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Foreigners Share 30 Of The Weirdest Things About The US That Americans Don’t Even Realize
Cultures are a thing. And they’re all unique in their own ways.
Hence, it’s only normal that someone outside of a particular culture would find some things odd about it—or at the very least interesting.
AskReddit is at it again, asking non-Americans who had been to the US what they thought was the weirdest thing about America that Americans don’t realize it’s weird.
Bored Panda has recently covered this topic in another article, so be sure to check it out once you’re done with this one. And while you’re down there, why not vote and comment on the submissions you like the most!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Tax. I find it annoying how in America tax is added after you check at the cashier. In Australia tax is included in the price, e.g if the price says $6.00 you pay $6. But in America if it costs $6.00 it's actually $6.07 or something. Idk I just have found it a nuisance.
Donny Cromwell 4 years ago
I hate it too, but you get used to it. I just have to remember to add about 10% to the cost. Or remember to shop in Oregon after work before I head home to Washington.
it's me again 4 years ago
Unfortunately here in the States it is a way of life and we have come to expect it and therefore are prepared for it at time of billing. It gets confusing at times because sometimes you are charged tax and other times not. Such as when you buy burgers at the grocery store there is no tax but if you buy a burger at McDonalds you are taxed. You are taxed for the service and preparation. At the clothing store you buy a dress, no tax. You buy a swimsuit-taxed. Considered a non-essential item therefore taxable. Is often a confusing mess when you try to second guess our taxing system 😤
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
We find this annoying as well, especially when the tax is something like 7 and a half percent.
marianne eliza 4 years ago
Every city, county, state, can set their own sales taxes on top of the rest of the government's. So if you cross a street and cross a city boundary at the same time, you could pay more or less in sales taxes.
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#2
Now that Thanksgiving and Christmas is over:
The weirdest thing is that Americans will ask what you are doing for thanksgiving. Are you going to your family etc... When you say no. They invite you to their home.
(I was a student, My family was thousands of miles away, and I'm happy that the local Cracker Barrel is open and looking forward to a meal there)
My Professor did that. Invited me to his home. I had a good time, but it was strange. I'm meeting his uncles and aunts. and one little girl threw a tantrum, I had to take her to calm her down etc...
It was weird. But also wonderful. In my country things like this would never happen. You don't bring a stranger to a family event.
But I'm thankful things like this happen here.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
When I was younger I thought thanksgiving was what the Americans called Christmas Eve. It wasn’t til I was older that I found out Thanksgiving is like a month before. I do have a question for the Americans, do you eat the traditional turkey on Christmas Day as well as thanksgiving or vice versa etc?
Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
We usually eat ham on Christmas and Easter.
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Samantha Lomb 4 years ago
I get invited to my friend's family events in Russia all the time. People don't want you to be alone on a family holiday
NoJo 4 years ago
The prevailing attitude in the US is that no one should be alone on Thanksgiving...that gratitude extends to those you're not related to. It's always nice to ask and perfectly acceptable to decline.
Anna K. 4 years ago
True. My dad invited a Chinese colleague over for Thanksgiving one year, since there's nothing else to do and his family was a plane ride away.
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Thomas Duncan 4 years ago
We often pick on the USA for many of its drawbacks, (guilty) but we should also acknowledge that US folks can be very open and friendly.
Evil Little Thing 4 years ago (edited)
There's a reason for professors to invite students to TDay dinner (and other major holidays) - the cafeteria is frequently closed that day, and anyone on a meal plan stuck in the dorms goes hungry! Anyway, they also figure that international students are far from home and could use some togetherness, even with a strange family.
Hermione 4 years ago
Are the families strange? That could be really interesting!
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Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
That's a nice gesture though, especially for us foreigners who don't have that holiday.
OhForSmegSake 4 years ago
I don't think it's that common in Australia but we were a RAAF family so didn't always have a lot of family around at the holidays. Come Christmas afternoon our house would often be overflowing with random people who didn't have families, everyone would bring some meat for the barbie and a salad/dessert. The kids would get hyped up on soft drink and we'd all laugh and talk and pull Christmas crackers until late into the night. I miss those Christmases.
Lion's Stare 4 years ago
This is true. Im American, and my family has invited several not so close friends/acquaintances to thanksgiving dinner
#3
How your medical ads show an old guy living life well because of X-drug. He has the best time, the wife is having the best time and it's all because of the drug making things better.
The end of the ad is full of warnings about how this happy drug can potentially kill you and your family, nuke your dog and make cats impotent.
Recap the cliff-hanger episode of life in Alaska before another ad break.
Unwatchable TV
J. F. 4 years ago
We in Germany have the same adverts - just the mention that we should ask our doctors or pharmacist for the risks at the end
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
It is not allowed in Europe to advertise prescription medicines. And as far as over the counter medicines are concerned there are very strict rules. They can't make unsubstantiated claims like "Just take one pil and your migraine is cured for the next 48 hours."
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Johnny 4 years ago
I think many Americans are aware of the oddity of advertisements for medical treatments than many can't afford because the drug companies spend so much money advertising medical treatments.
Melissa Nunya 4 years ago
I wish the US would make ads like this illegal like some other places. If you need it, your doctor will let you know.
it's me again 4 years ago
We Americans also think this is pretty f*'d up. It is an ongoing joke everywhere.
backatya 4 years ago
Americans hate them also. Instead of watching them just go to the fridge and get a snack to eat lol
Hermione 4 years ago
Or maybe a quick run on the treadmill to lessen the need of these drugs in the future?
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
I’m so glad that these types of ads are illegal in Aus.
Dilly Millandry 4 years ago
Same for us in the UK Foxxy. Ads like this could mean that people insist that this is the drug for them when their poor doctor might know that there are two others that might be better.
Load More Replies... 80 Van 4 years ago
It is required by law to list all of the potential side effects on the advertisements, and a potential side effect is defined as any medical situation that happened to anyone during the drug trials. Many drugs list death as a potential side effect, which means that someone died during the trials. They can’t prove that the drug wasn’t directly or indirectly connected to the death, so they are required to say that it is at least a possible side effect.
Id row 4 years ago
I've honestly never understood this. It's not like you can go into a store and just buy the drug. It has to be rx'd by a doctor and the doctor won't rx it if you don't need it. You have very little say in what they rx unless you have a bad reaction to what they originally rx'd you. All you can do is suggest an alternative.
Johnny 4 years ago
The advertising really works (or the companies wouldn't pay for the ads). Doctors feel pressured by patients into writing prescriptions for the advertised drugs even if that drug was not their first choice. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1070749/
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#4
How much power your employer has over you. They can fire you at will, dictate that you work overtime, mandate that you take a drug test at will... the power balance between employer and employee in NZ is very different...
Commander Rex 4 years ago
Actually there are a lot of laws preventing such things from happening now
Pheebs 4 years ago
Yes and no. In a lot of places, they have to thoroughly document just in case you decide to sue. It really only ensures the employer can’t fight you getting unemployment. Florida is a right to work state, so they can just fire you because they want to. A lot of companies cover their butts so they don’t get nailed with discrimination.
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Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Republicans have worked very, very hard to take rights away from workers and create a population of wage slaves.
Dave P 4 years ago
That is because the US is a Federal Republic with 50 semi-independent states. Our federal govt is restrained on what it can do, that is why it is left up to the states. Some states have protections much stricter than NZ and some barely any at all. You cannot generalize due to our governmental structure of federal, state, and county levels with both a federal and state constitutions and county charters
Id row 4 years ago
Kind of heavy handed for NZ to come at us. You guys have a population that has common sense and a great leader that you really should let us borrow for a couple terms because we need her more than you.
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Oh No, nz isn't what it's cracked up to be it has hidden nasties! Check out the UN report on our family court system
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Pantea 4 years ago
Yeah... The famous American hire and fire mentality. I never wanted to work for American companies as they are known for their low social awareness. Ended up working 10 years for an American organisation. I was constantly educating them on my rights as an EU citizen. Exhausting.
Julie C Rose 4 years ago
I live in New Zealand and had a retail boss who hated me because I stood up to her after she was horrible to my colleague. Apparently we have this law where you can’t fire someone at will but you can ask an employee if they’d like to resign and the employee is free to say no. Cue horrible boss asking me if I’d be happier somewhere else and me being like “No, I’m OK. :)” She eventually found something it was legal to fire me over but I ended up getting a much better job in my field after that.
