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Traveling is one of the most enriching experiences in life. You discover different parts of the world, soak in new cultures, and gain new perspectives that help you become a well-rounded person. After all, you learn about all the similarities and differences your homeland shares with these faraway territories. But at the same time, people over there also observe that you’re far, far away from a local.

To people outside the US, Americans are a recognizable bunch. Apparently, it’s not only the accent that gives them away. Extremely extroverted? Check. Wears shoes inside? Yes, sir. Asks for refills? Spotted in plain sight! And many more similar traits, as Reddit user TheRighteous999 proved when they posted this question, "What are some things American people do that instantly tell you that they're American?"

Sure enough, the thread received an avalanche of responses with typically "American" traits that make them stick out in other countries. We’ve gone through the answers and gathered the ones that bleed blue, white, and red. So if you wish to be a more discreet traveler, scroll down and consider these giveaways for your next trip. Keep reading to also find an in-depth interview with travel blogger Megan Starr. Then let us know which of the replies you agree with most, and be sure to share your own takes in the comments!

#1

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Talks about “freedom” like it’s an exclusive American privilege and not the bare minimum for a good chunk of the world.

rockwoolcreature , Edgar Colomba Report

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Ange Marsden
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Trump called my country a Socialist Hell; We're hoping that puts his family off moving here

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#2

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans "I'm french, italian, spanish, portuguese and serbian"

**Born and raised in Connecticut, never left the state, only speaks english and maybe took a 23andme test**

Or

"You're french ? I'm french too ! My great great ... great grandmother was in Paris one time when she was a toddler !"

Matrozi , Mental Health America (MHA) Report

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DrBronxx
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. Americans claiming to be from another country without any qualifiers is a pet peeve of many around the globe. The first time I met an American while I was traveling abroad, she said "I'm English", and I, assuming she must have moved to the US as a child, said "Oh really? Which part?" Her response was "Oh, I don't know. I just know that my great grandparents came from there." The exchange left me very confused.

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cogadh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not "claiming to be from another country", it's claiming ancestry. In a country made almost entirely from immigrants, ancestry is a very important part of our identities. Our entire culture is built on immigrants bringing their ancestral traditions to America. Just look at our food. What is America known for: pizza, hot dogs, apple pie, etc. Italian, German and Dutch recipes brought to America, adapted to our palates and native ingredients, turned into quintessentially American dishes, but still identified with their ancestral origins. That's what Americans are.

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Chucky Cheezburger
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have Irish ancestors (GGF immigrated in early 1900s) and its cool to know where you came from, but truth be told, alot of folks are just plain old mutts, me included. I have an Irish surname, but also English, German, a little bit of Native American Blackfoot and who knows what else. And its a good thing.

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Alex Bailey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nothing wrong with being a mutt! Many people in a lot of countries are. Humans have been mooching around the planet for a very long time.

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hazel small
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bull s**t I live and am an American. I used to be proud of that. I no longer am. This country is not great. It caters to white men . I wish I could get out of here. I am a white female and the racism against people of color is disgusting.. If I have done anything right in my life I have taught my children not to judge a book by its cover and to be racist.

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Lary Canary
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1 year ago (edited)

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What a load of horse poop. Who caters to whites? Try to get a government job like Policeman, Fireman or any other decent job. If you are white and you will find out who the real racists are. Are you proud of that? Nobody that I know hates anyone. Sometimes we are confused by the FBI crime statistics that clearly point to non-whites as the predominant offenders of violent crimes and predominate population in prisons (According to the FBI, but you won't hear about that on CNN). Nobody's hating anyone that I know of unless you listen to the news. By all means, move away! Move to Berlin and take the kids to the subway. When you get kicked down the stairs in front of the kids by the kind and loving ethnic dudes, let us know how you feel. Hang on to your citizenship so you may return when you find that you have been lied to, and the USA isn't such a bad place after all. My Lord, the propaganda is amazingly strong and the minds are amazingly weak.

