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What was your biggest 'culture shock' when travelling abroad?

Have you ever been abroad and experienced culture shock?
And if so, what was it?
:smile:

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Guy was holding a gun in the toilets in a mall in some country in Africa which I wont reveal and i was scared at the time as I was young
Getting asked by another European to bring a package onto a flight out of Bogotá.
Toilets without any cubicle doors in china and also the shower rooms (open)

It may be normal for some people but I like my privacy and I find it way too awkward

Went to Spain and also saw a lot of topless women at beaches
There isn't anything wrong with it , I just never saw it before (maybe because I am young) so I was a bit shocked.
(edited 4 years ago)
Tea made without boiling water :angry:
Reply 5
people offering to help me with my heavy luggage at every London tube station (which was a lot of stations).

that would never happen in Toronto, Canada where they all run you over :nah:
Original post by Joleee
people offering to help me with my heavy luggage at every London tube station (which was a lot of stations).

that would never happen in Toronto, Canada where they all run you over :nah:

This has literally never happened to me at a London tube station!!

If it did I would probably assume they were about to scam me
Reply 7
No onions hanging around french people's necks... Shocked me...
Original post by Den987
Have you ever been abroad and experienced culture shock?
And if so, what was it?
:smile:


Yep, my first and last time in France. It was a shock that the citizen speak a completely different language than me. Since that time I swore to myself just going to countries in which they speak the languages I understand.

Definetely a shock in the long run which coined me.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by harrysbar
This has literally never happened to me at a London tube station!!

If it did I would probably assume they were about to scam me


that's what people tell me but i swear to god it happened :yep:

my bag was way too heavy so i wasn't worried anyone would take it. they wouldn't get very far.

but yay, Canadians are supposed to be polite but in my experience you guys are better.
Original post by Kallisto
Yep, my first and last time in France. It was a shock that the citizen speak a completely different language than me. Since that time I swore to myself just going to countries in which they speak the languages I understand.


It couldn't have been that much of a shock that people speak French in France :tongue:
the only one i can think of atm is drinking tap water
Visiting Russia, and it being over 40 degrees in heat in Moscow and St Petersburg, and not the cold, bitter climate I was expecting.
Original post by harrysbar
It couldn't have been that much of a shock that people speak French in France :tongue:


True, I even learnt some vocabularies and idiomatic phrases for tourists to cope with, but it was so frustrating that I couldn't understand even a word. It was a pain for my self-confidence.
We drink tap water in the UK though?
Reply 15
Original post by lucypaulman
We drink tap water in the UK though?


Really? I’m from Germany and we definitely don’t lol...
Crouching toilets in China.
Reply 17
Original post by Unexpectedly
Visiting Russia, and it being over 40 degrees in heat in Moscow and St Petersburg, and not the cold, bitter climate I was expecting.


People think the same when they visit Germany, and then they arrive in the middle of a heatwave
Reply 18
Original post by Themysticalegg
Crouching toilets in China.


Tbh I’ve used plenty of squat toilets in Europe😂
Really?! Everywhere I've been to in Europe didn't require me to squat! :laugh:
Original post by Bazyli
Tbh I’ve used plenty of squat toilets in Europe😂

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