NationStates Jolt Archive

This is inspired by the thread on Shame and Culture.

A chance for us to educate each other.
What are some culture specific things where you are or originated?
Regional cultural things, national cultural things, religious cultural things, ethnic cultural things, traditional cultural things... whatever springs to mind.

For a culture thing from SA I put foreward national braai day, which is also heritage day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Day_(South_Africa)

So what's yours?

Our international student newspaper at the Uni is devoted to "intercultural miscommunication" for its next issue. I went around asking other people what they'd experienced in Germany concerning that, and got a few interesting stories. One guy from Mexico had trouble with women, because he was used to "No" meaning "Maybe later". A common thing with African students it that they'll talk with eachother over large distances, and hence do a lot of shouting, something that Germans aren't used to.

We trick tourists into thinking that they're going to be attacked by vicious animals that drop out of trees :D

This thread reminds me, the Fringe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Fringe_Festival) starts next week, and I probably won't get to go to anything again :(

A common thing with African students it that they'll talk with eachother over large distances, and hence do a lot of shouting, something that Germans aren't used to.

You might be amused to learn that this actually annoys alot of colonial decent Africans... yet we still practise a lesser form of it.
:)

Lol

We trick tourists into thinking that they're going to be attacked by vicious animals that drop out of trees :D

This thread reminds me, the Fringe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Fringe_Festival) starts next week, and I probably won't get to go to anything again :(

Hehe. We do that when we go overseas... "So there are lions in your backgarden?" "Oh, all the time, it really upsets my zebra."

Another thing that I've noticed seems to not really happen overseas is sundowners... sad.

A lot of visitors to Britain don't seem to realise that it is considered polite in pubs to help yourselves to the regular's pints. They will happily share their beer, considering it lucky.

Really? That's quite odd.
We don't really have "regulars" in our bars over here, most people bar-hop, or pick a place to hang-out for the night.I've got a feeling he's joking.

I've got a feeling he's joking.

Ha ha, you Germans are always trying to keep the best secrets for yourselves - anything to ensure you get free beer.

Uturn - Rambhutan is being entirely serious, it's a grand old tradition and it's best to shout out - For [insert your country here].

So, in your case - For South Africa!

Ah, I miss friendly old Britain sometimes.

A lot of visitors to Britain don't seem to realise that it is considered polite in pubs to help yourselves to the regular's pints. They will happily share their beer, considering it lucky.

Really? That's quite odd.
We don't really have "regulars" in our bars over here, most people bar-hop, or pick a place to hang-out for the night.

Uturn - Rambhutan is being entirely serious, it's a grand old tradition and it's best to shout out - For [insert your country here].

So, in your case - For South Africa!

Ah, I miss friendly old Britain sometimes.

I can believe it, knowing how many unusual customs the Brits have for their pubs. I know here it's not unusual for someone who's bought a round of drinks for their friends to buy the bartender one too.
But other than that we tend to only buy drinks for people we know, or want to get to know, unless it's some sort of occasion or bar specific tradition.

Ha ha, you Germans are always trying to keep the best secrets for yourselves - anything to ensure you get free beer.

Uturn - Rambhutan is being entirely serious, it's a grand old tradition and it's best to shout out - For [insert your country here].

So, in your case - For South Africa!

Ah, I miss friendly old Britain sometimes.I've heard setting your empty glass upside down in an Australian bar means you wish all patrons a good evening...

I've heard setting your empty glass upside down in an Australian bar means you wish all patrons a good evening...

Funny, where I grew up that meant you're ordering the next round...

I can believe it, knowing how many unusual customs the Brits have for their pubs. I know here it's not unusual for someone who's bought a round of drinks for their friends to buy the bartender one too.
But other than that we tend to only buy drinks for people we know, or want to get to know, unless it's some sort of occasion or bar specific tradition.

He is of course joking, or trying to get you stabbed. We have a fair few regional differances here though.

We trick tourists into thinking that they're going to be attacked by vicious animals that drop out of trees

One of my friends once tricked a German into believing we Poles begin each meal with series of vodka toasts for Pope, for family etc. :)

Also, I remember one foreigner guy in TV saying he was quite disoriented after being told "thank you" by a co-traveller. Only after a while he concluded it's just a courtesy, not irony. The point is, it was travel by lift/elevator (frickin' AE/BE differences :confused: ).

