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The United States of America is the land of the free and full of opportunities. It is one of the largest economies in the world and it has always amassed people for the life one can create there. But, like every country, it has its own way of functioning and the people living there have their own culture. And if you are also attracted to this country and would like to travel to the United States or you are planning of moving there, you should expect to encounter things you‘ve never seen before or things done differently to what you are used to.

A few days ago, Reddit user Ymij asked people to share some things Americans don‘t realize exist only in the United States. And people had a lot to say. The post got more than 10k answers and Bored Panda gathered a list of some of the most upvoted responses.

More info: Reddit

#1

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group GoFundMe being an acceptable replacement for a health care system

GTrav44 , gofundme Report

#2

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Literally being too poor to go to the doctor, but have too much income for any kind of assistance

kaden123drake , Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja Report

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Terilee Bruyere
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

THIS! I remember a time that my dad had gotten laid off and my mum was dealing with health issues. They were simply down on their luck and filed for food stamps. Due to their Canadian pension they only qualified for $18 in food stamps a month and made too much to have health insurance, just adding to the health issues.

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#3

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Tipping as a wage subsidy. Many countries don’t have tipping and those that do generally tip a small amount for good service.

Also displayed prices not including taxes or other fees.

Impossible-Buy-4090 , Wikimedia Commons Report

#4

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Pronouncing corruption as "lobbying"

GSLaaitie , RJA1988 Report

#5

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Assuming that everyone on the internet is American until proven otherwise.

Officer_Cat_Fancy_ , Steven Martin Report

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Helena R
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everything in American-English too rather than British-English. things that are translated from almost any other language into American-English rather than British-English regardless of the subject matter

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#6

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group The pledge of allegiance. If you tell people here that in America they make kids stand up and recite some prayer to a flag every single morning, they'll look at you like you just grew a third arm.

emissaryofwinds , USAG- Humphreys Report

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Karl Baxter
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We’d call that indoctrination in the UK. I remember speaking with an elderly Italian man who was a child when Mussolini came to power. He told me they were forced to do similar things at school.

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#7

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group I want to say for-profit prison systems.

These things are f***** up. If the state doesn't keep up the prisoner quota they gotta pay a fine to the company they owns the prison.

So this basically makes them try to keep existing prisoners

downtimeredditor , Molly Haggerty Report

#8

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Gender reveal parties

jemariebearimy , highlander411 Report

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John Smith
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The woman that 'created' these said they need to stop. In a recent case, a father killed himself accidently setting up one. They are of little value to many Americans, too.

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PjandBolt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd have to agree, a simple "it's a ____!" Will suffice. Gender reveal parties have literally set wildfires throughout the west before. It honestly depends though, an explosive smoke bomb or firework, nope. But a fun cake or ballon with confetti inside, that might be nice!

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Baby Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i dislike gender reveal parties because i think it's just a waste of time and also what if the child is trans or non-binary?

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PjandBolt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good point!! But if the child is trans or non binary, they'd probably figure that out when they're much older, and how would the parents know? Plz don't downvote, I'm genuinely asking, I don't know and I'd like to be educated on this! <3

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Susan Green
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These gender reveal parties have become ridiculous. What is wrong with just wishing the parent/s have a healthy baby regardless of the gender.

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BlackLabOwner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah live in Texas never been to one we just text each other ultra sounds and say the gender why waste money for a party

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Even the creator of this ridiculous thing wishes she never came up with it.

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Xan A. Du
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok. This is so confusing. We only know the sex of the baby at birth, right? We don't know the gender until they themselves understand their own gender, correct? Then why would people have a gender reveal party during pregnancy? Plus...fires.

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Sanne H.
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Literally speaking it’s only a sex reveal party. To reveal or even define its gender, the kid first needs to be born and develop some self-conscious.

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Chodz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every kid gets a gender reveal party, it´s called birth.

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Aliquid A
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You aren't even revealing the gender, you are revealing the sex.

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Alex the awful German
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We don't have them here (Germany)..To me that seems odd. But I'm really curious when this trend will arrive here and I get my first ever invitation to one. Lcukily babies are still born without having a gender reveal party.

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TheReader19
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unfortunately it's already in the UK. I really don't know how Babies were previously being born without this ( sarcasm oviouly).

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Monica Martinez Castañeda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The gender reveal of my boy: I was at an ultrasound with a friend of mine, week 12 of pregnancy. Doctor: do you want to know the gender of your baby Me: Ok! Doctor: it seems to be a boy Me: Cool! That was it :)

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Nadine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Announcing genitalia is weird to me, like what exactly are your friends and family going to do with that information.

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lara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You know something have NEVER understood is birth videos. To whom and where will you show those videos?

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Mark Fuller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just kinda weird. You're having a baby. Do we honestly give a toss what gender it is?

