ADVERTISEMENT

People might not fully understand how deeply rooted some cultural things are until they submerge themselves in a completely different environment. Whether it’s something they miss about home when being abroad or something they wish home had, it only accentuates that no two places in the world are the same.

Both cases were discussed by redditors who revealed things they only realized were very American after going abroad. Their answers covered everything from sugar consumption to healthcare, cars, restaurant service, and everything in between; scroll down to find them below and get acquainted with what some US citizens consider typically American.

#1

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad In Ireland right now, it’s cruel that we force our grocery store clerks to stand up for their entire shift. They are allowed to sit in Ireland when scanning items, and I don’t see any good reason why we don’t allow that back home.

randomman2071983 , Kampus Production Report

Add photo comments
POST
eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, they sit in my country as well. Seems like the natural thing to do, considering how long shifts are.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

Ketchup. There's only one bottle of ketchup in France. They pass it around from restaurant to restaurant when an American requests it.

chortle-guffaw Report

#3

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad The walk-ability of non-American cities is something out of a utopian dream.

tacojohn44 , Lu Pir Report

Add photo comments
POST
editor_16 avatar
Sue Denham
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've noticed American people wanting to drive from one shop to another even when they're 100m or less away, where Kiwis (and , I assume, most nationalities) will park in one place and walk from shop to shop before returning to their car to drive home.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

I have dual nationality and live in the USA, but I still travel a lot to Europe.
Why the hell do we pixel women’s nipples on TV? It is a f*****g nipple. We sell arms to kids, and we have violent movies, but we pixel a nipple.

Rejotalin79 Report

Add photo comments
POST
derwolf81 avatar
Ak_Teren
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thats because your baptist taliban gets outraged at everything remotely connected to sexuality

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Paying for ambulances and health care…

No-Method-7736 Report

Add photo comments
POST
eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is something very dystopian about being afraid to call an ambulance because you would get in crippling debt.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#6

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Sugar. When I visited Japan, even some of their sweetest desserts pale in comparison to how much sugar is in American food.

Bulky-Ambassador-638 , Tim Gouw Report

Add photo comments
POST
federicocantoni avatar
Jrog
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Quantity of sugar -or corn syrup- in american food is disgusting for anyone not used to it. On sweets, it's way too much. On the rest of the food, it should not even be there, so why the hell do you put it in? Your breakfast yogurt is sweeter than our cream desserts. Ketchup, BBQ sauce and even tomato sauces taste like candy. Breakfast cereals taste like sugar. Iced tea is basically syrup without any taste of tea. Even canned beans commonly have sugar on the ingredient list.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#7

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad When I traveled overseas I was surprised at how the public bathroom stalls gave so much more privacy. Like a full door to the floor in most places.

shannoniscats , Tim Mossholder Report

#8

The fact that tax is calculated on top of the price on the tag. I'd assume that every foreigner would think they're getting ripped off at the register because it costs more than the price tag. Every other place I've been, the price is the price. (And coins have numbers on them!).

whatevs42069 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Tipping. I had a waitress in Okinawa chase me into the parking lot with some change I left on the table.

sunlover010:

Went to Europe and tipped 20% and the servers acted extremely grateful. Like, a weird amount. After a while we finally asked a server what was up with that, and they said that in their country they are paid a living wage so tips don’t really mean much for them. They were very happy even with 10%.

bigedthebad , cottonbro studio Report

Add photo comments
POST
missir2u avatar
Winnie the Moo
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Inhumane to do work like in the service industry (where customers can be very rude and demanding) and not get paid a living wage…

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#10

A bizarre obsession with the national flag.

It’s not like countries dislike their own flags—you’ll see plenty of them at political events or international sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics—but they don’t typically fly a 6-foot flag from their trucks or hang them up in their churches. I don’t think most of them have a big national anthem ceremony at their domestic sporting events or have the military jets fly over them.

FriedrichHydrargyrum Report

#11

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Obesity.

