Things Foreigners Should Avoid While Visiting The U.S.
Reddit user AlainasBoyfriend asked: 'What should a foreigner avoid while visiting the United States?'
When I was in college, a cousin of mine who lived in London all her life came to visit me. We went out to my favorite restaurant on her first day and I warned her right of the bat not to order too much. She'd never been to New York, but I had been to London, and I knew there was a difference in portion sizes.
Portion sizes in England are usually just enough to satisfy you while potion sizes in America are usually too much to finish in one sitting. I explained this to her, but she waved me off. It was a point of pride for her that in any given group of people, she was always the one who ate the most, and the one who never slipped into a food coma.
Big mistake.
She was surprised to find that the chicken finger appetizer she ordered, which she refused to split when I suggested it, came on top of a mountain of loaded fries. She was struggling to finish it when the entree she ordered came out. She paled when she remembered it came with four sides.
In the end, she had to pack up a lot of the food, which was a totally new concept to her.
Ordering too much thinking you are going to finish it all is just one of the things foreigners should avoid doing when visiting America. There are plenty of other things to avoid or places not to go, and Redditors are eager to share what those things are.
It all started when Redditor AlainasBoyfriend asked:
"What should a foreigner avoid while visiting the United States?"
Rain, Rain
"Don’t be bullheaded when it comes to the weather. If the locals are worried, you should be worried."
– TakeThisification
"Friend was gored to death by a mountain goat. Right through the femoral artery."
– Sharp-Procedure5237
Say Cheese
"If you go to the national parks, don’t attempt to take selfies with the wildlife. A full grown bison will throw you through the air like a crumpled piece of paper."
– Juergen2993
"In Washington DC, avoid taking pictures in front of DC District court thinking it is the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is 6 blocks away."
"Also, the White House is MUCH smaller than you think it is."
– SafetyMan35
"And eat and eat..."
"Ordering a large at a restaurant, or especially a movie theater. I don't care how hungry you think you are, you will not eat/drink it all in one sitting."
– Amazing_Excuse_3860
"Especially stupid if there are free refills on drinks lol."
– sigaven
City Folk, Beware
"If you are visiting a more rural area, like Montana where I live, don't underestimate the rural-ness. You might not be able to get a hotel in a small town and there are plenty ty of places where there aren't any hotels or accommodations. You can take highway and run out of gas because there aren't any gas stations for 70 miles."
"Also, if it is a dirt road, and there are a lot of them in the rural U.S., don't ever assume that you will have cell/GPS reception or that the dirt road goes anywhere besides 50 miles into the mountains where you can get stuck or break down. It's hard to conceptualize for people who live in more populated areas."
"Your best bet is to plan ahead and read reviews. It is absolutely worth it to visit areas where there is wilderness. That is why I live here. That being said, it's dangerous in a different way than visiting a city."
– Violet624
"Damn, as an American city dweller, you made me scared of Montana."
– DasBeatles
Road Trip
"Driving from New York to LA."
– No_Finish_2144
"Unless you're planning to spend 2 weeks visiting places in between. The drive will not take just a few days!"
– VG88
"We had an exchange student from France staying with us (NY). one day, we saw her with a map of the US, said she was going to take a bus to California because she had heard so much about it on television."
"We had to sit down and explain it was going to take a week, each way."
– medicinaltequilla
"Yep. I lived in France for a longtime and took the bus everywhere. on a 10 hr ride there you could easily cross three countries..."
– No_Finish_2144
Six Feet Apart
"I find a lot of foreigners have about 2 1/2 inches of a personal space bubble, while us Americans value our space. Keep at least a 2-3 feet distance when conversing with strangers. I've had an Italian guy come so close I thought he was going to kiss me. Very uncomfortable for someone who isn't used to a lack of personal space."
– MasterPip
Keep Your Mind Wide Open
"Leave all your stereotypes about America home, it's a hugely diverse country and your experience in one part of the US will be very different to your experience in another. Keep an open mind and have fun."
