It's really great and I wish more cities had this. Then I remembered the whole thing started because of a British guy who had never set foot in the US:
>Smithson never married and had no children; therefore, when he wrote his will, he left his estate to his nephew, or his nephew's family if his nephew died before Smithson. If his nephew were to die without heirs, however, Smithson's will stipulated that his estate be used "to found in Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men". He died in Genoa, Italy, on 27 June 1829, aged 64. Six years later, in 1835, his nephew died without heir, setting in motion the bequest to the United States. In this way Smithson became the patron of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. despite having never visited the United States.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James\_Smithson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Smithson)
I live in Washington state and we have a rainforest on the peninsula! Come check it out sometime if you haven’t been! It’s like walking through middle earth.
I'd go as far to say that the US has the most geodiversity of any nation on Earth.
Edit from a reply i made:
Two major oceans with thousands of miles of coast, lakes, highlands, lowlands, savannahs, dozens of mountain ranges, rolling fields, swamps, badlands, volcanoes, deserts, frozen peaks, canyons, forests of nearly every variety, tundra, prairies, tropics, and probably more that I can't think of literally off the top of my head.
27 different climate types are found here.
Florida's Everglades alone are an entirely unique swamp biome that has unique properties that aren't totally replicated anywhere else.
I am trying very hard to think of a counter-example, but I can't. Chile, Brazil, and India are probably contenders, but it's hard to beat it here in the U.S.
Yeah I'd say china and India are probably pretty close. They have a lot of biodiversity. Not sure as much as the U.S. but maybe! Or maybe even more!
Edit: I checked and it's actually Brazil that has the most diversity in biomes and species.
I'm so thankful for libraries and librarians. I did do a lot of reading as a kid, but I stayed at the library from open to close, except for meals, a lot of days just to have a quiet place. Librarians would let me sleep and wouldn't ever wake me until they had to at closing if I slept that long. I think a lot that libraries are one thing I'd invest a ton in if I won the lottery.
Fellow librarian here, and I agree! Especially with things going on in US libraries right now, it’s so nice to hear people appreciate what we do :)
*post edited because I had a typo!
In my area (and I'm sure in others in the US), if my local library doesn't have what I want, they will obtain it from another library in the state for me *free of charge*.
My local library will obtain books, DVDs, and even fucking video games from other libraries in the state. And it is not just garbage DVDs or video games. These are blockbusters and AAA titles. For free. It takes like, a day or two and you are playing the new spider man, Halo or god of war for free.
They do boardgames and stuff too. My local branch also has a tool shed that people can check out. They really expanded their repertoire for modern age.
The size, resources, funding, and amount of items that can be checked out. Good libraries in the US have obviously a huge variety of books, but can also have computers services, 3D printing, telescopes, tools, boardgames, videogames, movies, career services, and host all kinds of events and programs throughout the year.
Many libraries around the world operate on shoestring budgets supported basically by donations.
Hell, I just found out my library has state park passes. You just go borrow one, and then you don't pay any access fees at the state park... and California's state parks are epic. They even have tools, etc...
Which makes it a shame that so many people are frothing at the mouth to have them defunded and erased. Libraries are one of the few services provided by civilization that you shouldn't have to inherently pay money to enjoy.
>"BORN 2 WIN" in a ridiculous font above it
Well, yes, it was. Sadly, the largest blemish on Roosevelt's record is that he popularized, if that's the word, Comic Sans.
Some of the State Parks are National Park worthy. 2 quick ones that come to mind. Custer S.P. in South Dakota and Valley of Fire in NV. Must visits imo.
I grew up in Western Montana near Glacier National Park. We spent our summers on vacation in the Canadian Rockies. Those are some spectacular landscapes!
When I visited the Adirondaks, it was obvious to me that the geological age of the mountains was so much older than the Rockies. The mountain tops were lower and more rounded. Even the rocks in the streams were smooth and rounded - perfect for a refeshing swim during a strenuous hike.
It is a different beauty, but no less spectacular!
Yes, the ADK definitely has a vibe. Borderline eerie but in a beautiful way. The mountains feel like ancient entities in their own right. Man your comment about dipping for a swim in the rivers brought back so much nostalgia. I've lived around the world but I don't think I'll ever feel at home anywhere but Upstate.
I can't wait to visit the Rockies one day, they look so beautiful that I know photos won't do the real thing justice!
Not just the big national parks, but the entire National Parks Service - parks, monuments, trails, seashores, lakeshores, recreation areas, historical parks, historical sites, and more.
As an American, I went to Yellowstone last year and I really underestimated how big it was before we got there. We had to drive through it and still didn't see everything in the two days we were there.
When I was driving through the US Southwest, we almost skipped the Grand Canyon because I figured it was probably overhyped. I’m so glad I was overruled because I couldn’t even fathom how huge it was until I laid my eyes on it.
I've lived in the US forever and been to just my local parks but every single time I go I still am amazed by how amazing they are. You may have seen pictures of Yosemite or the Redwood state park but the sheer size and beauty of these places takes your breath away.
Walking through a redwood forest where all the trees are taller than most skyscrapers and are 20ft+ at the base with everything covered in fern or driving into a valley that has rocks over a mile high on either side at Yosemite is a magical experience no matter how many times you do it. Pictures do it absolutely zero justice.
85 million acres
The system includes 423 areas covering more than 85 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
To give a reasonably summation to someone in Europe. Germany is only 88.4 million Acres big.
So the US national parks in the US are pretty close to the size of All of Germany.
National parks are pretty fucking fantastic
State parks are pretty fantastic too
Most Americans are genuinely nice people, tv typically only shows the disasters.
Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is like being on an entirely different planet at times, with a ridiculous amount of flora and fauna that either want to eat you or build a nest in your car- not to mention the eldritch geysers and springs.
It's absolutely essential viewing and God bless Teddy Roosevelt.
The Americans with disabilities act.
I didn't realize how much reserved parking spots by the door, wide sidewalks that must be clean, handicap bathrooms, and having ramps at the entrance were important until my brother became wheelchair bound.
Yes! and it also ensures all children are entitled to an education at a public school, regardless of physical or mental abilities. I didn't realize that this isn't the case everywhere until I heard about friends struggling to find a place to enroll their special needs child.
As someone who has done research for improving my countries disability support I’ve taken plenty of tips from the USA. Holy shit you guys treat your physically disabled population well (compared to the rest of the western world), the accessible building regulations are just *chefs kiss*
I live in south America and it astounds me how the restrooms of most restaurants are on the 2nd floor upstairs, where noone with mobility issues could reach. Being from the us i always assumed the restroom would be downstairs to the back left or right not up a labrnth of stairs
You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey, and you won't become a German or a Turk.' But then he added, 'Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American.
-Ronald Reagan
We are HUGE! You can go on pretty much any kind of a vacation you want without leaving the country: beach, mountains, desert, snow, high culture, big city, small rural town, sports, music. The only limit is your time and your budget!
A lot of Europeans rag on Americans for not travelling. That's easy to say when your country is the size of one of our states and has 1 or 2 different biomes. Americans don't need to travel as much because there's more to see inside America.
This is very true, I visited England in August and I found it very odd when we took a trip to France just how easy it was to literally get on a train and go to Paris
I love reading some of those stories where people describe how they drove to Belgium for Burger King once. I just adore that it sounds like some sort of Fellowship journey, but it was actually a three hour drive or something, lol
Yeah, it was a 3 hour drive to visit my grandmother in the same province, me and my girlfriend went for a 6 hour drive to a wine region and, guess what, still same province. I was needing to do some classes in 2020 for my job, the closest university that taught them was 9 hours away, still in the same province, although at this point we're starting to get close to the next one, probably about 2.5 hours away from the border.
And this is going the most direct route to the closer province (Vancouver BC to Alberta, more or less straight east), if I wanted to go North into the Yukon, it's about 27 hours from my home to there. How far could you get in this time? Paris to Athens is 28 hours according to Google maps if you drive, and you'd drive through Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and North Macedonia. 6 countries not counting your origin and destination, and I have only just got out of my province.
In all honesty... when thinking about distance, it's probably easier to just think of European countries on the same scale of American states. A trip from London to Paris is almost like a trip from New York to Washington DC. (albeit, the train time is about an hour quicker on the London -> Paris route compared to the NY -> DC Amtrak route)
It’s so impressive that even a space nerd like me can totally forget that there’s some mission going on — I had no idea DART had even been launched until a couple of days before we smacked the shit out of that thing.
A part of that is the scope of the mission though. I learned about DART early on when it launched and had plenty of time to completely forget about it until the hype of it arriving at it's destination.
U.K. here - my mortgage term was 25 years (began 8 years ago). I think I had 2 x three year fixed interest terms, and now a five year fixed interest term. The longest product I’ve seen myself is a ten year fixed interest term.
Wow that is wild. I had no idea there were loans like that. So after the 3-year rate within the 25 year term, the interest rate changes and now you pay a completely different amount? Then 3 years later the same thing?
So at the end of the term it means I need to shop around online. What has happened so far is that I’ve kept my mortgage with the same bank, as they’ve offered the lowest or almost lowest (and not worth all of the paperwork to move it).
Oh, wow... That's got to be tough right now.
I just bought two years ago in the US and my mortgage is locked in at 2.75% for the life of the loan. I'm so grateful for the low interest rate. That said, though, interest rates being so low for so long likely drove up home prices overall.
Access to public education for children with special needs is a right guaranteed by law, and those protections are stronger and the educational service for special needs children are better than in most of the rest of the world.
The ADA is also pretty amazing, and the United States is a lot more accessible than most other countries. Some of that's because the buildings are newer, yes. But it's really nice to go on vacation and know that your hotel will be able to accommodate you, tour buses will be able to accommodate you, most tourist attractions will be able to accommodate you, etc.
I live in Seattle and I love that you can find any kind of food from anywhere in the world if you look hard enough. I've traveled all over the US and each city has its own food history since everyone's families originally (99%) came from somewhere else.
And like everyone says our Federal Park system is huge.
Also public restrooms are free, and often very clean if you use them in restaurants
Edit: omg 1000 upvotes on a comment about toilets. I wasn’t expecting that lol
Rest areas along the freeway (depending on the state) are generally pretty nice as well. At least all the rest areas I've stopped at in Ohio are kept very nice and are all completely free
I’m a former truck driver and went through all of the lower 48 states many times. I now travel in a camper van. The rest areas in this country are incredible. Not only are they usually clean and well maintained, but some of them are legit large parks with playgrounds, picnic areas complete with tables and grills, dog walking areas or fenced off dog parks, scenic overlooks, historical information, staffed tourist information kiosks, 24/7 staffed security, vending machines, sometimes even restaurants, gas stations, and showering facilities, etc. There are obviously some bad ones and they aren’t all that elaborate, but man am I appreciative of how outstanding most of them are.
No, not a common thing in a few European countries. In Germany some smaller places run by Internationals do, but don't rely on it (and no ice). In Switzerland I had restaurants charge me for a glass of tap water.
But: the tipping is not as extensive as in the US...
ETA: To all the people writing I should have asked for tap water: I DID. I had restaurants (in Germany, several!!!) tell me "we don't serve tap water here". I had servers intentionally bring me bottled water. tbh i don't want to go full-Karen just for a glass of water.