There are obese people everywhere and obesity is unfortunately apparently on the rise in most Western countries at least, but the obesity rate in the US is particularly remarkable, and not in a good way. I've had the good fortune of traveling to Europe three times in the last three years and I've gone to Brazil every year since 2010 to visit my in-laws. Do I see obese people in Europe and in Brazil? Absolutely, but they are often Americans visiting. And it's interesting because I never really seem to notice all the fit people in Europe and Brazil when I arrive there, but I do notice all the obese people when I return to the US. Very striking.

Water-Donkey , Andres Ayrton Report

Add photo comments
POST
eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This corresponds to the one about having too much sugar in American food. Carbs are the fastest route to being overweight.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#12

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Lived abroad 7 years. We're LOUD. I can hear my countrymen coming up the street going on about how they just had to pay to use the RESTROOM. :D

gorska_koza , Andrea Piacquadio Report

Add photo comments
POST
eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't worry, you are hardly the only ones. From my experience, Greeks and Albanians can be pretty loud as well.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#13

How ignorant we are, particularly of world history and geography.

walrusdoom Report

Add photo comments
POST
sonja-szabrotska avatar
Sonja
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But to be honest, most people in Europe wouldn't place US states in the right places too. I know I wouldn't be able to do that.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

Minimum parking laws and garbage public transportation.

Going to Japan and seeing how accessible everything is made me question my whole life. Bikes and trains are just the better option and I'll resent oil executives for the rest of my life for the way they sabotaged the US transportation system.

Krovixis Report

Add photo comments
POST
wandiledludlu avatar
Sum Guy
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The funny thing is that they still do this... remember when California announced plans for a high-speed rail and immediately had Elon talk about the Hyperloop and it being faster and more "cleaner"... California has been struggling to get funding since car companies also wanted funding for their vanity projects which will never be implemented...

View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad When I moved to the UK, my flatmates asked how in movies people would stick their hands in the sink drain and it be ripped apart. I told them about sink garbage disposals and they were very weirded out.

[deleted] , wikipedia.org Report

Add photo comments
POST
missir2u avatar
Winnie the Moo
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Honest question here: why would you not just throw your leftovers in the trash?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#16

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Ranch dressing. I guess I was vaguely aware that it was American, but I hadn't realized how much.

If you want to hear a whole pub stop and glare at you, go to Ireland and ask for ranch for your fries.

thatandyinhumboldt , wikipedia.org Report

Add photo comments
POST
sarah-jones avatar
sbj
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ranch Flavour Doritos=Cool American in Europe, we don't know what the hell Ranch dressing is

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad I remember the Germans all being shocked that to do anything like drinking or smoking you needed to be 21 but to buy a rifle you only need to be 18. Well they were also just shocked you can just go buy a gun in most places here whenever you like pretty much.

thingologist , Isabella Mendes Report

Add photo comments
POST
eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The whole notion of students going to school with bulletproof backpacks and having "shooter drills" is also pretty shocking to us...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#18

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Eating so damn fast. It seemed in Europe it’s normal to spend 2 hours at a restaurant, at least every time we sat down it took 2-2.5 hours. In America you’re rushed out of your table as fast as possible so the waiter can make more tips.

Spiritual_Bag_9840 , RDNE Stock project Report

#19

Went to Mexico. It was a hot day so we stopped at a bar to grab some cold sodas. They came in glass bottles, so we paid and just left the bar to continue walking. About 5 minutes later, the bartender chased us down and made us pour the soda into paper cups and he took the bottles to return for a deposit.

Realized how much America is a throwaway society.

mission-ctrl Report

Add photo comments
POST
blazerfury420 avatar
RavenTheCat
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually i love Mexico's glass bottle sodas and that's super cool, i really wish we recycled like that ourselves

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Pharmaceutical commercials.

Murbella0909:

It scared me so much when I was in the USA for the first time! Is like those happy people doing happy things while someone described the most terrifying side effects ever!

