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americans

Identity

Non-Americans are sharing the ‘dead giveaway’ someone is American and they are pretty right

The dead giveaway is when they call me "honey" or "sweetie" or "darling."

via Flickr, Flickr, and Flickr

Three American tourists enjoying the sights.

One of the most interesting things about traveling the world is noticing how people from your country are a bit different from the place you’re visiting. In America, you’re mostly around fellow countrymen so it’s hard to notice the things that make us stand out.

But when you travel abroad, you quickly notice that no matter how hard you try to blend in, there are a lot of dead giveaways that show people you’re from the states that go way beyond your accent.

A Reddit user named ILoveTallWomen asked the online forum “Non-Americans of Reddit, what is a dead giveaway that somebody is American?” to see what they think makes us stand out. “I'm not American and am curious about what other foreigners think,” they added.

There was one answer that people in the thread repeated over and over again—Americans are very friendly people. Countless commenters noted that Americans will approach anyone and start up a conversation. As a person from the U.S., I think that’s a positive stereotype. There’s nothing wrong with being overly friendly.

People also noted that Americans tend to carry themselves with a lot of confidence and have an abundance of infectious enthusiasm.

On the negative side of things, a lot of people also noted that Americans are loud and have questionable fashion sense. We stand out abroad because we love staying comfortable by wearing white socks and sneakers on just about any occasion.

Maybe we’re happy because our feet don’t hurt?

Here are 17 of the best responses to the dead giveaways that someone is American.

Upworthy Podcast: Dead Giveaways Someone is American

On a recent episode of Upworthy Weekly, hosts Alison Rosen and Tod Perry discuss the internet's hottest, most uplifting and most amusing topics - including d...

1.

The most popular poster shared a list:

Wearing sneakers with anything
Big smiles, firm handshakes
Lots of Northface products
Renting Segways for sightseeing tours (sometimes using those on cobblestone)
Using big adjectives generously ("Wow, your aunt's kidney stones sound awesome!", "This Euroshopper beer tastes great!")
Clapping and cheering
Telling one's whole life story within 15 minutes of meeting them
Loving stories and narratives in general (which makes them fun companions) — [Deleted]

2.

"Apart from the accent? Mostly its the 'prepared for anything' look they have about them (fanny pack, backpack, bottled water, camera pouch) compared to various other tourists - Asians tend to herd together for safety, while Europeans vary between blend-right-in Scandinavian to designer-brands-everywhere French and traffic-laws-are-for-others Italian. But Americans are the only ones who seem to view a perfectly civilised, modern city like some kind of uncharted jungle that doesn't have places to shelter in the rain or buy cheap bottled water." — Yorkshire_Pudden

3.

"Incredibly loud but incredibly friendly." — kevio17

4.

"I asked my wife (Japanese) she said 'In Japan I can spot Americans by the way they dress. Compared to Europeans, Americans tend to lack fashion sense.'" — RegionFree

5.

"When you can hear them before you see them." — C1t!zen_Erased

6.

"'On the streets they are instantly recognizable. They walk in an ugly indifferent manner, usually with their hands in their pockets. Or they're leaning against a pole or wall with a newspaper in their hand and gum in their mouth. According to the people who met them they are more human than the English, for example, whenever someone needs help they do it quicker and better than the English.' — My Grandpa in the Netherlands. In a letter to his sister. June 4th 1945." — MidnightWineRed

7.

"North Face jackets. I went to college in the US (I'm not American) and when I went home for my first winter break wearing my brand new North Face jacket my friend asked me if I was given American citizenship with the purchase." — merbonobo

8.

"I'm English, but I've lived here for 14 years. It's pretty obvious just from your demeanour. Americans generally are more confident in the way they present themselves, most other countries tend to be more reserved. Walk into a room full of different nationalities, I guarantee the American person will be the first to introduce themselves. It's a confidence thing, and I admire it." — zerbey

9.

"When I was visiting Germany in college, a girl said to me, 'Do you know how I know you're an American? You wear white socks.' Needless to say, I haven't worn white socks since." — ars3nal

10.

"We (Americans) describe distances in driving time, as opposed to miles or kilometers. My European relatives always make fun of me for having no clue how far away the next town is, but knowing exactly how long it takes to get there." — hbombs86

11.