He is of course joking, or trying to get you stabbed. We have a fair few regional differances here though.

Ah... well, if he is trying to get me stabbed than we'll just "forget" to warn him about baboons if he ever goes walking here, and if that fails we'll recommend he goes into the CBD at night.
:)

I've heard setting your empty glass upside down in an Australian bar means you wish all patrons a good evening...

Sort of, yes.

The 2 situations I've seen it happen are:

After you've skulled (drank very quickly in one go) your beer, but usually in that scenario you'd put it upside down on your head.

Or when you're done for the night & you're leaving the pub. You'd only really do that if it's your local, or you're saying goodbye to some people you'd been talking to.

Silence. And the ability to tolerate it.



For a culture thing from SA I put foreward national braai day, which is also heritage day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Day_(South_Africa)


I'll have to read this carefully...I'm going to SA in April and I want to avoid the shame :)

I've heard setting your empty glass upside down in an Australian bar means you wish all patrons a good evening...

Indeed, a good evening before running away as fast as my little legs can take me - I remember that it meant buying the whole bar a round but never knew whether it was a wind-up - the other one was 'Toss the Boss', which I thought was some kind of joke but great Queensland tradition.

He is of course joking, or trying to get you stabbed. We have a fair few regional differances here though.

Don't listen to Peepelonia, he's a Leeds fan and would probably stab you anyway.

Ah... well, if he is trying to get me stabbed than we'll just "forget" to warn him about baboons if he ever goes walking here, and if that fails we'll recommend he goes into the CBD at night.
:)

I was brought up near Fourways actually :)

Ah... well, if he is trying to get me stabbed than we'll just "forget" to warn him about baboons if he ever goes walking here, and if that fails we'll recommend he goes into the CBD at night.
:)

* goes out to feed the baboons *

Don't listen to Peepelonia, he's a Leeds fan and would probably stab you anyway.

It is true that for my sins, I am a Leeds Utd fan, but I'm all Londoner baby!

Stabbing, well thats a Scot's/Youth thang, up here in the Capital we prefer to use our scathing wit and sense of superiority as weapons.

That's right don't dis tha united or you'll find your self on the sharp end of a ummm errr perhaps some sarcasm, or summit I don't really know....

One of my friends once tricked a German into believing we Poles begin each meal with series of vodka toasts for Pope, for family etc. :)Ah, so Poland is the Kansas of Europe. I was wondering. :p

Hmm, I have so many cultural differences here... Betawis, Jawas, etc... They are very much...

Oh! And my school outlaws the valentine day. Good!

Let me see here, Japan's full of interesting things.

When drinking as a group, one should NEVER pour his or her own drink. Doing so signifies that either you are not talking to the group for some reason or you're feeling lonely (As I found out the hard way when I absentmindedly filled my own glass at a drinking party. Everyone found out and proceeded to form a holding pattern around me to fill up my beer and tell me not to pour my own drink in Japan).

Never EVER put chopsticks straight up and down in rice, that is only for the dead.

Never sleep with your head to the north, that is also only for the dead.

Never pass food from chopstick to chopstick, this is done after a body has been cremated, the family will pick through the ashes for bone pieces and pass them from chopstick to chopstick (Look kids! This was Grandpa's shin!).

When going to the bathroom, remember to change into the bathroom slippers, remember to change out of them when leaving the bathroom too unless you really want to get laughed at.

Finally, Japanese don't say bless you after you sneeze, in fact, they don't say anything at all.

We point with the lips.

Yes, we make a particular movement with our mouth to point at things, specially when we have our hands occupied. It's a very funny and particular venezuelan trait.

The perfect example is when you are typing or at the keyboard and someone approaches you with the typical question of "Where is the (whatever)?", and you, without stopping typing, make a pouting movement with your lips forward, (as when you are going to kiss someone) towards the object in question. Every busy venezuelan will point with his/her lips instead of their fingers.

It is customary, too, to put your finger inside any alcoholic beverage and shake idly the content with your finger, then take it out and suck it a bit. Yes, we don't use removers. No, we don't drink in "yard" glasses. Yes, it is because you need to shake that Cuba Libre so the rum, the lemon, and the coke mix properly, and we suck the finger afterwards because it tastes too good. And finally, yes, the sucking act is usually used as a sexual innuendo or signal.

