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Joy

Study shows your cat probably knows your name and those of their feline friends

via Pexels

Your cat knows you better than you think.

Cats are often seen as being aloof or standoffish, even with their owners. Of course, that differs based on who that cat lives with and their lifetime of experience with humans. But when compared to man’s best friend, cats usually seem less interested in those around them, regardless of species.

However, a new study out of Japan has found that cats may be paying more attention to their fellow felines and human friends than most people thought. In fact, they could be listening to human conversations.

"What we discovered is astonishing," Saho Takagi, a research fellow specializing in animal science at Azabu University in Kanagawa Prefecture, told The Asahi Shimbun. "I want people to know the truth. Felines do not appear to listen to people's conversations, but as a matter of fact, they do."

How do we know they’re listening? Because the study shows that household cats often know the names of their human and feline friends.

via Pexels

The researchers studied 48 cats that live with at least two other pets either in a family home or at a café. Each cat was played a recording of their owner calling the name of a cat they lived with that was accompanied by a feline photo. Sometimes the photos were of the correct cat, other times they were not. The household cats spent a longer time looking at photos of the incorrect cat—a common reaction when animals are surprised.

"These results indicate that only household cats anticipated a specific cat face upon hearing the cat's name, suggesting that they matched the stimulus cat's name and the specific individual," the authors explained.

The researchers also tried the same experiment with their owner’s name being said alongside an accompanying photo that was either correct or incorrect.

via Pexels

The results show that some house cats stared longer at the monitor when the face didn’t match the name, suggesting they knew the human’s name. But they were more familiar with the names of the cats in the home. The study found that cats that lived in a larger human family “attended for longer to the monitor in the incongruent condition” as well as those who had lived with the family for a longer period of time.

Researchers hypothesize that the cats are more familiar with the names of their feline counterparts than their human families because there is competition for food. “A cat might receive food when the owner calls her name but not when she calls another cat’s name,” the researchers wrote.

Unfortunately, café cats that are used to interacting with a greater number of strangers aren't as familiar with the names of their fellow felines or human friends.

The authors believe that household cats may learn the names of other cats and humans but they aren’t sure why and "could not identify the mechanism of learning."

"It is still an open question how cats learn the other cats' names and faces," researchers note. Because, of course, a cat is never going to tell you everything.

From Your Site Articles

5 ways people are going "All In" this week

From the silly to the sentimental, here are five ways people across the internet are giving it their all.

True

When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture a color-coordinated, fairy-themed surprise proposal that took months to create, or maybe you think of a singer who went on stage and nailed the perfect high note in front of everyone (like this girl). Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Going “all in” means doing something with total commitment—literally giving it your “all” and going completely over the top. No second guessing, no holding back—just full-throttle enthusiasm with some creativity and flair thrown in. That’s how we get those viral internet moments we can’t stop watching.

This week, we've found a handful of hilarious and heart-warming videos that perfectly capture what it's like to go "all in"—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage and something truly special happens as a result. Here are five of our favorite examples.

1. This "Sports Car" singalong

@_julianabba Replying to @courtney_azbell I’m okay @tate mcrae @t8 hq #tate #tatemcrae #tatemcraetour #sportscar #soclosetowhat #misspossesive #misspossesivetour #tatemcrae1 ♬ original sound - jules

The viral song “Sports Car” by Tate McRae has become an absolute viral hit, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is the song super catchy, but her performance is show-stopping (you might even say she and her backup dancers go all in). Everyone is singing and dancing along—although this content creator’s rendition of the song might be the most passionate one. He gets a little too caught up, as you’ll see at the end of this video—and, well, his reenactment becomes "show stopping" in a different way. (Don't worry, though, he's totally fine.)