"Canadian here...the dead giveaway is when they call me 'honey' or 'sweetie' or 'darling.' I fucking love Americans and I love those terms of endearment!" — AraEnzeru

12.

"Dead giveaway: They're surprised we can drink a beer (or any alcohol) in public in my country." — P1r4nha

13.

"European here ... there's a noticeable trend among Americans to wear jeans, t-shirts, and hooded sweaters when they're abroad. Lots of branded goods too (North Face, A&F, Hollister, Ed Hardy mostly). And in summer, a great percentage of the cargo-shorts-wearers are Americans. But among all that, visible tattoos on otherwise 'normal-looking' people (i.e. not looking like street thugs) are a common indicator too. Americans love tats." — I_AM_A_IDIOT_AMA

14.

"In WWII, my grandpa's company had a problem with German spies. At night the guards could not tell if intruders were returning patrols or enemy soldiers; especially since the spies spoke with flawless American accents. Before opening the gates, they tried asking questions like "What's the capital of Nebraska?" but it didn't always work since the Germans were highly trained and could answer most of the trivia questions. Finally, they stumbled upon a simple but effective test. They would ask them to sing the 4th verse of the Star-Spangled Banner. He told me 'If they start singing, then you shoot 'em. No American knows the 4th verse.' Turns out the whole song had been included in one of the German espionage training manuals." -- [Deleted]

15.

"They ask you what you do." — Askalotl

16.

"They say 'like' a lot and seem to start sentences with 'so' for no apparent reason. Good bunch, though." — [Deleted]

17.

"MM/DD/YYYY." — dusmeyedin

This article originally appeared on 2.20.23

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americans

Pop Culture

British man in U.S. explains why Americans aren’t 'well-traveled’ and it’s so true

“I don’t think people really understand the size and scale of America.”

Glacier National Park (Michael Kirsh/Unsplash), Badlands (Jéan Béller/Unsplash), Key West (Meriç Dağlı/Unsplash)

All three of these places are in the continental United States.

Americans are known for many things, some of which are mostly true (we do tend to be open and friendly, though not all of us are) and some of which are exaggerated stereotypes (we're not all obsessed with guns, though some of us are).

But one stereotype that isn't exaggerated is that Americans aren't as "well-traveled" as our friends across the pond—at least not in the international sense. The United States has an overall level of wealth that enables many citizens to travel to other countries, but Americans are less likely to be traveled internationally than Europeans—a reality that might make some assume Americans just aren't compelled to travel as much.

However, as Joshua Cauldwell, a man from the United Kingdom staying in the U.S. explains, it's a misnomer that Americans aren't well-traveled.

"Brit in America here," he begins in response to a video about Europeans complaining that Americans aren't well-traveled and can't point out Switzerland on a map.

"I now know why Americans aren't 'well-traveled,'" Cauldwell says. "Trust me, they are well-traveled, but there's a reason why. I've spent many months in America like actively trying to get to as many states as possible in America, and I haven't even scratched the surface. American's don't need to venture outside America because America is that big. Americans go on vacation in America."

Cauldwell goes on to explain that in the U.K. you can get to France, Germany or Amsterdam in about 45 minutes.

"I just don't think Europeans are clued upon how big America really is," he says.

Watch:

See on Instagram

He's not wrong. A lot of Americans don't have passports, even if they travel a lot. The U.S. has 50 different states—more states than Europe has countries—that are comparable in size to European nations. And the geographic diversity between those states is is mind-boggling.

Compare the Olympic Rainforest in Washington to The Badlands in South Dakota and they look like different planets. You can travel around the U.S. and experience mountains, deserts, plains, deciduous forests, coniferous forests, saguaro cactus forests, oceans, lakes that feel like oceans, rolling hills, glaciers, swamps, canyons, palm trees on tropical white sand beaches, moss-covered trees on ocean cliff sides and more. There are 63 official National Parks and 429 total National Park Sites (federally protected places of historical or geographical significance, which include the National Parks) in the U.S., so even just trying to go see all of those places alone could take the better part of a lifetime, even for an avid traveler.

