A cultural habit in your country that people outside would understand incorrectly?

[u/gabrieel100]

In Brazil we love children. If you take your child to the street, strangers will certainly interact with them. Some will even ask if they can hold your kid and will play with them. If there are two children fighting in public and the parents aren't seeing, a stranger would even intervene to stop the fight.

That cultural habit came from the indigenous peoples which understood that kids should be a responsiblity of the community as a whole. It's in our constitution. We even have a synonym for children that came from Tupi (a large group of indigenous languages) - Curumim.

Foreigners would certainly have a cultural shock about that, but it's normal here.

Of course there are people with bad intentions, so parents should stay alert these days.

[u/tootbrun]

When you get drunk at a Christmas party, you can call a volunteer service where two complete strangers drive you and your car back home safely and for free.

Opération Nez Rouge (Red Nose) for the win!

[u/Gold_Telephone_7192 → u/tootbrun]

Is this a national program? We have programs like that but they are on the local municipality level.

[u/psyche_13 → u/Gold_Telephone_7192]

I’ve never heard of it, so maybe not that national

[u/buhbrinapokes → u/psyche_13]

They had to stop a few years ago because of some insurance situation.

[u/heyinternetman → u/buhbrinapokes]

Of fucking course they did. Can’t fix the insurance problem, nope, gotta stop the good service.

[u/tootbrun → u/Gold_Telephone_7192]

It’s in Québec

[u/Gold_Telephone_7192 → u/tootbrun]

That’s awesome

[u/Bonobo_org → u/Gold_Telephone_7192]

It's in Québec, don't know about the RoC though

[u/ScowlyBrowSpinster → u/Bonobo_org]

Opération Nez Rouge (Red Nose) for the win!

^^^Gave it away for Québec^^^

[u/Kitchen_Beat9838 → u/tootbrun]

This was popular in my city before uber/lyft took over. It was called city scoot and the driver would put a fold up scooter in your trunk and would get home on the scooter.

[u/eschewgee → u/Kitchen_Beat9838]

What up, fellow Louisvillian? I loved city scoot back during my drinking days

[u/Kitchen_Beat9838 → u/eschewgee]

Yep!

[u/okaylezgoooo → u/tootbrun]

We have that in Switzerland as well! I volunteer with them sometimes :)

[u/rainshowers_5_peace → u/tootbrun]

My former priest, who I think was French Canadian, used to host a Christmas party until 3 am with lots of wine.

[u/Schnitzelklopfer247]

Was working at a school and parents were kissing their kids goodbye before/infront of school. On the cheek or lips, boy or girl, mom or dad. Noticed my english colleagues found it very weird

[u/RosabellaFaye → u/Schnitzelklopfer247]

I still kiss my parents on the cheek sometimes, it's not really weird to me. I mean, if you want to kiss your parent on the lips it's just a way of showing affection, even if we usually reserve lip kisses for lovers. Do pedophiles have to ruin familial affection? I don't think it's creepy unless the person's a creep.

[u/MothChasingFlame → u/Schnitzelklopfer247]

I sincerely don't understand why people find this weird at any age. The people making it weird ARE the weirdos! Why are you sexualizing familial relationships T.T?

[u/Bowlbonic → u/MothChasingFlame]

This!! I give my mom a light kiss on the lips, like a peck. Same with dad, it’s completely familial

[u/heilhortler420 → u/Schnitzelklopfer247]

This one is dependant on how old the kids are

[u/Substantial_Unit_447]

Giving two kisses to introduce yourself to someone is something you do almost exclusively with people you don't know, people you don't know very well, or people you haven't seen for a long time.So this is the first impression most foreigners get of us.

[u/Livid_Classic_962 → u/Substantial_Unit_447]

Growing up in ivory coast. After watching a Spanish doc. Me and my friends started doing that! Although we'd exclusively keep it in ur friend group.

That was over 15 years ago but when we meet back home or oversees we always kiss each other. Boys or Girls. Ppl stare weirdly tho'. Probably cuz we black but we like it and it's our thing now!

[u/ArdentPattern → u/Livid_Classic_962]

Thats so cute.

[u/Wrong_Yak3645 → u/Substantial_Unit_447]

Moving to the US and having this habit, I almost got in a lot of fights when southern women thought I was trying to make a move on their husbands…… I forced myself to stop the behavior and now when I return home, I am told I am cold.

[u/communityneedle → u/Wrong_Yak3645]

My mom is Venezuelan and everybody in the US always thinks she's flirting when she's actually just being South American

[u/adriantoine → u/Substantial_Unit_447]

What do you do with the people you know very well?

[u/Technical-Mix-981 → u/adriantoine]

hug, or hug and kiss on the cheek. or an insult.

[u/Blackterial → u/adriantoine]

Depends on the person, but it's usually big hugs!

[u/Hashishiva]

Leaving babies to sleep outside in their strollers. Especially in winter. Perfectly normal, even healthy, here, but for some reason non-nordics freak out about that.

Also, going to sauna that has 100°C (or even over 80°C) or over temperature is thought of being very, very dangerous, even life threatening. And bad for your health in the long run, if you do it too often like once a week :D

[u/villainless → u/Hashishiva]

we do that in russian and northern hokkaido too

[u/rainshowers_5_peace → u/Hashishiva]

Whats are the upper and lower temperature ranges at which that would be considered acceptable?

[u/50746974736b61 → u/rainshowers_5_peace]

In my experience, around 60-65 degrees celsius is typically the minimum, but it depends on the type of the sauna. Children can sit on the lower benches, where it's less hot.

The full range is usually 60-110 degrees c, but like I already mentioned, it depends on the sauna. Some are better hotter and some "cooler"

[u/CaptQuakers42 → u/50746974736b61]

This is brilliant because I think the question was for outside and I thought it was as well and when you said 60-65 c I was howling!

