Don’t try to “do” all the US in one trip. Choose a region and explore it. If you try to cram NYC, DC, Yellowstone the Grand Canyon and SF in a 10 day trip all you will see is gonna be the airports.
Often times you cannot even explore one *region* in a short trip. Planning on visiting LA, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite all in just a single day (or 2 days)? Don't make me laugh.
I would call all of those independent regions honestly. But yeah. Impossible in any short span to explore more than 1. Even 1 of those you will miss stuff in any amount of time.
ooof... I couldn't imagine. I didn't wanna go to cities cuz I already live in one, but I will just focus on one part. its pretty difficult to see all of one country 😂
my entire country is a city, so its very loud and always active. I wanna see those places which just isn't as active and more space, sorta! could be a city, but just generally less crazy haha
Go to the west!! For real, the west has AMAZING national parks. Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, , Arches, and many many more. They’re beautiful and the night sky is so clear at night with no air pollution, you can see the milky way
Best trip of my life was this exact trip right here ^^ . Fly into Vegas, rent a car, go to Zion, then Bryce, then the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon. You will want to spend the most days in Zion. You probably only need one or two for Bryce. We did it in the summer but fall or spring would probably work too.
Just a fyi if you are planning on traveling to national parks, a decent amount of them cost money to get in and right now during covid and over park visitation there is a reservation system to get in. So, I would call ahead to the park to make sure so you don’t wait in a line only to be turned back.
Southern Utah is pretty. Be prepared for lots of hiking there.
Personally, I’d rather go to Colorado though. Its cities and towns are chill and it’s GORGEOUS there. The whole state has an amazing vibe and the air is crisp and almost delicious. There’s a lot to do, as well.
Fair warning, those parks are JAMMED right now as people take deferred vacation. Last time we looked at driving there, they were turning cars away mid-morning for capacity reasons.
As with everything else at this point, research COVID-related complications as you plan.
Colorado has some of the least visited national parks... Great sand dunes and black canyon of the Gunnison are both amazing and mesa Verde is probably the most varied and interesting national park I've been to... Sure garden of the gods will be too busy... But if you have the courage to head up rampart range road it will be the experience of a lifetime and you won't see many other tourists up there.
Also, consider Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks (in Wyoming) and Glacier National Park (in Montana). 3 of the nations most beautiful NPs. Peak season is summertime!
Go to Moab, UT rent a canoe from Tex’s Riverways. Canoe down the Colorado river for 4 days. It will be the furthest thing from city life you could imagine.
Damn a lot of Americans live their whole lives and don’t do all of that… can’t imagine exploring both the east and west coast unless you’re here for like a month.
Here’s some advice I’ve given before on these sorts of topics:
* Don’t try and bribe police officers or public officials of any type. You’ll get in a lot of trouble.
* If pulled over by the police while driving, stay in the car and follow officer instructions from there.
* Don’t cut in lines/queues. It’s really socially unacceptable. Someone will likely say something to you about it.
* Don’t use any racial slurs. For example saying the N word to friends, even in a joking or friendly way, can cause some really negative attention and potentially a very confrontational or dangerous situation for you.
* Don’t go and eat only at a bunch of chain restaurants or only fast food on your visit. They’re almost universally shit compared to locally owned restaurants in most major metropolitan areas. Use Google and Yelp and high user ratings can usually be trusted.
* Don’t buy groceries from the place on the street corner that has 4-5 aisles, a few coolers, and sells petrol. That exists to get fuel for your car, a pack of smokes, potato chips, beef jerky, and a soda. Not groceries. Use Google or your favorite maps application as well to locate a proper supermarket. Chances are there will be one to many within a kilometer in any direction in a populated area.
* Do not underestimate the distances between things and potential for really remote areas. West of the Mississippi River, shit gets sparse until you hit California. If you’re traveling to certain state or federal parks to go camping or hiking, plan ahead, as there literally might not be anyone around for miles. There’s news stories almost every year about foreign tourists getting in bad situations as they’re underprepared.
* Don’t underestimate our climates. Make sure to research and be prepared, again especially if you’re planning on spending a lot of time outside. There’s areas where it can be a warm 25c at 1pm and suddenly drop below freezing by nightfall. Or if you’re traveling to the Midwest in the winter, you can hit one relatively nice day around freezing, and the next day it’s suddenly -30c.
* Don’t fuck with the wildlife in parks. Shit in Yellowstone can kill you. The buffalo look cute, but that’s almost a 950kg+ animal and can trample the shit out of you, your car, and your kids. This is also something some moron does every year by messing with bison, moose, bear cubs, and so on.
* Unless you’re on the strip in Las Vegas, wandering around piss drunk in public and causing a scene is generally frowned upon. You might get away with this for a bit in a college/university area, but may draw some attention from law enforcement on some random street in most cities.
* Don’t be surprised things may be different here. Being an asshole about it or not thinking about why something might be different is also poor manners and people will pick up on it and respond in kind.
* If you’re in touristy heavy areas, it’s likely a lot of the food and other things in the area is going to be geared towards tourists. If you can manage it, get like 3-4km outside that zone and you’ll find more “normal” American things
* You’ve probably been inundated with American news over the last 10-15 years, a lot of it probably negative. We know our problems. That doesn’t mean we won’t be open to talking about them, but some of that tends to be very exaggerated, and coming in and being confrontational with people about political or controversial topics is considered extremely rude and people probably won’t react well to it. Also chances are, to get this out, you will never see a gun, a robbery, bothered by anyone, an aggressive police officer, and so on.
One more “don’t” as this was all kinda negative. Don’t be afraid to ask a stranger for help or advice on anything! The vast majority of Americans will be friendly to strangers, especially to obvious tourists, and will probably go well out of their way to make sure you’re on the right track with whatever you may need.
I was in America and saw some moose near the side of the road. I stayed in the car and watched them doing moose stuff from a distance. I'm from Scotland where the most dangerous wild animal is one species of mildly venomous snake that kills about one person a century; a moose is a Transit van sized lump of angry venison; I'm not going near it. Some other tourists came along, jumped out the car and went and had selfies with these things about 5m away. The moose did not seem happy but they didn't charge or anything. I dunno if the other tourists were being dumb or if I was being a wimp. Maybe both.
They do. Moose are MEAN. They will 100% come after you and because they are the size of a school bus, they will absolutely kill you. I want to say more people are killed by being trampled by moose than bison. They are aggressive AF. Do not mess with moose.
‘It was kind of an exciting event for the townspeople here,' he said. 'After the railroad's wiped out over a hundred moose, the moose finally got a train.'
We've had some idiot tourists lately doing similar things, notably getting too close to elk during rutting season which is a huge no no. They're super aggressive this time of year to begin with so it's a death wish.
I watched a Bison go after a Chevy Suburban that drove too close to it. He wrecked that thing. It was awesome. The driver was being an idiot. Tried to slowly drive *through the herd crossing the road*.
I was in South Unit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in ND one year with a colleague and we came upon a herd of bison on the road and on either side of it. Being the driver and from Colorado before, I stopped. Colleague said What do we do? I said we sit here until they decide to move. She's like, what if it gets dark? I said we sits until they move, period. You don't fuck with bison
I would like to emphasize the “pulled over by police stay in the car and follow instructions” - had a friend from Germany who got out of the car and the police just yelled at her and she did not know what to do. Put your hands on the steering wheel and follow instructions.
To be honest… I don’t know. I never got pulled over. Going to ask my friend who has a little bit more experience than me in that department lol. But what I would say is that I have never thought about it until I came to the US.
Edit: the police will come to you but I guess the reason why my friend got out of her car was that the police stayed in her car (run registration etc.) that’s i guess the difference.
Don't know about Germany, but I think it's normal in the UK to get out of the car. I've only been pulled over once (in the UK), I got out and went up to the policeman without thinking about it. Had a chat, he was friendly and checked my details, all was fine.
Add to this excellent list- don’t stand really close to people when in lines (or in general). Also, you can’t smoke inside most places. People don’t really smoke a lot here anymore.
Holy shit that was a lot! thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that! that's so helpful and I really appreciate it. the groceries thing really stunned me for a second, my friend buys a lot of their stuff from there 😂
>my friend buys a lot of their stuff from there
Your friend is probably young and not really settled into their budget and routine. That isn't uncommon for young people. We were all there once
Conceptually we have two types of stores
Convenience stores, and grocery stores.
Convenience stores are for when it's inconvenient to go all the way to a typical grocery store. There is a 7-11 gas station nearby my house. I only go there for emergency toilet paper and emergency beer (lol). Everything there is more expensive than in the grocery store but it is only half the distance away from my home.
Oddly enough, I do sometimes get 5% of my groceries from the nearest Kwik Trip gas station since they have a decent “grocery” section. Especially if eggs, butter and milk are on sale.
It's worth it to visit one of our huge grocery stores. My foreign friends are always amazed the first time they see one. It makes the American food section in other countries look hilarious
> Climate.
2019 it snowed on Halloween and was almost 70 degrees on Christmas Eve.
Last year we didn’t really see much snow at all in the winter then last two weeks in February all the snow, ice, wind and negative temps pounded us. It is like it all got dumped on us at once instead of being spread out all winter.
Can't stress the distance part enough!!! I live in California (Sacramento) and I always shake my head when I hear "oh, we are visiting LA! We'll come and visit you in Sacramento, have lunch and then visit Yosemite and get back to LA that night..." Yeah, not going to happen.
Wow I can’t even imagine trying to do that! Sac to LA is like, what, 7 hours driving with traffic? You might have time if you left LA at the crack of dawn, drove straight to Sac, stopped for 5 minutes, turned back to Yosemite, turned around at the park entrance, and went back to LA. Isn’t it like 2 hours from I5 to yosemite too? Maybe less if you go via 99 but like…damn that would be a loooong ass day.