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Paula Pattison
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I probably have Viking and Roman ancestors given where I come from in England but I don't announce myself as Scandanavian/Italian.

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joop
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My white Dutch dad had been making our family tree and he was a teacher. A new teacher came work there. A black guy from Surinam with the same name as a forefather of us, who was Jewish and married a woman from Surinam, but we are pale lol. So he says very enthusiastically: We must be family! He looked at him like he was nuts.

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Azolane
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know it pisses off a lot of people, but there is a reason to that. When immigrants arrived in the US, they congregated together, stayed with their kind, shared their languages, food, and stories in the same neighborhoods. That's why there's a lot of Chinatowns, Little Italies and Germantowns around. But the second generation wasn't taught their grandparents's language because they wanted their children to intergrate more easily than they did. I have Indonesian friends here in the US who never taught their US-born children to speak their language. They just don't see the point. But the kids are extremely proud of their heritage. Everyone wants to know where they come from, and while it can be easy in some parts of Europe to trace your ancestry a few hundreds of years or more, it's not the case in the new world. I think people try to cling to an identity they feel they lost along the way, even if the way they express it can be annoying.

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Amy Taylor
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My Polish and Italian grandparents never wanted any of us kids to learn their native languages so they could talk freely about anything around us. I really wish they did!

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NsG
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

@SillyPutty. In a melting pot like the US, unless you absolutely stick 100% to only people will have exactly the same generic background as you, a few generations in you do not have 100% Italian, Irish, or whatever. That's kind of the point.

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Jennifer Rose
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1 year ago

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Hiram's Friend
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Americans don't have the luxury of living in the same place for 400 years, locked in by language and culture to a specific area. We are mongrels, the offspring of people who couldn't get along at home and either emigrated or were thrown out. Everybody wants to be part of something, alma mater, fraternity, sorority, faith fans of football (either variety). Claiming descent from a specific area is identifying with a group. We all are pack animals.

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Needmorecowbell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am from the U.S. and though I never claim to be from anywhere else (though Lordy I wish I were sometimes) I really have enjoyed learning about where my ancestors came from. I think people in the US crave a connection to their roots because we are such a young country. I loved tracing my family history back to County Cork…I certainly don’t say I am Irish FFS, but I do say I have Irish heritage. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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IamMe
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get a kick out of watching other Americans shocked DNA reaction videos. Hardly anybody here is only one or two nationalities. Before our country was even founded, there were immigrants from all over Europe on top of the people who already lived here. Then, there were slaves who came from Africa. Then there were even more immigrants, from more places. There's a reason why we're called the melting pot. Anywhere you get a bunch of people together, they're going to do what comes naturally and, um....mingle. 😘

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Unknown
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yikes. Here's my two cents.... I was born, raised, and still live in the US. I'm 35, so I was always raised knowing that my grandparents were considered our greatest generation. No one after stood a chance compared to that. But that's also based on our own history and teachings, which clearly, as everyone in the world knows, isn't exactly true. We helped liberate France in WWII, and have been making fun of them for it ever since. Makes no sense. Some of us see no value in being Americans today. We look back to our past, good or bad, and try to put some positive light into our own thought processes of our self and our country. It's becoming harder and harder now, that's pretty clear I think to the entire world. I have the Ellis Island records of my great grandparents immigrating to the United States from Ireland, but I certainly don't try to pretend I'm irish.....

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Cas P
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They go by the one drop of blood theory which says that, if any of your ancestors were from a particular place, that you can claim that nationality or skin colour.

