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People Explain Which Things Are Considered Normal Around The World But Weird In America

small school children with backpacks in Japan
note thanun on Unsplash

In one of the more memorable scenes of Crocodile Dundee, Mick "Crocodile" Dundee is perplexed by the discovery of a bidet in his New York hotel bathroom.

Since the film's 1986 release, bidets have become less and less common in America.

But young Americans traveling through Europe will likely find bidets in most hotel bathrooms, and react with the same confusion as good old Dundee.

One could almost say that one of the best parts of traveling abroad or expatriating is making discoveries about items, traditions or foods which are common in some countries, but would seem more than a little bizarre back in the US.


Redditor RingoBingo14 was curious to hear things which are common throughout the world that Americans would likely balk at, leading them to ask:
"What is something considered 'weird' in the USA but is normal to the rest of the world?"

Easily Accessible Records

"The way to get Birth certificates."

" Like in Chile and some Latin Countries, we just go to THE government official page, put our names and our numbers, and we have our certificates ready to be downloaded, not only the Birth one."

"I comment this in an AITA post, and I get it why the USA doesn't have it, but if we look the amount of parents that used this like another tactic of abuse by keeping it, if the USA implement this it could be better and one thing less to be worry about in that cases."- BreadWithChancho

Even If The Service Was Spectacular

"Not tipping at every restaurant."- Amazing_Trace

"Not tipping for the dumbest sh*t."

"Like i went to a zoo in the USA and apparently I had to tip the person that passed me an ice cone in a food stand."

"Like lady, i was the one that was standing up in a line to get here."

"You didn't go and deliver it to me."

"Tipping culture is cancer."- Its_Bormin_Time

"Not tipping."

"For anything."

"Anywhere."- thenextchapter28

Tip Tipping GIF by DeRay DavisGiphy

Which Comes First? Month Or Day?

"DD/MM/YYYY."- ricarleite2

Dundee Would Agree!

"Bidets."

"People make fun of mine."

"Jokes on them though, my a**hole is way cleaner than theirs."- sheldonowns

People Have Different Standards Of Hygiene...

"Not refrigerating eggs."- supremedalek925

Dance Food GIFGiphy

No Supersizing Here...

"Smaller portion sizes."- Sad-Aioli-7194

Measures Up...

"The metric system."- ArtichokeTurbulent70

"The metric system."- Bruhfactor21

Independent At An Early Age

"8-year old kids walking to and from school on their own."- DormeDwayne

Walking Fail GIFGiphy

Some Prefer It Lukewarm...

"Soda without ice."- revpar35

Ask Bill De Blasio...

"Eating pizza with a knife and fork."- Environmental-Way-29

If You Can Afford The Data Plan

"Communicating via the iMessage or Whatsapp voice memo feature in day to day life."- felastrobel

sexy chat GIF by Fragmento UniversoGiphy

Don't Even Get Americans Started...

"Not paying for healthcare."- Wrong_Coffee_9457

It's Just An Expression!

"I’ve heard it’s somewhat of a taboo to eat horse meat in the USA."- IceClimbers_Main

It's Very Dangerous!

"Jaywalking."

"What the f*ck America?"- Slugs4breakfast

sacha baron cohen crossing street GIFGiphy

Finger Food!

"Eating sauce with bread using hands it's common here in Tunisia and asian countries, but I never saw an American do that."- Various-Engineer2114

Some Would Just Call It Good Hygeine

"Taking off your shoes before coming inside your home."- fishywig

Is This A Thing?

"To pee on someone's tyre before they leave."- Suspicious_Fun_3641

dog peeing GIFGiphy

No two people have the same opinion on what is "weird" and what is "normal".

And the joys of traveling is to experience a culture different from our own.

But don't let that stop you from keeping your eggs in the fridge.

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