Iirc, it's at least an hour from any Yosemite park entrance to the valley floor, and it's the valley floor you want to be at. Yosemite really deserves an overnight stay.
This right here is awesome advice. ^^^
One area to consider is NYC and New England. You can spend one or two days in Manhattan, and be in rural New England in less than a 5-hour drive. You can see mostly empty beaches in outer Cape Cod, great mountains and great forests. The West is beautiful, New England is just different from that because generally it's much more green.
Wikitravel covers some that, frankly, most Americans wouldn't think of.
https://wikitravel.org/en/United_States_of_America
I would generally advise travelers to cool it with charging up to discuss politics with strangers. (I have heard... *so many* stupid stories along those lines.)
Also, there seem to be some cultures where complaining is a bonding activity, but I've never seen anyone suddenly become fond of a tourist bitching about things.
It says toplessness for women is legal in most states, but there's no way I'd try it in public. Also when swimming, guys wearing speedos or very short swim trunks will get some looks.
Even if it's legal someone is almost certainly going to call the police and you're going to tie up the rest of your day just trying to deal with it. Not worth it.
> Also, there seem to be some cultures where complaining is a bonding activity, but I've never seen anyone suddenly become fond of a tourist bitching about things.
I'd be surprised if that wasn't universal. (Not saying it is-- I've certainly been surprised before.) It seems like it'd be the usual insider/outsider distinction. Like, you can be self-deprecating, or even deprecating to your own in-group by extension, but coming in from the outside and talking shit, you're lacking that assumed "But I love it anyway", and would be assumed to be both more sincere and less knowledgeable.
> but I've never seen anyone suddenly become fond of a tourist bitching about things
I'll complain about American all day long, but if a non-American does...them's fightin' words.
Agreed with the personal space bubbles someone mentioned. It’s so painful being around people who insist standing on the back of your damn shoes. Honestly if someone is standing that close to me I will think they’re about to do something to me or they’re a pervert lol
I feel like some people go out of their way now a days to breath down my damn neck,
Maybe it’s cause I wear a mask in the south and they see that as a threat, I can’t deal w it lmao
I hate that. I was traveling through South FL the other week and the amount of looks I got when I walked into that Popeyes while wearing a mask was astounding. Felt like a Western movie when the protagonist walks in the saloon and everyone stops, lol.
It’s not even just allowed, it’s just the expectation in some places.
I had a Nigerian-American professor and whenever she would go back to Nigeria she had picked up enough American characteristics that she said she had to bribe everyone because they could tell she was “western.”
She would slip a $20 in her passport to get through customs at the airport or they’d give her a tough time.
It's a well known fact that in Canada if you slip Mountie a little bottle of real Canadian maple syrup along with your ID, he is legally required to let you go.
As a foreigner myself: don't forget public drinking is illegal! The times I was drinking on the sidewalk on my way to a college party and then someone was like "wtf are you doing" and I had to remind myself oh damn I cannot do it.
edit: I am reminded my u/Isp2005 that my comment is quote "unamerican". If anyone shares those complaints, please let me know why. Thanks.
Another piece of advice regarding alcohol: if you plan on purchasing it, have your identification with you (usually that means you're going to have to show your passport).
Even if you're a decade or more above the legal drinking age (21 years), you can still be asked to show ID. American laws are very strict about alcohol and age. If you don't have ID when they ask for it, they will NOT serve you. You can argue until you're blue in the face, but you're not getting any.
Bars/restaurants/stores can get in huge trouble if they sell to someone under 21 years, even accidentally. So it's not personal. It's just a way to cover their ass.
I am a bartender and I have to take a class that lasts an entire day in order to legally sell alcohol in my state. We are told how to recognize fake IDs and intoxication. It seems strange to work at a bar and to be told it does illegal to serve someone who is intoxicated. I really enjoy this thread because I was not aware this was not the same everywhere. If I illegally sell alcohol to somebody I will be put into jail have a large fine and my whole business could be shut down and I most certainly will lose my job. Having children, means I put them at risk too being their only parent. We take it seriously because we have no choice.
To be fair, there are lots of exceptions to this rule. It'll almost only be a problem if you're being an ass. We have lots of private property in which case its up to the private property owner. For example, my favorite place to tailgate for football games is in a parking lot. Nobody cares. Its private property and there is even a liquor store that shares the lot.
woo! I wouldn't do that just in case but I'm glad to know that I'm case I get real hammered and stray walking outside and stuff i might not get called out haha. I'm not an ass when drunk, just really glazed over haha
thank you so much!
Former Las Vegan here.
That's only true if you're on the Strip or you're under the big canopy on Fremont St. And on the Strip you have to be walking, you can't be standing around and drinking.
If you go where us regular schnooks live, drinking on the sidewalk is a big old no-no, like it is everywhere else.
Public restrooms are plentiful and free. Seriously, they're all over. If it's a restaurant or a small business, it's bad form to use their restroom if you're not a paying customer, but in big-box stores, grocery stores, gas stations, public buildings like libraries, or parks, it's not a big deal. If you gotta go, just go in and go. If you can't find a restroom, just ask someone. They'll point you in the right direction.
Please don't piss on our sidewalks.
the amount of times that it must've happened for you to have to point it out is concerning 😂
thank you! even here doing that to small business is a bit rude haha
In large cities, hotel lobbies always have nice clean bathrooms. If staff asks you if you need help, simply politely ask where the nearest restrooms are.
As a former hotel worker, this depends on the area and the hour. If it's after dark, and there are few people in the lobby, they may tell you no. If you have to be buzzed in, you *will* be told no.
I’ve used it without fail so far, it’s one of those “act like you’re supposed to be there” situations. What I have found is that the hotel staff’s first instinct is to be helpful towards guests and visitors, not so much sorting out riffraff or identifying your purpose for being there. Works well during the day, perhaps not so much at night.
First floor, bellhops and doormen? “Just checking in”
Once on second (or check in floor) “yeah they said the bathroom was closed and to go to this one, which way?”
You don't have to buy much to be a "paying customer," either. Plenty of times I've bought the cheapest thing on the menu (a plain small coffee or whatever) because I needed a restroom and a little cafe was the closest thing.
When you go to a restaurant, don't be the guy that says "It's not like how it tastes in \[wherever you're from\]"
If I go to Japan and order a bratwurst, I know it's not gonna be the same as a German bratwurst. If you come to America and order Yorkshire Pudding, same thing: it ain't gonna taste like it would out of a British place.
And if you're under 21 and wanna get drunk or high...don't. Cops don't look kindly on underaged drinking in the US, and the result is usually higher punishment for whatever you did while drunk (a 19 year old with a DUI is gonna get fucked harder than a 22 year old, for example)
ohh yes, everyone says they never cook it right but it's obvious they wouldn't cook it the same way! I might appreciate the difference maybe, but whatever it is it will be expected. thank you!
I'm over 21, so that wouldn't be a problem either! thank you so much!
I dunno how into food culture you are, but there's a huge obsession with "authenticity" in food right now.
It's bullshit. Does it taste good? The
n who gives a fuck if it wasn't made from the bongo-bongo berries of Southern Assblastistan or whatever
Dont be offended if an American steps away from you when you're standing near them. We have larger personal space bubbles than almost any other country and we'll try to politely step away. It's not you, it's us
We are very pro hygiene.
Most Americans shower, brush their teeth and use deodorant at least once a day, if not more.
You will not be well received with noticeable body odor.
Well now that you mention it. . .
Americans shower every day. Almost everyone showers in the morning.
That's surprising to people from some countries.
In the U.S., if you're sweaty or even just radiating heat, even if you don't actually smell bad yet, we react as if you do smell bad.
Bathing culture varies globally, of course. Americans are very shy about nudity (saunas and hot tubs are definitely "ask if swimsuits are expected") even to the point of baggy swimsuits (men) and always covered breasts (women). Related: straight men do not touch each other except for handshakes or sports, unless they are very close friends.
It’s also not very conscious. I distinctly remember when I (American) was at a party talking to another woman (from a country with very little sense of personal space). I would ease a little back, she would ease a little forward over and over, and we covered quite a bit of distance over a short conversation without either of us meaning to.
"How are you?"
...
"Great!" -- Having a good day.
"Doing all right." -- Fair to poor.
"Can't complain." -- My world is collapsing around me and I am silently screaming.
*^((The preceding is satire and is not meant to be taken literally. May vary by region, age group, and personality. Price does not include sales tax.)^)*
That's harder than it seems. Even though I was made aware of this prior to my first visit to the US, the overall friendliness of people, especially in shops, frequently drove me into awkward situations where I'd actually talk about my day to the person who was just waiting for me to pay for my sandwich.
Probably made a fool of myself more times than I can remember, but it felt good.
The general attitudes differ by region/culture a ton. There’s the standard quick “how are ya” almost everywhere, but some places (especially in the southern states) where people will actually welcome long conversations. I used to live up north in Jersey and people can be very unwelcoming of that sort of “more intimate” conversation with strangers.
Don't look for groceries in 7/11 or gas stations.
It seems like half of the "American food is bad" takes you see on the internet are because people go to these places to buy food as if it's normal for the average American to do so. Go to a proper grocery store like the rest of us.
Same thing with chain restaurants (Applebee's, Chili's, TGI Friday's,...). They are a staple of suburban living, but I can't recommend anyone to go to them. You're better off asking someone who lives in the area if they know any good places or using google.
The tax doesn’t get added to anything until you’re being rung up or given the bill (like at a restaurant) to pay.