LittleBiggle , Artem Podrez Report

Add photo comments
POST
stefanscheiben avatar
The Scout
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never understood the rationale behind "Please tell your doctor what he should prescribe, after all you know better than he does after seeing a twenty second commercial." Those are medical professionals. They should assign medication by what is needed, not what you saw on TV last night. Ads for prescription drugs simply do not make any sense.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

I was born in America, then we moved to Japan from the time I was 4 until I was 8 (my dad was military) when we moved back to America, the first place we went was Dennys. I vividly remember asking my parents why the waitress kept coming to check on us, and if she thought we were doing something wrong because she seemed suspicious of us. As far as I'm aware, most countries outside of the US just leave you be and let you eat in peace. You get them when you're ready. America is very pushy because they survive on tips and need the next table to come along to make sure they can have a livelihood.

Imhereforthewearp Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#22

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Our portion sizes in restaurants.

clark_w_griswokd , Ash Report

Add photo comments
POST
federicocantoni avatar
Jrog
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was shocked when in a burger joint on the US-Canadian border I found the "quadruple half pounder" burger. That's 1 kg of meat, plus bacon, condiments, and about 1 kg of fries and free drinks.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

Air conditioning so cold in public spaces that you need a jacket. It’s one example of how wasteful we are with electricity.

crunchybaguette Report

#24

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Yellow school buses. They are all over the US and Canada, but apparently not in the rest of the world.

Ineffable7980x , wikipedia.org Report

Add photo comments
POST
eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most students around here use the public transportation buses to go to school. Several private schools do have their own buses, but it's a rarity.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad I didn’t realize how much less common baseball hats were, I studied abroad in Prague and my teacher said that’s a good way to spot an American.

bulbipicg , Mathias Reding Report

Add photo comments
POST
boredpanda1_1 avatar
Becky Samuel
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They're only really worn in the UK in a uniform dark colour and in combination with a hoodie. This provides instant protection against being identified by cameras in case of an 'opportunity' presenting itself.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Lack of personal space. I was in India and when lineing /queuing up people were so close I thought they were trying to pick poket me. Then I saw they did that to everyone. I'm used to my bubble of space in America.

sneezhousing Report

#27

Constant competition. I realize that competition exists around the world in one form or another, but the concept of “best vs worst”, or “good, better, best” is deeply engrained in the American psyche. Things can’t be simply different, there must be good vs bad.

Mrcostarica Report

Add photo comments
POST
zeljkoklaric78_1 avatar
Bernd Herbert
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a very good point! Watching all these Highschool Movies as a kid I always wondered, why they had that weird Prom King/Queen thing? At my end of school party we simply got drunk and had a great time.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Whenever I order a soda in Europe and it arrives with no ice in it, a bald eagle dies.

earther199 , Ron Lach Report

Add photo comments
POST
missir2u avatar
Winnie the Moo
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ugg, I hate it when restaurants put ice in my drinks! It waters the taste down, come on!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Hearing gunshots all the time. My wife and I were in the UK, and there was a holiday happening in one of the boroughs in London (can't remember which one). We were staying in an Airbnb and we asked our host if it was a dangerous neighborhood . We got a look as if we were aliens and she said something along the lines of, "are you scared of fireworks?" My wife and I laughed saying, "we thought they were gunshots." Our poor host looked so horrified at how cavalier we were about how many "gunshots" there were (it was not a lot of fireworks, maybe a bang every 10-20 seconds). We had to explain that it's not out of the ordinary to hear gunshots most days where we live in the US. I hope she's ok and we didn't cause her any permanent damage. She may never visit the US though.... 

ScarofReality , Meruyert Gonullu Report

#30

Feeling unsafe when you went outside. deep in germany, even during the anti-american protests, i felt way safer than i ever have in America. I know there are other turbulent places of course, but living here you worry about what unhinged a*****e has a gun and wants to f**k s**t up today. just a few weeks ago my sister was at work at chapel hill in NC when someone went and shot up the science center and she was on lockdown, f****n hiding and just hoping she would make it out to pick her daughter up from school. F**K that s**t.

blondemarley89 Report

Add photo comments
POST
oktopus1973 avatar
oktopus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have literally been in one supermarket in the US, and a while back I was reading the news in my country, and one of the headlines was a shooting in a supermarket in the only town I've been to in the US, and yes it was that same supermarket.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