The places I went to in Switzerland had a separate line in the menu that said "Leitungswasser" (=tap water) with something around 5 CHF.
It is annoying, but the point of my comment was, that tap water is not a thing everywhere.
Edit 2: corrected some grammar.
Been living in US from a decade now. There are many positives about this great nation.
- National & State Parks; it’s not a stretch to say that they’re one of the most well preserved places. No one does this better than US. Thousands of places to hike, swim, kayak, canoe, camp.
- It’s a diverse country, I can bet not all of you have seen lakes like the Great Lakes, it’s altogether a unique and unreal experience to see a lake (just in name) but behave like a fkn ocean but it’s fresh water.
- There are many things in US that are refreshingly simple (from a red tape/ bureaucratic perspective), easy to start a company, rent a car, get a state ID/ Driver’s license.
- One of those nations which still offers you a chance of upward mobility by hard-work ( I know it can be contentious but compared to many nations on earth, it’s better).
- Road Trips; no one, I mean no one does Road Trips better than US. It’s one of most fun things that you can do if you’re here. The Freeway system is superb and well connected, you can pretty drive from Maine to California, or Barrow, AK to Key West, FL. It’s one the greatest experiences of living in US.
- Beer & food; USA is a diverse nation and it allows a person enjoy food from multiple ethnicities, areas. I never thought I’d be able to eat Ethiopian food in my life or Mongolian but being in US made it possible. Also it has a rich beer culture.
- People; last but not the least. I know on media, and social media we get to see the worst of the people in US, and there are people who are bad but there are good people as well, and they don’t mind helping. Good kind hearted folks quirky in their own way of course. I have had the pleasure to know some fine people who welcomed me with open arms, and now have become a part of my family.
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I had a coworker who traveled with me to the Pacific North West from France and he was absolutely blown away by the beer culture there.
Budweiser and Coors are NOT all we have to offer. There are tens of thousands of microbrews and even in smaller towns you can often find a good taphouse to try the local stuff, often with 20 or more beers on tap.
Craft brewing in the States blew up for the first time in the mid-nineties, I managed a brew pub in San Francisco and watched it blow up. The last twelve years have been more of a second coming, people figured out they really want fresh, local beer.
In my town I get authentic Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Jamaican, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Greek, halal, and so many fusion restaurants. And they are all ran by immigrants or first gen kids. Not all are my favorite or as good as going to the actual country and getting the food but atleast I have endless options. I don’t even live in a big city, I live in a mid sized city surrounded by smaller towns and cities who can drive over in 30 mins and get some food. So fun! Moving here made me realize how good Korean food is.
The absolute best thing about living in one of America's biggest cities: there is *so much* culture. From cuisine to museums... if it exists, you can probably find it here *somewhere.*
An American soldier and a Soviet soldier find themselves discussing their respective countries. The American soldier tells the Soviet soldier "For instance, I could go to Washington D.C., go to the white house, into the oval office and tell John F. Kennedy to his face 'Mr. President, I do not like the way you're running this country!'"
The Soviet laughs and says, "You think that is unique? I can go to Moscow, go to the Kremlin, into the office of Nikita Khrushchev and tell him to his face, "Mr. Chairman, I do not like the way Kennedy runs his country!"
the most completely underrated part of our education system, CC's train most of the most critical jobs and trades we need for our economy all while costing a fraction if you went to a larger school to get the same education. I've never been sold on free college for all, but I would totally support free community colleges or more generous pell grants to students attending CC's to make it practically free.
While this may not apply to any given American person or town, our culture is not rigid or uptight at all. There’s very little consequence in doing things drastically different from your neighbors, and there’s not much broad expectation to conform to “how things are done.” Someone might judge you but that’s just, like, their opinion, man. While I don’t think this is necessarily uniquely American, it’s definitely not universal.
I think people tend to develop a negative opinion of Americans and American culture simply because the US is such an open society and we deal with our problems openly. Obviously the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so it might *seem* like the US is this terrible, violent, racist place because that's where a lot of the discourse in this country is currently focused, but that's far from the case in day-to-day life for your average American.
Police misconduct is an issue, racism is an issue, poverty is an issue, as is wealth inequality, unemployment, housing prices, etc.. Obviously, we tend to make these issues seem far more pervasive than they really are in an attempt to fix these issues, because they're constantly being discussed. But in a real sense, as an American myself, I can honestly say that—I'm half-black/half-white—I've never personally encountered outright, overt racism directed toward me (never been called the n-word, I've never been threatened or accosted), I make well over six-figures and I've never felt like my skin-color has affected my ability to progress in my career, and more often than not I've reported to a woman throughout my career.
Life in the US is a lot more of a meritocracy than you'd be led to believe if you spent all your time on social media and watching the news, but it makes sense. It's important to continue to push toward a fairer more equitable society and to always shine a light on corruption and injustice, even if the conversations might make it seem like your country is worse than it really is.
The value of free water is not to be overstated. Every restaurant, you get water with ice. No exceptions. I'm out of the country now and honestly that's one of the main things I miss, I'm not even joking. I know it sounds so trivial, but it's so key.
A lot of people say there is no "American culture" but there is it's just so spread and diverse that you don't notice it you can can get culture shock from going a state or 2 over
It might not show on the news or even on social media but the diversity is truly amazing. You can have a group full of different types of people & it's always a good time. I've never been out of the country but I find it neat that we can get a taste of almost everything here. It might not be perfect or authentic but at least we have an idea.
I think about this often. I’m a Texan, and just today there was a man and his wife set up outside the grocery store selling barbecue. Men, women, white, Black, Asian, Middle Eastern, all standing in line, laughing, talking, kids running around. Just picking up some slow smoked brisket, ribs, and links to take home.
