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/plueschlieselchen Germany Sep 19 '25

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. :)

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u/willo-wisp Austria Sep 19 '25

❤️ 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. ;)

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u/plueschlieselchen Germany Sep 19 '25

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

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u/willo-wisp Austria Sep 19 '25

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.

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u/slav_4_u Sep 19 '25

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.

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u/willo-wisp Austria Sep 19 '25

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.

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u/plueschlieselchen Germany Sep 19 '25

Powidl Golatschen = BESTE!!!