Things That Surprise Americans (28 pics)

1

"Pay to use public restrooms."

2

"I don’t get why non-Americans want to move to America."

3

"Don't people take their kitchens with them when they move in Germany? Like, you rent a flat and it doesn't have a kitchen. So you buy and install a kitchen and when you leave that flat, you take the kitchen with you. That's just ... interesting..."

4

"Squatting over holes in a floor to poo instead of seating comfortably. I physically cannot squat like that due to busting my knees in college. I don't understand how people can do that without splattering their shoes."

5

"Indians bathing in the Ganges right alongside dead bodies, dead animals, and human waste."

6

"Ceiling fans. Why does no one have ceiling fans? They are remarkable for increasing the efficiency of any heating OR cooling methods. Side note: I'm from the southern US and ceiling fans are utterly mandatory or our elders and children would curl up and die, but actively moving the air around in your home is great for a lot of reasons besides."

7

"Eating dinner super late. I visited family outside the US, and they would often eat dinner as late as 9 PM."

8

"The near universal disregard/ambivalence towards cold drinks. Like, what do you mean you don’t add ice to everything? It absolutely blew my mind when I learned that people in China drink HOT water by default. And no, I’m not talking about tea! I basically never even considered that an option."

9

"The thing where in some European countries you move into an apartment with ZERO light fixtures, appliances, etc, and when you move you take what you bought with you and hope it all works in the new place."

10

"Had English cousins and family overseas that I visited often as a kid. My cousins raaaaaved about beans on toast. I always turned it down because my brain couldn’t comprehend it being a comfort food. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I actually tried it and I felt horrible for being a little sh*t about it. So mostly it’s the weird niche comfort foods a lot of foreigners talk about that don’t make sense to me or sounds gross. I’ll give everything cuisine wise a shot now and I’ve been surprised."

11

"I have a ton of European clients who take multi-week trips, often with only about a month between them. When do y’all work? How can we get this lifestyle in the states???"

12

"Not sure about the whole world, but still don’t get why Europeans don’t have window screens. Minimally invasive and easy solution to keep out all bugs"

13

"How the f**k do so many European cultures drink during lunch on a work day? If I have a drink I’m switching gears mentally, you ain’t getting any more productivity outta me that day."

14

"The driving habits in Africa and India are outrageous. I mean, if you have not driven there, it's so unnecessarily aggressive.

You don't have to be Japan, but come on. I remember being in Ghana, a relatively peaceful and prosperous nation in the 1990s (It's up and down there) and I saw pairs of burned out busses and vans on the sides of the road, crashed and burned from passing going uphill and crashing head-on.

Your system of blinking lights and hand motions don't work that well!"

"Think all of America is the same. There are over 300 million people of various cultures living in 50 states with different state governments and education systems. Massachusetts people and Alabama people are both Americans but their approach to life and their culture is going to be vastly different."

15

"Make their country accessible to people with disabilities. I understand older countries have more historic architecture to update for a steeper price, but to just not try at all is bananas. Our friends and family in wheel chairs and other movement disorders deserve to be a part of public life."

"Eat shark fin soup and similar absolutely stupid and barbaric habits labeled untouchable under the umbrella of “culture”. Culture is a dynamic process and f**k your culture if it’s toxic for those involved."

16

"Asians, and Chinese specifically, convinced that being physically cold in any way will make you sick. Got a cold? You need to wear more!. Upset stomach? Put on another layer. Hangnail? You guessed it, more heat!"

17

"Japanese loli culture and how Japanese culture dehumanizes and infantilizes women in general. It's sh**y."

18

"Just having a conversation with a stranger is normal in america but when I was in Germany I was treated like a weirdo for smiling and trying to talk to people waiting on for the train. In america especially in the south its normal to have small talk with random people be they 18 to 100

Like yeah I'm smiling its a nice day and I want to get to know the people and culture im visiting and the best way is to talk to them.

Why do yall shun friendly interactions with strangers?"

19

"*not* driving long distances

like i get it, you're used to everything being walkable which is awesome....but like....your parents live an hour drive away and you don't visit because it's "a long drive", an hour isn't that long at all."

"Non-american lemonade is often a TOTALLY different drink than our mix of lemon, water, and sugar. Other countries often mean something closer to sprite."

"Eating a lot and somehow not gaining weight. If I so much as breathe in front of a McDonalds I gain 10 pounds."

"Treating daily driving like an F-1 tryout. I know I'm not the most aggressive driver but driving in both Italy and Germany made me feel like a grandma."

"The whole football hooligans thing. We'll sh*t talk but we ain't about to fight over it much less going just to pick a fight."

20

"Laundry in the kitchen still gets me."

21

"Putting business hours on ATMs. Defeats the purpose of an ATM."

22

"Building houses with bedrooms that have no built-in closets, so that you have to purchase a closet that takes up floor space."

23

"Stand very close to strangers and touch them without consent. Like bro you don't need to touch my shoulder to tell me to have a good day"

24

"I know it's a thing in som parts of America, but I don't understand bag milk."

"Standing basically on top of each other. Been to many countries in Europe and Asia and we give each other way more space in America. Probably because we also shoot at each other way more."

"Mole. Idk how these abuelitas can throw 50+ of the most random ingredients prepared in the most random way and still get a pretty decent tasting sauce at the end."

25

"My American wife would like me to mention the lack of washcloths at very nice hotels in London. Towels? Yes. One of those towels to stand on? Knock yerself out, guv. Flannel for the shower? P**s off, you’re having a laugh mate. ."

"Live in flats that have no kitchen space. It's probably a me thing more than an American thing but I need a good kitchen. I need 4 things to live comfortably. A bedroll, a blanket, a bathroom, and enough room to cook."

"Carpet in the bathroom/ kitchen."

26

"Family members kissing each other on the mouth."

27

"Wow, this road is really narrow. I know we’ve set it for a 100 kph speed limit both ways, and it’d be hard for one car to drive on this road safely, much less two in opposite directions. But you know what would really ensure no accidents? A four-foot stone wall, two inches from the corner. That way we can make sure none of these cars going 62 mph have any room for error!"