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Girl on the Net @girlonthenet@mastodon.social
5mo
One thing I am really looking forward to about going home is knowing the rules. I find it exhausting being constantly unaware of what the right/polite thing is to do. Yesterday children said hello to me when I walked past them in the street and it baffled me so much, but later I realised people just DO say hi to strangers here. Going into a shop, the greeting was not what I expected and it threw me. If questions are in the wrong order I fuck up the conversation.
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Petra - a silly goose @PetraPhoenix@beige.party
5mo
@girlonthenet

This is fascinating to me, because when I am in England I am much more worried about The Rules as I am clearly expected to know them. When I go abroad, however, I relax more because I am clearly not expected to know The Rules, having not grown up there. If I get Told Off, I apologise in stilted [language] and then it's all fine.
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just_chill @just_chill@peculiar.florist
5mo
@PetraPhoenix @girlonthenet that is also the correct move IMO, learn how to say thanks and I'm sorry, and give your best shot at being nice and polite ! Even if you make a mistake, the other party will be able to tell you tried and they (usually) appreciate it.
I recently found out that japanese people will absolutely out-polite you though, so I had to dial the politeness a bit down otherwise it got awkward.
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