=Countries You have Visited and the Cultural Differences?

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Share some interesting stories about the Cultural Differences that you noticed…the cultural Shocks:)

A list would be fine too with the country name

Waise I hope this thread doesn’t belong in travel:hmmm:

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Re: =Countries You have Visited and the CULTURAL SHOCK??

travelled so much as a kid that I just got used to cultural differences and accepted teh fact that diff people in diff places have diff ideas about life and diff practices. Due to that I dont think I have never had cultural shock, observed cultural differences yes, liked and disliked things sure, but cultural 'shock' I dont think I have experienced that.

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Yes would not call it a shock...................but a pleasant surprise!

First time in USA...............while on the airport...............was in need of going to the Toilet................looked all over the airport for "Toilet"..............it was before they started putting human figures on the doors...............

in Pakistan a "Rest Room" on Rail Stations was some place where people took a nap!...............

so I noticed doors that had signs reading "Rest Room" was hesitant to go in....til someone said that was a Toilet...........:)

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I guess I need to rephrase the title...I didn't mean for it to be you know...really a shock...just the differences that made you go hmmm thats really different. So share those.

For me a while back when revisiting UAE...it was whenever we went out...the general public smelled nice as in all perfumeryy kind ...Like a normal outdoor the souks..people smelt nice...Not that I was making an effort to smell them:D

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:D....I always wondered here in USA though why they call it restroom:D

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Re: =Countries You have Visited and the CULTURAL SHOCK??

Russia- Very hard and long process of getting into the country. Too many questions asked too much paperwork involved. I dont know why they're so selective about the people they let into their country. Corruption is just scary. Flash a little bit of money and anything you want is at your fingertips. Bribes are very common over there. Public restrooms- two kinds... either very nasty with absolutely no hand soap and tissues so you have to carry your own at all times, and then there's the complete opposite with really big powder type rooms and expensive lotions and even mint dispensers.

Their love of smoked fish was also something really strange to me. And they offer drinks even to kids at dinnertime. I remember being told that when going to someone's house you should bring flowers and they can never be yellow or even numbered cuz thats bad luck as its only used for funerals. They are very hospitable people and hold women in high esteem.

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Re: =Countries You have Visited and the Cultural Differences?

On my first visit to Pak, I had a number of surprises and made a number of embarrassing mistakes. Hubby didnt tell me much of anything before the trip lol. Upon meeting my hubby-to-be's family, I embraced them and gave a kiss on the cheek.

I ate like a linebacker, esp at all the parties - the food was just delectable. I never refused when offered more lol.

I was totally confused when hubby steered me into a party tent and told me to stay by his sister....where are all the guys? i kept wondering.

They had a young guy who did all their cooking...he didnt speak a word of english so we didnt communicate very well. I got up really early one day and decided to train the new family dog so I went to the refrigerator and got out a leftover kebab and tried to explain what I wanted it for...he didnt understand, I realized later that he thought I was sneaking even more food than I was already eating lol.

All mistakes aside, I had the time of my life and cant wait to go back - in a more civilized manner this time :)

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I also wonder too but I try giving answer myself. Here are my answer.

May be they get relief.

As I heard at jot ppl here go and spend time to get relief from work and no one can have objection about that. So they go to rest there so they call it REST ROOM.

muddat k baad
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oh yeah..ppl relieving themselves in public sitting by random walls in Karachi was something that really confused me. probably one of the strangest sights I have seen.

ladies sunbathing topless in europe was also a little..whoa...

in Morocco the speed at which ppl do things, just the level of unorganization, in 2006 when i was there, seeing that they had no computers in courthouses and had to type things out on a clunky typewriter, and had metal shelves with dusty old files, carbon paper was a necessity. majority of the govt offices did nto even have photocopiers.

Moms 2012- 2013
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You're too adorable. Your story read like Bridget Jones movie! You know clumsy and fumbling in an endearing type of way.