35 People Describe The Biggest Culture Shock They Have Ever Encountered

When people leave the comfort of their home and familiar surroundings to visit (or stay at) an unfamiliar environment, the adjustment period can be fairly intense, especially if the two locations are completely different, such as going from a small rural area in the US to a large Asian metropolis.

But we can also experience the uncertainty, confusion, and anxiety that comes with this change even when moving from one place to another within the same country.

So when the question "What is the biggest culture shock you have ever faced?" was posted on Quora, people who have gone through it immediately started sharing their stories. We collected the most interesting ones to show you that sometimes, no matter how much research you do, there are things you simply can't prepare for!

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I am an Indian living in United States since last six months. These two countries are very different in many ways which we already know. I am going to write about the cultural shock I faced at personal level.

I was born with deformity in one of my arms so I definitely don’t look like a normal person. And, I grew up around people who inadvertently made me feel I wasn’t one of them. Going to any public places would make me so conscious as everyone’s eyes would be on me. They would stare at me all the time, would feel sorry for me, ask me questions. Sometimes I would not be in a mood to give any explanation, but would still do just because I don’t want to be rude. After all these years, I started living with a belief that anything of this would never change.

I moved to US, and, it’s been six months, not a single person has looked at me as something was wrong with me, not a single person has asked me any question about why I am like this, not a single person thought or made me realize that I am not normal.

I appreciate them for respecting every individual as they are. This has definitely made me a lot more confident person than I ever was.

Vidhi Zala Report

Final score:

483points

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Charlie the Cat 1 year ago

I like this one. It made me smile.

141points

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I would like to share my culture shock experience after I came to Germany from India in 2016.
(The incident is not exactly about me, but I witnessed this).

It was my 2nd day in Germany and I had to travel to the university for completing some paperwork formalities. I chose to travel by local public transport bus. It was peak hour time so the bus is fully occupied by passengers. I was standing in the bus and after 5 minutes the bus stopped at one stop. The driver got off from his driving seat, stepped down from the bus, and came to the middle door of the bus. The reason he came was to help a handicapped person to get on the bus by unfolding a wheelchair ramp

All people were there, nobody made any noise nor any angry faces. I was stunned by looking at the scene that happened. Because in my country I have never seen such a gesture by a bus driver to help a handicapped person and that too during peak hours in a crowded bus.

The second cultural shock was just after 5 minutes when I stepped down from the bus at my destination stop. I saw the same person crossing the two-lane road on Zebra Crossing using his wheelchair. All the cars (more than 8–10) stopped on both sides of the road. There was no noise, no horn nothing. After the person successfully crossed the road, vehicles went off.
This moment really gave me goosebumps, that how can people behave so nicely and show such gestures and follow rules.

Sagar Shimpi , Metropolitan Transportation Authority Report

Final score:

299points

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RP 1 year ago

I had a similar culture shock but from the opposite perspective. I found it absolutely unbelievable that wheel-chair users had to books train tickets in advance and then go through a whole and very cumbersome process of being lifted into trains with a special lift instead of hte trains just being level with the platform. Also, the number of times I've seen lifts (elevators) installed AFTER a set of steps is mindblowing. The cherry on top was when I read on my university website that the 'Disabilities office' was not barrier free so you had to make an appointment to speak to them in another building if you are a wheelchair user. People are nice, but not nice enough to lobby for literal structural equality.

61points

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Right here in the United States. I am a white woman, born in 1948, raised in Ohio. When I was around 16–17 years old, I took a bus to Florida. When I got off the bus, I had to go to the bathroom, so I stepped into the first bathroom I saw that said “women.” I then left the bathroom and stopped at the water fountain for a drink of water. Imagine my shock when I turned around and found a group of people yelling at me and telling me to get out of town and saying I was a very sick person, etc. I had used the “colored” bathroom and drinking fountain! I had never heard of such a thing and to this day (52 years or so later), I still find it disturbing.

Constance Ericson Report

Final score:

209points

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Noyfb noyfb 1 year ago

Federal law and federal enforcement made the South abandon those age-old customs, but the remembered prejudices live on in the older people there. Generation by generation, the South is outgrowing those hateful habits. It will take more generations, but eventually the prejudices will fade. BUT FORTUNATELY, brave protestors will hasten the process. Our Black brothers and sisters will not wait for white people to gradually change their ways. The time for that is long passed.

