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Traveler Dennis told Bored Panda that he's been to the States a couple of times, visiting Miami. "The biggest shock was how big everything was and how little public transport there was. Even in the big city you needed a car," he said.

"The 'big' part really left me speechless. I have never seen such huge amounts of literally anything, the stores, the cars," Dennis stressed just how huge everything really is in the US, compared to Europe.

"I was also very surprised at how hard it was to find good inexpensive food. It seemed to be just chains or overpriced dining experiences. Everything tasted fake as well or too good to be true. I have never eaten such delicious donuts! Of course, they were full of artificial stuff, but they tasted great!" he told Bored Panda.

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread The homeless problem. I couldn't believe the extent of it, it made me really sad.

AnnaLiffey , Jon Tyson Report

Final score:

112points

POST

Brittania Kelli 1 year ago

It's even more shocking if you compare it to 20 years ago. It used to be you had random drug addicts homeless in a certain area, now it's tent cities popping up all over the place filled with people who work, but can't afford housing.

64points

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Entering a store in Germany: opening the door to silence or a brief hello. Entering a store in the US: 'Hello! How are you today? What can I do for you?' Aaargh, can't you just ignore me like at home? That was way too much communication.

Satures , Blake Wisz Report

Final score:

107points

POST

AngelWingsYT 1 year ago

Workers are trained n paid to be extremely helpful (and push deals n sales) in the US not being friendly is considered disrespectful n rude

65points

"I went to the Caribbean and planned a stopover to get my first experiences of the US. I want to take my time and travel around the country for a couple of months, so this was a good opportunity to get a feel," Dennis shared how he decided to visit the States in the first place.

Something else that the traveler found shocking in Miami was the number of homeless and people with substance abuse problems "roaming the city." This is something that he's seen elsewhere during his travels, too, but never on this scale.

"It made my heart ache how much they seemed to be left without any help. I did get chased by three of them in the night trying to rob me, so my sympathy was gone very soon," the traveler shared.

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread My uncle from Ireland driving around Texas: "Is there some sort of national holiday going on that I don't know about? Why does everyone have a flag showing?" I had to explain about the flags.

desertsail912 , Ben Mater Report

Final score:

104points

POST

Mrs Irish Mom 1 year ago

In Ireland the only time our flags go up is when Ireland are playing in the world cup

35points

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Being from The Netherlands: severely bike unfriendly roads/urban layouts. Everything is designed for car traffic mostly.

TheJurri , Logan DeBorde Report

Final score:

100points

POST

The Original Bruno 1 year ago

SO much of BP seems to be about hating on Americans, but this is a legit critique. Even our public transit is unfriendly to bicyclists. Transit sucks for delivering people that last last several hundred feet; it's either excruciatingly slow, or unhelpful for mothers, shoppers, the elderly and the injured. Bike-friendly transit allow housing values to slide away from buslines, allowing the at least the elderly and the injured to live near lines, and the healthier, more active people to use it chiefly for internodal transport.

29points

Gypsy Lee 1 year ago

I agree. Food for thought though; the closest grocery store is over an hour away (by car) from me on a twisty mountain road. I wouldn’t ride my bike on that road even if it had a bike lane, & not just because I don’t have the time in the day to ride that far for food.

0points

Igor914624 1 year ago

The reason for being car biased in the US is due to the size. I live in Texas near DFW airport, and I drive to Circuit of the Americas in Austin for a day trip. That is 225 miles (359 Kilometers). In comparison, a trip from Eemshaven, NL to the F1 track at Zandvoort, NL is 152 miles (245 Kilometers). So what we do for an afternoon of watching racing is farther than a trip across the whole of the Netherlands at the longest distance. We have to be automobile centered due to the sheer size of the country. The United States grew up with automobiles, and everything here is geared to cars. I have been to Europe, and spent a lot of time walking because a car would have been completely worthless for the location. But European cities were built long before cars were available. Everything had to be within walking distance. The bicycle is a great choice in an old European city. But in the US, it is not really practical due to the sheer distances between locations.

4points

October 1 year ago

People were yelling from their cars that I ought to wear a helmet while cycling

3points

Ilana Pogodin 1 year ago

They were right though

17points

Blue Chambers 1 year ago

Do you usually hate when people yell good advice to you?

15points

Mrs S 1 year ago

Well, duh...