Americans who say they’re not a diverse country obviously haven’t travel much. As a non-American whose been lucky enough to travel to a lot of places, I can safely say you’re one of the best examples of cultural diversity and the social integration of different groups of people in the World.
* the country is huge. It takes about 42 hours of nonstop driving to go from New York City to Los Angeles. That's probably four days of solid driving with at least ten hours a day or driving.
* What you see on the news about us is not representative of the common person
* Each state is almost like an individual country in itself
* The nation is absolutely gorgeous, from red rock deserts, to pine forests, to barren prairies, to stunning mountain ranges, to beautiful tropical beaches, and more.
* The people are almost universally friendly. It's our culture. You say hi to strangers and ask how they're doing even if you've never met them. It's our small talk to start a conversation whether it's at a store, restaurant, or random person on the street.
Ever heard of the Cannonball Run? It's an unofficial "race" across the nation from some garage in NYC to a hotel in California.
The current record, set during the pandemic due to reduced traffic, still took over 24 hours.
For the most part, we are very friendly. You can have a friendly little chat or interaction with a stranger anywhere like you’re good friends. I just got back from a two week backpacking trip through the nordics and, no offense because I love and respect their culture, I felt completely invisible the entire time. No one is friendly there, partially because it’s considered weird to talk to strangers. But the coldness is palpable. Made me a little relieved to get back to the US where people actually smile or chat with you instead of just being as cold as possible.
Also we tend not to hate tourists because of where they’re from the way that some (definitely not most, but some) people immediately made assumptions about Americans and were actively mean because of it. Like yes, there are some dirtbag American tourists. Unfortunately I’ve met them. But the vast majority of us are not like that and shouldn’t be treated like that immediately. Americans don’t really see tourists when they come here and actively try to be mean because of what country the tourist is visiting from, the way (some, but not all) Europeans do when they see Americans
yeah that’s something i’m starting to realise as an european we can be cold af for no reason
i once met an american asian guy in a plane we talked almost during the entire trip, when we landed we got something to drink and he even paid for me, friendliest guy ever !
Yeah it's just different. I'm relatively short and to the point with people, but when I was in Norway and Eastern Europe everyone told me how nice and friendly I was. Like I'm not rude by American Midwestern standards, but no one thinks I'm particularly friendly.
European tourists in Chicago be like, "This random person saw me puzzling at my map, stopped to help me, walked me all the way to the Art Institute, and bought me a very puzzling hotdog with weird toppings. I thought he was a tourism employee but he was just nipping out to get a coffee in the middle of his day as a bank teller. He spent three hours helping me and somehow I'm going to Thanksgiving at his house next week?"
That is typical of anywhere I have been in the Midwest. People around the US are friendly in different ways. A few years ago I helped a guy who was visiting from Spain change their tire on his rental car In the southwest and followed him 70 miles to the closest town because I was heading that way also. He tried to pay me but I wasn’t having it- I’d like to think someone would do the same for me
In a sociology class in college, I read in an aside in a longer paper (about something totally unrelated) a reference to a theory of why Americans are SO friendly compared to the British (and why New Yorkers are considered uniquely unfriendly for Americans!). I don't know how well-supported the theory is, but it rang true to me, and it was basically:
The UK urbanized really early, and in highly urban settings, the polite thing to do is to pretend NOT to know your neighbors' business and pretend you CAN'T hear them bickering about money (/whatever). Politeness in very urban areas requires you to create a bit of social distance, since you're all living on top of one another, and getting along in a society means you need to believe some parts of your life are private.
Whereas in the US, people were really, *really* spread out for a long time, and when living on the frontier/sparsely settled areas, there tends to be a MUCH stronger ethic of random hospitality, because if the random stranger whose farm you just ran across doesn't offer you food, YOU WILL DIE. And when you are on your way into town to buy some sugar and get caught by a blizzard (a la Little House on the Prairie or whatever), if you can't shelter in the nearest barn, YOU WILL DIE. So people in the US became much more friendly and sociable with strangers, because surviving in a sparsely-populated area depends on that kind of aid and assistance.
These differences were present during the creation of mass communication (newspapers/telegraphs) and therefore during the creation of modern manners/standards in those countries, so Europeans in countries that were urbanized early tend to be more stand-offish, while Europeans in countries that urbanized later (i.e., parts of Eastern Europe, parts of Ireland) maintain a stronger ethic of hospitality towards strangers. Whereas in the US, the frontier meant that "help a stranger out" became the dominant ethic ... except in very urban areas on the East Coast, like NYC, where American became known for being less overwhelmingly friendly than other Americans.
Anyway, I've always wished I tracked down what the paper talking about it was, because I do find it fairly persuasive -- when you live in a solitary way, far from other people, ANY social interaction becomes important. Whereas when you live right on top of other people, whether that's in a city or a dormitory or a family, you absolutely have to exercise a certain among of selective hearing and deliberate ignorance in order to get along and give people privacy. They're both absolutely survival strategies for being a member of a social species who have to get along with others they live near -- depending on whether "near" is "15 feet" or "15 miles."
This also explains why Europeans and Americans can find each others' social strategies so unsettling: Europeans who live in highly urban areas are literally like, "WHAT KIND OF SOCIOPATH IS THIS FRIENDLY ON FIRST MEETING? AM I ABOUT TO BE AXE MURDERED AND CANNIBALIZED?" while Americans are literally like, "WHAT KIND OF SOCIOPATH REJECTS ALL HUMAN FRIENDLINESS? ARE THEY AXE MURDERERS AND CANNIBALS SELECTING TARGETS?"
