Living in Different Cultures Practical Lessons from Real Life
Living in different cultures is always filled with “ooops” and “wow” moments. One of those “ooops” moments happened when I lived in Mexico, and that moment was all about superstitions. If you grew up in a Slavic culture like I did, you know superstitions are a big deal. They’re ingrained in everyday life, you don’t even question them. One I grew up with was this:
If you leave your home, but then realize you forgot something and have to go back inside, you must look in the mirror and say “Hello” three times before leaving again. If you don’t? Bad luck for the day. No exceptions.
Fast forward to my time in Cancun, Mexico. One day, a friend and I were heading out when she suddenly remembered she forgot her sunglasses. As she turned back, I casually mentioned the superstition:
“Oh, you know, there’s this thing where you should look in the mirror and say ‘Hello’ three times before leaving again, otherwise, no luck for you today.”
She looked at me and burst out laughing, telling me there was nothing like that in Mexico. Later that afternoon, we ended up having a long conversation about how different cultures hold onto completely different beliefs, some serious, some ridiculous. That moment stuck with me and made me ask myself:
Wait… do superstitions only work in specific parts of the world? And if that’s the case, are they even real?
What’s considered completely normal in one place might be unfamiliar or even strange in another. Living in different cultures teaches you that there’s no single “right” way to do things, just different ways.
Why I’m Writing This
This article is part reflection, part personal story, and part exploration of what it’s like to live in different cultures. I also studied different cultures from an artistic and historical perspective at university, so I bring that lens to my personal experiences.
In short: I was born in Sevastopol, Crimea (then part of the USSR), lived in Ukraine, spent 11 years in Saint Petersburg studying art, nine years in Cancun, Mexico, four years in Atlanta, USA, and now live in Spain.
Adjusting to a new culture makes you humble, open-minded, and curious. Every day presents something new to understand, language nuances, traditions, holidays, food, even small gestures. And with each adjustment, you naturally start asking “Why?” more often.
After graduating from university and while starting my photography business, I took a second job as a concierge in a hotel filled with international tourists. This was my first real exposure to different cultures. Coming from a more closed-off society, I found the world outside the “iron curtain” engaging, friendly, and full of stories. Talking to people from different countries, observing their customs, and hearing their perspectives sparked a curiosity and a hunger to explore and understand more.
The Lessons of Living in Different Cultures
Better is relative.
You begin to understand that what feels “better” for someone else isn’t automatically better for you. Living in a different culture encourages you to explore what truly makes your life fulfilling, meaningful, and vibrant, beyond comparisons or expectations. It teaches you to pay attention to the small things that bring joy, the rhythms that feel natural, and the ways of living that align with your values, all in the place where you are right now.
Learning becomes constant.
When you’re born into a culture, habits, language, and traditions are absorbed automatically. As an adult, relocating to a different country with a different culture makes learning almost a daily activity. Sometimes it’s unconscious, like noticing food customs or greetings. Sometimes it’s deliberate, like mastering local transport systems or understanding administrative processes.
Small steps matter.
When I moved to Saint Petersburg at 21, I barely noticed differences because I still spoke the language and it felt familiar. Moving to Cancun, I was focused on adventure, the Caribbean Sea, and building my photography business, not the cultural adjustment ahead. It wasn’t until I lived in the USA that my awareness truly sharpened. By then, I already had experience living in a different culture, and I knew what to expect: the quiet moments of confusion, the need to adapt, the subtle shifts in communication. Engaging with my husband’s culture made me more sensitive to nuances I might have overlooked before, and for the first time, I began reflecting on these differences consciously, rather than simply living through them.
Becoming a Mix of Many Cultures
It’s natural to compare cultures, our instincts want to measure what’s familiar against what’s new but comparison can be limiting. Instead, I found it’s more productive to focus on observing, learning, and appreciating what each culture has to offer. Over time, living abroad begins to feel less like fitting in and more like living between cultures. You carry pieces of each place with you: habits, perspectives, small daily practices, even ways of seeing the world.
