On my first day in Lisbon, I was approaching a crosswalk, expecting cars to stop once they saw me, just like they did back in the US. I walked to the curb and made eye contact with a driver. However, nothing happened. The cars kept on going one after another without any hesitation, even when they saw that I was about to cross the road.

At first, I was shocked, and then it hit me that I was holding my expectations to a foreign country that follows different rules. In the US, pedestrians have the right-of-way. If you even give the smallest hint that you are about to step into the street, drivers slow down. However, in Lisbon, it is the total opposite. The cars have the right-of-way, and they have no obligation to stop for you unless there is a traffic signal. Many times, I start walking on the crosswalk in Lisbon, and when cars start coming, I have to run across because the drivers will not slow down. It is not rude. It is simply how the system works in Portugal.

After a few days, I got used to it. I started observing more carefully and waited until there were no cars. This small moment taught me that culture shows itself in the tiniest things. It reminded me that traveling to a different country isn’t just about sightseeing, but it is also about observing, adjusting, and letting go of what you think was normal.