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Indigenous Americans Share Their Tribe's Best Ghost Stories And Legends

Reddit user A_KULT_KILLAH asked: 'Native Americans of Reddit, what are your or your tribes ghost stories, legends, or supernatural occurrences?'

Sasquatch
Jon Sailer on Unsplash

People the world over develop their own specific folklore, heavily influenced by the natural world around them and their own culture.

The North American continent was no different.

Reddit user A_KULT_KILLAH wanted to know about the myths and legends of the Indigenous peoples of North America.

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Classic American Dishes Foreigners Think Are Really Strange

Reddit user Seraphicly329 asked: 'Non-Americans what American foods do you find unusual or odd?'

When American tourists travel abroad, they often find themselves startled if not downright perplexed by several international cuisines.

If haggis doesn't sound disgusting enough, they find themselves even more shocked by how awful it tastes.

What these very same tourists might not take into account, is that visitors from abroad are often equally baffled by several iconic American dishes.

And no, we're not just talking about the gargantuan portions.

Redditor Seraphicly329 was curious to hear all the American cuisines foreigners can't quite wrap their minds, let alone their tongues, around, leading them to ask:

"Non-Americans what American foods do you find unusual or odd?"

Can they Not Taste How The Root Beer Compliments The Ice Cream?

"Used to host a lot of non-American when they came here from Europe or Asia."

"Root beer floats baffles them every time!"

"Tastes just like their toothpaste and can’t understand how we enjoy it."- WhiskeyTangoFoxy

Say CHEESE!

"My friend from the Mediterranean said 'You Americans put cheese on everything'."

"'Cheese on eggs, cheese on meat, cheese on pasta, cheese on salad, cheese on BREAD, on FISH!!'"

"And you know, she's right."

"Love me a tuna melt."- WildAsTheyCome

Sweet And Salty

"I moved to the states years ago and the first time I saw chicken and waffles I was confused by this combo."-SmittenKitten0303

Chicken And Waffles Syrup GIF by F*CK, THAT'S DELICIOUSGiphy

What Is So Offensive?!?!

"I had a Swedish friend who told me he wasn’t even willing to try mac and cheese because it sounded gross lol."- offbrandbarbie

"Kraft boxed Mac and cheese."

"I don't understand how something so processed can taste like the color yellow and yet be enjoyable but here we are."- RagePandazXD

An Aquired Taste, For Sure...

"I had a Portuguese boss once, and our team would often go out for lunch."

"Me, being a bit of a foodie/adventurous, would often recommend lunch spots."

"I decided for a change we should go to this restaurant that served nothing but PB&J sandwiches, with various twists like the Elvis - a warm sandwich with bananas and bacon slices, etc."

"He later recounted it as "'he worst lunch [he] had ever had", and thought I did it out of revenge'."- spaetzelspiff

Kevin Smith Celebs GIF by DiggGiphy

FIrst Impressions Can Be Dangerous...

"Thought smashburgers would make the burger dry and juices ooze out."

"I had one from Shake Shack when I was in NYC."

"It was delicious and crispy and not dry at all."

"A bit salty but oh well."- teems

Most Cakes Don't Have A Shelf Life...

"Twinkies."- vali241

"Those are gross to most Americans over 15 years old too."

"Honestly, most snacky cakes."

"Maybe twice a year I'll get a wild craving for a Star Crunch or a Swiss Roll, but then I'll have one and remember why I rarely buy them."- Not_a_werecat

Carbs And Fat...

"If you've never eaten biscuits and gravy, you're missing out."

"If you've had it and say you don't like it, you've either eaten it at a bad restaurant or you have no soul."- Mother_Wash

Giphy

Oscar Wilde Was The One Who Said "Sugar Is No Longer Fashionable..."

"Unsweetened iced tea."

"Love it."- Quinocco

So Much For Southern Hospitality...

"Things my South African/British wife found weird."

"Scrapple, chicken and waffles, biscuits, sausage gravy, chicken fried steak, okra, Brunswick Stew, real BBQ (as opposed to grilling), grits, pickled pig feet, pork brains, Boudin sausage, pecan pie, Key Lime pie, boiled peanuts."