0points

Pyla 1 year ago

Yeah, I follow several bike accounts on the topic and municipalities give very little concern to cyclists except on green belts and in urban areas. Drivers are getting worse than in the past. And finally, worst of all, drivers who kill cyclists get little punishment. Since there are often few witnesses a LOT seem to get away with "well he was wobbling in and out" and the truth is the road is to be SHARED. There is an entitlement of drivers to speed along and not slow down for peds, bikes, horses, etc.

2points

Colin 1 year ago

If you live where you work it makes sense. I used to bike to my job back in Northern Ireland. However, North America seems to build "bedroom" communities where people live but there isn't the same level of employment. My wife works in Toronto. I do not. She has to drive to the train station because the bus that would take her runs every 2 hours. Train is every 30 minutes. I do not have a means of public transport to get to my job. I drive about 45kms to get there.

1point

ThatRandomGuy 1 year ago

I hate it, I want it to be more about bikes like in The Netherlands.

1point

Gg 1 year ago

Honestly, my state is going bike lane crazy and it's just mayhem. Not widening the roads or anything just narrowing lanes on already narrow roads.

1point

Hans Georg 1 year ago

Although slowly changing, it is the same for Germany. The Netherlands rule in this aspect.

1point

Sharon Ingram 1 year ago

I wish the USA could have better biking routes and ability to move about in other than a pleasure activity. European countries are so much smaller than the US many of the cities in the US are bigger than European countries! Riding a bicycle to work in ay San Antonio or Houston, New Orleans or San Francisco is suicidal. I love the towns and the way things are in Germany, being able to ride from town to town on special bike paths. It’s awesome. It’s possible in the states in small towns. Not in big cities. Shoot, we don’t have bus lines or trains in some large cities. We drive. With the population in the states I don’t see this changing on a huge scale. Plus, our temps in some places make it just untenable.

0points

Stannous Flouride 1 year ago

Ironically, it was bicyclists in the 1800s that demanded that more of the US roads be paved. There were millions of them and until after WW1, very few cars.

0points

Hi There 1 year ago

Not In Colorado

0points

SpaceFrog 1 year ago

It's horrific. We get yelled at and buzzed by cars.

0points

Jared Robinson 1 year ago

not everywhere

0points

Yoyo 1 year ago

And no buses.

0points

robin aldrich 1 year ago (edited)

There are bike lanes actually in towns but sadly many of our rural roads don't even have a shoulder...instead, there's a deep ditch on the either side and it's a narrow road so I do see the point. Also you'd appreciate a helmet if you go flying off your bike and hit something.

0points

kansasmagic 1 year ago

To be fair, the U.S. is a lot bigger than the Netherlands. If we had to ride our bikes it would take too long to get anywhere!

0points

Jessie 1 year ago (edited)

We don’t nearly always go somewhere by bike. We just ride around and go back home. It’s called exercise. By car it’s about 30 minutes to get to the nearest city while it’s almost 2 hours by bike, yet we go by bike because it’s healthier.

0points

Sean Sean 1 year ago

It depends on what city you are in.

0points

R 1 year ago

I noticed that too. Not designed for living humans at all.

0points

Pale-Assistant-9561 , Gary Barnes Report

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Everyone calling me honey/love/sweetie. Those words/terms of endearment aren’t used that casually over here (Netherlands).

Final score:

84points

POST

R 1 year ago

That would make me hiss like an angry cat trapped in a corner

13points

BoardingSchoolBoy , energepic.com Report

In our experience, probably the best thing that you can do while traveling is to develop an attitude where you embrace everything that comes your way. The good. The bad. And the ugly. Think of your trip as an adventure and a chance to see and experience many things that you otherwise might have stayed oblivious to.

And so, whether you’re traveling to the US or anywhere else in the world, remember to maintain a sense of wonder, instead of one of grumpy criticism. Travel isn’t supposed to be a competition about whose home country is ‘better.’ It’s about respecting each other’s differences while finding the small things that unite us, no matter what corner of the world we might call home.

It’s perfectly valid to marvel at mundane things as well. Not every culture shock needs to be something as grandiose as the redwoods. Things like how there seems to be air conditioning pretty much everywhere in the States, the massive range of Oreos at the local supermarket, or how you almost certainly need a car to get where you need to go can leave you thinking about how vastly different life in the States is from many parts in Europe on a day to day basis.