Is no one talking about health insurance yet? It blew my mind coming to the UK and people go to the same doctor every time. I don't think I ever went to the same doctor twice in the US because of changing insurance so often working various jobs.

whatevs42069 Report

Add photo comments
POST
zeljkoklaric78_1 avatar
Bernd Herbert
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't even understand that. Why would you change insurances for different jobs? Why would you change doctors for different insurances?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#32

The cost of medication and how easily accessible it is.
The stupid hoops I had to go through to get my prescription in America is so frustrating. I've been on the same medication for well over a decade, and my last refill, my insurance decided to deny it for some stupid reason. Took 3 weeks for them to refill it.

When I was in South Korea, took less than an hour.

AnotherAnimeNerd Report

Add photo comments
POST
sexyminxkat avatar
Katy Thomason-Stewart
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have certain life long medical conditions - in the UK this makes me exempt from paying prescription charges. I would have been bankrupt and dead long ago if I lived in America!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Free refills on soft drinks. On our study abroad trip to Italy we jokingly called Hard Rock Cafe the US Embassy because that was the only place for it.

agentbunnybee , Caleb Oquendo Report

Add photo comments
POST
wloginw avatar
Donkeywheel
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You went to Italy of all places to go to hard rock cafe ? What’s wrong with these people..?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Eye contact while speaking to people. Americans don't break eye contact easily so depending where you go, I've been told it comes off as aggressive.

These_Bicycle_4314 , August de Richelieu Report

Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I REALLY struggle to keep eye contact for any amount of time, I feel like I am glaring at someone.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

I didn’t go abroad to learn this, but I worked on staff for a Very Big International Sporting Event (but not the one with the rings) and we provided lockers with built in combination locks like you’d see in any American public school for journalists to store equipment (computers, cameras etc.) in.

What no one realized was that if you didn’t attend public school in North America, you’ve apparently never seen such a thing before, and the whole “go three times past zero to the right and stop on the first number, turn past zero once to the left and stop in the second number, then back to the right immediately to the third number” is an incomprehensible system.

After a few days of hearing cursing in every language you can imagine, and seeing grown adults brought to tears or rage or both, we ended up assigning a troop of volunteers whose entire job for two weeks was opening lockers for non-North Americans.

Lesson learned!

Far-Ad5796 Report

Add photo comments
POST
laura_ketteridge avatar
arthbach
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've read the instructions three times, and it's still incomprehensible! If I had the instructions in front of me as I was doing it, I'd manage, but just being expected to be able to do this.... yoicks!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#36

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Root beer is apparently disgusting and an offense to most of the world's palate.

Routine-Aspect1000 , wikipedia.org Report

Add photo comments
POST
bees_churns0d avatar
rdevhall avatar
CascadedFalls
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damn, as someone who grew up loving root beer ( still do) , this hurt me on an emotional level, but I can see why you wouldn't like the taste.

Load More Replies...
janosschumacher avatar
Janos Schumacher
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It just happens to taste like medicine to Europeans. Just like how artificial Cherry tastes like Robutussin sometimes. Try Moxie cola some time if you can find it. Tastes straight-up like medicine.

blazerfury420 avatar
pobibe3630 avatar
Dr Robert Neville
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Noooooo. I'm a Brit and I love root beer, was very upset when MaccyD's took it off the menu. Mountain Dew however should be used as a form of torture.

juliesnelling avatar
Julie S
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I as going to say the same thing loved when McDonald's had root beer on the menu in the UK.

Load More Replies...
kathrynbaylis avatar
Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Root Beer is an acquired tasted, as is its cousin, Sarsparilla. As someone who, as a child, used to cut tender twigs off of Sassafras plants, peel the bark off, and chew on the tender middle, I love the flavor. But I can see how someone who isn’t used to it could react negatively to it. At least until they find their brand of root beer/sarsaparilla, that is, since the region, brands are all just that much different.

mphalter avatar
Sans Serif (Sans)
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thanks for that, Kathryn! There really ARE so many varieties and many of the micro-breweries here in the northeast have created their own amazing recipes (and some serve it on draft). Commercially bottled/canned root beer tends to be dreadful - just like a good many beers.

