- Americans forget that what they consider “normal,” just another habit, is not so normal outside their borders.
- This doesn’t mean that American customs are bad, we’re just saying that they attract attention in the rest of the world.
- Discover more stories at Business Insider Spain.
Sometimes Americans forget that what they consider “normal,” just another habit, is not so normal. outside its borders.
This does not mean that the traditions We’re just saying that they attract attention in the rest of the world. We’ll tell you about the most surprising habits that they consider normal and that surprise the rest of us.
All the bills are the same color
In the United States, all bills are the same shade of green, so they look very similar, even though their amounts are very different.
That’s why when Americans travel to other countries they are surprised to see that bills come in different colors and sizes depending on their value. For those of us who travel to the United States, it’s confusing that all money is the same regardless of its value.
Put a lot of ice in drinks
One of the things that surprises Americans the most when they travel to Europe is how little ice we put in our drinks. In many restaurants, Americans always end up asking for more ice.
Americans are among the few who have a habit of filling their glasses with as much ice as possible. In fact, articles have been written about it and it seems that the reason lies in the “more is more” philosophy that prevails in the US.
Using “America” or “Americans” to refer only to the United States
When an American says “America” they may be referring to the United States, since they are synonymous. However, in the rest of the world, this habit is confusing.
The US is not the whole of America. There is South America, Central America, and two more countries in North America. That’s why, for those of us who didn’t grow up in the region, it seems strange that they use “America” to refer to just one country.
Write the month before the day
Americans write dates in this format: month-day-year. This scheme sounds very strange in the rest of the world: nobody would say “July 3, 2019”, but rather “July 3, 2019”. In addition, in the rest of Europe, including the United Kingdom, the way of writing the date follows the same criterion. However, for them our day-month-year format is quite strange.
Prescription drug advertising everywhere
In a Reddit post, foreigners who have visited the United States or live in the country say that one of the strangest things is seeing prescription drug ads everywhere.
User NoDownvotesPlease commented: “I found the prescription drug ads to be the strangest thing to do. Seeing ads with messages like ‘ask your doctor to prescribe this antidepressant’ was weird. In the UK it’s the doctors who tell you what to take, not the other way around.”
Put flags everywhere
In the same Reddit post, users commented that another of the strangest things is seeing American flags everywhere, from official buildings to private homes.
Pharmacies sell many products
As the BBC pointed out, there are many differences between pharmacies in the United States and those in the rest of Europe. In fact, when we travel to the American country, one of the strangest things is to see these establishments with so many products. They sell everything from medicines to fast food.
Eat sweet bread
In the Reddit post, users commented that American bread is excessively sweet, which is very strange for any European.
Use the imperial system of measurement instead of the metric system
The United States is one of three countries in the world that uses this measurement system, called the imperial system. So if we travel to the US we will have to pay attention and use a metric system converter.
Too many TV commercials
When it comes to TV ads, the United States takes the cake.
Reddit user WhatWouldTylerDo wrote: “I love America. But the one thing I hate is the sheer amount of TV commercials. It may only be on certain channels, but for a 30 minute show there are up to four ad breaks and they’re not even placed sensibly. Sometimes there’s a break before the credits of the show and when the show comes back it just skips from the credits to the next one.” show“.
Free drink refills at almost all locations
One of the most surprising things is that in almost all restaurants in the United States you can get unlimited second drinks. But this is not common outside the country; for example, in France this was banned in 2017.
Using a lot of water in the toilets
American toilets are different from those in the rest of the world, and one of those differences is the large amount of water they use.
One Reddit user commented: “Seriously, why do you use so much water?”
Put a large opening at the bottom of the bathroom door
If you’re traveling to the United States, you may be surprised to see that the gap left at the bottom of the bathroom door is excessively large. Many Reddit users commented that this is an invasion of privacy and doesn’t make much sense.
Drinking large cups of coffee while walking
In other places, such as Europe, coffee is consumed in smaller quantities. This means that we drink it quickly and from much smaller cups.
But in the United States, it is common to have large cups of coffee and drink it while walking. However, this is a habit that seems strange to us.
Taking home the leftovers
In the United States, people don’t think twice about asking the waiter to pack them a lunch box with leftover food from their plate so they can enjoy it later. However, in other countries this is seen as strange and even considered rude. In France, for example, it is so frowned upon that they had to pass a law to allow customers to give bags of leftover dog food.
Eat giant portions
Speaking of leftovers… people from other countries who visit the United States are amazed at American portion sizes. In all restaurants, whether fast food or not, the portion sizes are too big. It is also the case for sodas and other items.
Tipping waiters and other professionals
Not tipping is frowned upon in the United States. In other places, like here in Europe, tipping or not is optional and even considered rude in some countries. But in the US, it is essential and if you travel there you will be warned that you must tip in restaurants.
Talking to strangers about trivial things
One strange or odd thing that Reddit users noticed is that Americans talk to strangers very often. Some found it unusual, but other users saw it as something nice.
Reddit user CompleteWorks wrote: “The hospitality, generosity and kindness to strangers is unmatched anywhere else in the world.”
Use red glasses to drink alcohol
It’s amazing how often Americans use these red plastic cups. If you want to organize a party with an American theme, you can’t miss them.
Wearing swimsuits on the beach
Do topless In the United States, it is frowned upon and foreigners are warned about this on many beaches in the country. In Europe, it is a common practice that does not alarm anyone.
Going into debt to go to college
It is no secret that going to university in the United States is too expensive and, as a result, many students go into debt to finance their studies. In most European countries, studies are cheaper because they are subsidized by the government. It is hard to believe how much debt they accumulate.
Throwing baby showers
The baby showers They are a fun custom in the United States, but they are not common in other parts of the world. Outside the US, they are considered strange and even a little rude. Although it is a trend that is spreading, it is not common.
Working hard and with few holidays
According to a study by the Center for American Progress, the United States is officially the most overworked country in the developed world. It can be surprising how many hours and days Americans work. In fact, many eat at work and have few vacations. So few that, for an American, it is very rare to have six weeks of paid time off.
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Tags: Curiosities, United States, Lists