DOs and DON'Ts in your countries

This forum is to learn about foreign cultures and habits, because language skills are not everything you need as a world citizen...

Moderator:Forum Administrators

Ingvarr
Posts:1
Joined:2006-05-12, 8:29
Gender:male
Location: Simferopol, Crimea
Country:UAUkraine (Україна)

Postby Ingvarr » 2006-05-12, 11:15

In a Russian (drinking) community, you should never leave an emptied bottle on the table - bad luck, I guess, anyway, it's just not a thing to do

User avatar
Saaropean
Posts:8808
Joined:2002-06-21, 10:24
Real Name:Rolf S.
Gender:male
Location:Montréal
Country:CACanada (Canada)

Postby Saaropean » 2006-05-12, 15:28

Ingvarr wrote:In a Russian (drinking) community, you should never leave an emptied bottle on the table - bad luck, I guess, anyway, it's just not a thing to do

Strange. My brother (who has been living in Russia since last summer) told me you should never empty your glass because it will always be refilled...

User avatar
bodhisatva
Posts:1012
Joined:2005-03-04, 10:05
Gender:male
Location:SFBA
Country:USUnited States (United States)

Postby bodhisatva » 2006-05-13, 6:04

Saaropean wrote:
Ingvarr wrote:In a Russian (drinking) community, you should never leave an emptied bottle on the table - bad luck, I guess, anyway, it's just not a thing to do

Strange. My brother (who has been living in Russia since last summer) told me you should never empty your glass because it will always be refilled...

An empty glass can't be refilled if there's an emptied bottle. :D

User avatar
nettchelobek1
Posts:1694
Joined:2006-04-17, 21:59
Real Name:Francisco R. Trejo Campos
Gender:male
Location:Chilangolandia
Country:MXMexico (México)
Contact:

Postby nettchelobek1 » 2006-05-15, 1:55

As for my country, We are very kind and affable, when we first meet a person, the most people, greet with a kiss on the cheeks, and we also use to invite immediately the other people to stay at home, we talk about our lifes like if we were old friends. :D

In the other hand, we still have prejudices against the gay people, it's often bad criticized if a gay couple walk down the street and they kiss themelves. Moreover, male chauvinism is still widespread here, and at home the father's will is the most important, nevertheless, last years many women supporting organisations have been growing and women rights are more respected. Anyway, I hope that someday we can respect to each other, regardless of gender, race, language or any difference. :D

greg-fr
Posts:2298
Joined:2005-05-28, 9:45
Real Name:greg-fr
Gender:male
Country:FRFrance (France)

Postby greg-fr » 2006-05-16, 6:44

If I'm invited for dinner (in people's home, not in a restaurant) at, say, 20h30, I'll never turn up at 20h30 sharp : I'd be extremely embarassed to do so. I'd ring the bell anytime between 20h45 and 20h55. I could never pop up before 20h30 of course !

Nero

Postby Nero » 2006-05-23, 21:34

If I'm invited for dinner (in people's home, not in a restaurant) at, say, 20h30, I'll never turn up at 20h30 sharp : I'd be extremely embarassed to do so. I'd ring the bell anytime between 20h45 and 20h55. I could never pop up before 20h30 of course !


Heh - they do that in other countries? Far from American standards of "Be on time" and all that.

User avatar
Gormur
Posts:8190
Joined:2005-05-17, 1:11
Real Name:Gormur
Gender:male
Country:CUCuba (Cuba)
Contact:

Postby Gormur » 2006-05-24, 1:30

Nero wrote:
If I'm invited for dinner (in people's home, not in a restaurant) at, say, 20h30, I'll never turn up at 20h30 sharp : I'd be extremely embarassed to do so. I'd ring the bell anytime between 20h45 and 20h55. I could never pop up before 20h30 of course !


Heh - they do that in other countries? Far from American standards of "Be on time" and all that.


oh I don't think there's any standard in the US as a whole. More like regional standards. People in the South seem very laid back about time, just like Manitoba and Western Canada. In California it depends on the person really, but generally it's pretty informal. People I know from the east coast like Toronto, NY, etc seem to get really impatient when things aren't done on schedule. Maybe that has something to do with regional standards as well.
Eigi gegnir þat at segja at bók nøkkur er hreinferðug eðr ønnur spelluð því at vandliga ok dáliga eru bœkr ritnar ok annat kunnum vér eigi um þœr at dœma

User avatar
ego
Posts:4920
Joined:2004-12-06, 15:19
Real Name:Thanasis
Gender:male
Location:SX
Country:GBUnited Kingdom (United Kingdom)

Postby ego » 2006-05-26, 0:02

In Greece, the time between 14:00 and 17:00 is considered sacred. It's the time for siesta, many people, especially aged people, take a little sleep then, and others just lie and rest doing nothing. It's prohibited by law to make noise or generally disturb your neighbours siesta during these hours. Calling someone is considered very rude too. Only people with bad manners would call you at 15:00 here, except if it's something urgent. Sometimes I have to call some friend during siesta and I feel like "omg, what will his/her parents think about me?". So while in Greece, check your watch before dialing

User avatar
allemaalmeezinge
Posts:3846
Joined:2005-06-17, 6:01
Real Name:Tobias
Gender:male
Location:flowerful lands :)

Postby allemaalmeezinge » 2006-05-26, 1:38

This time is here from 12/13-15:00.. It's Mittagszeit and you're not supposed to get on other people's nerves during that time...