"If I think about it, a lot of Southern/Soul food."

"She was also unfamiliar with Mexican and TexMex other than those horrid Old El Paso hard shell taco kits."- Shuggy539

A Cute Alternative Word For "Scraps"...

"Many people are repulsed by scrapple."

"I have been enjoying it all my life, but I don't try to push it on anybody."- Warren_Puffitt

hungry pork GIF by Chipotle Mexican GrillGiphy

If You Know The Origins...

"I taught history for years and now I am a chef."

"So food history is a professional area, and a personal passion."

"I have also lived in my 40 years in three country's and 6 states, and I have been to 45 out of 50 states."

"Peanut Butter was invented for medical use and an easy way to get vitamins and nutrients into patients."

"Peanut butter and jelly became popular during world War 2 due to food rationing."

"Most Americans grow up on it, so for many of us its traditional."

"Chicken and waffles is from a subset of American Cuisine, Southern Cuisine."

"Most people outside the South dont get it either."

"Also, if the balance of the savory chicken and sweet waffle/syrup is off, it really is terrible, but if you get it right, it's delicious!"

"Most people outside the South have no idea how to cook grits, or even what they are."

"Many people in the South don't do it right either."

"Gravy in America is NOT the same as in the rest of the world."

"The gravy traditionally used in biscuits and gravy is even more different, and easy to screw up also."

"Southern Biscuits go best with this gravy, and Northern Biscuits and definitely SCONES are not the same as these Biscuits (the South uses a softer wheat to make flour)."

"Many American don't get spray cheese either."

"Combining savory and sweet is not just an American thing, but we do combine them a lot."

"Keep in mind we ARE a melting pot of cultures and different cultures can combine in odd ways, especially in food."

"As an American chef I always tell people to lay off a lot of canned or packaged items in stores because of the amount of salt and preservatives, and even sugars in them."

"I even mix and sell my own seasonings to my local community to help people with this."

"If your in a restaurant and find the food too salty, chances are part or all of it was prepackaged and not fresh."- zeljadis

Fast Food GIF by US National ArchivesGiphy

At the end of the day, one's taste in food is personal, and everyone reserves the right to like and dislike whatever they want.

Even so: WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND DOESN'T LIKE MAC AND CHEESE?!?!?!


The norther Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Roman Kraft/Unsplash

Those who have traveled to Europe or interacted with Europeans may very well know they do things very differently and vice versa.

The differences between our different cultures can include idiosyncratic behavior, preferences, or attitudes.

And while we can very much appreciate these differences, there are certain customs that can be major head-scratchers.

Curious to hear examples of what those can be, Redditor a_m42_ asked:

"Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?"

Getting from point A to B can vastly different.

It's A Driving Thing

"I'm Canadian, but it's always baffled me that some Europeans consider a half hour's worth of driving a long time. That wouldn't even get me out of the area I'd consider local."

– TwoFingersWhiskey

The Size Of A Country Matters

"Lol, I moved from Germany to the Netherlands. The Netherlads are so small that the longest you could actually drive from one point to another is 4 hours, otherwise you would cross a border."

"When I was a child I used to go to my grandparents' house every weekend. They only lived an hour away so the way was short to me."

"My boyfriend is Dutch and he told me be barely ever saw his grandma growing up because she lived so far away and they never visited her because of the long way. She lived 1 1/2 hours away."

– finilain

Concerned Swiss

"My coworkers from Switzerland came out to Denver and I took them over to Glenwood Springs, which is about a 3.5 hour drive and after about half an hour they’re like 'are you okay to drive? Do you want one of us to drive for a bit so you can rest?' I drive two to ten hours to go camping with my husband and two dogs at least two or three weeks a month, so this was just a normal weekend to me, but they were acting like I was some kind of crazy person lol."

– Beautiful_Jacket6358

Things at home aren't always what they seem as they are in the US.

Magic Windows

"It's not that it doesn't 'make sense,' but the first time I saw those windows that can be moved a bunch of different ways, you would have thought I was seeing a rabbit being pulled out of a hat, that's how amazed I looked."

