I'll go first! The first thing that comes to mind is the locals' habit of not looking before they turn onto a busy road. Literally, not even a glance. And that's not the WTF -- the WTF is that they don't get into more accidents because of it! I've seen tonnes of road accidents here, but never one from this seemingly dangerous behaviour, strangely enough. I guess cuz we all have come to expect it so watch out for it? IDK.
I've never been to Thailand, but my friend who spent a lot of time there told me that there's a trust element to crossing the road. It took him time to get used to, but he noticed locals nonchalantly crossing the road in between crazy traffic and the key is not to stutterstep or hesitate, but to walk at a normal pace and trust that the drivers won't hit you. Is this true? This would terrify me!
In Nigeria in cities, the traffic was so bad that it was impossible to cross the road. The only solution sometimes was to hop onto a motorcycle taxi simply to take you to the other side.
Oh yes, I became an expert at jay-walking in Bangkok. Total trust. In Bangkok, though, people know how to drive. Down here on Koh Phangan, very few do (seriously). Luckily, the roads are nowhere near as busy as in Bangkok, but you take your life into your hands every time you go on the road here.
When you return home, have booked seeing friends months in advance and little by little they let you down at the last minute, then ask if another time works? They just don't get how military you have to be to see everyone. Family aren't any different, day before I left the UK my sister said she's cleaning her oven! Baffles me.
Yeah omg I totally hear that. They just don't know what it's like cuz they're not in your shoes and have only ever had to miss you; whereas you've had many of them to miss. If you get me? It would be nice if they'd make more of an effort though, I so agree!
This! You have to schedule everything eternities in advance (nothing spontaneous ever) and then on the day you're flaked on. Happens constantly. But I think this is a "people get older/have babies" thing rather than a cultural one.
Right?! I wish they moved abroad and understood where you are coming from when you have 2 weeks to see the world and it's wife - hence why we plan 6 months in advance 😂
OMG yes to that! You are there for 2 weeks, have 20 people to see and have dinner with... while having to see your family and take care of some paperwork and stuff... and yeah, it's laundry day 😂
English people and their obsession with carpets. Why? It's so freakin difficult to clean. I can only imagine how filthy it must be. But I do know why they love their carpets so much - it's the only way to soundproof their crappy 18th-century buildings.
Also - the double taps. One for hot water and one for cold. There was no time in history when this was ever a good idea! I remember washing my hands with a proper tap in Sweden after having lived in the UK for a while; that instinctive moving my hands left and right.
Speaking of Sweden, I grew up there and the parties where people bring food and everyone eats what they've brought, rather than sharing and everyone eating each other's food...very, very weird for a Russian like me.
Sascha I just read your entire comment to my husband while we're making dinner, it's just too good 🤣🤣 I am SO WITH YOU on the double taps!? Wt actual F. Thank you!
And those Swedish parties... That is too funny! I cannot imagine going to a party with food and not sharing it. So bizarre!
But I guess these are the things that keep life interesting!
My wife and so her family are English, I don't get it. They drink tea and coffee all the time, the rug at the table is full of tea/coffee stains it's disgusting.
This made me chuckle. I'm half British/half American, but I gotta be honest, I LOVE carpets. They add such a layer of cosiness to a house, especially in the winter. But yeah, they are a pain to clean.
The double taps thing is very annoying, but that's so rare these days, thankfully. I can't recall the last time I encountered that.
I used to teach in Ukraine so I have an idea about how weird the Swedish tradition is. I remember once doing a lesson about strange cultural traditions around the world and this Swedish one came up and no one could believe it. I'm glad to get confirmation that it's true.
More than a few people in The Netherlands seem to have no compunction about putting their phone or video call on speaker at FULL volume in a crowded train car. It’s wild—and I’m not alone. The Dutch news reports a divide between those who don’t see the issue and those who beg others to use some 🤬in’ headphones.
Nooo that's such a good one! I can totally picture it too. I would never have guessed that about the Netherlands though. So funny that even the news talks about it. 🤣😅
The one thing I cannot seem to get used to here in Portugal is having the light switch to the bathroom on the outside of the bathroom. I'm not sure why Portugal doesn't allow them inside--something about grounding? I have no idea (and no interest in being electrocuted).
I've lived in this apartment for 5 years and I am still slapping my hand on the wall inside the room, trying to turn on the light. Every. Single. Freakin'. Time. I have no idea why I can't figure this out. 🤦🏻♀️
Yeah it's funny how there are just some things you cannot get used to, no matter how hard you try! I still sometimes get into the passenger seat of my car, expecting to find a steering wheel there. 🤦🏽♀️
Oh, I would totally be doing that all the time. The whole right side/left side of the car thing is so weird. I wonder how long that takes to get used to? I'm interviewing an American who's lived in the UK for 18+ years this week and I'm definitely going to ask her about this.
