Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Things Seem Normal In Their Country And Strange In Another Culture

People Break Down Which Things Seem Normal In Their Country And Strange In Another Culture

When traveling abroad, one need only set one foot in a foreign country and realize just how different their culture and customs are to ours.

While Americans would certainly expect this in countries on different continents, where they speak a different language, they might find themselves surprised that even our northern neighbors in Canada still have a noticeably different way of life to ours.

And likewise, visitors from abroad, be it Canada or Cambodia, will likely find themselves startled at things Americans find commonplace.

Redditor kerris2508 was curious to learn about things which are everyday occurrences in some countries which foreigners might find bizarre, leading them to ask:

"What is something that in your culture is normal, but in another place is a weird thing?"


All in one shopping!

"Getting a sausage from a hardware shop."- effjayyelle

Self-sufficient babies.

"To leave the stroller. with the sleeping baby inside it, outside a café, while the mom/dad sits inside, if the weather is good.

"Denmark."

"It's a common thing all over Scandinavia/Scandinavian Peninsula."

"I'm specifically mentioning Denmark because I live here."- Lumisateessa

Don't be fooled by their gaze

"In Vietnam, when you order in places with menus."

"The waiter will stare at you when you chose food."- The-tank-has

Staring Jon Hamm GIF by NETFLIXGiphy

Make up your minds!

"Using a puzzling mixture of metric and imperial measurements, for example, measuring cooking ingredients in grams but measuring body weight in stones."- TailsxCream4Eva

A dark sense of humor?

"Some casual Iranian sayings of endearment:"

“'I want to eat your liver'.”

“'I will sacrifice my life for you'.”

“'My stomach is tight for you'.”

“'Wishing your breath to be warm'.”

"Not endearing, but 'dirt on your head' if you are upset with someone, essentially meaning that you should be buried'."- fatdonkey54

Read my lips. No, I'm serious.

"Pointing to a direction with your lips."- The_Crow

Luv U Better Flirting GIF by LL Cool JGiphy

A unique, national holiday.

"Celebrating a chubby, mystical, groundhog that can predict the end of winter based on its shadow :o."- Senator_Morgana

Be proud of your home, wherever you go!

"I wouldn't say this is part of my culture, but in both Kenya and India, when you go to the movies they play the national anthem on screen before the trailers and everyone has to stand up."

"I'd been away for so long that I'd completely forgotten this craziness and was visiting my mum, went to watch a movie, everyone stood up and I was so confused until the memories were unlocked."- ArterialSludge

We're all family!

"Addressing strangers using terms used for family members like brother, sister, uncle, aunty, grandpa, etc."

"The most common being brother/sister."

"We have unique words representing all 4 variations of little/big brother/sister."

"And guess what, one day you would be calling a girl 'baini' (little sister), that girl be calling you 'dai' (big brother) and a couple weeks later you are dating each other and ditch the sibling style addressing."

"Then you either call each other by name or come up with nicknames."

"I'm from Nepal."- secCcosMOS

Im Good Fx Networks GIF by Reservation DogsGiphy

Worshiping the ground you walk on.

"Touching elders' feet as a greeting and sign of respect."- ScallionUnited192

No restless leg syndrome here!

"Standing while working."

"Bet you’ll never guess where I live."- Th3MysticArcher

Nothing wrong with saving yourself...

"I dunno if it's a culture thing coz some do it, some don't : bride and groom have to tell whether they're virgin or not to the priest / someone who'll perform the wedding...in front of people."

"And they will perform some kind of ritual or some sh*t."

"I wasn't even aware of this thing until a year ago."

"No way in hell I'll do that in future."- calloftheVoid__

Oh My God Reaction GIF by LifetimeGiphy

Nothing wrong with a little affection

"Men holding hands while walking."- born_of_water

"Brazilians, and most Latin people, are super physical when it comes to showing affecting to everyone."

"Even strangers."

"it’s normal to meet someone and hug them and kiss them in the cheek."

"I was shocked when my best friend, who’s a Canadian, said she never hugs her friends because it’s really weird to do it there."

"LOL."- brazilian-queen

Depending on where you're from...

"The Pledge of Allegiance."- Guska-siilka

Some places are luckier than others

"Constant disasters."

"I thought it was normal until i saw a video talking about how my country is screwed."- thinkwithmorethanone

An effective healthcare system? The Very Thought!

"I love the Dutch healthcare system."

"Went to the doc, everything was arranged."

'No calls, all visible in online environment."

"A message your prescription can be picked up outside the pharmacy with code xxxxx."

"I pick it up from an automat, no need to wait in a line."

"And the next appointment was already made online automatically."

"All free of any charge, love it."- Remseey2907

Health Care GIF by Creative CourageGiphy

Bidets are due for a comeback.

"Apparently, washing our a** with water."- themachinedoll

Will cash soon be a thing of the past?

"Paying for everything via phone."

"Even some beggars will have a code for people to scan so they can donate."

"Cash is really uncommon nowadays."

"Most people don't carry cash anymore when going shopping except old people."

"We use AliPay/WechatPay in China."- Thetrucksimfan2

Thats quite a variation on "red sauce"...

"Strawberry sauce and pasta."- SakuraSpice

Strawberry GIFGiphy

Culture shock is very real, and takes some getting used to.

But rather than gape at things with an open mouth, try thinking about them with an open mind in your new surroundings.

And who knows, you might find yourself bringing these customs back home with you.


More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Hillary Clinton; Liam Ramos; Tammy Duckworth
Alex Wong/Getty Images; Columbia Heights Public Schools; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Dems Blast ICE After 5-Year-Old Minnesota Boy Is Detained On His Way Home From Preschool

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Illinois Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth were among the Democrats who condemned ICE after agents detained 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father on their way home from preschool in the Minneapolis area.

Ramos is the fourth student from the Columbia Heights School District to be swept up in the Trump administration's nationwide immigration crackdown. District officials and a family attorney confirmed the boy and his father are in custody at an ICE facility in Texas.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt; Donald Trump
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Gives Bonkers Excuse After Trump Is Spotted With Massive Bruise On His Left Hand

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was called out after she gave a dubious excuse for what happened to President Donald Trump after he was spotted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday with a large bruise on his left hand.

Last year, rumors swirled that Trump was on his deathbed after he wasn't seen for several days and the White House cancelled his public appearances, a development that fueled speculation in large part because of Trump's recent health problems, which include a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency and sightings of a harsh bruise on his right hand.

Keep ReadingShow less
A group of men sitting on lawn furniture
men sitting on chairs
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Men Reveal The Mistakes They See Younger Guys Repeatedly Making

There are countless male stereotypes.

Stereotypes which, sadly, still remain all too true among far too many oblivious men.

Keep ReadingShow less
Troye Sivan (left) and a screenshot from the now-deleted video posted by an aesthetic doctor critiquing the singer’s appearance (right).
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; @drrzayn/Instagram

Singer And Actor Troye Sivan Speaks Out After Plastic Surgeon Says He Should 'Re-Twinkify' Himself

Out of all the unsolicited advice that circulates online, being publicly critiqued for aging may be one of the most jarring, especially when it comes from a stranger with a platform and a medical title.

That was the experience Australian singer, songwriter, and actor Troye Sivan recently unpacked after a plastic surgeon posted a video dissecting his appearance without permission.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @its.avelyn's TikTok video
@its.avelyn/TikTok

Woman's Hack For How To Find The Sweetest Oranges At The Grocery Store Is Both Hilarious And Helpful

Let's be honest, in this economy, groceries are atrociously expensive, and we could use every shopping and saving hack we can find.

TikToker @its.avelyn delivered when she shared a fellow TikToker's hack for finding the sweetest navel oranges at the grocery store, allowing us to buy the fruit we want and get our money's worth in the process.

Keep ReadingShow less