In one of the Scandinavian countries in particular.

1. Minding your own business: This is the first culture shock. I do like to mind my business but Europeans take it to another level. No greetings, they won't even make eye contact. The most you will get is a 'Hi', 'Hello' happens if someone wants to ask a question. Public trains, buses and trams are quiet. Everyone prefers to leave a space or sit alone, plug in their headphones, and just gaze at their phone all day. It's something likened to a zombie movie...and of course, it begins to rub on you as well. You begin to dump all the ebullient greetings we are used to in Africa or heated discussions on the bus. you stay quiet, whip out your phone and scroll away.

2. Using high-end phones: Talking of phones, everyone is using an iPhone 13 pro max. I exaggerate but that's what you find around most of the time; High-end phones. And before you know it, other Africans like you are doing the same. Dumping the Tecnos they come with for more premium brands.

3. Smoking and drinking: You see a friend or colleague looking so gentle and meek and the next thing you see is her puffing away. It's everywhere and almost every adult does. Those that don't smoke vape. It's just all around. Nicotine in different forms: cigarettes, snuff you call it. Drinks are also complicit. Even though it is highly controlled, they pride themselves on getting drunk during social events and laugh about it.

4. Hedonistic purchases: I used to whip out my calculator before any purchase back when I just got in. Converting euros to naira and wondering why things were so expensive. Once you begin to earn a decent salary, those fears quickly vanish and you require good self-control from draining your account. It's a battle against the way the system conforms you. You must spend. Leave taxes, rent, and utilities aside. If you are to plot your liquid capital on a line curve, it will assume a rough zigzag shape pretty quickly. Transport is costly, you need winter shoes, you need running shoes, you need jackets, you need to get guacamole, chicken, sausages bla bla bla. Chinese knockoffs are not so common. Every big brand designer has their outlet here from Nike, Adidas to Ecco so you buy original which is expensive.

and just like your peers, you don't want your Nike dunks to wear out so quickly through everyday use so you buy 1 or 2 more pairs. Same with your Gucci perfume and your hoodies. You want hiking boots along with winter boots and comfortable sandals. Check your account.


5. Time blocking and adherence: Yes, if you're not on time the bus will leave you..and if you miss the bus, you will miss the train you're to link up with. A 1-minute delay can cost you 30 minutes lateness and eventually your job which costs you lots of money. You don't joke with time. You are paid per hour working. You won't spend more than a minute in a meeting you are slated to end by 2 pm. You move or you exit the Zoom call. No send anybody because dem no go send you.

6. Obeying traffic rules: It's great being a pedestrian here... and that's because it can be quite costly being a motorist. licenses are overly expensive. Diesel is costly, tolls and parking will zap your money so when you drive, do so with extreme caution. You don't want to be on the wrong side of the law before you find your ass back in the sweltering heat of your motherland.

7. Doing what is right always: One of the major proponents of this factor is the high importance Europeans place on references. Except it's an underground job where you are cheated in accordance with the laws of the land, your prospective employer wants to see solid references. So if you like, mess yourself up on your job. Sorry for you.

You do not need anyone to tell you not to be lazy. When getting a good job is a job in itself, you won't want to lose it. When colleagues younger than you can humiliate you covertly and overtly because your work quality is watery, you will tighten up. When you have 200 highly skilled applicants applying for one role on LinkedIn in 1 week, you will join them if you're not fucking good at what you do.


Other folks can add if I miss anything.

Good morning.

You are missing the point. You are living in a programmable world.

Sounds too rigid, almost scary.

laivwire:
In one of the Scandinavian countries in particular.

1. Minding your own business: This is the first culture shock. I do like to mind my business but Europeans take it to another level. No greetings, they won't even make eye contact. The most you will get is a 'Hi', 'Hello' happens if someone wants to ask a question. Public trains, buses and trams are quiet. Everyone prefers to leave a space or sit alone, plug in their headphones, and just gaze at their phone all day. It's something likened to a zombie movie...and of course, it begins to rub on you as well. You begin to dump all the ebullient greetings we are used to in Africa or heated discussions on the bus. you stay quiet, whip out your phone and scroll away.

2. Using high-end phones: Talking of phones, everyone is using an iPhone 13 pro max. I exaggerate but that's what you find around most of the time; High-end phones. And before you know it, other Africans like you are doing the same. Dumping the Tecnos they come with for more premium brands.

3. Smoking and drinking: You see a friend or colleague looking so gentle and meek and the next thing you see is her puffing away. It's everywhere and almost every adult does. Those that don't smoke vape. It's just all around. Nicotine in different forms: cigarettes, snuff you call it. Drinks are also complicit. Even though it is highly controlled, they pride themselves on getting drunk during social events and laugh about it.

4. Hedonistic purchases: I used to whip out my calculator before any purchase back when I just got in. Converting euros to naira and wondering why things were so expensive. Once you begin to earn a decent salary, those fears quickly vanish and you require good self-control from draining your account. It's a battle against the way the system conforms you. You must spend. Leave taxes, rent, and utilities aside. If you are to plot your liquid capital on a line curve, it will assume a rough zigzag shape pretty quickly. Transport is costly, you need winter shoes, you need running shoes, you need jackets, you need to get guacamole, chicken, sausages bla bla bla. Chinese knockoffs are not so common. Every big brand designer has their outlet here from Nike, Adidas to Ecco so you buy original which is expensive.

and just like your peers, you don't want your Nike dunks to wear out so quickly through everyday use so you buy 1 or 2 more pairs. Same with your Gucci perfume and your hoodies. You want hiking boots along with winter boots and comfortable sandals. Check your account.


5. Time blocking and adherence: Yes, if you're not on time the bus will leave you..and if you miss the bus, you will miss the train you're to link up with. A 1-minute delay can cost you 30 minutes lateness and eventually your job which costs you lots of money. You don't joke with time. You are paid per hour working. You won't spend more than a minute in a meeting you are slated to end by 2 pm. You move or you exit the Zoom call. No send anybody because dem no go send you.

6. Obeying traffic rules: It's great being a pedestrian here... and that's because it can be quite costly being a motorist. licenses are overly expensive. Diesel is costly, tolls and parking will zap your money so when you drive, do so with extreme caution. You don't want to be on the wrong side of the law before you find your ass back in the sweltering heat of your motherland.

7. Doing what is right always: One of the major proponents of this factor is the high importance Europeans place on references. Except it's an underground job where you are cheated in accordance with the laws of the land, your prospective employer wants to see solid references. So if you like, mess yourself up on your job. Sorry for you.

You do not need anyone to tell you not to be lazy. When getting a good job is a job in itself, you won't want to lose it. When colleagues younger than you can humiliate you covertly and overtly because your work quality is watery, you will tighten up. When you have 200 highly skilled applicants applying for one role on LinkedIn in 1 week, you will join them if you're not fucking good at what you do.


Other folks can add if I miss anything.

Good morning.

True that.

That minding your business is top notch. After one week I had to go get head phone so that me too can mind my business.