When we visit other countries, it's like we're tourists in a bizarre theme park. Some places might seem kind of familiar, but just a short walk away, and you're in the Twilight Zone of lifestyles. It's like a sitcom where, even though we're all Earthlings, our quirks and customs are as diverse as a box of chocolates.
Take Spain, for example – they've got the siesta, the ultimate nap time. In Denmark, they've got a peculiar hangout spot – cemeteries are the place to be. In Japan, it's all about slurping noodles as if it's an Olympic sport. And then there's the good old U.S. of A., where everything seems to be supersized.
From stores big enough to host a small army to highways that look like they could double as airport runways, packages that could hide a small treasure, and cars and houses that belong in a giant's dream. But when you visit the States, get ready for more things that might be weird to you, and that's the topic we're diving into today!
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Gun apologists often cite Switzerland as an example that more guns do not lead to more violence. What they fail to mention is that while the average Swiss citizen owns a gun, the sale of ammo is heavily regulated (next to impossible to attain for a private citizen outside a shooting range without special permits), and neither open nor concealed carry is a thing (again: permits very difficult to come by). It is a part of their civil defense concept, not a mysterious "right to shoot whom I please...".
Talk to anyone who's been to the US, and they'll say there are some pretty funny and weird things about the culture.
Americans sometimes say they don't have a unified culture, but despite the diversity, there are distinctly American things.
From throwing pet birthday parties to loving vacations in lake towns, American traditions can be both funny and heartwarming.
Are you ready to share some laughs, shed a tear, and reminisce about your childhood? We have some only American things that might be difficult to grasp for a foreigner.
How about NOT having a system that expects someone to take home leftovers in the first place? There's a reason that the US is in the top countries regarding plastic waste per capita. And this is one of the reasons. In the EU more and more single use plastic stuff is being abolished and the US still lives like it's 1985. (I haven't seen a styrofoam package, like that on the picture, in decades)
The "walkable city" is deemed an ideal of future living in large parts of Europe. Shops, Workplace (if even neccessary bc of WFH), parks and recreation, cultural institutions, learning, all in walkable distance. Cars taken out fo the picture as much as possible (underground parking garages if necessary but mostly parking outside the area, combined with really good public transport - in this model many people will opt not to own a car). Unfortunately this ideal will not realistically be archieved in the next decades.
For example, in the US, food portions are way bigger compared to China, where they serve food 'family style' for everyone to share. It's quite funny to see the expressions on the faces of Chinese tourists at places like The Cheesecake Factory when their enormous dishes arrive.
And religion. More hatred is caused by religious bigotry than anything else.
Patriots be like "Freedom!" whilst crushing the freedom of women and other races.
“Patriotism”. I understand why companies do it, it sells s**t, but members of the public? Draping everything in the flag…and not taking care of the flag, leaving it as fluttering rags? To me that is comparable to the friend, or to the uncle who brings every conversation around to, “the gays”…who blames everything on them, who hates being “checked out” by them, how they always look so good, so put together. How much time do you think they spend in the gym, getting all sweaty, and glistening? What do you think they do in the showers, all together, pressed up against one another, kissing, caressing? Do you think they cuddle, sitting on the couch, watching a movie…that must be nice. I hate “the gays”! Look at me, I’m a Patriot. No, vets shouldn’t have access to mental healthcare, suck it up. No, the should have to use food stamps, damn leeches. Their job is to die by order of the President *waving flag that was made in China*
Many US flags are made in Pakistan, and they hate us while making money from a symbol that has been co-opted by fascists.
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The American idea of patriotism is f****d up. If you are patriotic to your country but not your fellow citizens, you are not patriotic.
Here's the thing, most people I've met would die for their neighbor. I live in a red county. Safest town in my state, actually. But the uncaring types tend to be in the larger, more left leaning cities.
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Nationalism... that's been proven over these last couple of decades. It's nationalism, and most so called "Patriots" don't understand the difference.
Probably a holiday - like Memorial Day or 4th of July. Flags everywhere are pretty common on patriotic holiday. Really...this happens only un the US?Is trooping of the colors not a patriotic thing?
can you imagine Germany flying it's colours outside a sportsevent?
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It's strange because this kind of empty "patriotism" outside of USA correlates strictly with authoritarian governments and dictatorships.
