Other countries, other customs

[Max]

Heyho everyone,

We all know that cultural differences exist and that different countries have their own customs. For example, in the US tipping is pretty standard, while in other countries it's not.

Some of these differences are quite popular while others are not. Share your knowledge, experiences, or embarassing stories about cultural differences here!

[Max]

引用自 maks9：

also is this your dog on ur profile pic? very cute :3

Yep. <3 I have some more pics of her in my artwork section.

[-Шasтe|Мanageмenт-]

We have like thousands of culture and customs here. But I'll list some of the general customs of our country that I think is different from most/some Western countries..

- Eating with hands is 100% okay and acceptable on a table (as long as it's not disgusting) .. we're usually eating with a spoon but not a fork. Also, you shouldn't eat with the left hand.
- We serve and eat fish with whole body intact, though of course, you don't need to eat the head.
- It is absolutely okay to sell, cook, and eat 'insides' of the animals, like kidneys (like most of Asian)
- We smile to initiate a contact, so it's recommended to smile back in return even with strangers or when someone accidentally met your eyes. It is a sign that you're 'approachable' and it's not flirting at all.
- It's not proper to show love affection in public except holding hands, and kissing in public is very no-no.
- In some places with significant Buddhist/Hindu heritage like Bali, Java, Lombok, we greet stranger by clasped both hands in front of the chest while slightly bowing toward them, even if they're Muslim/Christian.
- We still believe in supernatural being, like if you want to chop down that big very old tree in your lawn, you'll be expected to do some kind of religious ritual.
- If you're a woman and not in the island of Bali / public gym, you shouldn't wear a bikini for swimming and revealing clothes that show too much of your stomach in public (but I think it's kinda okay with today's generation).
- And for handshake, our handshake is weak and soft compared to firm Western handshake.
- It is okay to ask someone's age in small talk.
- It's very rude to call the elders by their names, even if you're the boss. Address them with sir/mam. Also, our most senior/honored person has the right to initiate the meal followed by the rest of our family/company members.
- It's okay to live together with family that is several generation older, also family relationships are very important. Living with your parents is okay if you haven't married. But you don't live together with your girl/boyfriend, marry first.
- We have this custom called 'saving face' (maybe like most of the ppl in Asian country). Openly airing you displeasure is considered very disrespectful. If you're angry with someone, discuss it privately, that way you're allowing them to 'save face' and of course retain their dignity. So yeah you should consider other's dignity to avoid humiliation/shame of that person and yourself.
- It's polite to refuse a gift before accepting it, this shows that you're not greedy. Gifts are not opened when received also use the right hand for giving or accepting something.
- Tipping is very acceptable but it's not a must. So if you don't like that waitress you don't need to tip her.
- We're looked down ppl that drinking alcohol in public (not restaurant of course).
- You'll get difficulties to be accepted in a good working place, school, university, military, law enforcement, etc if you have a tattoo in revealing spots, even the smallest tattoo. Welp, it's not really about religion, mostly because of the old mindset 'only punk/criminal doing that'.
- We always shower 2 times a day, even in cold rainy weather ..
- But most people, even in some big cities .. young/old/poor/rich are still throwing rubbish everywhere .. I guess it's because of their actual family education and community perspective. Also, people are throwing dead rats on the road because they're too lazy to bury it .. you'll see red/black dry rat meat here on the road.
- We don't wear sunglasses when we go out, but we wear a jacket on a hot afternoon day, like always ...

I can go list dozens more but it'll be one page long lol

引用自 CodeGreen：

引用自 The Rise of The East：

In India, it's ok to take a dump anywhere you want to, not in the rest of the world

That's pretty much all people do in every third world countries. Even i saw indonesians doing it when I visited there during my vacation trip.

All? WE don't take a dump anywhere we want in public here since before our independence, it's just taboo .. but yea people who live in 'favela' like places/remote area are often openly taking a dump on the river because they don't have a bathroom or their shared bathrooms are simply broken xD. .. except maybe old hobo/homeless person with severe mental illness

[Frezmo]

In england, when there's a terrorist attack, it's nomal to run with your pint still in your hand, trying not to spill it.

[Cleverhardy (She/Her)]

The difference between Britain and Japan is that wihle the former is relaxed and slightly unhealthy, whilst Japan is said to be punctual and health concious.

