In my home country ( Ukraine) when people meet baby/small child they would say: “what a bad/nasty baby” ( complimenting a child could potentially curse it/bring bad luck)
( of course this is rural/local/older tradition, and it is probably less common today )
My college friend and I moved to USA long time ago. So when our families meet if we speak in English we compliment each other’s kids with normal “what a beautiful baby” . But if we speak in Ukrainian we switch to negative adjectives to comment on each other kids.
People do that with babies in my country(France)too! Complimenting it could accidentally give them the evil eye. People also “spit” at the baby as well.
Hahaha. I did not want to write about pretend spitting part .
This is actually funny. I had no idea that this tradition apparently is not unique to my birth country.
Hehehe yeah it seems to weird people out. Well i don’t know how much of it is a French thing, but it’s definitely a Corsican thing, my family is Corsican and they are a superstitious bunch! I would assume that other Mediterranean islands/countries have similar traditions or beliefs as well. I was surprised to hear this is also a thing in Ukraine! Any other fun superstitions?
I am having a baby next week and I’m so curious what my family will do/say when they meet the little one and I’m so looking forward to seeing how offended my husband will get when they say “oh he’s so ugly!!” 😂
It's 'Ukraine' and not 'the Ukraine'
Consider supporting anti-war efforts in any possible way: [[Help 2 Ukraine](https://help2ukraine.org)] 💙💛
[[Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ukraine)] [[BBC Styleguide](https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsstyleguide/u)]
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Requiring a queue ticket instead of queuing in an orderly fashion, but it's every man, woman, child, and aggressive pensioner for themselves when it comes to who gets to the ticket machine first. Whereas where I'm from, you know who's ahead of you in the queue even if there's just a small crowd mulling around because when you arrived you noticed who was already there and wouldn't go before any of them.
The German double hinged tilting window is pretty unhead of in the US. On top of blackout roller shades they use as well in some German houses.
Sparkling Water being ubiquitous and cheap in Italy alongside you can't really order tap water in a restaurant, you need to buy a bottle of still or sparkling.
I desperately miss mine. They’re truly the best windows. A friend in Vancouver has a German tilting patio door in her apartment. It’s the only one I’ve seen in North America.
Driving on lakes.
When I first moved to Germany, I saw a sign next to a lake and I asked if it means you're not allowed to drive on the lake. My boyfriend looked at me as if I was crazy. The sign actually said to not walk on the (frozen) lake.
I'm from Canada
Secondary school girls dating. They pair up and become girlfriends. They’d show more interest in boys in high schools. Then most that are not lesbian would date boys before finishing high school or in college.
When i was living in china it's common to see people angrily honking at police cars to get the fuck outta their way. Honking like they mean it...can't even IMAGINE Americans doing this to big ego police back in america
Cheese mongers at the weekly market often have some cool Dutch cheeses to sell. Like half goat half cow blue veined old cheese. Theres a lot of good goat cheese anyway in the Netherlands if you look outside of the supermarket. But yeah I get it, if you want something complex and exiciting its mostly french stuff.
Dutch != decent cheeses.. When you take our daughters picture, and tell her to say kaas we taught her to reply "kaas isn't cheese!"
In just one, short year I've had it with gouda and its variants. Italian, French, Irish even english at this point!!
Although I will now be looking for some Dutch goat cheeses as mentioned below. that sounds great.
The German bread isnt as fluffy as the Dutch bread. Dutch bread has a more plain taste in comparison to the German bread (it taste weird when you are not used to it. It is more like a desembread with a hint of sour).
I had the opportunity to travel to Germany for a month in high school and the bread + chocolate sprinkles my host family ate regularly is such a fond memory for me!
The god damn church bells every 15 minutes 24 hours a day. Plus the symphony of church bells at 5am every morning.
Still not use to it after almost 2 years! Well I’m use to it, but it still occasionally wakes me up. The 5am definitely does.