Load More Replies...
sbarber999 avatar
John Harrison
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Root beer is delicious, although in America it's gotten too sweet, along with everything else. For those who have birch beer available in their store, give it a try.

dionemaddern avatar
Landithy
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well yeah. But my country invented Vegemite so whatever.

eyelessonex avatar
Corvus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Heh, one of my friends said it tasted like "cow pee." Never asked him how he knew what cow pee tasted like :P

fatharry4 avatar
Fat Harry
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like rootbeer. McDonald's used to sell it in the UK in the 80s.

danpadgett avatar
Sarcastic Jock
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm Scottish and love root beer. Picked up the taste for it while working in yankland though.

imamanimal avatar
Ima Manimal
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sassafras. It’s an acquired taste. The frothier and colder, the better.

afiakooma avatar
itisdarkestbeforedawn78 avatar
Beck
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why it is. Soda. I like the generic kind, like store brand versions. They are not as strong.

Load More Replies...
josephlimbrick avatar
Joseph Limbrick
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to say as an OZI I could not get enough A&W root beer . I loved that stuff. DR PEPPER , not so much

jppurves avatar
JP Purves
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not everyone in the U.S. likes root beer. I'm sure there are regional drinks worldwide that would be considered equally disgusting and offensive.

rhondaberaun avatar
Caiman 94920
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love root beer, especially with pizza. When we were kids once a week we would end up at a pizza parlor with parents and their best friends. Pizzas ordered, a pitcher of beer for the adults and a pitcher of root beer for the kids. When my husband first came here from Peru, he complained that root beer tasted like medicine, he was used to the overly sweet Inca Cola (which tasted like Double Bubble bubble gum) but after 30+ years of marriage, my root beer disappears mysteriously.....the flavor grows on you

fredneobob90 avatar
Huddo's sister
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hadn't realised it was sarsaparilla flavour, so when I went to Canada my sister and I tried one and had a sip each before throwing it out! We hate waste, but just can't do that horrible stuff (except notably one time I was drunk, I went on and on about how I'd never had it before and loved it. Woke up the next day and realised my mistake!).

realenancy170 avatar
realenancy170
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just recently found out that root beer is loathed by most people besides americans. Blew my mind! I have always loved root beer, birch beer and sasparilla as a special treat.

barefoot_bree avatar
Bree Piper
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes it is. But as a lifelong Dr Pepper addict who can’t have caffeine any more, and as all other soft drinks are too sweet, and I can’t find any other kind of drink I like as well…. I’m stuck with root beer. If only they’d bring back sarsaparilla - I dug that bubblegum flavor.

sherry_straus_94 avatar
Fairsher
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love A & W Root Beer, used to be served in frosted mugs, soooo good!!

mentalliberals11 avatar
Mental Liberals
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Real root beer is great! Most is just high fructose corn syrup and artificial everything!!

wesleystewart avatar
The Chocolate Gecko
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Think about it. The ONLY way that root beer is palatable is with a giant scoop of ice cream in the glass, a root beer float. Grody.

robindjw avatar
Robin DJW
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Americans say the same thing about Vegemite. You gotta grow up with it.

amo_c71 avatar
Amo Mazzuchelli
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People have to learn how to eat vegemite and not eat it off a spoon like Nutella. If it's spread on bread, toast, biscuit with butter, not thick and then tried I reckon more people would like it

Load More Replies...
michaellargey avatar
Michael Largey
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lots of unfamiliar food or drink gives that initial impression.

rdennis avatar
R Dennis
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I counter your hate of root beer with osmanthus tea and rose or lavender drinks.

chrisdomres avatar
keyboardtek
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Root beer is my only favorite flavor. But with so many brands they all have their own character. IBC is my gold standard.

maxrobitzsch avatar
Max Robitzsch
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not sure if it would taste the same, but root beer is reasonably well known in Germany.

