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19 Foreigners That Visited The US Reveal What Was The Biggest Culture Shock For Them
Article created by: Austėja Akavickaitė
Going abroad almost always stuns you when you’re suddenly forced to adapt to an entirely new culture. Not to make it sound too simple but things are different elsewhere. [Gasp.] I know. But we tend to underestimate just how different life really is in other countries. And the experience can be truly jaw-dropping for some.
People who went to the United States reported back the weird and hilarious things that they noticed while there, in response to redditor Daleelab’s thread on r/AskEurope. The redditor from the Netherlands wanted to know what the biggest culture shocks were for their fellow site users. And, wow, did they respond in detail.
Their answers paint a very interesting (not to say comical) picture of the United States, from peculiar bathrooms and mega cars to huge drinks and friendly strangers. Check them out below and upvote the answers that made you smile or chuckle. American Pandas, let us know what you think in the comment section. And we can wait for all the Pandas who’ve been to the US to share their own culture shock moments.
The author of the thread, redditor Daleelab, revealed to Bored Panda more about their first trip to the Western United States back in 2014 that inspired their post in the first place. "I was 13 at the time. I presumed the US to be like Europe only bigger. Then when we arrived, it was nothing like Europe, especially the Netherlands. Somehow, I got reminded of that and I wanted to know other people’s experiences going to the US," they said.
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#1
Police are the rudest and most aggressive I have experienced anywhere in the world (and I say this as someone who's dealt with some famously prickly regimes). I go up to ask directions and they put their hand on their gun. If I have more than a single question they are basically telling me to back off and move along. I always read about conflicts between American police and citizens; with that attitude, no wonder it's a problem.
Patrick Flood 8 months ago (edited)
This is such b******t. People exaggerate so much when they talk about Americans. We have our issues yeah but this is so untruthful. There I no way you're walking around as a tourist and cops are "putting there hands on their gun". Everyone is so full of hyperbole and BS. I think humans in general feel need to lie about the dumbest smallest things. At the end of the day if you ask any foreigner this question they will make up something about fat Americans, bad police, or claim they wintessed a shooting. It's so f*****g stupid at this point.
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#2
I witnessed a mother opening several packs of sugar and sprinkle it in their kids Coca Cola. I’m still speechless.
I also can’t comprehend how people think private health insurance is a threat to their freedom or that private prisons could be a good idea.
Lastly, the gap in the toilet doors. WHY
Patrick Flood 8 months ago
This is bs. Anytime you ask someone about america they will have the same generic answers about fat asses and guns. I literally have never ever seen anyone out extra sugar in their kids soda. I just asked everyone at the bar if they gave ever seen this and eveyone laughed. Even if you did see that you saw one person do it. I'm sure I could find someone in Evey country that does something dumb like this.forigners will always always default to sterotyoes. They will claim s**t like this or say they saw a shooting or clan rally or some other b******t. Americans are normal f*****g people like everyone else. Wr have our issues but no we are not pouring extra auger into our kids soda, we all are not running around shooting at eachother and no most police are not walking around beating on people and pulling guns. Smh grow up
#3
Having to say the ”Pledge of allegiance“ every single day, not gonna lie I found that really strange because it kinda gave off North Korea vibes to me, that’s just something that would be unheard of in German schools
Patrick Flood 8 months ago
Wr don't even do that I school anymore. Wr did that in f*****g kindergarten. I've not said or heard anyone say the pledge of allegiance in line ten years. Yeah we sing the national anthem before events. This is such a lie
#4
I saw more obese and morbidly obese people than I ever had seen before in my life. Literally, before I visited NYC, I think I only once or twice saw a morbidly obese person.
#5
When I was a young child I went on holiday to Florida. I remember going to a museum and seeing a ‘non guns’ sign at the entrance. My mum has to explain to young me that in the US people regularly carried guns around, which blew my mind. Still does today.
Patrick Flood 8 months ago
You know why the Japanese didn't invade the mainland and has no plans to? There is nothing wrong with having guns. The first thing the nazis did was disarm their citizens.
#6
Any time I’m in the States I’m always shocked by the amount of homeless people. Especially in San Francisco and Los Angeless.
#8
People wear shoes inside their homes. So strange.
#9
I went to the US in 2014. We landed in San Francisco and had to rent a car. We thought: "we're in america, let's rent a big car" So we rented a "big" car. Then we joined the I101 and we were the smallest car on the road... So with our redefined car we went to the Golden Gate Bridge but we were hungry. So we stopped at a diner. My brother ordered a burger and a small 7up. He got a liter of 7up. He wasn't even halfway and the waitress came to ask if he'd like a free refill (!). To quantify the bigness would be an insult of the bigly bigness that is american lifestyle. Certainly a shock for me.
#10
The prices not including tax so you never know how much you're gonna pay because you can't multiply by 1.08875 in your head
#11
So many whackos around. People just standing in the middle of the pavement with a huge "Jesus is coming" sign or similar
Patrick Flood 8 months ago
Yeah I'm sure your country has no mental illness or homeless people.
#12
My experience was that Americans act or seem to be more friendly and personal. But it always feels like they don’t actually mean it. Don‘t get me wrong, I met great people in the US. But Europeans, especially Germans, seem to be more reserved at first or second contact.
#13
How divided everything is. There are only extremes, no in between. I thought this was mostly the case on the internet.
On the drive from the in Florida airport I saw an "the NRA is a terrorist organization" billboard right next to one advertising semi automatic (assault) rifles.
I was also surprised how many churches there were in rural Florida. Most seemed to have advertising unlike anything here in Europe. Some seemed to wage war against each other.
#14
Educational system sucks and is made to print money and throw the youth under the debt bus. Professions that don't make any sense to spend years in uni for (nurse for example) instead of doing an apprenticeship course.
Patrick Flood 8 months ago
Being a nurse is a 2 year program and you also do an internship. Another exaggeration. While it's fair to critique aspects of the U.S. education system and strive for improvement, calling it entirely 'trash' overlooks the environment that has consistently produced world-changing innovations. We shouldn't forget that foundational technologies like the internet, the personal computer, GPS, and the mobile phone network were developed here. Add to that list life-saving medical advancements like the polio vaccine, chemotherapy treatments, and cardiac defibrillators, alongside industrial shifts like the assembly line and countless everyday conveniences from the microwave oven to the modern supermarket concept.
#15
Extremely dirty and old public infrastructure - NY subway feels unsafe to use at times, some of the stations look like they're collapsing any minute now
#16
To be honest, the flag salut in school. I could not comprehend it. I had flashbacks to videos seen in history class.... Made me feel super uncomfortable.
Patrick Flood 8 months ago
Elementary students say the pledge of allegiance. Big deal. Wr also have the right to not stand or say it if we so chose.
#17
Extreme friendliness to you when you're a customer. Too much in my opinion, it made me feel uneasy
Bacon Tentacles 8 months ago
Sadly, that's what you have to do when you make your living on tips. And yet there are people who think that this means actual affection for and interest in you.
#18
The water level in the toilets, I walked into 3 different cubicles in JFK that where all seemingly blocked, until I realised that in the states the water level in the toilets is much higher, like half the bowl, where as here in Europe theres just a bit of water at the bottom.
Bacon Tentacles 8 months ago
I really can't find fault with this. And what's with the Poop Shelf in Germany?
#19
Strangers talked to me for no reason. I could be walking on the street and a total stranger would come up to me and say "nice jacket" or something similar.
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