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Less is more
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I may be American and only speak English but I spent every holiday with my great grandmother who spoke very little English. She taught her daughters to cook the food of her homeland. She also taught her children the sensibilities and wisdom handed down by all the generations that came before her. You may not want to claim us as kin, but we are. And we’re proud to be. Xo

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Upper Enchilada
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate this, too. Both my parents are immigrants. A lot of culture gets lost in just one generation. Also, I see how hard it can be if you’re actually a different nationality from the country you live in. Sure, I speak a bit of Spanish, cook empanadas, and am loud (if I like you), but I’d never say I was Cuban or Argentine unless specifically asked about heritage. Most my traits are those of someone who was raised in downstate NY. You know why? Because there’s where I’m from.

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Amy Taylor
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it depends on how many generations in you are. If they are first or second generation with a lot of family there still, or strong ties to their heritage, that's one thing, but the ones that have extremely distant relatives there that they've never known, yeah.. annoying lol

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Tim S
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This got me wondering--do you think that the people who do this are at the opposite end of the spectrum from the 'America First' crowd?

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Christos Arvanitis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are varying degrees of this. I'm Greek-American (1.5 generation). Greek was my first language at home. I was immersed in it growing up, went to Greek language school as a kid, have visited my mother's village many times, etc. Side note: we'd love to move there since the US is becoming a sh*tshow!

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Nitka Tsar
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would say in your case it is ok to say you are Greek or Greek American.

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Justacrow
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an American, I always find it funny that the people who most hate other countries and immigrants are the ones who take the most pride in their non-American roots. I myself am obsessed with genealogy and history so I am fascinated by ancestors and their cultures.

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Jaybird3939
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I came up with a theory about this. Except for Native Americans, no one is really from America. Our ancestors came here at one point and got our families going. If you're German, English, African, East Indian or Russian, you most likely have a rich history in the country you live in. My grandparents came to America in the 1920's from Brazil. They're gone now, and I have no idea what my family history is like, or anything that may have happened when they moved here. That's my little theory anyway.

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Karolina Rogowska
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Claiming ancestry "my ancestors came from XXX country" is one thing. Caliming "I am 100% XXX, because 100 years ago my 5 years old grandparent came to US" is something else. Those I am 100% dont know language (and like it or not language is huge part of identity and culture), dont know anything about how country of their ancestors is now, dont know its history and are first to correct people native to that country because their grandma did it differently and they cant understant that countries change, customs change. They are very ignorant of actual country they are "100% and proud of"... They just want to say I am proud of XXX when someone from XX country does something good(win some sport event or make some scientific breakthrough. I welcome people who say their ancestry is of my country... but I cant stand those 100% and proud folks who are ignorant.

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Patrick Wilson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. And hyphenated-Americans. Unless you hold dual citizenship somewhere, you're American. That foolishness goes on nowhere else in the world.

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IamMe
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1 year ago

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Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Allways puzzled me how the main language in the US is English when practically no one has ancestors from here, why was the British Government paying heaps of money to the colonies back in time when no one came from the UK?

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sheila M.
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen your comments and postings all over the place on different articles in this Bored Panda Forum and I have to say You have some very Low opinions of Americans. Not all of us behave in such a fashion or raise our kids to behave in that manor, and not all of us do the things you say we do. You have a very snooty attitude about us, American's.

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Gypsy Lee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dear world, being proud of & curious about ones history/ ancestry, as this is a country of immigrants, doesn’t make someone bad. Most Americans I know don’t claim to BE from somewhere so much as saying they had family from the region. It’s not an insult. Allow people to be human.

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David Zumwalt
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate this as an American. Look, your people came here in 1897. You're an American! Oh, my ancestors were slaves. So what! So were mine! We're American! My ancestors came from damn Italy. You're American! I have a real problem with such and such American. We are citizens. American citizens! STFU.

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Arizona Cowboy
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1 year ago

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Quiavonna Thompson Mutts on the Manasquan LLC
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's because our entire country was made of people from other places. We are taught this and it's important to know where you come from.

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Frog Monster
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm from the US but my family history is very apparent. My mom was born and raised in England, and my dad's family imagrated from Ireland only about two generations ago. When I meet people with a similar cultural background as me I like to make a connection with them through our shared heritage. Plus, what sane person wants to be known as an american in times like these?

