Somebody asked people from the UK what aspect of another country’s culture has shocked them – 23 (mainly) pleasant surprises

Despite what Reform UK and their followers will have the rest of the world believe, most British people are actually an outward looking bunch, keen to experience and enjoy other cultures and the things they can teach us.

They’ve been chatting about the wonders of other countries on the AskUK subreddit after throawaygotget posted this:

As someone born and bred in the UK what are aspects of another country’s culture that has genuinely shocked you? All over the world.

Preferably not something you’ve overheard on the internet, but have experienced firsthand through having acquaintances or perhaps friends from said country/culture.

And people who have gone out to experience life rather than just reading about it online chipped in with their observations…

1.

‘Australia: living in Sydney with a fair bus commute to work I suddenly started noticing how many of the people working as road maintenance were women. Like, almost 50% on some days. Made me think how rare it is to see a woman in the crews here in the UK, which is bonkers when you think about it, it’s 2026, ladies can surely dig holes (and stand around them doing nothing).’
–AF_II

2.

‘I know it’s a bit of a cliche, but it’s still weird to see it person. Going around ‘normal’ (non-tourist) areas in USA and so many people wear clothes with USA flags all over them and/or political messages. Even crazier that I saw this in a non-election year.

Imagine going down your local high street and everyone has union jacks all over them but there’s no sport/jubilee/etc event on, just a normal day.’
–Jamesyroo

3.

‘I worked in Tokyo for a few years and used to run around the palace in the morning. Run clubs would leave their backpacks / work shoes by a tree and all head out on a run. Can you imagine leaving 50-100 rucksacks and £100+ trainers out in Hyde park for an hour and knowing with certainty they’d be there when you got back? I found it astonishing.’
–RoadNo7935

4.

‘Growing up in the UK I was sent to a religious boarding school. I spent three years there, three church services a week, plus RE lessons. In a two week holiday in America I had more people initiate conversations about Jesus with me than I did in that entire three years of school.’
–jamescoxall

5.

‘Finding a live carp destined to be Christmas dinner swimming in the bath tub in my Polish coworkers mother’s house.’
–Apsalar28

6.

‘In America it was jarring having my card taken away for payment at bars or restaurants. Some bars would shout over to me that their point of sale was asking for a PIN and expected me to shout it over to them as they couldn’t bring the PIN pad over. I refused to do that so would have to use a card that didn’t prompt for one.’
–cvslfc123

7.

‘In China asking you what you earn is not taboo in the UK this is pretty much as intimate a question as you can ask someone. I found there its not as big a deal.’
–Signal_Minute5100

8.

‘Thanking the bus driver. Had a few drivers look at me in bewilderment when I lived abroad and I had a few foreign students in the UK comment on it (they liked it though and thought it was nice).’
–CryptographerMore944

9.

‘Hospitality. Hitchhiking around South Africa it was very common for people to pick me up and then end up inviting me back to their house to meet their family and have dinner/drinks etc.

If my mum brought home a random hitchhiker in England I would have assumed she was having some sort of mental health event.’
–KollyKibber39

10.

‘I went to recharge my phone in McDonalds in Dusseldorf and they looked at me like I was trying to rob the place. The UKs super lenient on letting people use electricity outlets.’
–CoolJetEcho117

11.

‘Me and my sister were drinking some tins of beer in a park in Chile and helpful Chilean guy came and warned us the police were around and that we would get in trouble. Never crossed my mind that it would be illegal to drink in a park! I now realise this is the case in many countries.’
–081280

12.

‘My fiancee is Latvian and its taken a few visits to get used to change being put on the counter instead of your hands, doors rarely being held and no thanks if you do. She literally told me off and cringed with embarassment the first time I did the little wave to thank someone at a zebra crossing over there. Told me they would think I was a crazy person.’
–AJMurphy_1986