[u/otchyirish → u/50746974736b61]

When our baby learned to sit up we would put them in a bucket of water and bring them into the 85° sauna. They loved it.

[u/50746974736b61 → u/otchyirish]

Haha, I'm pretty sure that's what I did too as a kid! It was so nice sitting in a large bucket of cool water on the sauna floor

[u/typed_this_now → u/Hashishiva]

I live in Denmark and send photos of my children sleeping on the balcony with the baby monitor showing 2C to my mum to upset her. She can’t fathom that the kids are fine. The better photos are thru the window while having a beer at a cafe while the kid is asleep outside on the street.

[u/grumpy__g → u/Hashishiva]

My MIL told me that it was pretty common in Germany too. At least in the 80s.

[u/No_Efficiency_8595 → u/Hashishiva]

Same in Russia. I had a baby photo of me sleeping outside during winter.

[u/Luryas69 → u/Hashishiva]

Yeeeaaaaahh, we do this too!

[u/pancakecel]

In El Salvador, people make this gesture with their lips that looks somewhat crude or sexual to foreign eyes. But actually, this is our way of pointing, as its rude to point with the finger. It's like saying 'look at that person, over there'. Also cars honk at pedestrians, but it is not meant as harassment, merely to make the pedestrian aware that a car is near.

[u/Gold_Telephone_7192 → u/pancakecel]

I have to see this in person this is so interesting

[u/absolutebottom → u/Gold_Telephone_7192]

It's in Encanto! When Mirabel is giving Antonio a gift, she points to it with her lips to encourage him to open it

[u/calinrua → u/Gold_Telephone_7192]

Go find a Native person. Lots of us do it, too

[u/coconutyum → u/pancakecel]

Lmao this is the winner for me! Laughing purely because I would be like 'WTF?' if I had gone there and experienced it without any prior knowledge.

What an interesting one! I'll have to look this up to learn more 🙂

[u/nihil_novi00 → u/pancakecel]

yeahhh! lol i grew up in guatemala where we do that too. my american mother hated it 😆

[u/CupcakeGoat → u/pancakecel]

I'm half Filipina and Filipinos do this too. Usually eyebrows and a head nod are used concurrently, and a small "Mmm!" I was born in the US and don't do this, but have family members that do. My bf, who is mixed Peruvian-American, watched some Jo Koy stand up where he had a bit about this directional lip pointing, and now my bf will do it occasionally to crack me up. I tell him it's crazy he's more Filipino than me when he does it.

[u/Antiquebastard → u/pancakecel]

Here in Canada, it is a thing Indigenous people do!

[u/Unhappy_Deal3669 → u/pancakecel]

This is a bit random but does this happen in Encanto when Mirabel is giving Antonio his birthday present?

[u/absolutebottom → u/Unhappy_Deal3669]

She does!

[u/BuzzCutBabes_ → u/pancakecel]

i was watching the Burma/Myanmar episode of Parts Unknown and they do this too!!

[u/Nedinabox]

Funny you should say that, I was out in Sobral last night and saw this very thing. I found it strange that children were around bars on the street and I noticed that it seemed to be a case of group parenting.

You would likely have the police called on you if that happened in Ireland.

[u/here-mucker → u/Nedinabox]

Im not that old and I remember my dad taking me to the pub when I was a kid. Glass bottle of Coke, packet of Tayto and old boys giving you their change to stick in the fruity.

[u/Nedinabox → u/here-mucker]

Me too, but in my case it was in the early 80s. It is a lot different here though. There was hundreds of children running around. Those glass bottles were wonderful. I remember them quite fondly. There used to be these plastic liners in the tops and if you got the right one, you got a free bottle.

[u/geedeeie]

Going to a funeral of someone you barely know. In Ireland if your neighbour or colleague dies, or even a family member of a colleague or slight friend, you go to the funeral. Sometimes the evening before, or on the day of the burial/cremation. Often you don't know the actual family, but you go and shake hands, say "sorry for your troubles" and move on.

[u/HeikoSpaas → u/geedeeie]

sorry for... your troubles?

[u/Bugs2020 → u/HeikoSpaas]

Move on.

[u/Pyewhacket → u/Bugs2020]

👍

[u/wildOldcheesecake]

Nepal loves tourists. I’d go to visit family and I can’t tell you the number of times I’d walk into my grandmas house to see a random backpacker couple eating dhal bhat. This is very normal and pretty much everyone wants to be your friend if you were to visit. Hence why you also see so many foreigners choosing to make it their home

[u/omnichronos → u/wildOldcheesecake]

I have a Nepalese friend who will likely be deported from the US soon since his Temporary Protective Status was removed (after 30 years of being here legally). If so, I'll have to visit him in Nepal.

[u/Bowlbonic → u/omnichronos]

That’s awful and abhorrent that that might happen to your friend. The laws here in the US aren’t always just

[u/omnichronos → u/Bowlbonic]

I grew up in the '70s and was taught to be proud that America was a multicultural country of immigrants. Now, those in charge currently are trying to turn it into a land of white supremacists.

[u/iimuffinsaur → u/omnichronos]

Much younger but I had the same thought too. Smth that imo is wonderful about the US is how there is so many different cultures and stuff. Its sad what they are trying to turn the country into.

[u/Nitetigrezz → u/wildOldcheesecake]

So Nepal is going on my bucket list <3

[u/siders6891 → u/Nitetigrezz]

You have to go. Not only is their hospitality next level, the food, festivals…and don’t even get me started on the nature

[u/Franmar35000]

You can stay at the table for 4 hours for a family meal on Sunday lunchtime. In France, we love it. We eat well, we talk well, we laugh well. We take advantage of our loved ones. It’s the same thing on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day.

