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!
#1
In Canada, we put maple syrup on snow and wait for it to get all gooey then we eat it
Image source: chillphilsonthegrill, Sarah J
#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 source: Zrina94, Josh Withers
#3
Throwing cheese down a hill then running after it
Image source: Seeyouyeah, Dave Farrance
#4
Thanking the bus driver.
Image source: Madra_ruax, Csongor Kemény
#5
In the UK, its definitely how we treat our friends. At uni quite a few people, especially Americans got pissed at me for insulting them. That’s just how we act. Only worry when we’re being polite
Image source: anon
#6
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 source: nativehoneybaby, JÉSHOOTS
#7
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 source: Skinnj, Juliano Mendes
#8
The friendlier the language the closer you are to a beating, the dirtier the language the more we like you.
Image source: anon, Kampus Production
#9
Apparently white gravy is a thing that’s not very common outside of southern America…
Image source: kawaiimoesugoidesu, WallyBooger
#10
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 source: Im_Tsuikyit, Quinn Dombrowski
#11
We have like a whole years worth of child leave here in Sweden and are encouraged to split between the parents, so there is lots of dads at the park with their kids.
Heard an American ask what was up with all the ‘mannys’? -_-
Image source: ZaMiLoD
#12
In Bulgaria we nod for No and shake for Yes. This doesn’t make us an impression but foreigners get really, really confused.
Tip: Listen to what we say, not how we move our head. :)
Image source: EasyDeezy
#13
We call flip-flops ‘thongs’ and erasers ‘rubbers’.
Image source: imnotavegan, betsy
#14
In the U.S. we have dry counties where stores cannot sell alcohol, but if you drive 4 miles up the road you can buy all the booze you want. Like just sell me my damn booze.
Image source: nightcrawler_5, Paul Sableman
#15
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 source: sunchild21, cottonbro studio
#16
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 source: alex_sl92, Vicky Brock
#17
Eating fries covered with cheese curd and gravy.
Image source: binaryblade
#18
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 source: molecularpoet, Quinn Comendant
#19
In the UK we don’t have one tap spout in a sink that you control the temperature of. We have two separate spouts: one hot that strips the flesh from your bones and one cold that gives you frost bite.
Image source: MajestyA
#20
Sitting naked and silently in a hot and sweaty room with other people
Image source: Aapelus, Ron Lach
#21
* Need some groceries? Get on your bike and stuff everything in your *fietstas*.
* Kids need to go to school? Bring them in your *bakfiets* (freight bicycle).
* Trying your best to talk Dutch to someone? Get an answer in English.
Image source: Roland0180
#22
Saying sorry to random people if they bump into you, even if it wasn’t your fault.
Image source: Frostedchunks
#23
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 source: bluezebra1990, Sergiy Galyonkin
#24
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 source: anon, Jason Dent
#25
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 source: BobletOfFire, Pierre-Selim
#26
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.
#27
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 source: Team_Rocket_Landed, Andrea Piacquadio
#28
Groundhogs Day must seem incredibly strange to non-Americans.
Image source: gabgruz14
#29
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 source: viktor72, Jérôme
#30
At the longest day of the year, everyone has to gather in a large field and jam a large wooden p***s covered in flowers into the ground. Then we dance around it. Historically this was to ensure a plentiful harvest but nowadays it’s just an excuse to get drunk.
Image source: TommyTbone
#31
Calling your mates c**t, and c***s mate.
Image source: kewday96
#32
Sitting in circles on birtdays and putting sprinkles on bread as breakfast or lunch.
Image source: Freefight, Pavel Danilyuk
#33
There are beaches where you should be naked (do not have to but you should be, besides maybe little kids or what ever)
No pixeling / blackening titts in TV, beer and wine for 16 year olds.
And I guess the most important on parts of our “highways” you can drive as fast as you want (which is actually pretty touristy here).
Image source: Luwi00
#34
Kissing people on the cheek (even the one you don’t know personally) to say hello.
Welcome to France guys o/
Image source: Kamiyee, Ketut Subiyanto
#35
Something I noticed is that students (perticulary Greek, Italian, French) that come to the UK find our drinking culture strange. As where maybe they would go out and have a few drinks then go home we will go home once we are dragged back vomiting at out door.
P.s. not really something I’m proud of just something I noticed
Image source: dhrisher
#36
We call the clear water as “sky juice”
Image source: butterpopkorn, Uber Turist
#37
Climbing up a super oily tree trunk along with a bunch of bare chested men with the goal of grabbing a bunch of s****y prizes tied at the top.
EDIT: It’s called Panjat Pinang.
Image source: SAINT_OF_SHIT
#38
We eat the inwards of sheep and they are delicious! We call it “κοκορέτσι”. It’s the greatest greek dish. It’s like 4 x gyros!
Image source: geoponos
#39
Brunost (goat cheese)
It’s pretty normal in Norway, Denmark & Sweden
Edit: Should’ve said that it’s a type of brown colored goat cheese, which contains from whey as one of the main ingredients.
Image source: SavageCake
#40
Calling some random dude “your man”. Equal in meaning to “that guy”.
Image source: i_am_just_a_number
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