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Melissa Siewert
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In America, it’s somewhat customary to explain your heritage because it’s of historical and political importance. Since The US is relatively “young”, unless you’re Native American, no one is originally from here. Context of conversation is important as well and Americans are not the only ones that describe their heritage early in conversation.

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Aly Stevenson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Australia is an even younger country in terms of settlement though, and Australians don't act like this. In Australia, you usually only say you're another nationality if you actually moved here from another country. If your parent/s were born elsewhere and you actually grew up engrossed in their culture, you can get away with describing yourself as ____-Australian (like Greek-Australian, Chinese-Australian or Irish-Australian), but most people here would think that describing yourself as something other than Australian just because your grandparents or further back ancestors were from abroad sounds ridiculous. It's nothing to do with national pride either, it's just about accuracy and honesty.

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Nikki Sevven
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's nothing wrong with being curious about your ethnic background, though. "French" is both a nationality and an ethnicity. When someone is using "French" to describe their ethnicity, it's disingenuous to attack them as if they're using it to describe their nationality. Personally, I prefer to describe my ethnicity like this: "My ancestors were Slovak, Goral, Irish, and French."

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Lisa H
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ehh, I'm a white American, but I don't look that white (my school yard bullies made sure I knew that). My extremely thick and dark hair makes white people think I'm black. I actually have fairly recent Portguese ancestry on my mother's side. My great grandmother was born on the boat on the way to Boston from the Azores and Portuguese was my grandmother's first language, even though she was born here. I, myself, was raised with some Portuguese traditions, like having sweet bread every Easter and being part of a cultural lodge of other Portuguese people. I totally get what people are getting at with this one, but there are exceptions to some of us European mutts. Definitely not all, but some. I just ask for a little wiggle room with this one.

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Raoul
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course that‘s a very special American thing and might be confusing to others but – yeah, well, why not.

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StarlightPanda!
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just because someone was born in America, does not mean they can't be proud of their heritage and ancestry. =/

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DrBronxx
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can be proud of your heritage, but just because a person's great great great grandmother is Irish, that doesn't make them Irish themselves. if you're born in America, you're American, but of XXXXX and YYYYY heritage.

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It’s no secret that citizens of the most powerful country in the world often find themselves in the spotlight. The internet’s fascination with America, from its culture to its politics to its people, seems to be beyond control. It looks like everyone has at least a few opinions to share about the nation, and, news flash! They’re usually far from great.

In reality, not all typically American characteristics are negative. Every culture has peculiar quirks that can tell people around the world what country someone came from, even without asking. But differences between the US and other places can sometimes be so painfully obvious that they make for some amusing moments of confusion whenever pointed out.

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To learn more about the subtle and not-so-subtle things American tourists do that immediately out them in other countries, we reached out to a writer and travel blogger Megan Starr who is originally from Virginia, US. She is one of the authors of a blog called Megan & Aram that’s purely dedicated to showcasing the beauty of Scandinavia, the Eastern bloc, and beyond. Living abroad for 12 years now, Megan is an avid traveler that has explored many breathtaking places around the globe and has amassed an arsenal of experiences she’s eager to share with others.

#4

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Smug and overconfident. Especially applies to White American men. I work in engineering consulting and it constantly amazes me how comfortable they are listening to the sound of their own voices and being wrong or inaccurate more than 50% of the time.

Apprenhensive-Sun-236 , Andrew Wise Report

#5

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans They make a huge fuss over your accent.
I was in London and some American tourists asked for directions, I told them and they were like ‘you sound so British!’ and even called his friend over to marvel at my accent. Like, dude you’re *in* England. What do you expect? The people aren’t a f*****g museum attraction

Eli_JMI , Janis Oppliger Report

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Mokayokok
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

British and Australian accepts *ARE* sexy as hell, but yes, tourists acting like this is uncalled for.