User avatar
Nounoursette
Posts:719
Joined:2006-02-08, 14:48
Real Name:Cecile
Gender:female
Location:Brussels
Country:BEBelgium (België / Belgique)

Postby Nounoursette » 2006-05-26, 5:30

Last Monday we went for dinner in a relatively big town here
We were 4 and we were late! It was helf past eight, and I know that in the Netherlands this is the limit to find a place in a restaurant (dinner time is usually between six and eight)

When we entered the restaurant, the waiter told us spontaneously, with a real expression of reproach: "You are late!!!" :shock: :shock: :lol:

I would have expected a more friendly reaction!
What a strange sense of hospitality :roll:
French: mother tongue
English: proficient
Dutch: intermediate
Japanese: beginner

User avatar
ego
Posts:4920
Joined:2004-12-06, 15:19
Real Name:Thanasis
Gender:male
Location:SX
Country:GBUnited Kingdom (United Kingdom)

Postby ego » 2006-05-26, 9:05

Here you wouldn't hear this even at 04:00 am :wink:

yabba wrote:This time is here from 12/13-15:00.. It's Mittagszeit and you're not supposed to get on other people's nerves during that time...


I thought there's no such thing abroad, or at least it's not so important, because some foreigners I met had no idea about it. A Turkish friend wanted to make a phone call at 15:00 and I stopped him and he was amazed.

User avatar
allemaalmeezinge
Posts:3846
Joined:2005-06-17, 6:01
Real Name:Tobias
Gender:male
Location:flowerful lands :)

Postby allemaalmeezinge » 2006-05-26, 10:47

During that time you're not supposed to make unnecessary noise (like in summer DONT switch on the lawn mower) you're not supposed to ring other people (telephone and personally) etc. pp....

User avatar
Leviwosc
Posts:4743
Joined:2002-06-28, 3:38
Real Name:Reinaldus Adreanus
Gender:male
Location:Tilburg
Country:NLThe Netherlands (Nederland)
Contact:

Postby Leviwosc » 2006-05-26, 12:47

My first post in this topic is already a long time ago. I'll rewrite my piece with some extra information.

In the Netherlands we usually make appointments for all kinds of things. People who come to visit you, the hairdresser who comes to give you a new haircut. Going out or going to the cinema. You make an appointment for this and write it down in your agenda. Visiting someone, even a friend, without having made an appointment before is considered as very rude; you may not expect someone makes time for you at once. Only very good friends who know from eachother that visiting eachother without an appointment isn't a problem can do this.

Being on time at your appointment is really important! The first impression can be negative when you show up late! It's absolutely unacceptable to be 5 minutes too late. One says here often, 'better 1 hour too early than 1 minute too late.' Appearing too late for a job interview is useless, being too late means automatically that you're not hired by the company.

Usually when you make an appointment, you only agree on the time that your appointment starts. It's considered rude to stay too long, the host won't ask you to leave but will feel very uncomfortable! Visiting someone for 1,5 or 2 hours is considered as normal here, unless when you're good friends, then you can stay longer. And guests should leave before dinnertime, in the Netherlands guests usually do not join the dinner table; so you have to leave before that time.

The Dutch are really cold when they meet eachother. Or perhaps the people in the south of the Netherlands. We only say 'hello' to eachother, we do not shake hands, neihter do we kiss, we don't touch eachother at all. You'll shake hands when you meet eachother for the first time; you won't do it anymore the 2nd time you meet. Dutch people only shake hands to congratulate or to condole eachother. You can kiss eachother when you congratulate someone, only good friends do this; men do not kiss eachother.

In general Dutch people don't like to be touched by other people. You do not lay your hand on someone's shoulder, neither on his/her back, only friends can do this; touching eachothers faces is unthinkable. Kissing eachother is perhaps no problem for you or for your partner, but kissing in public might be considered as shocking. A short, quick kiss isn't really a problem but french kissing isn't something you do in public.

One eats with cutlery here in the Netherlands, separately from poultry one always uses cutlery and thus doesn't eat with his/her hands. Even chips are eaten with cutlery, many people eat it just with their hands, though.

Dutch people usually don't like to talk about money or the amount of money they earn. So don't ask someone how much he ears a month. That's private and not your concern.

One should address in formal; strangers, older people and people who are professionally of a higher rank. Dutch also address their grandparents in formal, in some parts of the country even children adress their parents in formal.

Ron.
Image Image | Image Image Image Image | Image Image Image

User avatar
Nukalurk
Posts:5843
Joined:2004-04-23, 20:45
Location:Berlin
Country:DEGermany (Deutschland)

Postby Nukalurk » 2006-05-26, 13:18

yabba wrote:During that time you're not supposed to make unnecessary noise (like in summer DONT switch on the lawn mower) you're not supposed to ring other people (telephone and personally) etc. pp....


