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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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?