Cultural differences and culture shocks

[Nan]

Let's talk about cultural differences and culture shocks.

One of my biggest problems is when I'm talking to non-Finnish people (luckily Japanese, the other Nordics and Eastern Europeans share a similar culture to Finns so no one cares about the lack of small-talk haha).

When I was "an exchange student" in Germany, Wittenberg for a week in 2012, a really really big cultural shock and cultural gap struck or happened (?), sorry for my bad English my brain doesn't function because I'm too tired from the work. Well Finns are often been told that we're expressionless, introverted and shy (here's more about this culture thing because I'm too lazy to write it here).

In some cultures this is seen rude or weird. Well that was exactly what happened to me when I was in Germany. My host family introduced me to their neighbors and their relatives.. and it made me slightly uncomfortable to be honest and all that hugging...... In Finland only lovers and usually those who have just started dating hug in public etc or people who are relatives have a smaller personal space.

While I was staying in Germany I spent my evenings usually on my own, in my "room". My host family started thinking that I hated them and since I was being a typical Finn.. the family's son texted his friend who told to my friend that he is thinking what's wrong with him and his family, did I hate them or is something wrong etc.

I really felt bad when my friend told me about this and I immediately went to explain about Finnish culture. He and his family understood it luckily that it was just a misunderstanding and a cultural gap.

And fun fact in Finland people who talk a lot and try to force a small-talk are more likely to be

A.) foreigners

B.) drunk

C.) old

D.) lonely

E.) or all of the above.

I'd like to hear some culture shocks you have experienced (and explanations why the culture shock happened).

P.S What's the right verb when a culture shock "happens" is it happen or something else because I don't know and Finnish-English wordbook isn't helping at the moment (or I'm searching the wrong words haha).

[Maelstrom]

It happens.

Shit happens.

Sith happens.

Differences happen.

[Nan]

It happens.

Shit happens.

Sith happens.

Differences happen.

Yeah.

[Maelstrom]

which european countries was it that say hi by kissing each cheek? seems excessive but hey, not my culture.

What do they say about us western cultures? More loud and open, yet harder to get to know? Something like that.

Japanese was my minor in college and I learned something of their reserve. In and out groups and all that. A whole lot of unwritten expectations and things that are way different from what Americans are used to. If you know some japanese and watch movies (less so with anime) with subtitles, you can actually see how understated a lot of things are or inferred that are stated directly in the subs.

Personally, I'm rather quiet in real life. I'm not one for small talk or pleasantries. So I understand.

[Enkhidu]

When I went to England last year for a school trip I imagined that the culture difference would be kind of huge, since our english teacher was always saying that english people (more specific the people that was going to receive each of us in their houses) can be kind of cold at first. I was going to the same house with 2 friends, and luckily the house owner was an amazing person, she was really kind and we didn't have any problems there, it was fantastic, but other friends had REALLY BIG problems with the families, don't know if it was for culture problems but a lot of people had to change houses, and one of the main problems was indeed that the families seemed kind of distant or not really nice, but most of the people were really gentle and kind with us (I was in Canterbury btw).

We Chileans (or Latin Americans in general) tend to be more open to other people (Well not so much in my case since I'm kind of shy...) even more because we went to an institute where we could be together with people of Italia, Russia and France. We really learned a lot of different cultures but sometimes we had some small problems with most of the Russians and a few of the French people since they were a little reserved.

[Ice Cream Sand Witch]

I've been to four other countries, but never really experienced any big culture shocks. There were little things that surprised me because I didn't know about them, like how in Ireland they don't pronounce the h in words that start with "th", so three for example sounds like tree. But there was nothing mind-shattering that made me go "Wow, everything is so different here".

[Nan]

which european countries was it that say hi by kissing each cheek? seems excessive but hey, not my culture.

What do they say about us western cultures? More loud and open, yet harder to get to know? Something like that.

Japanese was my minor in college and I learned something of their reserve. In and out groups and all that. A whole lot of unwritten expectations and things that are way different from what Americans are used to. If you know some japanese and watch movies (less so with anime) with subtitles, you can actually see how understated a lot of things are or inferred that are stated directly in the subs.

Personally, I'm rather quiet in real life. I'm not one for small talk or pleasantries. So I understand.

I don't remember which European countries greeted people by kissing on cheek.. but I remember that it was one of those southern European countries.

I have studied a little bit Japanese but my skill level is basic... I want to learn some more though. You're right with those unwritten expectations and rules. I kind of hate it when many westerners think that Japanese people act like anime characters... pretty much every anime character would be considered a really rude person if they were real.

[samekh]

I don't remember which European countries greeted people by kissing on cheek.. but I remember that it was one of those southern European countries.

In Portugal, Spain and Italy people greet each other with kisses on the cheek, normally two kisses, one on each cheek.

The closer you are to the person, the more physical contact there is - you can also give the person a hug and you stay in close proximity to him/her.

In some places even men greet each other this way (normally family members - me and my father and grandfather greet each other this way i.e.).

In France I think people also greet this way, but not with as much proximity.