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Julia Hoffman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, I learned the hard way that exposing myself to guests while serving finger sandwiches does NOT make it a gender reveal party!

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Iusedtobecute
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This gender reveal party became popular around the time social media became popular. It's just another attention grabbing look at me thing that the younger generations embrace to show off on their Instagram.

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lara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Gender reveal parties" are stupid, arrogant, indefensible and nothing more than a show off action. No one cares what kind of or if you are having a "human" child. Get over yourselves. People have been having babies for millennia and it is no big deal because you can procreate.

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Jods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are some hospitals that will not reveal the gender of the baby.

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

Yeah, whenever I reveal my gender, I get arrested for public indecency.

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TheReader19
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's okay so long as your not setting the environment in fire. How do people even manage to do this?

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Ozacoter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its not. Why the gender or sex of your baby is relevant at all?

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

Stop. Just stop. Grow up, you are having a baby. Most of us do. In 1973 I had twins and I liked them both.

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

this and the necessity to paint the walls in blue or pink and buy every toy/ piece of clothes in blue/pink. you guys know other colors exist right?

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Thomas Register
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Let's proclaim our child's sexual anatomy by blowing something up!". Just plain nuts.

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𝕥𝕠𝕒𝕤𝕥
Community Member
3 years ago

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Debby Fendel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A waste of time and money unless you sell the things used to make the reveal.

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Artist... I guess
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can someone just tell me why this is so bad? I’m sure I will change my mind after I hear the reasons. I’m indifferent. 🧐

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KT
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People are too dumb to have these responsibly. Massive fires started from this nonsense

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JamesRTK
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see lots of negative comments. But why? (Except fires). Why would you be against them? What is so bad just to have fun and just another occasion to meet with family and friends? What about birthday parties? I personally found them really strange. Because we have only one birthday! X years ago. And all others are not our birthdays. But days when the new year count for our passport and other documents starts. Moreover (another argument in this thread) - who cares... Nonetheless, I have never been against birthday parties. Let’s have some fun.

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You know, putting it on Facebook for friends and family is OK, but putting it out there for everyone is ridiculous. Unless we’re really good friends, I don’t give a s**t. And if you do it in a park, sanctuary, refuge, or historical site, and leave trash or harmful chemicals behind, you should be put in jail long enough to have your baby there.

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Martin Zoul
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i've always imagined them as a bunch of people staring at a kid. then there is a drumroll and parents lift the blanket covering child's genitalia.

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Annette Easton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm in Canada, I've been to 2 of them. Did not appreciate being crammed into a space with a bunch of people I didn't know to witness the unveiling of the sex of their child. I've never understood why people want to share what to me is an intimate moment with so many people. Maybe record it and post it for others to see?

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CowboyHank
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had a gender reveal cake for our latest baby. It was just my wife and I and our 3 girls. It was a really sweet way for us all to find out at the same time.

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Leslie Burleson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Trust me , not all Americans are into this. But if you want to laugh, look up gender reveal memes

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Roxy Eastland
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's guess what the baby's genitals are going to look like . . .

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The Dave
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Agreed with Spork420. Many Americans think they're ridiculous too.

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K Miller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think a caveat should be added onto that. *over the top gender reveal parties should not be a thing. My sister had cupcakes made and filmed her oldest eating it to find out if he was getting a brother or sister. Little, cute things like that are ok. Starting wildfires for a stunt is not.

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deanna woods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These things are really stupid. I, as an American, don't understand them.

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Princess Amara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here you go a reenactment of every gender reveal party Mother: Ok guys we're going to open the box take out the fireworks and set them off in this dry forest Father:I hope it's a boy Mother: weird way to pronounce girl *generic laughter* Crowd:*More generic laughter except for that one girl who laughs like a witch* Mother Father: *opens box, purple balloons float up, puts fireworks of dry leaves* Mother Father: Ok guys in 3......2...1... cut to giant forest fire *silence* Mother: IT'S A GIRL crowd: *feels no regret* YES SUCK IT DAD Thank you thank you *takes bow* Really tough all you have to do is get your family together and go hey fam the baby is a female but that does not mean they are a girl. and were going to let them be their own person. and boom you're done with no fire (btw Im american and gender reveal parties are the dumbest thing ever)

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Lucy Skinner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hmm hon, should we burn down California if it’s a girl and Nevada if it’s a boy? Sound good to me!

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GaeFrog
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think anyone cares about the gender of your kid?

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Tim Haight
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

see to many butthead do this and have it literally blow up in their face. Really stupid thing to do

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elStiJneriNO
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

does it matter if the kid chooses a new fantasy gender later?