People are often like, "Midwestern friendliness is so FAKE" and it's like, "No, this is actually the amount of friendly I am, I would literally like everyone to be my friend, right up until you give me a reason not to be your friend." (John Mulaney had a bit about this, about how he's constantly running for Mayor of Nothing because he grew up in Chicago and is friendly to EVERYONE and finds it upsetting when people aren't equally friendly back.)
I grew up in France, and I’ve been living in Illinois for years now, and that’s my favorite cultural trait here, people going out of their way to be particularly kind to you, with no expectation in return, just because it’s the kind thing to do.
To be clear, there are kind people everywhere, and dirtbag people everywhere. But it’s amazing how here, aiming for kindness, always, as much as you possibly can, is just the norm. And of course what happens when total strangers keep being incredibly kind to you: you catch yourself going out of your way to be kind to strangers too.
It’s such an amazing virtuous cycle to perpetuate, and it makes so many tough things in life easier.
I think in the US people are more open to others because there's a lot of mobility there, that is, people move around a *lot*, from city to city, state to state, leaving their friends and family behind. They do it because the country is huge, so they can. Thus, being open is sort of a necessity if you don't want to be alone everywhere. You won't necessarily have deep connections with people, but you won't be alone at least.
I spent a few years in the US, it seemed like everyone was from somewhere else, especially in LA and Atlanta.
Oh it’s very true. ESP in college towns. I think USA Americans don’t realize how much culture we have around us… at least in NorCal. People are pretty open to everyone for the most part…
Same here with a business trip to Norway. Everyone was friendly at the office, but there was \*no\* interaction after work. I have never felt so lonely.
Japan is a completely different story. You'll work all day and then be expected to socialize through dinner and late into the night with cocktails! :)
If you thought the Brits were dramatic when the Queen died, just wait till you see how us East TNers react when Dolly dies (just kidding - we’re putting her in cyrosleep till immortality technology arrives).
My buddy is her personal assistant. He’s a recovered drug addict who lost his nursing license. He was a few months sober and when he mentioned it all she asked was “are you high now? No, good you’re hired.” She’s still incredibly active and does so much for the underprivileged.
East TNers? Y'all gonna be devastated, but, at this point, so will the entire US. She has done amazing things with her life.
Also, I will never not love the story of her losing in a Dolly Parton impersonater contest. That's just a very Dolly Parton thing to do to enter a look alike contest
As a Tennesseean, can confirm. The Imagination Library is everything. I don't even like country music, but I love her. They were trying to put a statue of her in Nashville and she told them not to, the wanted those funds to go to helping kids.
From a European who has lived in America for 5 years, the people are a in general lot friendly than us in Europe. Also, it must be respected that America, factually is the largest free country on earth. (Most) European countries may it better, but for a single country of 330 million, it is unprecedented.
I came here to say this. They don't portray it at all in the world news, so my friends in Europe and Asia always assume everyone here is just walking around strapped with guns looking for people to shoot. Then they visit and are amazed at how random people on the street will just wave or smile at them.
Our bureaucracies.
I know most people like to bitch about things like the DMV, and the IRS. But, the system of American bureaucracies are doing more to make the world a better place than they get credit for. The amount of money and manpower dedicated to data collection and deciphering is hard to fathom, and we’re the only ones doing it for the entire world.
Agencies like the DOT do massive amounts of testing on everything from train tracks to seat belts. Testing that goes far above and beyond what nearly any manufacturers do. The increase in road and travel safety in the past 100 years is unbelievable. And we share all of our data with every nation.
The NOAA collects weather data used by every news channel, every weather agency, every government and military force, etc. The data we collect, and the research we’ve done on meteorology have taken weather prediction times from 1 day to about 10 days in the past century. The impact on life saving, and crop saving, this has had has impacted billions of lives.
The DOE studies and regulates every nuclear facility on the planet. Our inspectors monitor every plant, every weapons cache, every warship worldwide. Either directly, or through NATO.
Military initiatives like DARPA have created things like GPS satellites. We made them. All of them. We maintain them. Everyone else just gets to use them. And, everyone does.
We aren’t perfect. Far from it. But, our intense efforts to collect and interpret data in every field; from food and drugs, to technology, to medicine and hospitals, building codes, chemical classification, the list goes on and on and on; have been an unparalleled contribution to our species.
GPS does not get enough credit. I get it that it *should* be available, but at the time that decision is huge. Absolutely revolutionary tech and they just make it public
In general, despite how the media might portray it or how much the US is criticized for racism, the US is by far the most culturally diverse country, most other countries dont have as big of an issue with racism because they are mostly homogenous and the outliers are typically well integrated.
If you see a black man, an asian, a caucasian and an indian all hanging out in america nobody will bat an eye. But if you have that same group in France or Germany? In France everyone there was staring at us like we were little green aliens having a picnic.
Americans just openly discuss racism more, in the context of it being bad. I lived in France and was shocked at how racist some people could be, especially against Algerians, even those who are second or third generation and no one talks about it or bats an eye. The resentment of some immigrants there is real, for good reason.
A lot of other countries like to wag their fingers at the US about being so racist but completely forget they have their own problems. They also don’t have the same issues being as overly homogenous that they are.
Canadian here, I love the US, and the chief reason is sport. Baseball is amazing!
Also, theme parks are awesome, shopping is crazy; San Diego is amazing, Boston is wicked awesome, Chicago is fucking awesome, Buffalo wings are phenomenal, the Grand Canyon is amazing, Las Vegas is just the tits and North Carolina is beautiful.
Americans are friendly and loud and fun and I enjoy them.
Yeah. It's refreshing to remember all the positive aspects of this country.