*snip*

*scribbles down Venezuela as next place to visit*

*scribbles down Venezuela as next place to visit*

Just remember one thing, if the girl doesn't put her finger inside her glass, shake it idly, and suck it afterwards, all while fixing her hair a bit, it means your pick-up line didn't work.

Just remember one thing, if the girl doesn't put her finger inside her glass, shake it idly, and suck it afterwards, all while fixing her hair a bit, it means your pick-up line didn't work.

Silly rabbit, trix are for kids.

Pick up lines are cheap, it takes an entire conversation to be an artist.

I can draw stick figures :(

Silly rabbit, trix are for kids.

Pick up lines are cheap, it takes an entire conversation to be an artist.

I can draw stick figures :(

I just use Rohypnohl.

I've heard setting your empty glass upside down in an Australian bar means you wish all patrons a good evening...

Funny, where I grew up that meant you're ordering the next round...

The thing his, he's joking. Seriously DON'T GO TO AUSTRALIA AND TRY THIS. What it really means is "I can take everyone in here".

The thing his, he's joking. Seriously DON'T GO TO AUSTRALIA AND TRY THIS. What it really means is "I can take everyone in here".

Really? What a marvellous tradition, how did it start I wonder?

I guess, it's culturally accepted to form queues, to not shout at other people.
The usual manners idea. e.g. please, thank you
We have a conervative culture, but it varies from city to city. Drinking and socialising is a large part of our culture and expected for people to work hard, as the population as a whole work long hours.
I guess there's loads of dishes people eat here, but the most commonly heard of is the English Breakfast, and fish and chips.

For drinking we do rounds, where each person in the group buys drinks for all the group (e.g. group of six guys, the first guy buys drinks for all, then the next guy does this and so on), again it can change from person to person, as culture is a very personal and subjective thing.

So as not to waste my time writting something that somebody else already spent time writting, and because right now I'm in a hurry, check the following link:

FOLIXIA ASGAYA, ASTURIES DIXEBRÁ! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturias)

Bienvenidus a la mi tierriña!!!

my culture has a tradition of drinking pot...no joke...


link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhang)

I'll have to read this carefully...I'm going to SA in April and I want to avoid the shame :)

Oh, where are you going? Business or pleasure?

What's so funny about Heritage day is National Braai Day is on the same date. What makes it truly hysterical however is that braais really are the one unifying thing between all the different languages, cultures and religion in South Africa. Everyone braais. Black, White, Coloured, Indian, Purple...
That article is slightly misleading in one area however, there is no way that Tutu would have "tucked into a sausage" he would of course tucked into "'n stick wors"... You must learn of braaing, if you are to be social what-so-ever you will undoubtedly be invited to one. If you aren't you're hosts are very irresponsible and impolite. Here's a little info for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braai

However you might find this more useful: (and entertaining) http://www.matriots.com/cyberbraai/cybera.html
Most Saffers have a pretty good sense of humour, and are generally easy-going. (Unless of the Jo'burg yuppie/kugel crowd, and even then they tend to be more uptight about work, but regular when comes to socializing) We also tend to stick together, one of the sayings of the Bedouins is quite applicable: "I against my brothers, I and my brothers against my cousins, I and my brothers and my cousins against the world" if you add on "The whole world together against adversity" What's amusing is that although some (generally of the older generation) are quite anti "this group"or "that group", even they will consider that members of "this group" or "that group" that are closer (geographically) to them are better than ones from other places. (even if those places are in SA...) :)
And yet SA is a land of contradictions, as some of the most accepting and friendly people will dislike (or even hate) a particular crowd, however, this is usually based on nothing but attitude or personality clash.
You'll probably hear a lot of jokes biased against one cultural tradition or another, or some religion, or ethnicity, or region... usually these are done in a stereotypical way, that is used to mock both the subject and the stereotype, it's almost always done in good humour, and often against oneself aswell.
And of course everyone makes Jan Van De Merwe jokes. We joke anything about everything, especially as a cynical form of criticism, usually directed at the government, the fall of the rand, price hikes, strikes and crime.
(Not to mention our health and education systems, which are a joke in themselves and require no additional mention)
And to help you understand some indigenous pronounciation: http://www.rayd.co.uk/Blogs/RayBlog.nsf/d6plinks/SADialects
;)
One more thing you should quickly learn, is the SA definitions of "now", which is hardly ever used on it's own.
Right now: what it sounds like, basically ASAP, this instant.
Now-now: Soonish, in a few minutes.
Just now: Anywhere from after now-now to later in the day. (sometimes further...)