blazerfury420 avatar
RavenTheCat
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an American who loves rootbeer, i. Respectfully laughing x3

cara_6 avatar
Blue Bunny of Happiness
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tastes like savlon (ointment for grazes/cuts) smells. Or was it germolene? Long time since I’ve been near either. The joys of being that middle age where you fall over less than at either end of your lifespan!

oktopus1973 avatar
oktopus
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tried some once, reminded me of medicine I had as a child, and felt like it would melt my teeth.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#37

Not american but I'm surprised to not see americans mention going outside dressed like s**t... In France it may take 20 minutes to get ready to go grab something for breakfast or walk the dog, but nobody would go out in PJs or kinda-workout clothes...

justinmarsan Report

Add photo comments
POST
zeljkoklaric78_1 avatar
Bernd Herbert
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For a more detailed study I recommend visiting the breakfast at any large chain hotel in the US.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#38

I was in Germany and had people asking how far I lived from certain American landmarks. They would get a strange, kind of “wow” expression on their face when I told them.

Turns out they were just getting a kick out of the fact I was explaining it by time and not distance.

DudebroggieHouser Report

Add photo comments
POST
sbarber999 avatar
John Harrison
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It makes sense to describe it by time. Ten miles in the city is entirely different than ten miles in the country.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#39

I learned that American fast food is disgusting and way overpriced.

Out in Seoul you can almost guarantee that you'll find a fried chicken and beer place, and barely pay anything for a delicious meal. Korea changed my world on food.

SecretAgentVampire Report

Add photo comments
POST
loriscellphone avatar
PhaseWitFact
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

TBF I've been in McDonald's in Spain. It was as gross as the McDonalds here in the US.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#40

Half and half. I watched an American family try to order coffee in London with half and half and the server just kept saying “half what?” and neither side understood what was happening.

scotchplaid87 Report

#41

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad In America , we’ve normalized bad restaurants. For example, when I go to a restaurant in the US, I do so with the expectation that there’s at least a 50% chance it will suck. I’ve been to Italy and Japan. In both places I could go to restaurants expecting them to be good nearly 100% of the time. American restaurants on the whole just take food less seriously.

traanquil , Pixabay Report

#42

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Peanut butter is in the international foods section, and many people don't like it. It also amazes me how much American culture is all over the world. Like our movies and TV shows.

ElectionProper8172 , Karolina Grabowska Report

#43

To-go cups and coffee. It's EVERYWHERE in the states... but after a red-eye to Barcelona I just wanted to get a huge coffee and walk around. Wrong. Get a table at a cafe.. order a tiny coffee and a croissant, and relax for an hour. This is the Spanish way. The only place I ever saw 'to-go' like I was used to is Costa Cofee and Starbucks, which were only in a few touristy areas (thankfully).


Also drive-thru. Apparently it's not a thing most places in Europe (obviously driving for everything is less common). One person we met said that after they had lived in the states for 20 years and moved back to Europe they were spotted eating in their car. Apparently this was such a rare sight that a total stranger stopped to ask if she was OK. When she replied 'yes' the only response was "wow, you must have been REALLY hungry to eat in your car".

sSnowblind Report

#44

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad How trustworthy they are in places like Iceland. My buddy and I went to Iceland and he left his ATM card on top of the ATM when we first got there because it was a redeye flight and we hadn’t really slept. We went to get our car from the car rental place realize he didn’t have it, went back, and despite being in a public place for about an hour no one had touched it.

SkekVen , Liliana Drew Report

Add photo comments
POST
loriscellphone avatar
PhaseWitFact
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not an American thing. I've traveled a lot and I'm most countries I have to carry my money and passport in a tight fitting bag under my shirt so it won't get stolen.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#45

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad This probably isn't exclusive to America, just places with certain plumbing, but I took it for granted that we can flush our toilet paper. Going to Ecuador it was a shock to see that they had trash cans in each stall for throwing it away. Definitely smelled terrible.

Birdhairs , hermaion Report

Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A lot of places don't have the plumbing to handle toilet paper.

