Stuff that other countries you visited have or do that surprised you

[Ale]

Well? Have you ever been abroad and some cultural thing, or about how to use money, or about how to sit at the table was really surprising for you?

[DiamondDog]

The no tipping culture in Europe was a pleasant surprise. Turns out they pay their restaurant employees a living wage, go figure.

[DemonFilth2001]

The no tipping culture in Europe was a pleasant surprise. Turns out they pay their restaurant employees a living wage, go figure.

Same in New Zealand. First several meals, I tipped like I always do. Realized how happy the servers were when they saw. Was finally told tipping isn’t customary. Saved a lot of money during the rest of my trip.

[BDG135]

In parts of Europe, servers at restaurants do not come around to check on you. You have to let them know when you want your check or need assistance.

[HueyRamone]

The no tipping culture in Europe was a pleasant surprise. Turns out they pay their restaurant employees a living wage, go figure.

Same in New Zealand. First several meals, I tipped like I always do. Realized how happy the servers were when they saw. Was finally told tipping isn’t customary. Saved a lot of money during the rest of my trip.

Thank god you stopped making them happy.

[DiamondDog]

In parts of Europe, servers at restaurants do not come around to check on you. You have to let them know when you want your check or need assistance.

Yup, and I love it. No badgering you to flip the table.

[Michael Hotts Ghost]

Europe..

The lack of air conditioning. WTF it's 2023 get with the times. Why suffer? it gets hot as hell during the summer.

The no ice in your drinks routine. Or at best, you get one ice cube and they look at you like your crazy if you want more.

[GoodJudge]

The no tipping culture in Europe was a pleasant surprise. Turns out they pay their restaurant employees a living wage, go figure.

Came on here to post the opposite - paying your employees sub-starvation wages and expecting them to grovel to customers day in, day out in order to just be able to afford the basics is insane. Plus, as a tourist, you never know when you're going to cause offence and you'll get bad service if you go back. Do I have to put $1 in the tip jar or press the 5% / 10% / 15% option on the card machine every single time I get a coffee, otherwise they'll spit in it tomorrow? Is 15% good in a restaurant or is 25% expected because it's an option on the card machine and if I press 15 I'll look like a cheapskate?

Also what's so difficult about US shops displaying the actual price? Why is it "the display price plus sales tax added at the till"? It's not like the tax rate changes constantly.

On a completely different track, in 2015 I visited parts of Central Asia and the first time our driver got to a roundabout (traffic circle) he just charged straight in. I was thinking "oh shit we're going to die" but apparently there the drivers ON the roundabout have to stop to let you on. Everywhere else I've been (and I've travelled a lot), you wait for a gap to join.

Finally, one of the best things about Cuba, though it took a day to sink in, was zero street advertising. There were some big government propaganda billboards on the airport road but nothing after that. No haircare product bullshit, the 'latest' drink that tastes like all the others, fast food crap, etc.

[Love_Industry]

The no ice in your drinks routine. Or at best, you get one ice cube and they look at you like your crazy if you want more.

I don't like when they put a ton of ice in my drinks to save on alcohol and/or juice. When it melts you end up drinking barely coloured water, and outside Europe you never know what the quality of the tap water is.

Fuck ice.

[MetalSludgeCEO]

I love to travel... there is a HUGE world out there, and it's not all like your (our) backyard!

I am happy to experience the culture, wherever I go and find it shallow, bull-headed and ignorant when some people negatively react to the change.

Starting here in the U.S., the often used "Speak English" to anyone who isn't fluent in our language, when visiting or moving here. That's such an ugly thing to say, to anyone.

99% of the time, we don't know that person's story... how would you like it if you visited Italy, Spain, Germany or Japan, and the people told you the same?

Also understand that when you are outside the U.S.A., that they might not have your favorite soda, or the sauces taste different, or the toilet isn't like yours. Adapt.

And guess what... the same applies when they come here... imagine how many Asian cultures only use chop-stix, then come here and are handed a Fork. It's very much the same thing, to them it's just not the norm.

There are endless examples everywhere... and while some things might be frustrating at times, I always try to just roll with it, and feel grateful for the chance to see another part of the country or world, whether it's different or not.

$tEvil

[Black Stuff]

Europe..


The no ice in your drinks routine. Or at best, you get one ice cube and they look at you like your crazy if you want more.

Ireland is notorious for this

[Cindy Buzzedimisa]

I don't think I could ever get used to the sketchiness of Mexico. Things like only ordering fish tacos so you don't get served dog or pigeon and waiters dumping tequila shots in your mouth and spinning you around and predatory cops and the shit show the border is. There's a lot of roid heads in SoCal and Mexico is where they get it. My friend showed me how he'd smuggle it in hiding it in the engine. And those women with crazy huge boob jobs didn't get those in the US. Most likely Mexico. Anyone who's been there can go on all day now wild it is compared to where they came from.

