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Every time someone goes to a new country, they come across a variety of weird things that people don’t have back home. Sometimes they find themselves missing something that is commonplace where they are from. Things you don’t appreciate until you don’t have them. Living in Austria has really proved to me just how true that can be with all the weird things that Austrians have or don’t have on a normal basis.
5. Austrians Have Windows That Open Weirdly
Back home in North America, we have a few really common window types. We have the ones that slide up, slide to the side, and ones that you crank open. At least those are the ones you’ll normally find in the average Canadian and American home.
However, those are far from normal here in Austria. The most common window I have seen here is called the “Tilt and Turn” window. The handle has three positions. The first one means the window is locked, the second one allows you to swing open the window like a door, but the third one allows you to “Kip” the window.
Essentially, kipping the window means the bottom of the window will stay in place while the top opens a bit. However, every North American I have seen here, myself included, has the same reaction the first time they try it. A brief moment of panic where they think the window is falling out of its spot!
Although highly amusing and a really weird thing that Austrians have, I have really come to love these windows. They are practical as all hell, and I wouldn’t want to go back.
4. Austrians Don’t Have Air Conditioning
There are a few exceptions to this. Most stores will have AC, and the odd person (I have never met one) will buy one for their house. Some restaurants and official buildings have them, but even that’s not very likely.
However, when it comes to the majority of places non-shopping-related places, including almost every last residential space, don’t have them. The higher ceilings are supposed to regulate temperature, but I always find myself sweating by mid-June at the latest.
3. Austrians Have A Separate Toilet And Bathroom
The first time I saw this, I thought that this was the weirdest thing that Austrians have. I was proven wrong moments later. Yet, I’ll save that for later.
Alas, from what I have seen so far, having a toilet in the same room as the bathtub or shower is nigh unheard of. In the separate toilet, there might be a small sink, but even that is unlikely. If you want to wash your hands you have to leave the toilet, enter the bathroom, and then wash them.
Yes, the door to the toilet is normally not even in the bathroom! You have to go through the hall to get to the sink! Touching handles and whatnot. It’s weird.
2. Austrians Don’t Have Screens For Their Windows
This is the most annoying and weirdest thing Austrians don’t have. I hate not having a screen on my window.
Since Austrians don’t have AC, the place I live gets really hot. Therefore, at night I want the windows open to get some cool air in the house. Air out the residential oven. No issue right?
Wrong! Since there is no screen, all sorts of bugs fly in. If the windows are open during the day, we get flies, bees, hornets, wasps, and other nasties. At night, moths, beetles, and mayflies are abundant. Worst of all, no matter the time of day, mosquitos zoom in as if on a mission.
My legs are more mosquito bite than leg at this point! I miss having a screen more than I miss my family.
1. Austrians Have The Weirdest Toilets (For An Even Weirder Reason)
You know how I said I was proven wrong about the separation of toilet and bathroom being the weirdest thing that Austrians have? Well, it happened almost immediately.
I walked into the bathroom and saw the toilet. At first glance, it looked normal. That is until I saw the shelf. The toilet had a shelf in the middle of the bowl… and many people have this type of toilet.
So I asked Lisa why. Her response was to eliminate the splash back when you poop. Makes sense right? Therefore, I accepted it. At least until I found out the real reason.
The shelf is there, in the toilet, so that you can inspect your bowel movement before flushing. What the actual hell?! If it was commonplace in doctor’s offices, that’s one thing, but it’s normal for a lot of people. It’s real f*ckin’ weird.
What Did We Miss?
Since moving here, these are all the really weird things that Austrians have or don’t have. At least the ones that I’ve noticed. Some are much, much weirder than others, but I’m certain there are some that I’ve missed and will have to update over time.
However, for now, here are all the weird things that Austrians do or don’t have.
4. No Air Conditioning At Home
3. Bathrooms and Toilets Completely Separate
1. The Weirdest Toilets For An Even Weirder Reason
Even after several years, I still look at some of these things and think to myself, “What the actual f*ck. Why?” Honestly, I don’t think that’ll change any time soon.
However, this is just what I’ve noticed. Are we missing any that you know of? Be sure to let us know, so we can add them!
As always, we believe we should live with intention, travel with purpose, and let the world inscribe its stories upon us.
So until next time, stay authentic, stay Nomadic, and let the world inscribe its stories upon you more than you do upon it.
