Travel is awesome. It opens your mind, makes you more empathetic, lets you meet new people, gives you an excuse to eat tasty food, and allows you to go on actual adventures. What’s not to love? One of the best things about going abroad is that you get to experience cultures that might be very different from what you’ve known all of your life.
At times, those cultural norms can seem quite bizarre to outsiders. Some of the members of the r/AskReddit community shared the weird and cool things that are completely normal in their home countries but would confuse or amuse tourists. We’ve collected some of their most interesting insights below. Put on your hiking boots, grab your backpack, and scroll down to start your trip.
At times, those cultural norms can seem quite bizarre to outsiders. Some of the members of the r/AskReddit community shared the weird and cool things that are completely normal in their home countries but would confuse or amuse tourists. We’ve collected some of their most interesting insights below. Put on your hiking boots, grab your backpack, and scroll down to start your trip.
#21
In my family's home country, it is normal to "try" things out in food stands, like, just shove your hand in the pile and try one, you like it? You buy by weight from the pile of whatever it is you tried. And it is apparently totally acceptable to just snack on whatever while you shop and browse through the store, as long as you buy something at the end.
I had a massive cultural shock on my first visit ?.
I had a massive cultural shock on my first visit ?.
Report
0points
#23
If we're having a casual gathering at a house, we usually don't sit on long tables but put newspapers on the floor as a makeshift "dining table" and sit around it to eat
I've had parties like this my whole life and it was only when my foreigner friends got culture shock from it did I realize it's not a norm in other countries.
I've had parties like this my whole life and it was only when my foreigner friends got culture shock from it did I realize it's not a norm in other countries.
Report
0points
#24
Bringing your own alcohol to parties, being naked in saunas, ice bathing, no gendered toilets.
Report
0points
#26
Asking “how are you?” after greeting someone, and no, you are not supposed to answer this question. Goes like “how are you” ping pong. Especially weird when you switch to silence right afterwards (shop/taxi/store).
Report
0points
#29
Tipping.
It's very strange going to Asia or Europe and walking away from a meal without leaving money on the table or adding an extra $10 to the receipt.
It's very strange going to Asia or Europe and walking away from a meal without leaving money on the table or adding an extra $10 to the receipt.
Report
0points
