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It’s no secret that America stands out from the crowd. There are so many little quirky American things that the rest of the world just can’t wrap their heads around. Like the word "y'all," red solo cups, free refills, and bulk shopping, to name just a few.
So when someone asked the non-Americans of Reddit what's the craziest thing they’ve heard about the greatest country in the world that turned out to be true, the question was destined to become a hit. 56.9K upvotes later, the thought-provoking inquiry generated some very surprising answers. Let’s take a look at the best ones so far down below.
To all the non-American Pandas out there, share more of these rumors-turned-facts in the comment section below!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
America has libraries that are essentially free to use.
(This was not even a rumor, but more like sarcastic comment from a friend who heard I was excited to go to the US, because he knew what book nerds my entire family is)
When I first arrived here 25 years ago, the first day of work at Newark NJ, I walked out at lunch time and saw the huge Central Library. The size boggled my mind, but I bravely walked in to check it out. The guy says, yup, show me your work ID (for local address) and you get a membership card.
Me: how much does it cost? I only own $80 total till I get my first pay.
He (bemused, almost laughing): it's free. You don't pay anything.
Me (after a brief recovery time from shock): so how many books am I allowed to take home? (Expecting that to be a catch - maybe I need to put down a security deposit for each book)
He (now positively enjoying himself): how many can you carry?
That day I took home 30+ books, just being greedy.
And quickly called my dad to tell him about it.
For a guy who painstakingly would browse used books stores in small town India just to get his kids great books to read, he was suitably amazed. He was puzzled if that would kill the book-store business, because who'd buy if such free libraries existed?!?
Till date I remember the gratitude I felt that day for being able to come here. And when Dad visited some years later, I would drop him off at a library on my way to work and he'd be lost in it all day.
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#2
That you can get into university just by being good at sports.... Like...wtf?
#3
As a Brit living in America the amount of pharmaceutical commercials on TV is creepy.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
I never really thought about it but I just realised that we don’t have that issue. It is actually illegal to advertise prescription medicine.
There’re so many customs that Americans use without too much thinking. But when traveling around the world, some of the cultural differences become quite obvious.
While tipping is not a matter of choice in the US, people in Japan and South Korea see that as an insult. That’s partly because workers are proud of their jobs, and they get decent pay for whatever it is that they do.
There’s nothing wrong about being a tiny bit late in the US. But in some countries, that would be totally inappropriate. If you’re fashionably late for a meeting in Germany or Netherlands, locals are likely to think that you don’t value their time as much as your own.
“Athleisure,” while a popular choice of fashion for the day-to-day business, is viewed as distasteful in many European countries. For example, Italians never miss a chance to laugh at tourists wearing flip flops or denim shorts for restaurant dinner. The sloppy appearance can be understood as disrespectful.
#4
Injured people try to avoid getting ambulances called for them
#5
That the prices on their products are without tax and you get the tax when you pay
Like here the tax is already like, in the price. If it costs 1€ you pay 1€.
Lazy Farmer 4 years ago
I find this extremely confusing. And I really hate the staff tipping concept, too.
#6
In an area, you're subject to a f*ck ton of different laws. There's laws that apply to the whole country, laws that apply to individual states, laws that only apply to counties, laws that apply to individual cities, and then I think, different areas within a city. In England, no matter where you are, all the same laws apply, with very rare exceptions. Homeowners associations as well. What a load of [crap]. Land of the free, but your neighbour can tell you what colour your f***king fence can be.
Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Well, it’s difficult to govern such a large country from one small district (DC), so you have to delegate from the federal government to the individual state governments to the county governments to the city governments. The more local you get, the more specialized the laws become as they’re tailored to issues and situations specific to the area. However, that does open areas up to corruption if the wrong people manage to gain some power. You know, like the whole f*****g country because of the deranged orange baboon throwing his feces around the Oval Office right now (who I did not vote for, so do not blame me).
#7
That women only get about 6 weeks off work after having a baby and it's most likely to be unpaid.
#8
That people will just suffer through an injury or illness because they can’t afford health insurance.
#9
Americans are nice and will stop to talk to Strangers. Canadian here living in Alberta. To any one who has never been, you will be blown away by the general Americans' generosity of their time, knowledge and helpfulness. I have done a few summers of Road trips from Calgary. one time i went to as far east as Ohio-Tennessee, as far south as New Orleans and Dallas, went through the flat lands and rode up the Rockies the rest of the way home... I have visited almost all the landlocked states (5 more to go) and 4 along the Gulf states, all by Car. I have been through a lot of big American cities and a lot of tiny towns. ALL OF YOU, North to South - make Canadians look like Bloody Savages. I expected something worse, probably because of Television and the Internet. i ended up leaving your country after the first time i visited, blown away and with a new found VERY REAL love for my southern neighbors. Been 5 times on multi-week trips. will spend time and money there again. 10/10.
Chiara Lucchetti 4 years ago
There are a lot of crazy things in US from an european point of view, but I totally agree with this post. I found Americans very nice, gentle and caring people. Before going there, I immagined to find rude and aggressive people :)) Too many bad movies! The first time I arrived in Philadelphia my english was not very good, and sometimes I wandered looking for some shop, or the subway or whatever... and I remember men or women that tried to help and listen me patiently. I still feel gratitude for those who made me feel welcomed and safe. Philadelphia is still in my heart! I left the USA in 2011 and I don't know if that's still the case.