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What about supersized drinks? In most European countries, beverage packaging is typically standardized, usually around one liter or one-and-a-half liters. Additionally, Europeans tend to buy just the amount of milk they actually need. It's a different story in the US, where it's common to purchase milk or red wine in large containers, ensuring it lasts for weeks ahead.
It's like the US is a large theme park where the goal is to survive, and you buy memorabilia with US flags on them in the gift shop on the way out
Getting accustomed to the fast food culture in America can be challenging. It appears that many Americans have a fondness for eating on the go and in a hurry, whether it's at the drive-through, grabbing a quick bite at In-N-Out Burger, or making a brief pit stop at their favorite food truck on the corner.
I have never seen this and I live in farm country (Nebraska) probably a holiday celebration.
If you're used to Germany's six-lane Autobahn with speedy driving, it can be quite surprising to find highways in the US with 12 lanes or more, where most cars travel at similar speeds. Learning the driving rules in this setup can be tough!
Everyone adores dogs, but it's safe to say that Americans have a special knack for treating them like members of the family. The latest trend that highlights this is throwing elaborate birthday parties for dogs.
There's no denying that these celebrations can be adorable. However, some might find it a bit over-the-top to invest time and money in decorations, cakes, and even party favors (yes, it's a thing) for a furry friend who can't grasp the concept of birthdays.
Of course, people have the freedom to spend their money as they see fit, but for those willing to splurge, perhaps considering a donation to a worthy cause could be a more meaningful way to make a positive impact.
I hate the whole "flavouring" concept. I love spices and herbs, which add a mixture of natural flavours and smells, but I hate all these products that taste like something else, like bacon-flavoured crisps, or shrimp-flavoured pasta, with all those chemical artificial flavours. They don't even taste remotely similar to the real thing.
What's the problem here? These people are traveling by motorcycle. Chaps are protective. Not a single flag or eagle in site, yet we're gonna throw those emojis on the comment? OP sounds like a jerk.
You might have seen jokes on social media about Americans and Europeans taking vacations. The jokes suggest that Europeans have extended breaks while Americans hardly take any time off, even working during their days off.
Though these jokes are exaggerated, there's some truth to them. Most countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have laws setting minimum paid time off for workers, but the United States doesn't. American vacation time often depends on employers' decisions.
In comparison, countries like France legally require a minimum of 30 days of paid leave, plus holidays. This significant difference in vacation policies can make a move to Europe seem quite appealing.
You've probably seen this before in TV shows or real life: teenagers telling their parents they can't enter their room. It's a common situation, but it can still be surprising.
In some American households, it's seen as a way for teenagers to assert their independence. However, in many other cultures, it's quite amusing to think that you can dictate what your parents can do in their own home. Unless you own the house, trying to control your parents' actions is usually met with disapproval.
me and my friends getting 20 nuggets for 20 dollars (Australian currency)
We could keep talking about American things all day, which would be fun. But for now, if you're curious or feeling nostalgic, check out the rest of our American-only pictures. Upvote the ones that bring back memories or make you want to visit the United States.
F U!! diabetes is NOT caused by overeating junk, ‘type 2 diabetes’ is in some cases, there are 7 types of diabetes and all of them except type 2 and gestational diabetes are down to genetics, they are autoimmune conditions. Hate that it is ok to mock and joke about diabetics being fat and unhealthy when it’s factually inaccurate you are talking about a proportion of type 2 sufferers and you are bringing every other person with every other type into that, it’s wrong. You wouldn’t write ‘now I know why y’all have cancer’ despite some cancers being caused by lifestyle choices. Diabetes is a very hard condition to have and deal with day in and day out, posts like this only push the inaccurate stereotype and make it all the hard for sufferers to be taken seriously, respected and treated right. A health/medical condition SHOULD NEVER BE THE PUNCHLINE OF A JOKE
Note: this post originally had 43 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Blehhh... can we get a FUN post about the USA please? This European gets tired of this whiny shti
I think they (OPs) are from Central or South America. They use a word we don't use in Spain: mani (=peanut). Spanish people wouldn't understand what you are talking about.
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I'm really confused by the "Oh NO! Groceries come in large packages!" posts. Most Americans drive to a supermarket once a week or so, some of us have multiple children. Sometimes we even host parties. Are we supposed to buy all our food in tiny single serving packages?