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#6

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Most Americans I meet are some of the friendliest, polite people. That being said, they are unmistakably loud and over-sharey of personal details.

Also they should know that the customer is not always right, that service industry jobs are respectable occupations, and asking for ketchup is a dead giveaway.

ZealousidealRush2899 , zoetnet Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do NOT over-share personal details! I mean, the ONLY thing you REALLY need to know about me is that I'm 5'5", I have curly hair, I have two cats who are named Kohl and Preacher, and Kohl was named for the mineral stibnite, and Preacher was named for one of my favorite comic book series, and I have a puppy named Stilgar, and I really like pears, and I like pretty much all insects except for earwigs, and I was adopted at birth, and my adopted mother is a toxic narcissist who was physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive towards me my entire life, and I have one adopted sister and two biological sisters, and my adopted dad died last year, and he was an awesome dad and a great guy, and I have this one hair on my chin that grows out all bristly and thick, and we call those "bruja hairs" in my family, and I like parsnips and beets and pretty much all vegetables, and I'm 40 years old, and when I was a kid I had a small speaking part in a TV series so I have an actual IMDB listing, and

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When asked if she could reveal certain things that instantly expose Americans as tourists, she said that extreme confidence is probably the biggest one. "I can always tell an American (especially when abroad) because they walk around with confidence, they speak loudly and clearly (sometimes too much), and they are quick to say hello and be social," she told Bored Panda. "When I am abroad, this is usually how I can spot an American."

While the accent is seemingly their biggest giveaway, body language, behavioral differences, and even fashion choices also help people to recognize that a tourist is from the US. "That and the fact that they are likely wearing a t-shirt from their favorite college or sports team," Megan added.

#7

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Measure everything in eagles per squarefoot

firebullmonkey , Aaron Doucett Report

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Nathan Jones
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Literally nobody has ever done this. We strictly measure in football fields.

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#8

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Based on my personal experience:
“I don’t understand why no one here speaks English” - In a foreign country where actually a lot of people do speak English although not at a native level.
Also “You guys have no customer service” just because Karens in my country don’t get free food.

Poeberry_fields , Clem Onojeghuo Report

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Mokayokok
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of us absolutely cringe when we here about Karens doing this - we're really sorry, we want to throat punch them as much as anyone else does.

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#9

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Introduce themselves as their ancestors nationalities lmao

sweatybisexy , Sora Shimazaki Report

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Ange Marsden
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Australians and Kiwis don't do this; You gonna live in the past, better mention all the shifty things your ancestors did too....

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Most of the responses from the community can be considered as clichés that poke fun at American citizens, and as we all know, stereotypes do tend to have a grain of truth in them. However, they may also form a rather negative view of the country for those who have never come into contact with the culture. Since Americans wear their identities proudly, they often become subject to "America vs. the rest of the world" comparisons.

When asked why some people spend so much energy frowning upon the US, Megan believes it has become trendy for some to make "hating Americans" their personality. "I feel bad to say that... but I know many people that have allowed that to become their entire personality. As an American (who has plenty of issues with her home country), I have found many American tourists to be better behaved than other nationalities," the travel blogger said. "I feel like (for the most part), our best people travel abroad."

#10

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Drive from one shop to the next even if it is 50 meter by walk

maldobar4711 , mentatdgt Report

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Vector
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"honey, can you get me the keys? mummy needs to drive to the fridge..."

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#11

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Extremely extroverted and talkative
I've lived in germany for 14 years and I've never seen strangers talk really. when I went to America everyone was so nice and talkative. it was a nice but strange experience

doykjoe , Tim Douglas Report

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Latchkey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm American and still hate it when other American strangers talk to me 😬😬

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#12

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Honestly all the American I saw in my town were particularly cheerful and enthusiasts about things we take for granted. Like walking in a thousand years old street.