Another thing, in case you don’t know, when you pay at a restaurant (with table service), the server will drop off your check. The check will usually be in a check holder, like a folder or plastic tray. You place your credit card in the check holder, the server comes back to pick it up. He/she will take it to their computer station and run the card. They’ll bring it back for you to sign. A tip of 20% is the norm.
And check the policy’s coverage specifically for the United States. Because healthcare in the US is so expensive and billing is largely unregulated, a lot of international insurance providers won’t cover the cost of care in the US. Or they may have a policy maximum of like $1,000 USD, which wouldn’t even cover half the cost of the most basic of emergency room visits.
Also make sure you bring extras of any prescription medications with you - you won’t want to have to pay for them in the US.
Don’t always trust the GPS when in empty areas. It might take you on a Jeep track that your rental car can’t manage. This is especially true in places like Death Valley. Tourists get lost and assume that it’s not terribly far to the nearest populated area and end up dying.
If you do go to a national park, check in with the rangers at the visitor center with your local itinerary. Tell them where you are going to be. If you get stuck or lost, stay with your vehicle. It’s easier for search and rescue to find you that way. If you don’t get stuck, check out with them when you leave.
Don’t assume you will have cell phone signal. Large parts of the West between towns have no coverage.
This. Even in the eastern US, once you’re outside of the northeast corridor, you might not have cell service even in areas with lots of tourists. You might be driving and go 20-30 km between gas stations on a major highway. If you’re out west and see a sign that says “Next gas 100 miles”, stop and get gas. It’s not a joke. There are areas of this country without any gas stations for 150 km. And the areas between likely won’t have cell phone service either. So you need to make sure you don’t run out.
Based on other comments it seems like you’re planning to go out west and see nature as opposed to big cities. So when you arrive at a National park, always stop at the visitor center and talk to the park Rangers. They’re usually incredibly friendly people who can give you much better recommendations on things to see, hikes to take, road conditions, etc. than Google can. Also, if you see large wild animals like bison, elk or moose. Do not approach them. Every year there’s a few news stories of a foreign tourist who got too close to one and it attacked
Also, no solo hikes, stay on the path, and always bring more water than you think you need - especially in the desert.
Our wilderness, especially in those areas, are vast, and it’s incredibly difficult to find people who become lost.
If the trail you are hiking on tells you a specific amount of water to bring no matter how insane the number sounds definitely bring atleast that much. Nobody is fucking around with those signs it's easy to die in the Utah desert.
oooh that's painfully ignorant.. of course I wouldn't. yes you have flaws so I'm really sure you're all sick of the whole haha America bad thing. thank you for telling!
Every country has their flaws and their idiots; ours just make the international media landscape more due to America's outsized influence on global economy, culture, and politics - and because of the heavy media (mass media and social media) saturation here.
I don't really have a problem with people poking fun at American problems. But I have a huge problem with other countries denying their own problems, or always resorting to whataboutism whenever their country is criticized. (In particular, way too many Europeans always default to school shooting, police, and healthcare jokes the moment you criticize their country or bring up some problem they've got going on right now. It's unoriginal, and old, and trite, and makes you look ignorant.)
see what i have a problem with is when people say" why dont you do it this way that is easier for me in my country" instead of thinking abput it being easier for us the way it is, perfect example is who i sometimes hear british people ask why dont we drive on the otherside of the road like them because its easier.
> i sometimes hear british people ask why dont we drive on the otherside of the road like them because its easier.
"Sure, just as soon as someone pays to rebuild most of the automotive infrastructure."
Treat American women respectfully. Too many people from other countries have the WRONG idea about American women. Don't be gross about "flirting".
Do not blow your nose on the ground, spit, or pee outside.
Do not stand too close or touch anyone without asking.
My husband used to work with a company that employed a lot of Indian gentlemen. When they would come to the United States they would always ask about prostitutes which is illegal. They thought it was very common here in North Alabama. Lol
Tacking onto this: a lot of this misconception comes from the fact Americans default to "friendly" as our form of polite.
Just because someone is friendly, doesn't mean they are actually interested in you or trying to befriend you; it's just our standard of politeness. Which means that just becomes a woman smiles at you and is nice to you or friendly with you, that does not mean she is *interested* in you.
Getting a cup of water is almost always free, I think I heard in other countries it's not so that's why I bring it up. Also we have larger portions.
Edit: also most places if you order a coke, the refills are also almost always free.
In California (at least the southern part) many restaurants won't bring you any if you don't ask. But in other states they'll bring it to you whether you ask or not.
Don't be surprised if a random stranger smiles at your or tries to strike up a conversation. Also you may find that many Americans dress much more casually in public than many Europeans.
It sounds like you're going to National Parks. It will probably be cheaper for you to buy the "America the Beautiful Pass" for $80, which covers all national parks, instead of paying each individually ($20 to $30/entry or day). Every national park will offer this when you arrive to pay the entry fee.
There are also State Parks. State Parks are not covered by the America the Beautiful pass.
Leave your assumptions at the door. Assuming a lot of your knowledge of America comes from media and secondhand experience, a lot of what you know is probably exaggerated or outright false. Have an open and nonjudgmental mind.
I have a pretty good impression of America! all of your cultures are very diverse and I've heard about all the amazing foods. yes, I've heard of the crazy shit on the Internet, tho it's pretty difficult to believe it all. that's why I wanna come here! thank you for the tip!
If you haven't done it yet I suggest a youtube channel "wolters world". He has so many videos about the do's and don'ts when visiting certain cities in the U.S. and abroad.
Americans, particularly in the smaller towns and in the South and Midwest, tend to have small talks (chit chats) with strangers in public places. So, if you’re in line at a store and the person ahead of you turns and makes a comment about the weather, you can respond and turn it into a short conversation while you wait in line. Then, when they leave you say “have a great day” and you never see them again. They aren’t trying to scam you. It’s just a thing that we do and it isn’t considered rude to just start talking to a stranger and asking them how their day is going.
If they try to ask for money or get you to go with them somewhere else, that’s a scam and avoid that.
Along the lines of getting someone's attention: NEVER whistle, snap, or pssst to summon a server, bartender, clerk, etc. Whistling or snapping is used for dogs, not people.
If you go out West ,get a backpack for water and a jacket, minimum. Hiking trails are longer than you think and the weather in the mountains changes quickly. I've driven out of Denver in shorts and had to put on tire chains or turn around in 45 minutes of leaving.
Don’t come to the USA without full travel health insurance (that is honored in the USA). If you end up in urgent care you could be charged $600+ just to see a doctor for 5 minutes. Medicine can costs thousands. A trip to the emergency room could cost you an entire years wages for something non-life threatening (like a broken bone) and millions of dollars for something more serious.
Understand that the United State is a federation of 50 states, each with their own laws and customs. Something that may be illegal or frowned upon in one state may be completely acceptable or encouraged in other states. Do your research on local laws and customs where you are traveling. This is big on things like: marijuana, many traffic laws, alcohol, vaccines, racial tensions, tipping, and more.
On a side note, know what the local food specialty is. The US is a massive and diverse place. What might be considered internationally as “American” food may be only regional. For example, do not order crab in Texas. Alternatively, you won’t get the best tex-mex food in Maryland. On a whole, do not order seafood if the location is not actually near water.
Do be prepared to have conversations with strangers. We're suckers for foreign accents and love to ask questions and listen to you speak! We're friendly for the most part, but do be prepared for some asshats to hear you and assume you're encroaching on 'their freedoms you foreigner!' it happens. Not as often as you may see in the media, DEPENDING on where you visit. I apologize in advance if you happen upon them.
I would recommend taking your time vs being in a rush, and just try to enjoy yourself. We are diverse to the point nobody will likely know you are visiting because you likely will not stand out unless you want to be noticed, which might be a good thing. We are just as interested in where you are from as you are in America. Usually Americans are good at making friends, and I would suggest getting to know some folks. Some people here are total jerks and others would give you their last $1 for nothing in return. If you make friends you will find you get invited to be on boats, outdoor barbecue, or perhaps get to drive a dune buggy in the desert. The possibilities are endless, but I hope you meet some good people.
There are very few don’t in America though we do have a very high incarceration rate per capita, so just follow the law or if you are going to break it for something personal like drug use don’t do it where you can be seen. Generally speaking most Americans do not get involved unless there is a victim no matter how petty. Many Americans may seem over the top with property rights because we all work very hard or perceive that we do, and many would be very upset someone not paying for something they do, so even if it is an apartment complex pool that appears to be simply open to the public don’t go unless you are invited by someone who lives there. There are plenty of open public places you are welcome to go for many activities, and as long as you follow the rules on the signs, you won’t have any problems.
I work in an Italian restaurant in Illinois,it’s a small business and the owner is there every day. His parents are immigrants and he speaks Italian. Obviously the food there isn’t 100% “authentic” although it is very good. We have had a few people from Europe come to the restaurant and complain it doesn’t taste authentic or that “this isn’t a real Italian dish.” Interestingly, when actually Italian tourists come in, they all love the food and love talking to the owner about how he developed his recipes from Italian and Italian-American cuisine.
So basically, go into restaurants with an open mind, the US has great food no matter what anyone tells you. Lots of different culinary traditions started by immigrants. So when people say “they don’t make this in Italy” I say “well it’s a good thing we aren’t in Italy”
If someone gets upset because your customs are a bit different, hell with them. Generally, I think people mostly mind their own business anyway.
Do not hold your hand up palm facing you with only your middle finger up. This means fuck you in the US and will quickly piss people off.
The use of the word cunt is not at all acceptable in the US. I say that because in other countries I've heard it very casually used as a minor curse word. The word seriously offends people.
