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30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread

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It is entirely normal to feel slightly out of your depth when going abroad—one of the main points of travel is to expose yourself to different cultures, customs, and ways of living. Not only does this broaden our knowledge about the world, but it can also make us value what we have at home far more once we’re back from our adventures.

One redditor recently asked their fellow internet users from Europe to share the biggest culture shocks that they experienced while visiting the United States, and they delivered. Scroll down to check out what surprised them the most on their travels, from just how B I G everything is to the (over)work culture and how friendly everyone seems.

We reached out to traveler and artist Dennis Irschara, who has been to 34 countries, to hear his thoughts about the United States. Read on to see what the traveler told Bored Panda.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

30 Things Tourists Did Not Expect To See In The US, As Shared In This Viral Online Thread I know it's popular to dunk on Americans, but honestly, for me, it was how friendly everyone was.

Lexi_Phenex , Andrea Piacquadio Report

Final score:

137points

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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.

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#2

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

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#3

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

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

The Original Bruno 1 year ago

Yes, but the REASON they are paid to be friendly is so they can help people find what they want and feel good about the experience.

7points

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BG White 1 year ago

It also slightly reduces shoplifting.

4points

DippityDooDerp 1 year ago

Not greeting a customer is rude. Attempting to force yourself upon them and acting like it's helpful is also rude. Some workers don't know where to draw the line.

2points

Clearly sunny 1 year ago

True, but some of us still hate it.

0points

Lil Potato IS BACK!!!! 1 year ago

wow, we're hating america for being friendly and communicative.

11points

kath morgan 1 year ago

I am a Brit working retail in the us and really struggle with their expectations of how proactive they want me to be engaging customers.

8points

Ozymandias73 1 year ago

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Anni 1 year ago

I’m Australian and lived in the UK for a bit. I walk into a clothes shop and said hi, how are you etc, she blanked me. I learnt fast 😂 But it was good sometimes. Beats being pestered!

5points

Wysteria_Rose 1 year ago

As a past retail worker with several years under my belt, trust me: we also didn't want to talk to you. We HAD to.

4points

Ricardo Ferreira 1 year ago

Now imagine a Finnish vacationing in Southern USA.

3points

Katri 1 year ago

My nightmare :D

2points

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CHRISTY SMITH 1 year ago

Yeah, they’re not real happy about it either, but they want to keep their jobs.

2points

CHRISTY SMITH 1 year ago (edited)

“ Workers are trained and paid poverty wages to put on that act.” There, all fixed.

2points

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DiscoqueenJ 1 year ago

You can just simply say no thank you and go about your way. I'd much rather have them greet me than be silent (which feels rude.)

2points

Ana Jesus 1 year ago

It’s cringy and intimidating, give people space ffs

1point

Chia 1 year ago

Ug. I don’t like this either, and I’m from the US. If it continues, I will quietly leave the store. I am not Finnish, but based on some of the other comments, I think I must have the soul of a Finn.

1point

Hunter 1 year ago

I'm an American from the Midwest traveling through the south east. First of all the "Midwesterns are to courteous" stereotype is generally true. I walked into a store in east Texas to speak to a cashier who greeted me with "What?" and I had to check for a moment to see if I'd just had a stroke.

1point

Phyllis Turbin 1 year ago (edited)

Sheesh. Can't please everyone. 🤨

1point

two-sided llama 1 year ago

no we talk to you until you die of embarrasment we know everything about you

1point

Tanja Sib 1 year ago

They do that in Germany too now in some stores. More reason to shop online.

0points

Celtic Pirate Queen 1 year ago

I'm in the US and it annoys the sh*t out of me. IF I need any help, I will ask.

0points

CowGhost 1 year ago

I have lived most of my life in North America and after I visited India (where Im from) I couldnt handle the communication.

0points

Jostanquecla 1 year ago

In Spain, when a customer enters the waiting area of a shop, they greet the other customers already there waiting. Easy to be rude if you aren't used to it.

0points

Gypsy Lee 1 year ago

When common decency & kindness is considered an affront. 🫤

0points

Stannous Flouride 1 year ago

When Walmart opened stores in Germany they instructed all their local implores to smile at customers, ask about their day, and bag their purchases. Customers thought they were either flirting or wanting to gain their confidence for some nefarious reason, that asking such questions was extremely intrusive, and that baggers were trying to steal their stuff.

0points

Jessie 1 year ago

Walmart tried to change the ancient privacy culture and failed miserably.

0points

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Gary 1 year ago

If you want a bump back down to earth try Florida, for the most part shops etc everyone is as miserable as sin.

0points

Bruce Horton 1 year ago

Americans are friendly and open, not store clerks. It's pretty common to hear someone's life story when standing in the grocery store check out line.

0points

Jesse Corder 1 year ago

Retail workers are also trained to greet everyone like this as a means loss prevention. A person is less likely to shoplift if they know the worker knows they're there.

0points

Yoyo 1 year ago

And you know they're just doing it for the tips.

0points

kansasmagic 1 year ago

Note to self: visit Germany, or just move there.

0points

Christy Means-Stephens 1 year ago

😂

0points

Hans Georg 1 year ago

I'd like to visit a hardware store there compared to Germany.

0points

luupski 1 year ago

All fake friendliness. Just try to tell them how you really are want extra time to be helped …. That aint gonna fly.

-2points

Jackson McGuire 1 year ago

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"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.

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#4

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

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#5

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

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#6

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).

Pale-Assistant-9561 , Gary Barnes Report

Final score:

84points

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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.

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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.

#7

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

BoardingSchoolBoy , energepic.com Report

Final score:

84points

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#8

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

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#9

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?

HeyHeyBitconeeeeect , Goodnight_Gromit Report

Final score:

82points

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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.

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#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

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#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.

The_Queef_of_England , Josephina Kolpachnikof Report

Final score:

78points

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

Russiadontgiveaf**k , Dorrell Tibbs Report

Final score:

65points

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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

_Its-a-me-mario_ , Milan Pieteraerents Report

Final score:

42points

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#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

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#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

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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?

hartschale666 , wikimedia.commons Report

Final score:

11points

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#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

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#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

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#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

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#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.

Final score:

9points

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#36

Seeing guns just hanging there like casual groceries in WalMart

Derc_on_Reddit Report

Final score:

9points

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#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

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#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

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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

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#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

#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

#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

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Jonas Grinevičius

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.

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.

Justinas Keturka

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

What do you think ?

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

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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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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

Load More Replies...

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