When tourists visit the US, it's, not shockingly, foreign territory for them. It takes some getting used to, but they eventually find interesting things here.
The water level in toilets
-The water level in the toilets; I walked into three different cubicles in JFK [airport] that were all seemingly blocked, until I realised that in the states the water level in the toilets is much higher, like half the bowl, whereas here in Europe there's just a bit of water at the bottom.
Family Style Pizza
-For me a very strange thing was that in the USA people share pizzas; I was with a group of US friends and they looked at me very strangely because I ordered my personal pizza, then I realized that everybody share theirs. And it’s not common, since in Italy everybody have their own (only in rare circumstances like when ‘meters of pizza’ are purchased).
I seemed rude but you know, I want my own pizzas! Also tips, I needed 5-7 days to realize that it’s rude to pay ‘just’ the normal amounts in a restaurant.
Friendly Strangers
-One person said
-Strangers talked to me for no reason. I could be walking on the street and a total stranger would come up to me and say 'nice jacket' or something similar.
-Yet another person said
-Same, the amount of strangers that randomly talk to you is super uncomfortable for me personally. On the other hand, the first times I visited was before Google Maps, and before we'd even gotten our maps halfway out our bags an American would approach and offer us directions.
People in the US were just incredibly helpful and kind. The only other place I've consistently experienced people being that considerate of lost foreigners is actually Norway.
Size of Cars
-I went to the US in 2014. We landed in San Francisco and had to rent a car. We thought: 'We're in America, let's rent a big car." So we rented a 'big' car. Then we joined the I101 and we were the smallest car on the road... So with our redefined car we went to the Golden Gate Bridge but we were hungry. So we stopped at a diner.
My brother ordered a burger and a small 7 Up. He got a liter of 7 Up. He wasn't even halfway and the waitress came to ask if he'd like a free refill (!) To quantify the bigness would be an insult of the bigly bigness that is American lifestyle. Certainly a shock for me
Constant Commercials
-In hotel rooms: We didn't watch a lot of TV, but when we did, I was very taken aback by the amount of commercials. I watched Cartoon Network as a kid and I remember the screen faded to black and immediately back to whatever I watched like every 10 minutes maybe (usually during an exciting part, for dramatic effect). I realized those blackouts were meant for commercials, but my home country didn't do that.
And also commercials for booze. And just in general the intensity of them. Some were hilarious though
Privacy in Public Bathrooms
-...the gap in the toilet doors. WHY.
Shoe etiquette
-People wear shoes inside their homes. So strange
Food's true size
-From one person
-The size of food. And not just portions but like the size of chicken breasts in a supermarket and things like that
-From another person
-I was in San Francisco with my family a few years ago. At some point we stopped in a Hard Rock Cafe and I ordered what I thought would be a small brownie, and I got probably a dozen of brownies mashed into the biggest cup I’ve ever seen, along with a crap load of ice cream and chocolate on top; even by sharing it with everyone we didn’t finished it, and it was the same everywhere.
The size of the meals over there is ridiculous. Also the distance you can travel before finding any sign of life freaked me out a bit at first
Driving with Road Rage
-Americans are very aggressive drivers. Courtesy for fellow motorists seems to not exist. Everyone everywhere goes considerably over the posted speed limit, even when police are present. I never figured out what the rush was or the reason for the 'me first' attitude when driving. Perfectly friendly people turn into raving lunatics behind the wheel.
Showing IDs and Dollar Bills to Get Into Bars
-One thing that I guess could be described as culture shock was paying with a 5 dollar note and getting my change back in notes. It's weird to me that 1 dollar notes even exist. Also being asked to show ID at a bar
The Office World
-I was surprised to discover that the majority of the offices had no windows. Like, the rectangular building was split into even rows of offices, and only the ones on the edge had natural light - and the company was considered quite friendly to the employees.
Restaurant Manners
-When you're sitting down in a diner, somebody will constantly top up your glass with icy water. I mean thanks but it was December!
Women chatting at clubs
-In clubs, partying, women would come up to you and start a conversation. Happened 0 times in 15 years of adulthood in Europe. Happened several times a night every time I was out in California
Paying for National Parks
-The feeling that everyone is out to squeeze you for just one more dollar. Granted, I've mostly visited touristy cities (NYC, Miami, LA, San Francisco, Las Vegas), so it might be different in more rural/less touristy areas, but it was all sorts of small things which built up to this feeling, and it made me more wary when I encountered people who seemed friendly, because I'd automatically assume they just wanted money from me.
And pretty much everything came with a [price] tag. So weird to drive into a national park and paying at a booth to enter
Open land everywhere
-My wife was shocked by all the open space, and how we horizontally fill much of it up with low, hastily built buildings. Strip malls and such. 'It's like you have more space than you know what to do with.' And it's true!
She was also astonished that you can drive through dozens, sometimes even hundreds of miles of wild empty nothingness, with nothing but the road you're driving on to indicate you're still in civilization
Casual conversations and friendliness bordering on creepy
-Teens addressing adults by their first name. When the school bus driver invited my 16-yo self to 'just call him Dave' I had no idea what to do with myself. It just wouldn't go through my throat.
Also, the over-the-top-friendliness in the service sector towards total strangers. Yeah, no wonder Americans think we're gloomy and depressing, lol. The first time a shop assistant exclaimed 'Hi!! How are you today??' looking as if the sun has just come into the store I had a minor panic attack because I thought we had met, she knew me and I was the a**hole who forgot her. People sh*t on the American 'fake friendliness' and the obligatory 'fine' but I quite liked it if it wasn't turned up to 11, made everything seem smoother
The scale of everything
-One person said
-We've been several times, but my first experience was when I was 15 and transiting through Houston to get back to the UK from visiting Mexico.
I think it was just the scale of everything that stuck with me at the time. We never left the airport, but the scale of the airport, the sheer size of everything (including the people I'm sorry to say) was enormous.
The size of the walkways, even the toilets were bigger. I was hungry so bought a slice of pizza, and I swear it was the size of a dinner-plate (although on reflection probably not).
I've gotten used to it over repeated trips and it doesn't [faze] me anymore - but the US certainly takes 'bigger is better' to the extreme
-Another person said
-How large/big everything is. Wide roads, enormous interchanges, food/drink portion sizes (!), cars bigger than tractors at home
The quality of public buildings
-One person said
-I was not shocked but surprised how dirty the public buildings (like airport) were and how low-quality (doors, floors, windows) everything [is] in buildings (including plumbing and electric installations in private buildings)
-Another person said
-The windows here, they only open or close. They don't kip at all! How do these people live?
Culture of Cars
-Next time went to Nashville, entirely different story. Biggest difference I noticed was traffic and transportation. So many cars, huuuge parking lots everywhere, virtually impossible to get anywhere on foot or by bus. And the hotel was something that could never happen in Europe either. I didn't have the US culture shock but the Tennessee culture shock I guess
Hugging much?
-I was a 17yo French guy visiting California, I was mostly annoyed by how much people wanted to hug for no reason
Homeless population
-One person said
-Any time I’m in the States I’m always shocked by the amount of homeless people. Especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles
-Another person said
-Dublin has what I've always considered a 'lot' of homeless people. Nothing compared to LA though. Was a huge shock when I first went. (Dublin still has way too many though)
Extremes of all sorts
-How divided everything is. There are only extremes, no in between. I thought this was mostly the case on the internet.
On the drive from the Florida airport I saw a 'the NRA is a terrorist organization' billboard right next to one advertising semi automatic (assault) rifles.
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