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 find a conversation with travel expert Alyse of The Invisible Tourist!
#1
We call flip-flops ‘thongs’ and erasers ‘rubbers’.
Image credits: imnotavegan
#2
Throwing cheese down a hill then running after it
Image credits: Seeyouyeah
To learn more about the cultural differences visitors find when traveling internationally, we reached out to Australian travel expert Alyse, also known as The Invisible Tourist. Alyse was kind enough to share a list of things that are perfectly normal in the Land Down Under that might be surprising or confusing for tourists.
“There are quite a few!” she told Bored Panda. “Having Christmas in summer is awesome. We have our extended holiday period over Christmas and New Year’s to relax, enjoy beaches and to catch up with family and friends. School kids call erasers rubbers, thongs are what you would call flip-flops, and a slippery-dip is a slide at the local park.”
“We always welcome visitors from abroad with a warning about our Drop Bears,” Alyse added. “These are vicious koalas that jump from trees onto unsuspecting tourists, and the only way to soothe them is with Vegemite (spoiler alert, only visitors believe Drop Bears are real).”
#3
Thanking the bus driver.
Image credits: Madra_ruax
#4
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 credits: Team_Rocket_Landed
The travel expert also noted that Australian slang can be confusing for foreigners. “To get by in Australia, it’s essential to shorten words then add an O or IE to the end – arvo (afternoon), barbie (barbeque), mozzie (mosquito), cozzie (swimming costume/bathers), servo (service station/petrol station). An exception to this ends with an A – Macca’s, our word or McDonald’s.”
“If you’re wanting to purchase alcohol for a party, you won’t find it in our supermarkets,” Alyse continued. “We have separate stores that sell alcohol only that we call Bottle-o’s.”
You also probably don’t need to worry about snakes if you’re taking a trip to Australia. “Visitors are surprised that there aren’t snakes everywhere, like social media would otherwise have you believe,” Alyse says. “I’ve maybe seen a real snake in the wild once or twice in my entire life.”
#5
Sitting naked and silently in a hot and sweaty room with other people
Image credits: Aapelus
#6
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 credits: Skinnj
There are some food names that might confuse visitors in Australia as well. “Cilantro is called coriander here, peppers are called capsicums, aubergines are called eggplants and courgettes are called zucchinis,” Alyse explained. (As an American, I have to say that sounds like a hybrid of British and American terminology…)
“All Aussie kids grow up eating Fairy Bread (bread with butter and sprinkles), Sausage Rolls (meaty pastry), mini Meat Pies and Tim Tams (choccie bikkies) for snacks at parties,” the Invisible Tourist shared.
#7
Sitting in circles on birtdays and putting sprinkles on bread as breakfast or lunch.
Image credits: Freefight
#8
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 credits: Im_Tsuikyit
Alyse also shared some of her most memorable moments from traveling abroad when she noticed local customs that were different from what she’s used to. “Ordering food from a vending machine rather than a waiter in Japan, then sitting down inside and having it brought to the table,” she noted. “Paying for a chair on the beach is weird for us in Europe. We just throw a towel down anywhere on the sand at home.”
“Getting drinks/food from a waiter rather than the bar in continental Europe (ordering it all from a bar must come from our British ancestors),” the travel expert continued. “Having to tip for everything in the USA. We understand why now, but it adds so much extra on top. Not having the taxes included on price tickets in the USA, and having to fumble for change at the register to pay the difference. Paying to use the toilet in the UK and Europe, as we don’t need to do that.”
#9
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 credits: nativehoneybaby
#10
In Canada, we put maple syrup on snow and wait for it to get all gooey then we eat it
Image credits: chillphilsonthegrill
We were also curious if there were any customs from other nations that Alyse wished Australians would adopt. “Australia can be a great place to live, but being an island continent has its challenges,” she noted. “Many of us would love to adopt European high-speed or Japanese-style bullet trains to travel between our capital cities. Most visitors don’t realize how far away everything is here, for example Sydney to Melbourne is 9 hours drive (870kms), and Melbourne to Brisbane is 18 hours drive (1776km). Heck, even flying from Sydney to Perth or Darwin is 5 hours.”
“The other would be not tolerating drugs and other crimes,” the traveler added. “Countries in Asia have very strict consequences for such things, and therefore crime and delinquency is much lower than major cities in Australia. We tend to go a bit easy here, in my opinion.”
If you’d like to learn more about Alyse’s travels, get some tips for your upcoming trips or learn more about Australia, be sure to visit The Invisible Tourist!
#11
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 credits: nightcrawler_5
#12
The friendlier the language the closer you are to a beating, the dirtier the language the more we like you.
Image credits: anon
#13
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 credits: BobletOfFire
#14
Kids clasp their hands together with the index fingers pointing out like a gun and stab each other with that in their buttholes.
Image credits: YounomsayinMawfk
#15
In the UK, people hold doors for each other and smile when you make eye contact with them. I never seen that in any other country I’ve been to.
Image credits: xPlicitMike
#16
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.
#17
We call the clear water as “sky juice”
Image credits: butterpopkorn
#18
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 credits: Zrina94
#19
Apparently white gravy is a thing that’s not very common outside of southern America…
Image credits: kawaiimoesugoidesu
#20
People here in Brazil are **very** friendly.
Kisses on the cheek first time we see you; Women calling you cute names within 5 minutes of conversation; We will hug you at the ends of conversation, even though it’s the first time we’ve met.