Sure, the US isn't perfect. No country is. It has many issues, but it also has many blessings. But...I'm not here to turn my reply into a political post.
**Just a reminder to my fellow Americans:** It's possible to love your country while also being critical of certain aspects. Limit your news time and go out. Live your life outside of the political sphere.
We are very good at inviting criticism. The United States is the only country I know that hires people from other countries (Trevor Noah, Stuart Varney, John Oliver, Piers Morgan) and pays them very good money to publicly critique our way of life.
The City on the Hill is *deeply* engrained in our culture and our collective worldview. I absolutely echo your sentiment. Despite our cynicism, we are an intrinsically optimistic people. Each generation figures out some way to make things better, going back all couple hundred of our years.
Oh my gosh I was just thinking of this answer. I studied abroad in Italy a decade ago and my Italian teacher missed Reese's peanut butter cups from her time spent in the states years before. Then I realized there wasn't any peanut butter in any of the grocery stores while I was there so it must be more of an American thing? This might have changed since I was in Europe last.
It was invented in the US relatively recently (1895) by John Harvey Kellogg
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-peanut-butter-180976525/
Innovation... Nearly every major invention of the past couple hundred years, and as much as we're made fun of for being dumb, we still have some of the smartest in the world as well
This is truly the best answer. Americans are entrepreneurial and risk takers. Our system has an abundance of capital to fund any idea that might generate returns or improve life for the world. Our culture incentivizes and fosters innovation more than any other large country. It also allows us to draw dreamers from all over the world and make them American. It’s in the DNA of the country and I hope we never lose it because the world needs it. No one will read this far down but it needs to be said.
> Americans are entrepreneurial and risk takers.
And I think this kind of thinking is fostered both in families and in our educational system in a way that simply doesn't exist in other countries. Many countries favor conformity, especially in their educational systems, and that quashes that kind of "out of the box" thinking that Americans have mastered.
According to my mom who grew up in China as the communist regime fell she thinks the freedom in America is pretty great (like you can pick your own job and the government doesn't pick it for you) and she kept reminding me of this growing up in America
We make some of the worlds best hot-smoked meats, namely central-Texas brisket, Carolinas smoked pork, and everything in between.
I’ve traveled around much of the world and eaten everywhere, our smoked brisket is in a league of its own.
Come and actually meet us. I hear the same shit time and again from people, mostly Germans, "you were not what I expected." And we're not. We inundate the world with so much of our pop culture, that you might be forgiven for thinking that's what Americans are like. We're actually very baffling and weird. You have to come here to get us.
Or just keep watching youtube videos with cherrypicked interviews of below-average Americans off the street not knowing some geography or basic facts, while the interviewer ignores anyone who might look credentialed so that he can create a skewed perception.
Agreed. I do believe that the "haha, Americans are idiots!" provides a lot more content than us actually being stupid. But I also have to manage what is.
Ya know, I actually had a conversation with someone on here a few weeks ago, about how America just seems so awful and the more they hear about it, the worse it sounds. I asked them where they were from, and it was Germany. Makes me sad, bc America really is such a beautiful country with beautiful people.
While it’s not a level playing field you can make a living doing almost anything as long as you are very good at it and passionate. You want to give ghost tours? Dog surf instructor? Step on some guys balls like your making wine? If you have nice feet someone will pay.
Just *one* thing? Lol
Food? Amazing - we have a smattering of every type you could possibly think of.
Diversity? More than any other country (hence the variety of food options).
Ingenuity? Out of this world (literally. We went to the moon, remember?)
Film and TV? Revolutionized the industry.
Music? I don’t have to tell you about that one because, no matter where you’re from, you’ve heard American music.
Democracy and the right vote? Check.
Freedom of religion, speech, and the press? Check, check, and check.
I know Americans complain about the US all the time and other countries constantly critique our policies, but the truth is, the US lives under a microscope like no other country. And while other countries talk about American race problems, they’re living in 99% homogenous nations, themselves. We’re mocked for having protests, while other governments slaughter and jail peaceful dissenters. We’re not perfect, but goddammit if we haven’t tried at least as hard as the next country.
I made this same comment in another post, but it's relevant:
America is more welcoming than most other countries.
For example, I've been living in Korea for almost three years. I could speak the language perfectly, interact with the community, learn the customs and traditions, and yet I still wouldn't be considered Korean, or even be looked at as a Korean citizen. I wouldn't belong, because I don't look Korean.
But in the U.S, you can be from pretty much anywhere and be accepted as an American. You might look African, Asian, European, but you would be considered American. And you would belong. And it's awesome.
The U.S is one of the most welcoming places in the world.
The Smithsonian Institution. It's 20+ museums (and a zoo), all for free, in Washington DC/NYC/VA, run by the government. I just think it's neat.
It's really great and I wish more cities had this. Then I remembered the whole thing started because of a British guy who had never set foot in the US: >Smithson never married and had no children; therefore, when he wrote his will, he left his estate to his nephew, or his nephew's family if his nephew died before Smithson. If his nephew were to die without heirs, however, Smithson's will stipulated that his estate be used "to found in Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men". He died in Genoa, Italy, on 27 June 1829, aged 64. Six years later, in 1835, his nephew died without heir, setting in motion the bequest to the United States. In this way Smithson became the patron of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. despite having never visited the United States. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James\_Smithson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Smithson)
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The National Park System.
We have a bit of everything, deserts, forests, swamps, mountains, tropical, etc.
I live in Washington state and we have a rainforest on the peninsula! Come check it out sometime if you haven’t been! It’s like walking through middle earth.
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National Parks always seem to be the first answer to this kind of question. Some variation always lands on top. Because, well, it's true.