I don't think they grasp that our nation has realllllllly big distances. We went to the grocery store "in town" twice a month whenI was a kid. It was too far to go every day to pick up the day's meals. It's just a different set-up. That's all. No "good/bad", just what it is. It used to be common in the US (and Canada!!!) to buy 3-6 months of food from a store at a time b/c it'd be that long before you could make the long-a** trip back to town! We don't live on top of ourselves. It's just different. (And why mock the attire? What's wrong with jeans and t-shirts? I see this in Europe. I see it in Latin America. Why pick on the uS about it?)
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And of course this is posted on Patriot Day. The 22nd anniversary of September 11th. How about instead of another thread bashing the US, maybe something nice instead?
Wow...ok. This post was really reaching for things to make fun of. I like how they act like this is all unique to America. It's not. I've lived in several other countries, and have traveled to even more. Guess what? They all like their sugar. Europe has amazing candy stores. They all like their fried foods. Best fried food I've ever had was in Japan. I've known fat Japanese, and German people. I'm not a fan of guns, but America s are hardly the only ones who like them, and collect them. And the patriotism thing, totally not unique to America. We play a lot of geoguessr. Nine times out of ten we can figure out which country we're in because multuple houses or businesses are flying the country flag. This happens all over.
The disconnect for me is that this is the site which often posts such aggregated content as “44 Reasons Why Bullying is Toxic Which Will Make Your Heart Have the Feels” (an approximation) and “Teen Woman Uses Malicious Compliance to Overpower the Bully who Ate Her Poodle,” and is so virulently anti-bullying UNLESS you’re American, have money, have no money, are over forty, are a mother, have slightly different taste, live in a house decorated to your own tastes, eat certain foods, don’t eat certain foods, have individualistic fashion sense, are a man, etc. THEN…then, it’s okay to make fun. I don’t get it.
Me neither. This list just made me feel bad
Load More Replies... Just another post from whiny foreigners who didn't bother to visit any place nice in the USA.
What a pointless post. Most of these aren't normal everyday things in the US. SO dumb.
Whoa! I hadn’t heard about gaps in toilet stalls in almost 24 hours! This is really hilarious and original! And howzabout all that milk we drink, amirite?
You want "strange f*cked up"? Try countries where even after you gain citizenship, you still can't vote. What's that about? In the US, you get the citizenship, you vote. In some European (and therefore allegedly superior countries), no. Which I find weird. If you're a citizen, shouldn't you be allowed to vote, regardless of your origins? Apparently, the US is much more liberal than some of Europe. Let's talk about *that*. Or how Brits think a mass yoga session is a mass murder and eat puddings called "spotted d**k", which in medical terms in the US means "get the antibiotics, this guy has a serious problem". How about the lack of social connection with people you see every day on the train in, say, Japan? How about the ability to say really stupid sh*t without being arrested? That's not true in many nations, but is true in the US. Yes, we have Walmart. Europe has IKEA. Get over it. Please. We're not all the same, how is this bad/good or even shocking?
OK, so the US has to be culturally sensitive to 193 other countries, but nobody has to care about our norms. Saying nothing is inherently bad because it's different is wrong. Let me know when it's okay to have an opinion, b/c inn the US, we're allowed.
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Europe: “warmongering, persecuting minorities, firearms, processed sugar addiction! Where did you get it? Answer me! Who taught you how to do this stuff?” USA: "You, alright?! I learned it by watching you!"
Well we didn't expect you to keep on doing it for this long.
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The nearest grocery store for me is a 25 minute drive. That's why I have one big monthly shopping trip and I budget the money & gas and keep the receipts in a ledger. I have a master list of the items in my house that I buy; canned goods, household needs (dish soap, batteries, etc), bathroom items, dog stuff, cleaning supplies, all of it. This is often the reason why food products and other things have "family size" or "party packs" (also for big families!). I'm the person buying them, they need to last a month! 😂
it's like they just ran out of things so they were like WALMART! TARGET! ...yes, these stores exist here.
99 % of these are about the f****d up Trump states not the normal blue states
If you're an adult, and you still believe your limited, localized experience is sufficient data from which to draw conclusions about the whole, you still need to grow up. OP is doing the equivalent of disliking mushrooms and concluding that all vegetables are garbage.
Blehhh... can we get a FUN post about the USA please? This European gets tired of this whiny shti
I think they (OPs) are from Central or South America. They use a word we don't use in Spain: mani (=peanut). Spanish people wouldn't understand what you are talking about.
Load More Replies... I'm really confused by the "Oh NO! Groceries come in large packages!" posts. Most Americans drive to a supermarket once a week or so, some of us have multiple children. Sometimes we even host parties. Are we supposed to buy all our food in tiny single serving packages?
