WAIT… THAT’S NORMAL?

Funny Tales of Cultural Differences and What We Can Learn from Them

When “Normal” Gets Lost in Translation

In Rwanda, being quiet is a sign of discipline. It means you’re respectful, composed, and mature. But somewhere else, that same silence might make people wonder if you’re upset, shy, or plotting world domination 🤣.

Culture is funny like that, it’s invisible until it collides with someone else’s version of “normal.” And when it does, the results can be confusing, awkward, or downright hilarious.

I learned this the hard way when I worked as a waiter at Lemon Kigali, serving mostly international clients. In my culture, being reserved is good manners. You don’t interrupt, you don’t overshare, and you don’t bounce around smiling at strangers. But to some guests, my calm politeness looked… suspicious. They’d glance at me like, “Is he okay?” or “Did I offend him?” Meanwhile, I was just trying to be respectful!

After a few weeks, I realized that what felt disciplined to me felt distant to them. So I adapted, smiled more, chatted a bit, and asked how their day was. And suddenly, the same people who once looked uneasy were laughing, tipping, and asking for me by name. It wasn’t about changing who I was; it was about learning how others read the signals I was sending.

That’s when I started to see culture not as a set of rules, but as a language that we all speak differently.

A few days ago, I joined a Leadership Lab session called Navigating Culturally Diverse Environments. It was one of those workshops that quietly rewires how you see people. We talked about how culture shapes everything from how we give feedback to how we build trust. And suddenly, my Lemon Kigali story made perfect sense.

The facilitator said something that stuck with me:

“Culture consists of the unwritten rules of the social game.” That line hit hard. Because those “rules” are invisible until you break one.

In Rwanda, we tend to communicate indirectly; we soften our words, we read between the lines, we value harmony. But in some cultures, people are direct; they say what they mean, no sugarcoating. So when someone says, “This won’t work,” they’re not being rude; they’re being clear. And when someone says, “Maybe we can revisit this later,” they might actually mean, “No.”

It’s wild how the same sentence can mean two completely different things depending on where you’re standing.

Then there’s how we build trust. In Rwanda, trust grows through relationships where you talk, you share, you connect. But in other places, trust is task-based; you earn it by delivering results. So while you’re thinking, “We haven’t bonded yet,” someone else is thinking, “We’ve already worked together, what’s the issue?”

The Leadership Lab made me realize that cultural differences aren’t obstacles, they’re maps. If you learn to read them, you stop getting lost.

When “Normal” Gets Funny

Once you start noticing cultural differences, everyday life becomes a comedy show. Take greetings, for example:

• In Rwanda, a polite nod or handshake is enough.
• In Italy, you might get kissed on both cheeks before you even remember their name.
• In Japan, bowing is respect.
• In the U.S., someone might slap your back like you’ve been friends for years.

Same moment, different meanings. And if you’re not ready, you’ll either freeze, laugh, or panic 🤣.

Food is another one. In Rwanda, refusing food politely is normal. You say “Ntago Nshonje” (I’m not hungry) or “Ndahaze” (I’m full). But in some cultures, refusing food is almost an insult. So you end up eating three plates just to prove you’re grateful.

Even silence plays tricks. In Rwanda, silence means respect. In other places, silence means awkwardness. So while you’re thinking, “I’m being disciplined,” someone else is thinking, “Did I say something wrong?”

The truth is, culture is like Wi‑Fi: everyone’s connected, but the password is different.

Turning Differences Into Lessons

The Leadership Lab reminded me that these differences aren’t problems. They’re opportunities. When something feels “off” in a multicultural group, it doesn’t mean conflict. It means curiosity.

Instead of asking, “Why would anyone do it this way?” Ask, “What’s the logic here?” That small shift turns frustration into learning.

Because at the end of the day, respecting differences doesn’t just make teamwork smoother, it makes life richer. It’s how we laugh, learn, and grow together.

💬 Your Turn: What’s one thing that feels perfectly normal in your culture but might look unusual in another? Drop it in the comments, let’s build a collection of funny, surprising, and inspiring cultural quirks. 🌍✨