41 Stories When Travelers Faced A True “Culture Shock” Abroad And Weren’t Prepared For It At All

Just a few centuries ago, the average person's life was limited to their hometown, and many people might travel only a few dozen miles from home in their entire lives. News was also scarce - the only thing one could count on were the stories of rare travelers.

So it's no surprise that many people lived their entire lives believing that everyone else in the world lived the same way, with the same traditions and rules. However, in recent decades, everything has undergone big changes. Someone can be born in Asia, study in Europe, and then come to live and work in America - and there are countless examples of this.

Consequently, people inevitably encounter foreign cultural traditions, and yes, some of these habits and customs can actually be downright baffling for them.

A classic example is the tradition of kissing upon greeting. In many European countries, for example, France, Italy, Spain, and in Latin America, even people who barely know each other may kiss on the cheek upon meeting. Moreover, in France, for example, there may be several such kisses, depending on the region you're in.

For example, in Paris and the surrounding area, the "standard" is two kisses, and in Montpellier, three kisses, while in some regions of northern France, people even kiss four times. Now imagine what a culture shock this tradition is for, say, the Japanese, Chinese, or Scandinavians, where such a kiss in public can be considered simply provocative or even offensive!

By the way, the modern world is also developing its own traditions in different countries. For example, regarding the use of headphones in public places and on public transport. Yes, this, too, is not a universal custom.

And while, say, in Korea or Japan, anyone listening to music or watching YouTube on a smartphone on the subway is nearly required to wear headphones, in some Eastern European countries, you'll be greeted by a cacophony of sounds from various smartphones at varying volumes.

At the same time, God forbid you ever reprimand someone in another country - even if you're sure they're breaking the "generally accepted" rules of conduct! Our world is still an incredible melting pot of different cultures, and there aren't really that many universal, global rules.

Incidentally, the cross-cultural interactions also leave their mark on centuries-old traditions. For example, Europeans and Americans, when dining in China or Southeast Asian countries, were often surprised that burping after a meal wasn't considered a flagrant breach of etiquette, as is customary in Western culture, but rather a sign of respect for the host and gratitude for a hearty meal.

However, today, many guidebooks and travel bloggers are increasingly noting that in large Chinese cities, young people and businesspeople are increasingly adopting Western interpretations, so that in a fashionable restaurant in Beijing or Shanghai, loud burping at the table may only elicit dirty looks.

The world is changing, and different cultures and traditions intersect and sometimes mutually enrich each other. Well, this makes traveling to some distant place on our planet all the more wonderful. It's an opportunity to see and learn something new.

We're pretty sure that if you've traveled a lot or interacted with people from different cultures, you've also encountered something in their behavior or habits that seemed strange or even confusing to you. Meanwhile, it's quite possible that our customs also seem strange to some, right?

So we'd love to hear from you about any examples of "culture shock" you've encountered in your life. Please feel free to share your stories in the comments below.