“Don’t leave the milk out! It’ll spoil.” How many times did I hear that growing up? Then I shop for milk in a new country and it’s *gasp* unrefrigerated! Same with the eggs!!

As we experience new places and people, we frequently encounter other ways of doing things. This becomes especially striking when something is typically done only one way at home with few exceptions, and a totally different way in the new context.

In some South American countries, the milk comes in an unrefrigerated bag. Once home, you place the bag in a pitcher, cut off a small diagonal corner of the plastic bag, and refrigerate.

As we travel with our kids, I want to point out these differences carefully. Showing them that differences can surprise us, but they aren’t cause for alarm. They aren’t “weird” or strange, and approaching a cultural differences with curiosity increases resilience and adaptability.