53points

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A month back I moved to Brussels. Just after checking into my guest house, I came out to see if I could buy anything to eat.

So, I stand on the side of the road near the zebra crossing. There were no crossing light signals, so I kept standing thinking I would cross the road when its empty.

30 seconds on the road and I see cars are piling up. I have no clue, WHY?. 1 minute and I start wondering.

Then I see the the person first in the line calls me up. I thought he might be asking for direction. I reach out to him, he screams something in FRENCH.

I reply: English?

He went on like: “Cross the road, you stupid!”.

I ran across the road, stopped and realised they were stopping for me so I can cross the road. Pedestrians first.

Well, I couldn’t blame myself too. Dude I am from India, I am not used to such respect on the roads.

I try that in India, I might never see the road again.

Hursh Gupta Report

Final score:

205points

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Ge Po 1 year ago

Lots of west-europian countries: on a zebra-crossing without traffic-lights, pedestrians have the first right of crossing. Cars have to stop if it becomes clear that you are intending to cross.

77points

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When travelling around Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam I saw how much people appreciate immaterial things compared to the UK. One night in Vietnam I stayed up drinking with friends and convinced them to come to the beach to watch the sunrise, thinking we’d be the only ones there. The beach was packed with families & the children played all around. When the sun came up the whole beach burst into applause. It was such an amazing moment & made me realise in England people are too busy to look at the sky and appreciate the beautiful things in life, and I vowed to not become like that again.

Grace Amanda Report

Final score:

178points

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wowbagger 1 year ago

What a neat story!

30points

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Castles in Germany
I have never actually seen such castles. These kinds of structures always seemed magical to me. When I saw that there were such structures in Germany, I realized that castles were not just fairy tales.I was very excited when I first saw it.I've never seen anything like this before. I felt like I was living in the middle ages.

DARK , Jonny Caspari Report

Final score:

160points

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JuJu 1 year ago

That's Castle Eltz.

42points

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Japanese Toilets.

Well what’s all the hype about a toilet?

As the airplane arrived in Narita Airport, I, customarily, for some reason, go to the toilets. (I dislike using the plane’s toilets when we’re near landing)

Big surprise.

When I opened that cubicle, I nearly got disoriented. Random buttons in separate menu screens astounded me.

I mashed all the buttons and I realized that there was a heater, a bidet water sprayer when you have to take a dump, and on some toilets, they open automatically when you come in. They even have an option to play music to help you concentrate when… doing your stuff!

I literally said “OH MY GOD!” in the cubicles, and pretty much everyone knew that I was a tourist, but you know what? Screw them. Lemme enjoy my time with this gracious toilet.

I was literally in front of the Lamborghini of Toilets. Let me bask in all the glory.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the music mainly masks the sound you make when relieving yourself or taking a dump

Markkus G. Rossfeldt , sari Report

Final score:

156points

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Jason 1 year ago

You don't know how to use the seashells?

103points

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Hello all, I am an Indian and I visited Pakistan 4 year ago. The biggest culture shock I faced in Pakistan was how nice the people were to me despite being an Indian. I visited Lahore with my grandfather (he lived in Lahore before partition) and the people would always ask if we were Indian (we were Sikhs so I guess they can tell by the turban). I remember the first time it was when we visited a dhaba and the guy came to take our order, he asked us if we’re from India and when we said yes these were his exact words: “Tussi sadda mehmaan ho, tusi muft ke liye hi kha sakade ho” (You are our guest, you can eat free). We refused the offer but had no choice. This happened everytime, I had heard many stories of people talking about their grandparents in Punjab (india) and talked a lot about their friends before partition from elders. People there were very nice, I wish I could go again if getting visa was not so hard. Aside from visa, the biggest issue was trying to understand the Urdu-influenced Punjabi, otherwise it was amazing experience for me.

Anonymous Report

Final score:

154points

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Edda Kamphues 1 year ago

This is truly heart-warming!

46points

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There’s a pop-On one side, every meal is potato based. On the other, it seems not a single meal is eaten without a tomato in the form of sauce, pizza, salad, etc.