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PineappleQueen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But their actually super fun because you get the suspense of finding out they gender in super fine and exciting ways

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Leila Noury
Community Member
3 years ago

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Because we want our existing kids to cry when they find out they are getting a younger _____

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Dillon Hughes
Community Member
3 years ago

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I think there dumb but they like it so let them have fun, it's not hurting anyone. I wonder what the whole trans gender people do, like purple or orange. Isn't it sexist to assume a sex now a days...?

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Ozacoter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is sexist to make such a big deal about the sex of the baby. As if it matters a t all.

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Bacony Cakes
Community Member
3 years ago

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HEY HIROHOTO! IT'S A BOY! *drops bomb on nagasaki*

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𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕒
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3 years ago

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They’re fun and a good excuse to hang out with people

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Fred and George Weasley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yeah and they cause wildfires too. i'd rather not set half the usa on fire just so people know the gender of my child 😂

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#9

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group People who angrily DO NOT WANT healthcare.

spammmmmmmmy , Presidencia de la República Mexicana Report

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N G
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's so much more than that. It's not that they dont want healthcare, they dont want to pay for SOMEONE ELSE'S healthcare.

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#10

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Having the restaurant take your credit card - in most countries it's considered impolite to disappear with the card as they might write the digits down to charge extra later. Therefore they normally bring a portable terminal to your table so you can keep the card in eyesight and have the (optional) tip actually charged when the card is run and not added after the fact.

Broadmin , Unknown Report

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Johnny
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most places use chip-and-pin where they *have* to take the card at the table since you need to enter your PIN. USA credit card banks decided Americans aren't smart enough for chip-and-pin, so we just have chip and an archaic signature.

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#11

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group The Imperial System, Fahrenheits, massive ad breaks. I swear i watched US Television once and i nearly had time to go take a s*** before the adbreak ended. And i'm one of those people that play on their phone while on the throne

Pyanez11 , ilovebutter Report

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#12

I am from Europe and I have never seen in supermarkets scooters for people that are so obese they can't walk by themselves.

indigo-wolf Report

#13

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Medical debt

CIA_grade_LSD , Grant Source Report

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Winx
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Add "who is paying their debt while also stopping treatment because they can't continue accruing more debt"

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#14

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Waiting like 8 weeks after your elections till the new guy comes in to power is pretty f****** weird

Snoo61123 , GPA Photo Archive Report

#15

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Massive gaps on all sides of toilet cubicle doors, like why even bother with a door at all when people can see through so easily

digitalelise , Victoria_Borodinova Report

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Biana Vacker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i know- you can literally stare someone in the face while they are going to the bathroom

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#16

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Flags. Everywhere

psyk738178 , WTF Colorado Report

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Pezor Zass
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How else can they keep up the illusion that they live in a country worth celebrating?

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#17

This may be a shot in the dark but product prices not including tax when they’re displayed? Like if something says it’s $10 and you only have $10, what’s with the surprise tax at the till?

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#18

Your toxic grind working culture. I find that Americans define their entire personality around their profession. It all feels so shallow and hollow way of living. Like I work so I can do the things I enjoy ( pre covid) I don't work because it defines me as a person.

vietcong420 Report

#19

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Absurdly long election campaigns. In most countries I've been to election campaigns last a month or two, in the US they seem to go for a full year.

BerserkBoulderer , Unknown Report

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Biana Vacker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we get sooo many ads too; they're literally everywhere and most of them are attack ads with questionable information

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#20

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group College sports, people do not care about nor have college sports like we do here.

UnusualLight0 , Unknown Report

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Pezor Zass
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's disgusting the amount of money my school spends on sports, and we're not even remotely a sporty school

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#21

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Food portion sizes... In EU you get food portions you can finish and are generally calculated to be pretty much fill/satisfy you over the entire meal.

When I go to the US I can fill myself up with half of the appetizer

Drumah , Wikimedia Commons Report

#22

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Unused vacation days

Banana_Gorilla , Unknown Report

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Aroha
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah in my country, if you don't take your minimum of 5 weeks of holiday per year, it will be scheduled for you. Literally your manager will force you to relax :D.

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#23

The use of the words junior, sophomore and senior in school. I don't think I have ever heard these outside of an American TV show or movie.

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Kanishka Patel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah it is pretty weird. Why not just say 9th, 10th , 11th, and 12 grade? Seems much more simple. I am going to be in high school next year and I am Indian but I live in America. I am used to saying junior, sophomore, etc. but my mom finds it really confusing. This seems so unnecessary.

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#24

I can't speak for the whole world, but having elections on a weekday seems crazy to me. We do it in the weekend so that people are off work anyway.

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#25

A single pool of paid time off that you use for both vacation and sick leave. Therefore having to forego vacation to keep a bank of leave just in case you get ill.

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Winx
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a bad policy because everyone comes to work sick so they can still take vacation days.

