No two countries are the same, and what is normal for some may be totally unexpected for others. A poster recently asked, “Non-Americans, what is strange about America?” Here are the 21 top replies.
Fatality Warnings On Medicine Adverts
“They have to say ‘may cause death’ at the end, even if there’s less than a .000000001% chance because of a very rare interaction with other medicines or health conditions. Advertised medicine is trash, though.”
“The people in the commercials are all dancing and smiling in the park with the kids right when they say that.”
The Gaps In Public Restroom Doors
“They’re to make sure your friend is pooping correctly, and in case they need help.”
“As an American in London, this was the first thing I noticed…and appreciated.”
Privatization Of Prisons
“Commercialisation of prisons is problematic. Prisons become sources of virtual slave labor, instead of trying to reduce their population and rehabilitate.”
“Rehabilitation of criminals is a societal good. They may become contributing members of society, and it makes the rest of society safer and happier. For-profit entities are not suited for this aim.”
Few Vacation Days
“When I worked for a US company, we had a paid time off accumulation plan; we earnt up to 10 days off (maximum) for the year at the rate of 1 day off for one month worked.”
“In Australia, employees are legally entitled to 4 weeks of paid annual leave.”
Portion Sizes
“It’s great for some things. I get hibachi steak from a local Japanese place. The lunch is as big as the dinner but cheaper. It’s enough for 3-4 meals and reheats excellently.”
“I rarely finish my meals at sit-down restaurants, and when I do, I feel super guilty.”
“Get a box to take away! They’re much more amenable to that over there.”
The Drinking Age
“Why can you own a gun, go to war, and star in adult movies before you can legally have a beer?”
“From what I gather, mothers against drunk driving had it raised due to the increased accidents. I found that interesting, though that begs the question; are you guys taught how to drink responsibly?”
Pre-tax Food Pricing On Groceries
“Taxes not being added beforehand to the price of groceries is the most backward thing ever. It’s so hostile to customers. Just tell me how much you need.”
“I’ve heard the argument that it’s so that manufacturers can put a price on the product box without it being affected by different areas’ tax numbers, but the retailer could still put their own price tag on.”
Tipping
“It makes no sense to underpay workers in the food industry and expect the customer to make up for it; it should be the business’s responsibility to have fair pay for workers.”
“I’ve said the same thing so many times. Tipping should be an extra “thank you” for exceptional service, but workers shouldn’t have to rely on tips for the bulk of their income because they’re getting paid such a low hourly wage.”
How Global The Politics Are
“As a Canadian, it’s interesting just how polarizing USA politics are to us. Trump vs. Hillary/Biden was a way bigger topic than any of our own federal elections.”
“The fact we know so much about their elections is more indicative of how much American politics is consumed globally, rather than an indication of America being especially polarized.”
The Toilet Water Level
“Your toilets are full of water. I didn’t understand American jokes about water splashing you until I used one of them for the first time. I’m in Australia; our toilets have water in them, but the water level is much lower.”
“Our toilets are washdown types rather than US-style siphonic. The flushing action is more forceful, so our poo doesn’t do a victory lap before disappearing.”
How Huge Everything Is
“I find it weird how ‘enormous’ is classed as ‘medium’ for people, drinks, and food.”
“So-called ‘child size,’ which is roughly the size of a two-year-old child if it were liquified, is a real bargain at $1.59.”
The Use Of The Word ‘Entree’
“Entrees used to be the second or third course before the main in a fancy restaurant. Poorer folk who could not afford 5-course meals would often just stick to one dish, so for them, entrees became fully worthy of being the “main” of the meal.”
“It would make more sense if the appetizers were called the entrée. I’m here because I have an appetite; I don’t need to be prepped.”
Calling National Winners The World Champions
“You call the winner of the Super Bowl the ‘world champs,’ and the MLB is decided by a ‘World Series’ even though both are entirely domestic competitions.”
“Wait until you see a “World Tour” performed by these artists.”
“Motocross has a world championship where they only race in the US.”
The Number Of Drive-Throughs
“There’s a drive-thru for everything over here, even pharmacies. This is new to me because we don’t have them in my country.”
“What am supposed to do, park and walk inside? Like some kind of savage?”
“I don’t have to leave my car for anything; drive up pharmacies, groceries, booze, any type of food, etc.”
The Obsession With The American Flag
“There is at least one flag in every classroom, every other house has a flag, and in the 10 seconds it took to write this, I’ve seen a few from the passenger window.”
“I could go months in Australia without seeing our flag.”
“I grew up overseas and, back home, when I saw all the flags, I assumed everyone had a hard time remembering what country they lived in.”
American Football
“It’s a sport named “Football,” but the players play it with their hands most of the time.”
“And the so-called ball isn’t even round. It’s egg-shaped. It should be called handegg.”
“Because in the 1800s, Oxford made the term ‘as soccer’ to distinguish association football from rugby football. The name spread beyond England, and here we are.”
American City Design
“American cities and towns were built around cars, which makes sense given our historical circumstances but is rather impractical in most other situations.”
“Sometimes it feels like the urban planner deliberately placed the most high-priority necessities and institutions that people need as far apart as possible.”
Florida Man
“I mean, Europe has Russian Man. But, yes, we still find it strange.”
“The real reason “Florida man” is such a big thing is that Florida’s arrest records are public information. That and the fact that there are nearly 22 million people there. Someone is bound to do something crazy, especially in that heat.”
How Old The Politicians Are
“In America, Congress is the retirement home for the 1%.”
“I have American friends who are blown away by how young our party leaders are. Trudeau is turning 50 next month, Erin O’Toole is 48, and Jagmeet Singh is 42.”
“Those are the current ages of the 2050 US Presidential candidates.”
Two-party Political System
“Drop the ‘first past the post’ method and switch to preferential. You still have major parties, but it allows for smaller parties and independents to get a voice.”
“Yeah, the two-party system sucks. I blame Jefferson and John Adams for that.”
“Plus, the major parties see where their preferences come from, and overtime shift their policies to attract those voters directly.”
The Names Of The School Years
“It’s funny because ‘senior’ in Europe means an elderly person.”
“Sophomore, senior, seventh grade, high school, homecoming… also, why, when you tell a story, do you say the year you were in instead of your age at the time?”
“That’s a really good question. Folks here put great importance on high school years.”
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