I also find them very expansive about their feelings. They don't hesitate to say: "Oh! this guy is so funny, man" in public. whereas in Europe I have the impression that we have lost the habit of communicating together in public.

Nikokab , Jacek Dylag Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our country is kind of embarrassingly young and we don't have much history/historical culture. So we do tend to be fascinated and awed by the old stuff in other countries :)

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Even if stripes and stars seep through your pores, the chances are that you sometimes want to be a more discreet traveler. Maybe you’re tired of feeling singled out, or perhaps you experienced unfortunate situations only because locals knew you’re a foreigner. Whatever the reason, Alyse, The Invisible Tourist, shared a few tips on how to blend in when traveling.

First, do a bit of research. The odds for you to look more like a local grow significantly if you spend time learning about the culture and etiquette. "Not only will this demonstrate to locals that you respect their heritage, but they’ll also be super appreciative of your efforts," she wrote. Also, learning a few basic phrases in their language can help you find a way out of troubling situations. Then, avoid proudly displaying your camera or selfie stick out in public, as they’ll immediately blow your cover. "Unless you’re a professional photographer, do you really need a flashy camera permanently draped around your neck that makes you look like a tourist?" Alyse asked. Well, that's for you to decide.

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#13

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Maybe woosh, but...

If you hold your fork on the left, and cut with the knife in the right, then you would usually keep the fork on the left to eat with.

Very American to cut with the right, then swap the fork to the right to eat that bit, then swap again to cut with the right. Rinse and repeat.

Eldowon , ROMAN ODINTSOV Report

#14

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Equating freedom with being able to buy a product or being able to do something really meaningless

nomoreofyourbs , Harry Cunningham Report

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Regal Kitten
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey, if I don't have the freedom to waste my time doing something entirely pointless when I feel like it, what even is life worth?

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#15

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Asking for refills, ice, or iced tea has outed me more times than I'd care to admit.

roastedoolong , ROMAN ODINTSOV Report

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Bored Person
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand this. You pay for one drink, so you get one drink, or at least that's how it works where I'm from

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However, Megan mentioned that trying your best to blend in may take away some joy from your journey. "I think that if you're headed to visit the Colosseum, for example, you are likely not going to give off the vibe that you're a local! I think it is good to remain chilled out and respectful, but I don't see the point in trying to 'blend' in. I have made several friends on the road from simply being a foreigner. But, I am also the first person to throw headphones on and wander about trying to discover the streets on my own terms,” she said.

#16

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans "Do you speak English? DOOO! YOOOU! SPEEEAK! ENNNNGLISH!"

JeffRyan1 , Mimi Thian Report

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Regal Kitten
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never understand how saying something really loudly and slowly is supposed to make it easier to understand.

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#17

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans BEING LOUD. And I don’t mean intentionally. They can be just talking in a restaurant or a train and it’s the only conversation that can be heard from everywhere.

bobthememequeen , Sebastian Coman Photography Report

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StarlightPanda!
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

American here. Most people I talk to here think I talk too loud. So I must talk overly loud as an American. I think it's a me thing though. Lol

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#18

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans “Do you accept American dollars?”

kgold0 , Titouan COLOMB Report

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Teresa
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know why people do this. Never in my travels to other countries have I ever expected to pay for something with American money.

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If you want to be a great tourist when traveling around the globe, Megan shared one tip that could help you reach your goal. "Asking questions in a non-invasive and judgmental manner," she told us. "You can make friends this way and also learn a lot about culture."

"I also think it is about respecting where you are. If you are in a conservative country as a female, cover up. Simple as that. You may not agree with it, but being respectful goes a long way. Also... don't break stuff. And don't photograph places you shouldn't or fly drones in no-flying zones," the travel blogger concluded.

