Culture is an onion

Culture could be described as an onion.

To understand a culture you have to unpeel it, like the onion, layer by layer.

If you come to a place where you have never been before, a place you do know nothing at all, you probably first notice language, food, clothing and architecture. These are concrete things, they are observable.

Values are also culture, but that is further into the onion. To reach this you have to be in contact with this culture for a longer time, more unpeeling, to notice these nuances of culture.

REFERENCE:
Trompenaars, Fons & Hampden-Turner, Charles (2012). Riding the Waves of Culture. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.