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While it might depend on who you ask, the truth is that life in the US is truly very different from everywhere else, for better or worse. However, even though this seems like it should be common sense, many travelers arrive in America and immediately realize that there is a whole lot going on that they maybe didn’t expect.
Someone asked “Non-Americans, what is something quite common in the U.S. that is completely unheard of in your own country?” and people shared their best examples. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to comment your own stories and experiences below.

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#1

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States * employers firing people on the spot
* having a limited number of days for sick leave
* unpaid maternity / sickness leave
* "tipping culture".

Ok_Opportunity4475 , Lukas/Pexels Report

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#2

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States People getting bankrupted because of medical emergencies.

VokThee , Nicola Barts/Pexels Report

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Nor
Nor
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This still blows my mind...as much as South Africa is seen as a third world country, we get free diabetic meds from our clinics

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#3

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Advertising medications on TV.

Dumbest thing I've ever heard of.

crackpotJeffrey , Pixabay/Pexels Report

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Javelina Poppers
Javelina Poppers
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After they get through rattling off all the warnings it sounds like your illness is less debilitating than the medicine.

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#4

Open carry firearms. Like, I get it, I have a gun licence and go to the gun range and have a good time. But like, folks walking around openly with huge-a*s guns as though they're Walmart Mercenaries is seriously f****d.

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Bobbie
Bobbie
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just in case of mushrooms attack. They are very agressive

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#5

Having Kids say the pledge of Allegiance in School.

Last time my Country had something like that.....well lets just say it didnt end wel for anyone involved.

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Ellinor
Ellinor
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In France we learn the Marseillaise once when we are 7/8 years old at school and then we only talk about it or sing it at sports events like football.

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#6

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Displaying prices without taxes. It threw me off when I first went to buy a bottle of coke a day after I arrived.

AJ787-9 , Michael Burrows/Pexels Report

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#7

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Homeowners Association.

Igotthebugthewire , Michael Tuszynski/Pexels Report

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Manny
Manny
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nobody in the US likes HOA's. They should be banned.

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#8

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Getting into University by being good at sports. I was chatting to an American guy online and he told me he went to college on a "Lacrosse Scholarship". I'm like, seriously? You got to go to college for being good at f*****g lacrosse?

Johhnymaddog316 , Pixabay/Pexels Report

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Alexandra
Alexandra
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You should get into University because you have the brains to be there. If, in addition, you're also good in sports, that's great.

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#9

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Medical debt.

Rega_lazar , Karolina Kaboompics/Pexels Report

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#10

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Not sure if it's been said. Americans with disabilities act is amazing. Wheel chair ramps everywhere and ease of access.

LazyBid3572 , Ann H/Pexels Report

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Skogsrået
Skogsrået
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have this in Sweden too? You can also apply for help getting a handicapped accessible car or customise your car.

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#11

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Tipping culture.

James-And547 , cottonbro studio/Pexels Report

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Skogsrået
Skogsrået
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got tipped alot when working as a waiter but is voluntarly and not expected.

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#12

Overwork culture. Why would someone choose to work 80 hours a week? I get it, double the money, but what are you going to do with the money if you have just enough free time left to sleep and you die at 65?
Of course someone doesn't have a choice and needs extra hours or multiple jobs, but from afar I still see an undeniable cultural push to a life dedicated to working, with those who choose something else regarded as lesser parts of the society.
Career too. It feels like you *must* always strive to be something more, no peace, no rest, no point where you can be happy where you are.

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Luke Branwen
Luke Branwen
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hustle culture" should be renamed to "huskle culture" because it leaves you as an empty husk of a human being.

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#13

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Neighbourhoods without grocery stores.

anon , David McBee/Pexels Report

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#14

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States As a Dutchy, driving a car and turning right on a red light. That messed with my head. If you do that here you are gonna hit at least 5 cyclists.

CowabungaNL , Jack Gittoes/Pexels Report

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#15

Being worried about calling an ambulance. Or just medical bills in general. I cant imagine not being able to afford getting cancer treatment if needed for example.

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Huddo's sister
Huddo's sister
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in high school, we had someone from Ambulance Australia do a talk to my year level. They stressed that you HAD to get an ambulance for someone who has an overdose or alcohol poisoning and then worry about cost later. The cost would be much higher if you didn't have ambulance cover, but still under $200, much less than America. They urged us to make sure our parents have ambulance cover, which is about $28 a month. I went home and asked my mum about it and she said, because she was on a low income/carer's health care card, it is actually free for us to get an ambulance.

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#16

Just how one-sided the employer/employee relationship is there.

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TotallyNOTAFox
TotallyNOTAFox
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or how unions work, completely different than they do here in Europe

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#17

As the neighbours from the North, having a milkshake that’s worth your entire calorie intake for the day sounds insane.

