So many Americans go through their daily lives not realizing that what they are doing is actually considered weird in other places of the world. “Oh, you don’t play four different sports a season and eat dinner in separate rooms?” No, Americans ... that’s weird. But, who cares what other countries think, right? We are proud of our coffee addictions and oversized fast food portions.
After recently traveling to multiple countries in Europe I noticed that we did a lot of things differently than the rest of the world. Here is a little list of things in America (that I personally noticed) that are considered "weird" to people from other countries of the world
1. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
First of all, it is pretty hard to find peanut butter anywhere in Europe and then adding jelly into the mix just throws the rest of the world off. Literally a staple to my childhood, I think I could actually bleed peanut butter ... I'm serious.
2. Free still water.
I quickly realized that ordering water at a sit-down restaurant will cost you about 3 euros. And no, PLEASE don't ask for some tap water ... you will get some very confused looks.
3. Bathroom stalls that aren’t really private at all.
Americans don’t usually realize that their “private bathroom stalls” aren’t really private at all. People can clearly see you through those LARGE gaps in the door. How creepy is it that someone could literally watch you go to the bathroom if they committed to straining their eyes to look at you through those cracks. In Europe, your bathroom stall walls go from floor to ceiling including the door ... NO CRACKS!!
4. The large amount of water in the toilets.
How gross is it when you’re sitting on the toilet (or hovering) and the water splashes back at you. SO. GROSS. Foreigners find it weird that we have soooooo much water in our toilets, and frankly, I don’t blame them. It is a waste of water and it’s really nasty.
5. College sports.
Homecoming, cheerleaders, press conferences, and tailgates all for, well you know, college athletes. The rest of the world doesn’t get the hype!
6. The ability to wear athletic apparel 24/7 without being asked if you are going to the gym.
Lululemon, Nike, Adidas, you name it we wear it … out to eat? Most of the world wears those brands for actually working out.
7. Dunkin' Donuts.
Our super obsession with coffee and consistently being “on-the-go” is so odd to some Foreigners. “You get your coffee ... through a drive-thru window????” Yes, sorry I do not have time to sit down enjoy a nice cappuccino with my roommates in the morning.
8. HUGE SUVs, sedans and minivans.
Try driving a Suburban through the streets of Italy, and you will understand that those roads were made for Fiats and pedestrians.
9. American breakfast.
The classic “two eggs any style, home fries, choice of meat and toast” is not a normal start to the day for the rest of the world. And that coffee we basically have on an IV drip is barely a staple in most countries.
10. American cheese.
No, other countries do not have [insert country name here] cheese. Can we just discuss how American cheese is the epitomy of our countries food production habits … PROCESSED!!!! Plus it’s main ingredients are milk, whey and milk protein … what even?
11. Tipping at restaurants.
Most countries pay their restaurant employees above minimum wage and they do not depend on tips. In some countries, tipping is considered to be offensive …
12. Automatic cars
All I can say for this one is how lucky were are that we never had to learn how to shift a manual car to pass our driving tests, and I feel very blessed. Thank you Oscar H. Banker, inventor of the automatic transmission, for creating an easier life for me and my fellow Americans.
While these things are considered “weird,” they are apart of OUR culture, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are proud of where we are from. We will wear that American flag bathing suit while riding in our doorless Jeep Wrangler that has its own American flag waving behind it. (But, also let's remember when traveling to other countries to respect their differences as well, because what is weird to us there is normal to them).
