What habits or practies have you adopted from cultures besides your own?

American, here. Got a bidet, and I am never going back. The fact that this isn't standard in American households is disgusting.

I set all my digital clocks to 24hr mode, something I picked up after living in Europe. Would never go back.

Before I quit drinking I believe I was following Russian culture with my vodka intake.

I cross my sevens like a German.

I'm British and I say y'all fairly often. It just rolls off the tongue.

Stretching. I think this originally came from southeast Asia, its so far back that its hard to discover. But I stretch every single morning. As a Native American I need that to limber up so I can dance, which I enjoy doing.

Sleeping on a thin futon laid out on the floor (Japan / Korea). And riding a bike or e-bike everywhere (Netherlands), even though US cities and infrastructure are hostile to humans

I heard Koreans use metal chopsticks and bought pack home. Took some time to learn how to use those but so much easier when I can put those in dishwasher.

I would LOVE the house slipper bit. I've suggested it so many times. Wife and kids just won't go for it. Wife says it's rude to ask a guest to take off their shoes. I disagree but she just can't see my point or view. If you want to enter my house, show respect and take off your shoes to keep my house clean.

From the USA: wearing a white t-shirt under my shirt or t-shirt. Helps preventing sweat stains under armpits. Really hot in the summer though

I've learned from the Japanese phrase 'itadakimasu,' which is said before eating as a way to thank the person that prepared the food. I think in the west, a lot of us grew up learning to say things like grace before a meal, but that is too religious for me and gives God credit for peoples' hard work instead. I love the idea of ritualistically thanking the people who actually made the food. It was one of the things I appreciated while studying there that has stuck with me.

I wear a mask unless I need my mouth for something.

I'm a big white guy but I wear sarongs all the time, having grown up on Java and wore them as a kid. Soooo comfortable and versatile.

I was what I think we would now call a "weeb" in my junior/senior year of high school, and had studied Japanese culture before making a short trip over there in the summer. One of the things I learned was that blowing your nose in public is seen as bad manners, and it really stuck with me. When you think about it, it is pretty gross to loudly blow snot into a tissue (bonus points for carrying a handkerchief!) in front of others, like (as an American) we'll just do this at the dinner table without batting an eye.

To this day, I try not to blow my nose in public places or in front of folks if I can avoid it, because it has grossed me out ever since learning how Japanese culture perceives it.

I adopt representing 3 with thumb, index, and middle finger (German?), Instead of the usual index, middle, ring. This is easier for teaching my little girl as her hands muscle aren't fully developed yet and have a hard time controlling her ring finger.

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I am not Jewish, but I have adopted the practice of placing stones/pebbles on my parents' gravestone each time I visit.

A few jump to mind.

I say No Worries quite a lot.

I use chopsticks as much as a fork at home.

I take my shoes off inside.

I'll order a Pint.

My wife and I celebrate White Day, or at least a version of it. She buys/makes a gift for me on Valentines, and I buy/make one for her a month later.

Doesn't really change much, but it's a fun little twist.

I was raised in an extremely conservative Southern Baptist Christian tradition, but I often recite the Hail Mary and/or the first line of the Shema (in admittedly very poor Hebrew) when I pray. There's something about knowing that the same prayer has been prayed by millions and millions of humans through history that makes me feel more connected.

I drink Yerba Mate, and I'm from Australia

I've lived in Japan for a long time. I make a lot of Japanese noises now.

I now use toilet paper.

Drink tea. Adopted from Japanese Anime.

It's a little smaller scale, but... I've been a mid-westerner my whole life. I stopped calling soda "pop" around 10 years ago. It just doesn't sound right to me anymore.

Same with the shoes here. I take them off at my doorstep and carry them inside to the shoe rack. My floors stay spotless now as it’s surprising how much dirt they track inside.

I know some Asian cultures don’t even bring them in, leaving all the household’s shoes on the porch. I wish we did that in NA. Seems like a smart idea.

I eat mostly with chopsticks.

I got a bidet recently, and it's been a life changer. I guess they are becoming more popular now in America, but nobody had one growing up.

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I never show the bottom of my shoe and think less of those who do. Learned this while traveling in Asia.

edit - Example of this is kicking my feet up on a stool at the local pub.

Wow I just posted a comment that was for another thread by accident! My apologies.

I've adopted something called Kaizen and the 5S for manufacturing which is pretty much a philosophy of making things more convenient to reduce waste, time and energy doing something and making sure items are placed in the most efficient place possible.

I used to be pretty organized and it has been great following something like this.

Look into the other person's eyes when I say cheers, chink glasses and take a drink.

My partner and I have KFC for dinner every boxing day (in Japan, KFC is the standard Christmas dinner.)

So many. I bow (learned from Japanese class). I wobble my head side to side, similar to South Asians, I have no idea why I started that, just feels normal now. I will often walk out of a room facing the room and close the door facing the room, learned from taekwondo. I'm sure there are so many more... I have this thing where I unconsciously mimic things.

I say salud instead of cheers

I count with my thumb on my finger sections (what do you call them?) rather than my fingertips. So one hand comfortably counts to 12. (You can do a similar version, with a little more stretching, to count to 16... but I can't be bothered, and besides, I like 12.)

My family have never lived in the Upper Midwest, and yet somehow I've picked up an accent that sounds like I'm from somewhere between Minneapolis and Toronto.

I blame Garrison Keillor, and maybe Moxy Früvous.

frequent use of westside gunn noises "ddddrrrrrrrrrr" "doot doot doot doot" "AAHHH"

im from chile

I'm addicted to a site called RedFlagDeals, which is the equivalent of Slick deals for the states. I find myself endlessly scrolling for deals on the forum and buying things I probably don't even need, but I do it anyway since the item is relatively cheap. For example a car charger that was like 10 bucks... and I don't even have a car.

I think it's out of boredom as well, and it's gone to the point where I could even tell you a specific product is a good deal or not just by looking at the current price of it as I probably subconsciously index all of the prices in my head some how from scrolling through it.

I need a new hobby.

I started sprinkling "fighting!" into my vocabulary thanks to South Korea. Or alternatively "gambare!" thanks to Japan.

I learned to love sparkling water in Germany, I even bought myself a soda maker to always have carbonated drinks at home.

living in north america

How could I adopt a practice from a culture that isn’t my own? What constitutes ownership of a culture other than its adoption, and what is culture other than a set of adopted practices?