An Indian woman living in Sweden has shared the small but memorable culture shocks her parents experienced during their three-week holiday in the European country. From being surprised by drinkable tap water and cars stopping for pedestrians to struggling with supermarket prices, their reactions have struck a chord with social media users.
‘Even the air feels rich here’
Taking to Instagram, Shristy shared a video documenting some of the moments that left her parents surprised after arriving from India.
"My parents came from India to Sweden for a three-week vacation, and I think Sweden surprised them more than they expected," she said.
Recalling her mother’s first reaction, Shristy said, "When my mom stepped outside and took a deep breath, she said, 'Beta, even the air feels rich here.'"
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Her father, meanwhile, was surprised to discover that tap water could be consumed directly. "Dad filled a glass of water from the tap, looked at me, and said, 'You don’t need to purify it, or you don’t need to boil it? You can directly drink this?'"
Cars stopping for pedestrians also caught their attention. However, Shristy said what surprised them most was seeing an elderly couple managing their daily routine independently.
{{/usCountry}}Cars stopping for pedestrians also caught their attention. However, Shristy said what surprised them most was seeing an elderly couple managing their daily routine independently.
{{/usCountry}}"What actually surprised them the most was that our 80-year-old couple was walking outside by themselves every single day. He looked at me and said, 'Are they seriously 80?'" she recalled.
Supermarket prices bring another surprise
A visit to the supermarket brought a different kind of culture shock. Shristy’s mother was surprised that bargaining was not an option. "Mom looked at me and the bill and said, 'No bargaining?' I said, 'No, it's fixed here. Whatever they ask, just pay.'"
Her father, meanwhile, continued converting prices into rupees and was particularly stunned by one purchase: "Coriander for 170 rupees?"
Shristy also recalled her mother complaining about the amount of walking, saying, "You have to walk so much here."
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When asked whether she would consider permanently moving to Sweden, her mother had a clear answer: "For holidays, yes. Forever, no. I miss my vegetable vendor."
Watch the video here:
The video was shared with a caption describing the trip as a "full culture shock" for her parents and highlighting everything from clean air and pedestrian-friendly roads to expensive coriander.
Social media reacts
The post has drawn several relatable reactions. One user wrote, "The coriander price reaction is so relatable." Another said, "Indian parents converting everything into rupees is universal."
A third person commented, "Clean air being a culture shock says a lot." Another viewer added, "The tap water reaction made me laugh."
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)