5 Unusual Jobs That Only Exist In A Single Country

Unique occupations from around the world

    By Mariya Pylayev

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Regardless of culture or upbringing, all humans share many of the same basic needs and desires. Jobs across the world tend to look the same in purpose and practice for this reason. There are doctors, police officers, nurses, religious leaders, waiters collecting paychecks in every corner of the earth. But some occupations are a curious twist on the traditional or are wholly in their own league, reflecting the unique customs or geography of the countries that created them. With the help of a Quora thread on this very topic, AOL Jobs rounded up a few of the most distinct ones below.

Australia: Royal Flying Doctor Service

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While it's not the only aeromedical service in the world, it's certainly the first and largest of its kind. The Royal Flying Doctor Service, or simply The Flying Doctor, was conceived by Reverend John Flynn in 1928. The minister started the air ambulance to service people in the remote and rural Outback. The nonprofit organization continues to operate today.

Submitted by David Stewart:

"Here in Australia we have the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Our country is so large, and our population so small, that we have people living in far flung locations who are more than a full day's drive from any idea of a township. So in 1928 The Reverend John Flynn pioneered the idea of an aerial doctors service who could attend to patients in far flung locations."

India: Dabbawala

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These deliverymen pick up hot packed lunches from workers' homes and bring them to their workplaces around lunchtime. Dabbawalas make a second round to collect the empty boxes and bags and return them to their customers' homes. They typically collect the meals on boards, which they balance on their heads, and ride bicycles or trains to deliver the meals. The name "dabbawala" literally translates to "one who carries a box."

Submitted by Naveen Kumar G:

"They transport your lunch box made at your home to your office. After your having food, they return it to your home too."

Japan: Professional Cuddlers

These salaried spooners offer lonely strangers nothing more than a simple cuddle after a stressful day. No, really – nothing more. Some of the customers are young men that only want simple companionship, reported CNN.

Submitted by Susie Johnson:

"For as little as 6,000 Yen p/hr ($60 USD), you can go to one of a number of cute,cosy cafés in Japan & cuddle with and sleep next to a woman (usually aged 18-30). Yup, just sleeping NEXT to someone with perhaps the occasional cuddle and head rub.

This niche enterprise came about in response to the crippling loneliness ('hikikomori') that dominates Japan's modern day society, as young people refrain from getting into relationships due to strict societal conventions that are imposed upon young people once they become married."

China: Paid Internet Commenters

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The Chinese government pays Internet commenters to write positive posts that advance the Communist party line on websites, bulletin board systems and chatrooms. Commenters are believed to be paid fifty Chinese cents for each submission, which is why they are sometimes referred to as the "50-Cent Party."

Submitted by Liqing Zhang:

"I'm a Chinese and it is the first answer I add in quora.The job o exist only in my country called "wu mao". That is such a group of people who hired by governments to beautify our government, each time some unharmony things occured in our coutry, they will occur in the Internet. Each people government will pay him 0.5 yuan, so we call them "wumao"

However, that's not a serious problem in our country, most of people talk about this just for fun~"

Taiwan: Betel Nut Girls

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Betel nut beauties are young women who sell betel nuts, cigarettes and drinks along city and country roadsides in Taiwan. The women typically wear revealing clothing and their storefronts are often brightly lit and neon colored to attract customers. Their revealing dress has led critics to question whether they are being exploited, although others argue that they are self-empowering.

Submitted by Tzuwei Chen: