Hey to all #samebutdifferent #sbd fans

It's Monday, the start of a new week, and it's time to announce the new theme for the Same but Different challenge, where we showcase things that seem completely ordinary to us at first glance, but might be totally extraordinary or even exotic for friends from the other side of the world.

From now on, I'll always announce two themes, one for the current week and one for the next, to give all interested participants plenty of time to work on their submissions. So what are our themes going to be?

Week of September 22, 2025

Round #4 – Public Lighting

I think public lighting will be a great theme. Someone might think – street lamps are the same everywhere. But that's not necessarily true. Even in one city, they can come in many varieties: different in parks, different in the historic center, different on highway access roads. The public lighting system in New York can look totally different from the one in Caracas or Chittagong. And surely there are regions where public lighting doesn't exist at all – and that could also be an interesting topic for an article, why not?

Challenge Details

Take 1 ‒ 3 clear, engaging photos of public lighting from your area and create a simple article. Share your location and tell us 2-3 short paragraphs about this item, and drop the link in the comments. Use the hashtag #SameButDifferent or #sbd to join our community.

Week of September 29, 2025

Round #5 – Bread and baked goods

Bread and baked goods are among the most common staple foods. But are bread and baked goods the same everywhere? Definitely not. Anyone who's traveled knows that bread varies everywhere. Sometimes it's a loaf, sometimes a baguette, sometimes a flatbread, made from light or dark dough, baked using different technologies... Please show what bread or baked goods are typical for your country – whether your home is Japan, Nigeria, Venezuela, Costa Rica, or any other country or region. Or show the bread or baked goods you've discovered during your travels. I'm personally very curious about this.

Challenge Details

Take 1 ‒ 3 clear, engaging photos of bread and baked goods from your area and create a simple article. Share your location and tell us 2-3 short paragraphs about this item, and drop the link in the comments. Use the hashtag #SameButDifferent or #sbd to join our community.

Of course, you can still contribute to past rounds of this challenge.

Thanks to everyone participating in our challenges! And also thanks to those who try to spread awareness about this challenge in their social circles and communities.