Cultural differences

It is amazing how one gesture in one country can mean something completely different in another. When moving to a different country, it is interesting to discover the cultural differences.

Here in Hungary, I have found a few interesting cultural differences:

1) Probably the biggest difference from the UK, when men and women enter a building, the men ALWAYS let the women go in first (apart from restaurants and bars, when men are supposed to enter first). Even when you are not even near the entrance, the men are waiting outside until you go in and they follow.

2) Almost the same as the first, if you are with a Hungarian man and are out shopping, they carry your basket or any heavy items for you. They also open doors for you. This happens all the time. I heard that it only happens in the school I am teaching in, but reading from other sources it's proper Hungarian etiquette.

3) Hungarian's don't drink tea with milk. Instead they use lemon juice or sugar. They think it's strange that we Brits drink tea with milk. They also put a lot of sugar in with their tea!

4) If your glass is empty, then it gets re-filled almost immediately. 

UPDATE! 
5) Every year the 8th of March is recognised as International Women's Day. This is a day to remember women and celebrate the women whether as a family member or as a friend. Women are given flowers and wished a 'Happy Women's Day' (Boldog Nőnapot in Hungarian). 

6) Hungarians like alcohol and it is not unusual to have a glass of wine with a main meal, as well as drinking it for a main celebration. They also like a spirit called pálinka, which is made from many different fruits and has a minimum alcohol percentage of 37.5%. Although it's too strong for most foreigners, many Hungarians enjoy drinking it. 

7) Mother's day is on the first weekend in May. It is different from the UK Mother's Day which is usually in March.

8) Hungarians also heavily celebrate Pentecost which takes in late May or even as late as mid June. Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday. During this Pentecost weekend, they have shows and many people have stalls selling souvenirs.

9) Teacher's Day is at the beginning of June and on that day students give their teachers flowers. I was given some beautiful flowers by my students.

10) Sometimes things go a lot slower in Hungary than in other parts of the world and this can often be a cultural thing. For example paperwork takes at least a month to process and the trains to other cities and towns in Hungary can take a good few hours to get there. If you like to be fast paced and organised, then probably Hungary is not the country for you.

That's pretty much all the cultural differences I can think of just now. If there are any more I recognize, I'll add them to the list. I do love learning about new cultures though and knowing that in our world we are all the same human beings, but how we communicate can be so different.

R xx