— (@)

In other words, he's right. There's so much to travel to and see in the U.S., it's not necessary to leave the country to have many unique, interesting and beautiful travel holidays. That's not to say Americans shouldn't travel to other countries simply because there's so much to see at home, of course. There's arguably more cultural diversity throughout the U.S. than many people realize, but it's not the same as going to another country. Certainly, there's value in experiencing the cultural richness that comes with traveling internationally.

But for Europeans, traveling internationally is much easier, more affordable and more accessible than it is for Americans. The U.S. is only about 4% smaller than the entirety of Europe, so it's a bit silly to say that Americans aren't "well-traveled" if they've not visited multiple countries. Distance and convenience-wise, traveling around the U.S. is similar to traveling around Europe, and well…it's just nice to see it acknowledged by someone from outside the country.

You can follow Joshua Cauldwell's American adventures on Instagram.

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travel

Education

Americans are known for being great salespeople. People have some theories about why.

What is it about American culture?

via LinkedIn Sales Solutions/Unsplash and Kindel Media/Pexels

American sales people making deals happen.

Americans are known as some of the best salespeople in the world. The country has been the home of some of the most influential business communicators of all time, like Steve Jobs of Apple or filmmaker Walt Disney. America is also the birthplace of people who became legends for their ability to excite people with their incredible, audacious promotional skills, such as P.T. Barnum or Muhammad Ali.

There’s also a dark side to the uniquely American gift of gab. Americans have the reputation of being masters of BS. Hunter S. Thompson, a writer with a fondness for exaggeration, once referred to America as a “nation of 220 million used car salesmen.”

An X user named Alz, born in Hong Kong, was curious about why Americans are so great at sales, presenting ideas, and (less favorably) BS-ing than people in other countries. The tweet went viral, receiving over 1.4 million views. Nearly everyone agreed that Americans are the world's best salespeople, but there were many different answers to why.

“Why are Americans, on average, so incredibly good at presenting/selling/ (you could uncharitably call it) BS-ing? Is it something about early/middle/high school education? Culture? Parents teaching their kids?” Alz asked.

“I troll, but this is an incredibly important skill, and for some reason observationally, America, which has an early education system few are generally jealous of, seems to systematically produce ppl with a much higher distribution of presentation ability than anywhere else,” Alz continued.

I troll but this is an incredibly important skill, and for some reason observationally, America, which has a early education system few are generally jealous of, seems to systematically produce ppl with a much higher distribution of presentation ability than anywhere else
— alz (@alz_zyd_) May 30, 2024

Some respondents believe Americans are great at sales because so many work in the service sector. Over the past 50 years, globalization has altered the labor landscape, with many jobs moving from manufacturing to the service sector. Thus, Americans have learned to place a significant value on those who can communicate one-on-one, such as people who work in hospitality, retail, or personal training.

Honestly I think it’s because we were the first major economy to really transition from an industrial to service based economy. The vast majorities of our jobs are all about providing a service, and many of those are about selling said service as well
— Alex (@nycwebs90) May 30, 2024

The service sector in the U.S. reached 70% of GDP when millennials were born (circa 1990). My theory is that kids raised in a service-sector family have these traits. pic.twitter.com/1cN9kn3s9D
— Jiageng Liu (@jiageng_liu) May 30, 2024

Others believe Americans have the gift of gab because its education system highly values communication skills, which are favorable in the business world. However, some believe this emphasis comes at the expense of STEM skills, which are seen as more important in other countries.

Probably the fact that *every* class in primary school had multiple presentations a year.

Its probably the easiest way to pass time in a classroom, split the 30 students into 10 groups of 3, have each present for 15 minutes, boom that's like 3 days of no work.
— John Ruf (@JohnRuf6) May 30, 2024

It is the education system My daughter was taught to write, critique, present, argue, structure and edit from kindergarten. Woven through her school experience. It is pretty amazing.
— Neela Saldanha (@NeelaSaldanha) May 30, 2024

American education emphasizes synthesis, argument, and persuasion over rote memorization and rule-following.

