18 Times People Were Utterly Shocked While Traveling Abroad

Some of the biggest culture shocks for people visiting the U.S. are big food portions, the low driving age, and people's obsession with holidays. What do you think is the biggest culture shock when people visit other countries? Let's see 18 unique experiences that will prepare you if you ever decide to travel abroad.

• Trying to cross the street in Hanoi, Vietnam. You can spot somebody who just got in a mile away because of the look of apprehension and confusion on their face as they try to figure out how to do it.
  There are very few crosswalks with 'walk' signs. In most places, you look for a gap in the traffic and go. In Bangkok, you just make sure the flow of traffic has time to stop before they hit you, and you just go and maintain a constant pace.
  In Hanoi, you just slowly walk into traffic. There are no gaps. You can sort of put your hand out to let people know you're going, but you just kind of maintain a slow, inching, walking pace and traffic will part around you. @Astrospud3 / Reddit
• Recently moved to the US, and I am still not used to everyone asking me how I am doing. I am from Norway, and if the cashier asks how you are, you get embarrassed and don’t know how to answer. @lasseft / Reddit

• I am Thai, my colleagues are from Argentina and Spain. I eat lunch at 12.30hrs, and they are shocked. And the fact that lunch is at 16.00 for them is too crazy for me. @mozzimo / Reddit
• Holidaying in Tokyo and watching 5-year-old kids walk themselves home from school and catch public transport...all by themselves. @-pewpewpew- / Reddit
• I’m a 6-foot white guy who was swarmed by schoolchildren in Indonesia. Outside of Bali, foreigners really stand out. I must have taken photos and given out my Instagram to hundreds of people over 5 months, traveling there.
  Was at a temple once, and I was surrounded by kids taking my picture and saying hello. They were really sweet and giggly. I felt like Justin Bieber, just a crowd of 40 pre-teen kids flipping out. @BuleRendang / Reddit

• Watching children in Mexico happily eating crickets like they were popcorn. Also, 4 or 5-year-old kids out at 10 pm to sell gum. @shorething0264 / Reddit
• In France, not being able to go for a walk on my own, sit on a park bench, and read a book, without some bloke following me/sitting next to me and chatting me up. Never happened in the UK! @EVHead / mumsnet
• I was pulled over by the cops in a Texan city for walking. Everyone drives everywhere in Texas, so someone reported me to the cops for walking, not Jaywalking I might add, from one huge mall to another huge shop. They thought I had a mental illness. When I told them I was British and used to walking everywhere the cops eventually let me go. @12FreeRangeEggs / mumsnet
• Moved from Scandinavia to Scotland ten years ago and will not stop being shocked by how common it is here to have carpets everywhere and also not take shoes off inside other people's homes. And especially that it's considered rude to ask people to take them off in your home. How is it not rude to drag dirt into people's homes? @Dontknowwhattocall13893 / mumsnet

• Amsterdam has many black bikes with very little to make them stand out from one another. They have a multi-storey bike park. How do people know which bike is theirs? @Notyouthful / mumsnet
• In India, we have a system of printing prices for each and everything on the box/packet of that thing. This includes everything from a tiny pack of gums to a giant refrigerator. Vendors can not charge more than the MRP, they can charge less than that. Most of the big supermarkets and malls usually charge less than the MRP.
  However, in Europe, I’ve never seen this. Anyone can charge any price for anything. I’ve seen a pack of milk that can be sold at four different prices in my nearby stores. In India, if the owner charges more than the MRP, a consumer can lodge a complaint against them, and they can face serious consequences. @BriefName / Reddit
• When a large Maori man asked to touch noses with me in greeting. The dude looked pissed until I manned up and was the first to touch noses. Then he had one of the best smiles I've ever seen on a mountain of a man. It lit up the entire cultural center. @0_1_0_2 / Reddit

• A few years back, our family went to Japan for a family trip. We were in a restaurant, and my dad tipped our waitress while we were leaving. About 5 minutes after we left, we saw our waitress running down the street. She handed our money back to us.
  We were all confused, so my dad tried to hand the tip back to her. She wouldn't take the money and ran back to the restaurant. We didn't realize this, but tipping is considered rude in Japan. @memejeet / Reddit
• I visited Albania and there wasn't a single chain store or restaurant. That may sound banal, but it was a strange experience to be in a large city and be completely unable to get a McDonald's, Subway, KFC, or Starbucks. @Unknown author / Reddit
• Went to India on a work-related trip. I went to a staff canteen and some of the people were eating curry and rice with their hands. I knew it happened, and to expect it, but I wasn't prepared for seeing it for the first time. The shock wore off quite quickly, though. @Goldielexx / Reddit

• I was once in a dark alleyway in Tokyo. It was my first time in Japan. Two older men with messy hair and leather jackets were being loud and carrying on.
  I was hanging around so I watched them for a while, and before they parted ways, the men bowed deeply to each other. It was then I realized how important bowing was to the Japanese people. @takeyoufergranite / Reddit
• When I went to Germany, they all called their local German shepherd dogs shepherds. Just shepherds. As if the fact that they came from Germany meant diddly-squat to them! @Unknown author / Reddit
• I studied in India for 2 years. Being from Malaysia, even though >10% of people here are Indians, the cultural difference is real. One of the most shocking to me was when before flying back home I had a short stay in Bangalore.
  While riding around in an auto, I witnessed a cow urinating. It comes out like a fountain, just FYI. An elderly man then puts his hand in the stream of pee and proceeds to pat some of it onto his head. I was literally lost for words. @weizzers / Reddit

Unfortunately, not every single trip we take ends up gloriously, as it's only natural to encounter unpleasant situations. Some people even experience absolute nightmares that take them years to get over.