I grew up on the potato side. Every day was a form of potatoes - usually roasted as a side with a form of meat. To switch things up, there were also boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, and so many more I can’t think of.

Then I crossed the line. Obviously I’d had tomatoes in the form of pasta sauce or marinara, but never to the frequency or variety that they have on the other side of the border (yes, I’m being dramatic. Bare with me).
culture line in Europe called the tomato-potato line.

It was like my taste buds had exploded. Every meal had a new flavor and depth that I had never experienced. The tomatoes were different too - better quality, grown near to the location rather than being shipped hundreds of miles. So much more spice and taste can be incorporated into a tomato based dish.

Though I may be biased, I then vowed to never stay in potato territory for food. I learned to cook, reducing my potato consumption to maybe once a month, and have since relished in the variety of foods there are to try from so many different cuisines.

Rose Orvil Report

Final score:

122points

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Marcos Valencia 1 year ago

This map is absolutely wrong, and it's more related to what you personally order at restaurants during your travels. I worked for many years for a Spanish university, and receiving foreign students was a part of my duties. Many of them said to me that Spanish meals were always fried. This shocked me, because we of course eat fried meals, but not that often. Indeed, the problem here was that they always ordered fried tapas.

29points

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#10

I lived in the Netherlands for a couple of years then and my Dutch boss invited me to her wedding. There was a beautiful ceremony in a romantic castle and after that we were served some tiny snacks and petit fours.

After that we took a group picture and then the wedding manager announced that those who have a fork and a knife pictogram in their wedding invitation could proceed to the dinner hall and the rest can go home and thanks for coming.

So there we were, hungry and stuck in the middle of nowhere. Until one of our colleagues called her husband to pick us up by car and bring to the nearest train station where we bought ourselves döner kebab.

I still don’t get it, why should someone treat their guests differently. If you can’t afford a wedding dinner for everyone, it’s perfectly ok with me. You can go for an intimate wedding with your family or close friends or just serve cake, I don’t care. But not treating your guests equally completely blows my mind even 20 years later.

Anna Kesselman , Photos by Lanty Report

Final score:

112points

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Jiska Veldhuizen 1 year ago

Yes that's very common here, you'll either be a reception guest or a day guest, only the last one gets wedding dinner. I am not married yet but if I ever do, I'll only plan to invite a handful of guest and have dinner with them all haha.

62points

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#11

Plastic surgery in Korea.

I know it sounds quite normal as so many people now are doing it. It seems like not a big deal but allow me to explain a little bit.

What shocked me is how many Korean people obsess with changing very small parts of their looks. They can always point out something they dislike about their looks and usually, it is something that wouldn’t even be noticed by others.

One of my coworkers decided that she wants her forehead to look a bit more round so she spent over $5000 to take some fat from her butt (she’s skinny, the butt was the only place to take that fat of course) to put on her forehead. I heard the liposuction was very painful.

At first after the surgery, her forehead looked swollen and after two months, it looked exactly like her ‘original’ forehead. I mean, what’s the point of going through that much pain and money to get a change that is not noticeable?

Zhen Yan , JAFAR AHMED Report

Final score:

110points

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Tabby_Sohee 1 year ago

Yeahhhhh Korean toxic beauty culture is a thing and it’s really bad, to the point where it just about drives the equally bad bullying culture and the “pretty privilege” culture - except pretty privilege is beyond just a societal norm, your looks almost determine your lifestyle in modern-day Korea. I really wish it wasn’t like that. And insecurity too, in people of all ages - HUGE problem. Im glad I live away from that part of the Korean culture here in the US, but I have so much family there and I see a lot of people get so insecure and unhappy over things that really shouldn’t matter :(

84points

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#12

While walking on the streets of Tokyo, I realised that the streets are cleaner than any place I have seen (except Iceland of course).

This was not the culture shock though.

I was shocked when I couldn’t find a bin on the street to dispose off the empty bottle of water I had grabbed.

One of the locals in the hostel told me that they have very few bins on the streets.

It amazes me how the Japanese are still able to keep the streets so clean.

I have been to quite a few places around the world but I am yet to see the Japanese level of commitment to cleanliness.

