5 days ago
21 Things Americans Didn't Realize Were Only American
Recently, Redditor u/chopsticktalk asked Reddit community members from the US to share the things they didn't realize were "very American" until they visited another country, and some of the responses are mind-boggling:
"Ranch dressing. Ranch-flavored Doritos are still sold, but they're labeled as 'American flavor.'"
—sniper91
"Having air conditioning everywhere. I went on a business trip to Germany. It was 80 degrees outside, and my German coworkers simply opened up a window for some air exchange. I went to the mall to get a SIM card for my phone, and most of the mall didn't have air conditioning, either."
"Red Solo Cups. When I studied abroad in New Zealand, everyone asked me about them. Granted, this was at the height of Jersey Shore's popularity."
—fezfrascati
"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."
"Portion sizes and taking home leftovers."
—hubert--cumberdale
"I moved to the Netherlands eight years ago. The biggest one I realized was probably working while sick. For 20 years, I came to work every day unless I physically couldn't. Like, I had to be so sick that I legitimately couldn't make myself get out of bed. Even then, I felt bad for not showing up. I was in the Netherlands for maybe three months already when I got a cold. My boss came around to my desk and sent me home. I was still on my probation period, so I was super worried that if I took a sick day, I'd be fired and sent back on a plane to the US."
"How much water is in toilet bowls."
—AcanthocephalaIcy516
"Billboards along the highways."
"Ice cold beverages. I worked in China, and they did drinks with no ice and had room-temperature water. I was so excited when my translator turned to me while we were ordering and asked if I wanted ice with my drink. I said, 'They have ice? YES!' The translator and the guy behind the counter laughed and said, 'No, we don't have ice.'"
—Delaneybuffett
"A big culture shock to me in Europe was that there were many major cities that weren't filled with skyscrapers like in the US. I guess it isn't specifically American, but it definitely threw me for a loop."
"Screens in windows. Does Europe not have bugs?"
—Over_Dog24
"Advertising medical treatments for profit."
"Unlimited refills of coffee at restaurants."
—GoddessoftheUniverse
"Eating a meal really quickly. I was just in England, and even in relatively casual restaurants, the waiter will only check up on you two or three times in an hour because they assume you're going to take your time and enjoy your meal. I walked into a restaurant an hour before close, and they specifically told me, 'We close in an hour, are you sure you will have enough time?' And my only thought was that I could eat my meal as fast as they could make it."
"Garbage disposals."
—Mysterious-Hawk6030
"I didn't truly appreciate the 24-hour grocery stores when I lived in the US. When I moved to Belgium, it was a weirdly hard transition being only able to shop during normal hours. I moved back to the US before COVID-19, and now we rarely have 24-hour grocery stores in the US anymore."
"Competitive sports among high schools and colleges."
—niels_nitely
"The loudness. My fellow Americans talk SO LOUD ALL THE TIME."
"Free public restrooms. I'm not saying they're clean or nice in the US, but it was annoying trying to remember to carry coins around Paris just so I can pee."
—DrPorkchopES
"Leaving out sales tax from prices in the stores."
Lastly: "Chitchat. Americans can start conversations with random strangers and feel completely normal sharing their stories."
—phage5169761
Honestly, yeah, the portion sizes in America are truly wild. If you're American, what are some things you didn't realize were "very American" until you left the US? Let us know in the comments, or you can anonymously submit your thoughts using the form below!
