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“A Bucket Of Coffee”: 30 Extremely American Things Visitors Have Seen And Experienced In The US
Interview With Author
When I visit my family back in the United States, there are a few things that I get particularly excited about: stocking up on Trader Joe’s peanut butter, enjoying amazing Tex-Mex and being able to buy flavored creamer for my coffee. Okay, clearly all I care about is food.
But there are a thousand things that make the US special, from the gorgeous landscapes to the friendly locals, so Redditors from around the world have recently been discussing what they noticed during their visits there. Below, you’ll find a list of some of the most quintessential American experiences travelers have had while visiting the land of the free. So enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the things that make you proud to be an American or make you want to visit the States as soon as possible!
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#1
People being super friendly in bars.
I loved the bar vibe. In London people can be friendly but reserved first, and that wastes time. In the US people make the effort.
I thought that’d be nice to share in a thread where people probably tend to badmouth American stuff.
BoredPossum 6 months ago
That sounds great. In Sweden, people are horrified if you talk to strangers. You might do it if you're drunk or very handsome, but most people stare at you as if you were going to attack them or destroy you verbally.
RELATED:
#2
I'm posting on behalf of an older friend.
Several years ago one of my friends reached out because there was a new international student joining a local college and their parents were hoping to find somebody in the US to help them out. The first day they came to visit us had a couple of major coincidences that created a weirdly over the top American experience.
Based on talks before they arrived, the two biggest things they wanted to do was walk around the downtown area to make sure it was safe and get some American BBQ.
We went to a local BBQ restaurant that serves a huge family style meal on a giant shovel (it's called KCs Rib Shack in Manchester, NH). The dad was absolutely blown away and took like 30 photos before we could eat. We then went downtown but didn't realize that there was both a classic car show downtown and a Elvis impersonator competition going on. this family that had never been outside of Japan ate brisket out of a shovel then immediately walked around looking at classic muscle cars while dozens of dudes dressed like Elvis walked around. We kept trying to explain that it was an abnormally "American" day, but the family was just so blown away and overwhelmed the whole time. The last time I talked to the student, she said her dad still talks about the BBQ shovel, car, Elvis day all the time.
#3
It sounds so dumb.. yellow school buses.
I'm Australian, so we only see yellow buses in movies so to see an actual yellow school bus was a dream come true for my 20 year old self.
6 months ago
Was a summer camp director for many years and often hired international counselors. They always got super excited about school buses, yard sales and ice in their drinks
To find out how this conversation about classic American experiences started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit user JeffRyan1, who invited others to share their stories about visiting the United States. He was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and reveal what inspired this thread.
"I'm a writer myself – most of my books are on pop culture characters, like Super Mario and Mickey Mouse," he shared. "They represent more than just a dad-bodded plumber and a rat boy: they represent adventure and innocence and childhood and, yes, America. That made me wonder, for better or worse, what happened to visitors in American that they felt was quintessentially 'American'?"
#4
American immigrant from Europe…
On my first week in the US, i walked into one of those chain coffee shops and ordered a coffee. When prompted for a size, i pondered that I had not slept that much (jet lag) and selected an extra large.
You know what we call those extra large coffee mugs in the old country? Buckets. What I got was a bucket of coffee
#5
An old couple running a family run horse ranch, talking about their history, how their great grandparents acquired that bit of land, while their two daughters and son taught us horseback riding.
The way they talked about nature, freedom, their dreams and aspirations, so different to our home country and our own culture, while still sounding faintly familiar, as if he was talking about a really old dream I used to have. It’s hard for me to put into words, but that scene, the surroundings, the air, every sensation, never left me, and but for a brief moment, allowed me to kind of understand the Americans a little more. I truly hope they all are doing well and that America never loses this special way of striving for a new frontier.
Sounds probably ridiculous, but it was very special to me.
Red PANda (she/they) 6 months ago
The American Dream is slowly dying, sadly…but I know some people who are working very hard to bring change and it gives me hope
#6
I asked a Japanese friend this. This is what he replied.