Abhinav Pathak Report

Final score:

106points

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Polly Walsh 1 year ago

In Japan you are expected to take your rubbish home with you

81points

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#13

Not the biggest but the most recent - I learned that Americans don't tend to have electric kettles in their homes.
Every home in the U.K. has a kettle. (It may even be true to say that every home in Europe has a kettle, though I can't absolutely confirm that.) When you move, the kettle is the last thing to be packed and the first thing to be plugged in at your new house.

The fact that some Americans don't have kettles is the clearest possible indicator of the differences in our cultures.

Clare Celea , Phenyo Deluxe Report

Final score:

105points

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Sara Rosen 1 year ago

Most Americans just use stovetop kettles. This isn't the first time I've heard people note the difference but I can never quite understand why this is so shocking, don't both boil water?

72points

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#14

In China, whether it is in movies, TV series, or comics, when characters need to cover their face, they always cover the lower half of your face. But the opposite is true in the United States

Samuel Whyte Report

Final score:

97points

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Denise B. 1 year ago

Deaf can't read lips if mouths are covered. Being serious.

80points

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#15

I am an Indian who worked in DUBAI for 6 months.

Unfortunately, the holy month of Ramadan fell in between the time I was there.

The biggest cultural shock in my life is that during ramadan, no one is allowed to consume anything in public by law, not even allowed to drink water. And mind you, the temperature in a “CONVENIENT” 50 degrees centigrade.

Respecting one’s customs is a good thing but forcing people to crave for water in such an uncomfortable weather is not just a shock but I felt that the law was itself archaic and unscientific. So dont get fooled by the glitz and buildings, Dubai is still middle east.

I am not a muslim and still I was forced to follow such practice.

All the muslims are supposed to follow the ramadan style of fasting by law.

So “RAMADAN IN DUBAI” was my biggest cultural shock.

I am going anonymous because I dont want to get jailed at the GCC airports for badmouthing the region. Frankly I dont expect much rationality and a fair treatment from the judicial systems there.

Anonymous Report

Final score:

94points

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TomCat 1 year ago (edited)

"Frankly I dont expect much rationality and a fair treatment from the judicial systems there." .. Smart, smart person. Side note: my biggest fear is being put in prison in another country.

55points

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#16

*Eating up the banana leaf*

My friend from MIT was going to Tamil Nadu with me. He was a complete American and didn’t know ‘Indian stuff’.

We went to one of the local restaurants and ordered a full set of meal.

In Tamil Nadu, food is served on a banana leaf. So when we went there, he was perplexed but didn’t ask me a question.

When we had finished our meals, I told him to stay here and take care of our belongings while I go to the washroom, and then we swap.

While I was not there, he started chewing the whole banana leaf

Yash Mehta , John Walker Report

Final score:

93points

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Take me to dinner first 1 year ago

I imagine he kept chewing that for a long time huh

33points

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#17

I moved to the US after getting married. My husband and I went to a restaurant on the very first day for lunch. We parked the car and went inside. Without waiting I simply walked and took a chair for myself at a table. I could see everybody staring at me like I've done a big crime. I turned around and found my husband standing near the door and laughing. Out of embarrassment I stood up, placed the chair back in place and walked away.

So then I came to know that a designated person specifically asks us how many people are there to dine and leads us to our table. You should enter only with him and not grab a table greedily.

I am from India and getting the table norm is: You walk in. Scan the area like a hawk. Find an empty table (sometimes an empty chair also would suffice). Sit and order your food.

Report

Final score:

92points

Kotryna Br

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Sonja 1 year ago

In Germany most places are self seating. But there are those where you get seated too. If there's a hostess stand and no sign on it telling you to seat yourself, you'll get seated. If there's no hostess stand, you seat yourself. My culture shock was the hostility that was only barely masked by a customer service smile in the USA when you dare to ask for a specific table according to your preferences or needs because it messes up their seating plans. In Germany the servers and hostesses are less bubbly and people in general don't bend backwards for every little thing, but I still have a better feeling dining here. Waiters and waitresses are less likely to indulge AHs and are more honest. I have the feeling that most of them actually like what they do. They are genuely friendly versus trying to get a better tip friendly.

37points

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#18

First few days in Australia. Friends invite me to go to the beach.