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Huddo's sister
Huddo's sister
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is common in Australia too these days. Ones with all these lollies, doughnuts etc on top too. I don't get it personally.

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#18

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Where I from you need to put an euro in a shopping cart in order to use it, when you you return it, it gives back the coin. I think this doesn't happen in the US right?

Also that they take your credit card to pay in the restaurant, in Europe you always have the card with you when you pay.

burber_king , Efrem Efre/Pexels Report

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Alexandra
Alexandra
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's illegal here to take someone's credit card because of possible fraud. I don't know why that hasn't seeped through in the US yet.

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#19

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Feet, yards, gallons, etc.

Delicious-Elk1605 , Pixabay/Pexels Report

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#20

Drive thru banks and pharmacies. My partner is American and was astonished that I thought that was so weird. We simply do not have enough space for that sort of thing in the UK.

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DeoManus Argentem
DeoManus Argentem
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pants. Also - bad weather, kids, people with mobility issues, etc. Just extra convenience - few are shocked by delivery services for pretty much everything.

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#21

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States My German friend visited us in college. First party he goes "THEY DO EXIST!!" and held up our pack of red solo cups. Haha.

mulljackson , Burst/Pexels Report

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Papa
Papa
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those aren't red Solo cups in the picture. Solo cups are white on the inside.

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#22

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States The tax system - having to do a return every year (ours is done for us unless you run your own business or are a contractor). Also having to pay tax when you live overseas.

HiJane72 , Nataliya Vaitkevich/Pexels Report

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Justin Tyme
Justin Tyme
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The overseas tax is not bad. US citizens working in another country only have to pay US taxes on any amount over $126,500 in a year. If they do have to pay, there are other possible exemptions that can significantly reduce the tax amount.

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#23

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States People caring about college sports.

Like people will actually show up to watch without being related to or friends with anyone playing?

There are actual stadiums with cheerleaders and marching bands?

Academic scholarships for being good at a sport?

Student athletes being handed passing grades even if they fail so that they can keep playing?

The only remotely comparable thing I can think of is my country is the Oxford vs Cambridge boat race.

Edit: I'm going to say this now even though its too late and I already slept while the American were awake and started replying. I don't think the hype and love of college/high school sports is inherently *bad* (except the grades thing). Its just something uniquely American and therefore my answer for the question posed by this post.

ttnl35 , football wife/Pexels Report

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René Sauer
René Sauer
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and star players being protected in school despite being bullies.

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#24

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States This thing were the kitchen sink has teeth.

PoetPont , Henry Kobutra/Unsplash Report

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Verena
Verena
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Food in the sewage only attracts rats, so this does not make sense anyway

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#25

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Houses with small fences and little to no extra security

As a Latin american, our houses have either big gates and fences with spikes or concrete walls with barbed wire on top in order to stop burglars from entering. You can say it was quite a shock to me when I first visited the US and saw suburbs filled with houses with cars parked on the street and small wooden fences that anyone could jump over.

Blacksmith_99 , Josh Hild/Pexels Report

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DeoManus Argentem
DeoManus Argentem
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fences/walls are used as boundary lines, not really security measures.

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#26

Freshman sophomore junior senior... Have to translate this in my head every time.

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Nimitz
Nimitz
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never understood this. In Canada for high school we just use Grade 9, 10, 11, 12. In college/university we just use 1st year, 2nd year, etc.

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#27

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Long commutes.

Here in the Netherlands a lot of companies only hire within a 30 minute radius, maybe an hour if they really need you.

I once applied to a job around 100 minutes away and was rejected purely because of travel time. If the travel time was a problem for me I wouldn’t’ve applied.

kaida_notadude , Rishiraj Parmar/Pexels Report

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leendadll
leendadll
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"30 min radius" - I'm in SoCal and that would limit me to jobs within roughly 5 miles! Over the last 20 years, my average "rush hour" commute was 1.5-2 hours to go 25 miles. By changing my start time to 10am, my commute was reduced to 45min.

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#28

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Free drink refills.

internetsss , cottonbro studio/Pexels Report

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#29

30 People Share “American Things” They’d Never Heard About Until They Visited The States Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, Winter Formal, Prom...

We have none of this, the closest thing is the graduation itself.

badeksha , Alejandro Peralta/Pexels Report

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Fire Singer
Fire Singer
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aw, I loved school dances in high school. I can see why it might be weird to other countries, but I always loved them. It was fun to dress up, maybe go to a "fancy" dinner at Olive Garden lol! And just hang out with friends and boyfriends/girlfriends.

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#30

So, I only heard this like a year ago. But apparently it seems that most of American men are circumcised. Which sounds bizarre to me.

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G A
G A
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Male Genital Mutilation. Should be banned. Based on outdated medical ideas.

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