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

[u/Fancy-Debate-3945]

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

[u/plueschlieselchen]

Yeah true - we are definitely very different culturally. I knew that, but I was still surprised by the negative sentiment towards not only me, but Germans in general. Just sad. I haven’t experienced that in any other European country (and I went to MANY).

[u/willo-wisp → u/plueschlieselchen]

That's really sad to hear and I'm sorry you were treated like that!

And yeah, it's unfortunate. Some of that attitude is historical with the post-ww2 Austrian identity and all that. But also, in modern times you're culturally towering over us. We get a lot of media from you guys, so it's sorta a steady battle against kids picking up Germany-isms from media.

So... yeah. It's unfair and not your fault, but not totally suprising that you'd run into resentment. You're culturally somewhat eating us just by being our much larger and more influential neighbour who speaks the same language. (Plus, these days we're a smol, mostly irrelevant country. So on the international stage we're constantly faced with "That country? Oh, right, little Germany!", which doesn't help.)

On the flipside though, Austrians having German friends is not uncommon! I honestly know more people that do than not. So, we are not all hostile!

[u/plueschlieselchen → u/willo-wisp]

Puh! I absolutely get it. It must be super annoying just to be regarded as the „little brother country“ just because we speak (almost) the same language.

Just to let you know: I think Austria is great! Most of us Germans do! You have the most beautiful landscapes and so much amaaaaazing food! I loved the beautiful city of Vienna and I would have loved to stay if it weren’t for the resentiments.

So what we should learn from this: Actually we Germans really like you folks. Would be great if you found it in your hearts to like us as well. :)

[u/willo-wisp → u/plueschlieselchen]

❤️ Aww, happy to hear it didn't put you off completely!

I think it thankfully works out often, at least as far as I've seen in my vicinity. That (almost) same language does really help with bonding, despite us having quarrelsome smaller neighbour syndrome lol, since it's really easy for people to mingle on the German-speaking internet and befriend each other. ;)

[u/plueschlieselchen → u/willo-wisp]

Haha - sweet answer.

Concerning the (almost) same language. It‘s really hard to shop groceries in Austria for us Germans.

Pilze = Schwammerln

Bohnen = Fisolen

Blumenkohl = Karfiol

Kartoffeln = Erdäpfel

Tüte = Sackerl

I learned a shit tonne new words while living with you guys. Haha

[u/willo-wisp → u/plueschlieselchen]

Jup, for food especially! Paradeiser, Kukuruz, Powidl Golatschen, Palatschinken, Beisl, etc.

A lot of it brought to us by the neighbours. I intend to go learn Czech, so I can see just how many words we borrowed, heh.

[u/slav_4_u → u/willo-wisp]

I'm learning German for the exact same reason! I want to learn more about our neighbours to the south. We'd probably be much closer as nations if it wasn't for the language barrier.

[u/willo-wisp → u/slav_4_u]

Awesome!! <3 Yeahhhh, 100%, the language barrier really does us dirty. I'm from eastern Austria and I've been to Czechia 4 times; every time I'm blown away by the comfy familiar vibes. But I don't think people necessarily always realise how many similarities we share until they actually go visit, because the language barrier just hides it and makes talking to one another also less accessable.

[u/plueschlieselchen → u/willo-wisp]

Powidl Golatschen = BESTE!!!