Weird or Humorous Foreign Customs

[Cyborg]

I'm working as a programmer, and in that job you aren't required to wear anything special. It's funny, though, because I share a small office with the project manager, and since he's quite much out on customer visits, he wears suit pants with shirt and tie and everything. I, on the other hand will likely be wearing a t-shirt from T-Shirt Hell and shorts. It's as we're from different planets. :P

But regarding fashion. We're on the same level as you Americans. I haven't noticed the English lagging behind, but in the business world, they might.

[Dante]

Eh, fashion. I wear whatever's comfortable. Except at work, then it's black shirt and black trousers. No, I don't work at an undertaker's. :P Wouldn't be so bad though.

Strange foreign customs? Lets see... People in Hong Kong gave me certificates for purchase of alcohol once. This doesn't seem that odd but I was about thirteen at the time. In Florida we were mocked for walking places rather than driving. In Belgium the people said 'please' when they handed stuff to you. I'm not entirely sure about that one. No, nothing really extraordinary I guess. The strangest stuff all happens at home (though those Australians can be pretty nuts).

Don't particularly care for or about beer, but wine I like just below room temperature. By a degree or two (and this is degrees C, not F). Hot wine can be ok in some circumstances, but is generally to be avoided.

Oh, and the Canadians were surprised that we can have liquid cream on our desserts rather than that frothy stuff. Yeah, it's better!

[Mihail]

But even recently I had a colleague come visit from our London office and he was wearing very 80

[chatfsh]

Different fashion culture is still on topic.

I think it is cool to wear fashion from other decades if it

[Khan]

England isn't behind America in fashion in fact last time I checked we all wore the same manufactured crap anyway.

And while you're all debating the whole warm beer/cold beer thing remember to differentiate between different types of beer. Ale's served at room temperature where ever you go whereas larger is served cold because it tastes horrible. Oh and I have a big american fridge... you know the brits and the yanks are more alike than either of us care to admit :P

[chatfsh]

Trust me on this one-- fashion wise, there's a distinct difference.  I'll admit it's been over 10 years since I've been there, but the colleague I mentioned earlier from the London office visited my office 2 years ago.  His attire confirmed my original assessment.  This colleague was a senior financial analyst at a prestigious bank so he had the money to afford proper attire.  So I assume that where he's from that was considered appropriate.

I am, however, pleased to hear that you have a big American fridge. Surely, that's sufficient to prove that our countries aren't so different after all.::)

[Khan]

You deduce that from seeing one person in 10 years that you can tell me more about the country I live in than I can tell you? Businessmen wear suits to work, lots of suits thats what you see in rush hour women wearing suits and men wearing suits. Casually people wear whatever they like or whatever their social group forces on to them, peer pressure and the like. Fashion has nothing to do with being british it's about the social group you are in you cant label a group with a national identity because of their fashion that's just retarded. And if your colleague did turn up in such attire it isn't because it would be deemed appropriate in the work place here (except for dress down days) it would just be his own personal taste.

[chatfsh]

Oh, of course I didn

[Mihail]

Oh, of course I didn

[Edric O]

Well some foods are more suited for hands vs. eating utensils:  hamburgers, french fries, pizza, nacho platters, chicken wings, etc.

I always eat pizza, fries and chicken wings with utensils... My American friends think that's really weird. I think using your hands is gross.

I wonder why ice cold drinks are such an American thing.  Oh, milk and fruit juice are two other items that I like nicely chilled, but no ice.

That reminds me: Another thing I noticed about Americans is that they eat their breakfast cereal with cold milk. I always eat mine with hot milk.

Whether sweet or dry wine it should never be served greater than 65F degrees, better yet chilled to well-chilled.

Oh, right, when will you start using the damn METRIC SYSTEM? "Feet" and Fahreinheit degrees annoy me to no end. :P

Once again, I do not advocate changing wardrobes every year...but at least stay within the fashion decade. ;D

Fashion is evil. Fashion must be destroyed with extreme prejudice.

Most of my clothes are plain black, gray, or brown. Especially black.

[chatfsh]

I always eat pizza, fries and chicken wings with utensils... My American friends think that's really weird. I think using your hands is gross.

Surely you jest...eating pizza with utensils?? Why that's just uncivilized!

That reminds me: Another thing I noticed about Americans is that they eat their breakfast cereal with cold milk. I always eat mine with hot milk.

Depends on what kind of cereal.  If it's oatmeal, I prepare it with hot milk.

Oh, right, when will you start using the damn METRIC SYSTEM? "Feet" and Fahreinheit degrees annoy me to no end. :P

You must adapt to us, not the other way around. Resistance is futile :P

Fashion is evil. Fashion must be destroyed with extreme prejudice..