– zerbey
"Well said. I don’t think most first time visitors to the US get just how different one state can be from the next."
– TacohTuesday
Smokey Home
"Don't smoke in public buildings, this is illegal."
"Don't smoke in someone's house, apartment, or condo without asking for permission. This isn't illegal, but it's still extremely rude."
– Max10imus
"This feels like common courtesy anywhere in general. Even in houses where people smoke, I still go outside to smoke. I'm really uncomfortable smoking in other people's houses."
– Conditions21
Don't Forget To Tip You Waiter
"Remember that our service staff do not get paid a living wage. They rely on tips to survive. If you can’t afford to tip, don’t eat out."
– kindest_asshole
"Tipping is compulsory here. It's super fucky, and really shouldn't be. But it is. Especially if you plan on sticking to one area and eating in a place more than once, you'd best tip. Don't toy with the people who handle your food out of eye-shot..."
– MothraWillSaveUs
Where To Eat
"Don't go to the big chain type places. Go to the mom and pop little restaurants and coffee shops and specialty shops. You will usually find new cool things you enjoy."
– ElectionProper8172
"Agree but check reviews. Not all small businesses are created equal. Chains are good if you don’t have time to do research. You know what you’re getting (probably)."
– UnihornWhale
American Health Care
"Avoid a hospital visit. Whatever you think it costs, it’s more."
– pug_fugly_moe
"Whatever a European thinks is a cartoonish amount, and then triple it, and that'll cover the ambulance ride there."
– liketreesintheforest
"Right? I remember listening to a Dutch person complain that their Healthcare wasn't actually free despite what Americans said. He went on to explain that he has to pay something like a $20 copay to go to the dentist and some vague circumstance where you might theoretically have to pay close to a hundred dollars at some point. It was cute."
– UnspecificGravity
Get Me A Map!
"Avoid looking lost and unorganized in areas of big cities with high crime rates. Dress functionally, always keep the illusion of knowing where you are and where you're going, pay attention to your surroundings. Bad people will target folks who look lost and unorganized more often than people who appear oriented."
– xtrasmolpp
"That kind of applies to any big city in the world."
– the13bangbang
"If I am legitimately lost, I will walk with purpose until I find somewhere to sit. Once seated, the phone comes out and I try to make it look like I am texting someone and not studying a map. Nothing stands out like a group of people, standing in the middle of the sidewalk, all staring at one person's phone."
– Lothar_Ecklord
I'm not even a foreigner and I follow this rule all the time. Extremely important!
Everyday Occurrences In Other Countries That Would Scare Americans
We all know that people live differently based on which country they reside in. However, it’s not always something we think about unless we go to foreign countries a lot.
In India, where I go to visit extended family, people tend not to wear jeans, teenagers don’t date or have part-time jobs, and there are cows and stray dogs on every street. Once, I even turned around and saw a monkey from outside sitting in the middle of the living room, and I was the only one who was freaked out!
Parents, of course, have the right to ban their kids from dating or working part-time, but it’s not a cultural abnormality like it is in India. And we definitely don’t have cows lining the streets or monkeys acting like house guests here in the States!
India is not the only country in which things are different. In fact, lots of other countries have different qualities of life and different everyday occurrences. According to Redditors, some of these everyday occurrences may even scare Americans!
Wanting to find out more, Redditor TotallyBrandName asked:
“What’s something that happens in your country that would scare Americans?”
Not Like 'The Lion King'
"Kenya- Lions frequent the villages at night. Hyenas actually take small kids way at night."
– Sikh001
On The Lookout
"Drug cartel convoys (groups of 4-6 trucks) in full tactical gear patrolling the city..."
– ramossaenz
"Ngl i think that would scare most ppl in most countries"
– TophatOwl_
We Need Power!
