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Culture shock

A different kind of culture shock: "wonderful, kind and smiling residents of Munich".

Damian and his new friends visiting Munich

Young Mexican Damian's experiences show that a "culture shock" doesn't always have to be negative.

More Global Impressions

Kissing forbidden?!

A cool mentality on the one hand and an open attitude to displays of affection on the other shocked Ayu, a young Indonesian, on her first visit to Germany.

No Kissing sign.

Have you ever had a similar experience – when a culture surprised you in either a positive or negative way, a preconception was dispelled, or a cliché shattered?

Share your thoughts, experiences, poems, quotes, comments and pictures about culture shock. Or send us something to do with a typical preconception or cliché about your own culture.
 

User comments

Ayu from Indonesia was not especially disciplined. So the German approach to time management came as a surprise to her.

"In Indonesia, people are never on time. Even when they are having an event or any special occasion they are never punctual. And that is a big problem for Indonesian people."

Find Ayu´s whole story here.

Itayi from Zimbabwe was shocked on his return home.

"I expected everybody to behave the same way they do in Germany. So I had problems when meetings would get slow, when my colleagues planned badly and when business were not sincere."

You can find Itayi's entire story here.

Feedback

It's your turn!

Send your thoughts, stories, poems, opinions, quotes, comments and photos to mydw@dw.de.

We'll share your contributions here in a colourful collage of content from around the world – a sort of snapshot of the planet.

Suggestions for future topics are welcome.

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Results

Fashion, culture and chlichés

Clothing is all about communication, and often, clichés. What you wear can send out different messages in different places. A miniskirt may be trendy in a Bulgarian office, but taboo in a German workplace.

Do clothes make the (wo)man?

Global Impressions

"The more you pay, the better the education you get in West Africa."

students at the University Monrovia, Liberia

Find statements about education, globalization and other themes here.