Identifying patterns + convincing others

Which is maybe surprising b/c we also infantilize our youth, giving them very little personal freedom outside the classroom.
— Joey Katzen (@joeykatzen) May 30, 2024

Many people think Americans are great communicators because it's crucial to be able to sell and persuade in a competitive, free-market capitalist system. If you aren’t able to sell the goods and services you provide and produce, then it doesn’t matter if you’re in business at all. Further, American business culture is also seen as more relationship-based than in other countries, where buying and selling is merely transactional.

This is a great question and having lived in the US for a few years here’s what I think:

America is a capitalist society and this capitalism is rooted in a Protestant ethos (Max Weber has a book on it).

In this Protestant worldview, creating a business means serving the…
— Mushtaq Bilal, PhD (@MushtaqBilalPhD) May 30, 2024

The free market rewards it
— Triple Bankshot (@triplebankshot) May 30, 2024

I've wondered the same thing. It's definitely cultural, and I think it's connected to how Americans tend to do business relationally rather than transactionally. Europeans often take a more formal, regulated approach while American business is more trust-based.
— Gil Gildner (@gilgildner) May 30, 2024

Social mobility and the myth of the "self-made man" basically inculcates the idea that anyone can talk themselves into wealth and status. Plenty of these types are lionized in American history.
— David Kiferbaum (@DavidKiferbaum) May 30, 2024

It could be that it’s all part of a culture that values openness and confidence which bleeds over into other aspects of American life. Persuasion and sales come a lot more naturally to people who've been raised with zero fear of calling attention to themselves. Outside the business world, Americans are also seen as friendly in social situations and have no problem engaging in small talk with strangers. Americans’ extroverted nature can sometimes shock people who travel to the U.S. on vacation.

Founding principles of the country. You can do anything here.

It’s highly ingrained within society
— Ashish “Logmaster” (@ashishlogmaster) May 31, 2024

Egalitarianism. Americans learn naturally to speak to everyone as if they were friends. This is good for sales although not everywhere in the world.
— Alex Tabarrok 🛡️ (@ATabarrok) May 31, 2024

I'm going to throw it out there: Because Americans are also REALLY good at buying things - they're great consumers of products and ideas. Old world places - like Europe tend to be suspicious of new ideas (but not ideologies it seems) which makes selling them much harder.
— James Clark 📈📉¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@mr_james_c) May 31, 2024

High openness. People are not afraid of talking with others.

The fact that one might call it "BS-ing" might indicate the root cause issue of why others are not good at it.
— Peter Kazanjy (@Kazanjy) May 30, 2024

Or, it could be that Americans just have a ‘rizz that’s the envy of the world.

Yeah I don’t know how else to describe it except calling it a culture of rizz, it’s a huge difference I noticed coming here from Europe as a kid
— dog that lays eggs (@l_wzbr) May 30, 2024

It’s called CHARISMA, and we invented it
— Rhett Ullmann (@rhettullmann) May 30, 2024

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americans

Family

Dad shares the moment he realized he couldn't raise his daughter in the United States

Here's why the family is moving to Spain.

via LunaGoestoSpain/TikTok and Stephen Downes/Flickr

A couple shares why they decided to leave the United States.

Although it is difficult to tell if there is a trend of Americans moving out of the country, rough estimates show that around 8 million currently live in other countries—double the 4.1 million living abroad in 1999.

The most popular countries for Americans to move to are Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom, in that order.

A big reason why some are leaving the U.S. is that an increasing number of employers allow people to work abroad. Others are choosing to leave because of cost of living increases and “golden visa” programs. Golden visas offer the chance to get a foreign residency permit by purchasing a house or making a significant investment or donation.

A couple is going viral on TikTok because they’ve decided to leave America and move to Spain. Luna Ashley Santel had wanted to move for a long time, but her husband wasn’t on board with the change until he had a lightbulb moment while visiting a Spanish café. The couple are parents of a 4-year-old daughter, and a big reason for their decision to leave is her safety.

@lunagoestospain
Here’s what shifted for him. I’m sure this’ll piss the right people off. No pun intended. #movingabroad #spaindigitalnomadvisa #movingabroadwithpets #movingtospainwithkids

While spending time in Spain, the couple went to a crowded café, which would have made them uncomfortable back home in St. Louis, Missouri.