And proof of how weird SA is: after a high-summer day of +30 C, and boiling sunshine, it is now pourig down, with rolling thunder... and not much cooler than it was at 3pm, although it's nearly 11. I recommend you bring lots of suncreen and use it. Preferably something 20+, we have african sun and a hole in the ozone, y'know. That is unless you intend to go to the beach and get laughed at by the locals when you end up looking like a lobster.

Indeed, a good evening before running away as fast as my little legs can take me - I remember that it meant buying the whole bar a round but never knew whether it was a wind-up - the other one was 'Toss the Boss', which I thought was some kind of joke but great Queensland tradition.

Don't listen to Peepelonia, he's a Leeds fan and would probably stab you anyway.

I was brought up near Fourways actually :)

Really?
Now you know being from CT I have to disregard half of everything you say.
:p
"Chill out, man... Meditate."
Actually, I'm only half a hippie.
;)
Knowing SA you should find some of those links amusing.
:)
Also, "Toss the Boss"?

* goes out to feed the baboons *

*watches with binoculars from a far distance*


Oh! And my school outlaws the valentine day. Good!

I wish my old one did, they have an annual picnic on clifton... (beach)

We point with the lips.

Yes, we make a particular movement with our mouth to point at things, specially when we have our hands occupied. It's a very funny and particular venezuelan trait.

The perfect example is when you are typing or at the keyboard and someone approaches you with the typical question of "Where is the (whatever)?", and you, without stopping typing, make a pouting movement with your lips forward, (as when you are going to kiss someone) towards the object in question. Every busy venezuelan will point with his/her lips instead of their fingers.


Haha! :)
We tend to point with our chins when our hands are occupied. As in, turn head so chin faces toward the thing being pointed at and jerk in a sort of upwards nod...
The same nod (without the point) is generally used in greeting amongst the younger generation during informal (and sometimes even formal) gatherings. Sort like a non-verbal "S'up?" or in an SA context "Howzit!"


Silly rabbit, trix are for kids.

Pick up lines are cheap, it takes an entire conversation to be an artist.

I can draw stick figures :(
I just use Rohypnohl.

I am partially amused and partially creeped out by the pair of you.

that's one of them pratchett references again, isn't it? love pratchet. not sure i can spell him though.

Terry Pratchett

There now you know, and knowing is half the battle ;)

We trick tourists into thinking that they're going to be attacked by vicious animals that drop out of trees :D

that's one of them pratchett references again, isn't it? love pratchet. not sure i can spell him though.

so, anyone fancy coming with me to colect some vrack from the beach? the royals are looking a bit peaky this year. and maybe after we can make some jersey wonders to have after our bean crock and then we'll celebrate the liberation cuz it's worthy of more than just one day.

A lot of visitors to Britain don't seem to realise that it is considered polite in pubs to help yourselves to the regular's pints. They will happily share their beer, considering it lucky.

Very true...

Irony...much?

that's one of them pratchett references again, isn't it? love pratchet. not sure i can spell him though.

Not that I'm aware of. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_bear)

So as not to waste my time writting something that somebody else already spent time writting, and because right now I'm in a hurry, check the following link:

FOLIXIA ASGAYA, ASTURIES DIXEBRÁ! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturias)

Bienvenidus a la mi tierriña!!!

Awesome,I love Spain!Asturias is one of my favorite places in Spain to study along with,Basque Country,Catalunya,and Valencia!I have question,do Asturians concider their language a Spainish dialect or a separate language?

I live in North Carolina,US.I would type something about America,but everyone knows what happens here!

Also, "Toss the Boss"?

Toss the Boss is a form of Happy Hour found in various bars in Queensland - maybe other states but I only saw it in Queensland - where, most often, a coin is marked on one side and flipped when you order a drink. If it lands with the marked side facing up, you don't pay for your drink.

Some places have no limit on how many drinks you order, so you can toss the boss for 10 beers for example. We'd sit in a large group and buy rounds and there wasn't much better than not having to pay for your round when lucky.

I don't understand why it hasn't caught on around the world. Given odds over a long time, the bar should come out 50/50 so it's the same as 2 for 1 or 50% off but so much more fun for everyone involved.

I am partially amused and partially creeped out by the pair of you.