I was actually surprised how easy it was to switch over, but at the same time, sometimes when I'm not thinking, there I am sitting in the passengers seat again 😅🤣
People in the States don't understand how screwed up their life is there. The priorities, the competition, zero-sum game mindset. And they know they're getting screwed on healthcare but they have no idea how well healthcare works in other countries. "There are long waits!" There are long waits in the US, too. And they don't count all the times they don't see a doctor because it's going to cost too much or they wait until it gets worse. Crazy.
I live in Istanbul, Türkiye and then part of the time in Miami. When I describe the evening call to prayer throughout Istanbul on a summer evening, and how comforting it makes me feel, Americans look at me like I've lost my mind.
I don't know if I've written about this but should... The reverse cultural crash when you go back to your home country and don't get the slang, the jokes about the prime minister make no sense, and every restaurant has 14 new dishes you've never seen before.
I bet others have written better pieces about this already!
I also find that my friends all think that my life is so exotic and interesting and the reality of it is that it's just my life. I work, I sleep, I eat, I go for walks. Not a whole lot of things are super different from when I lived in NY. I have a different job and I walk in a different city, but I'm mostly just living the same life in a different location. Not entirely, but mostly. I think people tend to romanticize what it's like to live abroad and they don't believe it when you're like...this is just...life.
I totally agree with you on this, but I also think that actually living any life feels less exotic than imagining it. Particularly when you already know what it's like to live abroad, compared to someone who has never left home before. It's a total mindbender for a lot of ppl! But I agree, life is still life, no matter where you are.
Funnily, a lot of my friends don't really care all that much or ask too many questions. But some of the questions about Ukraine were really off-the-wall - some people were utterly shocked to hear that it actually gets hot in Ukraine and isn't freezing cold all the time!
I grew up on military bases in the UK and Europe and when I got to university in Boston, I got a lot of amusing questions like 'were there tanks driving around the base?' and 'was there barbed wire everywhere?'
I hate to harp on too much about events in Ukraine, but people were genuinely horrified/interested in my last days there before the war and what it was like, and the most common response was always 'wow, I can't even imagine!'
I have a weird obsession with logistics and bureaucracy and I enjoy hearing tales of bureaucratic woe, but I find most people don't care. But some of the stories from where I've lived are hilarious (I find) but others find them boring. Oh well.
- In Asia, having to be mindful of "the wrong side of the road" when crossing because motorbike don't care and often to opposite way to traffic 😂
- I'd love to know your take on that @Kaila, but the English name Thai people use and the fact they can pick what they want... I've seen people "called" Cloud, FIFA, Golf and so many other random names!
- Hope I don't offend anyone, but the way Indian people stares intensely, and also cut the lines/queues to go first.
These are excellent, Jeremie! I find the Thai nicknames endearing. I actually have my own — Sai — tattooed on my back shoulder blade. 🤣 But yes, they can be super random. King Kong, Bond, and soooooo many Porns. 😅 Haven't heard FIFA yet, that's a good one.
Why in the US, so many shower have the shower head attached to the wall? It's so unpractical when you want to just clean your feet for example after going to the beach!
I'll go first! The first thing that comes to mind is the locals' habit of not looking before they turn onto a busy road. Literally, not even a glance. And that's not the WTF -- the WTF is that they don't get into more accidents because of it! I've seen tonnes of road accidents here, but never one from this seemingly dangerous behaviour, strangely enough. I guess cuz we all have come to expect it so watch out for it? IDK.
I've never been to Thailand, but my friend who spent a lot of time there told me that there's a trust element to crossing the road. It took him time to get used to, but he noticed locals nonchalantly crossing the road in between crazy traffic and the key is not to stutterstep or hesitate, but to walk at a normal pace and trust that the drivers won't hit you. Is this true? This would terrify me!
In Nigeria in cities, the traffic was so bad that it was impossible to cross the road. The only solution sometimes was to hop onto a motorcycle taxi simply to take you to the other side.
Oh yes, I became an expert at jay-walking in Bangkok. Total trust. In Bangkok, though, people know how to drive. Down here on Koh Phangan, very few do (seriously). Luckily, the roads are nowhere near as busy as in Bangkok, but you take your life into your hands every time you go on the road here.
I feel the ultimate test crossing the road in Asia in Hanoi. It's another level compared to Bangkok lol.
It’s very true!
