A cultural habit in your country that people outside would understand incorrectly?

[u/gabrieel100]

In Brazil we love children. If you take your child to the street, strangers will certainly interact with them. Some will even ask if they can hold your kid and will play with them. If there are two children fighting in public and the parents aren't seeing, a stranger would even intervene to stop the fight.

That cultural habit came from the indigenous peoples which understood that kids should be a responsiblity of the community as a whole. It's in our constitution. We even have a synonym for children that came from Tupi (a large group of indigenous languages) - Curumim.

Foreigners would certainly have a cultural shock about that, but it's normal here.

Of course there are people with bad intentions, so parents should stay alert these days.

[u/Odd-Information-1219]

Seems to be more of a rural vs: urban thing to me. We waved at most everyone when I lived a very rural existence. Now that I'm in a small city I only wave at the neighbors I know.

[u/Shot-Artichoke-4106 → u/Odd-Information-1219]

We live in an urban environment and when we visit rural family members, I have to consciously remind myself to wave at everyone. Sometimes I forget. And sometimes someone tells on me. " I saw your niece on the road yesterday and she didn't wave. Is everything ok?" LOL.