"The first bit of culture shock that I experienced was watching a woman drink coke directly out of a two litre bottle. The second bit of culture shock I experienced was noticing that the woman was shaped like the bottle"
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 6 months ago
Third bit of culture shock was when the woman finished the whole bottle there and then
We also asked the OP if he had ever experienced anything in his homeland that he felt was particularly American. "I've seen a bald eagle in the wild once – it stole a fish from an osprey," he shared. "I was at a Fourth of July where they accidentally cued the big fireworks finale to the love theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark, not the Raiders March."
#7
Had chicken-fried bacon at some breakfast BBQ place on the I5 between Seattle and Portland.
Was it delicious? Yes
Did it probably take at least a few days off my life? Also yes.
And it was just the starter to my biscuits and gravy. Damn I wish I could remember the name of that place. I would 100% go back there.
#8
Probably visiting Austin, Texas back in 2000 and asking the cab driver to take me and my friends to a store to buy a cowboy hat (hey, when in Rome... :)) and Steve, our cab driver for the week we were there (he gave us his cell number) too us to some shopping park and a store called "Hats, Boots & Guns". I have never been to such a brilliant, pure USA hell yeah place in all my other trips to the USA from the UK. Ended up with a great black stetson and gawped at all the guns behind the counter in amazement. If I'd had more money would have loved a pair of boots as they had every style imaginable. Then a few days into the trip, Steve the driver invited us to come to his place out of town on the weekend to shoot some guns. Sadly - or luckily, I will never know - we had to fly back that weekend. He was great and friendly as were all the people we met. USA may be a crazy colourful and strange place to us Brits, but you sure are friendly and welcoming.
Red PANda (she/they) 6 months ago
Hat and boot stores in Texas are always fun to stop by and take a look in. I took home a very handsome cowboy hat one time, and some pretty boots :)
#9
Five guys dressed as the Statue of Liberty arguing in Spanish over turf in Times Square.
As far as what Jeff thought of the replies to his post, he told Bored Panda, "I was surprised at how uniform so many of the responses were. I guess we really do love guns and huge portions of food here in 'Murica."
We were also curious to know if the author had ever had an experience in another country that probably wouldn't happen in many other places. "Last year, I was in England, and on a morning jog through London, I saw a fox," he shared. "That was special to me, until I looked it up and found that foxes are considered garbage-eating pests."
#10
As if going to the NASCAR wasn't 'Merican enough, before going into the stadium, my mate and I had a walk around the fan park they had built outside it. Within 5 minutes of being there, I heard an engine being revved up to within an inch of its life, and the smell of petrol filled the air.
Turned around, and this engine was on board a Harley Davidson three wheeler, on which there was this big f**k off drum kit built onto it, driven by a bloke in full leathers, bandana, shades, the lot. All of a sudden "Born To Be Wild" blasted out of the speakers also attached to it, and the bloke started playing the drums along to the tune, and started badly singing the lyrics, revving the engine every so often in random places.
I felt like I was American myself by the end of it.
#11
Visited Arizona for first time last year. Took a photograph of a fishing lake whilst in Papago Park outside Phoenix, as I thought it made a cool mock photo of an "oasis" in the desert. My picture was photo bombed by what I am reliably informed was a bald eagle. Felt like a genuinely very American moment in a "wow! That seems lucky and pretty cool" sort of way
Red PANda (she/they) 6 months ago
I always feel happy when I see a bald eagle flying by. I live by a big lake where they sometimes fly by. They’re pretty rare, but it makes it so much cooler when you see one.
#12
I've lived in America for 25 years, became an American citizen last year. My first time here was during Halloween, I stayed with friends, who had bought an ungodly amount of candy for the holiday.
They lived in a Denver suburb, lots of kids in the neighborhood. It was like a scene out of ET, even l when they go trick or treating, sidewalks were just full of kids.