"Load shedding- in South Africa we can have up to 14 hours a day without power. They are ‘planned’ outages. This is due to the corruption and lack of maintenance to the infrastructure. We even have an app to let us know when to expect our electricity to be stolen."
– Reasonable-Media-550
"As an American, idk that it scares me but it’s such a foreign concept. If we are without power, there’s either a storm or a car hitting a pole"
– ProcedureEfficient86
I Prefer Charlotte
"Spiders the size of your palm just casually chilling on the wall every summer. I normally just let them be. They are active at night and will get about your house, they move surprisingly fast for their size also and suddenly vanish. They also get in your car and shoes."
– Hollybums
"you win. please confirm where you live so i can never go there."
– earlytuesdaymorning
"I'm not an American and that terrifies me. Australia is a scary place."
– Hellion_shark
"As an American the walls of my house would be riddled with bullet holes if this were the case"
– iamquiteunhappy
Abduction
"In my country Uganda, the Army kidnaps people and it has become so normal. The cars they use were nicknamed "Drones" because of it kidnaps you, it disappears at lightning speed. They are always numberless, so intractable. They do this in broad daylight, and when they arrest someone like that, you are sure that even if you go to any Police Precinct or Army Barracks, they won't have him because "Officially" you are not arrested anywhere."
– Banana-Republic1
"We drive on the left hand side of the road (Ireland) and that terrifies a lot of American tourists who were hoping to rent a car and drive while here."
"I know exactly how they feel because I spend a lot of time in the USA and anything to do with roads scares me. I instinctively look right first, then left when crossing a road, whereas in America it's the complete opposite because they drive on the right hand side. Also, sometimes I'll be driving there and just get a complete brain meltdown and forget where I am - OMG am I on the wrong side of the road or not??!!"
– FifiLaFifi
"This is the big one for me, and probably the only one in this thread I agree with. I travel a fair amount. I'm terrified of having to rent a car and drive on the other side of the road. I'm a pretty good driver, I just feel like I'll turn wrong or do something wrong and get into an accident."
– illini02
All Work And More Work
"Have a beer with lunch and then drive with 160mph+ back to work only to have my boss to yell at me that i still have 15min of break and i should not work more than asked. Mind you, all of this is legal."
– Ok_Sherbet_8026
"i still have 15min of break and i should not work more than asked"
"This is 100% foreign in the US."
"My swiss friend was forbidden to come to work for the last weeks of December because he had forgot to use all his vacation days."
"In the US it's common for managers to deny you going on vacation"
– FailFastandDieYoung
Employee Rights
"The client isn't always right. Actually, if the client complains they might get their butt kicked"
– Average_perfection
"Now I wanna know where that is lol"
– ho-lee_-sheet
In A Rich Man's World
"Argentina. Anually inflation of 100%"
– MxAxX
"Inflation"
"Americans are freaking out about a little 8.5% inflation, meanwhile in Argentina we're looking at 85%."
– ObviousExit4037
Walk Right In
"I don't know any Americans really, but people seem concerned when I mention that we occasionally have baboons invading our houses and full on social media groups dedicated to alerting people so we can lock up and bring animals inside before it happens. Granted you have to live in an are where there is a troop of baboons for this to happen, but still. Edit: I'm sure this isn't unusual in rural American areas, though with other animals. But still."
"Also loadshedding."
– NiddTheBat
"I don’t think just Americans would be afraid of that. I think most human beings would be afraid of that."
– Hunnybunchesoflove
That last one definitely convinced me! I’m not nearly as worldly as I thought.
John F. Kennedy once said: "Change is the law of the life. Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future".
Despite the words of one of America's most iconic presidents, America as a nation does seem to be shockingly unwilling to adapt to certain changes.
Or come to terms with certain realities which the rest of the world seems to have accepted long ago.
Making one think sometimes that all attempts to change in the United States are only heard by deaf ears.
"What are Americans not ready to hear?"