"Tilt and Turn Windows."

https://youtu.be/LT8eBjlcT8s?si=AiDUT2KXLvkD3l8L

– Weird-Traditional

Temperature Control

"I don't know if you know this, but many European windows also have a winter mode. When the handle is 45 degrees up, they open up just a tiny bit (1-2mm), to provide some small amount of air circulation, but not too much to not lose warm air inside."

– Plukh1

Breathing Space

"us Germans are obsessed with ventilation. even in the middle of winter, we'll periodically slam our fancy tilt windows open. problem with the tilting or slight opening is it can lead to condensation with low temps and thus lead to mold. and we are obsessed with preventing mold."

"anyways, make sure the air in your room stays good, it makes all the difference."

– dispo030

Just A Place To Sleep

"In Germany, apartments don't normally come with a kitchen. It's purchased/installed by the Tennant. Sometimes you luck out but not usually."

"Edit.. Because this comment blew up, here is an article talking about it."

https://alisajordanwrites.com/2018/08/06/apartments-dont-come-with-kitchens-in-germany/

– Widegina

The Kitchen Stays

"When we sold our house recently, a german woman viewed it and said "this is lovely kitchen. Will be shame to see it go" i was like go where?"

"She was so excited when i said we werent taking the kitchen anywhere. Me and my husband were so confused.. she thought the house was a real catch because of it and was really shocked when the estate agent said that nobody takes their kitchens with them! Odd."

– Big_Strength7344

We all act a certain way, but these types of behavior can be jarring to Americans.

Now, See Here

"Idk if its all Europeans but Germans have a real big problem with staring like I owe them money. Also paying to use the bathroom in public spaces."

– Neat_Serve730

You Got That Look

"Lol we do stare a lot. When I went to study in the uk one of my professors asked me during a tutorial whether he was saying wrong things because apparently I kept staring at him, I didn’t even notice it haha"

"Edit since apparently it’s causing a bit of confusion: a tutorial is not the same as a lecture, in a tutorial you’re around 15 people in a small room, it’s much more intimate and easier to notice if somebody’s staring at you (which evidently was not just looking at him to show you’re paying attention but much more unnerving)"

– BatmanButDepressed

We Can't Handle The Truth

"I’m from the Midwest and my family is from the Netherlands. So the society that wouldn’t dare offend you in any way and the society that has no problem dropping truth bombs on you. It’s rough."

– philophilo

"The (in)famous Dutch straightforwardness or directness. We have been taught to tell it like it is. We will be polite and civil about it, but we have no time for beating around the bush when a problem has to be resolved. That being said, some of my countrymen use it as an excuse to be rude a**hats."

"Just say 'Ken jij het beter dan, pannekoek?' and be done with it."

– SmilingDutchman

I'm not sure if this is a thing but the first time I went to Paris, I found it very odd that my soft drink was served without ice.

This happened at three different establishments where I asked for a Coke and was presented with the soda can and an empty drinking glass.

When I asked for ice from the server, he scoffed, returned with one ice cube on a spoon and proceeded to pour the drink from the can onto the ice and into the glass.

Are you kidding me??

And he left with the spoon and the partially-melted ice cube. I didn't even get to keep that, so I was talking about leaving a lousy tip, to which my friend who was with me said the French don't tip.

It was definitely a culture shock day for me as a very young traveler.

Even though the United States of America is largely viewed as the best country in the world to live in, many Americans dream of living abroad.

Particularly in Europe.

From their eyes, there are several things about one's way of life that simply seem unquestionably better in Europe, including health insurance, education, and food.

Of course, many of these things are just in their minds and aren't actually true, and they have to have the news broken to them rather gently.

Sometimes, however, the things they've grown to accept about Europe aren't worse than they imagined, but infinitely better.

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Outdoor dining and coffee in Western Europe
Photo by Kai Pilger on Unsplash

Just like the items and behaviors that are easily defined as "American," there are some activities and mindsets that are distinctly "European."

From castles to coffee culture, to an overall dismissal of "hustle culture," this combination of characteristics will leave zero doubts in a person's mind that they have entered a European country.

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