View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#46

I have no idea how to ride a train.

milkkiller999 Report

Add photo comments
POST
tgsbbh avatar
ToGo
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You have to let it smell your hand first. Gently pet it and when it finally trusts you it will open it's door and let you hop on.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#47

Right turn on red. (In places like the UK, Australia, and Japan, the equivalent would be left turn on red.)

I thought turning on a red light (unless a sign says its forbidden) was normal. Being pulled over by a cop in Taiwan, followed by online discussions about my experience, showed me that it's a very American thing.

Most other countries either forbid it altogether or allow it only when there's a sign or light saying you can. Apparently South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines are among the few countries that follow the American model (turns on red permitted unless otherwise indicated).

BubbhaJebus Report

Add photo comments
POST
sonja-szabrotska avatar
Sonja
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Red means stop. In CZ if you are allowed to go in certain direction - there would be a green arrow in the direction you can go. Or the whole traffic light for the direction as such.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#48

Red Solo Cups.

I went to an American themed party once and the hostess was super excited that she was able to order the cups off of Amazon for the party.

khelwen Report

Add photo comments
POST
zeljkoklaric78_1 avatar
Bernd Herbert
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Been to lots of parties here (Germany). We simply used glasses and plates or drank beer out of the bottle. Not really a need for single use plastic c**p

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#49

Ads for lawyers. Attorneys if you are highbrow. We have so many on TV yelling about being hit by a truck and CALL ME RIGHT NOW or dial a single digit multiple times or “I am a multimillionaire corporation that sues companies since they have gobs of liquid cash”.

rbarr228 Report

Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saw an amazing amount of billboard advertising lawyers when in Florida

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#50

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Free public toilets everywhere you go. I cannot believe the rest of the world is a “pay to pee” society.

No-Carry4971 , Possessed Photography Report

Add photo comments
POST
bees_churns0d avatar
Thom Cornell
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Australia has free public toilets and it amazingly is a part of the rest of the world.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#51

Having coin money with NO value written on it in numerals. Also the dime looks insanely small compared to most coins.

SmittyComic Report

#52

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Bumper stickers.

sumosloths:


Any kind of car customization in general, even down to license plate frames. Pretty much every car I saw in Europe looked super generic.

Taco_Bella_ , Andrew Magill Report

#53

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Sit-down bookstores.

Tsurumah , Pixabay Report

Add photo comments
POST
scrapiechick avatar
Scrappychick
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My local second hand Bookshop is huge and has sofas for people to take a pew and read.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#54

Escalator Etiquette.
I cannot speak for every country, but in the UK, it's strongly frowned upon to stand in the middle or left side of the escalator; that side is meant for walkers only. Think of it as a fast lane. Supposedly, if you stand in the way, you're liable to get pushed aside or exaggeratingly huffed at.

I pride myself on a high social IQ so if this is common sense in America and I just didn't know about it I apologize!

SnooApples6592 Report

Add photo comments
POST
matthewhoare avatar
Head_on_a_Stick
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The escalators in the London Underground have instructions to this effect.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#55

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Large parking lots and always having guaranteed free parking available wherever you go.

Fluffy_Psychology_44 , Stephan Müller Report

Add photo comments
POST
sonja-szabrotska avatar
Sonja
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

emm...we need cities for people, not for cars. Yes, it is problem with parking, but in general - parking lots are waste of space...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#56

SUVs. I only saw three in France, and one had Florida tags.

DerwoodMcDaniel Report

Add photo comments
POST
federicocantoni avatar
Jrog
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

SUVs are common, but are generally smaller than the american ones. Pickup trucks are not common at all. The most common american SUV in 2023 is the Ford Expedition, that is 564 cm long, 237 cm wide, 194 cm high. The most common European SUV in 2023 is the Dacia Duster, that is 434 x 180 x 169 cm. That's about 50% less volume. Oh, and the Duster is only the 10th most sold car in Europe, the rest are compacts

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#57

40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad Accessibility of public places. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is incredible.