Funny you should say that...I just saw the movie "The Devil Wears Prada".  If that went over your head...there's no point in me explaining it. ;)

Most of my clothes are plain black, gray, or brown. Especially black.

I

[Dunenewt]

You can always spot the American tourist.  He wears the baseball hat, clean white Nikes with the clean white socks.  He wears the shorts with the belt to hold in his belly, with a t-shirt tucked in to it.

[nemafakei]

To be fair, most people think I'm odd when I use knife and fork to eat beefburgers and sausages in buns.

"Another thing I noticed about Americans is that they eat their breakfast cereal with cold milk. I always eat mine with hot milk."

Now, that's just unpleasant. And what do you do, heat it in a pan? Sounds a lot of hassle.

"Resistance is futile "

I'm afraid it's slowly winning in Britain. Generation by generation, imperial units are fading out.

[Cyborg]

I always eat pizza, fries and chicken wings with utensils... My American friends think that's really weird. I think using your hands is gross.

Hmm, that's not just American. I'm Norwegian, and I always eat pizza, fries, hamburgers and chicken with my bare hands. You know, you can wash your hands before eating...

That reminds me: Another thing I noticed about Americans is that they eat their breakfast cereal with cold milk. I always eat mine with hot milk.

Hot milk? Are you crazy? All cereal is eaten with cold milk here. The colder the better!

Oh, right, when will you start using the damn METRIC SYSTEM? "Feet" and Fahreinheit degrees annoy me to no end. :P

You're right. The imperial system is inferior.

[chatfsh]

OMG Nema, do you really eat beefburgers (American hamburger) with a knife and fork?  That seems like something out of a comedy skit.  Well, good for you.  How very European. (I mean that as a compliment, so please take it that way!) :D

[Edric O]

Curses! I am surrounded by drinkers of cold milk! Back, foul heathens! Back I say!

For the record, I microwave the milk in a bowl and then add the cereal.

[Andrew]

Cold milk in cereal for me.

I don't use utensils for pizza (unless messy homeade stuff), not usually for fries, not for chicken wings (you mean KFC type?)

[Barbarossa]

You can always spot the American tourist.  He wears the baseball hat, clean white Nike's with the clean white socks.  He wears the shorts with the belt to hold in his belly, with a t-shirt tucked in to it.

I've done some traveling myself, and It's odd.

(Look at the Attached picture. I'm with my sister in this one)

Okay. So what you do see first off, is that I'm definitely not wearing a White Hat (Note the Mohican Haircut). What you cannot see, is the rest of my 179 Centimeter, 65.7 Kilogram frame. Which most certainly does not have a "Belly" to hold in with a belt. Nor am I wearing a Tucked in Shirt nor Shorts nor White Nike's. No, I am wearing Dickie's Workpants, untucked Shirt and Ten Eye Steel-Toed Boots.

My word, I daresay I'd never make it back into the States, looking the way I do!  ::)

In any Event, I agree with everyone that is not a fan of drinks with Ice. Refrigerated is good, Ice is bad.

[attachment deleted by Gobalopper]

[nemafakei]

Ah, but there you are in your native territory. We Brits do awful things when we're abroad that we'd never dream of doing at home (I think some of it, like shouting at foreigners, is a carry-over from imperial times). Similarly, the Japanese go by the rule 'at least one three-inch silver camera per person' when they come here.

However, I'd not say all American tourists are alike - Newt's rule mostly applies to middle-aged and older males. Teenagers don't count, and some even explicitly avoid the stereotype.

[Khan]

Teenagers abroad still seem to stick  out a mile away. Its like you can hear them at 30 feet before they even open their mouths.

[Dunenewt]

How very European.

How can you call that European? Using the same logic you can apply any American characteristics to Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, etc because they're all American.  Don't call us European.  Because if you saw an Englishman, stood next to a Latvian, and a Greek, you'd see quite a difference.

[chatfsh]

How can you call that European? Using the same logic you can apply any American characteristics to Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, etc because they're all American.  Don't call us European.  Because if you saw an Englishman, stood next to a Latvian, and a Greek, you'd see quite a difference.

Oh what are you ranting about??  I

[Khan]

But it isn't very european (don't know which countries you include in european as all of our customs are very different anyway...) as very few people I know would eat like that and those that do would appear to be the execption to the rule.

[chatfsh]

From an American perspective, the people who eat in that manner are generally from Europe, therefore it appears to be a European custom.  It is not required that all Europeans eat that way, just as with any stereotype just enough of them need to do it to make an impression. 

If I saw someone using chop sticks, I

[Dunenewt]

Exactly.  Round here we might say, "How continental"  refering to those on Continental Europe.  Hardly anyone I know eats any of those things with utensils, unless, in the case of fries, they are on a plate.