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7 Unexpected Lessons I Learned Abroad That Weren’t About Food, Language Or Etiquette
The Real Culture Shocks Are Subtle and Unspoken but They’re the Ones That Change You Most
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Have you ever landed in a new country only to realize the biggest culture shock isn’t what’s on your plate, but how people wait for you to eat it?
That was me in Bulgaria, sitting at my Airbnb host’s dinner table with a full plate of Shopska salad in front of me and six pairs of eyes politely waiting.
I had no idea they weren’t going to lift a fork until I took the first bite. I thought they were judging my salad choice.
Turns out, they were just being respectful.
Who knew the first bite came with that kind of pressure?
The truth is, after living in places like Albania, Georgia, Ukraine, and France, I’ve realized the real cultural shocks, the ones that actually stick with you, have nothing to do with food, language, or how many kisses go on the cheek.
They’re about the invisible stuff.
- The way strangers treat time.
- The pace at which friendships develop.
