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Non-Americans share 15 misconceptions they had about the U.S. that changed after visiting it

"I thought the Southern accent was made up/exaggerated for TV."

via Canva/Photos

American school us, bbq, and Christmas lights.

When people across the world think of Americans, they have a mixed bag of images. They think about freedom, opportunity, enthusiasm, patriotism, and Hollywood movies. They think Americans are confident and optimistic but disinterested in the world outside of their borders. Critics of America have problems with its guns, politics, and consumerism.

People also see stereotypical images of America in countries that seem too fantastical to be true. Do kids really go to school in big yellow buses? Does everyone have a garbage disposal? What’s up with those huge red cups everyone has at parties in college movies? Well, yes, they are true, but you won’t believe it ‘til you come to the States and see the magic of America yourself.

A Redditor asked non-Americans to share their misconceptions about America that they believed until they visited the country, and there were many positive responses. After fearing they were obnoxious, many people were blown away by how kind Americans were when they met them. They were also impressed that Americans are much more cultured than they thought beforehand. However, the one drawback is that the visible poverty in the land of opportunity was distressing to many people.

americans, college parties, red solo cups, coolers, alcohol, red cup hatsA group of people at a red Solo cup party. via Canva/Photos

Here are 15 “misconceptions” people have about the U.S. before they visited America and saw it for themselves.

1. Christmas lights

"It wasn't a misconception - I just didn't believe everything you see in the movies is real and especially in Christmas movies, things are a bit exaggerated. So, I didn't believe people really had THAT crazy of Christmas lights in suburbs. I was so very wrong. America is crazy for their Christmas lights."

2. Southern accents

"I thought the Southern accent was made up/exaggerated for TV until I heard it come out of Some Guy."

"I’m from the South, and I’m even shocked at some Southern accents."

3. Angry New York pedestrians

"When I went to New York, not a single person said 'Hey, I'm walking here.' Or 'What are you? Some kinda mook?' This was disappointing."

4. New Yorkers are nice

"I feel like NYC is one of the most helpful places when you really need help. It's not help for trivial sh*t, that's everyone, everywhere, all of the time in NYC. No one has the time or energy to be polite and helpful in every situation. But when sh*t really does down, New Yorkers will step in."

"This. I’m a Midwesterner who LOVES NYC and visits often, and I’ve found that as long as you have your shit together and don’t waste their time, New Yorkers are the most helpful and stand-up people in the U.S. They just do not suffer fools."


new yorkers, americans new york city, brooklyn, walking in ny, man and womanA couple walking in New York City.via Yandesbois/Flickr

5. American friendliness

"F**k me I've rarely been treated better in another country. Class bunch of people."

"As per a saying I once heard: 'I can't stand Americans, but I never met one I didn't like.'"

6. Dry humor

"That Americans don't understand dry humour. We Brits are very snobby, thinking our deadpan wit is superior to in-your-face US sitcom humour. The Americans in my company that I'd met in online calls were super upbeat and cheerful with cheesy jokes. Meeting them in person and seeing actual dry American humour was devastating. They were so funny."

"I feel like our dry humor is just really committing to the bit that it’s hard to tell we are in on the joke."

7. Millionaires

"I used to work with guys from Africa. They were shocked that all Americans aren’t millionaires. I ask why they thought everyone was a millionaire and they said in the movies everyone is held for ransom and it is a million dollars. There aren’t poor or homeless people in movies. It wasn’t what they expected."

8. American food

"The food. I'm French and I thought everything would be awful but i didcoverd the south US version of BBQ and I miss it since. I also discovered sweet potatoes there and I eat it all the time now."


american food, bar-b-que, sausage, brisket, cole slaw, pickles, chickenA plate of American bar-b-que.via Canva/Photos

9. Mobility scooters

"I didn't see a single person on a mobility scooter. I was led to believe they were everywhere."

"Did you go into a Walmart. That’s where they are."

10. Sincerity

"I was told that Americans were superficial and that their interest wasn’t genuine. But after traveling to the U.S. frequently in recent years, I’ve realized that Americans are actually kind, open, and genuinely interested in talking to you."

11. Guns

"I expected to see people walking around carrying guns like it’s a Rambo cosplay."

"That surprises me bc I'm from Texas too, and I have seen a ton of people open carrying. Maybe you're from a different part than me, but in the Dallas area, they are wearing their holsters to the gas station."

12. Fast food

"I genuinely believed everyone ate fast food for every meal. Then I visited and realized there are tons of people who are super into cooking, farmer’s markets, and healthy eating."

"My friend from France recently asked me if I eat burgers and fries for every meal because I'm American, and that's what we eat in shows."


mcdonald's, cheeseburger, fast food french fries, american food, beef, cheeseA McDonald's cheeseburger and fries.via Breanna Schulze/Flickr

13. The size

"It’s not really a misconception but I was taken aback by the scale of everything. From the size of the land itself, the distances, the size of cities, parks and neighborhoods, the height and size of the buildings downtown of a few major cities, the variety of products in supermarkets and the packaging sizes….the list goes on and on. Obviously, I knew it was to be expected, but seeing it with my own eyes was truly fascinating, and in some ways it made me understand the American way of thinking and living a little bit more."