That's the most American thing I've seen, apart from free refills
#13
I was shocked at the number of American flags just everywhere. I would be hard pressed to find a Canadian flag outside of schools and government buildings. There were American flags at the mall, random streets, stores, backyards, front yards, convenience stores etc
BoredPossum 6 months ago
In Germany, flying the German flag is seen as nationalistic or worse, at least nothing to be proud of.
#14
Formerly a non-american, i noticed was how grocery store employees at the cash register are not allowed to sit.
#15
My wife and I (Canadians) wanted to visit Detroit on a weekend because we love art-deco architecture and beautiful old record stores. We didn't realize there was a Lion's game on and we said f**k it...let's go to the Market area (Sorry I forget the actual name) where there were thousands of people tailgating. Might not seem like a big deal, but to a non-American, the metric f**kton of good vibes, fried food and sheer *passion* people had for football was awesome. We had a great time :)
Lil Miss Hobbit 6 months ago
THIS. The football energy in the US is fabulous. I am so confused and in love with it at the same time.
#16
The morning after a late night landing in Atlanta, we discovered a diner almost next to the hotel. We decided to go there for breakfast. Our first, European, instinct was to walk but it was impossible to reach by foot even though it was less then 100 meters aways. When we walked in, there were 3 cops sitting at the counter, drinking coffee and eating doughnuts while shooting the s**t with the server. We felt like we walked onto a movie set, it was so cliché.
Lil Miss Hobbit 6 months ago
My grandpa hit a deer one time on the way to pie-night at church. A cop stopped in to see who had done it and if they were okay, and ended up staying for pie. She was wonderful and showed all the kids her gear and answered their questions. They still ask sometimes if she will come again and have snacks with them.
#17
I've lived here 25 years so I'm used to all the fun Americanisms. I'll answer for my British Mother when she visited for the first time. She went to the grocery store and saw Easy Cheese, which is cheese in a spray bottle. She talked about that the rest of the trip, and still brings it up now and then as the most weirdly American thing she ever saw.
#18
Montana after driving across the Canadian border:
Eating in a breakfast diner that actually had stacks of pancakes with the little square of butter on top, just like I had always seen in movies. The waitress was pouring coffee into everyone's cups, talking about the "potata salad" and saying "sir" and "ma'am" after every sentence. It was so quaint.
Then I noticed a guy with a gun on his belt, wearing a shirt that read, "I'd rather be a Mormon than a Moron".
The amount of Jesus and Stars and Stripes on that one little drive was peak America, from my outsider perspective.
Lil Miss Hobbit 6 months ago
The 'sir' and 'ma'am' threw me off for the longest time as a Canadian. Also people calling me 'Miss *last name*' instead of just my first name.
#19
I think for me was noticing that strangers can randomly strike up a conversation with you. I've been in this country for more than 20 years now so I'm used to it. But I remember being weirded out by it before.
Red PANda (she/they) 6 months ago
I like this aspect of my country. I once made a friend because we did that awkward thing where we were walking towards each other and veered in the same direction a few times trying to get by each other.
#20
Was visiting the Smokey Mountains for some hiking.
I was excited to visit a pancake house. My wife ordered waffles and couldn't finish her meal. She still had three 7cm (2 inch) across balls of vanilla ice cream on her plate.
She offers to let me have it... bliss ensues... until I take my first bite and realize it was butter...WHO THE HELL needs THREE balls of butter that big for some waffles... it never even crossed my mind that it was butter.
Gross
#21
Went to a conference in 2023. I had been in Florida less than 3 hours when I saw a car with one of those stick figure family stickers in the back, except it was guns as the figures. It was jarring to say the least
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 6 months ago
Occasionally see a truck in my hood with a sticker that says "F*CK Joe Biden" with the "F" replaced with an AR-15. Funny thing though. It's always parked in front of a subsidized housing project. Dude is probably a vet living on the federal dole.
#22
On a bus trip to the Everglades our English accents must have been overheard, and a minute later we were asked several questions about princess Diana by 3 different people.
