What was your biggest experience of “culture shock” in another country?
By Dianne Gray
@ncwdianne (87)
April 17, 2017 3:35pm CST
I remember a few years back a friend telling me that she was invited to this dinner. She had recently moved to New Zealand to live from Holland. It said, it was a bring a plate dinner. She went along and took an empty plate. Then someone explained to her it was a figure of speech. She was meant to bring something cooked to contribute to the group dinner.
In NZ it is known as a 'potluck dinner' or 'bring a plate'.
3 people like this
6 responses
@ncwdianne (87)
•
17 Apr 17
She still got some food but felt very embarrassed as she is quite a proud person. I had this girl from Latvia staying with us. She said she would have also brought an empty plate. I told her her the story so she was prepared.
1 person likes this
@Nawsheen (28643)
• Mauritius
18 Apr 17
@ncwdianne even i would have been embarassed i think. It's good that you managed to advise the other girl. Else she would have felt so embarassed too maybe
1 person likes this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
17 Apr 17
I would not have known what that meant but I would have asked.
@ncwdianne (87)
•
17 Apr 17
The kiwi term is 'Bring a plate' or also known as 'Potluck Dinner'. It is normally done to spread the cost and responsibility of getting together for a meal with a large group. Every time I have a birthday for one of my kids I prefer to prepare the food. My mother in law wants to bring something towards the lunch, she harasses me until I give her something to bring (in some ways its kind of sweet that she wants to contribute). She was a large family and money was not as available as it is in a smaller family. I grew up in a well-off family and was possibly spoilt too much. I am careful not to do this to my kids. My hubby is a good reminder whenever I am spoiling them too much.
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
18 Apr 17
In the US I think it's kind of assumed everybody knows to bring something. Especially if it's a church dinner or what we call a covered dish supper. If somebody told me "Bring a plate", I would think it's a joke.
@Hate2Iron (15727)
• Canada
17 Apr 17
LOL... I'm not sure that I would have understood what was expected either.