#19

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Ask about common American chains that are uncommon/nonexistent in other countries. Also assuming that international chains serve the same thing in every country; McDonald’s, for example, has different menu items in, say, China. Assuming the food is prepared the exact same, too—I remember ordering chicken nuggets as a kid in Germany and being shocked they tasted so different. Probably because they were made with real chicken.

_marshmallord_ , Erik Mclean Report

#20

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Uses their shoes inside. Even if there has been raining

TurbulentBarracuda83 , Tenis Amante Report

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Cashme Outside
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ive got a Mr. Rogers thing goin on in my house. I have house shoes and outside shoes.

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#21

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans They start talking to you/always trying to make conversation.

I was at the car wash one time and this guy sat beside me and asked if the truck was mine. I said no politely and hoped he’ll stop talking to me as English is not my first language.

Lo and behold few minutes later he was telling me the story about 9/11 as he was one of the first responders and how he developed an illness because of the said job.

Americans are really interesting people. They really know how to keep a conversation going. I couldn’t do that, Europeans wouldn’t do that, i think lol.

__what-now___ Report

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Gionanna
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When watching American movies/series I'm always amazed and amused at how the characters seem to make friends so easily. So, it's not made quick for the storyline. It's simply how many Americans are :-)

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#22

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Not giving a f**k what the rest of the world thinks.

hmmm_thought_pig , Giorgio Trovato Report

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Robin DJW
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some of us do. We try to improve our image in small quiet ways. It's hard for us to learn unusual (to us) behaviors, but some of us really do try to at least tone it down and learn a few word of the place's language.

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#23

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans I asked for a refill of coke on vacation at a restaurant in Australia. They said I’ve got to be American and had a good laugh.

shreddymcwheat , Lukas Ballier Report

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Silly Putty
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess I don't get out much but I've ever once expected, or asked for, a refill.

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#24

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans If they’re a 35+ year old man wearing a large T shirt, khaki cargo shorts, and white sneakers with socks that go halfway up their calves

knightsofgel , Chris Hunkeler Report

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Regal Kitten
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like in a video game where everybody gets the default skin, and then you can upgrade, except nobody does

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#25

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Saying "hey how are you/how is it going" without expecting an actual answer. An when you answer and ask how they are, it usually baffles them!

audio_inferno , Jonah Brown Report

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Jill Rhodry
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have the same greeting but Aussie style - 'owyagoin' - the only appropriate response is 'not bad, yaself?"

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#26

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans It's 10 degrees and you're wearing an oversized sweatshirt with the name of your college, shorts and flip flops.

darienhaha , John Fornander Report

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Chucky Cheezburger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

10 degrees Celsius...thats reasonable...not great but whatever. 10 degrees Fahrenheit, they're gonna be a frozen idiot soon.

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#27

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Wear a baseball cap at an indoor restaurant.

Signed, an American who (ONCE!) wore a baseball cap at an indoor restaurant.

solo_duality , Nathan Dumlao Report

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Downunderdude
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most recent Prime Minister in Oz who wore a baseball cap instead of an Akubra got annihilated at our recent election. Coincidence? I think not.

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#28

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans We get a lot of American tourists here, why do you all wear the exact same clothes? Ireland t shirt, shorts, socks with sandals or those awful trainers, sunglasses and baseball caps

leopoldsghost29 , Francis Bourgouin Report

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Lazy Panda (she/her/hers)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are all making me think that I am positively incognito when I travel. I hope I can at least pass for Canadian, if nothing else.

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#29

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Loud, the way they dress, being overly polite, ask what I do for a living in the first 5 mins of conversation, etc

lioness-2208 , Obi - @pixel6propix Report

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Tybalt P.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an American, I’ve never actually noticed the last thing until now, and thinking back on it, holy c**p is it true

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#30

30 Giveaways That Someone Is American, As Described By Non-Americans Eating while walking (eg eating a bagel or breakfast sandwich on the way to work or school)

Fatigued_Otter , Skinny Guy Lover Report

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