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread When paying in restaurants they took my debit card away from me and took it away with the waiter. I thought that was really weird.

The waiters were also like obsessive at the table every 2 minutes “everyone okay? Can we get you another drink?” And then before I had even asked for the bill they brought it at the end of the meal, I wanted a pudding but I didn’t know what to do after they brought me the bill without me asking.

Also the meals and drink sizes were huge, the McDonald’s and coke tastes weird and off. All the food had like weird after tastes.

In the supermarket you have like a 100000 different versions of each food, like I had never seen so many different types of Oreo’s in my life.

Having to tip someone 20% for simply doing their job was annoying, like I ordered a pizza and the person yelled at me for not giving him a tip and I had no clue we were even meant to do that

Final score:

84points

POST

Dizzie D 1 year ago

I used to live in the States and the one thing that always drove me crazy was tipping. It was just so uncomfortable to not know when to tip, who to tip or what amount was right. Waiters would glare at you if they thought they weren't tipped enough. Who gets to decide? The Customer or the waiter? Like if you think you had mediocre service why the pressure to tip more because the waiter thinks they deserve it? The whole system is so uncomfortable and makes no sense.

18points

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Military fetish. I knew it existed but just wasn't prepared for how pervasive it was. Any kind of public event there were announcements asking veterans to stand up and be applauded. Not special military events. The two that come to mind were the Grand Ol' Opry and a Labour Day thing in Washington DC, but there were other occasions.

I was in the (British) Army Reserve andso kept joking to my wife that I would stand up too and we had a laugh about it . Like "imagine actually lapping this stuff up, lol."

People wearing an army uniform in public. Weird. (And I was told I mustn't do that off-duty when I was a reservist.)

People wearing baseball caps with like "USS Eagle. Operation Iraqi Freedom." And medal ribbons on it or something. Never ever seen a British soldier or ex-soldier wearing something that indicated military service just while they're going about their civilian life. People who have been in or are in the American military seem to define their *life* by it, even in their civilian affairs/day-to-day life.

In a Bass Pro shop and other places there were all kinds of s****y themed wall "art" like clocks and random ornaments and s**t that said like "LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE."

A (chain of?) Military fetish themed BBQ restaurant with like uniforms and medals on the wall and stuff.

Compared to any place I've ever been that whole thing is what stands out as the MOST weird and uniquely American. Nowhere else does anything like that.

Saxon2060 , Thang Cao Report

Final score:

83points

POST

Suzy Creamcheese 1 year ago

Military worship is mainly a right-wing thing.

57points

HeyHeyBitconeeeeect , Goodnight_Gromit Report

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Toilets with not enough privacy.

What’s with the big gaps around the doors and rest of the cubicle?

Final score:

82points

POST

Shiny Pants 1 year ago

Trust me, we wonder that too!

63points

Before you pack your bags, it’s incredibly helpful to do some background research about where you’re traveling. Google some facts, read some forums, talk to some friends who’ve visited the States before. Ideally, you want to start your trip without (m)any assumptions (positive or otherwise). You also want to steer clear of hype because it can leave a very sour taste in your mouth if your experience is nothing like what you’ve seen in the movies.

Paris Syndrome, when you’re disappointed by your trip because you had very high expectations for your trip, isn’t limited to just the French capital. It can happen everywhere you go. Usually, the more popular a destination is, the more hyped up the tourists can get, only to get let down.

For instance, as we’ve covered on Bored Panda previously, Los Angeles can be quite different from what people have seen on the silver screen and on Netflix. It’s a very crowded place, massive in size, and Hollywood itself can be a headache: it’s not as glamorous as on TV. Instead of waddling about, hoping you’ll run into a celebrity, you could go on a professional studio tour. Again, the advice of those who have traveled somewhere before you is absolutely invaluable! And it can help mitigate the worst that culture shocks have to offer.

#10

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread THAT EVERYTHING IS SO BIG.
Cars, food portions, tips, roads, people, attitudes.
Always fun tho.

kuridono , Amine Ben Mohamed Report

Final score:

78points

POST

Suzy Creamcheese 1 year ago

If you think cars are big now, you should have been here in the '70s.