DoctaDrew614 , Marcus Aurelius Report

#58

To go bags after dinner!

gold_dust_woman13 Report

#59

Clothing dryer machines. Outside of the US, most dryers in many countries are very weak. They tumble with gentle heat to get most of the moisture out but they don't dry clothes completely to "dry", they're still damp. Usually after "drying" one finishes them on a clothes line. Many view the kind of full dryers we have in America to be extremely wasteful of electricity.

tmntnyc Report

Add photo comments
POST
andrew-w00197 avatar
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Slightly puzzled by this one. Of course, our dryers will completely dry our clothes. But we only use ours when the weather isn't suitable for line drying, whatever the time of year.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#60

I doubt this is restricted to America in any way, but when I studied abroad in the UK, the lack of public drinking laws was a bit of a culture shock. Being able to walk outside with a bottle of beer was very freeing.

Southern_Hunter_3860 Report

#62

Fashion. When I visited China for the first time as a 13 year old on vacation, I was dumbfounded by the sight of men wearing capris.

CasanovaFormosa Report

Add photo comments
POST
kayrose avatar
Roan The Demon Kitty
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

China is a weird place, it's either high end fashion, or.. as you say, capris and polo shirts. No inbetween. (but to be fair, afaik there's still a huge wealth gap in China, especially between the cities and more rural areas)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#63

We refrigerate a lot more things than in the Caribbean and UK. It was surprising to see things like yogurt & freshly squeezed fruit juices simply on ice on Barbados instead of a proper refrigerator.

Professional_Law_942 Report

Add photo comments
POST
sachielk avatar
StumblingThroughLife
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No need to refrigerate in the UK: Eggs; fruit; long-life/Alt milk; bread (unless it's REALLY hot weather, and we want it to last its proper sell-by-date (- edited to add, due to plastic packaging and heat = mould), but we definitely refrigerate dairy products and fresh fruit juice - and fizzy pop before we drink it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#64

This is about 25 years ago, but when i lived in South Korea, i was once asked if i wanted some dessert. My options was cola or cider (like sprite). As an American i never thought of soda as a dessert.

wildbill1221 Report

#65

Screens on windows!

Ktjoonbug Report

See Also on Bored Panda
#66

Construction safety. Walking around cities in France, I’d often find that building construction work would just spill out into the sidewalk, with nothing done to steer pedestrians away. You have to be a lot more mindful about not getting something dropped on your head, tools littering the sidewalk, sparks from welding, etc.

Expatriated_American Report

Add photo comments
POST
janrosier avatar
Jan Rosier
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Definitely not the case in Belgium, where you have to apply for permits and put up fences and warning signs if you are doing something which might take space from the sidewalk. Unless off course you own a cafe and want to set up tables outside... :-)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#67

Easy access to drinking water. I once asked for a cup of water at a coffee shop and they acted like I’d asked to eat their garbage. Also in a restaurant I asked for just plain tap water and they kept saying no we don’t have that. I know damn well you have running water, just put some in a glass, jeez.

FamousLocalJockey Report

#68

Dive bars, sports bars and wings. For example I’m currently in Argentina, I’m not saying American food is better by any means. But a regular bar is not as common here. Most places are cafes/restaurants which are great but sometimes I just want to hang out at a good neighborhood dive bar, I don’t always want to sit down at a table and it be like a dining atmosphere/experience if that makes sense with waiters and food menus, etc. There are regular bars and sports bars here but they are not as prevelant and common and because of that they are usually only in the main part of the city. Where as in Florida and a lot of other states there is always at least a few good sports bars in town.

I guess they could also be categorized as a pub, but not an English pub because the bar food there sucks. Sports bars have great happy hour deals on pitchers of beers, wings and other good bar eats. They are also great places to get work done, if you go to one during the day and there’s no major game on they usually are pretty quiet and a great place to hook up to Wi-Fi and get work done, spend a lengthy lay over in, or kill time at, if you make use of the happy hour menu you can eat actually pretty good and not break the bank. I always find myself looking for the closest thing to a sports bar when I travel. So far most the Irish pubs I’ve come across in South America are pretty good, but the wings and sliders just aren’t the same.

FloridaMan69ingurmom Report