Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

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MamaPata
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Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby MamaPata » Sun Sep 18, 2016 5:56 pm

I am always amused by the things that mark people as 'locals' (aside from opening my mouth!).

In Russia, the quickest way I prove to people that I'm foreign is that I go out with wet hair! :o Russians are horrified by this. It's also something that Australian friends of mine have noticed living in other parts of Europe.

I'd be very intrigued to find out your experiences!
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby Cavesa » Sun Sep 18, 2016 6:27 pm

In Italy, it's easy. Put sugar (and milk) in your coffee in the afternoon. Congratulations, you're a barbarian!
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby rlnv » Sun Sep 18, 2016 6:33 pm

Cavesa wrote:In Italy, it's easy. Put sugar (and milk) in your coffee in the afternoon. Congratulations, you're a barbarian!


Wouldn't that make one a barbarian everywhere? ;)
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby tomgosse » Sun Sep 18, 2016 6:34 pm

Ask for ketchup for "french" fries. :)
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby tastyonions » Sun Sep 18, 2016 8:19 pm

Wear socks with sandals in a Mediterranean country.
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby Adrianslont » Sun Sep 18, 2016 11:32 pm

tastyonions wrote:Wear socks with sandals in a Mediterranean country.

Or in Australia.
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby MamaPata » Mon Sep 19, 2016 6:50 am

Adrianslont wrote:
tastyonions wrote:Wear socks with sandals in a Mediterranean country.

Or in Australia.


For me this is particularly interesting, because I would find that very weird in the UK! But it wouldn't suggest someone was foreign, it would just get a raised eyebrow.

Enjoying all the suggestions! :)
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby Ogrim » Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:47 am

In France, ask for a toothpick in a restaurant. It is considered really rude to clean your teeth in front of other people.
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby Adrianslont » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:12 am

MamaPata wrote:
Adrianslont wrote:
tastyonions wrote:Wear socks with sandals in a Mediterranean country.

Or in Australia.


For me this is particularly interesting, because I would find that very weird in the UK! But it wouldn't suggest someone was foreign, it would just get a raised eyebrow.

Enjoying all the suggestions! :)

And yet this a stereotypical image Australians have of Brits at the beach - wearing sandals with socks! It's probsbly outdated though. I'm actually British born myself - though I well and truly pass for Australian - and I have a picture of my childhood self on a beach in Wales, wearing just shorts, socks and sandals. It's so old, though, that it's black and white. I would include it here for everyone's amusement but I am currently overseas and it's not on my phone.
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Re: Fastest ways to prove yourself a foreigner...

Postby zenmonkey » Mon Sep 19, 2016 12:20 pm

Wear shorts in any major city in Latin America. Although this is changing, shorts used to be for the beach, kids and ... tourists. Same with baseball caps.
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