34points

The_Queef_of_England , Josephina Kolpachnikof Report

#11

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread The food. This was 2001 and I'm from the UK/France. I'd never seen refillable drinks before. I couldn't believe you could just have as much soda as you wanted and no one was going to think you were stealing. When we ate dinner, entire loaves of bread and a ramakin of butter. Supermarkets packed so high and wide. Turkey drumsticks the size of a t-rex. I was bowled over.

Final score:

78points

POST

Winnie the Moo 1 year ago

🦖 🤣

25points

#12

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Not necessarily related to the country, but more to the people itself. Americans are by far the most social people I have come across in my travels. It seems like they have mastered the art of small talk with strangers. This has been mostly positive for me as it is really easy to be featured in their social groups. Kind of the opposite is the case in my country (The Netherlands). It has helped me understand why American immigrants in my country struggle with being happy.

daaniscool , Tim Douglas Report

Final score:

76points

POST

SpaceFrog 1 year ago

I wish I didn't have to endure small talk as an American. I really hate useless conversation and I endure everyday while people think I'm rude for just wanting to get my work done and not chat about nothing.

6points

#13

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread As someone who grew up there, returning now always gives me culture shock. The worst is probably when I go to Florida to visit my sister. The radio is nothing but pay day loan advertisements. Even my son listening to them says, "that sounds like a scam." Just the amount of blatant and obvious predation on consumers is jarring and it didn't used to be that bad.

GrumpiestOldDude , Breakingpic Report

Final score:

76points

POST

Skara Brae 1 year ago

Ads like that are a symptom of how the local population is faring.

31points

#14

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread 56 flavours of donuts in a gas station in the middle of nowhere. 56! I counted!

RenoRamone , Annie Spratt Report

Final score:

75points

POST

DarkQueenie 1 year ago

And did you eat all 56? We need answers!

31points

#15

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread The work till you drop culture.

There have been people who are proud of the fact they don't see their families or miss occassionas because they work for 'the company'..

I used to work for a grocery store and it was close to a cult.

ZealouslyJaded , Nicola Barts Report

Final score:

72points

POST

stupidMonkey 1 year ago

We don't like this either but we are too busy working to find time to complain😉

30points

#16

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread I Lived in America for a year when I was around 8, and foolish me didn’t understand the tax system.

I remember my mother giving me money to go to the store to get ice cream, and being really confused/upset when the cashier told me my $3 was not enough despite that being its labelled price.

I remember thinking to myself how stupid the cashier must be that she couldn’t read the label properly.

shakypancakey , Fikri Rasyid Report

Final score:

70points

POST

R 1 year ago

As an adult I can totally understand. The price on the label should be what one pay

72points

#17

It's been almost a decade so things might have changed, but I have a few:

Positive: it's very easy to connect to complete strangers, up to the point me and my wife got invited to a pick-up beach volleyball game after we met some people in a bar. Was great fun!

Negative: price on fresh vegetables in a grocery store was just staggering, I completely understood why poor families would buy take away instead of freshly cooked meals.

Negative: the amount of "normal" looking homeless people in San Francisco was just insane.

ThrowRA_1234586 Report

Final score:

68points

POST

robin aldrich 1 year ago

I recently read about the San Francisco real estate market....If a house is listed say at $900,000 (already out of reach for a LOT of people) you offer MORE. You don't offer less you don't even offer the asking price. You offer more than the asking price!!!! that floored me.

14points

Russiadontgiveaf**k , Dorrell Tibbs Report

#18

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread - pretty much zero public transport
- the bars are all so...clean? Every bar I went to was like a fully air-conditioned sports bar, with the tvs and everything. Where I live, the more lived-in, the better the pub.
- everything is sweet. The beer was sweet, the bread, the traditional, home-cooked meals, the f*****g cheese

Final score:

65points

POST

Brittania Kelli 1 year ago

American food companies realised how addictive sugar was decades ago and just started putting sugar in everything.

51points

#19

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread On a first gas station in New York state after crossing border with Canada, I started pushing my car for fun. Just to check if I am able to move it. Imiedialetly some man in an old pick up truck stopped next to me and asked if I need help. It was mind blowing to me because in my country even if I would wave to people asking for help I would wait at least an hour for somebody who would willing to help me.

Jager_anfanger , KoolShooters Report

Final score:

64points

POST

The Accidental Cat Thief 1 year ago

I don't think the person that stopped to help is the weird one in this scenario. Just sayin...