14. Poverty

"I thought US people all lived in good conditions. But the levels of poverty in cities like Portland, Seattle, Oakland, and New York were astonishing."

"And then there's the poverty in poor and rural areas. The UN about a decade ago sent observers to study parts of Alabama because conditions there were akin to what's seen in third world countries."

15. The media

"I was just taken aback by how much influence the media has here, to an almost brainwashing degree."

"The 24-hour 'news' stations (i.e. Fox and CNN) are just mouthpieces for their respective political parties and their viewers just believe almost everything they say. Social Media is even worse as so much misinformation is spread through there with little to no fact-checking."

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Joy

15 funny memes show the crazy side of American life that the Europeans can't comprehend

The American way of life is different.

via Aaron Schubert/Flickr

An incredibly busy off ramp in America and a monster truck that looks like a school bus.

America and European countries share many similarities in culture and governmental structures. They are democracies with similar legal systems, innovative in science and technology and have a significant influence on the world through art and culture.

That being said, there are some glaring cultural differences that are fun to point out. The broad generalization is that Europeans have refined cultural tastes, whereas Americans are a bit more brash and believe that bigger is always better. These are stereotypes, of course, and there are plenty of brash Europeans and Americans with refined tastes.

One of the biggest differences is America’s embrace of consumer culture, which Europeans see as excessive and tacky. Americans have an unquenchable love for processed foods and portions that make most Europeans shudder.

The sheer size of America is also hard for many Europeans to comprehend. During an 8-hour drive, Europeans can visit multiple countries with different languages and cultures. However, you probably won’t make it through some of America’s larger states in that short of a time.

I'm sorry, Europeans. Los Angeles and San Francisco are not an hour away, and you probably don’t want to drive from New York City to Disney World.

People have pointed out some of the significant differences between Americans and Europeans through memes with the simple caption, “The European mind cannot comprehend this.” It’s a fun way for Americans to point out the excesses that make America unlike any other place in the world.

A lot of the memes are centered around America’s love for chain restaurants and how they often are found in clusters dotting the American landscape. The downside of chain restaurant ubiquity is that it makes the country’s cuisine feel a bit homogenous. One can drive all the way from Des Moines, Iowa, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and still find the same 10 places to eat.

Americans eat huge portions compared to the average European. When Europeans travel to America, they most frequently point out this. Americans also enjoy processed foods that feel more like they came out of a laboratory or off an assembly line than if they occurred randomly in nature. This stands in stark contrast to the European diet which often features smaller portions, less processed food, and a greater emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

America is also huge.

Americans have their very particular brand of unique crazy, whether it’s monster truck rallies, the tacky beauty of Las Vegas or our very vocal support for gun rights.

To keep the rivalry going, Europeans have been fighting back by sharing elements of their culture that would boggle the average American’s mind. Some memes include the interesting ways that A/C-phobic Europeans cool their homes. They also railed at Americans for being unable to drive cars with manual transmissions and for having really terrible taste in bread.

The Europeans also mocked the incredible price of healthcare in the U.S. and how everyone has their hand out for a tip.

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Identity

Sorry Italian food lovers. America is about to have a new favorite ethnic food.

"This was the first time that we have ever seen...this change happen in a generation.”

via Maksim Goncharenok/Pexels

Girl in a denim top enjoying some pizza

Italian food has been a staple of the American diet for the past 200 years. We eat pizza when we’re having a party. When it’s time for a romantic dinner, we break out the checkered tablecloth and sip some wine while enjoying a fine bolognese sauce. Heck, one of the best characters on “The Sopranos” was the food.

However, even though Italian food is such a big part of American culture, it appears as though it’s going to be taking a backseat to other ethnic foods in the near future.

According to Datassential, a Chicago-based market research firm, millennials (ages 27 to 42) rank Mexican food as their favorite ethnic cuisine over Italian, and Gen Z (8 to 23) agrees, with Chinese in second and Italian in third. Baby Boomers and Gen X still say that Italian is numero uno.

“This was the first time that we have ever seen, since we've been studying consumers, this change happen in a generation,” Mike Kostyo, associate director of Datassential, the Chicago-based market research firm that released the report, told VOA News. “I think the most surprising thing was just how passionate Gen Z’s affinity for Mexican cuisine was…and to see that happen in a relatively short amount of time. I mean, that was huge.”

A big reason for America’s sudden palette change is the country’s changing demographics. Latinos are among the fastest-growing population segments in the United States, having nearly doubled in size since 2000. So not only are more people eating Mexican food because of their culture of origin, but people who aren’t of Latino descent are being exposed to the cuisine and falling in love.

Another reason is social media, where younger people are exposed to different foods because people love sharing pictures of what they eat.

Chinese people are also well-represented in the U.S. and are the third largest origin group among U.S. immigrants, behind Mexico and India.

America’s growing love of Mexican and Chinese foods is another example of the beautiful benefit of living in a country where people are all about sharing their cultures.