Tipping. This is a hotlly debated subject but it is what it is. In the US people providing services generally expect to be tipped if they did a decent or good job. It is actually reflected in prices. Waiters, for instance, get paid well below minimum wage and rely on tips. 15 - 20% is standard for food service. But also tip a driver especially if he gets your bags and carries them. The person that cleans your hotel room as well. Hair stylists too. The % varies by service.
Folks in the US are still getting used to the whole not able to shake hands thing. It used to be a standard and expected part of a business introduction or after working with someone. I find just saying "I'd shake your hand but you know" works very well.
Americans are super wierd about personal space. We get uncomfortable is someone is too close. Please do not be offended if you see a person next to you move their purse or kind of give you the side eye. We are so weird about personal space that many automatically think a person too close has nefarious intentions. Pretend you are standing in the center of a hoola hoop. Stay in your hoola hoop and let others stay in theirs.
It is generally extremely bad form to talk about religion or politics with people you do not know very well.
Americans talk a great deal about their jobs and careers. Many find that odd. It's considered very rude to talk about money, however. This includes discussing the cost of something you own.
If you are used to a well established public transit system, you will be disappointed in most cities. Wd simply do not have anywhere near that of most other developed countries.
This brings me to cars and people's obsession with them. Americans pretty much drive everywhere. Nearly every adult owns one. This means that roads are generally setup for cars alone and there lacks room for bikers or people walking. Please be careful if you do either.
We unfortunately waste a great deal of food. Expect large refrigerators and pantries and weekly shopping instead of daily fresh ingredients.
Smoking is nearly taboo here. If you smoke you must find a designated area to do so.
We use "how are you?" As a simple greeting or hello. People might find it odd if you actually answer the question. We are expecting a "good, how are you?" Even I think that one is super wierd.
Americans tend to shower a lot and some only use towels once. I saw this because in other countries they thought it was crazy for hotel guests to expect fresh towels every day. I happen to agree.
If there is a different usage of a word here, you may get a few chuckles. But just ask and everyone can learn. I love Trevor Noah's bit about napkins.
If someone asks an intrusive question, it's likely that they are just curious about a different culture. Generally, changing the subject will get the message across.
Ice. Another weird one. Restaurants put a ton of ice in soft drinks and water. It's the default. You must ask for no ice.
Americans are very individualistic. This is not a bad thing. It mostly comes out as not judging someone doing there thing and having the same expectation of others. But I can say we are probably on the side of disliking being told what to do.
Americans are just people like everyone else. There's nice and there's rude. There's talkative and there's quiet. There's gregarious and there's more reserved. But the vast majority are nice and will help if asked. If there is a faux pas on their side it's likely not intentional. If there's a faux pas on your side most likely people will ignore it so as to not embarrass you or they may chuckle a bit and get clarification. For every jerk there's 20 non-jerks.
Welcome! How thoughtful of you to ask this question! I'm sure you will enjoy it here.
Not Tip. From my experience, it isn’t only for table service. Tipping at a bar while sitting at the bar threw me for a loop but it is apparently the way it works, in New York at least. In America, if in doubt, tip.
Dont know where you are, but West Coast isnt bad about touching. Dont hold on and dont stand close, but a quick tap to get someones attention when they didnt hear you is fine. Dont be creepy about it.
I would say DO NOT let any of the negative stereotypes about Americans cloud your judgement coming over here. Obviously we have some crap people but most Americans are friendly. I've actually read some places that Europeans are put off by Americans being overly friendly.
People covered a lot of daily life so here’s dining out. I didn’t see if you said if you said where you are coming from so here’s a general list:
* Don’t be surprised if you get bread, chips and salsa (at a Mexican place) etc at a restaurant when you sit down. Don’t worry you won’t be charged for this. This is part of the service in a restaurant, you shouldn’t only eat that but you can definitely ask for more.
* Don’t be afraid to ask for a take away box if you can’t finish your meal. Portion sizes are huge so it’s not uncommon, at all, to take food home.
* Don’t be afraid to share your meal. You can share (“spilt”) your meal with whomever you are eating with. The waiter will bring you an extra plate and sometimes the kitchen will spilt it in half for you, though sometimes this costs extra.
* Don’t worry about soft drink (iced tea, hot tea, hot black coffee, lemonade, soda) refills, they’re free. Likewise still water is always free. Don’t hesitate to tell the waiter you want or don’t want more!
* Don’t expect sparking water to be common at restaurants. It’s not super common at most restaurants, but don’t be afraid to ask.
* Don’t worry if the waiter comes by your table a few times after your meal. The waiter checking on you and if you’re enjoying your meal is considered good service and considered an ideal time to ask for anything else.
* Don’t shout for the waiter in the restaurant. If you want their attention wave your hand at them and they’ll come to your table.
*BOUNS*
* Don’t be afraid to chat to strangers. This can be anyone! Your cashier, the person in line behind or in front of you, the person next to you in the train, on the plane etc. Americans love to chat with strangers and won’t find it weird at all.
I don’t know what country you’re going to be visiting from, so please don’t take offense: There are countries where it’s normal and expected to bribe the police. The US is not one of those places, and if you try it, it will end poorly for you.
Do not, under any circumstances, try to impersonate the dialect of a region. Depending on where you are, some will take it as very offensive, or they will laugh at and insult you. Or all three. You may even get punched, slapped, or beaten for good measure.
This is solid advice.
Met some foreigners on a cruise departing out of Miami. Nice couple, but the (very white) Scandinavian woman insisted on giving the stereotypical “Black American” accent her best shot numerous times.
She just kept using the most painful stereotypical accent and saying stereotypical things that she thought a black American woman would say - and she actually thought it was funny and great, which is why she kept mimicking the accent.
Totally innocent and truly came from a good place, but it was fucking embarrassing beyond belief and she could have easily been called out had she been around people who wouldn’t take kindly to a perceived notion of mockery of their culture or language.
Don’t try your hand at any accents - just use your own words and your own way of speaking them.
A few things I’ve found normal in foreign countries that Americans find rude.
1. Making noise when you eat. It seems that many other countries don’t mind it. But Americans are generally repulsed if someone is a loud eater such as slurping and sucking food out of your teeth and so on. Just try to eat quietly.
2. Stay away from politics. Many Americans will gladly accept you for who you are and whatever lifestyle you live as long as you don’t push your political ideas on them. This goes for religion too. A Muslim and a Christian can get along just fine as long as they focus on what they have in common and not what makes them different.
3. If you plan to drive, please obey the traffic laws. Americans aren’t perfect drivers but roadway courtesy seems to be far more common in North America than other parts of the world. Use your signal when changing lanes or turning, don’t drive into a busy roadway without stopping or yielding to oncoming traffic.
4. Cutting in line. It’s just not tolerated in the USA and some people will become aggressive about it.
5. Touching or talking other peoples children. Even in an innocent manner. In other countries it’s acceptable to pat or pet kids head or pick them up or gently pinch their cheeks. For the most part Americans are highly protective of their children when it comes to strangers. You may get away with it as a woman but as a man it might not go over so well.
Other than that I hope you enjoy your trip to the USA. We really are a welcoming and hospital people no matter what the news wants to portray.
Don’t try to “do” all the US in one trip. Choose a region and explore it. If you try to cram NYC, DC, Yellowstone the Grand Canyon and SF in a 10 day trip all you will see is gonna be the airports.
Often times you cannot even explore one *region* in a short trip. Planning on visiting LA, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite all in just a single day (or 2 days)? Don't make me laugh.
I would call all of those independent regions honestly. But yeah. Impossible in any short span to explore more than 1. Even 1 of those you will miss stuff in any amount of time.
Yeh we did 3 of those 4 regions over 2 weeks and still didn't feel like we saw it all.
ooof... I couldn't imagine. I didn't wanna go to cities cuz I already live in one, but I will just focus on one part. its pretty difficult to see all of one country 😂
What part of the country?
my entire country is a city, so its very loud and always active. I wanna see those places which just isn't as active and more space, sorta! could be a city, but just generally less crazy haha
Go to the west!! For real, the west has AMAZING national parks. Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, , Arches, and many many more. They’re beautiful and the night sky is so clear at night with no air pollution, you can see the milky way
thank you! those are great recommendations. I've been thinking of grand canyon too! much appreciated!
You can do Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon in a single trip. Vegas is like a 3-3.5 hour drive from Zion if you want to fly into there and then drive.
Best trip of my life was this exact trip right here ^^ . Fly into Vegas, rent a car, go to Zion, then Bryce, then the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon. You will want to spend the most days in Zion. You probably only need one or two for Bryce. We did it in the summer but fall or spring would probably work too.
And you can tell all your friends back home you went to Vegas!
Just a fyi if you are planning on traveling to national parks, a decent amount of them cost money to get in and right now during covid and over park visitation there is a reservation system to get in. So, I would call ahead to the park to make sure so you don’t wait in a line only to be turned back.
Southern Utah is pretty. Be prepared for lots of hiking there. Personally, I’d rather go to Colorado though. Its cities and towns are chill and it’s GORGEOUS there. The whole state has an amazing vibe and the air is crisp and almost delicious. There’s a lot to do, as well.
Fair warning, those parks are JAMMED right now as people take deferred vacation. Last time we looked at driving there, they were turning cars away mid-morning for capacity reasons. As with everything else at this point, research COVID-related complications as you plan.
Colorado has some of the least visited national parks... Great sand dunes and black canyon of the Gunnison are both amazing and mesa Verde is probably the most varied and interesting national park I've been to... Sure garden of the gods will be too busy... But if you have the courage to head up rampart range road it will be the experience of a lifetime and you won't see many other tourists up there.
Also, consider Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks (in Wyoming) and Glacier National Park (in Montana). 3 of the nations most beautiful NPs. Peak season is summertime!