2. A little bit of everything, according to Reddit (but especially personal growth)

This week, the team at All In asked Reddit users what they go “all in” on in their own lives, and the responses were entertaining and inspiring (and sometimes both). One commenter shared that they go all in on blue cheese dressing when they’re eating buffalo wings (respect), while another shared that they go all in on saving up their retirement (we love to see people reaching for big goals). Turns out you can go “all in” on everything from maintaining a healthy marriage to putting salt on your cucumbers. Our favorite responses, though, were people who went in on personal growth and learning. Click here to see what they had to say (and click here to snag a box of All In bars—for free!).

3. Pursuing a life-long dream

@kynder.jpg that's my mom! 💙⛸️ #iceskating #followyourdreams #figureskating #lifeover50 ♬ No One - Aly & AJ

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking you’re “too old” to follow your dreams, watch this video, because this midlife mom will prove you wrong. This video shows a woman skating in her first figure skating competition—and she’s about to turn 50. The daughter, who filmed and posted the video to TikTok, says that ice skating has always been her mother’s lifelong dream, and recently she just decided to go for it. The costume, the composition, and the passion are all first-rate, but the best part is that the commenters are going crazy for her, too. One of them wrote, “As a former competitive figure skater, nothing makes me tear up like videos of people getting into skating later in life. The ice was my first love, it was home. Welcome home.”

4. These infectious dance moves

@itz_sokizzy
♬ Some Nights - Fun.

Okay, so unlike the figure skating mom, there’s nothing technically impressive about this woman dancing—as in, she’s not a professional dancer. She doesn’t use choreography or sparkly costumes—but what’s great about these videos is that her passion and enthusiasm just can’t be denied. It’s just her in her bonnet, dancing along to upbeat classics like “Some Nights,” by Fun, and somehow you can’t help but be completely mesmerized—and maybe start dancing along yourself. We watched a bunch of her videos—there are tons, and they’re all equally enthusiastic—and we couldn’t help but laugh and groove right along with her. That’s what’s great about going “all in”—it inspires other people, too.

Song re-enactments...with a surprising guest star

@animallover.zx123 if you're done with your ex move on#just move on#ex #move on with your life #fyp #fyp #fyp #fyp ♬ Gladdest Done with your ex - GLAD FAMILY

People can sometimes be “extra” when it comes to their pets (like dressing up their dog as a cowboy or a mailman for Halloween). But there’s being “extra” with your pet, and then there’s going “all in,” which this TikTok creator undoubtedly does. King Guinea Adventures (@animallover.zx123) has built a platform on staging re-enactments of popular songs, but with a twist: the star of the show is a guinea pig. These hilarious videos show the guinea pig acting out the lyrics of popular songs such as “Video Games” by Lana Del Ray and “Whiskey Lullaby” by Braid Paisley and Alison Kraus. The literalism of these videos is what makes them actually hilarious, and it shows how much thought the creator put into making them (In “Video Games,” for example, when Lana sings “Swinging in the backyard / pull up in your fast car,” you see a literal toy car appear in the swing next to him. When she gets to the lyric “video games,” you see a Nintendo Switch pop up.) It’s creative, it’s funny, it’s fun—and best of all, this creator takes their love of pop culture (and the love of her pet guinea pig) and truly goes “all in.”

Snag a free (!!) box of All In snack bars here while this deal lasts. Just pick up a box at Sprouts and text a pic of your receipt to get it for free. Enoy!

Joy

What makes kids popular in high school? Researchers found they share the same personality trait.

It's not looks, athletics, or grades.

via Canva/Photos

A girl is crowned prom queen.

Every high school has a few "popular" students that almost everyone likes. They are often chosen to be prom king or queen and elected to the student council. They are the folks that everyone waves to in the hallways, and they are usually confident and friendly.

So, what are the traits that make certain people popular and others slink by with little recognition? Are the most likable kids also the most athletic? Do they have a higher GPA? Are they more extroverted? Are they funnier? Are they more attractive?

Communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards was recently on The Dan Buettner Podcast, where she shared the common trait that popular kids have in common. Van Edwards, who describes herself as a recovering awkward person, teaches communication skills at Harvard University.

Researchers discovered the trait after interviewing thousands of high school students and asking them to list the people they liked at school. It revealed a significant finding: popular kids had the longest lists of people they liked.

What traits do popular kids in high school share?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vanessa Van Edwards (@vvanedwards)

The findings are straightforward: if you like a lot of people, many of them are likely to like you back.

Even though you may no longer be in high school, there are benefits to being popular in your workplace, church, or neighborhood. Van Edwards says we should all learn how to like other people if we want to be likable ourselves.

“Learn how to like," she told Buettner. "In fact, be free with your likes. The most popular kids were the ones who were first likers. In other words, they walked down the hallway and they say, ‘Hey, Dan. Hey, Sarah. Hey, Joy.’ They're the ones who walk into a class and be like, ‘Hey, you want to sit with me?’ They are inviters. They are likers. They are looking for good. And in that way, I think that we can train ourselves to be more likable by searching and hunting for likes."

@steven
Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards reveals what makes kids popular and the common trait that all of them have 👀 Full episode on The Diary Of A CEO #podcast #podcastclip #interview #bodylanguage #tips #advice #tip #vanessavanedwards #expert #doctor #dr #didyouknow #popular #friends #diaryofaceo

There’s something very positive about the fact that people who like others are liked in return. It’s a great excuse to have an open attitude when meeting new people and to look for the good in everyone around you, even if they may be a little challenging to get along with.

What is the reciprocity of liking?

There is a concept in psychology known as the reciprocity of liking, which states that if someone likes you, you tend to like them back. Because when someone likes you, they are usually kind and supportive. Therefore, most people like those who like them.

However, there is one big caveat to this truth: People with low self-esteem often dislike themselves, so if someone shows them affection, they may not reciprocate because it makes them feel out of balance.

Ultimately, if you want to be the popular kid in any of your social or professional circles, you have to like yourself first. Because when you like yourself, there’s a much greater chance that you will like other people. This leads to a virtuous cycle of friendship growth, where you expand your social circle in a wonderfully positive way.

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Movies

Two Gen Zers told me 'Heathers' was inappropriate for teens. Here was my Xennial response.

I was so confused when they said no high school should be putting on the musical.

Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers/YouTube

I was shocked when two Gen Zers said 'Heathers' is inappropriate for teens

It's true, not every Gen X movie is suitable for teenagers. But does that really ring true for movies that were quite literally made for teens? According to two Gen Zers, yes. Their argument over the musical, Heathers, being performed by high school students perplexed me because I watched the movie when I was around the age of eight or nine.

Now, it has been years since I've seen the movie, so I figured that I must be misremembering it. But I also know that I once considered it tame enough for my own child to watch it in middle school—eighth grade to be exact. It's still one of her favorite movies at the age of 25, and the only reason I was aware there was a musical based on the 1988 cult classic.

Heathers musical, musical, heathers, film, teens The Heathers the Musical poster. Joel Kramer/Flickr

Very rarely am I around young adults or older teens (who are not my own children or their friends), where topics like these might come up. But currently, I'm in the production of a community play where people of all ages are cast, so I've gotten to know quite a few younger and older people. Two girls, 17 and 20, were chatting with me about different subjects when the topic of favorite Broadway shows came up. Heathers was at the top of the list for the younger one, but she expressed her dismay when she revealed that one of her friends performed in the show at her high school.

This raised my curiosity. I had never seen the musical, so I decided to inquire about the reaction both girls had to a high school performing a musical about high school girls. Immediately, they deemed high schoolers putting on a production of Heathers to be inappropriate. That made me even more curious, so I asked about their thoughts on the movie and informed them that I watched it as an elementary-aged child. The Gen Zers explained that neither the movie nor the musical is appropriate due to the themes of drug use, promiscuity, and suicide.