“There's a ton of people walking around. Being from St. Louis, that's not a very comfortable place for me to be in,” the husband said. “And you turn to me and say, ‘Have you seen all these people?’” he recounted his wife saying.

“And you're like, ‘None of them have guns,’” he continued.

At this moment, he realized that living in America caused him to be on alert whenever he was out in public. A feeling he never got in Spain. “And I realized this weight that I had been carrying around my whole life wasn't necessary. Like what we think is normal is not normal,” he said.

When it comes to firearm policy, Spain and Missouri couldn’t be more different. In Spain, owning a handgun for self-defense is allowed when you are in verifiable danger. In Missouri, there is no permit requirement to carry a firearm, whether it’s concealed or carried openly.

In Spain, the gun death rate per 100,000 people in 2019 was 0.64. Whereas, in Missouri, the chance of being killed by a gun is more than 36 times greater, with 23.2 people per every 100,000 dying by gun in 2021.

The video resonated with many Americans who feel uncomfortable living in a country that has become accustomed to mass shootings.

"There’s so much mental energy we dedicate to simply existing in the U.S.," Mintmage wrote.

"As a father of two young boys, your husband’s explanation has me shook because I cannot disagree," Astrolo-G added.

"That is literally my main motivator for leaving the country. I am terrified for my son," Doula Faye wrote.

Luna’s husband isn’t the only one in the family concerned about school safety in the U.S. Luna, a former teacher of 7 years, believes that sending her daughter to a school where they have “terrifying” intruder drills is unacceptable.

“It's nothing that I want my 5-year-old child to have to accept or learn as normal,” she says in another TikTok post.

@lunagoestospain
Replying to @CholeraMeBadd a huge reason we are getting out. #gettingoutoftheusa #movingabroad #alicedrill #alicedrills #iquitteaching #ididntsignupforthishit #movingtospainwithkids

This article originally appeared on 7.14.23

From Your Site Articles

americans

Identity

People from other countries share 14 'obvious' signs that someone is an American

"Americans lean on anything they can while standing around…"

via zoetnet/Flickr, Ewen Roberts/Flickr and Tom Hodgkinson/Flickr

Some American tourists enjoying the sights

Americans have a style and personality all their own, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just noticeable when they travel aboard. Americans often stand out because of their outgoing personalities. They are friendly and enjoy having casual conversations with strangers.

This is an endearing trait to a lot of people in more reserved cultures, although it can also come off as a little brash.

An American characteristic that isn’t quite endearing to people in other countries is that they can be rather loud. In Europe, one can always notice the Americans in the restaurant because they can be heard from across the room.

A Reddit user named Frosty-Ad3575 wanted to know the specific ways that Americans stand out when traveling abroad, so they asked the AskReddit subforum: “What’s an obvious sign that someone is an American?”

The post was popular, receiving nearly 6,000 responses in just 6 days. The most popular ones described how Americans' unique personalities, style of dress, dental hygiene and body language make them easy to spot.

Here are 14 “obvious” signs that someone is an American.

1. Posture

"Apparently, the CIA trains American agents to not lean on things if they go undercover in foreign countries because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around." — Clown1998

"I bet MI6 trains British agents to lean on everything if they go undercover in America because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around." — KingoftheMongoose

2. The date

"MMDDYYYY." — LowRevolution6175

3. Distances are different

"Anything under 4 hours is 'close by.'" — Grey-Canary

"Everything in Europe is around the corner if you're from the US. I can drive the whole day and not leave my state, but in Europe, I can pass through 4 countries in that same time frame." — JayHitter

4. They're polite to servers

"In the touristy cafe-restaurant I worked at:

If they asked me for the nicest spot we had

If they asked me my recommendation without seeing the menu first

I would walk to the table, and they would say right away ‘hey, how are you doing?’ This one threw me off a lot at first. Why is this person asking me how I'm doing?? I'm just there to take the order. I got used to it, and I think they found my awkwardness cute.

They would ask my name when I greeted them and took their order.

