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 😅

I'm so late to the game.. I always thought "ranch" was one of those like Chipotle coloured ones but now I know it sounds delicious, especially on baked potatoes !! Hello elasticated jeans!

Visit to Turkey in 1987. We started off in Istanbul and were terrified by the traffic. We had booked an excursion out of the city by minibus - the driver kept overtaking into oncoming cars. We spent the whole journey absolutely petrified. It was very new for Brits to go to Turkey back then. Most tourists were German and everyone spoke to us in German, which we didn't understand. We
went on a trip to Pamukkale from Kusadishi - in those days the limescale terraces were open to visitors to just walk through. Now it's cordoned off.

Well done for calling it out. I always want to tell them off too, or say very sarkily 'hey pal, do you need a tissue?' but people who gob all over the street aren't the types you want to get into arguments with, if you know what I mean!

People not rinsing the soap off of dishes (UK). Also... washing up bowls. ughhh

Where did you see this? I've never seen it.

Assuming no DW, WUB are an efficient use of hot water, & also minimise the risk of breakages. After cleaning, the crockery etc is rinsed before being left to drain.

Where are you from, & how is washing-up done in your country ?

That's weird, I've never known anyone not rinse their washing up!

They are immigrants from southern India and are the poorest of the poor. Likewise they work the tea plantations manually, as it is cheaper labour fir plantation owners

I think a relative of DPs is guilty of not rinsing and also using a lot of strong smelling washing up liquid, probably Fairy.

We have a dishwasher but do have a cheapy bottle of washing up liquid for cleaning and the odd bit of washing up by hand, which lasts forever as we hardly use it.

I couldn't work out why all her food tasted or smelt of 'flowery chemicals' until I bought a bottle of Fairy on offer and recognised the smell.

I'm glad you haven't experienced it - hopefully it's dying out!?

First witnessed when I moved into a shared house at uni 20yrs ago - one British young lady said she didn't rinse because "they don't rinse in the Fairy Liquid ad"...! The other British housemates did the same and thought I was the weird one.
My British MIL washes all dishes in the washing up bowl, and doesn't rinse... I'm from Europe, we rinse.

There are some funny articles about the British not rinsing, it's widespread!

Someone saying to my daughter "You can't have been born in South Africa, your white?". This is in the UK

The biggest culture shock I have experienced is over time, not space. It’s simply the effect of growing older in incredibly turbulent times as Britain changed from a reasonably rational society that valued freedom, rule of law and equality for men which was gradually being changed to include women. It changed to become what we’d laughed at, the plastic Americans who valued only looks and greed and wealth. The lunatics have taken over and the country has been deliberately pushed down the path of collapse. Never mind 'managed decline' its a freely chosen path to maximise the wealth of elites and their global social connections while reducing a free wotking populace to the status of serfdom.

Nope not Ireland. North of England.

I come from a big Italian family and this was my childhood! My grandparents, Aunties and Uncles and all their Italian friends just had so much natural affection towards us as children.

Took our kids to Porto last summer and it was like this - travelling with the children on public transport was like having minor celebrities in tow. Even with a language barrier the desire from the general public to interact with them and make it clear that they were precious was so sweet. Our kids loved it so much that they started insisting on sitting next to randoms on the metro instead of us because they couldn’t wait to spark up a conversation!

That explains it then 😁
I was saying it was different in ROI to the UK, in my experience at least. Cake has always been cut and eaten at the kids parties I’ve attended.

Level of racism in the USA

Any childrens birthday party I've hosted or attended the cake was always eaten at the party unless bringing a slice home to someone. I'm in Ireland.

Regarding cake and parties, even in the ‘70s, it was cut up and put in party bags to take home. It was always fun to eat the cake after getting home after the party, or saving it to the next day.

Meals and other social gatherings just going on and on in Spain. Even when I thought it was over, saying goodbye could be dragged out for another half an hour/45 mins. I used to find it very difficult but have got used to it after 13 years there! Wrapping up such events is generally much more perfunctory in the UK and you don't have to write off an entire afternoon because you've planned to go for lunch.

Agree with this. I grew up in Sydney and that’s what happened with our birthday parties in the seventies. We called them lolly bags, some sweets and a piece of cake to take home.

Arriving as a mature student to a University in UK, straight from having lived and travelled for two years in India, living in mountain villages and spending time on meditation retreats. It took a long while to adjust after my initial instinct to escape was quelled.

You need to live near the sea or have a decent 'wet fish' shop.

As a PP said it is mostly exported. In London you would probably get them at one of the 'posh' shops eg Harrods.

Also that everything starts so late. We went to a village flamenco night with some friends who live in a less touristy area of Andalusia.

The advertised start time was 11 pm, nothing much had happened before midnight and we left at 3 am before the main act appeared because our friends had work the next day. They weren't particularly surprised about this but thought it might have been over by not much past 3.

That's funny! I've lived in both countries and find British men to be more predatory

Living in a Greek village. After living in cosmopolitan , major cities around the world, it really was a HUGE lifestyle change.for me!. Not to mention like stepping back in time in many ways lol... I'm greatful for 6yrs there. It taught me how to be indépendant and reconnect with myself and nature in ways that city life can't.

This was my exact feeling the first time I went to San Francisco. I'd never seen anything like it. Unbelievable that such a wealthy country can have had so many people fall through the net.