Something seemingly normal can always appear weird to others. And when it comes to cultural habits, it’s easy for them to go unnoticed, especially if you’ve grown up with them all your life.
Bizarrely, United States citizens have co-opted “America” as a catch-all to describe their country. Many people chalk it up to old-fashioned American arrogance; after all, the United States comprises 50 states that are part of the greater Americas region.
Can we finally all agree that the United States’ insistence on supporting a culture of excessive tipping is backward? No other country in the world relies on tipping to pay wages. “It makes no sense to underpay workers in food and expect the customer to make up for it,” explains one woman.
In Europe, going to a pharmacy means entering a store that only contains over-the-counter and prescription drugs. In the United States, walking into a pharmacy means entering a de facto grocery store, where thousands of household items, food products, and toys are sold.
In many European countries, people practice “portion control,” which few Americans can relate to. Why are food portions so excessive in the United States?
In various parts of Europe, Subway’s sandwich chain is prohibited from marketing their fresh bread as bread due to its high sugar content! As a result, Subway is forced to sell their bread as pastries.
It’s no secret that many countries worldwide are less bashful than the United States. Some European countries don’t require bathing suits to be worn on public beaches, which starkly contrasts the beaches in the United States.