Weird foreign customs.

[Sheik]

I was cicumsized as a baby :cutenot foreign, but definately a weird 'custom')... who the hell came up with that. i mean really, who was the brave soul that decided to circumsize himself... weird...

Abraham

[monolith94]

In finland they put ketchup on the pasta!!! INSANE!!!

[Pekka]

monolith94, that is insane. Here, they put ketchup in everything. I never put ketchup in pasta, it totally ruins it IMO. It's like putting ketchup to pizza.

[The Vagabond]

What a thread, guys!

Originally posted by Pekka
I feel great. We have all had to go number two in the wilderness, and that is THE experience.

If you have to do it in a mosquito forest, now that's truely the experience.

[Pekka]

The Vagabond, it is obvious you have been here before . Mosqutios man.. everywhere.

[mindseye]

Strange customs in China? Jeez, I could write a book. Here's a few for now:

- The best way to get rid of a cold is to have someone vigorously rub a coin up and down your spine until your skin is red and raw. The cold will then go away in a couple of days. Even some highly educated people believe this. When I point out to them that a cold will typically go away in a couple of days without any assistance, they just scoff at me as an ignorant westerner who cannot understand the time-honed wisdom of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).

- On a scorching hot day, the best way to cool off is to have a nice glass of hot water. This one drives me nuts. The idea is that the hot water makes you sweat, which cools you off. This is small consolation when I am already drenched in sweat.

- In winter, it is better to open the window than to use the heater. The heater is thought to blow "dirty" air into the apartment, while the air outside is "fresh" and "healthy". This is particularly hilarious to anyone familiar with the levels of air pollution in Chinese cities.

- Likewise, on a horridly hot and humid day, if you really want to cool off, you switch off the air conditioner (that "dirty air" again), and let in the muggy, scorching pollution instead. This can start fights in internatnional offices, where Chinese don't realize how uncomfortable white folks get in high humidity (Chinese sweat much less, and when they do they don't smell bad).

[Dis]

I find binge drinking to be a weird foreign custom

well not really foreign as I live in the country wheere binge drinking is poopular.

[LTEC!]

Greek custom, spitting at people for good luck
sigh.

[The Vagabond]

Bulgarian custom. When saying 'yes' or 'no', they shake their heads in the exactly opposite way to what we expect.

[Cruddy]

Dutch custom (sorry, it's poop related); having a change collection at the attendant's desk.

It is most bizarre to pay for the privalege of having a dump in a public toilet...

Chinese custom: Not happy with what you ordered in a restaurant (in China)? Simply lift the plate and turn it face down on the table. The staff will notice your displeasure and provide an alternative dish at no extra charge.

English custom: Drowning all food in tomato ketchip or "brown sauce" (tomato sauce without the tomatoes but with a few spices); given the international status of Engish food, maybe this one isn't that surprising.

French custom; closing all restaurants and public eating places at lunch time... No, I don't understand this either.

US Custom: "Have a nice day" and yet never saying goodbye on the phone? Illogical, captain.

[Ecthy]

they always talk so strange tongues in foreign countries. they should be civilized by force.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by lord of the mark

I dont think theres any religious reason for christians. Am I wrong?

Onward Christian Helmet Heads!

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Asher
When I lived in California nobody was in the habit of taking off your shoes when you enter somebody's house.

Dummy, you're supposed to take your own shoes off!

[Ecthy]

exactly, who has ever taken someone else's shoes off? maybe he's just grown up in a homoerotic environment.

[Dr. A. Cula]

Originally posted by mindseye

- On a scorching hot day, the best way to cool off is to have a nice glass of hot water. This one drives me nuts. The idea is that the hot water makes you sweat, which cools you off. This is small consolation when I am already drenched in sweat.

I tried that with hot soup and hot tea and it worked. It doesn't have the same effect as turning the air conditioning to the "blizzard" setting, but at least you will no longer drench in sweat for the next few hours.