Other than that, I've only been to Canada when I was 6. Here I am a little kid who's afraid of going down the bathtub drain, and they take me to Niagra freaking Falls. Terrifying.

[MetalSludgeCEO]

I don't think I could ever get used to the sketchiness of Mexico. Things like only ordering fish tacos so you don't get served dog or pigeon and waiters dumping tequila shots in your mouth and spinning you around and predatory cops and the shit show the border is. There's a lot of roid heads in SoCal and Mexico is where they get it. My friend showed me how he'd smuggle it in hiding it in the engine. And those women with crazy huge boob jobs didn't get those in the US. Most likely Mexico. Anyone who's been there can go on all day now wild it is compared to where they came from.

Other than that, I've only been to Canada when I was 6. Here I am a little kid who's afraid of going down the bathtub drain, and they take me to Niagra freaking Falls. Terrifying.

"""""""""""""""""""Things like only ordering fish tacos so you don't get served dog or pigeon """"""""""""""""""""

What's wrong with Dog Tacos?


""""""""""""""""""I've only been to Canada when I was 6.""""""""""""""""""""""

Canada don't count... that's like Minnesota with more moose and less purple clothes.


$tEvil

[(((\m/)))]

My vacation this year to London had me anticipating great beer. I was unimpressed. I found the public transportation very easy to figure out, and yeah, when walking. It is hard to look right even when you know they drive on the other side of the street. That’s an American habit that I just couldn’t break.

[DonJuanDeMarco]

Been to Asia several times.

Major ice and AC issues.

Toilets were different than mine.

Prostitution solicitation everywhere.

People smoking in elevators. Compounded with people getting IN the elevator before letting people out.

I’m seeing more and more of this rude behavior in the States unfortunately.

[FreddyFender]

Condiments not being unlimited in Europe - you get one large (equivalent of two here) packet of ketchup, mustard, whatever. If you want more, you have to pay for em.

But you know what? You never do. Turns out the one is enough.

[Turner Coates]

What's wrong with Dog Tacos?

You mean the Stonebreed tribute band?

[Horse Called War]

When I was working in Guam , cockfights were legal and advertised all over before it was outlawed.
I never knew they put blades on their legs

[Mojo]

Also what's so difficult about US shops displaying the actual price? Why is it "the display price plus sales tax added at the till"? It's not like the tax rate changes constantly.

This was really nice in England. Go into a Sainsbury's and the prices are just the prices. Though I did have a lady get really shitty with me because my card was all beat up and she couldn't match my signature from my card to the signature on the receipt I'd signed. They don't really do that in the US, but she was all about it, there.

I don't think I could ever get used to the sketchiness of Mexico. Things like only ordering fish tacos so you don't get served dog or pigeon and waiters dumping tequila shots in your mouth and spinning you around and predatory cops and the shit show the border is. There's a lot of roid heads in SoCal and Mexico is where they get it. My friend showed me how he'd smuggle it in hiding it in the engine. And those women with crazy huge boob jobs didn't get those in the US. Most likely Mexico. Anyone who's been there can go on all day now wild it is compared to where they came from.

You need to venture farther than Tijuana or whatever other shitty border town Senor Frog's you stumbled into. Mexico is incredible.

[Pandora_Peroxide]

Just back from Vegas.
Is it a Vegas thing or US wide that a pint has no head on it, just a flat pint?
Why can't I just walk in to a food place and pick a table? Why does the host get to choose where I sit? Here you go out to eat you walk in and sit, anything reserved has a sign on it.
I understand tipping as wait staff are paid badly but why is there an option to tip in a take out place, thought they got wages?
Cheese on everything. Buffalo chicken wrap, has cheese in it. Roast beef sandwich, cheese in it. Don't get that.
People who ask where you are from and when you say England, near the middle, they start telling you about relatives businesses in London or Newcastle as though you're gonna know them. I know it is a small place but it's 2+hrs from here to London.
There isn't an English accent, we don't sound English, unless you are talking posh English like Hugh Grant. Drive 10 miles from me and you get massive accent changes. Heck, even less than that and bath and laugh are differently pronounced!

[Psychobolia.com]

The mall in Warsaw had a shop where you could just walk in for some botox work.

[GoodJudge]

I don't think I could ever get used to the sketchiness of Mexico. Things like only ordering fish tacos so you don't get served dog or pigeon and waiters dumping tequila shots in your mouth and spinning you around and predatory cops and the shit show the border is. There's a lot of roid heads in SoCal and Mexico is where they get it. My friend showed me how he'd smuggle it in hiding it in the engine. And those women with crazy huge boob jobs didn't get those in the US. Most likely Mexico. Anyone who's been there can go on all day now wild it is compared to where they came from.

You need to venture farther than Tijuana or whatever other shitty border town Senor Frog's you stumbled into. Mexico is incredible.