The Flaws In Our Electoral Process
"You need more than two political parties for democracy to work."- Minecraftfinn
Profanity
"The word, “c*nt'."- AlmostOptimistic
"I saw/heard footage of a school shooting broadcast on TV where a kid's swearing was bleeped out."
"Like swearing was the thing that tipped that scene over into indecent."
"But boy, could we hear the shots and the screams."
"You need to get your priorities sorted."- boothjop
Misconceptions About Other Countries
"México is not in sepia lightning."- TheoTiMa
y tu mama tambien cine GIFGiphySome Privacy Please!
"That the entire world excels at making bathroom stalls that you can’t see between."
"Not sure why the US stall manufacturers can’t figure out how to close those massive gaps."- Reddit
Is ANYONE Ready To Hear This?
"Fingernails scratching on an upstairs window coming from outside at 3 am."- who_said_I_am_an_emu
Fahrenheit ONLY!
"What temperature it is in Celsius."- recycle_ben
Arts Its Getting Hot GIF by Randstad NederlandGiphyNeeded Improvements In Maternity Leave
"You shouldn’t have to give birth then go back to work a week later."- NalaBenjamin
Get Those Steps In!
"You’d all be thinner if your cities were designed to be walkable."
"This is why you lose weight when you go to Italy despite eating nothing but pasta n pizza, because you’re walking everywhere."- Odd-Detail1136
You May Be Loud, But Doesn't Make You Right!
"The loudest voice in the room usually has the least to say."- Rminora
steve carrell anchorman GIF by FirstAndMondayGiphyWhen people become set in their ways, they understandably become less and less amenable to change.
But scary as change can be, it is also necessary.
Making it important to at least always hear what people have to say, and actually listen to them.
People Explain Which Things The United States Does Better Than Most Countries
Some Americans have been known to wish they lived elsewhere in the world, owing to certain things appearing to be much better handled elsewhere.
Up to and including healthcare, free education, cost of living, or simply the way they make pizza or coffee.
However, sometimes we must stop and remind ourselves that the grass is always greener in someone else's yard.
As there are plenty of people all over the world who wish they were living in the USA, believing that some things are simply done better in America.
"What does America do better than most other countries?"
The Versatility Of Corn!
"Turning corn into things that are not corn."- rlemon
"I was going to say cornbread but everyone said rest stops. Have y’all ever had cornbread?"- Admirable-Ad-2554
The Pause That Refreshes
"I love the Interstate Rest Areas on road trips."
"I'm a Canadian from the west coast, and was always VERY impressed with the 24/7 rest areas."
"Clean washrooms, nice grassy areas for dogs, picnic tables, and a lot of times people selling crafts, or offering free coffee!"
"I've only driven through the western states, (WA,OR,CA,NV,UT,AZ) but yeah, those rest areas were always reliable."
"Always well-marked signs when the next one was coming up."
"Just made everything about traveling easier!"
"Thanks neighbors!"- Ubba-Ga
GiphyAmerica's Music
"Jazz."- PuzzleheadedReveal58
"Jazz, the Blues."- BretonVikander
...But Maybe Not The Airports...
"Aircraft carriers."- TheBladeRoden
Flying Take Off GIF by U.S. NavyGiphyA Breath Of Fresh Air
"National Parks."- Big-Win6220
"Geodiversity."
"We have nearly every biome on Earth available in the lower 48 alone."
"Adding Alaska and Hawaii just completes the set."
"Is there any biome that doesn't exist in The US?"- Ursa_Mid
A Nice Cold Drink
"Make sure there's ice in your beverage."- HegemonHarbinger
Water Day GIF by ZinZenGiphyVery Logical Indeed
"Serious answer? "
"Logistics."
"We're quite a large country and we've gotten very good at moving things around."- weirdoldhobo1978
America is what it is today all owing to the fact that people came here for a better life.
No question, America has its issues, hence why no one mentioned our political system or our electoral process.
But it's the things that are uniquely and unequivocally American which makes people feeling lucky to be living here.
