Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions. Strange laws from Latin America Some laws are obvious. Fun stuff ! People dont usually give a seat up on packed buses (unless its very obvious ie. Forget about everything you thought you knew about Colombia. For quite some time, I have enjoyed reading all the articles and comments. What other weird things Colombians do have expat readers experienced? People place paper lanterns and candles, which placed on porches, balconies, streets, sidewalks, squares and parks in cities and pueblos throughout Colombia. Officials claim the ban helps to properly identify people during crowded events, should anything negative happen and someone need to be identified. LOL!! In the event of a locust invasion in India, a male 14 and older must do everything possible to prevent and stop the destruction of the locusts. Sorry ladies (and gents), but Russia doesn't want you wearing anything lacy underneath your clothing. Every country is different, and every country's laws are different. Germany banned making any loud, excessive noises during quiet hours which are typically between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. It is illegal for women to drive vehicles while wearing a housecoat. ESLstarter currently offer two programs in this South American gem. Colombians adore their little hairy companions. April 20, 2022 We round up some of the weirdest laws around the world, from not allowing your chicken to cross the road or preventing your donkey from sleeping in the bath to never refusing a stranger the use of your bathroom and more. *He requested an ice-skating rink should be built near Ashgabat so the people living in the desert could learn to ice skate. Camouflage is only allowed to be worn by the country's military personnel. Thanks for your comment Bob. FACT#17. If a dead whale should wash up on the shores of the British coast, the head belongs to the King, the tail belongs to the Queen, and the bones will go to the making of her corset, an antiquated British law reads. Paraguay is the only country worldwide whose national flag has different emblems on each side. Lucky you! My embarrassment tolerance went sky high since Im living in Colombia. The guy down the street is fair game, though. Strange Law 2: It is illegal for a woman to drive a vehicle in a house coat. Camouflage is only allowed to be worn by the country's military personnel. Becoming more widely spotted, the pink river dolphin, or Amazon River dolphin, is an inhabitant in Colombia. (Denver) Flickr/James. It is unlawful to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbor. 15 years ago, it was unsafe to leave Colombia's big cites and drive into the countryside or between cities. I retired to Cali three years ago from Houston, Texas with my wife and our 7-year old son. Strange Laws in All of California. Disingenuous , petty, and very jealous. 13. Listed as part of Summary Offences Act of 1966, the Aussies probably won't mind if you do decide to fly a kite while you visit. It's illegal to let your donkey (yes, you ready that right) sleep in a bathtub in Arizona. Whereas in the U.S. or Europe, it seems almost only kids wear braces. Also, check out the article my husband wrote about our expat story moving to Medelln, how a couple from Switzerland moved to Medelln and are loving Medelln. There have been some things posted that I experienced and was not surprised by or thought but maybe some of that is because my wife is Colombian. In Canada, it's now legal to engage in oral sex with your pet. 1. It's illegal to hold salmon under suspicious circumstances You usually see this behavior in movies. Cheese, I fond the these not neutral but just more creamy. We understand that stuff gets everywhere! You may also face a fine, depending on the contents of your barrel. A fine of $25 to $500 can be issued if you call a woman a name orally or by other means, so that means not even cyber bullying should take place in Oklahoma. For me, it wasnt really an issue because it is pretty similar to the culture in Switzerland. Keep your dirty laundry to yourself in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, where it is illegal to dry your clothes anywhere that projects over a street, wall, fence or window facing a street. This is possibly the weirdest fact of them all. The cuddly little bear all stuffed with fluff also gasp! Many Colombians has no idea what they are celebrating or why, but love to throw lavish parties anyway and enjoy drinking and dancing with friends and strangers alike. A really nice compilation of differences. In the 1950s, the situation got so bad that a law had to be passed against this. But don't even think about trying to enjoy this childhood pastime anywhere else. This means that, whether you're driving on the Garden State Parkway or the New Jersey Turnpike, you technically should honk your horn before you pass, according to state law. Colorado has its fair share of weird rules, some state-wide, some local to a city. Living in a foreign country is always interesting. Also, no matter where I have been so far in Medelln, I usually have seen a pet store nearby and off course in every mall. Everyone has called him mono. I came to believe if someone did not know your name, they simply called you mono.. This law is enforceable for both men and women. Colombia has the largest amount of unique wildlife in any part of the world. The city of Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish has made it illegal for anyone to use obscene, profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language during a phone call. 1. Here are 13 of those weird laws in Colorado that will leave you shaking your head. Aliviado? But this doesnt mean all Colombians are late. Of course thats not the only reason because many just couldnt afford braces as a teen and are now catching up on the dental work. I must of asked 5 people in Medellin for directions each of them giving me opposite directions. Pack a breathalyzer in France. The good folks over at Olivet Nazarene University put together an infographic of some of the most outrageous, confusing and downright weird legislation instilled around our . 