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

Yes!!! Same here in Israel, although I don't think we have free dental. But no way do people go into debt for medical services. Most western, civilized countries do have universal health coverage and/or single payer systems. The FREEDOM that so many people scream about in the U.S. is far from Free, with many for-profit providers and middle-men taking their cuts.

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

Well, any normal public healthcare is better than the US system of healthcare.

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

This would have been my first question to this woman. What woman in her right mind would WILLINGLY go to america? You're safer in Kabul. And to leave one of the objectively most amazing countries on the planet?! That must be one hell of a husband.

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mdr_1 avatar
Potato
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And to bury your departed. Illegal to do it yourself, but insanely expensive otherwise.

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

that's capitalism for the greed of money and not helping one another

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

In Ireland you don’t have to pay, you can pay a little extra for like, a fancier bed but it’s the same doctors

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

American's response: "Yeah, but at least we have freedom!" LOL!

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

The "we pay tax to cover this" bit always mentioned in these scenarios aren't as necessary as you'd think. Americans also pay taxes to fund their healthcare - the US government spends about as much taxpayer money on their system as other countries do (as a % of GDP).

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

And we don't have to wait weeks/months for procedures. There's a reason people travel TO the US for medical care.

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

LOL, nah. If you work and have Ins., that pays for the baby. If you're not working, you get free M/Cal & that pays for the baby. America has it covered!!

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

New Zealander here. I've had 13 surgeries, numerous tests, scans, physio etc. Hasn't cost me one cent.

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

I love it when Americans come out with crap like this........like you think youre saying something profound. Youre not. My annual spend on healthcare through my taxes is less than $1000 for both my husband and myself, when our daughter was still our financial responsibility, the amount was the same because ALL Australian children are 100% covered for medical and dental through our Medicare. In the meantime, Ive had 20 surgeries in my lifetime and spent, in total, over 6 months of my life in hospital, 5 weeks of that consecutively including a 15 day stay in ICU and a few spells in the coronary care unit. My out of pocket expenses for those stays is ZERO........Im 54 years old so that makes my total "health insurance premium" spend for my entire lifetime thus far around $18,000........bear in mind that has covered pregnancy/childbirth and TWENTY major surgeries. I will wait while you do your own maths and work out your lifetime spend if you like, Im willing to bet it is a lot more.

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

And the political party that loudly proclaims itself "pro family" routinely blocks almost any policy that could help families. The truth is that in the US "pro family" is code for pro white conservative Christian.

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

so disgusting. it needs to be criminal to run their 'health' service like that.

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

Now you are being disingenuous about claiming it costs $50K to have a baby. That is pure propaganda (by someone from a socialist-supported country) That is like saying everyone goes into debt $300K to buy a Lamborghini. There are insurance policies and public assistance to help cover the cost of having a baby. I imagine the costs are the same in New Zealand but, again, socialism crops up.

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

I wish people would STOP inappropriately using the word 'like'. It's a bad habit & poor grammar usage.

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

You have to realize that in most aspects the USA is the world's richest third world country

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

We pay a little over 7% out of every paycheck to cover medicare/medicaide and Social Security, and yet...

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Ann Worth
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When expenses are paid for by taxes, there can be problems. > One problem is that this plan charges people who are never going to use the service. It does seem more equitable to charge the users rather than the general public. > Now some services are rightly charged to the general public. Street maintenance and water are used used by everyone, so everyone should pay. Schools are also paid for by everyone, even those who will never have a child in the public schools. (In fact, sometimes parents complain because they pay for a private school AND for the public schools they will never use.) > But we justify it on the grounds that everyone (not just parents) benefits from an educated citizenry, and that in fact, no democracy is possible without educated citizens.

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

The problem with the system now is INSURANCE. They want to stay in business and so vilify public healthcare. Also, the prices for every service are 10- 100x more. If we individuals in the U.S. were charged the same prices that the English government pays for medical services, then we wouldn't be going bankrupt to pay for basic health services. (Example, we pay $10 for two Tylenol in the hospital)

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

And even if you had to pay: We lived in Australia for a while with no health insurance. Hospital costs, including all screenings were expensive (around $3500) but not as crazy as in the US!

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

The US system was carefully designed to eliminate any advantages that a capitalist system might have without allowing in any socialist ones.

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

Even though you are not paying for it yourself, it still costs to birth a baby. It’s just that in other countries is paid for through collective insurance or taxes (or both).

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GenericPanda09
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True.. sick of hearing fellow brits about how healthcare is free here - it's not free at all, it's just free at point at point of use, it's still paid for as part of national insurance tax. The huge difference though where the national health system is way better than the US imo is that NHS option doesn't gauge out the prices like the system does in the US. We get a far better deal on prices. Also when people in the UK brag about not paying for healthcare they forget that most working adults here pay for prescriptions, again.. not a free system......... but again, it's a standard rate no matter what the medication is (with a few limited exceptions) and if you're chronically ill with certain conditions you get free prescriptions. For instance I get free prescriptions because i'm a war pensioner - that covers me for free prescriptions for my conditions related to that, and they'd be free anyway because I also need to take thyroxine which is another exempt condition.

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

The bottom line is... it does NOT cost that much to have a baby whether you are insured or not. The fact that Americans actually accept the costs of their healthcare and believe that you should die if you cant afford basic care is the single greatest success story of capitalism.

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

I pay cash for the delivery of my children. We paid a total of $5,000. Your numbers are way off

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

Nothing is free. The people are paying for it one way or another

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

She never said it was free. "We do pay taxes to obviously cover that.". But it does work waaaay better by paying taxes through your life rather than praying for nothing to happen and paying huge amount when something does happen (and it will at some point).

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

NZ healthcare completely free? Nope. If you don't want to wait in a long queue for procedures and you'd like to choose your specialist doctor, you will pay. Full price. Some procedures aren't covered at all. That's why many NZers purchase health insurance.

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Johnnie
Community Member
2 years ago (edited)

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

You aren't forced to goto a hospital, get a midwife. This is a result of bad decision making.

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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
Community Member
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
Community Member
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
Community Member
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
Community Member
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.

notjazzthornton Report