I can’t always say which culture I truly belong to; I feel like a mix. Each move left its imprint, shaping how I think, how I interact, and even how I notice the world around me. Early experiences matter too. My parents enrolled me in English classes at the age of five, and I continued intensive study for 11 years. Learning a new language goes beyond words, it invites you to understand the people, customs, and rhythms that shape a culture. That curiosity, once nurtured, becomes a lifelong companion when navigating new cultures.
Cultural Diversity vs. Immersion
Exploring diverse neighborhoods in a big city like New York can expose you to many cultures in a concentrated space, but if you’re American, you’re still moving through the world within your own cultural framework. True immersion happens when you relocate to a foreign country and live fully inside its culture. You learn its rhythms, adapt to daily practices, and gradually absorb ways of thinking, behaving, and interacting that are different from what you’ve always known. Over time, even small daily rituals: how people greet each other, shop at markets, celebrate holidays, or approach time and schedules, begin to feel familiar. This is when living between cultures stops being just an abstract idea and becomes a lived experience, shaping your perspective, challenging assumptions, and deepening your understanding of the world in ways that travel as a visitor simply cannot replicate.
How Living Between Cultures Changed My Photography Art
Living in different cultures influences your perception of the world, more in a social and communicative way, but for me as a photographer, it also had a profound artistic impact. It’s about seeing different towns, cities, and landscapes, and then tying those observations together with the stories I hear from locals. All of this creates a mix of emotions, forming a sort of invisible picture through which I express my photography.
Photography, for me, is the art of the present moment. My style is closely attached to reality, I take photos of what I see and perform only moderate editing afterward. I don’t apply special effects or manipulate reality; what you see in my work is what was truly happening around me, captured as it was.
There’s an experience I’ve noticed with new environments: when you see the same thing repeatedly, you stop noticing its uniqueness. Your eyes become so familiar with it that you could almost describe it with your eyes closed. But as a newcomer to a culture, everything is seen for the first time. You often notice details that locals overlook simply because you are looking with fresh eyes. That novelty makes even ordinary moments more interesting.
In my macro photography, I have to be extremely attentive to details, which means I’m always sensitive to small differences and nuances. Living in different cultures has broadened and enriched my visual vocabulary and my picture of the world. Each place I live or visit adds layers to how I see, interpret, and capture life through my lens.
What Cultural Immersion Gives You Over Time
Independence and self-reliance
Living abroad means figuring things out as you go: new cities, unfamiliar transportation systems, and everyday tasks that suddenly feel complex. Each small success builds confidence, and over time you realize you’re far more capable and adaptable than you once thought.
A deeper appreciation for nuance
You begin to notice the small things: how people greet each other, the rhythm of meals, the meaning behind holidays and rituals. What locals may overlook becomes meaningful to you, revealing layers of culture that aren’t visible at first glance.
Flexibility and patience
Cultural immersion stretches your comfort zone daily. The learning curve never fully disappears, but you learn to slow down, observe, and accept that understanding takes time. Gradually, the “why” behind behaviors and traditions starts to make sense.
Connection and community
Loneliness can surface, especially in the beginning, but it often becomes an invitation rather than a setback. Reaching out to local groups, shared interests, or creative communities creates unexpected bonds and a sense of belonging that grows organically.
Living in a different culture is one of the most transformative experiences you can gift yourself. It changes how you see the world, interact with people, and even practice your craft: art, photography, writing, communication, business management or another pursuit.
It’s not always easy. It requires patience, curiosity, openness and willingness to learn. But every day offers small discoveries, new perspectives, and a growing sense of connection.
Life is always moving forward, a developing story. Living between cultures allows you to learn, adapt, and let the world enrich your life in ways you might never have imagined.
All images in this article were taken by Elena Sullivan, ArsVie Photo Studio and are protected by copyright. If you are interested in using any of the them, please contact me for permission. Thank you for understanding!
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