1) A super-polite Con (mucho) gusto, even though youve rejected their sales pitch and declined to buy something. No. Fines will be incurred if men have waists over 33.5 inches or 35.4 inches for women. (I recognized it from wikpedia My favorite is PANDEBONO (Cheese Bread! If you don't pick up your dog poop, it may be possible to use DNA testing to determine the identity of your dog. and Yes, Rich Holman, politeness is essential for foreigner anywhere and know the polite words people will be appreciative and more helpful. Sounds fishy, but it's true. Beauty is really important in Colombia, especially women are putting a lot of effort in. Totally agree with you about the cheese, it really doesnt need to be salty its delicious the way it is. The law was put on the books in an effort to reduce crime. Ireland. They are just not used to be punctual and since its not considered as rude as it is in the U.S. and Europe they have no reason to change. In Colombia, that just brings the specialness of each day to light! Here are some funny, dumb state laws from Nebraska to Wyoming. Thankfully this particular law is no longer enforced, and after the governmental body entrusted in targeting antiquated laws is finished, it might not even be documented anymore. (where Im from) Thats why I didnt even think about it. In Colombia, its not unusual seeing Colombians of all ages wearing braces. Lastly, relevent to the topic our son has light brown hair and is often called mono. I figure that is because either his hair is almost blonde or an incorrect guess at his name. LOL! Well, it was really just too American. To keep beaches clean and beachgoers healthy, Portugal has banned peeing in the ocean. The artwork has to be approved as art, so hanging a picture sketched on a Post-It won't do. Don't get caught blowing bubbles in the streets! Then you can get down to business. Paraguay's flag is one of the world's oldest national flags. With those different habits you get to see new things and get to understand the new culture even better. When packing for a trip to Greece, make sure you have the right shoes. Theres most probably gonna be some cheese on it. Strange Law 1: It is illegal for persons to hunt game from a moving vehicle, unless the game they are hunting is a whale. If saving gas is your goal, don't take a road trip through . When people first began sighting Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, in the 1800s, British Columbia made it illegal to kill him/her/it. If you plant a flower in a pot without a drainage hole, you have created a public nuisance. If you ask (especially a stranger) a question, like: where is the nearest supermarket or where can I get a hamburger. Usually the abuelos grandfathers and abuelas grandmothers will dance, drink and sing on parties together with their grandsons and granddaughters. As far as I know, Colombians usually dont tip like in the U.S. in example. For a complete list of the Law Library's gazettes, please visit the Foreign Legal Gazette Collection. Stretching for over 300km, it is home to the largest bicycle route in South America, and definitely one of the longest in the world. Need assistance? While this can sometimes be the case, Colombia is currently taking steps to crack down on corruption, and attempting to bribe a member of the police or armed forces is a crime. The law 198 sees thatOh gloria inmarcesible! is played daily at 6am and 6pm both on the radio and on public television. The beautiful city prevents people from playing dominoes in public, allegedly because the pieces make too much noise when they clink as players put them down. 4. These weird facts will help you get over the culture shock when you relocate to one of the worlds happiest countries. We refer to mono or mona to blondes. This law was put forward to protect hibernating bears since tourists would waltz into the dens and disturb the animals' seasonal slumber. The list of celebrations in Colombia seems to be endless. Completely oblivious to others outside their family or group. And you dont have to feel obligated to tip, even though youre used to it from back home. Edy by weird dont think bad. While the law has been around for a while, fans continue to partake in this tradition. However, these weird or outlandish laws are actually on the books, whether they're enforced or not.. A law that prohibits Colombian companies from "importing" Chinese laborers to work on Colombian land is just one of the ridiculous and bizarre laws that may be targeted for removal by a government body looking at ways to steamline the country's legal system, El Pais reported on Monday. Heck my wife calls me gordito almost every day. This means that if you buy a phone in the country, you will be unable to turn off the shutter sound. And on the Medellin Guru website we previous looked at the top 5 coffee shops in El Poblado and the top 8 coffee shops in Laureles. It really depends on the context, but in general I would say they dont use it to offend anybody, but to make it also easier for you to know that they are calling you. We don't understand this reasoning, given how Sevilla is a lively town where live music is played in the streets and flamenco dancers put on shows in public spaces. Strange laws, also called weird laws, dumb laws, futile laws, unusual laws, unnecessary laws, legal oddities, or legal curiosities, are laws that are perceived to be useless, humorous or obsolete, i.e. Although not illegal to have tattoos of Buddha, a British woman was jailed for three days in 2014 for inappropriate tattoos of the man 70 percent of Sri Lankans feel is a prophet and avatar of the god Vishnu. On the other hand, what Ive foud in El Hueco is that if youre looking for something a bit unusual, if you ask in any store, they will give you some very specific and complex directions and its always correct. Its used for people with light hair color, so it could be light brown, blonde or even red hair.