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We live in a world where a lot of things we learn through books, movies, and the internet. But one of the most common and exciting ways to learn more about other cultures is by traveling. For a lot of people, this became an interesting and eye-opening experience, so a lot of them like to share what they have seen and heard, and compare this experience with how things are run “at home.” Bored Panda already covered some of the stories of people who decided to share their cultural shocks, one of these stories you can find here.

When people talk about their travels, very often a place they refer to as culturally shocking is the United States. One of the recent is examples is TikTok user Jazz Thornton who started sharing what things she finds weird and different in the US. The woman who is from New Zealand relocated from her country to the United States and has already become viral on TikTok with her funny and entertaining videos. 

More Info: TikTok

#1

School At 7.30 Am

School At 7.30 Am

You'll start school at 7:30 in the morning. Are teenagers functioning at 7:30 in the morning, because where I'm from, we start school at 9 AM every day. That means that you have to get up at like, 6 AM something. I wasn't getting out of bed until like 7:30 AM. Who decided that teenagers work best at 7:30 AM?

notjazzthornton , Lead Beyond Report

#2

'i Really Wish I Had An Accent'

'i Really Wish I Had An Accent'

So the other day I was on a conversation with an American, and she looked me in the eyes and goes, 'man, I really wish I had an accent. I just speak normally.' Which I was like, 'ma'am, you do realize that the USA is not a main character, right?' You do have an accent to absolutely everyone who is not American.

notjazzthornton , Miguel Discart Report

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Chef Latte
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the U.S BECAUSE one of the reasons that i love it here is that most U.S citizens have an accent. Californians have their own accent, Southern accents, New York and New Jersey accents. I love hearing them all

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SCamp
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As odd and as egocentric as it sounds, I get it. We all grow up thinking what we do is the central point of reference. For the longest time I thought my Australian accent was neutral, flat, plain, vanilla and all the other accents were flavoured variations. I didn’t so much see it as an accent but the plain base form. So, I get what the US person views as ‘normal’.

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Gingerfoxx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm from the US and I thought this until only a few years ago. We're so naive lol

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Angelar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your people just downvoted you for evidently self deprecating humor. Condolences.

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Adrian
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brit here in California. So many Americans think they don't have an accent and only other people do. Not surprising, really, as their culture is so insular.

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Sgraham
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Excalifornian here. I listen to a lot of UK radio (BBC 4 extra) and can understand all of it. But for movies and tv I need the subtitles.

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RoseTheMad
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whilst the US doesn't have as many regional accents as other countries (take the UK for example, the amount of regional accents for such a small place is amazing) there is regional accents too, everyone has an accent, no matter where they're from.

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Mich
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So many people in the world who have never travelled think they don’t have an accent. I know an English lady who insists she has no accent, when what she means is she doesn’t have a regional accent. If she got off the plane in, say… US, Aus, Italy, Africa, of course everyone would pick her as British

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Bill Wyrebek
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, why should that surprise you? Do New Zealanders think they speak with an accent in New Zealand?

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Sarah Benedictus
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yes, we all know we have accents. all of us. we know we can't usually hear them. how do you not know you have an accent to other people? how is that possible for a grown adult?

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Deborah Brown
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got blown away several years ago when a Brit told me I had a cool accent. I"m like "Dude YOU have the cool accent, I'm boring!" :)

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Laura Pantazis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The same thing happened when I went to Australia to visit a friend! Everyone loved my American accident and I was thinking that I loved theirs, lol

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

Eh... even to Non Americans say I am fairly flat voiced... Its from being raised around all sorts of speakers

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Marc Lauzon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that's everyone, not just US reaction to foreign accents. We all wish to be exotic to our localisation.

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L.A. Trefry
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one ever thinks THEY have an accent, just everyone else does.

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EJN
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Americans think they originated the English language you know?

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BUMMERS
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Evidently New Zealand suffers from the same gross misuse of the word "like".

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Bill Karp
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

even to Americans you can have an accent depends if you lived in the same place for a long time. even in the north east, going 1 state over sounds different.

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Niall Mac Iomera
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've heard so many US people say they don't have an accent. Everyone has an accent. It's impossible to not have one.

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MikeWheelerFan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The weirdest thing is that I’ve lived in Florida my whole life and yet tons of people think I have a British or European accent…

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Mewton’s Third Paw
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The US is a main character. But that doesn’t mean the lady doesn’t have an accent. She has one. An American accent (from whatever region her accent is specific to).

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Ozacoter
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sasly it seems that many people from usa really think that theie country is the center of the universe

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More Thinking Needed
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You spoke to 1 person in a country of 330 million. The US has actually 30 different dialects..