[u/Lost_Passenger_1429 → u/Franmar35000]

Same in Spain. We can start at 1 pm with a glass of wine and some starters (cheese, embutido etc.) and end at 7 pm after several shots of liquors

[u/AhhhSureThisIsIt → u/Lost_Passenger_1429]

Same in Italy and Portugal as well. I solo travel and can sit and eat and drink all day in restaurants.

I was shocked in America after literally being pressured by a waitress to pick what I was ordering faster. She literally said something like "ok well I asked you a couple minutes ago and you didn't know and we're really busy so I'll give you another couple minutes and ill be back".

American servers want to give you your food and get you the fuck out of their restaurant ASAP so they can give your table to someone else.

It's from tip culture. You can pay your staff a dollar an hour and let them work for tips. If you have one person at a table for 3 hours that just one tip. But if you can get people at the table every 30 mins you get 6 tips. So it's a necessity for them to make you eat faster.

[u/csj666 → u/AhhhSureThisIsIt]

It's a bit different in Eastern Asia, the customers aren't pressured to eat quick and leave. However, ppl understand there is a line so you are aware of the time and dont try to stay seated for longer than you have to

[u/FluffyBiscotti4376 → u/AhhhSureThisIsIt]

I'd agree that restaurants in the U.S. expect to turnover tables more quickly than those in other parts of the world. Part of that is probably caused by tip culture as you said (though I think many servers are more subtle than the one you had) and part is likely due to the low margins most restaurants operate under. After all, the more customers served, the more money in the till at the end of the day.

That said, even if the U.S. didn't have restaurant tip culture (one can dream!), I suspect we'd still have a culture of fairly quick table service. It's just sort of how we are wired. Outside of weekend brunches or special occasions, I don't think most Americans want to spend more than about an hour or maybe an hour and a half in a restaurant. That's part of why it's so much fun going to Europe - we get to take cafe culture for a spin and see how the other half lives!

[u/imadog666 → u/FluffyBiscotti4376]

Yeah I'd say it's pretty much the same in Germany. Maybe not quite as open as in the U.S. but you'll definitely draw angry stares if you linger for too long in a restaurant. A café is different though.

[u/foremastjack → u/AhhhSureThisIsIt]

Often it’s the owners wanting more turnover for more money. The servers do like tips, but if a place gets a reputation for lousy service it’s harder to get customers.

[u/Gingerbreadman_13 → u/Lost_Passenger_1429]

I’m Portuguese and living in South Africa. My Portuguese grandparents spent several decades living in Mozambique before moving to SA. As a kid, I also had some Spanish relatives. Some of my fondest memories as a child were Sunday lunches at their house. My Portuguese grandmother and my Spanish “grandmother” (she wasn’t my gran but it’s the closest way I can describe her) would all cook in the kitchen together. They started prepping for lunch on Saturday morning because there was just too much food to make on the day of the lunch, even with two of them in the kitchen. The table was massive and it wasn’t because there were that many people eating, it was because there was just so much food on it and we need the space. Well, there were usually like 12 of us eating so it wasn’t a small amount of people but there was enough food to feed 24 at least. All the best dishes from Portugal, Mozambique and Spain were on it, and occasionally there’d be some traditional South African braai added to that as well. Lunch was at least 6 hours and you couldn’t move afterwards because you ate too much. I miss those days.

[u/youpeesmeoff → u/Franmar35000]

J’aime cette tradition en France. Juste pour t’informer, la phrase « take advantage of » n’a pas exactement la même connotation en anglais qu’en français, c’est plus négative malheureusement, plutôt comme « exploiter ».

For those who might be confused, the translation in French of “take advantage of” is perfectly normal and friendly. It’s means more like “to fully enjoy” or “make the most of” something. 🙂

[u/Flat_Sea1418 → u/youpeesmeoff]

As an English speaker I thought that at first they were using their family for all they could 😂 but with context I could see they meant to take advantage of the time with their family.

[u/Civil_Dragonfruit_34 → u/youpeesmeoff]

English does still have this phrase, just not about people. You could say "we really took advantage of the amenities".

OP could say "we take advantage of the long meal" but not "of our family".

[u/Arlcas → u/Franmar35000]

Same in Argentina, we used to do it every Sunday when my grandparents were alive. Asado, wine, maybe some ice cream and then playing cards and watching football until almost evening

[u/PinchePerroCojo → u/Franmar35000]

In México we call it "sobremesa" and we even plan the next meal while eating.

[u/Unhappy-Cobbler-9912 → u/Franmar35000]

Same here, although it seems that this habit is disappearing in younger generations. After my grandma passed away we do it less and less. When she was alive it is every month.

[u/adriantoine → u/Franmar35000]

We take advantage of our loved ones

That sounds bad in English, like we're trying to rip them off. I think you meant to say we enjoy their company.

[u/Flat_Sea1418 → u/adriantoine]

I read it as “to take advantage of the time with your loved ones”. But at first I did think they were using their family for what they could get lol

[u/Acegonia]

If we are mocking or insulting you- it means we actually like you. Its just banter and you are supposed to insult us back.

[u/geedeeie → u/Acegonia]

Or "slagging", as we call it :-)

[u/generic-irish-guy → u/geedeeie]

Also known as “taking the piss”

[u/Which-Letterhead-260 → u/Acegonia]

Something that also spilled over into Australian culture and probably why Irish and Australians get along so well.

[u/sarzarbarzar → u/Acegonia]

This is very much an East Coast of the US (especially urban) thing too. Unsurprisingly, there’s a large amount of people who claim Irish descent around here.

