If you ever traveled or lived in a country with a culture completely different than yours, can you share how did this experience change your perspective? any interesting anecdotes?
Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
1–10 of 21 posts
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#2I did, for several years. I’m not going to write about it in a HN comment. You can find thousands of blogs written by travelers, expats, and digital nomads — just start with Google. Or join Nomad List’s message boards. There’s a large group of nomads and travel bloggers out there.
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#3I live in a foreign country that is very different from my own.
Of many interesting observations , I’ll say that it’s taught me that different cultures can have objectively better and worse aspects.
Not everything is better or worse, most things are just different, but some things both here and in my home country make me want to grab and shake people and scream “there is a better way!!”
But also, if you want to live a happy life, you need to accept what you cannot change and plan ahead for disturbances.
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#4Yeah, grew up in America and live in Bangkok now.
I realized there are many, many things about Thai culture I prefer and that I generally get along with Thai people much better than Americans.
So I guess the moral of the story is that just because you grew up somewhere doesn't mean it's the right culture for you.
It's not like everything is perfect here though, far from it. And if you are a miserable person you'll be miserable anywhere you go. A combination of changing myself and changing where I was living is what really has helped me, not just one or the other
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#5I'm an American who has lived in Japan for the last couple of years. I think my quality of life is higher in Japan than it was in America. The streets & public spaces are cleaner, I always feel safe, and the public transit is incredible. Generally, it just seems that the Japanese city governments do a better job than American cities.
The only real pain point is communication, but my Japanese has gotten good enough that I can always express what I'm trying to say, and generally understood what other people are saying. Studying Japanese everyday does consume a lot of time though.
I expect to stay here for a least a couple of more years.
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#6Just one comment about Americans in Mexico. Many of my fellow Americans expatriates deny that there is any significant difference, and they are antagonistic to suggestions that Mexican values are different from theirs. That is, they reject any change in their perspective.
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#7Just one comment about Americans in Mexico. Many of my fellow Americans expatriates deny that there is any significant difference, and they are antagonistic to suggestions that Mexican values are different from theirs. That is, they reject any change in their perspective.
Isn't that just politics? You wouldn't find many with that opinion if they moved to for example France or Italy.
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#8European living in Asia for substantial amount of time by now, staying in Singapore, Japan, HK.
Not sure what OP likes to hear, but the most important thing is to live with intellectual and cultural curiosity. I've seen a lot of expats tossing away local peculiarities just because they were conditioned things should have been done differently. In other words, keep remembering about Chesterton fence [0]
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#9Every country has a very different culture and it helps you understand that there is other way to live your life than the education that you get from your parent.
I'm French living in the Netherlands and I learned:
- a kid is a human being and should be respected as an adult. They don't need to be the parents subordinate
- you can disagree without being angry
- my English and Dutch. I can now see all video/ film (tedx / universiteit van vlanderen) without any translation
- Most of the time, you don't need any medicine when you are sick. Sleep, sport and a balanced diet is all you need.
- French have the best food on the planet.
- when hosting, Dutch care more about the atmosphere than the food
- you can learn a language by watching the television (in France, the content is only in French)
Anecdote: they can put pineapple in a 'choucroute garnie'. The Italians version of pineapple on pizza ;)
The cultural shock in all greatness.
Re: Ask HN: Did you ever travel or live in a country with different culture?
#10Australian who lived in the US for a year. Before I went I thought our cultures were similar. Alas, no, there are many very fundamental differences.
The health system, the racism, the poverty, the inequity all amazed me. So did the fact that the US has its own definitions for words like:
Freedom, democracy, socialism, conservation amongst others.
Would not live there again.