Heathers musical, musical, heathers, film, teens Three of the Heathers from Heathers the MusicalUark Theater/Flickr

Curiouser and curiouser, I thought, because sex, drugs, and suicide were all things that high schoolers have been dealing with for decades. It hardly seems inappropriate for teenagers to view a movie or musical with teens experiencing those themes, but according to the girls, "It was a different time" when I grew up. Indeed, it was a different time, and I was a cusper, which put me on the edge of two generations within my own household and society. The only reason I was watching Heathers at such a young age is that I had a Gen X brother in the house with parents still adjusting their parenting style in accordance with the changing times.

But when I asked my own daughter about the appropriateness of the movie and musical for teenagers, her answer shocked me as well. She explained to me via text that she, too, didn't think high schoolers should be performing the play, saying, "The movie is fine the play is not. There's a full sex scene with a song." But that was where her agreement ended.

Heathers musical, musical, heathers, film, teens Heathers the MusicalUark Theater/Flickr

In all fairness to high school drama teachers everywhere, the sex scene is likely cut for the high school version. Still, the initial concern makes me wonder if we were desensitized to themes that should've been treated more seriously, or if we've possibly been too overzealous in protecting our Gen Z children from themes in life they'd inevitably have to navigate?

Teenagers have essentially been the same since the first human infant made it to adolescence. Sure, technology, slang, and other things have changed, but child brain development is consistent. Teens are going to push boundaries. They're going to experiment with things they've been told to avoid. Teenagers are going to lack impulse control and participate in risk-taking behaviors, whether it's 2078 or 1802; it's part of normal human brain development.

Heathers movie, musical, heathers, film, teens 1989 Heathers movieRotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers/YouTube

So, it's surprising that these Gen Z kids feel like themes that occur in real-life high schools across the country are inappropriate for real-life teenagers to watch in a movie. This may be specific to these two young girls, but it does seem that Gen Z in general has a much different reaction to '80s teen angst movies than older generations. Maybe it's due to having more understanding of how toxic certain behaviors were that were once normalized, or something more inherent to this generation. Either way, getting to know how the younger generations interpret things can be quite fascinating, and I always feel privileged when their thoughts are shared with me.

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Learning

Linguist clearly demonstrates how 'thinking is walking' in English and it's just so cool

You'll never see "by the way" and "of course" the same way again.

Photo credit: Tiktok.com/@etymologynerd

We use so many walking metaphors to describe thinking.

Language is fascinating. The way humans have come up with literally thousands of languages to communicate with one another, the grammatical structures we've concocted, the fact that we learn our native tongues so naturally, and how powerful words can be are all testaments to how cool language is. But when you drill down even further, language gets even cooler, and in ways that most of us aren't even aware of.

Linguist and self-professed "etymology nerd" Adam Aleksic shared a video on TikTok explaining how many common phrases we use for thinking directly reference walking. We often use metaphors in our speech, of course, but there are many that we likely don't even recognize as metaphors.

simu lu, hot ones, metaphor, language, linguistics We use metaphors all the time. Giphy

He starts with "by the way," which literally means being next to the way, or the path we're supposed to be on. It indicates that we're taking a mental detour from the path we were supposed to be on to introduce something unrelated. On the other hand, when we're talking about something that is actually on the path we're meant to be on, we say, "of course," which literally means "of the path."

"We use this metaphor all the time when we say, 'you're on track' or 'you're way off,' literally implying that you're not where you should be on the 'path' of thinking," Aleksic says, explaining that there's a greater metaphor at play here that "thinking is walking."

Once you see some examples, it becomes so clear. Our minds "race" or "wander," our thoughts "stray," and we "arrive" at conclusions.