Enjoying the tastes of other countries and regions is a lovely experience and it also opens the doors to greater cultural understanding. What starts with food can lead to an appreciation of language, music, fashion, and history. One of the biggest reasons why people travel to other countries is to enjoy their cuisine, and once their stomachs are full, appreciation of their culture is sure to follow.

“Where before maybe the go-to comfort food item, or classic traditional item, might have been a pizza, if you were opening a classic, everybody-loves-it restaurant...it would have been a pizza operation,” Kostyo says. “I think in the future, it's going to be a taco operation. That will be the go-to.”

Italian food's declining popularity in America isn’t a knock on the cuisine itself but more of a positive note in the history of American culture. As our population becomes more diverse, so do our food choices, leading to a broader tapestry of experiences for us all to enjoy.

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Pop Culture

Non-Americans reveal the things Americans do that they simply do not understand

Here are 19 things they just don't get.

via Mike Mozart/Flickr and Eileen Rose/Flickr

Things non-Americans just don't understand.

A recent viral Reddit thread revealed the everyday American customs that people in other countries have a difficult time understanding. There were so many things that were perplexing to people from other countries that the thread had more than 28,000 responses.

But don’t worry, it isn’t a long list of America bashing. It’s a fun list of things people across the world genuinely wonder about that gives a unique perspective on things we all take for granted.

The thread was started by Reddit user Surimimimi, who asked, “What things do Americans like and the rest of the world not so much?” Many of the responses were from Europeans who have a hard time appreciating certain American customs, cuisines and public facilities.

A big thing that non-Americans find unusual about Americans is our outspokenness. The commenters noted that Americans love speaking their minds on bumper stickers, lawn signs or telling somebody in public how they feel.

That’s probably because Americans are much more individualistic than Europeans. A Pew Research study from 2016 found that Americans are much more likely than our friends across the pond to believe they control their destiny and that it takes hard work to get ahead. Americans are also a lot more tolerant of offensive speech.

The American diet is also confusing to a lot of people. A lot of commenters pointed out that they have a hard time understanding America's love of ice-cold drinks and odd food combinations such as peanut butter and jelly or chicken and waffles.

But if everyone in the world was the same it would be a pretty boring place. So, as they say in France, “vive la différence!” which, in American English means, “Do your thing, man.”

Here are 19 things that Americans like and the rest of the world, not so much.

1.

"College sports. Particularly football and basketball. The rest of the world loves soccer, but nobody gives a hoot about it at the university level." — Scrappy_Larue

2.

"Opinion signs outside their houses. Like 'in this house we support...' I find it weird and unusual." — Bitten Onion

3.

"Bumper stickers." — Back2Bach

To which assortednut added:

"Sometimes I get the impression people put their entire political philosophy in the space of a bumper sticker."

4.

"This used to be much more prevalent in the US but food coloring. When I moved from Japan to the US, I was surprised at how colorful their foods were. These days Americans are now more keen to organic natural stuff so I see it less but it took me a while to realize that blue raspberry is not a real thing." — Awesome Asian

5.

"Root beer and ranch dressing. I brought some to Germany and had my friends try it and they said the root beer tasted like medicine. They politely tasted the dressing with celery and said 'Hmmm, interesting' but the look on their faces was that it was terrible ha." — nargleflargle

6.

"Cheerleaders." — liebe_rootBete

7.

"ICE. Filled till the brim before you pour any drink." — locoliga

8.

"24-hour stores. I was in Chicago working with a colleague from Switzerland who suddenly realized around midnight that he needed a network cable to configure a mobile router for a job the next morning. I told him that I'd meet him in the hotel lobby to drive him out to Walmart. He was happily surprised, as he had forgotten about the US's famous chain of Walmart stores." — Fondren_Richmond

9.

"Waffles with chicken." — glori-hallelujah

10.

"MM-DD-YYYY Date format." — javapyscript

11.

"Peanut butter and jelly." — FlyBuy3

12.

"Flags. So many American flags everywhere." — justmyfakename

13.

"Free soda refills at dine-in places." — Lostarchitorture

14.

"Free public restrooms. I know they're gross but they are nice to have." — vebidib774

15.

"Marching bands. If you’d played the flute in a marching band at my school you would have gotten pelted but in the US you can become a state hero." — Fuzzie_Lee

16.

"Handicap accessiblity. Old buildings/towns in Europe are nice, if both your legs work." — boxatel499

17.

"Lawns...what a waste." — TheFarce_Sighed

18.

"I'd like to say optimism, even if it's blind sometimes. The CAN DO attitude is extremely strong. I would also put belligerence up there for better or worse. That 'Get the f*ck out of my face, I'm not paying for / doing that' attitude. Whether you actually can or not, the American culture makes you feel like you can really do anything. Again, it's a double-edged sword but you'll seldom find an American who's just going to lay down and take someone's sh*t or heed someone who says (to your aspirations) 'You can't.'" — facobi8356

19.

"The switch for the bathroom is INSIDE the bathroom." — [deleted]

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