They couldn’t understand that- 1. We couldn’t remember where we were, when we she died. (Given it was about 15 years earlier. 2. We didn’t really have much to say about it, except from “yeah was sad wasn’t it”
#23
Went to watch Monster Trucks at the Georgia Dome (RIP) with family during the winter. We were a group of 6 brown people in coats and beanies and gloves amongst 59,994 rednecks wearing trucker caps, shorts, and sleeveless flannel shirts. Had my first Bud Light and funnel cake. What a time.
Lil Miss Hobbit 6 months ago
Okay but this is so real. The first time I went to the State Fair I was blown away by just the...Americanness of everything. Like everyone is in cowboy boots and shorts and cut-off t-shirts and drinking beer and eating funnel cakes.
#24
I was on Main Street USA in Magic Kingdom, when in the distance we could see one of the Space Shuttles being launched into the Sky. The barber shop quartet stopped, turned to it and started singing the Star Spangled Banner, and a military dad and his two kids stood straight, rooted to the spot whilst they saluted until it went out of sight.
leendadll 6 months ago
OP should have seen a lot more than just dad & 2 kids. Proper etiquette for ALL citizens furing live performance of the national anthem is to stop, face the flag or singers, with hand over heart until the song is done. Though, I admit, if I was at DLand I'd probably be to absorbed in other thoughts to realize someone was singing.
#25
Going into a Savalot supermarket and discovering the meat counter had an option for you to drop off a deer carcass to get it prepared by the butcher.
Ąåřţđęşịɠŋȿ 6 months ago
Not a common thing. Personally, never heard of such a thing. But, can imagine it in some states.
#27
Going for a walk near my family's hotel as a 12-year-old and being stopped and frisked by police for being out alone. And in case you're wondering, I'm white. Absolutely freaked me out since I was just minding my own business.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 6 months ago
That sounds more like a dodgy cop than a US thing. He needed reporting.
#28
Everyone kept asking me "How are you? How was your day?"
Random strangers, store clerks, everyone asked me that and I just really didn't know how to respond.
Back home, people just minded their own business. You don't talk to strangers unless you have to, and store clerks would only ask if they could help you and you can say no thanks
#29
Bass Pro Shop. The one I went to was also shaped like a pyramid. One of the coolest stores I’ve ever been too.
The United States feels like a simulation from an outsiders perspective.
#30
I am a European and the most American thing I saw was a guy riding on a motorcycle with an eagle flying beside him which he could call back by whistling. His bike also had American flags all over it.
What do you think ?
Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
Visited in the late 90s and went to a bbq place that had the pit in the middle of the restaurant. The smell was beyond amazing, the burnt ends were equally amazing and obviously as a Brit I ordered what I thought was a normal meal and received enough food to feed an army. I loved it!
Zedrapazia 6 months ago
It's the other way around, but during the time Trump sent his minions to attack the capitol, an American tourist yelled at me and called me a zealot, a republican and some other stuff because I was wearing a red hat. On the hat was a picture of Deadpool and I was in my home country Switzerland, I was so confused. One of my favorite silly stories to tell, sometimes I wonder if she also insulted all the people that wore Switzerland hats because they're also mostly red.
MaximumKarmaSaint 6 months ago
I'm fine with this list because it's not downright insulting us like all the others. People had good and bad things to say, and that says enough.
Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
Visited in the late 90s and went to a bbq place that had the pit in the middle of the restaurant. The smell was beyond amazing, the burnt ends were equally amazing and obviously as a Brit I ordered what I thought was a normal meal and received enough food to feed an army. I loved it!
Zedrapazia 6 months ago
It's the other way around, but during the time Trump sent his minions to attack the capitol, an American tourist yelled at me and called me a zealot, a republican and some other stuff because I was wearing a red hat. On the hat was a picture of Deadpool and I was in my home country Switzerland, I was so confused. One of my favorite silly stories to tell, sometimes I wonder if she also insulted all the people that wore Switzerland hats because they're also mostly red.
MaximumKarmaSaint 6 months ago
I'm fine with this list because it's not downright insulting us like all the others. People had good and bad things to say, and that says enough.
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