It's not uncommon for Americans to never venture abroad. I certainly haven't (not yet, but that will change soon). So it's no surprise that we may not know things that Americans do that the rest of the world doesn't because, to us, it's second nature. Think about the small habits and actions you engage in every day—smiling at the cashier, saying hello to a stranger, shaking hands with someone you just met. Have you ever stopped to wonder if this is universal...or something we just do here? (Heart: Shocked.) Are you now dissecting your daily habits like I am?
Always an interesting and enlightening source of information, AskReddit recently asked the exact question: What do Americans do without thinking that would shock non-Americans? I spent some time digging through all the comments and I'm honestly shocked by some of the responses. Of course, I knew that every country had different customs; but I completely underestimated how unique some of our things were and how strange they might look to foreign visitors. From the slightly weird to the downright offensive, some of these behaviors would never happen in another country; so it's not a bad idea to know. Here are some of the funniest ones.
1. Throw away food
I think it's a cultural issue or even just an economic issue. I grew up in an average family as far as money is concerned; to this day I still try not to waste food.
2. Road trip!
Now that makes sense to me, weirdly. My boyfriend just booked a flight to Europe later this year and in a few days we will be traveling to four countries. The land area is completely different.
3. Trying to be friendly…or are we?
I don't know that this would come off as rude or nosy in other cultures. Good to know!
4. Bring the doggy bag home
Man, the leftovers are the best part! When you think about it, though, it actually makes sense—the portions we have here are huge. In European countries I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have much left over after the meal.
5. Consume a lot of sugar
Just yesterday I watched a documentary called The Sugar Movie , in which an Australian man committed to eating 40 teaspoons of sugar a day - which is the Australian average. It was hard for him to keep up. When he came to the United States, he struggled to stay under 40. (Seriously, go see it.)
6. Enjoy one of America’s favorite sandwiches
I never think twice before I act. It's a classic in our country and a go-to for picky kids and adults who don't have much else in the kitchen. Heck, I'm 27 and no one is going to come between me and my pb and j.
7. Let laziness get the best of us
One Reddit user shared an experience during his first year in the United States, when his friend wanted to drive to a Starbucks in the same parking lot, but he chose to walk. (He got there first, by the way.) This is America. We avoid walking, climbing stairs, and just moving in general… at all costs.
8. Respect our country
Here, if you slack off during the national anthem or the oath, you will 100% get dirty looks from every angle. It never occurred to me that people wouldn't do this everywhere (for their own countries, obviously).
9. Not enjoying what we earn
We can be lazy when it comes to physical activity, but ironically, in the office we work like dogs. I can honestly say that I have seen (on more than one occasion) engaged employees not taking advantage of their earned time off because they were afraid it would be viewed as lazy. Why, why, why do we feel this way? !
Image: Unsplash.com/Pexels