@etymologynerd
"Via" just meant "road" in Latin #etymology #linguistics #language

"All this relies on physical motion, even though your mind is stationary," says Aleksic. "But it's from that idea—that thoughts can walk—that we can then go ahead and make statements about our own cognition. Like how I just used 'from'—originally a preposition for motion—and 'go ahead' to indicates continuation…Once you know thoughts can walk, you can 'follow' them down 'a line of thinking' until you 'come to' a resolution."

Even a saying as common as "Way to go!" is a metaphor indicating that you are on the correct path.

Once you start thinking about it, it's easy to come up with many more examples of how we conceptualize thinking as walking:

"Let's circle back."

"Walk me through your thinking."

"I'm backtracking here."

"The thought crossed my mind."

"No way."

"Let's move on."

SNL, saturday night live, let's move on, language, linguistics We use physical movement metaphors to conceptualize ideas. Giphy

Some commenters shared that their languages use similar metaphors:

"In Norwegian you can say 'du er på helt på bærtur' when someone is way off, and it means that you are on a berry trip—specifically blueberry trip."

"In Czech, you say btw as ''mimochodem', while mimo means outside and chodem means a step or a walk, so literally meaning by the walk."

"En passant in french is the same way. It's like 'I passed near this thought' while on my way to another thought."

There's something to be said for "thinking is walking" even beyond the metaphorical way we describe our thoughts. Many of the world's greatest thinkers were also obsessive walkers.

In 2014, Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz of Stanford University conducted a foundational series of studies on 176 people, mostly college students, to see if walking had any effect on different types of thinking. They found that participants who walked instead of sitting or being pushed in a wheelchair consistently came up with more creative responses on tests commonly used to measure creative thinking, such as thinking of alternate uses for common objects or coming up with original analogies to capture complex ideas. In one test, they had some people walk outside and others walk on a treadmill, neither of which seemed to make a difference. Wherever people walked, their answers were more creative than those who sat or were pushed in a wheelchair.

walking, thinking, language, linguistics, metaphors "Thinking is walking" and waking can also help us think. Photo credit: Canva

“Incorporating physical activity into our lives is not only beneficial for our hearts but our brains as well," Oppezzo said. "This research suggests an easy and productive way to weave it into certain work activities." Could we perhaps say, "walking is thinking" in addition to "thinking is walking"?

A 2021 study of students in Japan found similar correlations between walking and strong responses on alternate use tests that measure divergent thinking.

So it appears at least some types of thinking are enhanced by walking, which of course makes it all the more fun that we use so many walking metaphors to describe our thoughts.

You can follow Adam Aleksic for more on TikTok here or check out his book, Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language, here.

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Community

Preschooler surprises beloved custodian by dressing up like him on career day, bald cap and all

The 4-year-old dressed up like his hero, Mr. Bubba.

Image via Reddit/duckmagoo

Preschooler at Weekday Preschool of the First Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi, dresses up like custodian for career day.

There are few things sweeter than finding out what kids want to be when they grow up. From firemen to professional athletes to pop stars, their pure-hearted picks run the gamut.

For one preschooler at Weekday Preschool of the First Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi, his pick made hearts melt and eyes teary. The four-year-old student decided that he wanted to be like his beloved custodian, Mr. Bubba. Students were encouraged to dress up for the special day at the preschool, and he understood the assignment.

He showed up to school dressed up just like Mr. Bubba, nailing every detail. From a bald cap to drawn on mustache, no one got more of a kick out of his precious costume than Mr. Bubba himself.

from MadeMeSmile

In a sweet video shared by his preschool (and reshared on Reddit r/MadeMeSmile), teachers captured the moment that Mr. Bubba realized the student was dressed up like him. He immediately bursts into a full belly laugh, before going over to stand beside the student to get a closer look. As he does, he becomes emotional.

"Ask any of our Weekday Preschool Children who their favorite person is and the answer is easily 'Mr. Bubba!'," the video's caption said. "Today was 'dress like what you want to be when you grow up' and we had a kid choose Mr. Bubba! Complete with phone case, keys and radio!"