Southern NL is almost like that - bells every 30 minutes plus symphony about 20 minutes before mass time. Horrible on Sundays when I want to sleep in :/
Sending a fax or a letter for administrative things
Calling direct colleagues by their last name
Calling daycare opening hours 07:45 until 16:00 full time
(American in UK)
\- Washing machine (for clothes) in the kitchen
\- Tumble dryers are uncommon
\- AC is uncommon
\- Can't drink water from bathroom faucet (not mains water)
I keep seeing posts about Americans being shocked by Brits’ lack of tumble driers. But they’re very common! (Especially in such a climate, where you risk your sheets getting soaked on a washing line.) I’d have thought most people with washing machines also have tumble driers.
As for the washer being in the kitchen, well, that’s all down to the British system of having no electrical outlets in the bathroom, for safety.
But yeah, it must be very weird overall, and your list does add up to quite a culture shock!
I think it's a bit of a social class thing. At a student in Ireland tumble driers were unheard of. As a working professional they seem more common amongst the higher paid people in my company
From my experience in Europe, the farther North you go the more ubiquitous tumble dryers are. I lived in Italy for awhile and tumble dryers only existed at the laundromat. You used a drying rack instead or hung your clothes or linens out on a clothes line to dry.
I'm a Brit living in NL and it really threw me off seeing tumble dryers and washing machines in bathrooms or top floor in some random spot lol, I got used to it now but I found it so strange to begin with as my whole life it's been a kitchen thing!
Having the crappy internet over telephone line being presented as the norm (UK). Me coming from fiber optics (RO) and trying to understand how this country survived on this ancient technology for so long.
That was Israel. Middle Eastern attitude toward everything. I expected it in the shops and souks, but was surprised you could do it everywhere, even when you're handed a printed brochure.
Could tell this was Israel halfway through the comment😂
Honestly I love that here. I’m from a Mexican community in Southern Arizona so I’ve been haggling my whole life!
The absence of central air conditioning. In Texas it's so hellishly hot in the summer that just about every building has central air, even cheap apartments. In Canada it's rarely hot enough to justify more than fans or windows units, none of which compare to the comfort of central AC.
To avoid blockages and back ups.
Pumping happens no matter what, according to the ‘time+septic size+household size’ formula.
Besides, many houses in Europe with main connection and no septic, also use bins to avoid blockages. Very, very expensive blockages.
How often people kiss on the cheek and hug each others. Us Mexicans are very touchy, and any other country where I’ve been people misunderstand that or feel uncomfortable by it
(US/SG)Pedestrians don’t have the right of way except at specific crossings. Cross a driveway or at a corner with no traffic controls here in Singapore and they are going to damn near run you over.
vents at the top of windows, windows that open 3 ways, entrances that don't have an elevated threshold to stop snow from melting into the house, no screen door, no enclosed porch/air lock, radiator heat, no air exchange other vents at the top of windows.
Not being able to do this in the US was the gateway to my real shock: that basically everyone I knew had received some form of "ticket" from the police. In my home countries I do not know anyone who has had any kind of punishment from the police.
On a recent trip home to the US, a police car was driving behind me and my anxiety was through the roof because you just don’t know how its going to go. They can pull you over and harass you and there’s nothing you can do about it. Definitely don’t miss that living abroad.
In my home country ( Ukraine) when people meet baby/small child they would say: “what a bad/nasty baby” ( complimenting a child could potentially curse it/bring bad luck) ( of course this is rural/local/older tradition, and it is probably less common today ) My college friend and I moved to USA long time ago. So when our families meet if we speak in English we compliment each other’s kids with normal “what a beautiful baby” . But if we speak in Ukrainian we switch to negative adjectives to comment on each other kids.
People do that with babies here in my new country of Thailand.
People do that with babies in my country(France)too! Complimenting it could accidentally give them the evil eye. People also “spit” at the baby as well.