Friend reminds me, “Don’t forget your thongs!”

“Wait, what?! Thongs?!”

Thongs in Australia:

Peter Kennedy , Vi Vi Report

Final score:

88points

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SkyBlueandBlack 1 year ago

Well, duh. Thongs, flip flops, slippers, chanclas, they're for the beach.

28points

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#19

I took a trip to Egypt. I chatted with a shopkeeper in Luxor. After ten minutes of pleasant conversation, he asked me if I was married. I said, no I have never been married. He said “You POOR woman! You have never been able to find a husband? I can solve your problem! Let’s get married! We will be a perfect couple.” I learned that this is normal, that American women will get marriage offers after a ten minute courtship. Egyptian men work fast. They let you know right away what they want. In the hotel, in Cairo, I walked down the hall and smiled at one of the employees. He sprinted over to me and wrapped his arms around me. I learned that smiling and eye contact with get women instant attention. Egyptian culture is different than USA.

Human Psychology Facts Report

Final score:

84points

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Katrin Krueger 1 year ago

Also, they regard it as an absolute character flaw if you're not married (like you said, you didn't "manage to find a husband", like no one wants you.

47points

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#20

When I visited Germany and went to the local swimming pool. After paying, I was directed toward a door. I walked in and found myself in a big locker room. Thing is, it wasn’t the men’s locker room. It was a joint locker room. There were cubicles most people were going into to change, but some were changing right out in the open. There were separate showers for males and females, but while I was showering I witnessed several women, in their bathing suits, come into the male showers to talk to their male friends or family members as they were showering. Nobody batted an eye at this or found it unusual. Then, walking into the sauna area, everyone was naked, and it was mixed gender. I had heard that was how it was before this, but actually experiencing it was a bit strange at first.

Human Psychology Facts Report

Final score:

82points

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Deborah B 1 year ago

...and meanwhile in the US there's disputes about if trans-women are allowed to use the ladies room.

70points

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#21

I was in a nice hotel in Japan. I got in the elevator with a young Japanese woman. When the door opened, I waited for her to exit. She did not move.

I gestured for her to go. To my surprise, in perfect English she said

“In Japan, the man always goes first.”

I saw this custom in action, as groups of Japanese were men first and women following behind.

Wayne O Evans , Gustavo Fring Report

Final score:

74points

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guyx23 Premium 1 year ago

Interesting. I traveled Japan for a month, never noticed this

8points

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#22

The first time I went to China on business, I casually strolled down Nanjing Road in Shanghai surrounded by sophistication and passerbys wearing Chanel and Prada.

Suddenly, a woman carrying a baby, dressed top-to-bottom in brand clothing stopped, lifted the baby up in the air allowing him/her to defecate. I was so shocked that had to stop and looked at the scene in horror. The baby didn’t wear a diaper under the onesie but rather had a deliberately made opening.

Surely, I thought this to be the exception vs. the rule until I saw it everywhere across China — moms allowing their children to go on the street and picking up their poops like we pick up after our pets.

In China, it is socially acceptable for kids to urinate and poop anywhere on the streets. Sometimes, you just see a kid while walking, squat and go!

Dino Dionne , Tuan PM Report

Final score:

71points

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Bernd Herbert 1 year ago

That is disgusting

103points

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#23

It was when I went to Iran.
I was at a hotel and having breakfast. I poured some tea and the sugar was nowhere to be found. So I asked the waiter for it and was waiting for the crushed sugar that I’ve been using my whole life. Instead, he came back with small cubes of sugar..

So I took one and put it in my cup of tea and started stirring to dissolve it. But unfortunately, my tea got cold and the sugar cube was still intact.
And that’s when someone told me that I was supposed to keep the cube in my mouth and just sip my tea over it. I never got used to that and was never given crushed sugar for my tea even when I asked for it explicitly.

Shifa Mujahid , Robert Anderson Report

Final score:

68points

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Me 1 year ago

In my german childhood sugarcubes were quite normal, but we put them in the tea/coffee. If it was hot enough they would dissolve well. I only put them in my mouth if noone noticed and I loved it

63points

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#24

Visiting Maharashtra for the first time.

I'm your regular UP guy.

The girls here in UP have to stay alert and aware of their environment. Most girls don't take a stroll here unless with a group of friends or if her male relative is accompanying her.