My wife is Colombian, I've been there 5 times and in cross-country drives we've seen a lot of shanty towns and roadside shacks, inc miles of slums to the immediate east and west of Bogota. I went to Mexico once, last year, near Cancun but we took a wildlife tour to the north of the Yucatan peninsula and some of the inland villages and shacks we saw on the drive were a lot worse than Colombia. And by Mexican standards that's supposedly a rich and peaceful region. Beautiful place, great people but no wonder so many want to emigrate.

That reminds me of another holiday surprise - sitting on the beach there, an open jeep rolls by, full of soldiers with masks, body armour and very big guns. I knew they were tight on security for tourists but I wasn't expecting that.

[Shredderpete]

America kinda shocked me with how many rules there are, for a county that claims freedom. Hand over your credit card to sit at a bar, show your ID to pay for a bottle of water at CVS, you can only park here for 30 minutes a day otherwise it’s the death penalty, cross the road here and a cop will get you.

[El Vampiro Blanco]

I mostly liked anywhere I've been, The US, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, but Africa (Gambia) was a bit harder to swallow.
Constant begging and trying to sell you stuff, you literally had no minute of peace once you left the hotel.
The markets were filthy with meat lying in the heat with a black blanket of flies on it.
Paintings of Khadaffi everywhere because apparently he built them some mosques.
Most disturbing was when I was proudly shown the tree where they would circumsize the 12 year old girls (cutting off the labia and clitoris), including the knife.
The beers were good and only 50cts though, so it wasn't all bad.
They also kept asking whether my wife was my daughter....

[MotleyKaos]

Someone else has already touched on "no tipping" in Europe so I'll only add that it would be nice if that makes its way here, instead of going in the opposite direction and being prompted for a tip at the PoS device at a counter service establishment.

When I first went to the Netherlands, I was surprised by the large number of people riding bicycles. It wasn't just in Amsterdam. Saw this in the Hague and Delft, as well. You have to make sure that you not only look out for cars, but also bicycles, when crossing the road. Thought that was neat.

I was also surprised to see that the automat was still popular over there.

Oh. You don't necessarily want to eat Dutch food while in the Netherlands. Look for the Indonesian restaurants.

[kytepunches]

The hardest one to adapt to for me , is not using toilet paper . I was not a big fan of the bidet, but i prefer it to the countries that don’t flush . There is nothing more disgusting than a shit paper waste can in the corner of the room .

[Tommy]

The restaurant hot takes are something else.

[MetalSludgeCEO]

The hardest one to adapt to for me , is not using toilet paper . I was not a big fan of the bidet, but i prefer it to the countries that don’t flush . There is nothing more disgusting than a shit paper waste can in the corner of the room .

THIS x1M

$tEvil

[MetalSludgeCEO]

Someone else has already touched on "no tipping" in Europe so I'll only add that it would be nice if that makes its way here, instead of going in the opposite direction and being prompted for a tip at the PoS device at a counter service establishment.

When I first went to the Netherlands, I was surprised by the large number of people riding bicycles. It wasn't just in Amsterdam. Saw this in the Hague and Delft, as well. You have to make sure that you not only look out for cars, but also bicycles, when crossing the road. Thought that was neat.

I was also surprised to see that the automat was still popular over there.

Oh. You don't necessarily want to eat Dutch food while in the Netherlands. Look for the Indonesian restaurants.

"""""""""""""""" I was surprised by large number of people riding bicycle""""""""""""""""""""

This!

I played in Zandaam Holland near Amsterdam with Shameless in 2000, and was SHOCKED at how many bikes were around.

There were SO many... I mean... bike racks with literally 75-100+ bikes and most looked the same.

How the F#@k are you supposed to find your bike in that cluster. Lol.

It looked like this... > https://www.alamy.com/rack-of-bicycles- ... 91397.html

Also... a lot of the bikes, were pretty much exactly what the Wicked Witch of the West rode in the Wizard of Oz!


$tEvil

[MetalSludgeCEO]

I mostly liked anywhere I've been, The US, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, but Africa (Gambia) was a bit harder to swallow.
Constant begging and trying to sell you stuff, you literally had no minute of peace once you left the hotel.
The markets were filthy with meat lying in the heat with a black blanket of flies on it.
Paintings of Khadaffi everywhere because apparently he built them some mosques.
Most disturbing was when I was proudly shown the tree where they would circumsize the 12 year old girls (cutting off the labia and clitoris), including the knife.
The beers were good and only 50cts though, so it wasn't all bad.
They also kept asking whether my wife was my daughter....

"""""""""""""" meat lying in the heat with a black blanket of flies on it."""""""""""""""""

This is common in the U.S. too, on tour with bands... it's called the "Deli Tray" backstage!

But seriously... Africa sounds kinda gnarly for sure... I have heard some brutal stories about India as well.

While I wouldn't mind seeing either Africa or India... I think it would have to be very well thought out.

$tEvil