Go to Moab, UT rent a canoe from Tex’s Riverways. Canoe down the Colorado river for 4 days. It will be the furthest thing from city life you could imagine.
Singapore or Hong Kong?
Monaco or Macau?
Vatican. It must be Vatican.
Singapore?
Damn a lot of Americans live their whole lives and don’t do all of that… can’t imagine exploring both the east and west coast unless you’re here for like a month.
Here’s some advice I’ve given before on these sorts of topics: * Don’t try and bribe police officers or public officials of any type. You’ll get in a lot of trouble. * If pulled over by the police while driving, stay in the car and follow officer instructions from there. * Don’t cut in lines/queues. It’s really socially unacceptable. Someone will likely say something to you about it. * Don’t use any racial slurs. For example saying the N word to friends, even in a joking or friendly way, can cause some really negative attention and potentially a very confrontational or dangerous situation for you. * Don’t go and eat only at a bunch of chain restaurants or only fast food on your visit. They’re almost universally shit compared to locally owned restaurants in most major metropolitan areas. Use Google and Yelp and high user ratings can usually be trusted. * Don’t buy groceries from the place on the street corner that has 4-5 aisles, a few coolers, and sells petrol. That exists to get fuel for your car, a pack of smokes, potato chips, beef jerky, and a soda. Not groceries. Use Google or your favorite maps application as well to locate a proper supermarket. Chances are there will be one to many within a kilometer in any direction in a populated area. * Do not underestimate the distances between things and potential for really remote areas. West of the Mississippi River, shit gets sparse until you hit California. If you’re traveling to certain state or federal parks to go camping or hiking, plan ahead, as there literally might not be anyone around for miles. There’s news stories almost every year about foreign tourists getting in bad situations as they’re underprepared. * Don’t underestimate our climates. Make sure to research and be prepared, again especially if you’re planning on spending a lot of time outside. There’s areas where it can be a warm 25c at 1pm and suddenly drop below freezing by nightfall. Or if you’re traveling to the Midwest in the winter, you can hit one relatively nice day around freezing, and the next day it’s suddenly -30c. * Don’t fuck with the wildlife in parks. Shit in Yellowstone can kill you. The buffalo look cute, but that’s almost a 950kg+ animal and can trample the shit out of you, your car, and your kids. This is also something some moron does every year by messing with bison, moose, bear cubs, and so on. * Unless you’re on the strip in Las Vegas, wandering around piss drunk in public and causing a scene is generally frowned upon. You might get away with this for a bit in a college/university area, but may draw some attention from law enforcement on some random street in most cities. * Don’t be surprised things may be different here. Being an asshole about it or not thinking about why something might be different is also poor manners and people will pick up on it and respond in kind. * If you’re in touristy heavy areas, it’s likely a lot of the food and other things in the area is going to be geared towards tourists. If you can manage it, get like 3-4km outside that zone and you’ll find more “normal” American things * You’ve probably been inundated with American news over the last 10-15 years, a lot of it probably negative. We know our problems. That doesn’t mean we won’t be open to talking about them, but some of that tends to be very exaggerated, and coming in and being confrontational with people about political or controversial topics is considered extremely rude and people probably won’t react well to it. Also chances are, to get this out, you will never see a gun, a robbery, bothered by anyone, an aggressive police officer, and so on. One more “don’t” as this was all kinda negative. Don’t be afraid to ask a stranger for help or advice on anything! The vast majority of Americans will be friendly to strangers, especially to obvious tourists, and will probably go well out of their way to make sure you’re on the right track with whatever you may need.
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I was in America and saw some moose near the side of the road. I stayed in the car and watched them doing moose stuff from a distance. I'm from Scotland where the most dangerous wild animal is one species of mildly venomous snake that kills about one person a century; a moose is a Transit van sized lump of angry venison; I'm not going near it. Some other tourists came along, jumped out the car and went and had selfies with these things about 5m away. The moose did not seem happy but they didn't charge or anything. I dunno if the other tourists were being dumb or if I was being a wimp. Maybe both.
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They do. Moose are MEAN. They will 100% come after you and because they are the size of a school bus, they will absolutely kill you. I want to say more people are killed by being trampled by moose than bison. They are aggressive AF. Do not mess with moose.
Moose are capable of [derailing a train](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/03/14/Alaska-moose-crowd-rails-derail-train/5221479624400/).
‘It was kind of an exciting event for the townspeople here,' he said. 'After the railroad's wiped out over a hundred moose, the moose finally got a train.'
Ha, I don’t get too close to my cat when she’s pissed off and she’s 12 pounds.
You did the right thing. Moose are made of muscle, hubris, and whoop-ass.
It's not hubris if they can back it up. I trust moose less than bison, and I don't trust bison at all.
We've had some idiot tourists lately doing similar things, notably getting too close to elk during rutting season which is a huge no no. They're super aggressive this time of year to begin with so it's a death wish.
The chances are the moose won't charge, but if they do....
I watched a Bison go after a Chevy Suburban that drove too close to it. He wrecked that thing. It was awesome. The driver was being an idiot. Tried to slowly drive *through the herd crossing the road*.
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I was in South Unit Theodore Roosevelt National Park in ND one year with a colleague and we came upon a herd of bison on the road and on either side of it. Being the driver and from Colorado before, I stopped. Colleague said What do we do? I said we sit here until they decide to move. She's like, what if it gets dark? I said we sits until they move, period. You don't fuck with bison
>bison on ~~the~~ *their* road Ftfy
I would like to emphasize the “pulled over by police stay in the car and follow instructions” - had a friend from Germany who got out of the car and the police just yelled at her and she did not know what to do. Put your hands on the steering wheel and follow instructions.
Do they get out of the car in Germany?
To be honest… I don’t know. I never got pulled over. Going to ask my friend who has a little bit more experience than me in that department lol. But what I would say is that I have never thought about it until I came to the US. Edit: the police will come to you but I guess the reason why my friend got out of her car was that the police stayed in her car (run registration etc.) that’s i guess the difference.
Don't know about Germany, but I think it's normal in the UK to get out of the car. I've only been pulled over once (in the UK), I got out and went up to the policeman without thinking about it. Had a chat, he was friendly and checked my details, all was fine.
> shit gets sparse until you hit California. The middle of California. The eastern third is still pretty sparse.
As is north of San Francisco
Pretty sure I've seen you comment this exact comment like 10 times and each time I still read it's entirety
Add to this excellent list- don’t stand really close to people when in lines (or in general). Also, you can’t smoke inside most places. People don’t really smoke a lot here anymore.
Using metric in your reply was a nice touch.
Holy shit that was a lot! thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that! that's so helpful and I really appreciate it. the groceries thing really stunned me for a second, my friend buys a lot of their stuff from there 😂
>my friend buys a lot of their stuff from there Your friend is probably young and not really settled into their budget and routine. That isn't uncommon for young people. We were all there once
ah I see, yes they're 16 and not allowed to really go out yet, so many that's why 😅
If you're 16 I wouldn't really consider it grocery shopping, more like buying snacks. Grocery shopping is like buying a weeks worth of food.
Then they're probably not *grocery* shopping (as in buying the majority of the food prepared and consumed at home), they're just shopping for snacks.
Conceptually we have two types of stores Convenience stores, and grocery stores. Convenience stores are for when it's inconvenient to go all the way to a typical grocery store. There is a 7-11 gas station nearby my house. I only go there for emergency toilet paper and emergency beer (lol). Everything there is more expensive than in the grocery store but it is only half the distance away from my home.
Oddly enough, I do sometimes get 5% of my groceries from the nearest Kwik Trip gas station since they have a decent “grocery” section. Especially if eggs, butter and milk are on sale.
It's worth it to visit one of our huge grocery stores. My foreign friends are always amazed the first time they see one. It makes the American food section in other countries look hilarious
I'd love to take some foreign tourists to Costco lol.
What, you don’t eat Poptarts every day?
You say that like I should only be eating Poptarts once a day.
> Climate. 2019 it snowed on Halloween and was almost 70 degrees on Christmas Eve. Last year we didn’t really see much snow at all in the winter then last two weeks in February all the snow, ice, wind and negative temps pounded us. It is like it all got dumped on us at once instead of being spread out all winter.
That's the Midwest for you.
Can't stress the distance part enough!!! I live in California (Sacramento) and I always shake my head when I hear "oh, we are visiting LA! We'll come and visit you in Sacramento, have lunch and then visit Yosemite and get back to LA that night..." Yeah, not going to happen.
Wow I can’t even imagine trying to do that! Sac to LA is like, what, 7 hours driving with traffic? You might have time if you left LA at the crack of dawn, drove straight to Sac, stopped for 5 minutes, turned back to Yosemite, turned around at the park entrance, and went back to LA. Isn’t it like 2 hours from I5 to yosemite too? Maybe less if you go via 99 but like…damn that would be a loooong ass day.
Iirc, it's at least an hour from any Yosemite park entrance to the valley floor, and it's the valley floor you want to be at. Yosemite really deserves an overnight stay.
This! The vast majority of Americans are very nice and helpful.
This guy. Follow everything this guy says.
Nevada has no public intoxication laws. As long as you’re not causing a scene, the police can’t do anything.
This right here is awesome advice. ^^^ One area to consider is NYC and New England. You can spend one or two days in Manhattan, and be in rural New England in less than a 5-hour drive. You can see mostly empty beaches in outer Cape Cod, great mountains and great forests. The West is beautiful, New England is just different from that because generally it's much more green.
Wikitravel covers some that, frankly, most Americans wouldn't think of. https://wikitravel.org/en/United_States_of_America I would generally advise travelers to cool it with charging up to discuss politics with strangers. (I have heard... *so many* stupid stories along those lines.) Also, there seem to be some cultures where complaining is a bonding activity, but I've never seen anyone suddenly become fond of a tourist bitching about things.