I'm Northern European." — Muc_99

"It’s under-appreciated just how polite, friendly, and sincere Americans are in general. It blew my mind the first time I came to the US, and I love that my children are growing up with those same values." — Irishweather5000

5. The water bottles

"I was told, 'Americans carry water bottles around like they're worried they'll never have access to clean water ever again.'" — Kosher_Dill

"I don't care what anyone says. If you think carrying a water bottle when walking a lot is weird, you're probably slightly dehydrated all the time and are just desensitized to it. You seriously need to drink water frequently if you want to be ideally healthy." — Tan11

6. Smiling

"I was in Germany this past summer, and I realized smiling at everyone you make eye contact with is very American. When I went to London on the same trip, they seemed less weirded out by it but would awkwardly return the smile. I was taught to always start with a disarming smile. Never realized it was American." — 12ozFitz

7. "More ice, please."

"I spent a year in Europe completely iceless to the point I forgot that was a thing. I stopped at a bar in Chicago fresh off the plane and not only did I get free tap water, but water with ice. I instantly felt at home." — Outside-Crezz8119

8. Personal space

"As an American man, I’ve been told repeatedly by European and Asian friends that we simply take up space (not by being fat) as though we’re entitled to it. Men in other countries apparently don’t claim the same personal space we do." — Potomacan

9. White teeth

"It’s even more bizarre that they assume we have braces or bleach our teeth because they’re straight and white. I have naturally straight white teeth. I brush them twice a day so they stay white. I don’t do anything special to them, but I remember being in London and some similar-aged students literally making fun of me for my teeth… it’s true that they don’t naturally look like headstones in an ancient graveyard, but there’s no need to make fun." — DPretilloZbornak

10. Casual dress

"My friend went to Germany recently, and what people said about Americans is you can spot them a mile away because they’re the ones wearing pajamas in public. Apparently, in other countries, at least Germany, they dress a little more formally and in less baggy clothes than we do in America." — MarcusWahlbezius

11. Baseball hats

"Baseball cap... even on an infant riding in a pram." — SyntheticOne

12. Shoes

"Americans are shoe snobs (they don’t think they are, but they are). Setting aside wealthier business types, Americans generally wear more on-brand, on-trend, high-quality shoes than others." — Mouflony

13. They're loud

"That was my first thought. Americans yell at each other in normal conversation in public. I noticed it years ago in Europe, and now I can’t stand it in the US." — SucccotashOther277

14. Occupation matters

"Immediately asking someone what they do for a living when meeting them. Our jobs and work are our entire identity." — Bealzu

"I hate that about American culture. I'm an American and recently became a SAHM, so I don't have an answer to 'What do you do for a living?' Half the time, I add the caveat, ‘Oh, my last job was with Apple,’ so that I'm not written off as an unemployed ‘loser.’ But it really is dumb to determine a person's worth by what they do in order to afford food and shelter." — WassupSassySasquatch

This article originally appeared on 1.4.24

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americans

Democracy

American abroad tells family why he can't imagine moving back to Texas

Who needs the "turmoil"?

via Jeronimooo0000/TikTok and Flo Dahm/Pexels

Jeronimo Noriega loves Spain.

The rising cost of living in the United States, combined with new technologies that make it easier to work wherever you like, has made it much more attractive for some to live and work in another country. Over 50 countries have made it easier by easing visa restrictions to encourage digital nomads to work within their borders.

Further, many people simply don’t like the rise-and-grind corporate mentality pervasive in the U.S. and prefer places that offer shorter workweeks, more vacation time and robust support systems.

They're tired of the hustle and bustle of the American work culture and are looking for a life that values personal happiness, family and relaxation.

Jeronimo Noriega is an American expat showing zero interest in returning to his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. The 27-year-old student has been living in Oviedo, Asturias, in Northwest Spain for the past 14 months after his family decided to pack up its bags and explore a new lifestyle.

In a viral TikTok video that has been seen over 5.4 million times, Noriega makes the case for why he has no interest in returning to Texas after falling in love with the Spanish way of life and cost of living.

@jeronimoooo0000
Who needs to be rich anyways give me some culture boiii

The first thing that Noriega admits is that salaries are better in Texas. However, everything balances out when you consider the cost of living. He says that people who make around €30,000 ($33,000) a year in Spain are “middle class” and that if you make €90,000 ($98,000) you can live like a king.