Rose Rosee 4 years ago
It really depends on what you are in. I was shocked by that rule as well when I visited Tennessee. I was so naive , I thought the Right to Work law was something that was to the benefit of the employee. The USA is technically one country, but in a way it's actually 50 different countries, and unless you visit other states, you will know very little about them. This is just my take as a New Yorker.
Paul Davis 4 years ago
The scumbag Republicans who were trying to pass these anti-employee laws around the country realized they could get people to support them by calling them "Right to Work". They knew stupid people wouldn't read the details of what the law is, and vote for it based on the completely dishonest title.
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Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
I never worried about being fired in USA because I had so many different sources of income. If you got yourself relying on some "boss" to take care of you, you have made majorly poor life decisions.
#5
Flags. Everywhere. It’s not as if you’re likely to forget where you are!
Dave P 4 years ago
This comes from our immigrant culture where people would fly the flag of their old country to show pride and an American flag to show their loyalty is the US and not the old country. Over time people just kept the American flag part and then it became a culture item.
Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
"I'm a proud (insert whatever nationality here)" ... Being proud of something as random as the place you're born is something I'll never understand
Nicole Weymann 4 years ago
Feel you! I don't get that either. Pride is overrated anyway, but this kind in particular.
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Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
I'm American, and I think this is weird. I mean, it's not likely you're going to forget where you are, right? Why people feel the need to virtue signal their alleged patriotism is beyond me.
Brandi VanSteenwyk 4 years ago
Flags are a display of pride in our country and gratitude for the lives lost in protecting those 13 stripes and 50 stars.
Dale 4 years ago
Flying the American Flag is a patriotic gesture. Its form of showing allegiance to the governing body that allows us our freedoms and liberties. Freedom to practice whichever religion we choose, to speak out against political ideologies we disagree with without fear of repercussions, to work, to vote, the list of american freedoms goes on and on and flying the flag shows our pride that's all
Kakofonyx 4 years ago
Okayyy.... We don't fly the US flag to show allegiance to "the governing body." The governing body is made up of politicians and changes with which party (Dems or GOP) is in power. Our allegiance transcends parties or ideological affiliation.
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Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago
Sorry, but seeing the flag now just reminds me of Trump (who I positively detest).
#6
The concept of pharmaceutical advertisements. Your doctor is supposed to recommend drugs to you, not the other way around.
backatya 4 years ago
We don't like the commercials of large companies trying to sell us their drugs on TV either. But you can't tell the doctor to prescribe you a drug unless he feels you need it. It's just a choice from other drugs when you know what drug you need.
Becky Samuel 4 years ago
You shouldn't be *telling* your doctor what to prescribe at all. This is how the problems of antibiotic resistance etc. got started. How about letting the person with the training do the prescribing?
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HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
Exactly. I see those ads on TV and I just think about how weird it'd be if i went to my doctors office and said "Hey I think I need [medicine name] because i have these symptoms and i think it would work well." and i think of how surprised and weirded out the doctor would be. They're the medical professionals, not us.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
If you’re not doing that then you’re probably missing out on something that could help you. I heard of a medication from one of my coworkers and I had to ask my dumb doctor about it because she wasn’t at all interested in actually helping me. That medication really turned around a lot of my symptoms and I would have never had it if I didn’t ask.
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Kelly Hartle 4 years ago
They also go to the doctors and give them free samples and take them and their staff out to eat to get them to use their brand. My doctor used to have a calendar posted in his office informing representatives when they were already booked for meals, and what types of foods they like.
Jackie Wacky 4 years ago
Drug reps (pharma salesmen) do this in the UK, but many doctors refuse to see them.
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Thomas Sweda 4 years ago
Amen to that from an American citizen. We have a disgusting medical system!
marianne eliza 4 years ago (edited)
Pharm companies have a lot of well paid lobbyists. And they know whose palm to grease.
A 4 years ago
Drug companies and insurance companies seem to have some kind of mystical hold on the American population. I find it very strange.
Paul Davis 4 years ago
The hold is on the American politicians who have legalized bribery.
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Susan Egan 4 years ago
They pay big money to run ads. I wonder if this is a way to reach Dr.s It used to be pharmaceutical companies sending reps into offices and promoting their wares.
#7
Americans are super friendly to the point that I (Australian) thought it was sarcasm or fake.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
Really? I find Australia is pretty friendly too. I walk along the street and most of the time people will say good morning/afternoon. You drive in the country and people will wave, you get greeted by checkout operators etc.
Sneeze 4 years ago
yeah we get that too... a lot of it depends on where you live. In the city, good luck even making eye contact. In the suburbs (where I live) everyone says hi to everyone.
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Susan Stead 4 years ago
There's a positive side to being part of a culture that's known to be friendly: One thing I've noticed when I'm abroad is, once other tourists figure out I'm American (Accent? Jeans and sneakers? Smiling too much? Fat? The clues abound!), they'll come up to me and ask me to take pictures of their group or ask for directions or something, and we'll often chat a bit. They know that I won't be put off by strangers talking to me. Thanks to this, I've met some wonderful people from all over the world and had some of the most interesting and delightful conversations. I'm not the "Rah, rah, 'Murica!" type, but this is one of the things I like most about being American.
Beth Taylor 4 years ago
As a British person I've never perceived Americans to be super friendly from how they're represented! So this is nice to hear
Dilly Millandry 4 years ago
Like a lot of countries I expect it varies. People in the UK where I live are extremely friendly. I've even had a lot of friendly encounters in cities but stick people on the Tube - forget it! Unless something weird or scary happens. Or lost tourists, I've ended up practically a guide for some of those - some were from the US and they were lovely.
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Music Mania 4 years ago
This depends on where you are in the US, even what part of a given state you are in. Some people can't be bothered, some will invite you to a random weeknight meal with their family because you are stuck in a hotel eating take out.
Nevits Yibble 4 years ago
I met a lot of friendly people in Japan, but sometimes they also talked offensively about me in Japanese to their friends right in front of me - assuming I was just a lowly gaijin who didn't understand what they were saying (which I did - but didn't let on)
Margot Artner 4 years ago
That´s how I feel when visiting in down under. Austria is quite "tranquile" in that respect.
#8
I went to seaworld with my mum when I was in my mid teens. Halfway through the show, the performer (Not the whale) asked everybody in the military to stand up and the whole crowd gave them a round of applause. They sat back down and the show continued as if nothing had happened. Couldn't imagine anything similar happening back in Blighty.
Edit: this was at Seaworld, Orlando not San Diego. Roughly 2003/4
Memere 4 years ago
It seemed to have started after 9/11. And I think a lot of it stems from a couple of things, one of them being guilt from how the Viet Nam vets were treated when they came home. Those who served in Viet Nam were mostly drafted (in other words forced) into military service. Years later, people became more aware of how horrendous it was in Nam. And since the draft ended, and 9/11 happened, we were more cognizant of the sacrifices our military members were & are making, so more recognition is given. I just wish our soldiers & sailors were given better pay & benefits - some of them could care less about "standing for applause" and need much better basic treatment in the way of pay/benefits, etc. When a soldier's family has to apply for food stamps, etc., it's shameful.
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Katie Gardner 4 years ago
More like “thank you for being born so poor that you had no other option but to take a shitty job that pays less than minimum wage that takes for away from family for years at a time and puts you in constant danger”. You’re welcome
Load More Replies... Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
"thank you for invading other countries with our taxes while people live in extreme poverty a few miles from here" .... I will never understans worshipping the military, no matter what country it is.
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
In the US people thank anyone who is or was in the military for their services. Unless they actually have been in the war and have returned shell shocked with PTSD and a drug addiction. Than they are called junkies and psychopaths and chased away. The government won't lift a finger to help these homeless poor people which is not surprising since these people have outlived their usefulness to the government.
Joshua Seaman 4 years ago
This has to do with the fact that in the US the military pays sports leagues and the entertainment industry to do this, as a propaganda tool to shape seeing military members as heroes and glamorize war, as though it's an honorable thing to do. War is neither glamorous nor attractive. It is monstrous. It's very nature is one of tragedy and suffering.
Lance d'Boyle 4 years ago
Was at Seaworld in San Diego and it was even worse. There was a thank you for your service before the show. A stand up if your'e in the military, and a military participation during the show. Walking around I heard people saying Thank your for your service to military people at the park . We got there early and were walking around trying to figure out what to do, and there was some park-wide announcement on the loud speaker but we were talking and walking and didn't pay attention and then noticed that everyone else had stopped and national anthem had started and people were saluting and holding their hands over their hearts looking at the flag, and some were looking at us because we were still talking and walking. San Diego is a beautiful city but it is uber military-- there is a big naval base there and Camp Pendleton is nearby.