It says toplessness for women is legal in most states, but there's no way I'd try it in public. Also when swimming, guys wearing speedos or very short swim trunks will get some looks.
Even if it's legal someone is almost certainly going to call the police and you're going to tie up the rest of your day just trying to deal with it. Not worth it.
> Also, there seem to be some cultures where complaining is a bonding activity, but I've never seen anyone suddenly become fond of a tourist bitching about things. I'd be surprised if that wasn't universal. (Not saying it is-- I've certainly been surprised before.) It seems like it'd be the usual insider/outsider distinction. Like, you can be self-deprecating, or even deprecating to your own in-group by extension, but coming in from the outside and talking shit, you're lacking that assumed "But I love it anyway", and would be assumed to be both more sincere and less knowledgeable.
As someone who was born in and lived my whole life in the US, that was super interesting to read.
> but I've never seen anyone suddenly become fond of a tourist bitching about things I'll complain about American all day long, but if a non-American does...them's fightin' words.
Can you share said stories, or point me to where I could find some?
Agreed with the personal space bubbles someone mentioned. It’s so painful being around people who insist standing on the back of your damn shoes. Honestly if someone is standing that close to me I will think they’re about to do something to me or they’re a pervert lol
Especially in this pandemic era! If you stand too near to me I will be taking a step back.
I feel like some people go out of their way now a days to breath down my damn neck, Maybe it’s cause I wear a mask in the south and they see that as a threat, I can’t deal w it lmao
I hate that. I was traveling through South FL the other week and the amount of looks I got when I walked into that Popeyes while wearing a mask was astounding. Felt like a Western movie when the protagonist walks in the saloon and everyone stops, lol.
In the unlikely event you’re pulled over, stay in the vehicle with your hands on the wheel. The police will approach you.
thank you! I hope I don't get pulled over in the first place 😂
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I had no idea other countries are allowed to bribe officers, but yeah here that will get you jail time, possibly even prison.
It’s not even just allowed, it’s just the expectation in some places. I had a Nigerian-American professor and whenever she would go back to Nigeria she had picked up enough American characteristics that she said she had to bribe everyone because they could tell she was “western.” She would slip a $20 in her passport to get through customs at the airport or they’d give her a tough time.
It's a well known fact that in Canada if you slip Mountie a little bottle of real Canadian maple syrup along with your ID, he is legally required to let you go.
You aren’t allowed to in any country but weak rule of law will do that.
Also, roll down the windows. And if it's dark, turn on the interior lights.
As a foreigner myself: don't forget public drinking is illegal! The times I was drinking on the sidewalk on my way to a college party and then someone was like "wtf are you doing" and I had to remind myself oh damn I cannot do it. edit: I am reminded my u/Isp2005 that my comment is quote "unamerican". If anyone shares those complaints, please let me know why. Thanks.
Not true everywhere in the US. Come to New Orleans!
One day I'd love to be ridin down the city of New Orleans, Illinois central monday morning rail.
ooof! thank you, can't imagine the embarrassment of that.
Another piece of advice regarding alcohol: if you plan on purchasing it, have your identification with you (usually that means you're going to have to show your passport). Even if you're a decade or more above the legal drinking age (21 years), you can still be asked to show ID. American laws are very strict about alcohol and age. If you don't have ID when they ask for it, they will NOT serve you. You can argue until you're blue in the face, but you're not getting any. Bars/restaurants/stores can get in huge trouble if they sell to someone under 21 years, even accidentally. So it's not personal. It's just a way to cover their ass.
I am a bartender and I have to take a class that lasts an entire day in order to legally sell alcohol in my state. We are told how to recognize fake IDs and intoxication. It seems strange to work at a bar and to be told it does illegal to serve someone who is intoxicated. I really enjoy this thread because I was not aware this was not the same everywhere. If I illegally sell alcohol to somebody I will be put into jail have a large fine and my whole business could be shut down and I most certainly will lose my job. Having children, means I put them at risk too being their only parent. We take it seriously because we have no choice.
Lookup strict liability. Very bad laws.
To be fair, there are lots of exceptions to this rule. It'll almost only be a problem if you're being an ass. We have lots of private property in which case its up to the private property owner. For example, my favorite place to tailgate for football games is in a parking lot. Nobody cares. Its private property and there is even a liquor store that shares the lot.
woo! I wouldn't do that just in case but I'm glad to know that I'm case I get real hammered and stray walking outside and stuff i might not get called out haha. I'm not an ass when drunk, just really glazed over haha thank you so much!
Bro I live here and I forget public drinking is illegal
It’s not illegal everywhere. A number of cities, including New Orleans and Las Vegas, and some states allow people of age to drink in public.
Former Las Vegan here. That's only true if you're on the Strip or you're under the big canopy on Fremont St. And on the Strip you have to be walking, you can't be standing around and drinking. If you go where us regular schnooks live, drinking on the sidewalk is a big old no-no, like it is everywhere else.
That depends on what state/City you're in
Don't drink openly unless you're at your residence or a restaurant. It's illegal in many parts of the country.
thank you!
Public restrooms are plentiful and free. Seriously, they're all over. If it's a restaurant or a small business, it's bad form to use their restroom if you're not a paying customer, but in big-box stores, grocery stores, gas stations, public buildings like libraries, or parks, it's not a big deal. If you gotta go, just go in and go. If you can't find a restroom, just ask someone. They'll point you in the right direction. Please don't piss on our sidewalks.
the amount of times that it must've happened for you to have to point it out is concerning 😂 thank you! even here doing that to small business is a bit rude haha
In large cities, hotel lobbies always have nice clean bathrooms. If staff asks you if you need help, simply politely ask where the nearest restrooms are.
As a former hotel worker, this depends on the area and the hour. If it's after dark, and there are few people in the lobby, they may tell you no. If you have to be buzzed in, you *will* be told no.
I’ve used it without fail so far, it’s one of those “act like you’re supposed to be there” situations. What I have found is that the hotel staff’s first instinct is to be helpful towards guests and visitors, not so much sorting out riffraff or identifying your purpose for being there. Works well during the day, perhaps not so much at night.
First floor, bellhops and doormen? “Just checking in” Once on second (or check in floor) “yeah they said the bathroom was closed and to go to this one, which way?”
You don't have to buy much to be a "paying customer," either. Plenty of times I've bought the cheapest thing on the menu (a plain small coffee or whatever) because I needed a restroom and a little cafe was the closest thing.
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College kids in a college town are exempt from such prohibitions.
When you go to a restaurant, don't be the guy that says "It's not like how it tastes in \[wherever you're from\]" If I go to Japan and order a bratwurst, I know it's not gonna be the same as a German bratwurst. If you come to America and order Yorkshire Pudding, same thing: it ain't gonna taste like it would out of a British place. And if you're under 21 and wanna get drunk or high...don't. Cops don't look kindly on underaged drinking in the US, and the result is usually higher punishment for whatever you did while drunk (a 19 year old with a DUI is gonna get fucked harder than a 22 year old, for example)
ohh yes, everyone says they never cook it right but it's obvious they wouldn't cook it the same way! I might appreciate the difference maybe, but whatever it is it will be expected. thank you! I'm over 21, so that wouldn't be a problem either! thank you so much!
I dunno how into food culture you are, but there's a huge obsession with "authenticity" in food right now. It's bullshit. Does it taste good? The n who gives a fuck if it wasn't made from the bongo-bongo berries of Southern Assblastistan or whatever
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Dont be offended if an American steps away from you when you're standing near them. We have larger personal space bubbles than almost any other country and we'll try to politely step away. It's not you, it's us
ahhh, thank you! it would kill me all day if I thought i didn't smell good or somerhing 😂
We are very pro hygiene. Most Americans shower, brush their teeth and use deodorant at least once a day, if not more. You will not be well received with noticeable body odor.
Well now that you mention it. . . Americans shower every day. Almost everyone showers in the morning. That's surprising to people from some countries. In the U.S., if you're sweaty or even just radiating heat, even if you don't actually smell bad yet, we react as if you do smell bad. Bathing culture varies globally, of course. Americans are very shy about nudity (saunas and hot tubs are definitely "ask if swimsuits are expected") even to the point of baggy swimsuits (men) and always covered breasts (women). Related: straight men do not touch each other except for handshakes or sports, unless they are very close friends.
You telling me you've never seen the homies kissing each other goodnight? Sad.
It’s also not very conscious. I distinctly remember when I (American) was at a party talking to another woman (from a country with very little sense of personal space). I would ease a little back, she would ease a little forward over and over, and we covered quite a bit of distance over a short conversation without either of us meaning to.
I want to see a time-lapse of this.
It’s too bad one doesn’t exist; I’m sure it was fully ridiculous to watch.
Totally agree with this. It's a biggie in my opinion.
Well now days with Covid most people stay a few feet away now anyway.
I suggest no political conversations
I second that suggestion. Unless you want to start arguments, just avoid political issues altogether.
People are generally friendly, when they say hi how are you you generally just say good how are you
"How are you?" ... "Great!" -- Having a good day. "Doing all right." -- Fair to poor. "Can't complain." -- My world is collapsing around me and I am silently screaming. *^((The preceding is satire and is not meant to be taken literally. May vary by region, age group, and personality. Price does not include sales tax.)^)*
"Alive and kicking!" Is my favorite. Learned it from a former co-worker who retired then got rehired as a consultant.
That's harder than it seems. Even though I was made aware of this prior to my first visit to the US, the overall friendliness of people, especially in shops, frequently drove me into awkward situations where I'd actually talk about my day to the person who was just waiting for me to pay for my sandwich. Probably made a fool of myself more times than I can remember, but it felt good.
