"Let me know" is a column for our readers' stories. We launch a survey every week and are waiting for your comments. This week, the editors of Lifehacker received many interesting stories about traveling to other countries. You told us about customs and traditions that surprised you and caused a cultural shock. So, here they are!
I was in Norway in the summer. Local farmers left strawberries in baskets along the road and a money box with the price written on it. Anyone passing by could take the berries and pay for them themselves, without any sellers.
My mother moved to Germany a year ago. She is constantly surprised that the streets of the city are deserted. There is almost never anyone on the playgrounds. Moreover, on weekdays, weekends, and during the holidays. Where are all the people?
And the second feature that shocked her was that in cool weather, the locals, including the kids, are very lightly dressed. It would probably be difficult for our parents from the middle part of Russia, who are always wrapping up their children and grandchildren, to accept this.
In Bangkok, my wife and I went to one of the big shopping malls. We got hungry and decided to have a snack in one of the many cafes. We got into some kind of special institution.
I've seen similar ones in movies a couple of times. A ribbon with different dishes is crawling past you, and something like a barbecue is organized at the table. Among other things, there is a countdown clock in the hall, and the staff shouts something in Thai from time to time.
Without really figuring it out, we just took sushi and started eating. After a while, they noticed the strange stares of the waiters. Almost all the staff were whispering and looking at us. I went over to find out what was the matter. But none of the staff spoke English. Somehow I made it clear that I was ready to pay. However, the cashier said with wild embarrassment that he did not need money.
We left the establishment, being in a little shock from what was happening. They probably thought we were savages! To be honest, we still don't understand what went wrong.
An acquaintance from Africa told me that in Kenya there is such a tradition: after the wedding, the newly-made husband must wear a woman's dress for a whole month and perform all household duties on an equal basis with his wife. Only in this way, according to custom, will he be able to understand how hard it is to be a woman.
Another, no less strange tradition is related to the fact that on the wedding night, a grandmother should sit next to the newlyweds. She encourages them and shares her experience.
In the USA, it is rare for anyone to take off their shoes when entering a house. No one could really explain to me why. But I noticed that their streets are much cleaner than in Russia. As far as I know, roads are treated with a special soap solution several times a month. And almost everywhere there are sidewalks. That is, there is no such thing that half the way you walk through the mud through garages and only then go out onto the asphalt. Everything is clean and tidy.
Of course, if there are allergies at home or small children who crawl on the floor, guests are asked to take off their shoes and put on slippers. The Americans have a lot of guest shoes for this occasion, which was also a shock to me.
If you survive the first three days in Turkey, you can do anything. The pedestrian here is nobody. The driver is a tough pepper.
You should not try to step on the zebra with your foot — you can stay without it. No one will think of letting you through. It would be better to wait out the traffic. And only when a crowd gathers on the side of the road, which is about to fall out onto the road, drivers can start to slow down. Even police officers don't like to let pedestrians through here.
In addition, when we rented a car, we were confused and then annoyed that other drivers were constantly honking after us — even if the green light at the traffic light turned on a second ago. I wanted to say, "I can see for myself, what's the point of yelling?!"
Some Korean trains have fun karaoke booths. Most often they are located in a separate carriage. Anyone can enter them to pass the time.
As a tourist, I felt completely safe in Singapore. There are cameras everywhere. There are practically no police in sight, but they appear damn quickly in places of unrest. Posters with them are plastered all over the city, which can be mistaken from afar for a movie advertisement. They shoot trailers about them, make social ads — so that everyone understands where to turn if they harass you, extort money or behave rudely.
Due to this, Singapore is considered to be a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. The children walk there alone at night. At food courts, people put their phones on the table to take a seat. And some moms calmly leave strollers with babies at the door of the store when they go shopping.
Of course, the law enforcement system is not without its distortions. Before boarding, you will be warned three times on the plane: "The importation of any narcotic substances into the State of Singapore is punishable by death." There is a heavy fine for chewing gum, and alcohol is one of the most expensive pleasures in the city.
Getting to Switzerland was my dream, but — God, how expensive everything is there! I don't consider myself a poor person, but my girlfriend and I ate exclusively at McDonald's. One meal cost us 30-35 francs (1,900-2300 rubles). There I once again felt like a student buying products exclusively with a red price tag.
In Russia, there is a sign — to knock on wood so that bad things do not happen. There is something similar in Italy, but in a different form. My superstitious roommate constantly touched the iron (tocca ferro) so as not to anger fate.