#10
Drink sizes. When my family visited in 2017 we landed in Texas for a stopover. First thing I saw in the shops part of the terminal was a dude who was drinking from what looked like an actual f***ing bucket - here in NZ our “large” drinks would be considered an American “small” or maybe “medium”
#11
Employees can get fired ‘at will’. No warning, no performance review plans, nothing, just straight up fired.
#12
The extent of the tipping culture is frankly shocking to me.
#13
Not really a rumour but your houses are made of mostly air and drywalls. I think that's pretty crazy
Rabbit Carrot 4 years ago
The way houses are build in the USA is crazy. It’s no wonder they’re all flattened in a tornado / hurricane. And yet they cost so damn much to buy!
#14
That public transport is almost nonexistent in many smaller towns, which makes it a necessity for teens to have their own cars.
Jo Choto 4 years ago
Yeah, it's not just not having no public transport. There are a lot of places (I lived in one) where there are no sidewalks, so you can't even walk from one place to another. And if you live in a small place, you can't get a taxi or anything else to come out and pick you up. If you don't have a car, it's almost impossible to get around in the USA. And it's not just small towns. Even big towns have no transportation infrastructure.
#15
American State and National parks are some of the most beautiful places on earth. All parks could use more funding, but American parks are well staffed and maintained. There’s real pride.
#16
Not exactly crazy, but I wanted to test out the stereotype that Americans will talk to anyone so I sought out a sports bar on my first visit. Ended up having a ton of really fun conversations with total strangers who I’ll never talk to ever again. It was great!
Joyce Melton 4 years ago
Sure. About 1/3 of people you meet in America will talk to anybody, about anything. We may be crazy but we're friendly. :)
#17
The minimal amount of paid days off you get from work. A friend of mine from Wisconsin was very proud he got 20 days off per year. If someone in Germany would offer me only 20 days, I would laugh at him and leave.
#18
That higher education can cost upwards of $50,000 per year
Lazy Farmer 4 years ago
This, and the cost of medical care in the US, is something I will never understand. Claiming to be the greatest country but basically living off of the poorest of citizens. How come nobody's actually bothered?
#19
Private prisons. I thought it was some sort of "haha the US is a dystopian hell hole" exaggeration joke the first time I heard it was a thing. I had to look it up to believe it because I was 100% sure the person was just trying to [mess] with me when he said he was serious.
#20
I never understood why people in American TV series lost their house and job just because they got really sick.
Then I found out that it can happen in America.
#21
They have those angry sinks that chop [crap]
#23
How deeply religious and patriotic it is in contrast to Europe.
#24
Literally anything about what goes on in Florida.
#25
2017 in Athens, Georgia I passed out at work and was fine but my boss had already called an ambulance and insisted I get checked out...a less than 2 mile ambulance ride cost me $950 with insurance. I was only dehydrated..
#26
The amount of sugar y'all put on EVERYTHING. I spent only 2 weeks in the US and I couldn't take it. Even the portion sizes are colossal, I felt that in a month with this lifestyle I'd probably drop dead, my heart wouldn't be able to take it
#27
That they actually do wear shoes indoors, I thought it was just a movies thing (less hassle filming), but no.
#28
That American kids eat straight sugar. Walked on to the playground and saw kids chugging these long thin sticks. I try and it was just colored sugar lol. Called them pixie sticks.
#29
The freaking flag thing man, here we barely have one per school, or even government building.
Aragorn II Elessar 4 years ago
Well, knowing some Americans, they might forget what country they’re in
#30
That you can rack up 100,000$ upward in debt easily through student loans.
What do you think ?
JuJu 4 years ago
Why do Americans call themselves German, Irish, Italian, Greek and so on, just because one of their ancestors comes from that country (yes, you are all immigrants), but you neither know more than a word from that language and you have absolutely no knowledge about the country, the culture, the people, the food (really, what you call Italian or German food is just an abomination)?
Kaisu 4 years ago
I agree, this is very strange for me, claiming to be a part of culture that you have no connection to, don't know anything about and have only experienced through Americanised versions of their food
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Lemon 4 years ago
A fun game can be to look up "Florida Man (your birthday)." There are endless insane news articles.
JOY JACKSON 4 years ago
"florida man bored calls 911 to talk about hitler florida man threatens family with coldplay lyrics" last year I looked it up and it said "watch florida man vapes semin"
Load More Replies...
JuJu 4 years ago
Why do Americans call themselves German, Irish, Italian, Greek and so on, just because one of their ancestors comes from that country (yes, you are all immigrants), but you neither know more than a word from that language and you have absolutely no knowledge about the country, the culture, the people, the food (really, what you call Italian or German food is just an abomination)?
Kaisu 4 years ago
I agree, this is very strange for me, claiming to be a part of culture that you have no connection to, don't know anything about and have only experienced through Americanised versions of their food
Load More Replies... Lemon 4 years ago
A fun game can be to look up "Florida Man (your birthday)." There are endless insane news articles.
JOY JACKSON 4 years ago
"florida man bored calls 911 to talk about hitler florida man threatens family with coldplay lyrics" last year I looked it up and it said "watch florida man vapes semin"
Load More Replies... Related on Bored Panda