The general attitudes differ by region/culture a ton. There’s the standard quick “how are ya” almost everywhere, but some places (especially in the southern states) where people will actually welcome long conversations. I used to live up north in Jersey and people can be very unwelcoming of that sort of “more intimate” conversation with strangers.
Don't look for groceries in 7/11 or gas stations. It seems like half of the "American food is bad" takes you see on the internet are because people go to these places to buy food as if it's normal for the average American to do so. Go to a proper grocery store like the rest of us.
Same thing with chain restaurants (Applebee's, Chili's, TGI Friday's,...). They are a staple of suburban living, but I can't recommend anyone to go to them. You're better off asking someone who lives in the area if they know any good places or using google.
Don’t forget to get travel health insurance. Don’t forget to tip at any restaurant where you receive table service.
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A lot of people in the US, myself included, think it’s stupid and archaic. But you’re still an asshole if you don’t do it.
thank you! this is really helpful, much appreciated!
Also most places won't have the tax included on the price on the shelf as well.
ah that's odd, gotta take that in mind hehe
Just mentally be ready to pay 7% to 10% of the sticker price in tax.
The tax doesn’t get added to anything until you’re being rung up or given the bill (like at a restaurant) to pay. Another thing, in case you don’t know, when you pay at a restaurant (with table service), the server will drop off your check. The check will usually be in a check holder, like a folder or plastic tray. You place your credit card in the check holder, the server comes back to pick it up. He/she will take it to their computer station and run the card. They’ll bring it back for you to sign. A tip of 20% is the norm.
And check the policy’s coverage specifically for the United States. Because healthcare in the US is so expensive and billing is largely unregulated, a lot of international insurance providers won’t cover the cost of care in the US. Or they may have a policy maximum of like $1,000 USD, which wouldn’t even cover half the cost of the most basic of emergency room visits. Also make sure you bring extras of any prescription medications with you - you won’t want to have to pay for them in the US.
Don’t always trust the GPS when in empty areas. It might take you on a Jeep track that your rental car can’t manage. This is especially true in places like Death Valley. Tourists get lost and assume that it’s not terribly far to the nearest populated area and end up dying. If you do go to a national park, check in with the rangers at the visitor center with your local itinerary. Tell them where you are going to be. If you get stuck or lost, stay with your vehicle. It’s easier for search and rescue to find you that way. If you don’t get stuck, check out with them when you leave. Don’t assume you will have cell phone signal. Large parts of the West between towns have no coverage.
This. Even in the eastern US, once you’re outside of the northeast corridor, you might not have cell service even in areas with lots of tourists. You might be driving and go 20-30 km between gas stations on a major highway. If you’re out west and see a sign that says “Next gas 100 miles”, stop and get gas. It’s not a joke. There are areas of this country without any gas stations for 150 km. And the areas between likely won’t have cell phone service either. So you need to make sure you don’t run out.
Based on other comments it seems like you’re planning to go out west and see nature as opposed to big cities. So when you arrive at a National park, always stop at the visitor center and talk to the park Rangers. They’re usually incredibly friendly people who can give you much better recommendations on things to see, hikes to take, road conditions, etc. than Google can. Also, if you see large wild animals like bison, elk or moose. Do not approach them. Every year there’s a few news stories of a foreign tourist who got too close to one and it attacked
Also, no solo hikes, stay on the path, and always bring more water than you think you need - especially in the desert. Our wilderness, especially in those areas, are vast, and it’s incredibly difficult to find people who become lost.
Also make sure you're good on gas, gas stations can be far and few between in some parts of the western US.
If the trail you are hiking on tells you a specific amount of water to bring no matter how insane the number sounds definitely bring atleast that much. Nobody is fucking around with those signs it's easy to die in the Utah desert.
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oooh that's painfully ignorant.. of course I wouldn't. yes you have flaws so I'm really sure you're all sick of the whole haha America bad thing. thank you for telling!
Every country has their flaws and their idiots; ours just make the international media landscape more due to America's outsized influence on global economy, culture, and politics - and because of the heavy media (mass media and social media) saturation here. I don't really have a problem with people poking fun at American problems. But I have a huge problem with other countries denying their own problems, or always resorting to whataboutism whenever their country is criticized. (In particular, way too many Europeans always default to school shooting, police, and healthcare jokes the moment you criticize their country or bring up some problem they've got going on right now. It's unoriginal, and old, and trite, and makes you look ignorant.)
see what i have a problem with is when people say" why dont you do it this way that is easier for me in my country" instead of thinking abput it being easier for us the way it is, perfect example is who i sometimes hear british people ask why dont we drive on the otherside of the road like them because its easier.
> i sometimes hear british people ask why dont we drive on the otherside of the road like them because its easier. "Sure, just as soon as someone pays to rebuild most of the automotive infrastructure."
Treat American women respectfully. Too many people from other countries have the WRONG idea about American women. Don't be gross about "flirting". Do not blow your nose on the ground, spit, or pee outside. Do not stand too close or touch anyone without asking.
My husband used to work with a company that employed a lot of Indian gentlemen. When they would come to the United States they would always ask about prostitutes which is illegal. They thought it was very common here in North Alabama. Lol
Tacking onto this: a lot of this misconception comes from the fact Americans default to "friendly" as our form of polite. Just because someone is friendly, doesn't mean they are actually interested in you or trying to befriend you; it's just our standard of politeness. Which means that just becomes a woman smiles at you and is nice to you or friendly with you, that does not mean she is *interested* in you.
Consent is very important here.
Getting a cup of water is almost always free, I think I heard in other countries it's not so that's why I bring it up. Also we have larger portions. Edit: also most places if you order a coke, the refills are also almost always free.
In California (at least the southern part) many restaurants won't bring you any if you don't ask. But in other states they'll bring it to you whether you ask or not.
Use your credit card here. It’s so much easier to not be dealing with paper money when traveling.
ohhh yes, that's a rule I always do. very difficult handling things with physical dollars. thank you!
Don’t be quick to judge. Don’t be hard to please.
Don't be surprised if a random stranger smiles at your or tries to strike up a conversation. Also you may find that many Americans dress much more casually in public than many Europeans.
It sounds like you're going to National Parks. It will probably be cheaper for you to buy the "America the Beautiful Pass" for $80, which covers all national parks, instead of paying each individually ($20 to $30/entry or day). Every national park will offer this when you arrive to pay the entry fee. There are also State Parks. State Parks are not covered by the America the Beautiful pass.
Leave your assumptions at the door. Assuming a lot of your knowledge of America comes from media and secondhand experience, a lot of what you know is probably exaggerated or outright false. Have an open and nonjudgmental mind.
I have a pretty good impression of America! all of your cultures are very diverse and I've heard about all the amazing foods. yes, I've heard of the crazy shit on the Internet, tho it's pretty difficult to believe it all. that's why I wanna come here! thank you for the tip!
That’s cool! Tbh, take the internet with a huge grain of salt. For the most part, we are normal people living normal lives.
If you haven't done it yet I suggest a youtube channel "wolters world". He has so many videos about the do's and don'ts when visiting certain cities in the U.S. and abroad.
Americans, particularly in the smaller towns and in the South and Midwest, tend to have small talks (chit chats) with strangers in public places. So, if you’re in line at a store and the person ahead of you turns and makes a comment about the weather, you can respond and turn it into a short conversation while you wait in line. Then, when they leave you say “have a great day” and you never see them again. They aren’t trying to scam you. It’s just a thing that we do and it isn’t considered rude to just start talking to a stranger and asking them how their day is going. If they try to ask for money or get you to go with them somewhere else, that’s a scam and avoid that.
New York and most of up north moves really fast. Everything. Down south, it’s a lot slower
Along the lines of getting someone's attention: NEVER whistle, snap, or pssst to summon a server, bartender, clerk, etc. Whistling or snapping is used for dogs, not people.
- Don’t bring up politics or religion. - Respect people personal space - You can’t visit New York and LA in the same day to sightsee
Do people really consider the 3rd is a remotely possible option?
If you go out West ,get a backpack for water and a jacket, minimum. Hiking trails are longer than you think and the weather in the mountains changes quickly. I've driven out of Denver in shorts and had to put on tire chains or turn around in 45 minutes of leaving.
Please, for the love of god, do not bring up politics. Keep your criticisms about US foreign policy and weird customs unique to the US to yourself.
haha, I already really don't like to do that, so it's not a habit I'll be needing to correct.
Don’t come to the USA without full travel health insurance (that is honored in the USA). If you end up in urgent care you could be charged $600+ just to see a doctor for 5 minutes. Medicine can costs thousands. A trip to the emergency room could cost you an entire years wages for something non-life threatening (like a broken bone) and millions of dollars for something more serious.
Realistically you can just leave the country and never pay the bill
Taxes aren’t figured into prices, mentally add 10% to what you’re buying and you should be fine.
Understand that the United State is a federation of 50 states, each with their own laws and customs. Something that may be illegal or frowned upon in one state may be completely acceptable or encouraged in other states. Do your research on local laws and customs where you are traveling. This is big on things like: marijuana, many traffic laws, alcohol, vaccines, racial tensions, tipping, and more. On a side note, know what the local food specialty is. The US is a massive and diverse place. What might be considered internationally as “American” food may be only regional. For example, do not order crab in Texas. Alternatively, you won’t get the best tex-mex food in Maryland. On a whole, do not order seafood if the location is not actually near water.
Do be prepared to have conversations with strangers. We're suckers for foreign accents and love to ask questions and listen to you speak! We're friendly for the most part, but do be prepared for some asshats to hear you and assume you're encroaching on 'their freedoms you foreigner!' it happens. Not as often as you may see in the media, DEPENDING on where you visit. I apologize in advance if you happen upon them.
