One of my favorite things about traveling is being humored by things that seem strange or awkward to me. We’ve traveled extensively through Central and South America and noticed many different customs, products and behaviors that don’t exist in the United States. Each individual country does have distinct cultural norms when compared to their neighbors, however, we were still able to observe some common weird things across them all.
1. Don’t Throw Toilet Paper in the Toilet
No matter where you are in Central or South America, toilet paper is thrown in the trash can or waste bin. This is a challenge initially for those traveling from the United States. Sometimes, subconsciously you inevitably throw it in the toilet, but be aware it can cause a toilet to blow up. It’s not their practice to dispose of toilet paper this way and their plumbing is not built to handle it. Every hostel you visit will kindly remind you on the stall door.
Jason Castellani (to be continued)