But the Maharashtra is another picture, I had seen young girls and women loved to take a stroll in the night at 10.00PM after they finished their meal.

The girls usually go alone, and they don't have to worry about their safety. It was like Iiving in other part of world.

In my stay here in Maharashtra, I have seen guys are more respectful toward females.

Imagine, if you walked up to your crush and ask her out, she rejected you'll be furious. But Maharashtra guys take a ‘no' respectfully and let the girl. I had yet to met a guy who stalked the girl or harrased her because she rejected him.

Caste system.

Although, there are lot of castes here. People don't love to have their caste badge displayed.

Everyone mix with everybody, people don't stuck to their castes.

Female empowerment.

Parents don't discrimate among their daughters and sons.

Maharashtrian girls marry later, as that of UP. (The girls are usually married here when they turns 19)

Average Maharashtrian girl marries at 24, and surprising thing they are not forced into marriages. Parents make sure, their child will got best education irrespective of gender.

Anonymous Report

Final score:

67points

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Tucker Cahooter 1 year ago

I'm assuming in this story UP means Uttar Pradesh

54points

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#25

Yes. They have two faucets. One feels like walking on the surface of the Sun, and the other as they say, is your ex-girfriend’s heart.

You cannot have anything in the middle.

They do not combine in one pipe like in the rest of the world, so you have to alternate between the two, and see how it feels to have frostbites and 2nd degree burns at the same time.

Meanwhile a letter from UK arrives.

Bloody hell! My Hogwarts invitation!!

Silvana,

Firstly, we call them “taps” not “faucets”. We should know, we invented the language.

Secondly, a day may come when my Kingdom will work on improving the plumbing system to a more advanced technology, but it is not this day.

Also, my dearest Prince William has already delighted us with 2 perfect children, so we do not require your genetic material.

Yours Brexitly,

Queen E.

Silvana Popa Report

Final score:

65points

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Anyone-for-tea? 1 year ago

A single tap is a lot more common now! We have finally caught up! Even in my house that was built in 2010 all the sinks had single taps.

40points

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#26

I had heard that London is very expensive. When I landed there, after couple of hours, I went in a local chicken shop (as they call it, it's basically a fried chicken shop) to get something to eat. I gave the order and asked 'how much'? The guy on the counter said "Three forty nine" and I thought "Oh My God, London really is expensive man... A chicken burger for three hundred and forty-nine pounds." I said sorry, I did not bring the money and went out of the shop to stay hungry rather than spending 350 pounds on a chicken burger.

In Pakistan, we do not use hundred most of the times when we are telling the price. For example, if the price is 150, I would say one fifty rather than one hundred and fifty.

Later I discussed this with a friend and you can imagine what would have happened.

The burger was 3 pounds and 49p.

Sheheryar X. Bhatti Report

Final score:

63points

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Robert T 1 year ago

London is expensive, but not to that extent. And yes, we randomly do or don't say the hundred, but it is generally clear that the price will not be two orders of magnitude higher for fried chicken than say buying a washing machine.

25points

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#27

Dong chim or poop needle

Dong chim is a popular prank that is played all over Korea. It involves using your index fingers to poke someone between the bum cheeks with as much as force one can muster.

This bizarre prank is very common amongst the children of all ages and is treated as normal amongst the adults as well. It is believed to have originated in Japan where it is popularly known as Kancho which literally translates to Enema
In the above image - a statue in one of the Korean cities representing the most played prank in Korea.

This prank is not only popular in Korea but is also very popular in Japan and Taiwan.

This prank is so popular that even video games are made on the Dong chim. The players are given an option to poke their fingers in the bottom of - the mother-in-law, gangsters prostitutes, ex-girlfriends and ex boyfriends.

Just to know about it is kind of a shock. I feel lucky that I did not get a chance to experience it

Sarthak Khatri Report

Final score:

61points

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Denise B. 1 year ago

Here we call it "sexual assault."

140points

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#28

I just visited New Delhi, India for the first time, and here are the things that shocked me.

India is not the best place to visit during a pandemic and here is why. People spit literally anywhere and everywhere. You will find spit literally at every step you take on the street. It is so normal that no one is bothered by it.