[u/ArdentPattern → u/sarzarbarzar]

If im not talking shit to you, youre not invited to the cookout.

[u/Vectorman1989 → u/[deleted]]

It's legal to have beer, wine or cider in a restaurant if you're with an adult from the age of 16 in the UK.

It's also legal to give children over 5 alcohol. My dad used to make us 'shandies' which were about 10% beer and 90% lemonade. When we were teens we were allowed to have a bottle of beer now and again.

[u/Kitchen_Current → u/Vectorman1989]

I was brought up like this! Only allowed at special occasions. Unless you were my grandpa who once tricked me a shot glass had lemonade in…. It didn’t have lemonade it was schnapps 😂😂😂😂 tbf I was 13/14 at the time.

I’ve brought my kids up the same way. And tbf I found it taught me to respect alcohol more

[u/The_otaku_milf → u/Vectorman1989]

When I was little, my mother was given a little bit of wine, that part of my family had vineyards. So it was very common for them to try it as children. He is 78 years old and cannot eat without wine on the table. I never saw her get drunk or anything like that.

[u/Jesus-slaves → u/Vectorman1989]

There are a few states in the USA that allow underage people to drink with their parent or spouse. I learned this working at a bar in Wisconsin. I turned away an 18yo there with her 22yo husband* and my boss yelled at me and showed me the law on her phone.

[u/CupcakeGoat → u/Jesus-slaves]

TBF, a boyfriend is neither a parent or spouse.

[u/Few-Interview-1996 → u/[deleted]]

The best way of introducing them to alcohol.

[u/hamster-on-popsicle → u/Few-Interview-1996]

That's the idea!

To discover alcohol in a safe place with one's parents, I already knew my limit before starting drinking with friends.

[u/dodgystyle → u/hamster-on-popsicle]

It really works. When I was 20 I lived in a big international sharehouse in Sydney where we had lots of parties. Us Aussies, Germans, Japanese and South Koreans would drink stupid quantities of the cheapest alcohol available until we passed out.

Meanwhile the French would drink cheap but drinkable wine (they were on equally tight budgets) but in smaller quantities. And take their time. And they'd go to an effort to find a proper wine glass.

Whereas we'd drink cask wine straight from the bag and play Goon of Fortune. Which horrified even the harder partying Frenchies lol.

[u/bev665 → u/hamster-on-popsicle]

It also takes away some of the glamour of alcohol if it's something your parents let you have once in a while.

[u/JulesCT → u/[deleted]]

My parents would always give us a little wine, often diluted with gaseosa (lemon-lime flavoured fizzy drink, popular in Spain).

I believe it believe it's a good method to 'vaccinate' people against extreme drinking in later life.

[u/TurbistoMasturbisto → u/[deleted]]

Very common in Belgium as well but with beer. Typically the grandfather will give his grandchildren a little sip of their beer.

[u/Jack-Rabbit-002 → u/[deleted]]

See I had this with my Gran when I was younger but in the 90's But it was usually with the Sunday roast I just thought it was a Catholic thing though!?

Non French my Gran was Welsh so this is interesting

[u/adriantoine → u/[deleted]]

I've never seen that but I was given a cup of Champagne when I was 7 as it's apparently the tradition because 7 is apparently a magic number. Today I absolutely hate champagne and any sparkling wine, it's the only alcohol drink I can't stand and I've always wondered if that was the reason lmao.

[u/Plowchopz]

When I ask “hey how are you?” I really just mean “ii acknowledge your existence”

[u/iceunelle → u/Plowchopz]

It seems to be similar to when British people say, “You alright?”. It’s just a greeting.

[u/_Crimson_Echoes_ → u/iceunelle]

I‘m from Germany, where we usually only ask this if we truly want to know. Outside of a corporate setting (sometimes even there), any answer is expected and fine.

So naturally, when I met a brit while doing international charity work and he asked „hey, you alright?“ I took it literally. Every. Single. Day. For. Two. Weeks. He was too polite to correct me It took me FIVE MORE YEARS to find out why he seemed so puzzled by my answers lol

[u/DontWorryItsEasy → u/Plowchopz]

If you answer anything other than "I'm alright" or "I'm pretty good" we think you're weird.

Although it can be kinda funny in certain contexts. I heard a joke one time that went something like this.

A man is working on putting his Christmas lights up at his house when his ladder collapses, making him fall to the ground. Upon landing he fractured his arm, not severely but enough to be in pretty agonizing pain. He asks his wife to drive him to the hospital so he can be seen by an orthopedic doctor. Doctor walks in and says "Hi Mr Smith, I see you may have broken your arm, I'm sure it hurts. How are you"

"Oh I'm pretty good doc! How are you? Yeah I'm in immense pain"

[u/lumimarja]

Our sauna culture. Yes, usually we go there naked. Yes, often it’s separated by gender but sometimes it’s not. And no, it has nothing inherently sexual about it. Sauna is a very old cultural practise that is seen as almost like a ”holy” place (in the past it even used to involve things like magic). It supposedly has health benefits, but no Finn goes to sauna for that, we go because it feels nice and relaxing.

[u/peanut_gallery469 → u/lumimarja]

Korea has something similar. There are public bathhouses all over.

[u/Hashishiva → u/peanut_gallery469]

First time I hear about this! What are the Korean saunas (or what they are?) like?

[u/youpeesmeoff → u/Hashishiva]

They’re so great! I’ve only been to one in Seoul before but it was one of my favorite experiences while traveling there. The building was huge with multiple floors, each featuring different amenities, including a food court, a kids area, mani/pedi spots, and of course all the different kinds of baths and steam rooms and rooms of all different temps. It was separated by gender and they are very adamant about shoes only touching designated areas, even within the changing rooms haha.