88points

#20

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread I hate, with a flaming passion, those fake hot dogs. I believe they're called water dogs. The ones that taste like plastic. When I went to New York City, we got one of those, and it was disgusting. It tastes like nothing. Why not just use pork sausages like the rest of the world? It has a weird chewy outer skin, and then the squishy 'meat' on the inside. And why is it a beige/pink color? Two bucks for a hot dog that tastes like my local landfill. I have eaten Lego bricks more tasty.

MonkeeBoi123 , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Isabella 1 year ago

I upvoted for the last two sentences. :))

38points

#21

I was prepared for taxes not being included in price tags and the tipping stuff etc. I was not prepared for the "I love Jesus"/ "Jesus loves me" people with megaphones, banners, t-shirts and flyers walking around everywhere.

KiwiJules59 Report

Final score:

62points

POST

stupidMonkey 1 year ago

We don't like those wakkos either. Though they can be fun to heckle if your bored and need a giggle. I know, I know. I shouldn't feed the wildlife but some times I just can't help myself.

42points

#22

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Everything is loud. All the time. The TV ads, the billboards, the radio, the air conditioning. Everyone is trying to get heard in a country where being #1 is the only acceptable goal. It's a loudness war to get to your brain, and it's exhausting.

OnnKelvezenn , Marcus Herzberg Report

Final score:

61points

POST

kansasmagic 1 year ago

If you go to Times Square, yeah. But try the Great Plains or Four Corners area. Silence for miles!

33points

#23

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Everybody smiling to one another, as a polish person i just can't understand that. Everybody is expected to smile to you even if they are sad.

VicMag24 Report

Final score:

59points

POST

R 1 year ago

That smiling sounds so uncomfortable. Even for me as a Swedish person

15points

#24

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Adverts (commercials). We generally don’t have medical or adversarial (mentioning competitors directly) adverts, at least in the UK

My kids picked up on this when we went to the cinema and there was a Samsung advert directly trashing Apple. They were like “what the hell was THAT?”

noconnor40 , Nothing Ahead Report

Final score:

57points

POST

Tracy Wallick 1 year ago

Even as Americans, we think advertising prescription medicines is weird.

69points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

See Also on Bored Panda

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#25

I moved to America for 3 years when I was 18. The first time I walked into Walmart there was a very tall man with a gun and a knife strapped to his belt. It definitely took me by surprise and at first made me feel a little uneasy.

ALEXRavison94 Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Suzy Creamcheese 1 year ago

Those nutbars make most Americans a bit nervous too.

77points

#26

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Some of them would eat dessert for breakfast - things like pancakes, syrup, fruit, sweet waffles etc

jeelio , Ash Report

Final score:

47points

POST

troufaki13 1 year ago

I eat sweet things for breakfast too, and I'm not American. Bread with jam and butter or tahini with honey, bougatsa (type of phyllo pastry with custard cream filling) and probably more that I can't think of right now 🤤🤤🤤

28points

#27

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Kids on a leash in parks. Omg i was not ready for that.

Roukess , strooples Report

Final score:

43points

POST

Eevi 1 year ago

I have to say as a kindergarten teacher from Finland, that the item in that picture is not a leash. We use it all the time at our job for children around 2-3, because it is easier to hold on to the rope than to hold friends hand. After age of 3 or so they hold hands in lines and before age of 2 or so they hold teachers hand, sit on a cart or hold on the cart. And obviously the rope is only when moving from place to place, not when we are learning or playing in park / woods. :)

52points

_Its-a-me-mario_ , Milan Pieteraerents Report

#28

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Honestly two things that stuck me, lack of walkability and repetitive buildings or grid layouts

Final score:

42points

POST

Azolane 1 year ago

Come to Pittsburgh, the roads layout will never be boring in this city.

16points

#29

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread you guys have air conditioning in your house????? i was astonished

churchbellsring , ready made Report

Final score:

42points

POST

Michael Largey 1 year ago

Yep, we have air conditioning in our houses. Experiments showed it had little effect when on the patio or in the back yard.

51points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

See Also on Bored Panda

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#30

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Mine is going to sound really dumb, but just the way I was treated when in a shop buying clothes. Hello on the way in, always someone trying to help, and then they actually asked me if someone helpe med when I went to pay for my stuff.

