Stephanie Barnes
When you spend most of your life living in one place, you become used to doing things a certain way. As you start traveling and learning about different places and cultures, you’ll see your “normal” isn’t universal.
In a recent Reddit thread, users are talking about differences between their countries and the United States of America.
The conversation was sparked after one user asked: What is normal in your country, but strange in another? The responses range from minor differences, like calling traffic lights “robots” to big things, like starting work on Sunday instead of Monday.
Here are 19 things that are normal in some countries but weird in America.
1. Kuwait and other Arab countries
We start work on Sunday not Monday’s here.
2. Norway
Bringing the leftover alcohol you brought to a party home. I live in Norway and a beer is anywhere from £3 to £5. Hard liquor is atleast £40 per litre, but for something that doesn’t taste like hand sanitizer it’s around £50-60.
3. Australia
Getting your car smashed in by a kangaroo one day, then having your suspension wrecked by a wombat two weeks later.
4. South Africa
Doing P.E barefoot. P.E. in South Africa is done on the grass, outside and stuff and shoes were optional unless you were doing a sport or something. I mean even during sports events some people do that shit barefoot like long jump or high jump or even running and I feel like I run faster barefoot than with shoes so if I did a race I would always go “Alright well I’m up time to get my shoes off.”
5. South Africa
Calling traffic lights “robots.”
First time I went to South Africa I asked the person at the reception where I could find a grocery store. Her answer:
“Down the street around the circle, hit the first robot, turn left and there’s the Spar”
I was like WTF? Thankfully, my husband had been there before so he knew what that meant.
6. Romania
Custom meds. I recently found out that in most countries, you can’t just go into a pharmacy / drug store with a prescription and have the pharmacist prepare a set of pills / ointment / cream for you.
I used to have severe dandruff problems, went into a pharmacy and asked for something. The pharmacist asked how severe / for how long / what kind of shampoo I have and how greasy my hair is and told me to come back two days later. She handed me a container with a cream-like substance in it which just had a handwritten label on with saying “[My name] – Dandruff Shampoo”. I paid the equivalent of $4 and was told to use it twice a week for no longer than a month.
7. Finland
I like Finland. Everyone is awkward as f–k all day. But somewhere after dinner you get naked and drunk together lol.
8. Germany
We are all nude in German sauna’s as well.
9. New Zealand
Kia ora.
10. The Netherlands
Chocolate sprinkles on buttered bread for breakfast.
11. Australia
Spiders the size of softballs that live in your house and are good at getting rid of bugs.
12. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.
Welcome to India if you got no girls your family finds one for you and even if you got girls your family still finds one for you. #ArrangedMarriages
13. Australia
Calling your boss, doctor, lawyer, professor etc by their first name on first meeting.
14. Folks mentioned South Africa, Guyana, Venezuela, Nigeria, etc.
Sitting without electricity for two to eight hours a day.
15. Norway
We don’t talk to strangers unless we have to, and have developed some kind of weird body language for things, for example sitting on a bus and getting off but you’re blocked in by another person? Lean forward and grab the handle of your bag. The other person will know.
16. The Netherlands
Throwing a birthday party where you sit in one big circle, eating pieces of cheese and sausage.
17. Mexico
Adding chilli powder to fruits as a snack.
18. The Balkans
Living with your parents until getting married or living in the same building with your parents even after getting married.
19. Czech Republic
Up to three years paid maternity leave.