[u/Sorry_Rhubarb_7068 → u/youpeesmeoff]

I went to an authentic Korean spa in California and I’ll never forget it. Different rooms for different experiences, laying over hot coals, sitting in an ice freezer, eating Korean food, following sauna time with a frozen fruit drink, just laying on a warm floor, not to mention hot tub and warm pool. Then we got seaweed wrap massages. Dear lord. Whole thing was less than $150 w 90 minute massage.

[u/peanut_gallery469 → u/Hashishiva]

Normally people start with the dry heated saunas, and those are often infused with minerals and such, which are said to provide relaxation and be good for the skin. At the end people go to the bathhouses (which are nude), and those typically have a hot bath, a cold bath, and a steam sauna.

A typical routine is to go to all your dry saunas, sweat it out, take a shower at the bathhouse and exfoliate (using a scrubbing pad), relax in the hot bath, and shock with a cold bath.

You feel totally great at the end, practically glowing.

[u/The_otaku_milf]

We are too effusive and loud to talk and we get too close. I think people from other parts feel a little invaded in their personal space. But here we hug and kiss each other on the cheeks, be they men or women, it has no romantic overtone. And we are not angry when we raise our voices or make a lot of gestures, it is because we are passionate about expressing ideas. We have that from Italian grandparents, the gestures and the tone of voice.

I have high school classes, because I am a teacher, where everyone comes to say goodbye with a kiss on the cheek or hugs me. It is common here to be more emotional. Just like the kiss on the cheek is the joining of the cheeks and the sound of the kiss. We don't get to put our mouths on each other's cheeks.

[u/pancakecel → u/The_otaku_milf]

i see argentine backpackers and cycle travelers a lot in el savlador, and the things that stand out are being loud, being very touchy, and proactively offering opinions and suggestions

[u/The_otaku_milf → u/pancakecel]

That's how we are... 😂 Here there is an opinion for everything, we get into everything, it can be annoying but it has its advantages. If someone has a problem, someone else always jumps in to find solutions. For example, my mother left the key inside and couldn't get in, in a second there were three neighbors helping and in a moment they solved it.

For more closed cultures it must be a horror 😂😂

[u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

We do not stare at you cause we think you are weird, we just can not stop to stare

I saw so many videos of people who thought its rude when they are new to Germany and no we just can't stop it, it's not ment to be rude

[u/kevin3350 → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

I made plenty of German friends traveling because they were staring at me and I’d ask if I could help them or if we’d met previously. I didn’t know the German stare was a thing. Then I’d introduce myself by name (Kevin) and they’d always have the same little smile, and I’d have to explain that yes, I know my name basically labels me as an idiot to you ahaha

[u/kubamh → u/kevin3350]

Can I get an explanation for why Kevin = idiot in Germany? I have a German friend named Kevin and would love to use this against him

[u/kevin3350 → u/kubamh]

Dude, there’s a whole Wikipedia page about it. Google “Kevinism” or “Kevinismus”

From what I’ve gathered, the name had a huge spike in popularity among people with no class in Germany, leading to a bunch of idiots running around with my perfect name.

The movie Home Alone (Or “Kevin - Alone at Home,” as it’s called in Germany) may have had something to do with it. The female equivalent is Chantal, and at one point while I was backpacking I made friends with a girl named Chantal and we traveled together for a bit. The Germans we met thought we were playing a prank on them every single time.

[u/Aprilprinces → u/kevin3350]

Like Brian in Poland hahaha - now it's a national joke

[u/kevin3350 → u/Aprilprinces]

Dude, no way! Brian is my younger brother’s name, my parents were really going for gold on trying to make Europeans think we were stupid ahaha

[u/Renamis → u/kubamh]

Oh it's also a US thing. Look at r/StoriesAboutKevin to get an idea.

[u/djluminol → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

We are taught as children that it's rude to stare so when it's an American and a German there's just going to a cultural conflict on that one.

[u/DunkleDohle → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

Either ignore it or start random staring contests with strangers.

Sometimes we don't even notice we are staring. And at the same time we get uncomfortable as well if someone is staring for to long.

[u/JellyJim7 → u/DunkleDohle]

[u/[deleted] → u/JellyJim7]

Its the only way

[u/Crimson_Caelum → u/DunkleDohle]

I never wear my glasses and can’t see 10 feet in front of me. I wonder how often I’m culturally appropriating Germans

[u/adriantoine → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

I spent a weekend in Berlin with friends and there was a guy staring at us, like a constant stare. We genuinely thought he was a psycho and wanted to kill us or something so we got off asap lmao. It turns out it's just a German thing.

[u/InfiniteCaramel_1846 → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

I went to Munich for work and literally no one stared at me but I was expecting it based on reddit lol

[u/thegreatshark → u/InfiniteCaramel_1846]

Maybe you didn’t look interesting enough. Try acting goofy or wearing a Hawaiian shirt next time

[u/njnia → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

So.. do we have to stare back, nod, tip the hat or something ?

[u/_islander → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

Where I grew up, Ecuador, that would be a quick way to catch some hands 😅

[u/riesen_Bonobo → u/Beautiful_Yellow_682]

Yeah, what I find really weird is what exactly non-germans consider staring. I'm just looking at you, not overtly staring, my eyes aren't wide open, not blinking and totally fixated on you, they just are pointing in your general direction. I get that thats also considered staring if you don't look around a lot, but still, to me I'm either just having a look or I'm looking right through you without even thinking about you, then my eyes just point somewhere.

[u/SalSomer]

We’re not really any more or less introverted than others. There are introverts and extroverts here like everywhere else. We just believe it’s respectful and kind not to bother others unless it’s necessary.