In an interview with Baptist Press, Bubba Cable (aka Mr. Bubba) shared, “It’s just a surprise that anyone would even look up to me like that. I’m just an average Joe here,” Cable said. “He’s a good kid. All the kids here are. I interact with them. I’m walking by all the time and they’ll go to hollering, even out of their classrooms, ‘Mr. Bubba.’ And on the playground. My goodness, I walk by there and they all line up inside the fence hollering at me. ‘Come in here and play with us.’ I’m like I can’t. I’ve got work to do.”

kids, career day, school, careers, jobs Kids on career day. Canva Photos.

He noted that he is a grandfather of four, and added, “To me, there’s no more honest person than a child.”

Kim Evrard, Weekday Preschool Director, told Baptist Press, “Mr. Bubba does everything for us. I mean, all we have to do is text Mr. Bubba and he’s on it. He doesn’t just take care of us. He takes care of our whole church.”

career day, career days, school career day, career day gif, hey arnold gif hey arnold nicksplat GIF Giphy

Viewers on the Reddit post featuring the video were touched by the duo's sweet relationship. "Custodian here🙋🏾♂️ I just know this made his day 😍❤️😂," one commented. Another added, "Oh his parents committed, I’m obsessed!!!!! Shoutout to facilities, y'all are so important!" Another wrote, "Awww the custodian got emotional!🥺 I’m telling y’all, you never know who is watching and admiring you!!♥️" One more pointed out, "Not the bald cap 😭 omg too cute."

Evrard said that she hopes the video is uplifting for others. "It’s a feel-good video, and it was sweet, and I think we need that so much. And if our little church and this little preschool can be a small part of that, I love it. I love everything about it. I’m glad that we got to be a part of making somebody smile."

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Humor

15 of the funniest things that non-Americans have said about the U.S.

Americans share their most entertaining examples of cultural misunderstandings.

Canva

A cheerleader, French woman, and a garbage disposal

As the leader of the free world, many people outside of the U.S. have strong opinions about America and its residents. Not all of them are accurate, of course, which can lead to some misunderstandings with non-Americans. However, it also opens the door for plenty of humor.

Americans are admired by many across the world for our creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and can-do attitude. But they also draw some side-eye for their love of huge portions, guns, and patriotism. Non-Americans are also skeptical about why they have garbage disposals and love putting ranch dressing on just about everything.

A Reddit user asked Americans for “the funniest thing a foreigner has said to you about America.” The answers were a great mix of cultural misunderstandings, myth-busting, and much-needed geography lessons. Here are 15 of the funniest things non-Americans have told Americans about the U.S.

1. Slick Willy

cultural misunderstandings, Reddit, American stereotypes, travel, funny stories, what foreigners think, U.S. geography, American culture, humor, AskReddit President Bill Clinton plays the saxophone presented to him by Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a private dinner hosted by President Yeltsin at Novoya Ogarova Dacha, RussiaWikimedia Commons

"While being transported from the airport to the hotel in Morocco, the cab driver said, 'American?' I responded, 'Yes.' His response: 'Ahhh yes. Bill Clinton.'"

"Buddy was in Eastern Europe in the 90s, and a little old lady who spoke no English found out he was American and just said 'Monica Lewinsky' and then laughed."

2. American monsters

"An International Student (from Malta) and I were hanging out at the 'Smoker's Lounge,' aka the place in front of the dorms where people smoked. A raccoon popped out of one of the trash cans, and he freaked out and said that the animals in North America were the size of monsters."

3. It's a big country

"A Japanese person once told me that the US is 'enviably wide.'"

