Different cultures have different ways of communicating and doing things. In some cases, they can be quirky but amusing. Like "La Mordida" in Mexico, smashing the face of the birthday person in their birthday cake. Others are much more nuanced, like the respect for personal space. At least that was the thing I had to get used to when I came back home: people standing extremely close to me in a queue.
As Reddit is a melting pot of people from different regions and cultures, they surely have experienced similar confusion while traveling. That's why when one person asked "What's the biggest culture shock you've experienced when visiting another country?", over 5,000 people decided to share.
And what about you, Pandas? Have you ever experienced culture shock in another country? What was it like? Check out people's answers and don't forget to share your story in the comments down below!
Bored Panda reached out to a professional traveler from Melbourne, Australia James Clark. He's been a digital nomad since 2003 and started his blog Nomadic Notes in 2009. We asked James to tell us more about the culture shocks he has experienced throughout his many years of traveling and what his tips are to overcome them. Read our conversation with him below!
#1
I was in Myeodong, South Korea in the spring and it was raining. The Myeongdong bus stop to the airport has no shelter, it’s just on the side of the road, but when it rains, somebody, I’m guessing the nearby store owners, leave umbrellas for the bus goers to use, which the bus goers use and leave hanging on the railing when they board the bus. There were so many pretty umbrellas hung along the railing and nobody stole them. They were just there for anyone to use and that was a huge shock for me..
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155points
#2
Very trivial, but we sat at a table in England for an hour after finishing our meal, waiting on our bill. The kind server took pity on our poor sweet American asses and told us we needed to ask for the check, since it was rude for the server to assume we were ready to go.
154points
#3
In 2019 i was in Turkey and the way men are staring at girls (me) is frustrating. i don’t want to visit muslim countries anymore sorry.
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135points
James Clark travels extensively in Southeast Asia, so his most memorable cultural difference – squat toilets – comes from there. "I encountered squat toilets on my first trip to India, which was an intimidating experience for someone who is not good at squatting."
"One day, I arrived at a guest house that was listed in a guide book. The manager showed me the room before I booked, probably knowing that as a Westerner I wouldn't want a room with a squat toilet."
Knowing what lies ahead, he decided it's best to learn how to use it since it might come in handy in future travels. "I figured I should take the room and learn how to squat, so when I am on the road with no other option, I would be better prepared," James tells Bored Panda.
#4
Georgia (country ). its like visiting grand ma for holidays. everyone wants to feed you by inviting to their table. very very hospitable people. stray dogs clean and all of them have tag on the ear indicating vaccinations.
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118points
#5
India. Bangalore specifically. I couldn’t believe the dichotomy between wealth and poverty. The poverty was the absolute worst I’ve ever seen, and the wealth the most opulent. It really changed me as a person, seeing how an entire people could live in such a horrible hypocrisy.
111points
#6
How late Italians stay up. All night. Every night. Dinner doesn't start until 9pm. Neighborhoods would have big meals that ran until 2am over drinks. You'd sit out eating gelato on a Friday night and see toddlers running around until midnight. Very safe, very friendly city. This was in Tuscany for reference. .
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107points
For newbie travelers, James recommends just accepting the fact that there's no shortcut to getting over culture shock. "If you are new to travel, then nothing can really prepare you for culture shock," he says. "Apart from getting your travel logistics in order, it's better to not overthink things too much. Part of the joy of travel is to experience the differences in culture."
Clark also admits that his many years of traveling has changed the way he views his own culture. "Having lived overseas for decades, my perspective has changed. I usually go back to Australia once a year, and I experience what is called 'reverse culture shock.' For example, I've lived in Asia for many years, so I now find it weird to wear shoes inside. I take my shoes off in Australian homes, even if everyone else is stomping around the house in their outdoor shoes," James tells us.
#7
I remember being in Tokyo and seeing people leave their bags unattended in cafes while they went to the restroom or ordered more food. No one touched them. Coming from a place where you guard your belongings closely, that level of trust was mind-blowing.
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105points
#8
People throwing trash out of car windows in the Balkans, including people on buses. As if it magically disappears once you drive off?
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92points
#9
Was visiting a resort in Jamaica during college
The bartender kept hitting on us and we were trying to nicely get him to stop. I told him sorry I had a boyfriend
He said where’s your boyfriend?
A girlfriend of mine came up to me at that point and I said jokingly - here he is! While hugging her.
His smile abruptly stopped. He sternly said “we don’t do that here” and stopped serving us.
Totally scary. Coming from Canada, I took for granted that at home this would be fairly normal. I forgot that Jamaica is so anti-gay.
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91points
#10
Probably how chatty Americans get when they hear you have a foreign accent.
We're pretty introverted when out in public here in Scandinavia, so it was a big culture shock to have strangers strike up conversation. It was nice, most of the time! But very strange.
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89points
#11
Visiting America from Australia, the number of people who couldn't understand my Australian accent. I'm not even that broad! I had multiple people tell me "sorry I only speak English" which I had to reply "... Me too!"
Ended up having to put on a truly atrocious American accent sometimes which made my sister nearly wet herself laughing. This happened at a few airports too, I would have thought they're used to accents there!
89points
#12
When I was taking a taxi in China, I put extra yuen out for tip. Thank goodness my friend was there to say "NO, that's offensive" before we got out the right change.
Being from the US, I yearn for a livable wage for everyone and not having to subsidize someone's salary. I despise tipping after being in other countries.
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84points
#13
Friend from US visited me in Germany. He was dead confused when we went for a walk in the park and I pulled out two beers. Apparently public drinking like in Germany isn't allowed in the US.
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82points
#14
When I came to England I heard this conversation:
Girl 1: hey y'all'right?
Girl2: I'm good, and you?
Girl1: I'm good.
Girl2: that's good!
Girl2: I'm good, and you?
Girl1: I'm good.
Girl2: that's good!
And then they walk off.
I'm from the Balkans. I had a cultural seizure, not just a shock.
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80points
#15
Rural Scotland. Just how *early* everything closes and how limited things like fast food and convenience stores were. We were driving back to the AirB&B around 10 and it was like everything but the pubs had pulled up shop, even the gas stations. The flip side is how absolutely safe I felt wandering around after dark as a single female in a foreign country. Washing machines in the kitchen. How small/cozy the houses were (that's not a complaint, mind you).
Honestly, the real culture shock was in coming home and how absolutely *busy* things are in the US.
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80points
#16
People telling me I'm getting fat in China and then being surprised that wasn't happy to hear it.
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79points
#17
I spent a long time in Brazil. One thing I picked up is standing close to people and being a little touchy. That people of Ohio did not love it when i came home. Although the kiss greeting caught on.
78points
#18
Berlin. I was shocked when no one would cross the street unless the walk sign was on. It could be 1 AM, no cars on the road, and no one would cross the street. Whenever I did, people stared at me like I had three heads.
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78points
#19
Rural Romania around 2012. Small houses without indoor plumbing or a formal bathroom, with a satellite dish out on the roof. It's like they skipped some steps on the road to modernity. The food, though, was delicious and the people I met were real sweethearts.
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73points
#20
When visiting a very Muslim part of Indonesia and working at a scuba dive shop there, it was their view on dogs. In most Sunni Muslim societies, dogs are seen as unclean. It is forbidden by the Quran to keep them as pets and the only time Muslim people would keep dogs was for protection of the home or livestock, not for companionship.
I heard a lot of stories about locals shooting and poisoning street dogs like it was a perfectly normal thing to do for "pest control"
That would never happen in the West.
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71points