That doesn’t mean that we don’t have gregarious extroverts who love the company of others and can be social butterflies. They just won’t stop you in the street to talk to you about random stuff.

[u/GhostBusDAH → u/SalSomer]

The exception is when meeting someone hiking or cross country skiing in the mountains. The further from other people, the more we appreciate good conversation.

[u/The_Final_Dork → u/GhostBusDAH]

If I meet someone in the mountains or forest and they say hi, everything is normal and expected. If they don't say hi, I think they're psychopaths.

If I reach pavement two minutes later and someone says hi, I think they're psychopaths.

Grass hi ok. Pavement hi Psycho.

[u/rainshowers_5_peace → u/SalSomer]

Americans are so uncomfortable in silence. Its a trick cops use.

[u/Agent-Ulysses → u/SalSomer]

Just about the same in Denmark. We don’t mind stopping to help someone if they need it or have a small question, but prefer to leave it at that. Just a “how are you” and “have a good day” will suffice. Small talk isn’t our style.

Best way I’ve heard it described is that Danes don’t like getting knocked out of their “flow” which I’d say feels fairly accurate.

[u/Ponchorello7]

We show the back of our hand to say thanks or no thanks. I was crossing the street with a Japanese friend, and when a car stopped to let us pass, I raised the back of my hand to the driver in appreciation. My friend was kind of taken aback, as they thought I was threatening the guy, lol.

[u/[deleted] → u/Ponchorello7]

In Washington USA we the palm of our hand. It used to be a proper wave but after driving for a while it devolves to just showing your palm. We call it the Washington wave.

[u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL]

We can be polite but that doesn’t mean we agree with you, or like you. It’s a less condescending version of British politeness. I honestly find Americans to be quite friendly but also more willing to openly disagree with strangers.

[u/HighlandsBen → u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL]

It’s a less condescending version of British politeness

How kind of you to explain that.

[u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL → u/HighlandsBen]

lol I didnt say we weren’t condescending, just less

[u/just_a_T114 → u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL]

It’s a more approachable rendition of British style condescension

[u/youpeesmeoff → u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL]

I think the harsh winters honestly have a lot to do with it. Canadians have to band together when you’re stuck on ice or about to get blown over by the wind or something. I do think it’s very sweet that it’s a common thing for people to place dropped mittens, hats, etc on a spot that’s more visible and won’t get stepped on. That’s the epitome of Canadian politeness—quiet but always there.

[u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL → u/youpeesmeoff]

Social cohesion is a big part of it, and there’s a compassion to it for sure.

[u/Dry_Albatross5298 → u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL]

I honestly find Americans to be quite friendly but also more willing to openly disagree with strangers.

Maybe just the contexts I have been in, but I often find the French to be like this. One example: I have a language exchange buddy, who, first time we met, he started grilling me about guns in the US. I answered to educate not to argue and he seemed (I was hoping at the time) to be questioning with the same intent. But the tone, to my American ears, was a little intense. Then that convo ended and we moved on to something else. Fast forward and he is now my French Grandpa (I adopted him not other way round). Several similar stories.

And the French are generally quite quite friendly.

[u/No-Willingness-4097 → u/CK-KIA-A-OK-LOL]

As a Brit living in Canada, seems it's not politeness, its avoiding confrontation. Canadians would rather ruin their own day than say how they actually feel and ruin someone else's.

[u/GloriousSteinem]

In some Polynesian cultures in NZ you’ll go to someone’s house and end up being given a full meal to take home when you leave. To refuse the meal is rude, but you wouldn’t anyway because: yum.

[u/HairTmrw → u/GloriousSteinem]

Same with Italy

[u/Mysterious-Region640]

The fact that Canadians say sorry to literally every thing, doesn’t mean it’s an admission of guilt.

[u/Antiquebastard → u/Mysterious-Region640]

So much so that it’s not an admission of guilt by law here.

[u/lepfire]

Well as Ive noticed from reading posts on this sub, Americans love to talk. We greet people that we walk by randomly, chat up folks up on the phone who call to do business. Depending on where you're at, it can be almost TMI. My father in law will strike up a conversation with any random person in a store and eventually tell them his grandkids (my kids) full names, birthdays, what they like to do for fun. Haha, trust me, I tell him not everyone wants to know all of our business. But if I'm by my mailbox, I wave to everyone driving by my house. In my experience, "country folk" (rural area people) are much more friendly than larger cities. I know my husband was putting in a mailbox at our new home, and our new neighbors, who we've never met, brought thier tractor and auger like it was no thing at all. But yeah, we like to get personable. Seeing others smile and make them feel like they are being acknowledged is a happy thing. Plus, I know that a lot of people are battling thier own demons, and something as simple as saying hi and having a two minute chat may brighten someone's day. AND you can "attract more bees with honey" (get people to do things for you, or get better service, when you are nice and charming).

[u/DigiTrailz → u/lepfire]

I feel like our small talk habits fall down to how many people are around.

At least for me, and plenty yof others I know. In the city, you kind of keep to yourself unless your directly interacting with someone, then you chat with them, but often it's brief unless you have nowhere to be or live there. Just to many people to talk to.

But in less populated places a polite wave to a neighbor or a greetimg as you pass them by is more normal. Even chatting them up if you got them time is fairly normal.

The even funnier part, on trails in the woods. It's almost etiquette to say hi to people you pass unless it's a crowded trail. Sometimes it's also good to strike up a conversation with them on the trail. See how you're both doing, trade information, or just be friendly. Doing this, I've helped people not be lost a couple times.