"Because Japan is similarly tall, but lamentably skinny."

cultural misunderstandings, Reddit, American stereotypes, travel, funny stories, what foreigners think, U.S. geography, American culture, humor, AskReddit Map of the United States on a globeCanva

4. Melon farmers?

"A guy from the UK I know loves to refer to Americans as melon farmers. Melon farming imbeciles. Doesn't know what some object I refer to is? Must be some kind of weird melon farming contraption. Where have I been the last few days? Must have been tending to my melon farm. I wish I had a backyard instead of a dumb asphalt apartment parking lot? Ah, I must be missing life back on my melon farm."

5. No wood houses

"This man I knew in college was from rural Kenya. Apparently, your temporary house was constructed of wood. Folks that had gained enough wealth no longer had a wooden house."

"We had a guy from Kenya bring pumpkin spice muffins to a potluck. He said something like 'I see how you keep pumpkins on your porches, so I figured you must really love them.'"

6. We love ranch

"A French guy asked me if we really put ranch on everything. I said, 'Yes, even salad,' and he stared at me like I’d just admitted to living in a dumpster."

cultural misunderstandings, Reddit, American stereotypes, travel, funny stories, what foreigners think, U.S. geography, American culture, humor, AskReddit Gif of a man eating salad with a lot of rancg dressing

7. Guns, guns, guns

"A Persian man that I worked with did a redneck impression. He said 'I'm an American and I like guns and Jesus' in a perfect southern accent."

"When I lived in Italy, one of the first questions my neighbors asked was 'How many guns do you have and where do you keep them all?' They were absolutely floored that I didn’t own any guns."

8. Small world

"A waiter in Prague asked where I was from. I told him Boston. He said, 'Oh, I have a friend named Tomas Dvorak in Wyoming. Do you know him?'"

9. We love peanut butter

"When I studied abroad in Germany, my host family told me 'We bought lots of peanut butter for you. We know Americans need peanut butter.' I do love peanut butter, but I had definitely never heard that stereotype before!"

"I did once startle a lovely Australian couple with my PBJ. Apparently, PB and J are only considered compatible here in North America. They looked at the sandwich I made with the same kind of horror I might’ve used on something with, IDK, tuna and marshmallow fluff."

10. Are cheerleaders real?

"'Are cheerleaders real?' Cheerleaders were in movies, but a teenager in London had no idea if that was a real thing. It was a charming conversation as a teenager."

"I like how foreigners will believe that everyone in America is dodging gunfights and car chases on their morning commute, but then think we made up cheerleaders and yellow busses for the movies."

cultural misunderstandings, Reddit, American stereotypes, travel, funny stories, what foreigners think, U.S. geography, American culture, humor, AskReddit Three cheerleaders in formationCanva

11. Sweet tea is addictive

"A British friend of mine called southern sweet tea 'the most vile, disturbing, horrific swill ever created. Please bring another pitcher.'"

"If they don't have to amputate a foot after your first glass it needs more sugar."

12. Angry sink

"Saying I had an angry sink because it had a garbage disposal in it."

13. Crossed-up

"My fiancé from the Netherlands asked what the 'zing' road sign meant that he kept seeing everywhere. I couldn’t figure out what the heck he was talking about at first. It was the X-ing (crossing) sign."

"My international colleague thought it was a word in Chinese (Xing) and was very confused by this lol."

cultural misunderstandings, Reddit, American stereotypes, travel, funny stories, what foreigners think, U.S. geography, American culture, humor, AskReddit A no-crossing the railroad signCanva

14. It's bigger than you think

"My wife's Swedish cousins thought they could go explore both New York City and Los Angeles in a single weekend."

"Also had Swedish visitors, and we live in New England. They wanted to take a drive to California during the 5 days they were going to be here, and they wanted to stop and see the Grand Canyon along the way, then be back in time to catch their flight home out of Boston."

15. The Ohios

"Was at a pub in Italy with a friend, and some of the guys found out we were American. Proceeded to take shots with them toasting ‘to the Ohios!’… we’re not from Ohio lol."

"Which Ohio are you not from, North Ohio, or South Ohio?"

This article originally appeared earlier this year.

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