“Listen, if you're making 90 grand in the north of Spain, where I live right now, you're going to work in a limo. You're getting drinks at the Tennis Club after work,” Noriega said in the video. He also enjoys having 3-course meals with wine and coffee for “like 20 bucks.” In an interview with Business Insider, he said he routinely eats “delicious” dinner for just $11.

But what he really doesn’t miss about life back in Texas is the rise-and-grind lifestyle.

“What am I supposed to be in Dallas 2 hours a day and the car to get to work it back and never have time to do anything? No way,” he said in the video.” I love the work culture in Spain,” he told Business Insider. “In America, I felt like my only options were to rise and grind and get beat down by the machine, but everything is different here. In Spain, they seem to value their lives over their work — it's not even a work-life balance.”

He also says that in America, there is a deep dread within the culture that he doesn’t feel in Spain. “I love the US, but even the mood is different here,” Noriega admits. “In the US, there's turmoil going on underneath. No thank you.”

So, Noriega has no plans of returning to the U.S. anytime soon.

“Now that I've had a taste of what life is like outside the rat race, I'm not eager to get back on the wheel,” he told Business Insider. “Life is long, and you never know what will happen, but I'm staying here for the foreseeable future. All I have to do is take a walk to the coffee shop, have a delicious dinner for $11, or take a break in the middle of a weekday to remind myself why I'm staying.”

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americans

Pop Culture

'Common' things that happen in other countries that would simply terrify Americans

Talk about a different perspective.

Canva/Screenshots via Reddit

"Common" things that happen in other countries.

'Common' must be a word that's up for debate because my American brain refuses to believe that the occurrences these people are discussing are common anywhere in the world. But I also live where people fish next to signs that say "caution alligators may be present," so maybe I'm not the best judge of "common." Thanks to someone picking "things I never knew I wanted to know" on the Jeopardy board of Reddit, we now have a single thread that will tell you all the places to avoid … or places to travel to if you're channeling your inner Steve Irwin.

Someone on Reddit posed the question "What's something that happens in your country that would scare Americans?" Of course, the Australians were the first to pop on the scene with their spiders the size of dinner plates hanging out on your wall at any given time. Trying to watch TV? Giant spider. Giving your kids a bath? Sure, with a big ol' nope crawling up the wall. Obviously Australia is beautiful, but I think it would have to be to off set all of the things that are trying to take you off the planet. You know, it's pretty so it gives you incentive to stay and try not to die another day.

Canva/Screenshot via Reddit

After the Australians warned the internet of their dog-sized spiders, an American followed up with probably the most American response you can think of, "As an American the walls of my house would be riddled with bullet holes if this were the case." Honestly, while I don't personally own a gun, I know how to make a flamethrower from household items so let's just say I'd be homeless but the spider would be dead.

Just when you thought spiders that could wrap a toddler in their web to save for later was bad, South Africa bursts through the door like the Kool-Aid Man. The South African commenter said that while they don't know any Americans personally, "people get concerned when I mention that we occasionally have baboons invading our houses." Don't worry though, they have social media groups dedicated to letting residents know when baboons are running amok so they can put up their animals.

Canva/Screenshot via Reddit

I'm sorry, what?! You mean to tell me after a long day of work, that you could come home to a dang baboon making himself at home and going through your pantry? Have you seen the teeth on those things? I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure they could eat your face off. The commenter didn't list the town they live in, so I'm just going to cross off the entire country until Baboon City has been identified. Because, absolutely not.

South Africa is out and apparently so is Kenya because they have wandering lions. Of course there are lions, it's Kenya, we just don't pet the big kitty. But apparently, hyenas snatch toddlers in that country and I'm just wondering how people survive in these places. Do they give "how to throat punch hyena lessons" in preschool or do they keep decoy toddlers around? There are so many questions and the commenter did not give any answers that would bring much comfort.

Canva/Screenshot via Reddit

Hey, at least in Romania the most terrifying thing someone listed was waking up to the sound of your neighbor turning a live duck into a dinner-ready duck. After learning about all of the different ways certain countries try to put humans on the endangered species list, a little unfortunate quacking in the morning somehow doesn't sound as bad. If you want to check out the entire list before you make your travel plans, you can do that here.

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