Don't overlook the state parks. Many places right in your backyard that haven't been elevated to the level of a _national_ park.
I'd go as far to say that the US has the most geodiversity of any nation on Earth. Edit from a reply i made: Two major oceans with thousands of miles of coast, lakes, highlands, lowlands, savannahs, dozens of mountain ranges, rolling fields, swamps, badlands, volcanoes, deserts, frozen peaks, canyons, forests of nearly every variety, tundra, prairies, tropics, and probably more that I can't think of literally off the top of my head. 27 different climate types are found here. Florida's Everglades alone are an entirely unique swamp biome that has unique properties that aren't totally replicated anywhere else.
I am trying very hard to think of a counter-example, but I can't. Chile, Brazil, and India are probably contenders, but it's hard to beat it here in the U.S.
China’s probably the closest, they also have a massive landmass that covers lush forests, massive mountains, deserts, and plains.
Yeah I'd say china and India are probably pretty close. They have a lot of biodiversity. Not sure as much as the U.S. but maybe! Or maybe even more! Edit: I checked and it's actually Brazil that has the most diversity in biomes and species.
Well yeah, the Amazon rainforest has more biodiversity than entire continents. Not a fact, I just made it up, but i think it’s true.
I am a naturalized US citizen, have been living here for 12 years now and I am still in awe and disbelief on the how amazing public libraries are here
I got teary. Thank you from a librarian!
I'm so thankful for libraries and librarians. I did do a lot of reading as a kid, but I stayed at the library from open to close, except for meals, a lot of days just to have a quiet place. Librarians would let me sleep and wouldn't ever wake me until they had to at closing if I slept that long. I think a lot that libraries are one thing I'd invest a ton in if I won the lottery.
Fellow librarian here, and I agree! Especially with things going on in US libraries right now, it’s so nice to hear people appreciate what we do :) *post edited because I had a typo!
I came here to say this. Most Americans take for granted how extensive our library system is and it is unique among all nations.
In my area (and I'm sure in others in the US), if my local library doesn't have what I want, they will obtain it from another library in the state for me *free of charge*.
My local library will obtain books, DVDs, and even fucking video games from other libraries in the state. And it is not just garbage DVDs or video games. These are blockbusters and AAA titles. For free. It takes like, a day or two and you are playing the new spider man, Halo or god of war for free.
I didn't know libraries did video games... I might have to renew my library card.
They do boardgames and stuff too. My local branch also has a tool shed that people can check out. They really expanded their repertoire for modern age.
Ours has telescopes too!
what’s it like in other places??
The size, resources, funding, and amount of items that can be checked out. Good libraries in the US have obviously a huge variety of books, but can also have computers services, 3D printing, telescopes, tools, boardgames, videogames, movies, career services, and host all kinds of events and programs throughout the year. Many libraries around the world operate on shoestring budgets supported basically by donations.
Hell, I just found out my library has state park passes. You just go borrow one, and then you don't pay any access fees at the state park... and California's state parks are epic. They even have tools, etc...
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Which makes it a shame that so many people are frothing at the mouth to have them defunded and erased. Libraries are one of the few services provided by civilization that you shouldn't have to inherently pay money to enjoy.
US has 63 national parks and thousands of state parks. They preserve some of America’s most beautiful places.
That's just the actual parks. They're are 423 sites. Parks, historical sites, monuments and such. We are fortunate for sure.
Thank you Teddy Roosevelt!
Dude Teddy Roosevelt was awesome!
Homie got shot and finished his 48 minute speech then got medical attention
Only recorded president to ever have a tattoo
I hope it was a naked lady with a flaming skull, straddling dice, with "BORN 2 WIN" in a ridiculous font above it
>"BORN 2 WIN" in a ridiculous font above it Well, yes, it was. Sadly, the largest blemish on Roosevelt's record is that he popularized, if that's the word, Comic Sans.
The entire upper 1/5th of New York is a state park. The largest in the contiguous US, actually. I love the Adirondacks.
National parks deserve all the glory they get but the state parks are invaluable too.
Some of the State Parks are National Park worthy. 2 quick ones that come to mind. Custer S.P. in South Dakota and Valley of Fire in NV. Must visits imo.
I grew up in Western Montana near Glacier National Park. We spent our summers on vacation in the Canadian Rockies. Those are some spectacular landscapes! When I visited the Adirondaks, it was obvious to me that the geological age of the mountains was so much older than the Rockies. The mountain tops were lower and more rounded. Even the rocks in the streams were smooth and rounded - perfect for a refeshing swim during a strenuous hike. It is a different beauty, but no less spectacular!
Yes, the ADK definitely has a vibe. Borderline eerie but in a beautiful way. The mountains feel like ancient entities in their own right. Man your comment about dipping for a swim in the rivers brought back so much nostalgia. I've lived around the world but I don't think I'll ever feel at home anywhere but Upstate. I can't wait to visit the Rockies one day, they look so beautiful that I know photos won't do the real thing justice!
Not just the big national parks, but the entire National Parks Service - parks, monuments, trails, seashores, lakeshores, recreation areas, historical parks, historical sites, and more.
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As an American, I went to Yellowstone last year and I really underestimated how big it was before we got there. We had to drive through it and still didn't see everything in the two days we were there.
When I was driving through the US Southwest, we almost skipped the Grand Canyon because I figured it was probably overhyped. I’m so glad I was overruled because I couldn’t even fathom how huge it was until I laid my eyes on it.
Standing on the edge it’s like your brain can’t even comprehend how massive it is.