Image credits: hank_moo_d
#21
Twerking….. Also grinding. In the U.S. it’s pretty normal to dance like that. But i notice when i go to Europe, it’s generally not socially acceptable to dance up on a girl. In fact, they hate it 😐
Image credits: brandonmcgritle
#22
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.
#23
In India,
1. you could just eat a whole bag of crackers or chew a gum and toss away the trash wrappers on the street, and no one even looks at you funny. Heck, people even spit their chewy “pan” residues by rolling down their car windows.
2. you find a lot of stray dogs/ cows and sometimes even horses and elephants while you’re on the road. (the latter are for commercial purposes)
3. on bikes/ scooters, we could fit in atleast 4 people. easy.
4. there’s a play school here with the name, “tiny tits”.
5. arranged marriage.
Image credits: vvhatson
#24
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 credits: bluezebra1990
#25
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.
#26
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. 🙂
#27
Kissing people on the cheek (even the one you don’t know personally) to say hello.
Welcome to France guys o/
Image credits: Kamiyee
#28
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.
#29
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 credits: sunchild21
#30
Saying sorry to random people if they bump into you, even if it wasn’t your fault.
#31
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.
#32
Car – guards.
If you park in any public place, 9/10 times a homeless person will approach your car and it’s understood that they will “protect” it until you return. You’re automatically a d**k if you don’t pay them some change when you leave.
Image credits: anon
#33
In our country all shops open at 7 am. And then closes 5 times everyday for 1 hour everytime and would close at 10pm. No shops or restaurants will be open after 10pm.
TL;Dr: somebody save me!
#34
Only a small thing, but it’s normal to call a woman handsome here, usually followed by “maid”.
#35
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 credits: viktor72
#36
Eating fries covered with cheese curd and gravy.
#37
On Sunday’s all shop’s are closed except for gas station’s. Switzerland.
#38
In places (some quite close to cities) sheep are free to go wherever they like – including roads.
#39
Milk in one-litre bags. If you don’t have a bag holder, that must be confounding.
#40
No one signs for their credit card here, we all use pin numbers.
Also going to the counter to pay.
#41
USA here, I think the obvious answer is using the Imperial system of measurement. Even I think it’s silly.
#42
Turning right on a redlight…
#43
Maple Syrup.
On everything.
#44
The off licence being shut at 10pm as we cannot ‘control’ ourselves
#45
Watching Fox News
#46
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’? -_-
#47
I’m American, and one of my best friends lives in Puerto Rico.
They were really surprised by the idea of veterinarians. Like? I explained to them how we have a checkup schedule for our pets, have them vaccinated regularly, etc. I also told them how vets are a very important part of most rural areas and how we usually have a vet in every town.
This just was not a part of their daily life.
#48
Here in Belgium, we don’t really have fraternities/sororities, but each field of study has it’s own student organisation. For example, Medicine, Linguistics, Engineering, Chemistry, etc. They organize a lot of events during the year, usually free or at least extremely cheap.
One of the traditions we have is that you can let yourself be sold as a freshman to members of the organisation you’re with. Which kind of goes down like however slaves used to be sold, without the whips and chains though. The selling happens like an auction, and afterwards, depending on the rules of the organisation, you’ll be the property of the people that bought you for whatever time period they traditionally use (usually 1-3 weeks).
Mostly it’s a nice way to learn a bit about student life and make some new friends along the way. The nasty bits are usually limited to cleaning some rooms and doing some dishes, along with drinking heavily. Some people are obviously d***s about it and can go on quite a powertrip, but they’re a minority, and obviously, you can refuse anything they make you do if you feel it’s unreasonable.
**TL;DR, we sell freshman university students in auctions as slaves**
#49
Groundhogs Day must seem incredibly strange to non-Americans.
#50
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.
#51
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
#52
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 credits: anon
#53
Calling your mates c**t, and c***s mate.
#54
* 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.
#55
Sunday trading law. In ~~the UK~~ England, By law, all large shops close ~~at 4pm~~ earlier than they do most days
#56
Calling some random dude “your man”. Equal in meaning to “that guy”.
#57
To do engineering (4 years), then PG Diploma in Management (2 years), sometimes even a global MBA with the end goal of becoming a civil servant that requires none of above qualifications. All that just for the social status it brings.
#58
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
#59
Three kiss greeting. Man this has made things akward over the years.
#60
Ordering a Double-Double.
#61
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!
#62
Most drivers have a dashcam.
#63
Clamato juice (clam juice and tomato juice) mixed into a beer. Not exactly super common, but enough that I’ve seen it a lot over the years
#64
Drive through ATM(automated teller machines) machines machinimas are apparently the craziest things ever
#65
Legally walking around with a gun on your person. ( In Most States)
#66
Getting all exited to play a game called “Cornhole”.
#67
Incurring thousands of dollars in debt as a result of illness or needing acute medical care.
#68
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).
#69
Saying the pledge everymorning
#70
Roundabouts
#71
Easy gun ownership. Especially in certain states.
#72
Drinking a 12-32 oz soda (~1/3-1 L) with a meal and going back for a free refill.
(Country: USA! USA! USA!)
#73
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.
#74
Our most popular TV broadcast during the year by far is a gridiron football game, though I suspect most people tuning in care more about the commercials and the halftime show than the actual game.
#75
Women being second class citizens or not being allowed to drive.