What's the biggest culture shock you've experienced?

[Sacredhandbag]

Good or bad?

For me it was definitely the bike culture in Amsterdam - and I loved it.

But also, the over enthusiasm of shop workers in America, the silence in the streets in Japan, and the way Australians are so outdoorsy but can't handle the rain 😅

Yes! We visited friends in Brisbane once and they all ran in excitedly to tell us it was raining! Meanwhile we were significantly pissed off, thinking “ we could have stayed at home”

Another thing that struck us was how uncommercialised Christmas was. Not piles of presents etc . The focus was just on the family being together, BBQ and lots of fresh salads etc.

Morocco.

My culture shock came in my very own country. My own kids can barely believe it
My father was in the prison service for pretty much his entire working life. We lived in Prison Officers' accommodation. The housing was, funnily enough, always pretty much right beside the prison.
One night, I remember looking out of my parents' bedroom window and saying 'dad, the prison's on fire'. My dad sprinted out to the prison and that was the start of the rioting there. I used to stand at the bus stop for school, and see the rioters wearing balaclavas, their hostage, and the banners they were holding. It was as close as the bottom of your garden now.
Sometimes I used to walk the dog round the back of the prison, as there was a great view of the sea (this was a remote prison where all the worst kinds of inmates went). I was a kid and didn't understand it at the time, but they used to cat call and whistle at me. I dread to think what they were doing in their cells
Funny days ...

And dad's shortest ever transfer - a year long!! - was at a prison in a particularly rough area.
My sister and I couldn't hack it at the local primary, and begged him relentlessly to move

Interesting @cooliebrown because I wasn’t at all shocked. There had been a huge disconnect between the political class and certain sections of the UK for a long time. Despite many pleas for help nothing was done to help these communities so the first opportunity they had to register their protest they voted to leave. These were areas where being members of the EU had negligible impact, ie little investment of infrastructure, kids not queuing up to take part in Erasmus, no benefits to H&S rules at work because there are barely any jobs. Then the middle-classes all queued up to calm them thick and stupid’.

there is much in what you say, of course. But I was shocked to the core at the time, as it seemed clear to me that the problems you rightly identify were little, if anything, to do with our membership of the EU. I did absolutely feel like a stranger in my own land for quite a good while.

I live in a former mining area with a high number of Brexit voters despite many new initiatives including a big industrial park partly paid for by the EU with big signs advertising the fact. Are they better off now we've left? No they aren't.

Generally speaking, elderly people selling a house means realising a huge profit, easily enough to afford a retirement village/assisted living maisonette or apartment. If they get too old to drive, it's accepted as the next step.

Retirement communities offer companionship, organised activities, services like cleaning, restaurant meals serving "home" style food, and shuttle buses to rake residents to churches, supermarkets, malls, and local libraries, etc. Some have facilities like swimming pools, visiting hairdressers, and yoga/ pilates instructors. In recent years, three new retirement complexes have been built near where I live, with easy access to all the amenities of a semi urban area, walkable streets, and good public transport.

But I agree, neighbourhoods where children can't safely ride bikes or play on a sidewalk and people can't walk are the opposite of ideal.

I was also spat at in Marrakech. I was dressed very modestly, with full arms, chest and legs right to ankles covered at all times - we went in February. I was also with my husband and son. They were shocked.

My mother lived in a retirement community similar to what you describe. Quite a few residents still had cars there, but one of the reasons she moved was to give up driving. She was very active and loved it there. Also, like quite a few retirement communities in the southern US, it was (and is) church-affiliated, and that enabled her to continue being very involved in church activities.

Same here re: Marrakech, spat at and also sexually assaulted alongside my DSis while in a large group in the square. I have traveled extensively, lived in the Gulf for 10 years, even been to Iran, and yet I have never experienced anything like Marrakech for being a massive fugly shithole full of degenerate men.

The Firearms queues in South African airports tickles me every time.

@CaptainMyCaptain are you from my original town area Mansfield/Ashfield - ?? It's exactly like that - the idea that nothing was done really isn't the case in many areas- I went back recently for first time in 25 years, so many new things ( EU funded) - however the town was utterly awful - weird really - better stuff than I remember all round the edges but the town centre just crap
One big problem was that many had few transferable skills that were now relevant to other industry's on their doorstep ( and plenty won't look elsewhere either or retrain).

Not quite, but not far away.

@CaptainMyCaptain I always feel sorry for anyone round there who is a bit more liberal minded -and I'm no hard lefty!! Find myself gritting my teeth listening to conversations on buses/in pubs

Can you give examples of the red tape because I don't see the UK as being particularly bureaucratic.

I’m talking about a different part of the country.

Just to acknowledge your post and how difficult your childhood was.

This was a dinner in a restaurant, right?
Not a party at home. Completely different things.

It's apparently common in the Netherlands to have dinner parties at home where everybody chips in some money.

Have to agree with this, I found it unbelievable at the time, still can't understand it

It is acceptable. OP is unusual.
I suppose they could be a bit quieter, but I don't think it's for you to tell them that.

I am South African. One thing I still struggle with after more than 20 years is how little idle chit chat you get in London and greater London (Surrey/London border) in shops or just out and about. And then you travel a further 10 miles or something - so basically no distance at all - and it's like a whole new world opens up. I really really miss just random communication with people when out and about and I notice it instantly themoment I visit SA or even just go a bit further from home.

[And yes, I really regret that DH and I didn't clock this when we were moving out of London or a few years later when we were considering moving further out as I think we would have made different decisions about where to live long term. We are committed to moving once the DC are finished school.]

Thank you ❤️

It's weird. My attractive 40something British friend loves Marrakesh - has been twice in the last year - and hasn't been hassled at all there. Well, not sexually anyway. There's the pressure to spend but she is good at batting this off.
I'm supposed to be going with her to Morocco for the first time at Easter. I said no to Marrakesh as I didn't fancy it. But we settled on Essaouira.
Anyone been? I've heard it's much more chilled than Marrakesh.

" Women don’t plaster themselves in make up as much, I remember being surprised that a new friend wore wellies on a night out, I was slipping in the snow in my heels 🤣"

I'd be more shocked to see someone endanger themselves wearing heels in the snow.