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#3

It's Really Expensive To Have A Baby In The USA

It's Really Expensive To Have A Baby In The USA

It cost about $50,000 to birth the baby. These children are putting you in debt. In New Zealand hospitals are completely free. So you could be in there for like four months afterwards and you wouldn't have to pay a thing. We do pay taxes to obviously cover that.

notjazzthornton , Sami Keinänen Report

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Amy Stone-Chandler
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm so glad I'm Canadian. I'd rather pay .13cents on top of the price tag amount then pay for medical direct. I've had 2 kids. They have had surgeries, I have had several surgeries(disabled) and long term stay admitted to hospital(almost dying twice) all my ultrasounds, MRIs, PET scans, xrays, blood work, infertility treatments, eye exams, ER visits, every single specialist doctor plus every GP visit(including house visits) midwife appointments, at home follow up after delivery..free parental or breastfeeding support etc.. all of it, I wouldn't be able to pay that out of pocket. No matter how much taxes I have paid or will pay in life, it wouldn't come anywhere near the bills that a America charges. Oh and kids have free dental to 25 too. Some cosmetic stuff is covered depending on the cause/effects too

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Jazz is a well-known mental health activist film director and book author. The 26-year-old woman’s work is related to spreading awareness and educating people about sensitive mental health problems that many individuals suffer from. For this reason, her and her friend started an organization called Voices of Hope. Jazz tries and enjoys encouraging people to believe in themselves, to have a hope that things will get better. She likes to remind this to people through her videos.

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#4

The Price That Is Displayed Is Not The Final Price

The Price That Is Displayed Is Not The Final Price

Like today I went and bought a dress and the price tag that I saw on it when I actually went to go check out, it was like $10 more, because they add tax on after. And then when you're in restaurants and stuff, it's the taxes added and the tipping is added so like nothing is the normal price. Like if that happened to me in New Zealand and I went to pay for something and it was like more than what the price tag was, I'd be like, 'I'm sorry, what?'

notjazzthornton , sylvar Report

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Sonja
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why there is not an option to write at least something like "10 $ + x$ tax = xy price"

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#5

Tipping

Tipping

Tipping is literally not a thing where I'm from, like, again, America with the unnecessary math. How do I calculate this? What am I supposed to give someone? In New Zealand, the minimum wage is $20. That's for an adult. In America, it's $7.25. Now, keeping in mind that our currency is a lot weaker than America, it equals out to be $14.10 in minimum wage, which is double the minimum wage here. But also do people make more money from tips?

notjazzthornton , Kai Hendry Report

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BoredHuman
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tipping needs to be eliminated. I go to a small coffee shop in Toronto where the woman picks up the tip jar and shakes it while you are paying. To show me hey look at the tip jar. It lasts only a second but it is very off putting. Tipping is getting out of hand. I am already paying for a service. I live on a budget and getting haircuts and takeout coffee should not feel like pressure to tip. Pay a living wage

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#6

American Portion Sizes

American Portion Sizes

So I'm on week two here and I discovered very early on that a lot of your portion sizes, like, the large is a very large. I'm not used to it where I'm from. So, I was like, was this so big? So tonight, right? I was like okay, I'm going to get a small. This is what I got tonight. Please, is someone pranking me? This is the size of my palm. This is my noodle box.

notjazzthornton , Konrad Summers Report

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Claire Stanfield
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's wild and depends on the restaurant. If you want big portions you can eat for days, BBQ and those Greek family restaurants serve absurd amounts of food for the price you'll spend. Chain restaurants vary widely.

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#7

Dogs In Stores

Dogs In Stores

So you're telling me that here in America, you can bring your dogs into stores with you? Like, guys yesterday I was at H&M, right? And it was like four dogs in the store. I am so here for it. This is not a thing that we see in New Zealand and I need it. As long as I can pet all of the dogs.

notjazzthornton , Bennilover Report

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Requiem
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

NOPE, you need to have a Certified service dog and YES you can be questioned on wether your Chihuahua is an actual service dog. A pet store is the exception to the No regular dogs rule

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The woman also uploads goofy and lighthearted content on her TikTok platform. One of these is related to her relocation to the United States. In her TikToks, the woman doesn't hide her surprise at how different some of the things in the US are. It might seem that some of these things are already well known. Not knowing how to tip waiters in a restaurant and having to pay for having a baby at the hospital are only a couple of these examples. The woman also shared some of the lesser known facts about when American kids start their school day and that people are allowed to bring their dogs to stores.

Which one of these things do you find weird? Or maybe you know something that wasn’t shared on this list? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below! 

#8

Scam Calls

Scam Calls

I got an American number not too long ago and on the day that I did I had like four scam calls in one day. And now they just- every day, multiple times a day, is just scam calls. I think in New Zealand I got like one scam call every two months.

notjazzthornton , Sascha Kohlmann Report

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#9

Burger And Sandwich

Burger And Sandwich

Can someone please explain to me why they call this a burger, but they call this a sandwich. If it's beef it's a burger. If it's chicken, it's a sandwich, but they're both in a bun.

notjazzthornton Report

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sofacushionfort
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ground beef is called hamburger. In the 30’s it was called a hamburger sandwich, but then it was shortened.

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#10

Biscuits And Gravy

Biscuits And Gravy

All I'm imagining right now is that kind of thing. That beautiful biscuit cover in meat sauce. It just looks nasty.

notjazzthornton , Michael Kmak Report

#11

Spray Cheese

Spray Cheese

This does not exist where I'm from. I've been told to eat it only with Ritz crackers so you have put your thumb on it.

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