Embarrassing travel culture shocks

[WildBalonz]

Since it’s summer and holiday season I thought it might be fun to share some silly or funny or embarrassing cultural shocks we’ve all had when travelling!

I’ll start with an incident that is both funny and embarrassing depending how you look at it. A few years ago me, my brother, his wife and her brother (my brother and sister in law) went on a trip all through China. We were on a tour bus traveling through some rural areas outside Guangzhou. We had a pit stop to stretch our legs and use the toilet etc and our driver proudly told us that the public loos we had stopped at had western toilets which were very uncommon in these areas. Great we all thought, however what he didn’t mention is that instead of individual cubicals they had very small almost like shower screens separating each toilet. Not much privacy at all! It made for a very embarrassing poo for me my sister in law and two other ladies on our tour 😂. I laugh at it now but at the time it was probably the most awkward and embarrassing experience our lives. Luckily she’s a good sport and we joke about it these days!

Itried to ask for a vegetarian pizza in Poland (the place was well known for good pizza). I ended up showing her in a guide book as my Polish is non existant, She reploied with a firm no! As if I had asked for her first born child!

In a lot of Eastern Europe they could not get their heads around vegetarian food, thoughh I never starved. In Russia they assured me there was no meat in the soup , well if you discount the lumps of ham......

I can't believe this comment! Toilets aren't just for decoration 😂

You should have eaten it.

I'm used to naked sex-segregated saunas, but Germany and Austria with their nude but mixed ones took some getting used to..

Actually that's a culture shock I had when first moving to the UK, people throwing edible food away. For example, friends at uni would get a pizza and if not finished, the rest chucked to the bin instead of eating the next day. Or if a packed lunch wasn't eaten, it would be thrown away as opposed to eating later. Didn't finish the sandwich? Unfinished half just to the bin.

Growing up in Europe, leftovers would just form a part of the next meal til fully used up. Mum might bring me her uneaten work sandwich to have at home. And no, we weren't dirt poor in any shape or form.

I'm still really bad for it, I can never finish a portion eating out, so I almost always leave the restaurant with my leftovers, and never bin leftover food. A restaurant meal can keep me going for 3-4 meals afterwards 😂

It gets awkward in Western European restaurants though as I feel like 'doggy bags' aren't as much of a thing? My heart was bleeding recently when I had to leave maybe 75% of the ortion of gorgeous seafood presumably to be thrown away.

The glass thing? When I was young you were supposed to take your glass back to the bar. Now it's not allowed because there's a chance you used glass may touch the drink tap and contaminate it so it's a clean glass every time.

Where in Europe are you from? Because it's not the case that all British people just throw food away like you say. I also grew up eating leftovers as did many people and I wouldn't have asked for my packed lunch to be thrown away as the posted did - I would have taken it for later. This is really not a Uk v Rest of Europe thing.

I'm saying that as someone who is actually against the whole anti-waste thing. I am actually in favour of not eating too much and leaving food in restaurants if necessary. I just wouldn't throw away a whole packed lunch or refuse to have leftovers at home.

I know, she should have held until she got home 🙄

I try and avoid (needing) to poo when I go out shopping etc., but travelling? When you're a poor lonesome cowboy and far away from home? Oh yes. Will use Kleenex to wipe if needed.

When you gotta go....

Visiting Russia and being grilled on the UK's art and classical music scene in casual conversation with strangers. They were a cultured bunch!

I don't EVER poo, because ladies don't do that sort of thing 🤣

It gets awkward in Western European restaurants though as I feel like 'doggy bags' aren't as much of a thing?

They are. Just ask to take your leftovers away.

I can just about face any cultural differences, welcome and accept them - except for toilet ones. Far too many to tell tbh.
The only impressive toilet I've ever used was in Holland. The toilet seat revolved (I think to massage, who knows), warm water flushed my bum, music played, hot air blowed.
It was a unique experience for sure. Lol.

Back to the discussion about Chinese toilets we did come across a few toilets where there was a sign saying no shitting allowed as the plumbing couldn’t take it. Often in a restaurant in an older building. Don’t know what you were supposed to do if nature called.

😵 😆

I haven't ever 'chosen' to have a poo. You'll end up with bowel problems or shit yourself one day. I'm not crazy about public loos but needs must...

Djibouti - no toilets, you would literally see locals squatting over and shitting in the river

I believe it was thought they were dealing personal grief, that they hadn't come to terms with. It all came out in public. I couldn't get my head around the outpouring either.

Or alternatively someone who doesn’t poo when she needs to, and will reap the benefits of that with various bowel problems as a result of delaying.

My most "interesting" foreign toilet experience was in rural Yemen, back in the day when it was (briefly) only a little bit dangerous to travel there. We stayed in one rural place where the loo and the (cold water) shower were all-in-one, with just a single drainage hole. It would have been only-kind-of-disgusting if it hadn't been the only loo/shower in a place with about 15 guests.

Glorious country, though, and very much worth it!

The first time in the Tabac in France, you have to pass men using the urinal to access the cubicles.

Me too. Chipboard dividers, running sewer behind taking away our exposed offerings!

It’s why I love travel, shakes up your ‘norms’

@DrPrunesqualer That reminds me of our honeymoon. They served ‘proper’ coffee (percolator) and fresh fruit juice at breakfast with cereall and a cooked breakfast. As a young,19 years old, married couple we used to rush back to our floor fingers crossed that no one else was in the toilet as it was certain that we would need the toilet after breakfast lol yes thats correct one bathroom and one toilet per floor.

Yeah you're right I don't think it is. Nowadays I'm actually not sure if an Italian or Spanish restaurant would give you a doggy bag, whereas in Britain it's a given, hardly anywhere woud say no. Have you tried? I've not actually asked whereas in Britain i always would.

I'm from Denmark but I'm not sure if it's a Danish thing, might be a 'my family' thing. All my British boyfriends (a grand sample size of 2!) would throw any meal leftovers to the bin though, e.g. said unfinished pizza. Whereas guys from other countries would put leftovers to the fridge for the next meal.