I get that a lot :)

Not that I'm aware of. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_bear)
I think he means the drop bears that appeared in The Last Continent in Fourecks and found out the hard way that a wizzard's hat is pointed. ;)

I'm also sure, given the book is a rather brilliant satire on Australia, that Pratchett was using the Aussie legend as a source for them.

Toss the Boss is a form of Happy Hour found in various bars in Queensland - maybe other states but I only saw it in Queensland - where, most often, a coin is marked on one side and flipped when you order a drink. If it lands with the marked side facing up, you don't pay for your drink.

Some places have no limit on how many drinks you order, so you can toss the boss for 10 beers for example. We'd sit in a large group and buy rounds and there wasn't much better than not having to pay for your round when lucky.

I don't understand why it hasn't caught on around the world. Given odds over a long time, the bar should come out 50/50 so it's the same as 2 for 1 or 50% off but so much more fun for everyone involved.

I haven't seen that down here, maybe it is just a Qld thing.

My hometown's greatest cultural achievement is pretending we have a culture. So far, none of the tourists have caught on.

I haven't seen that down here, maybe it is just a Qld thing.

Apparently Tuesday night at Cheers - officially known as Casey's Nightclub - has Toss the Boss in Melbourne.

http://www.clubsguide.com.au/venue/Caseys-Nightclub-Cheers

I googled the term just to see if it was prevalent or only a few bars and Melbourne came up :)

We eat breakfast tacos where I live, and when I go to Ohio I can't get breakfast tacos which kind of sucks.

I don't like french toast and having bacon, potaters, and scrambled eggs on a plate.

THEY BELONG IN A TORTILLA YOU MORONS!!

Apparently Tuesday night at Cheers - officially known as Casey's Nightclub - has Toss the Boss in Melbourne.

http://www.clubsguide.com.au/venue/Caseys-Nightclub-Cheers

I googled the term just to see if it was prevalent or only a few bars and Melbourne came up :)

Heh, a friend of mine went to Casey's the other night too!

I live in NorCal, so I'm trying to think very hard about what cultural differences/customs we have that are distinct from America in general.

One thing I can think of is about surfing--you don't ever go out to "learn to surf" by yourself. You have to go with someone who is experienced who has a claim to a particular part of the beach, otherwise the resident surfers will beat you up.

An extension of that would be that you don't go into neighborhoods you don't know, whether you're a tourist or a resident. If you're a tourist, you stick to touristy places unless you have friends who live here and go with you. I am sure it is like this most places, there are places that are less safe than others, but we really define ourselves by our city and neighborhood. There are neighborhoods I would not step foot in even in the middle of the day with friends, and neighborhoods I only visit with friends, and you don't start trouble in anyone else's city.

Other customs in my area: we go to farmers' markets a lot; we have extensive slang which, combined with different accents, can be almost impossible to understand by outsiders; we share a lot (i didn't even know people paid for weed for quite awhile); we look down on anyone who can't tell the difference between a person from Korea and a person from Laos (or a person from Pakistan and a person from Afghanistan, etc etc); we make fun of Southern California constantly about everything.

Toss the Boss is a form of Happy Hour found in various bars in Queensland - maybe other states but I only saw it in Queensland - where, most often, a coin is marked on one side and flipped when you order a drink. If it lands with the marked side facing up, you don't pay for your drink.

Some places have no limit on how many drinks you order, so you can toss the boss for 10 beers for example. We'd sit in a large group and buy rounds and there wasn't much better than not having to pay for your round when lucky.

I don't understand why it hasn't caught on around the world. Given odds over a long time, the bar should come out 50/50 so it's the same as 2 for 1 or 50% off but so much more fun for everyone involved.

I get that a lot :)

Oh. I've heard of that. I dunno where from though.

With the people I consider my friends it's probably a compliment. ;)

Oh, where are you going? Business or pleasure?

You must learn of braaing, if you are to be social what-so-ever you will undoubtedly be invited to one. If you aren't you're hosts are very irresponsible and impolite. Here's a little info for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BraaiI'm loving it already :p

We won a 14 day holiday (accommodation and car included). We fly to Jo'burg, continue to Swaziland (2 nights) -> Mpumalanga (4 nights) -> Limpopo (4 nights, 2 in Tzaneen, 2 in Louis Trichardt/Makhado) and then back to Johannesburg.