It’s a game of frogger that involves eye contact, taking that first step CONFIDENTLY and drivers will slow to a halt.
A good trick is to also walk in between medians and walk/wait for the opportunity to finish your crossing.
It takes a 2-3 days to get used to, then you’ll be fine 🤞🏾
When you return home, have booked seeing friends months in advance and little by little they let you down at the last minute, then ask if another time works? They just don't get how military you have to be to see everyone. Family aren't any different, day before I left the UK my sister said she's cleaning her oven! Baffles me.
Yeah omg I totally hear that. They just don't know what it's like cuz they're not in your shoes and have only ever had to miss you; whereas you've had many of them to miss. If you get me? It would be nice if they'd make more of an effort though, I so agree!
This! You have to schedule everything eternities in advance (nothing spontaneous ever) and then on the day you're flaked on. Happens constantly. But I think this is a "people get older/have babies" thing rather than a cultural one.
Right?! I wish they moved abroad and understood where you are coming from when you have 2 weeks to see the world and it's wife - hence why we plan 6 months in advance 😂
Exactly ☺️
OMG yes to that! You are there for 2 weeks, have 20 people to see and have dinner with... while having to see your family and take care of some paperwork and stuff... and yeah, it's laundry day 😂
Where do I start!
English people and their obsession with carpets. Why? It's so freakin difficult to clean. I can only imagine how filthy it must be. But I do know why they love their carpets so much - it's the only way to soundproof their crappy 18th-century buildings.
Also - the double taps. One for hot water and one for cold. There was no time in history when this was ever a good idea! I remember washing my hands with a proper tap in Sweden after having lived in the UK for a while; that instinctive moving my hands left and right.
Speaking of Sweden, I grew up there and the parties where people bring food and everyone eats what they've brought, rather than sharing and everyone eating each other's food...very, very weird for a Russian like me.
Sascha I just read your entire comment to my husband while we're making dinner, it's just too good 🤣🤣 I am SO WITH YOU on the double taps!? Wt actual F. Thank you!
And those Swedish parties... That is too funny! I cannot imagine going to a party with food and not sharing it. So bizarre!
But I guess these are the things that keep life interesting!
Carpets and rugs!
My wife and so her family are English, I don't get it. They drink tea and coffee all the time, the rug at the table is full of tea/coffee stains it's disgusting.
This made me chuckle. I'm half British/half American, but I gotta be honest, I LOVE carpets. They add such a layer of cosiness to a house, especially in the winter. But yeah, they are a pain to clean.
The double taps thing is very annoying, but that's so rare these days, thankfully. I can't recall the last time I encountered that.
I used to teach in Ukraine so I have an idea about how weird the Swedish tradition is. I remember once doing a lesson about strange cultural traditions around the world and this Swedish one came up and no one could believe it. I'm glad to get confirmation that it's true.
This is something I've never heard about Sweden and it is super strange to me too. 🤣
More than a few people in The Netherlands seem to have no compunction about putting their phone or video call on speaker at FULL volume in a crowded train car. It’s wild—and I’m not alone. The Dutch news reports a divide between those who don’t see the issue and those who beg others to use some 🤬in’ headphones.
Nooo that's such a good one! I can totally picture it too. I would never have guessed that about the Netherlands though. So funny that even the news talks about it. 🤣😅
This is becoming a global plague to be honest. People don't know how to use a phone as a phone anymore and have to pick up calls on speakers 🤷♂️ WTF
Ugh, that's disappointing to hear--perhaps we can start an NGO to help people afford headphones!
We could call it the Decibel Relief Fund 🤣
https://substack.com/@gillywater/note/c-124846768
🤣🤣🤣 you didn't 🤣
Can’t stop; won’t stop 😂😇😜
Me too, I wouldn't expect that from the Netherlands. It's definitely not a thing in Austria (not that I'm comparing the countries or anything).
Apparently, it’s also something the rest of Europe finds strange…this is why I am glad for my own set of noise-cancelling earphones!
Should be part of any Netherlands starter kit!
I lived in Ukraine for many years and it was unfortunately all-too-common there. But I’ve rarely experienced it in other parts.
So bizarre!
My biggest 🤦🏾♂️ is seeing how tourist (mostly Chinese + Americans) act/treat others in public.
As a Chinese American whose travelled globally, it hurts my soul 😅
Oh god, I hear that. Any particular examples come to mind?
Ugh so many 😂 gonna save it for the pod
The one thing I cannot seem to get used to here in Portugal is having the light switch to the bathroom on the outside of the bathroom. I'm not sure why Portugal doesn't allow them inside--something about grounding? I have no idea (and no interest in being electrocuted).
