Planet Earth wouldn't be the beautifully diverse place it is if it weren't for the unique cultures and traditions that each country takes part in.
So when TikTok user @nas.alive asked people to share something that's normal in their country but weird to the rest of the world, I was excited to learn about what my fellow humans were getting up to around the globe.
1. @nas.alive pointed out how everyone in Canada uses bagged milk.
2. @twitchin_plays mentioned something quite terrifying for a single 26-year-old like myself to hear. In Denmark, if you're not married by 25, they tie you to a pole and blast cinnamon on you. If you're still not married at 30, they blast pepper on you instead.
3. @ii_davinci demonstrated how people in the United Arab Emirates greet each other: they touch noses!
4. @ingridsalbu, who is from Norway, said parents leave their babies outside — in the cold, but bundled up — to nap while they're at a restaurant. This is a common practice in a lot if Nordic countries.
5. @dietcokeandthunder shared how in Argentina, when you graduate university, your friends and family attack you with eggs, flour, foam, paint, and a whole bunch of other random shit.
6. @saviourofhaha gave a tidbit about how in Ireland, if your friend's mom offers you food, you essentially have to say no a bunch of times until she insists and you finally give in — even if you're really, really hungry.
7. @melissafairlady called out the ridiculously large size of sugary beverages that restaurants give you in the United States.
8. And @ayoaustimus pointed out the sad fact that Americans have become desensitized to school shootings, due to how frequently they occur.
9. @eliasymer filled people in on how easy it is to get personal information about an individual in Sweden. All you have to do is type in their name on Google, and you can pretty much learn everything about them.
10. @bb.coconutbuns shared the Slovakian tradition of keeping a live fish in your bathtub before Christmas so that it can be cleansed before you eat it.
11. @nikiproshin, who's from Russia, showed off his TWO passports. "One is for internal use, which is basically an ID card for most countries," he said. "The second passport is international, Russian Federation passport. And not every Russian has it, you have to pay about $60-$70 (5,000 rubles)."
12. @xxxini said in Papua New Guinea, everyone chews betel nut. It's a stimulant that gives you a burst of energy. There are two ways to chew it, and people typically do it in the morning.
13. @oatmilkbimbo noted how people in Brazil take oral hygiene very seriously, and you'll often see them brushing their teeth or flossing in public bathrooms. They also eat their pizza with a fork and knife.
14. @claudiachudzik clued people in on how everything in Switzerland — products, brochures, presentations, and sometimes even movies — needs to be translated into at least three different languages. This is because the country has four national languages.
15. And lastly, @pandiroo_ said people in Hong Kong, China, have always worn face masks as an act of common courtesy. "If you're even slightly sick, you wear a mask. If you feel ugly, you wear a mask. If you're just lazy, you wear a mask."
