People Share The Things They Consider 'Normal' In Their Country That Would Shock Tourists

What's normal but a setting on the clothes dryer?

What we label "normal" would often be best described as "common." Normal is defined as "conforming to a standard" or "the usual, average, or typical state or condition."

If something occurs frequently, it's labeled normal. If it rarely happens, it's abnormal.

But something may happen all the time in one place and almost never happen in another.

So is it normal or not? What we call normal is completely relative.

Reddit user moonveil96 asked:

"What’s a super 'normal' thing in your country that would completely confuse or shock someone visiting for the first time?"

Fire Signs

"We have multiple levels on our the bushfire risk scale in Australia."

"'Very high' is in the middle. The final level is 'catastrophic'."

~ Toucan_Based_Economy

Locks

"Leaving your car unlocked so people can escape polar bears in the arctic."

~ Shytemagnet

X-ing

"Vietnam—crossing the road."

~ Numerous-Section-805

"Keep walking, don't rush, don't slow down, don't make eye-contact. Just trust that the mopeds will part."

~ BobsMagnificentTum

"That’s it. It’s terrifying to enter those busy streets that seem chaotic, but it’s the random that creates problems."

"Walk normal and people know what to expect. You deviate from that and you might get hit."

~ TheReal-Chris

¿Comer?

"In Spain, I would say that one of the things is the dinner/lunch times."

"For many people it is too late."

~ Lebronsito19

"The trick is to do the in-between snacks:

• 7ish: desayuno (breakfast)
• 11ish: almuerzo
• 2ish: comida (lunch)
• 5ish: merienda
• 9ish: cena (dinner)"

Source: my abuela"

Kiss And Tell

"Argentina. There's an old tradition where if you see a kid lost on the beach, you pick them up on your shoulders and walk along the beach clapping. People who see this should clap too, so the parents have an easy way to find the kid."

"Also, we kiss (on the cheek) among friends, even guys."

"I have a little story about this: My wife used to work for a big US company. One time, her female colleague, and her colleague's husband (who was the boss to both of them) came to our country for an audit or something."

"We invited them to dinner, and when I met them, since for me it was a social thing, I kissed them both. I did notice the guy (he is a comically HUGE irish guy, I'm 1.8m and had to stand on tiptoes to kiss him) kinda froze, but I didn't think much of it."

"My wife told me a few days later that the boss had used me as an example during one of those corporate things they do about culture clashes. He also mentioned I had been the first man to kiss him, and that his wife scolded him at the time with a 'don't be a baby about it, it's their way!'."

"We met them again a few months ago, I grinned and asked him if I could kiss him again. 'Maybe a little one' was his answer."

"Absolutely awesome guy, funny, and clearly a man of the world. 10/10 would kiss again."

~ MyOtherAcctsAPorsche

Really Being Pro-Life

"After a baby is born, there will be a nurse in your house for 7-10 days."

"They will take care of the baby, teach the parents how to do the basic stuff, doing some household chores etc... This is covered by health insurance."

~ Kooky-Law-2834

"Netherlands—it's called Kraamzorg, basic (mandatory) health insurance requires about €4/hour payment, but some companies absorb this so it's totally free."

~ Downtown-Flight7423

Brrrrr... 🥶

"Across Scandinavia, putting babies alone outside in their strollers during the winter so they can nap."

~ N3MO_Sports

"If I remember correctly from what my Swedish friends said, the babies are bundled still but get fresh air out on a balcony or outside in a pram."

"It basically has to do with the belief that fresh cool air is good for you and helps build strong healthy lungs."

~ Its_Pine

Complimentary

" Germany, saying phrases like 'I'm happy for you' or 'good for you' are automatically perceived as sarcastic."

~ Marcysdad

"I once told a German who did a great job at something that he did a great job. He looked like he was going to cry."

"He just had no way of processing those words. It was weird."

~ BarrySix

"'Huh... That's not bad' is the highest compliment in Germany."

~ Real_Guru

Pompeii Who?

"Building a major city riiiight next to an active volcano. Italians like to live on the edge."

~ Neurotic_Good42

"At least 800 million people live around active volcanoes, so you might have to narrow that one down a bit!"

"Volcanologists actually have a bi-annual conference called 'Cities on Volcanoes' to discuss the challenges of having major settlements in volcanically active zones (source: I am a volcanologist)."

"Maybe it's been to your city!"

~ ItsGonnaGetRocky

Look Out Below

"Specific to my state, but iguanas falling from trees in the winter in Florida."

~ barbeqdbrwniez

"OK, but the story about the guy who found 'dead' iguanas and put them in his car to take home to eat, but then they all woke up in the warm car and scared the crap out of him and he crashed his car is hysterical."

~ Magerimoje

Umbrellas Over Laptops

"Korea—My wife and I have left her Chanel bag, laptops, phones and wallets on the tables and no one would take it at the cafes or restaurants."

"That said, we had our umbrella stolen by some punk kid who confused his with ours, and his mom argued with us. Had my bike stolen too. So Umbrellas and bikes get stolen a lot."

"Also real soju, not the stuff you find in other countries that are weak and fruity, will f*ck you up so hard and fast before you realize it."

~ KanpaiMagpie

Balancing Act

"Selling food from off the top of their heads (Ghana)."

~ saggysideboob

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem

"Going to the shops in bare feet is pretty common and normal in New Zealand."

~ MrsNeilPHarris

Dive Bombers

"Two words: Swooping Season."

"Not unique to our country, but I’m not sure it’s as prevalent anywhere else."

"There are some months that you can’t walk anywhere in Australia without being swooped by Magpies, Plovers or Minor birds."

~ sweet_kitty26

Au Naturel

"Finland: naked in the sauna. But what if it's in a public pool? Naked. Changing cubicle? Nope, communal space and communal showers. Naked."

"There are even signs next to the public sauna doors with a picture of a swimming costume and an X over the top."

"In fact, if you go to the Yrjönkatu public pool in Helsinki, you can be naked in the swimming pool during dedicated times. Certainly, at most private homes or cottages, you'll be naked in the sauna, possibly in mixed-gender company, and naked in the frozen lake to swim too."

"It's just human bodies. We all have them."

~ cardboard-kansio

Is there a custom where you live that shocks tourists?