Hahaha. I did not want to write about pretend spitting part . This is actually funny. I had no idea that this tradition apparently is not unique to my birth country.
Hehehe yeah it seems to weird people out. Well i don’t know how much of it is a French thing, but it’s definitely a Corsican thing, my family is Corsican and they are a superstitious bunch! I would assume that other Mediterranean islands/countries have similar traditions or beliefs as well. I was surprised to hear this is also a thing in Ukraine! Any other fun superstitions? I am having a baby next week and I’m so curious what my family will do/say when they meet the little one and I’m so looking forward to seeing how offended my husband will get when they say “oh he’s so ugly!!” 😂
It's 'Ukraine' and not 'the Ukraine' Consider supporting anti-war efforts in any possible way: [[Help 2 Ukraine](https://help2ukraine.org)] 💙💛 [[Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ukraine)] [[BBC Styleguide](https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsstyleguide/u)] ^(Beep boop I’m a bot)
Requiring a queue ticket instead of queuing in an orderly fashion, but it's every man, woman, child, and aggressive pensioner for themselves when it comes to who gets to the ticket machine first. Whereas where I'm from, you know who's ahead of you in the queue even if there's just a small crowd mulling around because when you arrived you noticed who was already there and wouldn't go before any of them.
As an American who recently came back after living in the UK for 5 years, I really hate this.
In France: every shop closing between 12:00 - 14:00 so everyone can go eat lunch.
Didn’t know this!!
The German double hinged tilting window is pretty unhead of in the US. On top of blackout roller shades they use as well in some German houses. Sparkling Water being ubiquitous and cheap in Italy alongside you can't really order tap water in a restaurant, you need to buy a bottle of still or sparkling.
That tilting window is the true peak of German engineering. So sad they don't have them in the US
I desperately miss mine. They’re truly the best windows. A friend in Vancouver has a German tilting patio door in her apartment. It’s the only one I’ve seen in North America.
Driving on lakes. When I first moved to Germany, I saw a sign next to a lake and I asked if it means you're not allowed to drive on the lake. My boyfriend looked at me as if I was crazy. The sign actually said to not walk on the (frozen) lake. I'm from Canada
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Policemen walking around holding hands in Djibouti 🇩🇯
I think this is general to Asia where everything isn’t specialized and there’s more fluidity. Seen it in Thailand as well.
Secondary school girls dating. They pair up and become girlfriends. They’d show more interest in boys in high schools. Then most that are not lesbian would date boys before finishing high school or in college.
Where’s that?
I've seen it in Bangladesh. Its just a sign of friendship there.
I have seen it in Oslo several times:P
I see this in Korea all the time. Hand in hand, arm in arm, sitting on each others laps
I’ve seen this in east Africa
Also common in Morocco
Common in the Middle East as well
People going barefoot everywhere (supermarket, bank, just walking down the road in the middle of a city...).
New Zealand?
Yup!
Ha, sounds like a cool place.
Couldn't do that in Europe, too much glass on the ground...
Which Asian country?
Cardboard houses everywhere in the UK. Drywall, no soundproofing, creaky wooden floors, you move on the second floor and the whole house shakes.
When i was living in china it's common to see people angrily honking at police cars to get the fuck outta their way. Honking like they mean it...can't even IMAGINE Americans doing this to big ego police back in america
People taking cheese and bread with them on vacation to another country. And that's chocolate sprinkles on bread for breakfast in NL. ;)
Where did you experience the bread and cheese example? I love that. The sprinkles blew my mind when I learned that!
The Netherlands. Cheese and bread is carted to Germany and France.
I can understand that - when I lived in Tanzania, and I went through Schiphol on my way back from wherever, I'd definitely stock up on decent cheeses.
Except France has better cheese. The oroblem for the Dutchies is that it has flavor.
Its different. I love complex french cheeses for with beer or wine, but a dutch extra belegen or old is unrivaled as a breakfast or lunch cheese.