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#26

People constantly thanking god for every day occurrences

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#27

Those commercials featuring some sort of drug or medication. With the typical closing where the narrator states "Side effects includes blah blah blah...Discuss with your doctor about blah blah blah"

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#28

Tipping, most other places actually pay their waiters/waitresses and tippings just for extremely good service or rounding up.

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Nikki Hilton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Already noted. Pay everyone a living working wage (NOT $7.50/hr). Do away with tipping.

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#29

Having to drive everywhere. I'm 27-years-old, not from the US and never learnt to drive. I've also never felt like I needed it.

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#30

It's pretty funny watching Americans moan over their super-cheap petrol prices. "But we drive everywhere, cars are fundamental to our society". Yep, same here in Australia, too. Your fuel is still incredibly cheap.

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Viviane
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Canada and one of my friends did a cross-country drive via the USA to take advantage of cheaper gas.

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#31

Garbage disposal units in sinks. I've been to nearly 20 countries, and I've never seen one.

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Andrew Gibb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the primary concerns of using garbage disposals is that it puts excess strain on local wastewater treatment centers. All of the food solids in the wastewater must be filtered out. Those solids are used to create fertilizer or are sent to landfills.

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#32

Longer ad breaks in the Muppet Show.

The UK version had two minutes of extra content in every episode due to restrictions on the amount of ads you could play on British TV.

That's 240 minutes of extra Muppet content that most Americans never saw.

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Fred and George Weasley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the UK has limited ad amounts. theyre regulated, so you can only have 12 minutes of ads per hour. obviously in the US im guessing its not the same

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#33

Playing the national anthem before sporting events. There may be a handful of other countries that do, but in much of the world it's only played for international matches.

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Alexis draskinis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still dont understand why its played. Its a sporting event, a game, nothing more. Im a baseball fan & i can care less about it being played. I want to watch the game.

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#34

Your identity politics used to be just in America, then it spilled out like a burst sewage pipe.

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#35

Red solo cups. My european cousins asked me if parties in the us really had those red cups.

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evangelinefeltman avatar
angie but who cares
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yuppp they taste better for some reason just like a grilled cheese tastes better cut

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#36

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Bumper stickers. They’re a lot less common in Europe anyway, not sure about the rest of the world.

Random_Machiavelli , dalliedee Report

#37

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Nearly everything about their high schools

Unfair-Act-4499 , Wikimedia Commons Report

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saragregory0508 avatar
N G
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a bit vague. High schools have lessons across the world, are populated with hormonal teens across the world, have school meals across the world - there's certainly a difference in quality here, but it's not a weird American thing. So, everything else...?

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#38

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Free refills at restaurants

milwaukeeminnesota , James Petts Report

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SimplySarcastic40
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

one of the things i missed living 9 years abroad was this right here...i drink a lot of water. only water, but a lot of it and having to ask for refills of water and getting side-eye was something i never got used to.

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#39

Stores like Wal-Mart where you can buy everything that are open all the time. Groceries, alcohol, plants, medicine, tires, toys...

The first time I went to Germany on a work trip it was a bank holiday and everything was closed.

I live in Jerusalem now and there is a separate store for everything.

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Terilee Bruyere
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm in the bible belt. Alcohol can be bought 24/6 here (no sales on Sunday) at Walmart but the actual pharmacy is not open at night.

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#41

Graham Crackers.

Remember when I picked up a friend's mother and her friend at the airport, fresh from the US. One of them was like 'They don't have Graham crackers here?' I'm like nah mate we have crackers for everyone.

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#42

45 Things That Are Normal In The US, But Seem Bizarre In Other Countries Shared In This Online Group Parking lot size. I’ve been to about 20 different countries, all over the place, and I have never seen a standard Walmart sized parking lot anywhere out of America.

Upstairs_Cow , Walmart Report

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damonrn avatar
Theoretical Empiricist
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can also thank our tragic shadow of a public transportation system and how far we're spread out. In may instances, driving (and therefore parking) is the only option.

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#43

Buscuits and gravy. This conjures up images of having a plate of cookies smothered in a sauce made from the the meat juices of a roast.

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#44

I wanna say jaywalking. Like, in Europe, you can pretty much cross a road wherever you want but when I visited America there seemed to be this weird sense you were being judged if you walked out into an empty road. Maybe just me idk.

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Ulrike Sponagel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is some sort of debate whether jaywalking is or isn’t frowned upon in Germany - many people believe that the Germans are sticklers for traffic etiquette when it comes to walking across a street on a red light, and, indeed, Germans will stand even when it would be safe to cross - for the sake of setting the right example for any nearby children. So, it might be the same everywhere.

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#45

It always surprises me when someone from another country has never heard of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

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Tammy Hawkins
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We say "peanut butter and jelly" but it really is jam and that has always bothered me. Jam spreads way better than jelly.

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Note: this post originally had 50 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.