Introduction: What was the biggest cultural shock you encountered after going to Europe?

Regarding the question "What is the biggest cultural shock you encountered after going to Europe?", the editor has compiled user answers from multiple sources for everyone to have a more comprehensive understanding.

1. The following views were liked by 85 people and had 92 exchanges and discussions:

I have been in the Netherlands, and I have been to many other places in the past year and a half. Western countries have experienced many battles with culture shock. As a Hainanese, my home is very close to the equator. In summer, the sun basically sets between 18:30-19:00, and in winter, it sets between 17:30-18:00, so I can hardly feel it. Changes in day length. Now I still don't get used to it. On summer evenings, when I come out of the supermarket with my friends or after dinner, it's really uncomfortable to see the sky is still bright. I don’t know if this habit is common in other cultures or other countries, but it definitely doesn’t exist in China. A Dutch lunch might be a sandwich with milk or yogurt. There is also greeting strangers, especially those of the opposite sex, which I am not used to now, because various European countries have different customs! I thought that greeting strange girls was the same way in the Netherlands, and I had no idea what the rules were in other countries! Not only English, the Dutch are also very proficient in other European languages, such as German, French and Spanish, so I admire Dutch education very much. However, it is difficult for foreigners to learn the local language, because when there is a language barrier, everyone will communicate in English. Some residents have mentioned that there is no so-called maximum retail price in supermarkets in the Netherlands. The same item may be 20 to 50 euro cents cheaper in another supermarket. Cycling is highly respected in the Netherlands, and cars will give way to bicycles on roads without bicycle lane markings.

2. The following views were liked by 63 people and had 22 discussions:

Since 2013, I have been living in the Netherlands for about one month every year. I have also traveled to various countries, such as Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Italy... When it comes to cultural shock, it is really earth-shaking, because I have been taught since I was a child how good and wealthy Europe is, especially the welfare, and the people live like paradise, but When I actually arrived in Europe, I discovered that heaven does not exist. Take the Netherlands as an example. The locals are indeed of good quality, friendly and polite, and cars always let people cross the road. However, in addition to the locals, the Netherlands also has many people from poor European countries (including refugees), and the quality of these people is very poor. , stealing and spitting is very common. Let’s talk about benefits. The so-called free medical care is actually medical insurance. There are many levels of premiums, and the scope of protection is also different. It is not 100% compensation, and it is getting worse every year (it is getting more and more stingy). Take childbirth as an example. In the past, the country provided various subsidies as long as you were pregnant, but now it has degenerated to the point where you only get subsidies after giving birth. Of course, it is still better than China. In short, the so-called welfare in European countries only sounds beautiful, but in fact it is a crazy exploitation of the middle class (this range is very broad, including executives, white-collar classrooms, doctors and bosses), using the heavy taxes they pay to support the entire welfare system, such as a professor It is the same as the monthly income of a sanitation worker.

3. Wonderful answer:

I have been to Denmark and I feel that the Nordic people are so simple. You don’t need a deposit to stay in a hotel. After registration, you will be given the key to stay as you like, and you will be paid for the room once a week. , what kind of meal card and breakfast coupon do I need to eat at the buffet? I sat down and ate right away. When taking a train or bus, do you check your ticket when you enter the station and check it on the car? If you have anything to do, sit down wherever you want. Of course, I am also very conscious, check out on time, and buy a 24-hour pass when I go out. We cannot let others look down upon us Chinese. Strangers greet you warmly when they see you. A car crossing the road stops far away from you and waves to let you pass first. One time my colleagues and I were discussing how to get to a strange place on the bus. An uncle overheard this and came over directly, pointing to the station name printed on the bus, and told me in turn where I should change to which bus and how to get there. It was really a folk custom. simple. Another biggest feeling for me is that there are so many football fields.

4. The following views were liked by 37 people and had 28 exchanges and discussions:

I stayed in Southern Europe for a year, because I used to believe in efficiency first, so everything related to "Business" is nothing but a waste of time, so the biggest cultural shock I encountered was the leisurely attitude of Southern Europeans towards life. I thought it was incredible when I first arrived, so I went to the college to find the teaching secretary to handle the matter on Friday afternoon. Regarding related matters, the teaching secretary will usually say to me with a smile, "It's Friday afternoon, I need to take a break, let's do it next week", "I want to enjoy my life after class" and so on. I was grieving alone in the wind. In the early days, I complained that shops in residential areas closed at 7pm or at most 8pm, and I could only go to the big supermarkets in shopping malls. This was also because I missed the 711 where I was. The regional network communication is not as developed as domestic 4G, so I spend more time in the small apartment where I live, cooking slowly, inviting classmates from the same building over for a feast, and a few people squeeze into the small sofa in Tiannanhai. We chatted in Beidi, occasionally opened a bottle of wine and drank until we were tipsy, and enjoyed their praise and admiration for Chinese cuisine. In the end, we all became very good friends and learned to appreciate the scenery of the fields along the road. Walking forward in a calm manner, saying hello to the man next to the apartment who is always repairing his garage, and going to the classroom to have a cup of coffee and chat with my classmates at the door, these are all things I would not have done before. Because of the relative leisure and freedom, the teacher is also very easy-going, and I have developed the habit of raising my hand and speaking directly when I have questions in class.

5. Wonderful answer:

I am. When I returned to the store, I thought that as a repeat customer, I should be given a discount, but they wanted to increase the price by 20 euros. I think they thought that since I returned, the previous price was lower. The woman asked me in confusion. Why should I marry him? Men are confused, right, why should I marry her? 3. Don’t even think about going shopping after work, because you can’t even open a shop after work. After get off work. Chinese people would like to have customers visiting their stores 24 hours a day. Unlike some Chinese old people who rely on their old age to help them stay open longer, European old people really won’t accept it from you unless they are really weak. Give up your seat. 5. Subway tickets are not sold according to the total number of stations, but according to the ring. This is the case in Paris. The fare within the second ring road is 3 yuan, the fare within the third ring road is 5 yuan, and the ticket price for the fourth ring road and the fifth ring road may be 5 yuan. It’s ten yuan. 6. I own the toilet, so you have to pay for it. I found a free public toilet in a movie theater.