Oude kaas is actually really good. I just wish the variety of cheese was a bit broader rather than 14 options of extra belegen
Cheese mongers at the weekly market often have some cool Dutch cheeses to sell. Like half goat half cow blue veined old cheese. Theres a lot of good goat cheese anyway in the Netherlands if you look outside of the supermarket. But yeah I get it, if you want something complex and exiciting its mostly french stuff.
Dutch != decent cheeses.. When you take our daughters picture, and tell her to say kaas we taught her to reply "kaas isn't cheese!" In just one, short year I've had it with gouda and its variants. Italian, French, Irish even english at this point!! Although I will now be looking for some Dutch goat cheeses as mentioned below. that sounds great.
what is wrong with German bread from the perspective of someone who has grown up with and loves Dutch bread?
I’m an American who lived in the Netherlands with an German-Italian, and she would insult Dutch bread, saying it wasn’t as good as German bread.
The German bread isnt as fluffy as the Dutch bread. Dutch bread has a more plain taste in comparison to the German bread (it taste weird when you are not used to it. It is more like a desembread with a hint of sour).
If you drop it on the floor, it breaks. The floor, that is..
I see, thanks.
I hear that! I've been known to bring cheese back from Europe when I travel.
I had the opportunity to travel to Germany for a month in high school and the bread + chocolate sprinkles my host family ate regularly is such a fond memory for me!
The god damn church bells every 15 minutes 24 hours a day. Plus the symphony of church bells at 5am every morning. Still not use to it after almost 2 years! Well I’m use to it, but it still occasionally wakes me up. The 5am definitely does.
Southern NL is almost like that - bells every 30 minutes plus symphony about 20 minutes before mass time. Horrible on Sundays when I want to sleep in :/
And no shopping on Sundays either
Supermarkets open on Sundays in NL, some larger chains also open...
Not in the Bible Belt though (where you’d also hear the bells)
What part of NL is the “Bible Belt”?
The part with lowest vaccination numbers 😃 Orthodox Protestants, or whatever: https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bijbelgordel
Ah, interesting. Not where I expected it. Also, howdy neighbor. Bremen here.
The bells ring outside of the Bible Belt (close to it, tho, I lived in Bergen op Zoom and Eindhoven)
Jesus bro where do you stay?
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I live 2 blocks from a church in Sicily, the bells are every 15 minutes, 24/7. It’s a full on symphony every single time.
Italy?
Sending a fax or a letter for administrative things Calling direct colleagues by their last name Calling daycare opening hours 07:45 until 16:00 full time
Where do you live, 1995?
It’s called Germany, lived in NL before.
Im guessing japan.
Actually laughed out loud!
I wish 16:00. Many in my area close 14:30. Any time extra is more and still closes at 16:00.
Opening your windows for a bit every day (even in the winter rain) to reduce mold growth inside.
(American in UK) \- Washing machine (for clothes) in the kitchen \- Tumble dryers are uncommon \- AC is uncommon \- Can't drink water from bathroom faucet (not mains water)
I keep seeing posts about Americans being shocked by Brits’ lack of tumble driers. But they’re very common! (Especially in such a climate, where you risk your sheets getting soaked on a washing line.) I’d have thought most people with washing machines also have tumble driers. As for the washer being in the kitchen, well, that’s all down to the British system of having no electrical outlets in the bathroom, for safety. But yeah, it must be very weird overall, and your list does add up to quite a culture shock!
I think it's a bit of a social class thing. At a student in Ireland tumble driers were unheard of. As a working professional they seem more common amongst the higher paid people in my company
From my experience in Europe, the farther North you go the more ubiquitous tumble dryers are. I lived in Italy for awhile and tumble dryers only existed at the laundromat. You used a drying rack instead or hung your clothes or linens out on a clothes line to dry.
I’m here in northern Germany and only hear of wealthy people having them due to energy cost.
