10 American Things the Rest of the World Doesn’t Do
Americans have always had a reputation for commanding a room, which can be great. Many cultures consider Americans’ willingness to approach strangers a positive trait, but the cavalier attitude has led some Americans to assume their culture is the world’s culture.
Like Logan Paul ripping his shirt off and diving into the Venetian canal, some Americans quickly learn that their customs are not always the customs of other nations.
1. Free Water
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Some American travelers noticed that they had to pay for water when they are out in some European nations. Sometimes, the American tourists had to choose between bottled water or sparkling water.
While water is free in many nations not named the United States of America, an American would be stunned if a domestic restaurant charged them for a glass of water.
2. Sales What?
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One Brit was shocked that the price displayed on the shelf in American stores differs from that at the checkout counter.
It’s called sales tax, bruv, and Americans are perplexed by it, too. Even in a few states where legislators have scrapped the sales tax, they typically just shuffle that tax elsewhere.
Them’s just the tax facts, Jack.
3. Texas-Sized Portions
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Let’s face it, “America” has become a synonym for “fat.” Europeans may wonder from afar why Americans struggle so mightily with their weight. When those Europeans dine in American restaurants, it becomes apparent (as soon as the food hits the table) why the U.S. has become the Land of the Steak and Cheese, and Home of the Hot Fudge Parfait.
4. Expecting the Waiter to Bring You the Bill
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One American who traveled to Australia waited longer than a crocodile’s tail (Croikey!) for the check to arrive. After almost 20 minutes, the diner finally called the waiter, only to find out the bill was waiting at the hostess counter. Apparently, the pay-when-you-go model is more common in several other cultures than in the U.S.
5. American Holidays
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You may be sorely mistaken if you’re expecting local restaurants in France, Dubai, or Bali to offer Thanksgiving dinner during your November vacation.
6. Pre-Pay Gas Pumps
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Not only may you hear English-speaking foreigners calling gasoline “petrol,” but you may also be confused that the gas starts flowing from the pump before you’ve paid. Virtually every gas station in the U.S. abandoned the “trust me, I’ll pay you after I pump” system decades ago.
7. African-American
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Assigning the phrase “African-American” is a practice that most Americans probably have not fully considered. Who would be surprised if someone who had grown up in American culture called a recent Jamaican immigrant “African-American?” I definitely wouldn’t be. You won’t hear the phrase “African-American” in most other countries.
8. Tipping
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If you’ve ever worked in the service industry, you’ll know that a table of diners with detectable accents may as well be Chernobyl. The waiter will go in if they absolutely have to, but many foreigners’ unfamiliarity with tipping means that servers often get stiffed.
9. Fahrenheit and Inches
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If you’re traveling out of the United States, you better get used to Celsius and meters. What, you didn’t read the classic European novel Celsius 451? Or see that British movie about the football-playing prison squad, The Longest Meter?
As the rest of the world proceeds in metric harmony, America continues to trudge along to its own beat, foot by foot.
10. The Greek System
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You’ll be hard-pressed to find a frat in Germany. You can get plenty of brats, but not so many frats. Good luck tracking down a sorority in Zimbabwe or Iran. “Rush Week” means an entirely different thing in Spain. It typically involves a scrum of horned-up animals tearing through the city with no regard for laws or decency—OK, maybe it’s not so often from the American Greek university system after all.
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This was an interesting article.
European culture is sure different than ours.