Genesys Casual

Friday question... 

One of the things I enjoy most about this community is seeing people from so many different countries and cultures, so I thought this could be a fun one.

Here in Brazil 🇧🇷, we have something that feels completely normal to us but can look absolutely terrifying to someone seeing it for the first time:

Our electric showers. 🚿⚡

Instead of having hot water supplied by a central boiler or water heater, many Brazilian homes have an electric heating element built directly into the showerhead.

So yes... we basically combine water + electricity right above our heads every morning and think absolutely nothing of it. 😂

For us, you turn the shower on, select the temperature and take your shower as usual.

For many foreigners, though, the first reaction is something like:

"Wait... there's electricity INSIDE the shower?!" 😳

And the funny part is that millions of Brazilians have grown up using these every single day, so we rarely even think about how unusual the concept might look from the outside.

Now I'm curious:

What is something completely normal in your country that might look strange, scary, or absolutely crazy to someone from another culture?

Food, traditions, technology, habits, everyday life... anything goes! 😄🌍

#CoffeeTalk
#General

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Fernando Sotto dos Santos
Consultor de Atendimento Senior Grupo Casas Bahia
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I'm Brazilian too, and since you mentioned showers, I have to talk about showering.

People from some other countries find it strange that we shower every day, and that we even shower more than once a day hahaha

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Camila Meneghini
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Excellent question, which is normal, for example, apart from what you mention Camila taking a daily shower if Colombian is one thing that with European friends is what says Latin people apart from baths every day, we worry a lot because our children look impeccable, since we were children they have inculcated the shower and dental hygiene for us as normal for others obsession with cleanliness jajajajaja

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Cesar
INDRA COLOMBIA
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Hahaha, Cesar, exactly! 😂

In Brazil, saying "I didn't shower today" can almost trigger a family intervention. 😅 And depending on the weather, one shower is just the minimum requirement - two or three can be perfectly normal.

I think this is one of those moments when Latin Americans discover that our definition of "basic hygiene" may actually be the premium subscription plan. 😂🚿🪥

And yes… when you grow up being told to shower, brush your teeth, wash your hands, change your clothes, and probably shower again because you went outside for 10 minutes… it's hard not to be surprised by some cultural differences. 🤣

Latin America: keeping the water and toothpaste industries alive since forever. 😂🌎

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Fernando Sotto dos Santos
Consultor de Atendimento Senior Grupo Casas Bahia
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-24-2026 10:09
From: Cesar Padilla
Subject: What's completely normal in your country but terrifying to foreigners? 😱🌎

Excellent question, which is normal, for example, apart from what you mention Camila taking a daily shower if Colombian is one thing that with European friends is what says Latin people apart from baths every day, we worry a lot because our children look impeccable, since we were children they have inculcated the shower and dental hygiene for us as normal for others obsession with cleanliness jajajajaja

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Cesar
INDRA COLOMBIA
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Probably seeing a big spider or a snake and everyone else just carrying on like it's completely normal. 😂🕷️🐍🇦🇺

Although to be fair, even in Australia, a snake showing up unexpectedly still gets everyone's attention! 😅

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Phaneendra
Technical Solutions Consultant
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Hahaha, Phaneendra, Australia really does have a reputation to maintain! 😂

For the rest of the world, seeing a spider means: "Where's the shoe?!"
In Australia it sometimes feels more like: "Oh, that's just Gary. He lives here." 🕷️🤣

And the snake part is even better… because if an Australian says "this one actually got everyone's attention", the rest of us immediately assume it must be the final boss of snakes. 🐍😂

At this point, I'm convinced Australian wildlife should come with difficulty levels:

Easy: kangaroo
Medium: giant spider
Hard: surprise snake
Nightmare mode: all three before breakfast 😆

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Fernando Sotto dos Santos
Consultor de Atendimento Senior Grupo Casas Bahia
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-24-2026 17:14
From: Phaneendra Avatapalli
Subject: What's completely normal in your country but terrifying to foreigners? 😱🌎

Probably seeing a big spider or a snake and everyone else just carrying on like it's completely normal. 😂🕷️🐍🇦🇺

Although to be fair, even in Australia, a snake showing up unexpectedly still gets everyone's attention! 😅

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Phaneendra
Technical Solutions Consultant
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Everyone is nude in public hot springs, and families will share bathwater at times. 

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Kyle Morgan
Solutions Engineer
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Kyle, this one definitely wins points for cultural shock. 😂

For a lot of us, the idea of being completely naked around strangers is already level 10 discomfort… and then comes the plot twist:

"Don't worry, the whole family may use the same bathwater too." 😆🛁

Meanwhile, in Brazil, if someone says "we all used the same bath", half the family would immediately start asking:

"Wait… in what order?!" 😂

I love how something that can sound absolutely wild from the outside is just a completely normal part of daily life in another culture.

Cultural exchange really is the best reminder that "normal" depends entirely on where you grew up. 😄

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Fernando Sotto dos Santos
Consultor de Atendimento Senior Grupo Casas Bahia
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2026 12:48
From: Kyle Morgan
Subject: What's completely normal in your country but terrifying to foreigners? 😱🌎

Everyone is nude in public hot springs, and families will share bathwater at times. 

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Kyle Morgan
Solutions Engineer
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It's very normal here to ask 'very personal' questions & life decisions one makes from a colleague, distant relative, acquaintance or even a complete stranger.
People pry as if it's very normal, & respond sarcastically, if someone doesn't want to share !

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Ashiesh Sharma
GCX- GCP, ARC, SCR, QM
Producer | Conductor | Composer
BT plc
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Steven
Journey Optimisation Analyst
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Driving through Japan has never been an issue for me, but sometimes Google Maps sends me down a 1-lane mountain pass in a Toyota Crown, and I have no business being on that road in a car that size when a kei is coming the opposite way.  

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Kyle Morgan
Solutions Engineer
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2026 11:10
From: Steven Douglas
Subject: What's completely normal in your country but terrifying to foreigners? 😱🌎

In the UK, Driving down tiny country lanes at 60 mph when they're barely wide enough for one car, with hedges on both sides and another car coming towards you! 😂

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Steven
Journey Optimisation Analyst
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I visited the UK last year and driving was equal parts fun and terrifying.  Not so much in the towns, but out in the countryside...tiny lanes, hedges or fences right up to the road so I couldn't see and whenever I'd come to a corner, I swear there would always be a lorry coming around it.  I have to say, the other drivers were always very nice about me going slower.  

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Cindy Dexter
Business Analyst
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2026 11:10
From: Steven Douglas
Subject: What's completely normal in your country but terrifying to foreigners? 😱🌎

In the UK, Driving down tiny country lanes at 60 mph when they're barely wide enough for one car, with hedges on both sides and another car coming towards you! 😂

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Steven
Journey Optimisation Analyst
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Fernando, the electric shower is hard to beat. 😂

I'd add how casually we talk about paying in installments in Brazil.

"How much is it?"
"Ten payments of R$50."

We've answered with a payment plan before mentioning the total price. 😂🇧🇷

And after reading this thread, I'm convinced the electric shower needs its own international onboarding guide.

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Mateus Nunes
CX Manager at Solve4me Solucoes em Tecnologia Ltda
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