An open mind is one of the most important things travelers need when jet setting around the world. You might not always know what you’re ordering off a menu or why the toilets look so different from back home, but that’s just part of the adventure!
Every country has its quirks, so some people have been opening up on Reddit about the things no one bats an eye at in their own nations. Below, you can learn all about these unique things that make nations special (while simultaneously confusing foreigners) and read conversations with travel experts Alyse of The Invisible Tourist and Dave and Deb of The Planet D!
- Read More: 40 Things That Are Totally Normal In Some Countries, Yet Make The Rest Of The World Confused
#1
In Canada, we put maple syrup on snow and wait for it to get all gooey then we eat it
Image credits: chillphilsonthegrill
#2
In Denmark our way of caring for our children baffles a lot of foreginers.
i.e. we find it natural to leave them unattended, they are left in their prams to nap basically everywhere, usually outside no matter what time of the year it is.
Image credits: Zrina94
#3
Throwing cheese down a hill then running after it
Image credits: Seeyouyeah
#4
Thanking the bus driver.
Image credits: Madra_ruax
#5
Thirty days of confinement to a room in your house after having a baby and only leaving to go to the doctor.
Not sleeping by your significant other when they are going hunting the next day because you “have power” that will affect the kill.
Not stepping over things while pregnant to prevent the soul from leaving the baby.
Also, never touching meat while on “your time” because the “power” will spoil the meat.
Dancing for four days without water or food in the early summer to help the people…
I am on a reservation in the United States. The US has some 500+ tribes but many have the same beliefs and traditions.
So, there US you have something totally bizarre to you that is completely normal to us
Image credits: nativehoneybaby
#6
We let cheese melt, throw some schnaps in there and eat it with bread cubes on a long fork.
Oh and if your bread falls off the fork you’ll have to do some silly stuff like sing a song or jump naked in the snow…
Image credits: Skinnj
#7
The friendlier the language the closer you are to a beating, the dirtier the language the more we like you.
Image credits: anon
#8
Apparently white gravy is a thing that’s not very common outside of southern America…
Image credits: kawaiimoesugoidesu
#9
The fact gum is illegal here in Singapore may be odd to foreigners, but there’s a reason for that. The reason being people constantly spitting gum onto the ground, sticking it on cars and elevator buttons, making everywhere you went covered in gum. And when the gum dried up, it would become very hard to remove.
Image credits: Im_Tsuikyit
#10
We call flip-flops ‘thongs’ and erasers ‘rubbers’.
Image credits: imnotavegan
#11
In Iran it is common to say no out of politeness when offered something. Only if the other person asks again will you say yes. Actually, you might even say no multiple times.
Cab drivers will do this too for instance. You ask how much you owe them and they’ll say something along the lines of “oh don’t worry it’s worth nothing” to which you then reply by insisting on paying. Only then will they tell you the price and bla bla bla.
Image credits: sunchild21
#12
We burn a Viking galley in January with a +-1000 men with burning torches walking around town all dressed up in anything you can imagine with one main squad dressed up in handmade Viking armour with weapons (diffrent each year), then we burn the boat in the town centre. Then we go to lots of town halls drink and dance for the whole night only to get home in the early hours usually worse for wear.
Image credits: alex_sl92
#13
Colombia: Putting cheese in our hot chocolate. You put in a bit of cheese in the cup, it melts and you take it out with a spoon and eat it with bread. No, it doesn’t make your chocolate taste cheesy, it just melts in a nice way.
The first time I did this with foreigners they were completely beside themselves.
Image credits: molecularpoet
#14
In Singapore, when I go to a foodcourt/coffeeshop/foodhall, I can reserve a table or a seat by placing a packet of tissue/my handkerchief on the spot. No need to leave my bag or bottle or anything else to reserve the spot before I walk over to a food stall to buy food. I come back and my 20cents packet of tissue is still there. Basically, no one will dare steal your spot/tissue or move it away. Pretty convenient eh.
Image credits: bluezebra1990
#15
Shabbat elevator service. In Israel, in a lot of places, the elevators are programmed to stop at every floor going up and down, so that the religious people don’t have to push buttons and therefore “operate machinery” on Shabbat. So, if you wanna get to your floor on time, just take the stairs.
Image credits: anon
#16
Celebrating the attempted terrorist attack by Guy Fawkes.
Explained it to my friends girlfriends from Portland and she thought it was the most bizarre thing ever.
Image credits: BobletOfFire
#17
Here in England we get totally drunk because the sun is shining. It’s reason enough to finish work and go straight to the nearest pub with a beer garden then drink until closing.
I imagine in some countries you’d never be sober if that happened.
Image credits: anon
#18
In England it’s pretty common to greet someone by saying something along the lines of “you alright?”. I said this to my American friend and she responded by asking what I wanted?..
Image credits: Team_Rocket_Landed
#19
In Belgium we have neighborhoods where 90% of the people living there speak French yet they are forced to speak Dutch in all official capacities unless they specifically ask for French after the fact. Call the police, they speak Dutch first, then you have to ask them to speak French to you. Receive official documents from the community? In Dutch first, then you have to ask for them in French.
And that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
Image credits: viktor72
#20
Sitting in circles on birtdays and putting sprinkles on bread as breakfast or lunch.
Image credits: Freefight
#21
Kissing people on the cheek (even the one you don’t know personally) to say hello.
Welcome to France guys o/
Image credits: Kamiyee
#22
We call the clear water as “sky juice”
Image credits: butterpopkorn
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