What surprised a Canadian woman the most after marrying a Pakistani man? It wasn’t the weddings or festivals, but the everyday habits she had never experienced before. In a viral Instagram video, content creator Cassie shared the cultural differences that left her saying, “What?” – and many people online could relate.
Family relationships came with a whole new vocabulary
One of the first things Cassie said she had to understand was how every relative has a specific way of being addressed.“There’s different names for everybody,” she said.She explained that names change depending on whether relatives are from the mother’s or father’s side. Older and younger aunts and uncles are also called by different titles. Even grandparents may have different names based on which side of the family they belong to.Reacting to it, she said, “Depending on if that’s their dad’s mom versus their mom’s mom, you might be calling the same grandma a different name. What?”
WhatsApp quickly became part of daily life
Cassie also revealed that she had never used WhatsApp before.“I had never used WhatsApp, never downloaded it,” she admitted.Today, she said, it is the app she uses to stay in touch with her husband and his family. Remembering how unusual it felt at first, she joked, “What do you mean we’re not using iMessage? Like, what’s happening here?”
The hospitality left her amazed
Another tradition that stood out to Cassie was the amount of food prepared for guests.She said she was impressed by what she described as brown people’s hospitality.“You could show up at somebody’s house unannounced at 8:00 AM, and they will have five entrees and three side dishes ready to go,” she said.Comparing it with how she would welcome visitors, she laughed, “Here’s some cheese and crackers,” while others seem to have “17 dishes ready to go.”
Staying with relatives instead of checking into a hotel
Cassie also noticed a difference in the way families handle visits.According to her, her own family would usually choose a hotel while travelling. In her husband’s family, staying with relatives is the expected choice.“Brown people would never,” she said.Explaining further, she added, “The people coming to visit wouldn’t book a hotel. They’re staying with family.”She also said that if someone did book a hotel, relatives would ask, “Why didn’t you stay with us?”
News travels faster than expected
Another thing that surprised Cassie was how connected everyone seemed to be.“Everybody knows everybody, quite literally everybody, and news travels fast,” she said.She even joked about how information spreads, saying, “I think it’s through WhatsApp.”
She says there are many more stories to tell
Cassie ended the video by saying these were only a few of the cultural differences she has experienced.Reflecting on everything she has learned so far, she joked, “I could probably give you, like, 50 more,” suggesting that adjusting to a new culture continues to bring fresh surprises.Disclaimer: This article is based on a social media post and reflects the personal experiences of the content creator. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims made.
