While every part of the United States has its particular way of living, some are common nationwide. However, even though these standard practices may seem normal in the United States, they are indeed not received the same way in other parts of the world. Here are 10 American habits that drive the world crazy.
1. Cheerleadering at Sport Venues
In other countries, avid sports fans see competitiveness and cardio as a recipe for winning, but here in America, they need to throw Cheerleaders into the mix. It wouldn’t be possible to win games without cheerleaders dancing in cute outfits, so when people from other countries see cheerleaders, even on television shows, they think of it as highly inappropriate. However, they don’t realize that cheerleading has become a competitive sport involving dancing and gymnastics.
2. Wear Pajamas Out in Public
While venturing around an American college campus, it’s not out of the norm to see college students wearing their pajamas out in public. Whether it’s to run to the store for a late-night snack or attend class, Americans care more about being comfortable than their appearance – or so it seems. If you live in the suburbs and get too dressed up, you may even get a side eye from your neighbors, whereas in other countries, people always get dressed up when they leave the house.
3. Fast Food Jumbo Options
When visitors from outside the United States visit, they find it odd that almost every fast-food restaurant offers jumbo options to its customers. Even with its small, medium, and large sizes, the United States still has the largest McDonald’s portion sizes than the rest of the world. Americans even weirdly expect refills anywhere they go, whereas other countries don’t give free refills, which accurately explains the obesity rates in the United States.
4. Tipping When You Go Out To Eat
When dining out in the United States, it’s customary to tip anywhere from 15%-20% when receiving exceptional service in a restaurant. Foreigners visiting from outside the United States are often confused when dining out and are expected to leave their waitress a tip. In many other countries, service workers are paid a living wage, so it shocks them when they find out that Americans make less and often even need to split their tips.
5. Advertising Prescription Drugs
Another thing that strikes foreigners as odd is that Americans advertise prescription drugs during almost every commercial break. One minute, you see a happy couple taking a stroll down the sidewalk, and the next, they’re promoting a medication with a long list of side effects. Once they begin to ramble through the list of side effects, you can only imagine the look on their faces.
6. Ordering Coffee To-Go
This may or may not seem surprising, but ordering coffee to-go originated in the United States and still seems unusual for people from other parts of the world. You may have noticed, but if you’ve ever visited other parts of the world or even watched a film, you’ve probably noticed the locals sitting down and enjoying a hot cup of coffee from a ceramic cup. What better way to enjoy coffee than over peaceful conversation?
7. Keeping Eggs in the Refrigerator
This one may shock many, but eggs are seldom stored inside the refrigerator outside of the United States. Americans put their eggs into the refrigerator because of how they’re washed (which isn’t even needed in the process) and remove the egg’s protective layer. But almost everywhere else in the world, eggs can sit on your kitchen shelf or counter.
8. Ordering Water Incorrectly
When dining out, you’ll often hear Americans say, “I’ll just have water,” they’ll expect it to come at no cost. In other places like Europe, the waiters will ask you what type of water they want, and they’ll answer either sparkling or tap water. When asking for water in America, tap is what you’ll get, unless you specify otherwise, but keep in mind that you can’t drink tap water from all locations.
9. Americans Are Too Loud
When people from outside the country visit places like New York, they’re shocked by the number of people loitering on the streets and having full-blown conversations on their speakerphones. Foreigners who live outside of the United States don’t loiter and they don’t have loud conversations during their commute!
10. Americans Drive Too Much
When foreigners find out how much Americans drive, they’re shocked by the time and the long distances traveled. While every country has its roads, you don’t notice just how anti-pedestrian the United States is compared to other parts of the world. When living in the suburbs across the nation, so close to major roads, walking seems like an undesirable option, but in other parts of the country, the same distance away from major roads is a cakewalk to its locals.
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