In Spain you walk in, buy what you want and most of the time you're lucky if the cashier is nice enough to say hello (in all fairness they get paid a s****y wage and have to deal with lot's of idiots).

The rest of the stuff (I was in New York) didn't shock me much. The tipping situation is certainly different, but I was expecting that.

morgancaptainmorgan , Edgars Kisuro Report

Final score:

36points

POST

Qia Munther 1 year ago

Us workers often are paid comission of salen to get a decent wage- thats why they are so overbearingly helpful in shops

11points

hartschale666 , wikimedia.commons Report

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#31

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Root beer. I always wondered what that was. I was not prepared to sip on carbonated mouthwash. Why on earth is it called beer?

Final score:

11points

POST

Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago

Drop a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream in it..you'll understand

7points

#32

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread The price difference. First time I went to NYC I was living like a god damn king off my normal average wage. Last time I went it was basically an exchange like for like with currency.

But the big thing on ever trip, Americans are for the most part really really nice people and friendly.

DuckyDublin , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

10points

POST

The Original Bruno 1 year ago

NY is crazy expensive compared to other parts of America.

1point

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

See Also on Bored Panda

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#33

I feel like Americans are so easy to talk to strangers, it doesn't happen too much in Europe

yourannabanana Report

Final score:

10points

POST

Aileen Grist 1 year ago

I'm in the UK and I talk to everybody - so if you're in Eastbourne and see a fat woman in a wheelchair smiling and saying hi - let's chat. lol

5points

#34

Having expected much less formality in the USA, I was pleasantly shocked to find elements of courtesy and good manners that are no longer common in the UK. The use of the terms ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’m’ between equals is a delightfully civilised exchange to hear and to experience, and one which implies a hierarchical relationship here in the UK, rather than one of mutual respect as in the USA. I also love the elements of eighteenth century grammar and syntax which have survived in American English. The word ‘gotten’ has long since fallen out of use in British English.

Dennis929 Report

Final score:

10points

POST

Five Years 1 year ago

Fortunately we are always minting new language like oft as in She done run oft. OFT oft.

2points

#35

I "visited" for 5 years. The one moment that really sticks out above all others, was getting passed by a row of big yellow schoolbusses. Just like in the Simpsons.

I grew up in the UK, and schoolbusses were a) rare, and b) just busses. The same busses you'd see anywhere else. And I mean exactly the same - after 9am they'd go back to doing their day jobs. They either set their sign on the front to read 'school', or they'd have a yellow placard in the window, with two kids on it.

Big yellow schoolbusses with flashing lights, a pop-out stop sign, and a flat a**e .. just like off the telly. But in real life. Just cruising down the street like it was normal.

wosmo Report

Final score:

9points

POST

Leah Brown 1 year ago

"Like it was normal." News flash... to us, it IS normal. Especially in the suburbs and rural areas where public transportation is basically nonexistent.

12points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

See Also on Bored Panda

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#36

Seeing guns just hanging there like casual groceries in WalMart

Derc_on_Reddit Report

Final score:

9points

POST

stupidMonkey 1 year ago

Funny story. I worked as a driver for Walmart for a short time and had to watch a training video on what to do in an active shooter situation. They had a guy picking up a keyboard as a last ditch self defense weapon and the entire time I was thinking; "Nope! I'm heading straight for sporting goods"

2points

#37

Everyone driving on left lane and in consequence, people overtaking on the right lane (driving culture seems to be very bad and I'm from Poland)

people leaving trolleys all over the mall parkings

people leaving clothes/shoes randomly in shops after trying on

No one is walking like we do (normally)

very old people still working

Everything is far away and you need to drive by car there (hardly seen any public communication)

everyone super nice and smiling

a lot of random small talks (nice)

😀

(Still in US )

deithven Report

Final score:

8points

POST

robin aldrich 1 year ago

Not a defense but commenting : Yeah we all drive-in the left lane because no one wants to admit. We're pokey and should drive in the right lane. Most of us are too lazy to put trolleys and clothes and shoes back where they belong...It's rude.....older people still working because retirement requires money .....and yeah we need more public transport. Maybe less driving in the car.

1point

#38

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread Every traffic light left-turn had a dedicated "you can go now" light-sequence! I loved that.

