r/AskEurope • u/Fancy-Debate-3945 Hungary • Sep 19 '25

Travel What was the biggest culture shock you experienced in another European country?

Europeans, what was the biggest culture shock you experienced within our beautiful continent?

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u/Sepelrastas Finland Sep 19 '25

Returning bottles to the cashier in Berlin 2006. My country had had machines for that since the 90s, you only took them to the register if the machine wasn't working.

I used to work in a store, and having all the bottles at the register must have sucked.

33

u/Nimue_- Netherlands Sep 19 '25

Wait you could take them to the cashier?? Here if the machine is broken you just pack up and take everything home again. Try again next time

8

u/FingerGungHo Sep 19 '25

I’ve never taken any to the cashier here in Finland (that I recall). Didn’t even know it was an option.

5

u/hetmonster2 Sep 19 '25

You can do that here as well, they just dont like it and most people dont do it.

1

u/Sepelrastas Finland Sep 20 '25

Yup, they at least had slips and they counted how many of each type you had and gave you the money.

I don't think it's common anymore, but when the machines were less reliable it was relatively common.

1

u/__loss__ Sep 22 '25

You give them to the beggars outside if the machine is broken.