I've lived in this apartment for 5 years and I am still slapping my hand on the wall inside the room, trying to turn on the light. Every. Single. Freakin'. Time. I have no idea why I can't figure this out. 🤦🏻♀️
Yeah it's funny how there are just some things you cannot get used to, no matter how hard you try! I still sometimes get into the passenger seat of my car, expecting to find a steering wheel there. 🤦🏽♀️
Oh, I would totally be doing that all the time. The whole right side/left side of the car thing is so weird. I wonder how long that takes to get used to? I'm interviewing an American who's lived in the UK for 18+ years this week and I'm definitely going to ask her about this.
I was actually surprised how easy it was to switch over, but at the same time, sometimes when I'm not thinking, there I am sitting in the passengers seat again 😅🤣
hahaha. 🤦🏻♀️
People in the States don't understand how screwed up their life is there. The priorities, the competition, zero-sum game mindset. And they know they're getting screwed on healthcare but they have no idea how well healthcare works in other countries. "There are long waits!" There are long waits in the US, too. And they don't count all the times they don't see a doctor because it's going to cost too much or they wait until it gets worse. Crazy.
Yeah it's a total perspective flip eh!!??
Once you see the game, you can't unsee it.
I live in Istanbul, Türkiye and then part of the time in Miami. When I describe the evening call to prayer throughout Istanbul on a summer evening, and how comforting it makes me feel, Americans look at me like I've lost my mind.
Yeah I can totally just picture their faces! Particularly when you tell them you can't sleep without it. Brilliant!
I don't know if I've written about this but should... The reverse cultural crash when you go back to your home country and don't get the slang, the jokes about the prime minister make no sense, and every restaurant has 14 new dishes you've never seen before.
I bet others have written better pieces about this already!
Oh yes, reverse culture shock is REAL!
I also find that my friends all think that my life is so exotic and interesting and the reality of it is that it's just my life. I work, I sleep, I eat, I go for walks. Not a whole lot of things are super different from when I lived in NY. I have a different job and I walk in a different city, but I'm mostly just living the same life in a different location. Not entirely, but mostly. I think people tend to romanticize what it's like to live abroad and they don't believe it when you're like...this is just...life.
I totally agree with you on this, but I also think that actually living any life feels less exotic than imagining it. Particularly when you already know what it's like to live abroad, compared to someone who has never left home before. It's a total mindbender for a lot of ppl! But I agree, life is still life, no matter where you are.
Funnily, a lot of my friends don't really care all that much or ask too many questions. But some of the questions about Ukraine were really off-the-wall - some people were utterly shocked to hear that it actually gets hot in Ukraine and isn't freezing cold all the time!
I grew up on military bases in the UK and Europe and when I got to university in Boston, I got a lot of amusing questions like 'were there tanks driving around the base?' and 'was there barbed wire everywhere?'
I hate to harp on too much about events in Ukraine, but people were genuinely horrified/interested in my last days there before the war and what it was like, and the most common response was always 'wow, I can't even imagine!'
I have a weird obsession with logistics and bureaucracy and I enjoy hearing tales of bureaucratic woe, but I find most people don't care. But some of the stories from where I've lived are hilarious (I find) but others find them boring. Oh well.
Yeah I can imagine you must have some great stories. In fact, I know you do, because I've read a good few of them!
Lol so many.
- In Asia, having to be mindful of "the wrong side of the road" when crossing because motorbike don't care and often to opposite way to traffic 😂
- I'd love to know your take on that @Kaila, but the English name Thai people use and the fact they can pick what they want... I've seen people "called" Cloud, FIFA, Golf and so many other random names!
- Hope I don't offend anyone, but the way Indian people stares intensely, and also cut the lines/queues to go first.
- UK people putting butter on everything.
These are excellent, Jeremie! I find the Thai nicknames endearing. I actually have my own — Sai — tattooed on my back shoulder blade. 🤣 But yes, they can be super random. King Kong, Bond, and soooooo many Porns. 😅 Haven't heard FIFA yet, that's a good one.
I have another one.
Why in the US, so many shower have the shower head attached to the wall? It's so unpractical when you want to just clean your feet for example after going to the beach!
Ha! Yes, good question.
The tax impact!!
In what way, Sindy?
I come from hongkong where we don't really need to think about tax. Working in Germany, half of my paycheck was gone to the tax
Ah yes. Got you now!!! Crazy isn't it. Do you find the increased access to social services worth the cut?
Not for us. But probably yes for someone who has low income
Right, makes sense. Thanks for sharing!