#9
Everything in America is huge. I don't just mean the people or portion sizes, because we all know about that- but the roads, the buildings, the ceilings, the space between everything... America is gigantic. It just feels larger than it does here. I'm Australian but I've been to Asia and size-wise it's similar to Australia, and I've seen Europeans say the same about America. Everything is bigger.
N G 4 years ago (edited)
We honeymooned in Florida. The hotel apartment had a bigger floor space than our entire two-bed house! ETA: we live in the North of England for comparison's sake.
Just JoLynn 4 years ago
You should check out Texas, everything's bigger in Texas.
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Susan Egan 4 years ago
We have the room. When I look online I see homes crammed together with tiny roads in other countries. Our country is young compared to most. We had the ability to spread out. When I watch shows from other places it amazes me that so many homes tall people have to duck to go through doors and hallways.
Jaybird3939 4 years ago
I'm not sure of Australia's history, but I think stuff in the US compared to European countries is that we're fairly "new". We don't have hundreds of years of buildings, cities and roads that would interfere with the construction of future projects.
#10
Free refills. Went to a restaurant with my dad (both German) and all of a sudden the waiter took away my drink with another perfectly good sipp in it and I must have looked pretty shocked. It was only then when my dad explained to me that you guys have free refills.
NinjaWolfy94 4 years ago
Okay, free refills, cool. But just taking your cup without asking first? That's rude. I don't know where this was, but every restaurant I've ever been to, the server will always ask if you're done before taking something from the table.
ChelleShock 4 years ago
When I was in high school we had a group of about 10 German exchange students come, and when they found out about free refills they about lost their minds. They started a game to see how long they could stay in the pizza parlor without buying anything and just getting refills. They were shocked to learn the answer was "until close." They will let you stay until close.
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
If you're behaving yourself and they don't need the tables for other customers, you will be welcomed.
Load More Replies... Johnny 4 years ago
Not just free refills, but huge glasses - it's not uncommon to get a 16oz glass of Coke in a restaurant. My nephew was very disappointed in Europe when he ordered a Coke with his meal and he got a small (by American standards) 8oz glass with no refills (and it was like $5 for a glass) (16oz is around 500ml)
Carrie de Luka 4 years ago
Unlimited water though - just ask for a jug of it. Not having a massive amount of cola is actually a good thing.
Load More Replies... Chicago Dog Lover 4 years ago
My mom let us drink very little soda. One time we went to a restaurant with free soda refills (uncommon at that time), with my grandparents, who lived through the depression. They were so appalled that we couldn't have something that was free that my mom relented. Best dinner ever!
HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
I mean, it's not necessarily bad. I would like if they waited for you to ask for a refill though, because sometimes you don't need/want one.
NinjaWolfy94 4 years ago
This. I've never been somewhere where they just take something from the table without asking :/ If I didn't want a refill but they gave me one, I'd probably be quietly pissed at them wasting the drink (despite it being incredibly cheap to make).
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
We have some places that do free refills like some Buffet restaurants, Subway, Pizza Hut all you can eat, Hungry Jacks etc. Not all of them do and sometimes you have to pay extra for a bottomless cup.
VeryDarkMatter 4 years ago
Yes, free refill on soft drinks with tons of sugar are the backbone of the US
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
It costs restaurants about 7 cents per 20 ounces of soda. This isn't charity.
#11
Legal drinking age at 21 it’s really weird especially at age 18 people consider u as an adult.
Truth Monster 4 years ago
Yeah, most Americans don't really understand it either. You can be handed a weapon and told to kill someone in the military, but nooooo, pweese no drinky.
aj B 4 years ago
Don't forget you're also supposedly responsible enough to control the entire country (at least that's the argument given for why you Must Vote from everyone I've dealt with) at 18.
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Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
It's actually pretty dumb. You're old enough to kill in the name of your country but you can't buy that watered cereal water they call beer.
Joey Marlin 4 years ago
Thank you for that description of the 'beer'! Lol.
Load More Replies... HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
It's probably because us Americans are more immature than people in other parts of the world lol
Kay Meurig-Bowden 4 years ago
I believe you can get married at 14 in the US, with parental consent
Real_Katsuki_Bakugou 4 years ago
In certain states yes you can, the agree varies depending on sex and state. Some states you can get married at 14 if you're a female with parental consent, the age is usually lower for girls than boys
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M Kate McCulloch 4 years ago
You can fight and die for your country at 18, but you cannot drink or smoke until 21, and if you need a hotel room to sleep that off you are s**t out of luck until you're 25. But at 12 you can fly across the country unsupervised! How cool is that!
somnomania 4 years ago
yep. you can drive, you can join the military, you can have sex, you can legally live on your own, but you can't drink
Robert Bois le Duc 4 years ago
Yeah, you can serve in the military and have combat tours before you're old enough to drink. I guess you're old enough to kill though........been there, done that.
Monty Is Fiennes 4 years ago
I am interested in this though... that is the legal side, but is it the real experience.... do most people wait til 21 or are they often drinking illegally much earlier...THAT is the real story....
#12
Complimenting strangers. When I visited the US I went to an amusement park and a girl complimented my glasses and that was my first time getting complimented and at the same amusement park a senior lady complimented my dad for having a beautiful family and a handsome son (lol me). I was really happy that day.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
It brightens my day when randoms compliment me too. Just yesterday someone complimented my son and said he has such beautiful eyes. Best compliment I ever got was a woman telling me that I’ve got this and I am doing a good job even though I was a sobbing mess because my son was being difficult in the middle of the footpath.
Remi Flynne 4 years ago
When I see people struggling with their children I feel such enormous sympathy - I was once that sobbing toddler and remember it all too well.
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HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
I think this is nice. I compliment people on a daily basis, and it usually makes them smile, and I like that.
Sista of the moon 4 years ago
Sometimes it’s weird. I have red hair, so when I was little I would always have older ladies telling me “people would pay a lot of money for that color”. I literally ran from them. Lol
Mer☕️🧭☕️ 4 years ago
I love giving true compliments! It doesn't matter to me if the person is friend or stranger - if I see something that inspires joy in some way, I'm glad to share that joy with the one who inspired it. But it has to be a real compliment to mean anything. Joy is to be shared. (Yep, I'm an American.)
Bloxmakesgames2019 4 years ago
in tourists towns like New York and other cities people are usually nice
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
I like to tell people when there is something I like about them. I wish I did it more often. They always seem so pleased. Note: My compliments are always genuine.
Caffeine72 4 years ago
I was in the grocery store when a little (5-ish) kid said, "Excuse me! I love your hair!" I said, "Thank you! I love your manners!" His mom looked so happy.
#13
Waste. Especially of food. I've seen half of a large pizza thrown in the garbage, simple as that. Broke something? Don't even bother fixing it, just throw it into the bin and buy another. I once went to a show in Broadway, they had special themed cups for the Phantom of the Opera show that you could purchase. They were made of glass. Some of the theater bought it, consumed it, and just left it there. They didn't even bother taking it home as a souvenir. They saw it, had the urge to buy it, and just did it. That's something insane for me.
Samantha PandaNotBored 4 years ago
I’d of collected all their unwanted ones, bought them home washed them up and be very proud of myself 🤣
HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
I absolutely HATE wasting things. The only time I throw food out is when it gets moldy or unfit to eat, and I get very attached to my things, so I hate throwing them out when they break, I always try to fix it.
Don't Look 4 years ago
It's horrible. People are starving on one street and one street over a restaurant has to throw out close to a ton of food because the health department said so.
Lion's Stare 4 years ago
Wasted food happens in places all over the world, not just America. In fact Americans are very good about taking left overs home
Onion rings like to make your breath smelly 4 years ago
its so sad that people throw away so much food every single day
Moose Racer 4 years ago
You'd have a stroke if you saw the amount of waste in China. They wrap everything in plastic 3 time.
#14
On behalf of my wife “what’s up with the gaps in the toilet stall doors and no bidet?”
Commander Rex 4 years ago
That stall door question is actually pretty good, I don’t know the answer.
Cassie 4 years ago
Cheap infrastructure and lazy maintenance. It's easier to allow a gap than fit everything properly.
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Couldnt_Find_A_Good_Name 4 years ago (edited)
The gaps are there to make people uncomfortable and make them get out quicker than they normally would. This frees up stalls quicker.
Vicky Z 4 years ago
Seriously or is it a joke? I never thought that would be the reason but sounds that it could be...
Load More Replies... Kodi Pepper 4 years ago
I got use to a bidet while in Japan. When I got home, I bought one. Now I wouldn't want to be without one.
Sergio Bicerra 4 years ago
They tried to install bidets in Yellowstone National Park. It didn't end well.
HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
Apparantly it's so you can more easily see if theres people in there. That's what we're told. But a smaller gap could work just as well though. Or, get this, the lock thats already on the door.
Chicago Dog Lover 4 years ago
I love how in other countries the stall door indicates if it is occupied.
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Gustavo Di Salvo 4 years ago
The bidet is one of the greatest inventions :) Sorry that they miss them
Kelli from Fitness Blender 4 years ago
Wouldn't it be expensive to have a bidet on every toilet though?
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
Not really, a handheld bidet costs like $20. Way cheaper if you’re a builder.
Load More Replies... Susan Egan 4 years ago
We hate the gaps. At some point someone got lazy I guess and everyone decided "It's cool". Bidets have not made it here. I bought an add on for our toilet and even though it's cold water I love it. I think if more Americans gave one a go they would be more common.
#15
In Germany "How are you?" is an actual question and you generally only ask it, if you know the other person. It was super hard to explain to my mum that the answer is always "fine, thank you" and that cashiers don't really care about how you actually feel, when we visited the US in 08.
Paul Budhram 4 years ago
yeah we just say "good". If we don't then they get alarmed... only is they know us tho
Lila Launehase 4 years ago
German here. "How are you" is small talk, too. If I don't like the person who asks or they are big blabbermouth, I say "good". My real friends want to know how I am and they get the real answer.
Calvin Suzuki 4 years ago
Yesss, when I was younger I would actually tell people how I’m feeling and then they would get all uncomfortable. I’m like dude if you’re gonna ask a question, then at least listen to my answer.
H Edwards 4 years ago
Exactly the same here in the UK. The correct answer is 'not too bad, thanks. You?'
Mer☕️🧭☕️ 4 years ago
Yup - the expected replies being "could be worse", "fair to middlin'", "I've been better", lol. Loads of info in 3 words or less, lol.
Load More Replies... Ashley Wright 4 years ago (edited)
In America, when people ask, “How are you?” most of the time it’s simply a polite way to greet someone. No one wants to hear you didn’t sleep well, you’re stressed, or have a headache.
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
Not necessarily true. If there is something I can do to help them, I want to know.
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Catherine Spencer-Mills 4 years ago
My response has become, "Do you want the truth or a polite lie?"
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
I know Americans are known for just saying good, how are you back, but I know of cases where the response to this was not standard, but a cry for help and they got the help.
#16
Some European told me that it’s crazy how restaurants are loud and busy and how people eat quick and leave. For him it was normal to sit around and talk for an hour or more after eating in a restaurant.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
I would hate to be rushed whilst eating my meal. It’s completely normal to sit down and chat whilst having you meal, we take our time and socialise.
Dreamwolf 4 years ago
So do we. Not all Americans do this, and trust me, not all of us like to rush.
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Pheebs 4 years ago
I think it depends on the restaurant and the people. I’ve been to some that will rush you out the door even if you’re wanting to take your time. Most will generally leave you be as long as you don’t decide to camp out for the day. Some people are just there for lunch and have to get back to work within a set time, or need to run errands/get stuff done after dinner.
CincyReds 4 years ago
Former server here, and we absolutely hate when people linger, especially if the restaurant is on a wait. Now if you are ordering drinks different story. That is money out of the servers pocket. No wait, no worries. And lingering after the restaurant is closed, that is just rude! We can't give you anything else, go talk out in the parking lot if it is nice out. I once had to ask people to leave, I was like the last bus is coming and it is the last one. I wasn't taking a bus, but I had to be at my other job early the next morning.
Memere 4 years ago
It really depends on the time of day, even the day of the week. During the work week, people will only have 45 minutes to an hour for lunch & they have to rush back to the office. I know in Europe, the culture allows for a 2+ hour midday meal, but then they also will work later afterwards - in the U.S., the work day generally ends at 5 p.m. In the evenings and on weekends, we have more free time & can enjoy the meal & the company of others, so we can take more time over a meal.
Susan Mercurio 4 years ago
I worked in many restaurants and the boss makes you rush people out. It's called "turnover." Why have one party take up a table for an hour when you could move six parties through it back-to-back during the same time?
Mjw Gjgema 4 years ago
My wife arrived from Holland in Houston, nd was at the airport picked up by a cousin and his wife. They went to a stake restaurant, where the waitress placed a kind of alarm clock on their table. Her cousin explained that they were allowed a 45 minutes stay, and that every five minutes more was an extra dollar on the bill. Quite the opposite happened in another restaurant, where after ordering a similar alarm clock appeared, but with another purpose: If the order was not brought within seven minutes, the waitress had to pay the bill herself. It is quite different from theEuropean restaurant culture. You go to a restaurant primarily for a nice evening out, not just to be fed.
Haunting Spirit 4 years ago
It is because in Europe we don't eat in restaurants every week so when we do, we enjoy it as much as we can.
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
As an American, one thing that strikes me is when a waitress apologizes for the food being slow to come out. I usually hadn't even noticed because I'm just running my mouth. I'll check my watch and it will have been like 10 minutes. Really? I also think for a lot of Americans the dinner is only part of the night. They may be planning to take in a movie or concert or sporting event afterwards, so they expect to be out of there by a certain time. I am retired now, and never in a hurry so I notice this stuff.
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
I think this is a function of how often Americans eat out. It's not even a special occasion for most of us.
#17
American that just traveled overseas. I went to a great bookstore in Edinburgh and the cashier asked if I wanted to sign up for a rewards membership. This led to a conversation about how their CEO or something just took over Barnes and Noble in the States. I stated the closest B&N to me is an hour away, and the other cashier jumped in, saying how easy it is to forget how far apart things are in the States. He was just kind of baffled and said it often blows his mind. I moved 13 hours away from my hometown and I still manage to be in the same country, which seems like a foreign concept for most Europeans. When, in reality, I could have moved even further away and still been in the US.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
You can drive for few days to a week in Australia and still be in the same country. Our country is about the size of the US. It will take approx 60 hours (without stopping) to drive from one side of Australia to the other.
Robert Bailey 4 years ago
To an American 100 miles is not a great distance. To a European 100 years is not a long time.
Samantha Lomb 4 years ago (edited)
I live in Russia. You can drive for hours and be in the same territorial unit ( oblast/ krai). Moscow is close ( we are in the same timezone) and it is a twelve hour overnight train journey away
Botox 4 years ago
Visit Russia one day. Size is bigger than USA and there are 11 time zones. Imagine 11 midnights for new year )
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
Also a country with wide areas virtually no one lives in. Asian Russia is very sparsely populated.
Load More Replies... Royer Potts 4 years ago
Most Americans don’t realize how big America is. I was moving from Houston, Texas to near Sacramento, California; and after 12 hours of driving I stopped for the day. My parents asked how far I got: Flagstaff? Phoenix? I was in Vega, near the base of the panhandle. They were astounded that I WAS STILL IN TEXAS.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
Texas takes FORREREEEEEVVVVEEERRRRR to drive through!
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Cip IESAN 4 years ago
There are places in Romania you can drive for two days and still be in the same city! It's all because of the potholes...
Amyah Labrèche-Docq 4 years ago
I am in Canada and I moved 5,000 km away and still... I am in the same country...
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
I saw a wild stat the other day. You know that long east-west line that forms the majority of the border between the two countries. If you extend it all the way, more Americans live north of the line than Canadians. The American northeast is very densely populated compared to Canada.
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4 years ago
Woah! I live in England and it takes me 4 and 1\2 hours to go to Scotland (the country north of the country next to us)
Anne Mitchell 4 years ago
Ha, ha ha, in Aus you can drive for 13 hours and still be in the same STATE with several more driving hours to go before a border.
Johnny 4 years ago
I used to work in a rental car agency in a college town. And we'd regularly have foreign college students come in a few days before the start of classes and rent a car to drive down to Florida or maybe to California... they were shocked when I pointed out that it was a 16 hour drive to Florida and a 40 hour drive to California.
#18
Clearly the fact that there are people to put your groceries in a bag for you, I’ve never been so stressed and uncomfortable that while I was watching this young girl taking care of my groceries
Truth Monster 4 years ago
This is not common in my area of the US. You bag your own while the cashier glares at you.
Commander Rex 4 years ago
It’s common in PA for them to do the same, some stores do bag them, most don’t.
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Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
Where I live, a large portion of students or adults with disabilities work bagging groceries in supermarkets.
NinjaWolfy94 4 years ago
Really? In Aus they bag it for you and with a full trolley of stuff, by the time you've got everything on the (tiny) conveyer belt and got your wallet/purse/cash out, you only need to wait maybe 1 minute or 2 for them to finish and let you pay. I'd be incredibly slow bagging my groceries as I have no experience and wouldn't know what to do to not squish things, they always seem to be very careful about putting things in the right bag and not squishing anything :) Shout out to the amazing cashiers where I live, you're awesome.
Bobby Sammons 4 years ago
It is another speed thing. That person bagging for you allows it to be done faster and gets you out of the way. That is also why even at Walmart the cashier does it.
Ginny Swart 4 years ago
she's happy to have a paid job, have you thought of that? In South Africa all the supermarkets have packers. We have huge unemployment rate and these menial jobs help a lot.
I’m A Black Cat 4 years ago
In Europe we manage just fine without those "menial jobs" and we pack our own bags. Sounds more like your labour market and social system is out of balance if people have to rely on these jobs to survive
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Troux 4 years ago
There are some stores that are deliberately more friendly than others, and cashiers/baggers will strike up conversations eagerly. Inevitably, they comment on what you buy and that makes me nervous for no reason but I would imagine it might make someone not want to buy condoms or hemorrhoid cream there.
Memere 4 years ago
I'd much rather bag my own - no squashed bread! - but as a former grocery cashier, I know a lot of high school kids are working as sackers/baggers to earn their own money so I'm mostly okay with it.
NinjaWolfy94 4 years ago
I've never had a cashier who squished my bread.. O_o They're always very careful and friendly, even if they seem to be having a bad day.
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Vicki Perizzolo 4 years ago
I bag my own - I hate that most baggers have no clue what they're doing or why they shouldn't just stack things in the bags...frozen on lettuce comes to mind..
Fixin'Ta 4 years ago
The big supermarket chain where I live (Texas) hires a large number of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as baggers. There is a young woman in my church who has Down's Syndrome, and she is immensely proud of her job and the fact that she can live independently of her parents because of it. She has won awards for being the employee of the month, which is another point of pride for her and her family. It's also a good way for teenagers to get job experience and learn to deal with the public.
#19
Not necessarily weird but I've been here five years and I still can't get used to people replying to "thank you" with "uh huh". To me it sounds/feels like I'm thanking them and their response is "yes that is correct, you should thank me".
Samantha PandaNotBored 4 years ago
Knowing me, I’d think they didn’t hear me correctly and say it again 🙈🙆🏼♀️
Baali Venomax 4 years ago
Few times I've been to the states, I got "No problem"
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Tylar Martinez 4 years ago
it's like saying "of course" or "no problem" which is probably weird too i guess? but like Person A: "Thank you for helping me today" Person B: "Of course, I'm happy to help. No big deal!" but then it turns to "thanks" "uh huh" lol To me saying "yep" or "no worries" is like telling the person...you don't HAVE to say thank you...I'm doing something that a decent human being SHOULD be doing!
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Can depend on the country: in NZ saying no worries would be akin to saying you're welcome, it's not considered less grateful as a response it's just a saying we use
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Susan Stead 4 years ago
Saying "You're welcome," is considered by some people to be formal/stuffy. Depends on where you are, though.
Satya Bain 4 years ago
For me, the only correct response to "thank you" is "you're welcome." The worst is "of course." grrrrr
Donny Cromwell 4 years ago
Guilty. I did that the other day. I was leaving a building and a young woman was coming up to the door and I held it open for her. She said "Thank you" and I responded "Uh huh" I meant it as "Not a problem" I felt a guilty over it. I think I even felt guilty because she was black and because of all the racial issues going on this past year. It crossed my mind that she could of taken it the wrong way for the very same reason the original poster mentioned. Never thought of "uh huh" like that before.
Susan Mercurio 4 years ago
That's really rude! I say, "You're welcome," and most people here in Minnesota do the same. But it's called Minnesota Nice.
#20
For context: I'm from The Netherlands. The weirdest thing for me was a drive through liquor store. And a drive through ATM. In fact, it was the realization that Americans do everything by car. My wife went to Philadelphia for work about ten years ago and wanted to walk from the hotel to the Target store across the street. People thought she was crazy.
Commander Rex 4 years ago
Well take into consideration that it’s Philadelphia, we do weird crazy stuff all the time. A man stole an ambulance, got shot at by cops, got tazed, and at last, arrested.
Siah avis 4 years ago (edited)
Yeah it's Philly. A dude walked into the 711 on campus, held them at gun point and stole the meager amount from the till. He was caught 5 mins later. It's the 711 ON CAMPUS, the one frequented by COPS. I mean how dumb do you need to be?
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Lisa Chambers 4 years ago
Well the deal is that when someone goes to Target, something happens and you end up with a lot of stuff at check out that you are absolutely convinced you need and could argue it in court if needed. The carts freeze up and wont roll once you hit a point in their parking lot, so that is a lot of stuff to carry.
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
Yes, American cities are often not designed for walking at all. It can be terrible. While hiking Appalachian trail, I spent two nights in Waynesboro, VA because I had a minor ankle sprain. You could only walk from my hotel to the grocery store and restaurants across the street at risk of your life.
Susan Egan 4 years ago
Crazy because there are so many places that it's difficult to walk to, no matter how close they seem. We were in Georgia and wanted to walk to a little market. A straight line was impossible, fences around parking lots. No sidewalks. We were walking so close to the road way dodging plants we had to wait for cars to pass by. It should have been easy.
Ruth Beaty 4 years ago
And again, most of the US does not have good public transportation or where you need to go is farther away than the public transportation goes. I lived several places that it was a 2 hour drive to go to larger stores or get specialty medical help.
#21
Someone from my country who lives in USA told me that without a car you are crippled in America.
Edit: this is just an observation, not criticism.
The point of that person was that a car in US is a necessity, not a luxury or extravagance or a status symbol or sth.
And a lot of people buy second hand or used cars coz they are cheaper.
Truth Monster 4 years ago
Most of America's infrastructure was built for or with the expectation that people would be using cars.
sylvantic 4 years ago
yeah we don't have much in the way of public transport outside of New York and the Bay Area. we have busses, but they tend to go out of the way and take 2x as long to get where you're going than a car or metro.
Load More Replies... Dave P 4 years ago
If you live in an urban area, many do not have cars, you live suburban or rural, you need a car. This isnt about America as a whole, but where in America you are
Cassie 4 years ago
It also depends on the urban area. We have many sprawling urban areas, many without adequate public transit, so it can be a challenge even for city dwellers to get around without a car.
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Dori Semenov 4 years ago
For the most part that is true. However, if you live in New York City, the opposite would be true.
Evil Little Thing 4 years ago (edited)
Used cars aren't just cheaper, they're a better value - driving a new car off the lot immediately devalues it by thousands of dollars. Buying a brand new car is either a luxury, or something you do maybe 2 or 3 times in your life.
Marky Mark 4 years ago
You don't need a car if you live in NYC or Chicago. But if you live is Des Moines, or LA, or Phoenix...
Just JoLynn 4 years ago
You don't need a car in LA people just prefer to have them and act like they would die without one. Public transport is not as great as NYC but it'll still get you where you're going.
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Spinstapink 4 years ago
It's sad- even the poorest people must spend money to support and maintain a car.
Red Hair Blue Soul 4 years ago
Plus America is huge. The closest grocery store to me is 10 miles away in the country. We have no public transportation. If you want to eat, you better own a car.
Steve Wilson 4 years ago
There is no public transportation you can take to get to over 90% of America. You can only get there by automobile or you can walk. When I was a boy one could take a bus to almost anywhere in the USA but that stopped decades ago.
Pungent Sauce 4 years ago
Cars are a must. Between the urban sprawl and Americans distaste for public transit, unless you actively choose a downtown big city lifestyle you are going to need a vehicle.
#22
Car dealerships have huge flags. I don’t get why you’d have a flag the size of ten RVs.
So many roads don’t have street lights.
Not weird, but portion sizes are also huge. I struggled with finishing my food sometimes.
Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
With the portion size thing (which is one of the things people tend to find odd about the US) a lot of us like the larger portions because we can bring home the leftovers to eat on busy days where there isn't much time to make supper.
Honu 4 years ago
I don't think the concept of bringing home your leftovers is as common in other countries. But yeah, pro tip for visitors: don't try to eat it all.
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Cassie 4 years ago
The large portion sizes are a problem, especially with teaching kids to finish everything on their plate. This isn't healthy. I taught my kids to take small portions and they can go back for seconds if they are still hungry. In a restaurant, they don't have to finish everything and we can take home the leftovers to eat later. My husband grew up in a "clear your plate" family and he will stuff himself to the point of misery trying to eat everything.
Joey Marlin 4 years ago
The whole 'clear your plate' thing is just odd. If children are having a growth spurt they usually eat more - the idea that the amount they must eat daily should be constant is just weird to me.
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Monolicle Potato 4 years ago (edited)
A blind man visits Texas, and stops at a luxury hotel. He buys a room and feels the bed. “Wow! It is so big!” To which the attendant says “everything is bigger in Texas.” The man is then hungry, and he orders a burger from the attendant. He puts it in his hands and says “Wow! It is so big!” The attendant, again, responds “everything is bigger in Texas.” The blind man then has to use the restroom, and ask’s where it is. The attendant answers “Third door on the right, sir.” The blind man, then, accidentally walks into the third door on the left, and walks into the swimming pool. The attendant runs out into the night to see the man flailing his arms and screaming “Don’t flush! Don’t flush!”
Deep One 4 years ago
Portion sizes started getting larger as more restaurants had to compete. The food is the cheapest thing to increase to compete. As time went on more and more people began to think these were normal sizes and started to eat that way at home too. Also despite America being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the average worker has little money to spare for extras and high calorie, mass produced food is cheap and provides comfort to people living in constant stress.
Paul Davis 4 years ago
The giant flags are really the dealerships trying to exploit patriotism for advertising. There are some communities that restrict flag sizes because it is a trashy exploitation of something that's supposed to be somewhat sacred.
Gwen Parker 4 years ago
Hell, I'm American and I struggle with the portion sizes myself. I usually end up ordering a kid's meal just because the portion is more suitable, plus the cost is cheaper.
Don't Look 4 years ago
portion sizes were a marketing thing. Now it's just disgusting and nearly vulgar. It's not one serving either. It's just about 3.
Arctic Fox Lover 4 years ago
Yeah, I mean, look at the size of the people. Proportions ar way bad in America :'''D
#23
For me as British bloke who only travelled for 6 weeks in the US: Your public transport is largely poor but everything is built for cars and your cars are big. You advertise not businesses but personalities a lot. So it’s not that KGH Estate Agents will well your property but MARY HUGHTON WILL PERSONALLY SELL YOUR HOUSE (with a big picture of her face). Random people will talk to you. I’m a Londoner so it is different up north in the UK but especially when I got to the southern states people were so happy to talk to random strangers. You guys actually sit at the bar in bars. When we go to a pub/bar, we’ll go with friends and rarely interact outside of that group really. You guys jump up at that bar and just start chatting. Where homelessness is visible it’s bloody awful. San Francisco was horrible for this, me and my (now) wife ended up making a load of extra spag bowl to give to the homeless people outside our hostel because it was shocking to us. If I think of anymore I’ll add them but it’s Christmas Day and I should probably talk to my family.
Commander Rex 4 years ago
In the south a lot of people are very polite, wE nOrThErNErS call it southern hospitality, idk if anybody else calls it that but we do.
Easily Excitable Panda 4 years ago
I've lived in a lot of places in the US, and I have to say that the homelessness in San Francisco was shocking even by American standards.
Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
Most of San Francisco's homeless are from somewhere else. Other cities have been caught buying people one way bus tickets to San Francisco. In a misguided attempt that started during the Reagan years the City cut back on shelters, mental health care, drug detox, and began arresting people for feeding the homeless. All in an attempt to discourage people from coming here. So now they come here and get stuck.
Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
Yep. In the south we are very polite, and most of us love it when people stop to talk.
RoseTheMad 4 years ago
I'm from North UK, and it's still weird that Americans are so extroverted with strangers. xP
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
The funny thing is the worst homelessness is in places that give the most lip-service to helping the homeless. I rarely see homeless people where I live, but that's because people keep offering them jobs (You can come clean my gutters and I'll pay you $200). They either take them and aren't homeless or move on, because they don't want to live tied down to things like jobs even if it gets them off the streets.
Lion's Stare 4 years ago
Sadly, Homelessness is a huge problem in California, up and down the state. It has to do with the growing wealth gap, increased cost of living, and defunding of public health services for the mentally disabled
Couldnt_Find_A_Good_Name 4 years ago
I would honestly love to talk to anyone around (unless they are creepy) rather than walking alone and stuff.
#24
Canadian here, canadas fast food restaurants have signs that fairly normal height, just enough to get the point across while not being obnoxious, cross over to the usa and within 5 seconds of leaving customs you can see fast food signs hundreds of feet in the air on giant poles. 2 - 3 times taller than here in Canada, why!? also finding peanut butter and jelly swirled into the same jar was shocking.
S T 4 years ago
I'm from America, whoever had that jar of peanut butter and jelly is currently being deported, we do not accept them.
Samantha PandaNotBored 4 years ago
Peanut butter AND jelly . Honestly I’d heave my ribs up . Sounds disgusting 🤮
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
I think the PB&J thing that non-Americans don’t get is that what we call jelly isn’t what they call jelly. Our jelly is their jam, and their jelly is what we call Jell-O. If they’re thinking PB&J is peanut butter and Jell-O, I can well understand their disgust. Then again, my British husband makes trifles, and soaks the ladyfingers in the unset Jell-O, which to me makes them soggy cookies in fruit-flavored slop. Yuck. Though I do like the custard and cream part.
HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
I never get peanut butter and jelly in the same jar, its not great. And the signs ARE super obnoxious.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
I would rather spread the peanut butter on one side of the bread and the jam on the other side of the bread. That way I get a good ratio. Having both mixed in a jar would make that more difficult and your sandwich would taste different a lot of the time. You gotta get the ratio right lol.
Anne Mitchell 4 years ago
... and motel signs! You can see the sign for your motel from the freeway but there is a snow ball's chance in hell of finding the correct exit and actually getting there.
Matheus Oliveira 4 years ago
Being from Brazil, I’ve never actually seen peanut butter. What is it like?
Cassie 4 years ago
Keep in mind that what a lot of countries refer to as "jelly" is not what jelly is in the US. We call that "Jello" or "gelatin". What we call "jelly" is a form of fruit preserve made from the fruit juice rather than the body of the fruit (which is what we call "jam" and we sometimes use jam and jelly interchangeably even though they are technically different things).
#25
When we were flying between cities, I found it weird to look out of the side of the plane and see towns midflight. In Australia, once you leave the city's airspace the landscape is completely barren until you arrive at your destination.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
That’s because the further you go inland the more un-inhabitable and barren it becomes.
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
Flying from Sydney to the Gold Coast feels exactly the same. It's because our cities - apart from Sydney and Melbourne - are generally quite small. Sydney and Melbourne on the other hand are quite large on an international standard. Sydney is larger than and more populated than NY, just less dense, which seemed strange to me when I first realised that. But now I understand that my misperception was largely due to our extreme saturation of US culture (and/aka propaganda) and their predisposition with themselves and self-glorification.
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Johnny 4 years ago
That's because of the population density, much of australia is Uninhabited while in the USA we're pretty spread out-- Australia has around 3 people per square km, the USA around 34 (about the same as Europe)... if you really want to see town after town, visit Japan, there seems to be little undeveloped land there, and they have around 10 times the population density as the USA (and 100 times Australia)
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
We're really not all that spread out. Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, eastern oregon, eastern washington, the Dakotas, and Alaska are quite sparsely populated for the most part. Large parts of Texas. also. Northern Maine is virtually empty.
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Susan Egan 4 years ago
Yep, we are all over the place. There is very little area that is uninhabitable space and even the places you'd think no one would live, we do.
#26
Ranch; it is somehow both delicious and revolting. And changes which with every mouthful.
Samantha PandaNotBored 4 years ago
Never tasted it. What’s it taste like. I haven’t seen it in the UK . I probably wouldn’t buy it either way 🙈
Memere 4 years ago
Ingredients ▢ 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream ▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley, OR 1 tablespoon dried parsley ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced dill, OR 1/2 teaspoon dried dill ▢ 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder ▢ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt ▢ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Pilot Chick 4 years ago
I feel like the only person in the US that doesn’t like ranch. I can’t stand the way it smells either.
Rebecca Lederer 4 years ago
Ranch is delicious. On fries, pizza, salad, chicken, baked potato. It's tangy and creamy. I can't imagine not having ever tasted it.
Incitatus 4 years ago
Utter deliciousness. I will mail some ranch dressing to everyone who has never tried it.
Joey Marlin 4 years ago
That will be a very large percentage of the world.
Load More Replies... Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
It depends on the ranch. I prefer certain brands/types of ranch over others. Some ranch is revolting, and some is amazing.
Sista of the moon 4 years ago
Exactly. Once we accidentally bought “coconut milk ranch” and it was terrible.
Load More Replies... #27
European here, to me what was surreal was how openly they talk about guns and how many they have at home. Also I took an uber for what 5-10 mins to get back to the hotel and the lady driving me super casually told me about how when she was a child in the compton area, she'd be playing outside, lie to the ground when there was a drive by then just continue playing
Evil Little Thing 4 years ago (edited)
It's also not normal and she may have been exaggerating.
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Spork420 4 years ago
In the more gun friendly states, people collect guns. They're more used for sport shooting than hunting. There's gun shows all the time, gun stores everywhere. People build and upgrade their guns. Most households have numerous firearms with thousands of rounds of ammo on hand. It's normal here. Some states are really strict about their gun laws, where others are really relaxed. Depending on the state you're in, it can be fairly common to go to the grocery store and see people with guns holstered on their sides while shopping. The state in which I live, is really relaxed, so everyone is packing. Going for a drive? grab your gun. Going to work? grab your gun. Going to bed? you bet it's right on the night stand. Just normal life here.
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
This terrifies liberals in America. They know if there is ever a real war between political factions in the USA, they will wiped out in hours.
Load More Replies... HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
I do find it crazy that people keep a bunch of guns at home. Is that really necessary?
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
There are more guns than people in the US and there are more places where you can buy guns than places where you can get medication. About 40 000 people die each year due to gun violence in the US. But don't you dare talk about gun control....
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
At 40,000 a year it will take us 150 years to get to what Germany did in a gun control state in 5 years. 750 years to get to what Russia did in a gun control state.
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Biana Vacker 4 years ago
Yeah, I know some families who keep guns but usually only for hunting. Guns aren't really a primary topic of conservation (at least where I live) but I do think that depends on where you are and who you're talking to.
Dave P 4 years ago
There is a difference between illegal guns with gang violence in the inner city like compton and law abiding citizens owning a legal firearms. Remember about 1/3 of America's population live in areas that is can take police up to 20 min or more to come, you need protection in rural america. Also we have a big hunting culture. But only 28% of Americans own guns, and most of us do not talk about it because we dont have them.
Becky Samuel 4 years ago
*Only* 28%!? That's horrifying. The idea of a gun for personal protection is proven to be a myth - gun owners are far more likely to be the victims of a shooting than non gun-owners.
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Michael Vickery 4 years ago
As an American living in the deep south, it sometimes shocks me. I had an acquaintance who was in a car wreck and injured. The police asked him if he was carrying any weapons. He was carrying: a pistol on a holster, a pistol in the console, one in the glovebox, a shotgun in the back seat, and an AR-15 in the trunk. All perfectly legal, by the way.
#28
The rituals for paying after food. Call server ask for bill Wait Server brings bill, put card down Wait Server takes care and bill away Wait Server brings back copy, you add tip Get up and leave. In NZ Finish meal, go to front of the restaurant and pay then leave (no tip)
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
In most places in Australia (SA) you go to the counter, order your meal and pay it as well as your drinks then you sit down and wait for your drinks and food to be served, eat and then leave. Also no tip.
Sasy 4 years ago
Not sure where Foxxy but in NSW restaurants and cafes you sit, you order, you eat you pay. Occasionally you order and sit, but that has never been common here, as it is less likely to add on if already finalised.
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lara 4 years ago
Some restaurants do that, some you pay up front. The "nicer" the restaurant, the bill is delivered to you.
Remi Flynne 4 years ago
Exactly this. People will have a different experience in fast, family, fine dining restaurants. That's not country specific. That is restaurant type and style specific.
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Marik 4 years ago (edited)
In germany: 1st option would be: server asks how you're going to pay (cash/card) - leave - bring back a mobile card-reader if needed - you pay - you get receipt - done. 2nd option you walk up to the cashier - tell your name/table nr - pay (cash/card). ---- Tips are optional and must be announced before paying, for the server/cashier to type it in. ---- no cashier will touch your card, nevertheless walk away with it, without your direct & clearly announced consent.
InfectedVoice 4 years ago
I'm not letting anyone disappear with my card, are you mad? You bring the card reader to me or I come to the counter and pay.
tom t 4 years ago
A lot of food service workers are paid a "food service worker" minimum wage which can be 1/4 of the minimum wage for other workers. A lot of food service workers main income is from tips. I think it's criminal for any business not to pay it's workers a wage that is not livable.
Monty Is Fiennes 4 years ago
When you are not required to tip the server... and they give exceptional service.... feel free to give a financial compliment...sometimes you are financing dreams and hardwork...
Matt Gilliam 4 years ago
I actually had a conversation with a waitress a few months ago. She explained a lot to me about how her life was going. She didn't really have much. She was 19 with a baby and a the baby's dad hit the road as soon as he found out she was pregnant. She wanted to go to school. I tipped her 50 dollars. A way to give to somebody without the "insult" of it being a handout. I was out the door before she could notice how big the tip was and protest.
Load More Replies... Ginny Swart 4 years ago
New Zealand waiters must be paid really well! Most here dont get a living wage and rely on your tips which are usually 10% of the bill
Fixin'Ta 4 years ago
Visited NZ in 2016 and was COMPLETELY confused by that! It took my adult son and I a couple of restaurant visits before we realized you don't have to wait for the server to come do all the rigamarole. You just walk up front, slide your card into the reader (we were just beginning to get those for the customer in the US, so that was weird, too), and go on your merry way. We got very used to that in our two weeks there. Wish it was that way here in the States.
#29
Neon signs for a f!@#$%^ funeral home will always stand out.
Cassie 4 years ago
Most funeral homes here are more low-key and tasteful, but we do get some loud ones. In some places, there are drive-through memorial services where the body is showcased behind a window and you just drive up, do whatever one does in the presence of a dead body, and drive away.
Sheila Stamey 4 years ago
Ww have drive through funeral parlors too. No joke. Only one or two, but they exist.
pamela nichols 4 years ago
US here , I have never seen a neon sign for a funeral home. It just seems so undignified.
#30
Ads in general actually, it is so hard to go anywhere without having something in obnoxiously large text trying to get your attention. Whether it be on the road, on tv, on the internet, and hell even in people’s phones.
Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
Is America the only place that has pop-up ads on websites and apps??
Chris 4 years ago
This is how many ads/scripts/general nasty things are being blocked on this very page... Untitled-6...508dc1.png 
Donny Cromwell 4 years ago
Ads are SO American and I hate them. I avoid them at all cost. Growing up I never listened to the radio only CD's and if the TV was on and I was watching it, it was a movie on dvd or playing video games with friends.
#31
Canadian here, I was blown away by how weirdly social people are with strangers. Like some random guy I've never seen before just starts telling me his life story on the street. He is super normal, and doesn't seem crazy, just wants to talk to me for some reason. But then also, the dude at Wendy's is loudly threatening some 16 year old cashier in front of like 45 people. I got the impression the Wendy's guy was uncool, but the other guy seemed normal, and where I live I generally assume that a stranger talking to me for no reason is either crazy or high.
HooowlAtTheMoon 4 years ago
That happened to me too, and even as an American it's kinda weird. Its like ".. i just met you. You don't want to be telling me everything about you."
#32
Lemondade made with real lemons and its like super sour but some how sugary sweet at the same time.
In Australia lemonade is the same as sprite. So when I was there my mum and I ordered Jack Daniels and Lemonade and they made it with the real lemondade and it was awful. It was also weird because they sold pre mixed bottles of Jacks and lemonade with the real lemonade but in Australia you buy the same ones with sprite lemonade.
Free refills was the other big one. Everywhere has free refills as many times as you like? Never seen that before.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
I didn’t discover the differences in lemonade until about a year ago on another BP post. I had no idea they were so vastly different.
Paul Budhram 4 years ago
yeah... we squeeze the lemons, add some water, then sugar, then take a sip out of a cup to see if it tastes right and if it doesn't we add more of xyz
Load More Replies... Isaac7lego 4 years ago
Sprite isn't lemonade!!!! As a lemonade purist I have to say comparing sprite to lemonade and saying sprite tastes better is wrong!!!! (sorry for the rant)
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
Sprite is the closest to what we Australian’s call lemonade. It is a clear, lemon flavoured fizzy drink. We don’t have the US style of lemonade here.
Load More Replies... Nevits Yibble 4 years ago
Two completely different things. Sprite is Sprite. And lemonade is lemonade. This person is simply confusing the two. Just sounds like neither have had real lemonade before
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
They are saying that sprite is the closest thing to lemonade for us in Australia, which is true. Lemondade here is a clear fizzy drink and often when you order a lemonade from a restaurant, pub etc you will be served Sprite or similar.
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Teresa Thomas 4 years ago
Strawberry lemonade is my favorite - for those of you who havent had it, it's AMAZING
King Joffrey 4 years ago
In general, if you ask for lemonade anywhere in Europe, you'll get Sprite/7UP.
Pungent Sauce 4 years ago
“Unless life also gives you 4L of water and a bag of sugar, that lemonade’s gonna be awful....”
Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
Lemonade IS made with real lemons, otherwise it wouldn't be called that. It's one of the few food&drinks americans haven't bastardized.
backatya 4 years ago
Sprite is a carbonated drink lemonade is natural lemons with water and maybe some sugar. What's wrong with free refills???
Marysue Watches 4 years ago
You would think that the name LEMONade would be a bit of a giveaway that it's made with lemons... :P
#33
I lived for a long time in different places around the world, and something that I really missed when moving to a new town was the lack of a US-style bar where it was easy for a stranger to meet people. Outside of the US, it is rare to find a bar where everyone just sits and faces the same direction, whether or not a sporting event was playing on the television. Instead, they have a more 'pub-like' environment, where everyone is sitting in groups at their individual tables. This makes meeting new people extremely difficult. Think about it, with the "table-style" bar, in order to strike up a conversation with a stranger, you literally have to approach them while they are sitting at their own table with their own friends. It's almost impossible to not look like a total freak! In a proper "Cheers" style bar, you can just say some random phrase to the bartender and if the person sitting next to you wants to talk, they'll just join in on the conversation. Basically, In non-US bars, if you aren't invited ahead of time by someone, you are damned to sit alone in some corner of the bar.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
Sounds like Aus, not really the best place to “pick up” coz most of the time our bars are more for people watching sports, having a beer, playing keno or snooker/pool and that’s about it. Also majority of the time it is mostly men in the pubs. Some pubs have weekly special events or live music playing where there are more people and have more of an opportunity to mingle with strangers, it’s like a smaller version of a night club.
Carrie Laughs 4 years ago
Why do you think it is the case that it is mostly men in the pubs? In the UK pubs and bars tend to be a fairly even mix of people even if they are sports bars. 🧐
Load More Replies... Javiera Gotelli 4 years ago
In south america we go to bars and interact with strangers all the time...
Pungent Sauce 4 years ago
I’ve chatted up blokes at the pubs in England, if they’re sitting at the bar, they want to talk. Got called a “Colonist” once too, lol
DrBronxx 4 years ago
I kind of get where this person is coming from, because the place I tend to go to in my town (in Japan) has a bar that I would sit at, and that's how I met some people and had chances to practice my Japanese. However, in the complaint being made here, there is a lack of understanding that people sitting at tables don't necessarily *want* to be talked to by strangers anyway. Sitting at a table saves them the hassle of being bothered. If I'm at a bar with friends, I'm there to be there with my friends. I don't need a stranger trying to butt in. The "table-style" bars, as this person puts it, are great for this. Again, I get where they're coming from, but the overall tone of this gripe is "I can't bother other people without looking like a freak".
Just JoLynn 4 years ago
Really, I took it more as "I'd like to socialize and meet people but I don't have the opportunity to do so" because the person is acknowledging that if you're sitting at a table with your friends you don't want to be interrupted.
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#34
I'm not sure if they find it weird or not but as a Canadian who has been to a few states: Gambling at gas stations in Montana. So damn weird. Edit: So I'm talking about slot/poker machines and sometimes a poker table or two in regular gas stations. Not just truck stops, not on native land. Find a street corner with some gas stations on it in Missoula and odds are at least one of them has a mini casino inside.
Paul Budhram 4 years ago
If you think Montana is weird then you are not prepared for Nevada, or California. Montana is pretty unpopulated and there gambling is no match for Las Vegas... That's why we call it "Lost Wages"
4 years ago
Fun Fact: In the state of Montana, Bingo is considered gambling and if you want to charge people to play, you have to have an operator license! And yes, I agree with OP, there are places to gamble pretty much anywhere you stop.
What do you think ?
Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
Why does BP keep making posts about how different America is? We realize we're weird, we don't need six posts a month to prove it. How about some more INTERESTING articles.
s. vitkovitsky 4 years ago
So people do things differently in different countries. Wow.
Load More Replies... Cassie 4 years ago
I was hoping to see some for other countries. The US isn't the only country with its own nuances that seem strange to outsiders.
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Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Can we have a thread where people post what they find weird about their *own* countries? England, Germany, Ukraine, Italy, Thailand, Belize, whatever? Please? That'd be awy more interesting, to me.
Remi Flynne 4 years ago
If you start with what's weird in England we could be here a while (I'm English).
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Piet Puk 4 years ago
Parading toddlers around in padded bikini tops and make up is the weirdest thing about the US.
Kristin Ingersoll 4 years ago
Oh goodie. Another Americans Are Weird post. I'm American. Yeah. We're weird. SO ARE YOU! WE'RE ALL WEIRD!!!! I'll be the first one to call out the US for the ridiculous things we do. But seriously. Enough US bashing. All you're doing is creating an even bigger divide, when we NEED EACH OTHER. It's shameful. ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Part of the reason for the mono-culture that is the US is that the US is freakin' HUGE and only has two countries bordering it. Most of us can't afford to travel and experience other cultures, so we don't think we're weird. Having been abroad, I see it, but lots of people don't.
Anony Mouse 4 years ago
Bathroom stall gaps! Portion sizes! Drug commercials! Patriotism! These have been done to death, both here and weekly on Buzzfeed.
Kristin Ingersoll 4 years ago (edited)
You forgot, "We don't have to tip!! Just pay your servers!"
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Bored Padawan 4 years ago
Often cashiers ask “how are you doing today sir/madam?” without expecting an answer from you. Mind that it isn’t a real question, but a greeting gesture for you. If you reply them “thank you” or “fine, and you?”, you shouldn’t expect an answer too. That’s not rude.
Debra Hapke 4 years ago
I am an American, I will never understand "Credit". My credit score is more important than my reputation? That's dumb.
Your_local_introvert 4 years ago
Why does BP keep making posts about how different America is? We realize we're weird, we don't need six posts a month to prove it. How about some more INTERESTING articles.
s. vitkovitsky 4 years ago
So people do things differently in different countries. Wow.
Load More Replies... Cassie 4 years ago
I was hoping to see some for other countries. The US isn't the only country with its own nuances that seem strange to outsiders.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Can we have a thread where people post what they find weird about their *own* countries? England, Germany, Ukraine, Italy, Thailand, Belize, whatever? Please? That'd be awy more interesting, to me.
Remi Flynne 4 years ago
If you start with what's weird in England we could be here a while (I'm English).
Load More Replies... Piet Puk 4 years ago
Parading toddlers around in padded bikini tops and make up is the weirdest thing about the US.
Kristin Ingersoll 4 years ago
Oh goodie. Another Americans Are Weird post. I'm American. Yeah. We're weird. SO ARE YOU! WE'RE ALL WEIRD!!!! I'll be the first one to call out the US for the ridiculous things we do. But seriously. Enough US bashing. All you're doing is creating an even bigger divide, when we NEED EACH OTHER. It's shameful. ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Part of the reason for the mono-culture that is the US is that the US is freakin' HUGE and only has two countries bordering it. Most of us can't afford to travel and experience other cultures, so we don't think we're weird. Having been abroad, I see it, but lots of people don't.
Anony Mouse 4 years ago
Bathroom stall gaps! Portion sizes! Drug commercials! Patriotism! These have been done to death, both here and weekly on Buzzfeed.
Kristin Ingersoll 4 years ago (edited)
You forgot, "We don't have to tip!! Just pay your servers!"
Load More Replies... Bored Padawan 4 years ago
Often cashiers ask “how are you doing today sir/madam?” without expecting an answer from you. Mind that it isn’t a real question, but a greeting gesture for you. If you reply them “thank you” or “fine, and you?”, you shouldn’t expect an answer too. That’s not rude.
Debra Hapke 4 years ago
I am an American, I will never understand "Credit". My credit score is more important than my reputation? That's dumb.
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