I don't think they grasp that our nation has realllllllly big distances. We went to the grocery store "in town" twice a month whenI was a kid. It was too far to go every day to pick up the day's meals. It's just a different set-up. That's all. No "good/bad", just what it is. It used to be common in the US (and Canada!!!) to buy 3-6 months of food from a store at a time b/c it'd be that long before you could make the long-a** trip back to town! We don't live on top of ourselves. It's just different. (And why mock the attire? What's wrong with jeans and t-shirts? I see this in Europe. I see it in Latin America. Why pick on the uS about it?)
Load More Replies... And of course this is posted on Patriot Day. The 22nd anniversary of September 11th. How about instead of another thread bashing the US, maybe something nice instead?
Wow...ok. This post was really reaching for things to make fun of. I like how they act like this is all unique to America. It's not. I've lived in several other countries, and have traveled to even more. Guess what? They all like their sugar. Europe has amazing candy stores. They all like their fried foods. Best fried food I've ever had was in Japan. I've known fat Japanese, and German people. I'm not a fan of guns, but America s are hardly the only ones who like them, and collect them. And the patriotism thing, totally not unique to America. We play a lot of geoguessr. Nine times out of ten we can figure out which country we're in because multuple houses or businesses are flying the country flag. This happens all over.
The disconnect for me is that this is the site which often posts such aggregated content as “44 Reasons Why Bullying is Toxic Which Will Make Your Heart Have the Feels” (an approximation) and “Teen Woman Uses Malicious Compliance to Overpower the Bully who Ate Her Poodle,” and is so virulently anti-bullying UNLESS you’re American, have money, have no money, are over forty, are a mother, have slightly different taste, live in a house decorated to your own tastes, eat certain foods, don’t eat certain foods, have individualistic fashion sense, are a man, etc. THEN…then, it’s okay to make fun. I don’t get it.
Me neither. This list just made me feel bad
Load More Replies... Just another post from whiny foreigners who didn't bother to visit any place nice in the USA.
What a pointless post. Most of these aren't normal everyday things in the US. SO dumb.
Whoa! I hadn’t heard about gaps in toilet stalls in almost 24 hours! This is really hilarious and original! And howzabout all that milk we drink, amirite?
You want "strange f*cked up"? Try countries where even after you gain citizenship, you still can't vote. What's that about? In the US, you get the citizenship, you vote. In some European (and therefore allegedly superior countries), no. Which I find weird. If you're a citizen, shouldn't you be allowed to vote, regardless of your origins? Apparently, the US is much more liberal than some of Europe. Let's talk about *that*. Or how Brits think a mass yoga session is a mass murder and eat puddings called "spotted d**k", which in medical terms in the US means "get the antibiotics, this guy has a serious problem". How about the lack of social connection with people you see every day on the train in, say, Japan? How about the ability to say really stupid sh*t without being arrested? That's not true in many nations, but is true in the US. Yes, we have Walmart. Europe has IKEA. Get over it. Please. We're not all the same, how is this bad/good or even shocking?
OK, so the US has to be culturally sensitive to 193 other countries, but nobody has to care about our norms. Saying nothing is inherently bad because it's different is wrong. Let me know when it's okay to have an opinion, b/c inn the US, we're allowed.
Load More Replies... Europe: “warmongering, persecuting minorities, firearms, processed sugar addiction! Where did you get it? Answer me! Who taught you how to do this stuff?” USA: "You, alright?! I learned it by watching you!"
Well we didn't expect you to keep on doing it for this long.
Load More Replies... The nearest grocery store for me is a 25 minute drive. That's why I have one big monthly shopping trip and I budget the money & gas and keep the receipts in a ledger. I have a master list of the items in my house that I buy; canned goods, household needs (dish soap, batteries, etc), bathroom items, dog stuff, cleaning supplies, all of it. This is often the reason why food products and other things have "family size" or "party packs" (also for big families!). I'm the person buying them, they need to last a month! 😂
it's like they just ran out of things so they were like WALMART! TARGET! ...yes, these stores exist here.
99 % of these are about the f****d up Trump states not the normal blue states
If you're an adult, and you still believe your limited, localized experience is sufficient data from which to draw conclusions about the whole, you still need to grow up. OP is doing the equivalent of disliking mushrooms and concluding that all vegetables are garbage.