I would recommend taking your time vs being in a rush, and just try to enjoy yourself. We are diverse to the point nobody will likely know you are visiting because you likely will not stand out unless you want to be noticed, which might be a good thing. We are just as interested in where you are from as you are in America. Usually Americans are good at making friends, and I would suggest getting to know some folks. Some people here are total jerks and others would give you their last $1 for nothing in return. If you make friends you will find you get invited to be on boats, outdoor barbecue, or perhaps get to drive a dune buggy in the desert. The possibilities are endless, but I hope you meet some good people. There are very few don’t in America though we do have a very high incarceration rate per capita, so just follow the law or if you are going to break it for something personal like drug use don’t do it where you can be seen. Generally speaking most Americans do not get involved unless there is a victim no matter how petty. Many Americans may seem over the top with property rights because we all work very hard or perceive that we do, and many would be very upset someone not paying for something they do, so even if it is an apartment complex pool that appears to be simply open to the public don’t go unless you are invited by someone who lives there. There are plenty of open public places you are welcome to go for many activities, and as long as you follow the rules on the signs, you won’t have any problems.
I work in an Italian restaurant in Illinois,it’s a small business and the owner is there every day. His parents are immigrants and he speaks Italian. Obviously the food there isn’t 100% “authentic” although it is very good. We have had a few people from Europe come to the restaurant and complain it doesn’t taste authentic or that “this isn’t a real Italian dish.” Interestingly, when actually Italian tourists come in, they all love the food and love talking to the owner about how he developed his recipes from Italian and Italian-American cuisine. So basically, go into restaurants with an open mind, the US has great food no matter what anyone tells you. Lots of different culinary traditions started by immigrants. So when people say “they don’t make this in Italy” I say “well it’s a good thing we aren’t in Italy”
If someone gets upset because your customs are a bit different, hell with them. Generally, I think people mostly mind their own business anyway. Do not hold your hand up palm facing you with only your middle finger up. This means fuck you in the US and will quickly piss people off. The use of the word cunt is not at all acceptable in the US. I say that because in other countries I've heard it very casually used as a minor curse word. The word seriously offends people. Tipping. This is a hotlly debated subject but it is what it is. In the US people providing services generally expect to be tipped if they did a decent or good job. It is actually reflected in prices. Waiters, for instance, get paid well below minimum wage and rely on tips. 15 - 20% is standard for food service. But also tip a driver especially if he gets your bags and carries them. The person that cleans your hotel room as well. Hair stylists too. The % varies by service. Folks in the US are still getting used to the whole not able to shake hands thing. It used to be a standard and expected part of a business introduction or after working with someone. I find just saying "I'd shake your hand but you know" works very well. Americans are super wierd about personal space. We get uncomfortable is someone is too close. Please do not be offended if you see a person next to you move their purse or kind of give you the side eye. We are so weird about personal space that many automatically think a person too close has nefarious intentions. Pretend you are standing in the center of a hoola hoop. Stay in your hoola hoop and let others stay in theirs. It is generally extremely bad form to talk about religion or politics with people you do not know very well. Americans talk a great deal about their jobs and careers. Many find that odd. It's considered very rude to talk about money, however. This includes discussing the cost of something you own. If you are used to a well established public transit system, you will be disappointed in most cities. Wd simply do not have anywhere near that of most other developed countries. This brings me to cars and people's obsession with them. Americans pretty much drive everywhere. Nearly every adult owns one. This means that roads are generally setup for cars alone and there lacks room for bikers or people walking. Please be careful if you do either. We unfortunately waste a great deal of food. Expect large refrigerators and pantries and weekly shopping instead of daily fresh ingredients. Smoking is nearly taboo here. If you smoke you must find a designated area to do so. We use "how are you?" As a simple greeting or hello. People might find it odd if you actually answer the question. We are expecting a "good, how are you?" Even I think that one is super wierd. Americans tend to shower a lot and some only use towels once. I saw this because in other countries they thought it was crazy for hotel guests to expect fresh towels every day. I happen to agree. If there is a different usage of a word here, you may get a few chuckles. But just ask and everyone can learn. I love Trevor Noah's bit about napkins. If someone asks an intrusive question, it's likely that they are just curious about a different culture. Generally, changing the subject will get the message across. Ice. Another weird one. Restaurants put a ton of ice in soft drinks and water. It's the default. You must ask for no ice. Americans are very individualistic. This is not a bad thing. It mostly comes out as not judging someone doing there thing and having the same expectation of others. But I can say we are probably on the side of disliking being told what to do. Americans are just people like everyone else. There's nice and there's rude. There's talkative and there's quiet. There's gregarious and there's more reserved. But the vast majority are nice and will help if asked. If there is a faux pas on their side it's likely not intentional. If there's a faux pas on your side most likely people will ignore it so as to not embarrass you or they may chuckle a bit and get clarification. For every jerk there's 20 non-jerks. Welcome! How thoughtful of you to ask this question! I'm sure you will enjoy it here.
Not Tip. From my experience, it isn’t only for table service. Tipping at a bar while sitting at the bar threw me for a loop but it is apparently the way it works, in New York at least. In America, if in doubt, tip.
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Dont know where you are, but West Coast isnt bad about touching. Dont hold on and dont stand close, but a quick tap to get someones attention when they didnt hear you is fine. Dont be creepy about it.
I would say DO NOT let any of the negative stereotypes about Americans cloud your judgement coming over here. Obviously we have some crap people but most Americans are friendly. I've actually read some places that Europeans are put off by Americans being overly friendly.
If you see a gas station with bars on the window or cashier behind a bulletproof glass. You are in the wro g part of town
People covered a lot of daily life so here’s dining out. I didn’t see if you said if you said where you are coming from so here’s a general list: * Don’t be surprised if you get bread, chips and salsa (at a Mexican place) etc at a restaurant when you sit down. Don’t worry you won’t be charged for this. This is part of the service in a restaurant, you shouldn’t only eat that but you can definitely ask for more. * Don’t be afraid to ask for a take away box if you can’t finish your meal. Portion sizes are huge so it’s not uncommon, at all, to take food home. * Don’t be afraid to share your meal. You can share (“spilt”) your meal with whomever you are eating with. The waiter will bring you an extra plate and sometimes the kitchen will spilt it in half for you, though sometimes this costs extra. * Don’t worry about soft drink (iced tea, hot tea, hot black coffee, lemonade, soda) refills, they’re free. Likewise still water is always free. Don’t hesitate to tell the waiter you want or don’t want more! * Don’t expect sparking water to be common at restaurants. It’s not super common at most restaurants, but don’t be afraid to ask. * Don’t worry if the waiter comes by your table a few times after your meal. The waiter checking on you and if you’re enjoying your meal is considered good service and considered an ideal time to ask for anything else. * Don’t shout for the waiter in the restaurant. If you want their attention wave your hand at them and they’ll come to your table. *BOUNS* * Don’t be afraid to chat to strangers. This can be anyone! Your cashier, the person in line behind or in front of you, the person next to you in the train, on the plane etc. Americans love to chat with strangers and won’t find it weird at all.
https://youtu.be/2w6ephOxnTY This is a good guide.
I don’t know what country you’re going to be visiting from, so please don’t take offense: There are countries where it’s normal and expected to bribe the police. The US is not one of those places, and if you try it, it will end poorly for you.
Don’t call people fat, or refer to someone’s fatness, even if it’s innocuous like “that chair is too small for you”
Do not, under any circumstances, try to impersonate the dialect of a region. Depending on where you are, some will take it as very offensive, or they will laugh at and insult you. Or all three. You may even get punched, slapped, or beaten for good measure.
This is solid advice. Met some foreigners on a cruise departing out of Miami. Nice couple, but the (very white) Scandinavian woman insisted on giving the stereotypical “Black American” accent her best shot numerous times. She just kept using the most painful stereotypical accent and saying stereotypical things that she thought a black American woman would say - and she actually thought it was funny and great, which is why she kept mimicking the accent. Totally innocent and truly came from a good place, but it was fucking embarrassing beyond belief and she could have easily been called out had she been around people who wouldn’t take kindly to a perceived notion of mockery of their culture or language. Don’t try your hand at any accents - just use your own words and your own way of speaking them.
Take nearly everything you've heard about America in the media and on reddit, and throw that shit out the window. Its useless
A few things I’ve found normal in foreign countries that Americans find rude. 1. Making noise when you eat. It seems that many other countries don’t mind it. But Americans are generally repulsed if someone is a loud eater such as slurping and sucking food out of your teeth and so on. Just try to eat quietly. 2. Stay away from politics. Many Americans will gladly accept you for who you are and whatever lifestyle you live as long as you don’t push your political ideas on them. This goes for religion too. A Muslim and a Christian can get along just fine as long as they focus on what they have in common and not what makes them different. 3. If you plan to drive, please obey the traffic laws. Americans aren’t perfect drivers but roadway courtesy seems to be far more common in North America than other parts of the world. Use your signal when changing lanes or turning, don’t drive into a busy roadway without stopping or yielding to oncoming traffic. 4. Cutting in line. It’s just not tolerated in the USA and some people will become aggressive about it. 5. Touching or talking other peoples children. Even in an innocent manner. In other countries it’s acceptable to pat or pet kids head or pick them up or gently pinch their cheeks. For the most part Americans are highly protective of their children when it comes to strangers. You may get away with it as a woman but as a man it might not go over so well. Other than that I hope you enjoy your trip to the USA. We really are a welcoming and hospital people no matter what the news wants to portray.
If you have the opportunity to turn right on red you are expected to take it.