[That ain't it chief]

To tip the waiters about 15%
We dont have crime where i live nor natural disasters.

[Frezmo]

引用自 Cleverhardy (SweetoChu Shipper)：

The difference between Britain and Japan is that wihle the former is relaxed and slightly unhealthy, whilst Japan is said to be punctual and health concious.

The difference between Britan and Japan is that the ♥♥♥♥ are completely wierd and crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5kAXfHHEjE

[Down The Drain]

Lemonade here in the US isn't carbonated. My friend in the UK was weirded out by this.

[Frezmo]

引用自 He takes it very seriously：

Lemonade here in the US isn't carbonated. My friend in the UK was weirded out by this.

So am I, so you're basically drinking lemon juice not lemonade. Like somone has just grabed a lemon and a glass and just squeezed the lemon over the glass. That's pretty strange mate. Also tea is a hot delicate drink not a cold drink stuffed with sugar. I went to America and a lot of the food over there is really sweet. I mean, like, I have golden syrup with my sausages. Just becuase it came with it. Not to say it was nice but why? It would have tasted better with brown sauce or something.

[MADWACZ]

We have some good maintained roads, other are small and dangerous to drive on.
We loves our king.

[Jonathan Sensei]

In Sicilian culture, it's considered rude to refuse a meal - especially if you're a guest.

[dum monke]

引用自 Säbel：

In Chinese culture, it’s considered rude to address our elders by their first names. We address them by a title and their surname, or “Uncle” / “Aunty”. Of course, this doesn’t apply for friends or coworkers.

But I’m in America now, and people are addressing their stepparents and their uncles’/aunts’ spouses by first name. Some of them even address their in-laws that way. I’m really not used to doing that.

I say my uncle and aunts name ,but my grandma i say grandma

[Down The Drain]

引用自 Frezmo：

引用自 He takes it very seriously：

Lemonade here in the US isn't carbonated. My friend in the UK was weirded out by this.

So am I, so you're basically drinking lemon juice not lemonade. Like somone has just grabed a lemon and a glass and just squeezed the lemon over the glass. That's pretty strange mate. Also tea is a hot delicate drink not a cold drink stuffed with sugar. I went to America and a lot of the food over there is really sweet. I mean, like, I have golden syrup with my sausages. Just becuase it came with it. Not to say it was nice but why? It would have tasted better with brown sauce or something.

Well it's lemon juice with sugar (or sweetened in some way). Iunno, I like it.

Also the carbonated lemonade is a newer thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade

[Frezmo]

引用自 He takes it very seriously：

引用自 Frezmo：

So am I, so you're basically drinking lemon juice not lemonade. Like somone has just grabed a lemon and a glass and just squeezed the lemon over the glass. That's pretty strange mate. Also tea is a hot delicate drink not a cold drink stuffed with sugar. I went to America and a lot of the food over there is really sweet. I mean, like, I have golden syrup with my sausages. Just becuase it came with it. Not to say it was nice but why? It would have tasted better with brown sauce or something.

Well it's lemon juice with sugar (or sweetened in some way). Iunno, I like it.

Also the carbonated lemonade is a newer thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade

Because Wikipedia cannot be considered a reliable source, the use of Wikipedia is not accepted in many schools and universities in writing a formal paper, and some educational institutions have banned it as a primary source while others have limited its use to only a pointer to external sources.

[Down The Drain]

引用自 Frezmo：

引用自 He takes it very seriously：

Well it's lemon juice with sugar (or sweetened in some way). Iunno, I like it.

Also the carbonated lemonade is a newer thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade

Because Wikipedia cannot be considered a reliable source, the use of Wikipedia is not accepted in many schools and universities in writing a formal paper, and some educational institutions have banned it as a primary source while others have limited its use to only a pointer to external sources.

lol

[Frezmo]

引用自 He takes it very seriously：

引用自 Frezmo：

Because Wikipedia cannot be considered a reliable source, the use of Wikipedia is not accepted in many schools and universities in writing a formal paper, and some educational institutions have banned it as a primary source while others have limited its use to only a pointer to external sources.

lol

Well, Wikipedia is a wiki, a wiki is a website or database developed collaboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content.

Therefore it's not reliable.