Uber drives just casually spit from the car windows. Similarly, street vendors would casually spit on the pavement while they are talking to customers. This applies to everyone; the random people on the street, people at the hotel, people you see outside the malls etc. For the most part of the trip, I remember feeling anxious all the time because I was too scared of getting sick. We needed a negative PCR to go back to our country and I could not really enjoy the trip because I was paranoid and freaking out all the time.
We also went to see Taj Mahal and you cannot enter with any kind of food or drink. They had a bin next to the entrance for this which was completely covered in red spit inside and out. The whole area was covered in spit as well. I honestly cannot understand how people can be so carefree at a time like this. Pandemic or not, it is just unhygienic and disrespectful to others walking on the street.

Sabooty Babooty Pie Report

Final score:

60points

POST

Agfox 1 year ago

2 friends who visited India were determined to try street food until they saw the stall owner spit in the cooking oil to see if it was hot enough to put food in to cook

32points

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#29

I would like to share the cultural shock that my mother-in-law faced.

She recently visited us, here in Canada.

We took her for an outing on the other day she landed. As we stopped at a crossing, she saw a homeless, so she asked me for some change.

The homeless started to bless my MIL in English.

My mother-in-law closed the car window and turned to us saying, “wow, here beggars also speak English.” She continued, “if she can speak in English, why don't she get a job?”

I had to explain her that in Canada most of the people speaks English. It's just considered a language here, not like India where it is considered as one of the major skills.

For many Indian still speaking fluent English means that the person is qualified to get a decent job.

She also shared it with her friends on whatsapp.

Kandarp Joshi Report

Final score:

56points

POST

sofacushionfort 1 year ago

Culture shock from reading this entry: “homeless” as a noun rather than an adjective.

15points

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#30

I landed in Malaysia for the first time in 2010. After settling-in myself at residence, I called my friend who picked me up to catch up further. I told him let’s have tea and he took me to a local Malay stall that sells tea.

We ordered “Take away” and the guy hands me over this plastic bag full of hot tea with a straw.

I was totally shocked as to who drinks hot tea with a straw? Apparently, Malaysians. To top it off, some of the locals ask to add ice and call it ice-tea.

It was very shocking culturally experiencing it but I got used to it with time.

Muddassir Masihuddin Report

Final score:

53points

POST

Bernd Herbert 1 year ago

We, as people, use too much damn plastic

49points

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#31

Ok so I read many answers to this question. But most of them were which they encountered outside their native country but I encountered it within my country and that too just a month ago.

My aunt recently shifted from Delhi to Ahmedabad. So in my December vacations we went to visit her.

My aunt told me that in Ahmedabad before marriage the girl can go and live with the boy’s family (on special occasions like Diwali or New Year) for few days with whom she is going to get married.

Based upon her stay, the girl can make her decision if she really wants to marry that guy or not.

And this is practiced by majority of people over there before marriage no matter from which background you are.

Whereas in Punjab or Chandigarh nothing of this sort happens.

But this cultural difference wasn't a shock instead it felt so good to know that such practices also prevail!

Bhavya Malhotra Report

Final score:

48points

POST

Brenda 1 year ago (edited)

The Amish have a custom where the intended actually spend the night together. Can't remember the name of it, but basically a rolled up blanket is placed between them so no touching (or anything else) occurs. This allows the couple to spend time alone together (something they cannot do otherwise) to talk & get to know each other better. If they decide they aren't compatible after that, no hard feelings.

17points

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#32

After landing in Copenhagen airport I was looking for a drinking water tap to refill my waterbottle.

I couldn’t find a tap around me, so I went to a security personnel and asked her.

Me: “ where can I get water? “

She: “ It’s there “

She pointed her finger towards a toilet.

I didn’t get her. I thought she didn’t understand my question or my accent. So I asked her again.

Me: “ I mean drinking water “

She: “Yes.. vand.. It’s there”

I didn’t dare to ask her again. I went straight to the toilet and searched the premises.

She saw me roaming clueless and came to me.

She: “ see mister, you can either buy a water bottle for 60 krone in the store or fill from the tap in the washroom. It’s the same water. “

Same water? Seriously?