But then also these "be polite"-4-way stop crossing where you gotta trust the other guys that they abide to the "you reached this crossing first. Damn that was WEIRD.

I LOVE Dragstrips. So comfy, so simple, so homestyle-nice and 98% nice people.

Sooooo much space, not just corn fields, but in cities (except LA, f**k you, for that traffic!) there is so much space on the roads, so much parking, wide this wide that, was a treat. Nothing is close to each other and supertight like European big cities.

But f**k your tax on everything and then monster tips expected everywhere. I gave a 5 usd tip every time i got served food at a table, no more no less, it was confusing for the rest with f*****g math everywhere.

I loved the basically free gas (European so anything under $10/gallon is "free" to me, especially $2.80 in AZ!), cause it meant I could go explore 500 miles for fun and not think "f**k me burning money, lets gets a plane or google photos of that place instead".

Food is more simple, it can be hard to really find fine dining restaurants but there are some pearls in between and even in "s**t cities" such as Tucson and Phoenix and non-gaming Vegas I found good places to eat by searching for "foodie", "artisan" or "cooking from scratch". Even tried a Jewish restaurant in Phoenix, cause why not, best f*****g Reuben sandwich I ever paid for! ... And then 84 sour cucumbers as snacks for free, that bit was odd, but hey, when in erh Phoenix do whatever.

Adler4290 , Alex King Report

Final score:

8points

POST

Skara Brae 1 year ago

Phoenix has lots of boring restaurants that cater to the winter "snowbird" visitors, who are usually from cold, northern states and Canada; that is, places not known for interesting food. However, with a casual glance at restaurants in google maps, it is easy to find good food. For example, there are many good asian restaurants in the southeast suburbs.

1point

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

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#39

How nice people where I went to NYC last month y'all call them rude how my first thought was how tf are people depressed here

pieckisbestgurl Report

Final score:

7points

POST

robin aldrich 1 year ago

You mean no one told you "forget about it?" (in thick New Yawk Accent)

0points

#40

how wide the streets are. like in the middle of nowhere suburbia. took like 30 to 45 secs just to cross them on foot. I guess that was my mistake. going on foot.

QuantumHamster Report

Final score:

6points

POST

Annik Perrot 1 year ago

In LA, there was that lovely restaurant right across our hotel but darn, crossing that four-lanes-each-way monster of a street was a sobering experience!

4points

#41

How big the cars are. Free refills for half litre sodas even for breakfast. How supermarkets with nutritious food are rarely ever in walking distance if you’re in a city.

eggofreddo Report

Final score:

6points

POST

#42

how hard everything is.

i tried getting some sim cards. paid 150$ for two sim cards, neither worked, spent hours on the phone with Comcast, they offered me a 5$ refund.

cannot walk anywhere.

crossing the roads is a challenge.

got a parking ticket because I failed to decode a sign. tried to pay it, they were adamant that i pay it, bit only accepted US address when paying, (i owe Boston 240$.

buying something at the shop? surprise tax at the end,

eating out? how much do you think the waiter/delivery person deserves for their service?

and i was just visiting. cannot imagine living there

Anomalocaris Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Jared Robinson 1 year ago

None of these things are difficult you simply didn't take the time to understand them. crosswalk you push a button the light comes on you walk.

1point

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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What do you think ?

POST

Phobrek 1 year ago

I found myself wishing more people would mention where they went here in the US... some issues are nation-wide, but many of these are applicable more to particular areas. I get the idea that a lot of people don't realize how big and varied the US is.

14points

FABULOUS1 1 year ago

Thank you! There is such a big difference in every state you go to in the US. Texas, California, Florida, New York and all others are not the same at all. You would have to be in a very rural area of California to see a great deal of American flags otherwise you see this more in more Southern states.

8points

troufaki13 1 year ago

For me it's the fact that the banknotes are all the same color and size

10points

Julie Snelling 1 year ago

Yeah I've always wondered about that what do blind people do?

3points

Yoyo 1 year ago

Thank you!! It's just... stupid.

1point

madbakes 1 year ago

Colors started changing years ago. Old notes, 1s and 5s are all the sane color.