And yet SA is a land of contradictions, as some of the most accepting and friendly people will dislike (or even hate) a particular crowd, however, this is usually based on nothing but attitude or personality clash.
You'll probably hear a lot of jokes biased against one cultural tradition or another, or some religion, or ethnicity, or region... usually these are done in a stereotypical way, that is used to mock both the subject and the stereotype, it's almost always done in good humour, and often against oneself aswell...snip Good to know. Thanks for writing this :)


...That is unless you intend to go to the beach and get laughed at by the locals when you end up looking like a lobster.
I WILL look like a lobster no matter what. After winter I look like an albino. My skin will burn despite of how strong suncream I use. (I normally use 40+) I'll have to buy a very large hat...

I'm loving it already :p

We won a 14 day holiday (accommodation and car included). We fly to Jo'burg, continue to Swaziland (2 nights) -> Mpumalanga (4 nights) -> Limpopo (4 nights, 2 in Tzaneen, 2 in Louis Trichardt/Makhado) and then back to Johannesburg.

Good to know. Thanks for writing this :)

I WILL look like a lobster no matter what. After winter I look like an albino. My skin will burn despite of how strong suncream I use. (I normally use 40+) I'll have to buy a very large hat...

Ooh. Nice.
Have fun surviving the traffic at Joburg Airport, no, wait, sorry, at "OR Thambo"... stupid name changes. Spend the money on health-care, or education, or the police force, or frigging bonuses for all your family members, just leave the names of things alone.
You might want to have candles and a gas stove too, in case of eskom.
And always keep important items on you. Don't leave things lying in your car, particularly in the city.
Apparently Saffers are some of the most cynical people on the planet, couldn't possibly imagine why...

Another amusing yet informative link on life in SA:
http://www.zompist.com/za.html

(More later, must go climb fake rocks)

My hometown's greatest cultural achievement is pretending we have a culture. So far, none of the tourists have caught on.

you from liverpool?

well there is the whole Sunday roast on Sunday without fail thing though I think its more an excuse to have to visit your parents every week :p

also there is the taking it in turns to make the tea even if your the guest (which leads to many deep debates about time and the nature of the universe)

A lot of visitors to Britain don't seem to realise that it is considered polite in pubs to help yourselves to the regular's pints. They will happily share their beer, considering it lucky.

If someone took my beer I'd fly into a rage and throw them thru a plate glass window.

Does cow tipping count?

Morris Dancing (http://s-v-m.moonfruit.com/) :D

(4 nights, 2 in Tzaneen, 2 in Louis Trichardt/Makhado)

ooh not LT its scary you should swap LT for the lovely Thohoyandou and Shayandima

Dunno about UK culture stuff, but I'm always forgetting to remove my shoes when I enter an Asian household.

The thing his, he's joking. Seriously DON'T GO TO AUSTRALIA AND TRY THIS. What it really means is "I can take everyone in here".

always knew the aussies were soft. here you don't tip the glass upside down, you smash the rim on the bartop.

ooh not LT its scary you should swap LT for the lovely Thohoyandou and Shayandima

It's actually closer to Elim than LT (about 25km from LT) A quiet little lodge. We'll manage :)

Ooh. Nice.
Have fun surviving the traffic at Joburg Airport, no, wait, sorry, at "OR Thambo"... stupid name changes.[|QUOTE]
Fortunately we don't have to. They'll drive us to the first accommodation and the car will be delivered there.

[QUOTE=Uturn;13453518]
And always keep important items on you. Don't leave things lying in your car, particularly in the city.

Just like in any bigger European city...

*link bookmarked*

Thanks again :D

We have some custom called "Hahnenköppen (Rooster beheading)", where a basket with a dead rooster inside is hung from some tree, pole or something similliar. Through a hole in the basket the head of the rooster dangles free in the air.

All participants get blind-folded and try to chop the roosters head of with a saber. After each round a shot is drunk and the basket is hung a bit lower.

The one who chops the head off is named "Hahnenkönig (Rooster King)" and has to pay drinks for all.

The whole thing ever struck me as pretty strange.

Old picture (http://www.jahrbuch-daun.de/VT/hjb1996/bilder/Image3152.gif)

Theres a lot of Deaf Culture where I live so I get touched a lot (which isn't usual in the hearing community around here), oh and dont expect to ever be able to keep things a secret. Theres no such thing in Deaf-land lol. But its cool lol, once you get used to it.

Uturn are you an Afrikaner?