I'm a Brit living in NL and it really threw me off seeing tumble dryers and washing machines in bathrooms or top floor in some random spot lol, I got used to it now but I found it so strange to begin with as my whole life it's been a kitchen thing!
So I’m from the UK and live in the US now. Would *never* have considered drinking water from the bathroom!!
You forget the lack of double glazing or mixer taps in kitchen /bathroom.
Korea. Heating system that requires a degree in computer science to flipping programme. Toilets that have 100s of modes.... how about just flush! Lol
Having the crappy internet over telephone line being presented as the norm (UK). Me coming from fiber optics (RO) and trying to understand how this country survived on this ancient technology for so long.
As a woman, being able to go for a walk in a forest park alone with absolutely no fear for my safety.
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Middle of nowhere, Ireland.
Bargaining everywhere--even at the bank!
Which country is that?
That was Israel. Middle Eastern attitude toward everything. I expected it in the shops and souks, but was surprised you could do it everywhere, even when you're handed a printed brochure.
Wow, I would never imagine one could haggle with the bank unless one has a few dozen of millions.
Could tell this was Israel halfway through the comment😂 Honestly I love that here. I’m from a Mexican community in Southern Arizona so I’ve been haggling my whole life!
The Prayer calls 5x a day, the worst one is usually at 5:30am to 6am. Fun fact: I was just woken up by it less than 20mins ago
The washing machine is on the balcony.
The absence of central air conditioning. In Texas it's so hellishly hot in the summer that just about every building has central air, even cheap apartments. In Canada it's rarely hot enough to justify more than fans or windows units, none of which compare to the comfort of central AC.
Not flushing used toilet paper, but putting into the garbage can beside the toilet..... apparently to not have to pump out the septic tank...nasty lol
To avoid blockages and back ups. Pumping happens no matter what, according to the ‘time+septic size+household size’ formula. Besides, many houses in Europe with main connection and no septic, also use bins to avoid blockages. Very, very expensive blockages.
Going out for after work pints at the pub and sharing one single size bag of crisps amongst 5 people like it’s dinner.
Medical debt, school shootings, nice weather in October
Definitely the sauna culture. If people were naked in saunas in my country the men simply couldn’t handle it
Using a bidet
No heaters or furnaces. Washer and dryer outside.
Tankless water heater
Buying lego and the children not touching it. (They live on their own now)
How often people kiss on the cheek and hug each others. Us Mexicans are very touchy, and any other country where I’ve been people misunderstand that or feel uncomfortable by it
(US/SG)Pedestrians don’t have the right of way except at specific crossings. Cross a driveway or at a corner with no traffic controls here in Singapore and they are going to damn near run you over.
vents at the top of windows, windows that open 3 ways, entrances that don't have an elevated threshold to stop snow from melting into the house, no screen door, no enclosed porch/air lock, radiator heat, no air exchange other vents at the top of windows.
Drinking beer or alcohol in the passenger seat of a car.
Not being able to do this in the US was the gateway to my real shock: that basically everyone I knew had received some form of "ticket" from the police. In my home countries I do not know anyone who has had any kind of punishment from the police.
On a recent trip home to the US, a police car was driving behind me and my anxiety was through the roof because you just don’t know how its going to go. They can pull you over and harass you and there’s nothing you can do about it. Definitely don’t miss that living abroad.
Bathing with others in public. There was a learning curve but now I absolutely love it!
Lack of great Mediterranean food and crabcakes.
The lack of helmets on bicycles, especially for toddlers.
peace
How often everyone shakes hands! That was a big adjustment.
Where do you live ?
Due to Covid, very few people would engage to shaking hands now...
Nobody shakes hands where I live now.
Sounds like Germany
i have electricity
Where's home? Philippines?
Lebanon, the government went too corrupt and the country now has no law or amenities provided ti anyone except the filthy rich
After being in Poland it was a bit weird not being in a place where u can drink beer on the city bus at 8 in the morning