I stepped inside the toilet and was shocked to see many people filling their bottles directly from handwash taps inside the toilet.

I know water quality in Denmark is great, but not to the extent that they supply that even to the toilets.

Mohan Dev Sukumar Report

Final score:

45points

POST

Adam S 1 year ago

Really? I thought in most European countries any tap had drinking water unless specifically marked as not drinkable (e.g on a train)?

111points

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#33

The biggest culture that I have really shocked is eating food with hands in India.

after washing your hands, you should eat food with your right hand.Indian culture, the left hand is commonly viewed as dirty and unsanitary, and therefore rude to eat with. Avoid serving, eating, or touching any of the food with your left hand.

and the other point is that Avoid letting the food touch your palms. Hold the food near the tips of your fingers when you're bringing it to your mouth.

That is a good experience, If you travel in India don’t be afraid .Try it!

Jack Ball , shankar s. Report

Final score:

43points

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Deth Invictus 1 year ago

I'm left handed so this can f**k right off.

89points

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#34

In Norway I saw this

It is a common thing to put on train doors to indicate that this carriage will not have a conductor.

Coming from a less developed country this was a huge WTF for me.

You mark on which carriages tickets will not be checked???

It is like writing on it “Travel in this carriage for free! No one will check tickets here!”

Why would you make it so extremely easy for people to cheat??

Rita Jóñer Report

Final score:

42points

POST

Sedona 1 year ago

I don't have a problem paying for public transport as long as people who cant afford it, can travel for free.

49points

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#35

Cultural shock in U.S!

I see girls with bare legs wearing skirts when its like -10C outside. I asked one - don’t you feel cold? She said no, cuz i am hot ;)

Maiwand Asakzai , jasmin chew Report

Final score:

37points

POST

LittleWombat 1 year ago

When I was in my teens/20s/maybe 30s, I put fashion over the cold of our Chicago winters, so skirts and heels in snow, ice, and sleet? Of course haha. Now that I'm older, I'll happily dress in the least attractive clothes as long as it keeps me warm and comfy!!

20points

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Note: this post originally had 61 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.

What do you think ?

Myrra Starry 1 year ago

I'm from Southeast NC, US. I've been to Europe a few times. Had awesome experiences each trip. My biggest culture shock was from within my own country. I moved to southern Vermont, US, when I was almost 20. To be with a long term boyfriend. We got pregnant with my eldest son(16 now!) and married shortly after. Mistake. But, my biggest culture shock was the racism. People always think and say to me, "oh you're from the south-racism" and yes. There is racism here still. But the biggest racists, blatant, outwardly vocal racists, I've ever met. Were from Vermont. They were incredibly racist towards Asian people and Indian people. I don't know why people think that there are just white people. It's diverse, like everywhere, but the words they used, that I would hear, walking down the street passing people of Asian background or Indian, not Native American, Indian. I had never heard in my life. It was atrocious. I left quickly, with my baby. And went home. No ty.

9points

Richienotsorich 1 year ago

Obviously not met Eastern Europeans. Most racist, homophobic, sexist people I've met.

0points

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DramaDoc 1 year ago

Domestic culture shock here: I moved from the Philly area to Omaha, NE about 20 years ago and completely flipped out when I hit Iowa. Turns out, vast areas of farmland (no trees, hills, anything) make me slightly agoraphobic and panicky. I also moved during tornado season, and let me just say that the last movie I watch pre-move was Twister (not a great idea).

7points

thewomaninthestripedshirt 1 year ago

I don’t tend to be panicky but I think being someplace as flat as that part of the country is would make me feel uneasy. Also not being able to get to a beach or see the ocean relatively easily. Tornados would be even worse!

Emma S 1 year ago (edited)

In Marrakech's big outdoor market there are no prices on things. You're expected to haggle the price with the stallholders. As a typical Brit this made me uncomfortable and I definitely overpaid for rubbish. Also the stallholders can be very pushy and some will follow you. The amount of mopeds on the road was a surprise as well, and many people riding them had children on their laps and neither wearing helmets. That would definitely get you pulled over by police in the UK.

3points

Goose of the Ahonkalypse 1 year ago

I hate haggling with every fiber of my being.

4points

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35 People Describe The Biggest Culture Shock They Have Ever Encountered

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