People Explain Which Things Other Countries Don't Understand About America
Thanks to a lot of bad press and well, a really rough couple of decades, America's image has tarnished a bit.
So we need to get some clean up going.
There are things other countries just don't understand about us.
We can guide them.
Redditor Civil_Improvement692 wanted to explain a few important facts for people.
"What is one thing other countries don't understand about America?"
I will admit I have seen very little of America. So this list will be help me out as well.
Transport Issues
Travel GIF by Grish MajethiyaGiphy"They're gonna be really, really disappointed in the train service."
tpatmaho
"Well, the last one makes no sense. European rail systems are government run and are much better than the semi private US passenger rail system."
EmperorPenguinNJ
Distance
"The US is huge. On r/askanamerican, foreigners will tell us how they're planning a 2 week trip, starting in NY, driving to Miami, then driving to the Grand Canyon, then driving back to NY, and we're all like 'What?!'"
MoonieNine
"I was on a call with a vendor doing some work for my department. One of the guys was in Minnesota (I'm in Wisconsin) and the rest of their team was in Ireland. The guy in Minnesota mentioned that he could come to our office since it was only about a 4 hour drive. The guys in Ireland started laughing saying that it they drove for 4 hours in any direction, they would be in the ocean!"
PhantomsRule
Law & Order
"Most people from other countries (and plenty of Americans) don't understand the system for making and enforcing laws in the US. Specifically, they don't seem to understand that laws vary by state and that there are restrictions on which laws can be made at the federal level. Also, I've seen way too many people who don't realize that the US President does not have the power to pass laws on his own."
upvoter222
423!
"Not to mention our 423 national parks. I hear a lot of us Americans say that we’re over populated as a country. I was a flight attendant for twelve years and when you’re 36,000 feet above it all, a lot of it is sparse. I live in Japan now and reside in Tokyo where there’s a huge population — but outside prefectures are empty because the younger generation are moving to where the work is. I think people need to keep that in mind no matter where they reside."
MSotallyTober
Peace
Relaxing Space And Time GIF by MyaGiphy"As someone who’s done 5 road trips across the US, it’s much more peaceful than the media lets on. Sure some areas are really bad, but do your research and you can avoid them. It’s not the war zone most of Reddit would have you believe."
c0smictwist
Wow... there is more than I even knew about. I'm intrigued.
Oh NYC
Is Awesome New York GIF by FriendsGiphy"There’s a LOT more to New York than NYC. New York State has more land than the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg combined, for perspective. Come on by sometime, we’ve got GREAT parks and good wine!"
IronbloodPrime
Hi!
"How friendly most of us are. Don't believe the news. Seriously, most of us love meeting new people. Especially those from other countries and cultures. In the US. we love to tell you the best restaurant or park or best way to get from point A to point B. Don't be afraid to say 'hi.'"
Spodson
"This was so evident in Florida, the first time our family visited America (from England) and everybody was so friendly. Love the people. That was back in 2002, I can't mesh the image I have of the lovely people from that trip to the image I have now from the media."
alice_op
From HK
"One college roommate I had was from Hong Kong, and was just about to graduate. But before he left, he and some friends (also from HK) were going to fly into LA, rent a car, and take a day trip to the Grand Canyon and back. The next day they were going to drive up to Seattle and stop and see the sights along the way, also on one day. We had to show them several maps with comparable scales to places he knew to set them straight."
ReverendLoki
Info Wars
"If they get their information from the news and social media they think all Americans are extremists, one side full of hate for the other. That is completely untrue. There are a few on the far ends making most of the noise. Most Americans are middle of the road, hard working citizens. We pay our bills, respect the law and get along with each other."
AdminW*ore
Ordinary
Bored Paul Rudd GIFGiphy"How utterly normal most people’s lives are here. The news has led non us people to believe that it is a lot more like the Wild West than it really is (I am from Texas)."
Frosty_Accident_6165
See! America can be a big ole blast!