*This story was first published in April 2017. It was one of our most popular stories for the year.*
An American Reddit user bound for New Zealand took to the site for advice on what to expect when he arrives, but probably didn't expect the responses he would get.
Specifically, the man going by "shroom-cat" asked about preparing for the culture shock and how to avoid offending others.
"I already know about how obscene pricing can be in comparison, and that Kiwis drive on the left-side of the road as opposed to the right. But what else should I be prepared for to better prepare for culture shock? What are some customary things to know/things to avoid that might come off as offensive?" he asked.
The advice he received probably wasn't quite what he was hoping for.
"If you're good at something, don't tell anyone (unless it's a job interview)", one person wisely advised.
"The accepted procedure is for your friend to tell the group that you're good at the thing. You must then brush it off and say 'na piss off c***, I'm not that good'."
Another person said the key to not being offensive was simply "don't be a dick".
"Don't be the stereotypical ugly American traveller (ie: loud and rude). Do not start every sentence with, 'In America we...' Do not continually point out how different things are, just do things the way they are done here," they wrote.
Others pointed out the language barrier.
"The words 'supper' and 'tea' can be used to mean just about anything. Total anarchy," one warned.
"Fries are called chips, but potato chips are still called chips. Or say 'chups' if you really want to fit in."
And as he prepares for a cultural shock, another user gave him some detail on what to look out for.
"The light switches on the walls go the opposite way. i.e., in NZ, moving the switch down means turning the light on; moving the switch up means turning the light off."
Finally, a fellow Reddit user gave shroom-cat one key piece of advice.
"Say that you're Canadian, then everything will be sweet."
Newshub.
