Culture shock is real. Just ask anyone who’s driven on American roads their entire life and then find themselves on the nightmare highway free-for-all that are Egypt’s streets. Lanes and traffic lights are mere suggestions, and drivers use their car horns more than they do their turn signals. It’s wild, wild stuff.
And as weird as some foreign practices seem to us, our neighbors around the globe are just as flabbergasted by some of the things that go down in the U-S-of-A.
I can still remember how confused a friend of mine from Bulgaria was when he saw commercials on cable TV. She just looked blankly at me and said, “But…you pay for it.” I mean she has a point: If advertisers are funding our airtime on network television, then what are our cable subscription dollars going to?
There are plenty of experiences that Europeans, like my friend, have when they first come to the U.S. and interact with a practice that seems crazy to them. This AskReddit thread has some pretty good ones.
Credit card etiquette.
I went to pay with card in a restaurant and the waiter just took it and walked off.
Coffee orders.
When I ordered a cappuccino at IHOP and it came in a bowl-sized mug with cream on top and was filled with sugar and vanilla.
Drink sizes.
“Excuse me, I ordered a small.”
Casual alligator holder.
In 2015 I went to Florida. We walked past a crazy golf place and a guy was holding an alligator in his arms, he also told me he had an 8-foot alligator in the back.
I’m from England, so I don’t think I’ll ever quite get over just how casual he was having a f–king alligator in his arms.
Price not as advertised.
All the prices are pre-tax.
– yakobski
Cups on cups on cups.
I was extremely surprised that in fast food restaurants you will find unlimited soft drinks from time to time (like a refill cup). Yet people pay extra for a bigger cup. So they don’t have to walk to often I guess?
Churches and morning commutes.
European gone to Texas, the difference in religion is astounding. It’s so much more prevalent in people’s lives here. There are some beautiful churches in Europe, but they don’t seem to have the same spirit as [in] Texas.
Also holy f–k, the driving distances are immense. An hour commute in the morning is normal for people.
TV drug commercials.
Your commercials on TV for prescription drugs. We found the disclaimers for the side effects hilarious.
Boston is basically Europe.
Boston: didn’t notice I had left Europe.
Houston: the people were as friendly as they were huge. And loud. Hugely loud. And loudly huge, I guess.
Nashville and other places I went kinda blend together in my head, except for the delicious food.
Oh, and the person who asked if my country had coins and traffic lights. I.. what.. yes? I mean.. what?
Flag density.
There’s f–king flags everywhere. The American flag density per square km is so much higher than any other place I’ve been. It’s like every other house has a flag.
Car size.
I really wasn’t prepared for the size of the cars! I’m used to getting into cars by opening the door and sitting down, not climbing up. And we had a rental car, a Dodge of some sort, that was pretty much a tank, with tiny windows so you could barely see where you were going.
– 1115955
Texas is yuge.
I left my hotel in Texas at 7:00 am – stopped at McDonalds and got enough breakfast sandwiches to last me through lunch. I then stopped at a gas station to get gas and cigs and 2 cokes. I gunned it through Texas sometimes going over 90 miles an hour. I stopped one more time to go to the toilet and get gas and snacks. At 7:30 pm I stopped at the hotel to spend the night. I was still in Texas.
– iakar
Florida doesn’t understand English-English.
While in Florida, we went through a drive-thru and the lady couldn’t understand what I was ordering regardless of how slowly and carefully I spoke, so I decided to go inside instead where the lady behind the counter couldn’t understand me either. I am a Northern Brit, but not too too broad an accent.
My little sister had to put on her Florida accent to order for us, the manager who eventually took the order said she was sorry as the staff were only used to “normal” English lol.
Chips aren’t fries.
Back in 1987 and asking for a burger and chips, then sat wondering why the hotel waitress looked at me funny. Then my food turned up…
Lots of water in the toilet.
So much water in your toilet bowls! It’s like you’re taking your turd for a swim.
– wrappedi
Casual “hellos” from strangers.
While walking around Austin, random people would just give me a “Hey, how’s it going” as they walked past. In the UK, if someone even looks like they might glance in your direction, it probably means they’re about to try selling you something. I probably offended a couple of them with how defensive I seemed…
– Deixel
Walmart is very much Walmart.
Not European (am Australian) but went to a Walmart in Arkansas. It was just like stepping into the People of Walmart page.
The legends were true.
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Source : https://www.distractify.com/humor/2018/07/31/U4KeE/what-do-europeans-think-of-americans