasplikeaperson, THIS IS ZUN

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256points

#9

In Japan, the level of trust is incredible.

I went to a convenience store with no staff. You simply pick your items, drop your cash into a box, and get your change. There is an open box of money in the middle of the store.

eternityinspace, bethom33

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247points

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky also shared a bit about his personal experience of culture shock: "As a globally recognized expert in behavioral science, I've had the opportunity to travel and work in various cultural contexts. One of my most vivid experiences of culture shock was when I first visited Hungary for a research project. The social norms were different - the directness of communication, the importance of tradition, and the strong sense of national pride were all new to me. At first, it was disorienting and even a bit overwhelming. However, as I spent more time there, I began to understand and appreciate these differences. I learned to communicate effectively, to respect and appreciate the traditions. It was a challenging but ultimately enriching experience that underscored for me the importance of adaptability and open-mindedness when encountering new cultures."

#10

Originally from India, went to Finland on student exchange. First night there, I'm at a party and everyone is going to a sauna. I'm prepared with my bathing suit and all, and then bam - find myself in a mixed gendered sauna, with all the people I've been hanging out with all evening, butt naked.

Then after 30 minutes of sweating, they all went rolling naked in the snow. Took me a while to deal with it, and finally get my swimsuit off.

Winebooks

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235points

#11

Grew up in a small town in the Midwest. My highschool had zero dropouts, pregnancies, arrests, etc. I never even saw drugs.

Then I get hired as a cop in a ghetto area of a big city in Florida. Blew my mind.

Moved back home 8 years later. Best decision ever.

TL; DR: FLORIDIANS ARE BAT S**T INSANE

anon, Susn Dybvik

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234points

#12

In India, they do this head-bob that's part nod, part head shake. After 3 months of living there I still had trouble deciphering it. Sometimes it means yes, sometimes it means no, and sometimes it means "I don't have enough information to give you a reasonable answer at this time."

The Indian head-bob is the magic 8-ball of nonverbal communication.

anon

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215points

#13

I stepped off of an airplane in Japan and was suddenly, utterly, illiterate.

Slambovian, Kelly

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193points

#14

When I joined the military. During basic training I learned a lot of things from my own country that didn't cross my mind. For instance, being from a good area from the northeast, I didn't think racism waa as present as it really is in some parts of the country. It really threw me through a loop.

Sad_Little_Bastard, Sharefaith

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174points

#15

My father and I went to japan on a business trip, and we went to some fancy restaurant. Our waiter was extremely polite and very attentive so my dad left a generous tip for him. After the waiter saw the tip he threw a fit, and I mean he really did he started screaming randomly at what appeared to be the manager, and other workers. Apparently he took it as a sign of disrespect because he thinks we thought he was extremely poor, and left him the tip to help him out with his "troubles" needless to say never tipped in Japan again..

anon, Ketut Subiyanto

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174points

#16

I spent most of my life in big cities. I moved to a small town in rural Ohio for 3 years for a job. (just outside Amish country)

Billboards EVERYWHERE saying that I am going to hell or the true worship day is Saturday and Satan changed it to Sunday.

JoyfulStingray, codersquid

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160points

#17

When I was a kid we didn't have a lot of money, but my parents worked hard to give me the best life they could.

I remember one weekend, when I was about 7, my dad had gotten an odd job to help this guy with some landscaping and to clear out some old furniture. My mom was working and we couldn't find anyone to watch me, so he brought me along, because the guy had a two kids I could play with.

When we got there I couldn't believe how big the house and property were. We had recently moved out of a basement apartment and into a house, which I thought was huge, but their house was at least twice the size and they had a giant lawn, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.

I had never seen anything like it, aside from TV shows and movies, so it felt a bit surreal. The family was really nice though and I had fun playing with his kids. I remember as I was leaving he gave me a baseball, which I still have to this day.

-eDgAR-

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154points

#18

From California, visited the south..... Racism, so much racism. Also really great barbecue,

badwriter559

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153points

#19

I was teaching a class in South Carolina (I live in Minnesota) and sat down to eat lunch with all the guys I was teaching. Took a bite of my sandwich and noticed no one else was eating yet. I paused for a minute and one of them piped in that they were ready to say grace. I had never experienced group prayer before lunch, especially in the workplace. Definitely a shock for me.

JillLars, Nicole Michalou

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152points

#20

American university campus culture.

Compared to Canada, people are simply WAY more excited about absolutely every little minute aspect of their school - especially sports teams, fraternities and sororities. Back home, people simply did not give a s**t about any of those to nearly the same degree - you go to class, hang out with friends, maybe catch a game if you're bored and there's nothing better to do, but it's really not a big deal. Being a varsity athlete in the USA made you like a god, being a varsity athlete in Canada makes you annoying if you bring it up too often in conversation.

It was like hanging around some church that you're not a member of. Everyone would dress the same, do the same things, chant things and get extremely worked up about stuff that means absolutely nothing to you. Also, the classes were way easier, which I suppose gives a lot more free time for those other activities. I can't even count the amount of times I spent exchanging awkward glances with the other international students expressing feelings of "are these people serious?".

Edit: Also, Legacy admissions are a thing in the states. Seriously, what in the name of f**k? How can anyone justify putting up with that b******t going on in schools?

fencerman

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151points

177