That mostly only applies to weekends, esp. Sundays and also public holidays - at least here.

User avatar
allemaalmeezinge
Posts:3846
Joined:2005-06-17, 6:01
Real Name:Tobias
Gender:male
Location:flowerful lands :)

Postby allemaalmeezinge » 2006-05-26, 13:32

I was taught that, on every day, and I am polite ! And if you switch on your lawn mower during mittagsruhe, you'll get some visit from the other neighbours ! :!: :!: :!:

Of course in cities like Berlin good customs are in decline, but who is surprised by that? :twisted:

Besides: I don't agree with what Ron said, there are kissing couples in the Netherlands, who expected something different? :roll:

And using the polite forms of the verb for addressing your parents seems very strange to me (even to the grand-parents); but I have heard stories like that before, ..there is the rumor that Frenchies also use the vous for their pets, for example..

User avatar
Nukalurk
Posts:5843
Joined:2004-04-23, 20:45
Location:Berlin
Country:DEGermany (Deutschland)

Postby Nukalurk » 2006-05-26, 13:38

yabba wrote:I was taught that, on every day, and I am polite ! And if you switch on your lawn mower during mittagsruhe, you'll get some visit from the other neighbours ! :!: :!: :!:


I also won't do something like that, and it can be disturbing, if other do it. :?

User avatar
Strigo
Posts:4724
Joined:2002-12-27, 13:16
Real Name:Carlos Reyes Barría
Gender:male
Location:La Florida
Country:CLChile (Chile)
Contact:

Postby Strigo » 2006-05-26, 15:24

Amikeco wrote:
yabba wrote:I was taught that, on every day, and I am polite ! And if you switch on your lawn mower during mittagsruhe, you'll get some visit from the other neighbours ! :!: :!: :!:


I also won't do something like that, and it can be disturbing, if other do it. :?


Yes... fortunately my neighborhood is very isolated. (well, that's not very good actually)
Aquí es donde traduzco diariamente música israelí del hebreo al español

[flag]cl[/flag] native; [flag]en[/flag] fluent; [flag]il[/flag] lower advanced ; [flag]pt-BR[/flag] read fluently, understand well, speak not so badly (specially after some Itaipava); recently focusing on [flag]sv[/flag][flag]ar[/flag] and I promised myself to finish my [flag]ru[/flag] New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners in less than a month (12/oct/2013). Wants to wake up one day speaking [flag]ka[/flag][flag]lt[/flag] and any Turkic language.

User avatar
JackFrost
Posts:16240
Joined:2004-11-08, 21:00
Real Name:Jack Frost
Gender:male
Location:Montréal, Québec
Country:CACanada (Canada)

Postby JackFrost » 2006-05-26, 17:48

Amikeco wrote:
yabba wrote:I was taught that, on every day, and I am polite ! And if you switch on your lawn mower during mittagsruhe, you'll get some visit from the other neighbours ! :!: :!: :!:


I also won't do something like that, and it can be disturbing, if other do it. :?

Well, it's rude to run the lawn mower during suppertimes and in the evening when the people are trying to relax from a day work. No one complained, but I just find it rude for me to do it. :?
Neferuj paħujkij!

User avatar
Car
Forum Administrator
Posts:10953
Joined:2002-06-21, 19:24
Real Name:Silvia
Gender:female
Country:DEGermany (Deutschland)
Contact:

Postby Car » 2006-05-26, 18:58

yabba wrote:And using the polite forms of the verb for addressing your parents seems very strange to me (even to the grand-parents); but I have heard stories like that before


Our Dutch guest docent told us that he's using the polite forms for addressing his parents (in Dutch), but "Du" when talking to his German relatives in German and found it quite strange.
Please correct my mistakes!

User avatar
Gormur
Posts:8190
Joined:2005-05-17, 1:11
Real Name:Gormur
Gender:male
Country:CUCuba (Cuba)
Contact:

Postby Gormur » 2006-05-26, 21:24

Interestingly there's no distinction made between De and du in my family, presumably because everyone has been following the changes going on in Norway with newspapers and correspondence (letters, etc) since immigration -- a lot of Norwegians only use du nowadays. When I meet some old relatives whom I don't know in Norway, I use De, but that's just my personal preference and I wasn't taught to do so. Among relatives we are just very informal in many ways, but of course there are many taboo subjects - the occasional silence (it seems like American culture translates this as an uncomfortable moment, but it really just means we are thinking or have nothing to say at the moment) Ron described it, I would feel right at home -- except the formal part. I assume by formal he means reserved. We are reserved I guess you could say, compared to your average Southern European or sth...for me it's just my nature or normal behavior so it's hard to compare. Every culture expresses themselves differently I suppose.
Eigi gegnir þat at segja at bók nøkkur er hreinferðug eðr ønnur spelluð því at vandliga ok dáliga eru bœkr ritnar ok annat kunnum vér eigi um þœr at dœma


Return to “Culture”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests