American tendencies make you stick out like a sore…
It’s their nation and they’ll do what they need to.
Sometimes, all it takes goes outdoors of the US to rapidly understand how Americans actually have their own particular manner of doing issues.
Things we contemplate “normal” most probably trigger many non-Americans to scratch their heads.
A latest Reddit thread requested, “What’s one thing you didn’t understand was ‘very American’ until you left the US? Nearly 7,000 people chimed in on the remark part, chatting about every little thing from speaking loudly to America’s obsession with ice in drinks.
Here are some of the eye-opening but hilarious feedback from the thread.
Driving a car in every single place
Relying on a car is a very regular factor in the US. Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com
“Here in the US, outside of big cities, it’s pretty much required to drive a car. When I lived abroad for a few years, I was able to survive completely off public transport, the occasional taxi, and walking on my own two feet,” one expat wrote.
Another particular person agreed to write, “Yeah, my partner is from Massachusetts and I (British) saw there was a grocery store less than a mile away and figured I could walk there, as I usually would at home. I could not walk there.”
Loving ice in drinks
Americans love their ice. alter_photo – stock.adobe.com
“Worked in China, no ice and room temp water. I was so excited when my translator turned to me while we were ordering food and said he wanted to know if I wanted ice. I said ‘They have ice? YES!’ She laughed, the guy behind the counter laughed and then she said ‘No, they do not have ice,’” a disillusioned remark read.
Eating rapidly
You don’t understand how fast you eat until you go elsewhere. Drazen – stock.adobe.com
“I was just in England and even in relatively casual restaurants the waiter is only checking up on you 2-3 times in an hour cause they assume you’re gonna take your time and enjoy your meal. I walked into a restaurant an hour before close and they specifically told me, ‘We close in 1 hour, are you sure you will have enough time?’ And my only thought was that I could eat it as fast as they could make it…” somebody wrote.
“Speed eating was trained into us from a young age. Lunch at public schools was all about churn. Get the kids in the cafeteria and get them outside for mid-day recess as soon as possible because we have three more rotations of kids that need to eat,” another American explained.
Talking to anybody and everybody
Not everybody needs to speak, according to these expats. (JLco) Julia Amaral – stock.adobe.com
“Americans can start conversations with random strangers and feel completely normal to share their stories,” a remark read.
“I was working retail in Stockholm for a while and one of my coworkers told me she was surprised by how many customers wanted to chit-chat with me, because ‘We don’t do that, generally,’” chimed in another person.
Talking loudly
Be cautious not to speak too loudly, or you’ll actually stick out like a sore thumb. Xavier Lorenzo – stock.adobe.com
“My fellow Americans talk SO LOUD ALL THE TIME,” somebody pointed out.
“It’s crazy, I was in Utrecht the other day. There’s probably 150 people drinking outside, enjoying the sun and chatting and you can still easily spot the Americans from a distance — so loud,” admitted another person.
Tipping at eating places
Tipping is a big factor in America — but not elsewhere. SASITHORN – stock.adobe.com
“As a kid I figured that was normal everywhere in the world. As I got older I realized people sometimes look at you weird and it can even be considered insulting in some situations,” a remark read.
“It’s not the norm in a lot of countries because servers there actually get paid a decent wage. I can’t for the life of me figure out why servers are exempt from earning minimum wage over here, so they depend on tips to make a living, which is crazy messed up if you asked me…” wrote another person.
Stay in the loop with the latest trending topics! Visit our web site daily for the freshest lifestyle news and content, thoughtfully curated to inspire and inform you.