0points

FABULOUS1 1 year ago

I understand the culture shock when people visit the US, I also wonder what people expected when they visit another country. The fact that being overly friendly is mentioned multiple times only leaves me wondering how people are treated elsewhere. Also grouping the entire country up as one is laughable, no state and its culture is like the other. I've lived in 5 different states and non of them are the same. In the end, I guess you shouldn't visit the US, we are overly friendly, we like big things and large meals and everything else that was mentioned. Please don't come to California, we are overly crowded with enough tourists and Disneyland is overpriced.

4points

Laura Kaye 1 year ago

I went to England recently, ordered at a Subway with my friend and the food taker literally paused what he was doing to stare at me incredulously when I said "Thank you." Apparently service workers are treated like s**t over there.

0points

Wilf 1 year ago

For me it is the massive disparity between metropolitan areas and rural. Visit a modern American city and you are in any other first world country. But most small towns are like stepping into a 3rd world country. Sure here in the UK there's a big disparity between town and rural, but when I was in the USA it struck me as like two different nations.

3points

Sherry Marie Golden 1 year ago

How many small towns did you actually visit?

0points

DBear 1 year ago

I wonder how many Europeans were surprised to discover that we don't regularly start wars and kill each other because of religious differences or ethnic backgrounds.

2points

John G 1 year ago

What do you consider regularly? Granted our wars are about oil and done in other countries.

-1point

Brobro McDuderson 1 year ago

BOOYAH, 2 anti-US posts in one week. Lucky! Lemme guess 1st, then read it: bathroom stall gaps, taxes, friendliness (which somehow someone will make this negative), healthcare, public transit, healthcare, politics. EDIT: Shocker. How many times you gonna run the same recycled c**p BP? You guys got a serious US fetish.

-1point

Lil Potato IS BACK!!!! 1 year ago

things i counted that people hate america for: 1. being friendly 2. respecting veterans 3. good customer service 4. having different food culture. 5. smiling 6. having AC indoors 7. freedom of religion 8. having clean bars and restraunts 9. large portion sizes. 10. people doing their job. 11. any sort of slightly different change in any way whatsoever from europe. i do appreciate the good ones though

-1point

Yoyo 1 year ago

Uuum this thread is about what people found different with the US.

8points

Mia Black 1 year ago (edited)

In wonder why you think people hate America for the mentioned things. They pointed out differences. That is not hate. We can learn from differences (about others, ourselves, culture, countries...)

3points

Pepe Silvia 1 year ago

This might not be news to you, but socialists/Communists/globalists hate freedom and independence. They hate you and your family and would rather have the central planners responsible for theirs and your safety and well being.

-2points

DBear 1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

-3points

Yoyo 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Laura Kaye 1 year ago

Not all Americans say we are the best country.... Many Americans recognize our healthcare system is s**t, our work culture sucks, our cost of living is atrocious and we recognize that many in our own societies are toxic MoFos. That said, I DID have an argument with my father about this subject. So you're not entirely wrong either lol.

1point

POST

Phobrek 1 year ago

14points

FABULOUS1 1 year ago

8points

troufaki13 1 year ago

For me it's the fact that the banknotes are all the same color and size

10points

Julie Snelling 1 year ago

Yeah I've always wondered about that what do blind people do?

3points

Yoyo 1 year ago

Thank you!! It's just... stupid.

1point

madbakes 1 year ago

Colors started changing years ago. Old notes, 1s and 5s are all the sane color.

0points

FABULOUS1 1 year ago

4points

Laura Kaye 1 year ago

0points

Wilf 1 year ago

3points

Sherry Marie Golden 1 year ago

How many small towns did you actually visit?

0points

DBear 1 year ago

I wonder how many Europeans were surprised to discover that we don't regularly start wars and kill each other because of religious differences or ethnic backgrounds.

2points

John G 1 year ago

What do you consider regularly? Granted our wars are about oil and done in other countries.

-1point

Brobro McDuderson 1 year ago

-1point

Lil Potato IS BACK!!!! 1 year ago

-1point

Yoyo 1 year ago

Uuum this thread is about what people found different with the US.

8points

Mia Black 1 year ago (edited)

In wonder why you think people hate America for the mentioned things. They pointed out differences. That is not hate. We can learn from differences (about others, ourselves, culture, countries...)

3points

Pepe Silvia 1 year ago

-2points

DBear 1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

-3points

Yoyo 1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Laura Kaye 1 year ago

1point