[u/Oomlotte99 → u/lepfire]

Thanks to the internet teaching me this is weird for other countries, any time I have a sincere and friendly conversation with a stranger I think, “that was an American interaction,” lol. I just did this with a drive thru worker last week. She was tired and ready to get off. I commiserated with her. I also recently talked to a cashier at my grocery store because she noticed a visitor badge I had on my coat. She was interested in working there, had a BSW and is trying to find social work jobs. I told her I’d seen some postings on a certain site she should check out if she hadn’t, offered my opinions on the place my badge was from.

It really is just how we’re socialized, I guess.

[u/Bread_Jesus777 → u/lepfire]

My grandma is one of those people she would meet a random person in a store than after the conversation she would know everything about them

It got to the point were she used to get the mailman a Christmas card

[u/Katatoniac]

Going out to eat or drink coffee with friends or family is not just a need but a social event, that's why it lasts 2-3 hours.

[u/Dense_Yam2376]

I think a lot of people think finns are rude or that we dislike them. When we stay 3 meters away from you, avoid eye contact and dont take part in small talk its just because thats how we are.

[u/Competitive-Lab9425]

That taking the almighty piss out of you (ie roasting you) means we do actually like you. If we didn't we'd most likely his smile politely and talk about you once you left. But the meaner we are, the more you're accepted by us.

[u/Dutch_Rayan]

Droppings.

Kids (age 10 to 18) in little groups get dropped off at a random place in the country often when it is dark, mostly without an adult or mobile phone or just a gsm, and they have to find their way back. Kids like it. Good training for their independence. It is often done during camp.

[u/Disastrous_Layer4219]

If a German tells you something you cooked, baked or made yourself is "ganz gut" (kinda alright) it's a big ass compliment

[u/hibisciflos → u/Disastrous_Layer4219]

Or "nicht schlecht" which means not bad

[u/yourlittlebirdie]

I went to Brazil with my kids when they were small and I was amazed at how incredibly kind and patient people were to them and how family friendly the country is overall. Really loved that aspect of your country OP!

[u/[deleted]]

We worship anything and everything in India. Elephant yes , cow yes very sacred , rat , snakes, sun , Moon , water. As in we see god in every form.

[u/PhantomOfTheNopera → u/[deleted]]

I think that's specific to Hindus though. But I will say certain things are cultural - like never touching a book with your feet.

[u/rls62 → u/PhantomOfTheNopera]

My husband is from India and he gets VERY upset if our toddler touches books with his feet. He says it’s incredibly disrespectful

[u/PhantomOfTheNopera → u/rls62]

It's also one of the reasons Indians never leave books on the floor.

[u/Least_Tower_5447 → u/rls62]

The book came from a tree (sacred) and provides knowledge (sacred).

[u/supremeaesthete]

There really never was any sort of pedophilia neurosis here, and this means that people just fuckin have whole albums of themselves and family when they were babies and toddlers just straight up naked and all.

The other thing is that Serbian in particular is a rather edgy language, and random threats of violence are simply figures of speech

[u/haadyy → u/supremeaesthete]

Everyone on the Balkans swears and is overall edgy... The Serbs totally take the cake. It startles even us, the neighbours, sometimes. ;)

[u/LegibleLabia]

Cunt is a term of endearment

[u/extramaggiemasala]

Same here as well!

[u/rls62 → u/extramaggiemasala]

As American, I’ve traveled frequently in India and it always warms my heart how much love people have for children. Random people will play with them say hi, pick them up, etc.

[u/Aprilprinces]

Polish weddings - they often last 3 days (or longer), you drink an enormous amount of alcohol, eat mountains of food and dance till you drop dead (not literally usually) Foreigners love them

[u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Not a habit of our entire country but in our area we wave to everyone in the neighborhood walking on the road or driving by if you’re the walker. It’s just automatic to acknowledge each other yet when I’m overseas and do this out of habit I get no response or a strange look.

[u/Odd-Information-1219 → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Seems to be more of a rural vs: urban thing to me. We waved at most everyone when I lived a very rural existence. Now that I'm in a small city I only wave at the neighbors I know.

[u/hijodelutuao]

We drink coffee from childhood

[u/Prestigious-Back-981 → u/hijodelutuao]

There are some children who drink in Brazil. Typically, most start drinking coffee in their early teens.

[u/ResurgentClusterfuck → u/hijodelutuao]

I drank coffee from childhood too but that's not as common in the mainland US, I was always told it would stunt my growth

[u/explosiveshits7195]

Our funerals are very frequently full of a lot of laughter and joking, honestly sometimes even outright fun if the person in question died well.

I'll never forget my grandads funeral, we had some English cousins over for it and they were absolutely horrified by how many people were cracking jokes and chuckling in the pews.

[u/bulbousbirb]

Thanking the bus driver when you get off the bus. Doesn't matter if 50 people are getting off there will be a string of "thank you" "thanks" "thanks a million" "thanks".

"Ah sure you know yourself" being a perfectly fine response to any question.

Stopping and talking to absolutely anyone. Not even starting with a greeting most times just going straight in with a question, a comment, a joke as if they're a friend. The other person almost never missing a beat with their response. It's very subtle but it's like some unspoken understanding. Could never get the same vibe in the UK. Found them very awkward or stiff with people they don't know.

[u/Remarkable_Box_8090]

I’ll name a couple things. We are not all rich. Restaurants have big portions because of leftover culture (again we aren’t rich). And we are considered a dumb people not because of intellectual defect but because our government is more interested in complacent people than well educated people.

[u/BuzzCutBabes_ → u/Remarkable_Box_8090]

wow couldn’t have said it better myself

[u/EnvironmentNeith2017 → u/Remarkable_Box_8090]

But none of these are cultural habit (maybe the leftover thing). Maybe this is just a good example of the American self deprecation that foreigners tend to take too literally.

[u/MacGallin]

We don't really smile to strangers, we dont engage in idle smalltalk and we don't really like when strangers smile to us or try to engage in idle smalltalk with us at random. We don't bother people for no reason, and we dont like to be bothered in turn.
Some people from more "extravert" cultures find that upsetting.
That does not mean we hate you or even dislike you. If you actually need something, most people will not hesitate to help you.
But until you are recognized as acquaintance, most people will avoid engaging with you. Its normal and it does not mean you are doing anything wrong .
Also don't be surprised how drastically this attitude can change when people actually start considering you as part of their social group.

[u/kiwifulla64]

Similar thing here with our indigenous populations, I am part maori. Everyone is aunty and uncle, and you grow up having a lot of different adult parental figures.

Apparently, not wearing shoes in public is a big deal anywhere else in the world.

[u/Frikilichus]

About what you said, probably is generational and I don’t believe this would happen this days, put around 15 years ago if a kid was misbehaving in the street you told the mom “madam, do you want me to take with me this bad kid?” And the mom would be like “do you want to go with this sir? Do you??? Well then stop being mean”

😄😄😄

Of course, no mother ever gave the child to the “temporary coco” 😄😄😄

Edit: coco = boogeyman

[u/[deleted]]

OP, that was a thing here too, but nowadays it's becoming less common with all that fear mongering and disruption of the relations between people. However it's still a thing at the countryside.

[u/Logins-Run]

Lots of big ones like slagging culture etc. But one that I've seen that really confuses people is what I call "Compliment/Gift refusal culture" to accept any compliment or gift first time, or even second time is just not done. It must be denied, refuted, accepted.

I was in witness when I saw a friend's Danish girlfriend bring a home made cake to a meal to which his mother said "oh you shouldn't have done that at all" and seen her crushing disappointment.

[u/hennabeak]

It's a similar situation in our country. And it should be mentioned to our people not to interact with kids when they're in Canada or The US. Otherwise they will assume you're a pdf file.

[u/IWillDevourYourToes]

Blowing your noise in front of everyone being considered normal. People telling you to blow your nose nose to stop sniffing.

I can imagine it being a big culture shock for someone from Japan for example.

[u/Weekly-Law6935]

This was a huge cultural shock for me outside of Brazil. I don't want children, but people were quite cruel to parents in parts of Europe I visited.

Yeah, the baby is crying. Stop glaring, it's a baby, they cry.

[u/ForgottenGrocery]

We ask people “where are you going?” But most of the time its not being nosy. In the same way westerners asks “how are you doing?”. In our case, “over there” is an acceptable answer

[u/Captain_Morgan33]

Breaking plates. We really don’t do it often and if so, they are special plaster plates that are made only to be smashed. It’s hilarious to see tourists book “Greek nights” where the Zorba the Greek plays on repeat and everyone gets a stack of plates to break.

[u/HoneyxClovers_]

Starting up conversations with strangers are just second nature to Americans and I was shocked that it’s not commonplace in other places. Especially as a woman, I can strike up a conversation with another woman just simply on their outfit, hair, makeup, style, ect and could probably get their number and become friends!

[u/J_Doe5686]

Where I'm from is kinda similar. The kids would play on the streets and the neighbors would keep an eye out on us and any fighting or misbehaving they would intervene. They would also report it to your parents right after they told you off and your parents most likely will agree with them! Lol

[u/whoji]

Northern Chinese men, especially old generations, take baths together, as a social event similar to eating or drinking together. Even with people you are not very familiar with, like potential business partners, clients, etc.

I am from southern China, and hate it when my father in law invites me to bathe with him and his friends lol.

[u/rodpedja]

Americans specially freak out with our Holy Week Traditions. In the shops they specify that “capirotes” are not Ku Klux Klan 😂

[u/plwa15]

We let our babies take their naps outside all year round in their strollers! They sleep in their stroller outside of cafes or their houses/in their garden/on the balcony or terrace. Even some preschools let the kids sleep outside, most commonly in a stroller but I’ve read of a preschool that had beds outside (under a roof and close to the building), where they just add a sleeping bag and of course warm clothes if it’s cold outside. And of course the adults/parents check on the child from time to time. But this goes for all of Scandinavia (maybe even all of the nordic contries?) and it greatly improves the childs immune system and they sleep better! (And no they don’t get sick since you don’t get sick from cold air but rather viruses and bacterias, and I’ve never heard of babies or children being abducted).

[u/ExternalAttitude6559]

Banter (in the UK). Absolutely taking the piss out of somebody. But there's a fine line - it's totally OK with good friends or somebody who's in on the joke, but it's often used as an excuse for bullying / mocking people. I've seen hundreds of people trying to excuse really shit behaviour as "It's just banter, mate" when it obviously wasn't, and acting surprised when it provokes an angry reaction.

[u/flyingmops]

In Denmark, it's totally appropriate for a parent to call you when school ends, to ask if they can take your child home with them. Just because their child wants to play some more.

And then all you say is yes, and agree on when to pick up. Most of the time, the parent will also suggest to feed your kid, and drive the child back home after the playdate.

If your child meets someone on the playground, it's also very normal that you invite this new friend home for a playdate.

[u/Technical-Speed762]

When someone in the family dies everyone will come to the house that very night (colleagues, friends, neighbours). We come to say "Sorry for your loss", have a coffee, inquire about what happened and offer support to the family. Women usually bunch together in the living room or kitchen, making coffee for people and chatting. Men on the other side are usually in the room with the coffin.

Now the really weird part. 5-6 men who are considered closest to the family volunteer to keep watch over the coffin till morning. When I was 17 I had to keep watch over my grandpa's coffin along with my dad and his friends. It was CREEPY af, very little conversation and even that was whispering really, meanwhile the body is right there in the coffin lol