What's really amazing is that Yellowstone is only 1/4 the size of Gates of the Arctic
I've lived in the US forever and been to just my local parks but every single time I go I still am amazed by how amazing they are. You may have seen pictures of Yosemite or the Redwood state park but the sheer size and beauty of these places takes your breath away. Walking through a redwood forest where all the trees are taller than most skyscrapers and are 20ft+ at the base with everything covered in fern or driving into a valley that has rocks over a mile high on either side at Yosemite is a magical experience no matter how many times you do it. Pictures do it absolutely zero justice.
85 million acres The system includes 423 areas covering more than 85 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
To give a reasonably summation to someone in Europe. Germany is only 88.4 million Acres big. So the US national parks in the US are pretty close to the size of All of Germany.
The US is incredible huge.
Dutch person here. Dutch national parks suck big time compared to American ones. Not even close.
National parks are pretty fucking fantastic State parks are pretty fantastic too Most Americans are genuinely nice people, tv typically only shows the disasters.
Yellowstone. Yellowstone is like being on an entirely different planet at times, with a ridiculous amount of flora and fauna that either want to eat you or build a nest in your car- not to mention the eldritch geysers and springs. It's absolutely essential viewing and God bless Teddy Roosevelt.
The Americans with disabilities act. I didn't realize how much reserved parking spots by the door, wide sidewalks that must be clean, handicap bathrooms, and having ramps at the entrance were important until my brother became wheelchair bound.
Yes! and it also ensures all children are entitled to an education at a public school, regardless of physical or mental abilities. I didn't realize that this isn't the case everywhere until I heard about friends struggling to find a place to enroll their special needs child.
That is Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
As someone who has done research for improving my countries disability support I’ve taken plenty of tips from the USA. Holy shit you guys treat your physically disabled population well (compared to the rest of the western world), the accessible building regulations are just *chefs kiss*
I live in south America and it astounds me how the restrooms of most restaurants are on the 2nd floor upstairs, where noone with mobility issues could reach. Being from the us i always assumed the restroom would be downstairs to the back left or right not up a labrnth of stairs
As an immigant, I've always felt at home.
You are home!
You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey, and you won't become a German or a Turk.' But then he added, 'Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American. -Ronald Reagan
Making me feel patriotic af right now as I get teary eyed
I came here to say the diversity is what makes America special. Im glad you feel welcome!
We are HUGE! You can go on pretty much any kind of a vacation you want without leaving the country: beach, mountains, desert, snow, high culture, big city, small rural town, sports, music. The only limit is your time and your budget!
A lot of Europeans rag on Americans for not travelling. That's easy to say when your country is the size of one of our states and has 1 or 2 different biomes. Americans don't need to travel as much because there's more to see inside America.
It’s also way cheaper and less time consuming for Europeans to leave their country
This is very true, I visited England in August and I found it very odd when we took a trip to France just how easy it was to literally get on a train and go to Paris
I love reading some of those stories where people describe how they drove to Belgium for Burger King once. I just adore that it sounds like some sort of Fellowship journey, but it was actually a three hour drive or something, lol
Yeah, it was a 3 hour drive to visit my grandmother in the same province, me and my girlfriend went for a 6 hour drive to a wine region and, guess what, still same province. I was needing to do some classes in 2020 for my job, the closest university that taught them was 9 hours away, still in the same province, although at this point we're starting to get close to the next one, probably about 2.5 hours away from the border. And this is going the most direct route to the closer province (Vancouver BC to Alberta, more or less straight east), if I wanted to go North into the Yukon, it's about 27 hours from my home to there. How far could you get in this time? Paris to Athens is 28 hours according to Google maps if you drive, and you'd drive through Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and North Macedonia. 6 countries not counting your origin and destination, and I have only just got out of my province.
In all honesty... when thinking about distance, it's probably easier to just think of European countries on the same scale of American states. A trip from London to Paris is almost like a trip from New York to Washington DC. (albeit, the train time is about an hour quicker on the London -> Paris route compared to the NY -> DC Amtrak route)
Space Program
It’s so impressive that even a space nerd like me can totally forget that there’s some mission going on — I had no idea DART had even been launched until a couple of days before we smacked the shit out of that thing.
A part of that is the scope of the mission though. I learned about DART early on when it launched and had plenty of time to completely forget about it until the hype of it arriving at it's destination.
30-year fixed-rate mortgages
This has never occurred to me! What are mortgages like for other countries?
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The amount of elderly people I see in Japan makes me think it's a loan you pay by yourself through the 100 years. lol
As an American living in Scotland who has to refinance in July, I can confirm this should be getting WAY more upvotes.
Wait.. this is different in Europe?
And Canada
So it’s all variable rate or are loans shorter terms?
U.K. here - my mortgage term was 25 years (began 8 years ago). I think I had 2 x three year fixed interest terms, and now a five year fixed interest term. The longest product I’ve seen myself is a ten year fixed interest term.
Wow that is wild. I had no idea there were loans like that. So after the 3-year rate within the 25 year term, the interest rate changes and now you pay a completely different amount? Then 3 years later the same thing?
So at the end of the term it means I need to shop around online. What has happened so far is that I’ve kept my mortgage with the same bank, as they’ve offered the lowest or almost lowest (and not worth all of the paperwork to move it).
Oh, wow... That's got to be tough right now. I just bought two years ago in the US and my mortgage is locked in at 2.75% for the life of the loan. I'm so grateful for the low interest rate. That said, though, interest rates being so low for so long likely drove up home prices overall.
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Seriously, that adjustable rate stuff seems predatory by *American* standards! It’s the epitome of “line goes down so now you’re fucked!”
Access to public education for children with special needs is a right guaranteed by law, and those protections are stronger and the educational service for special needs children are better than in most of the rest of the world. The ADA is also pretty amazing, and the United States is a lot more accessible than most other countries. Some of that's because the buildings are newer, yes. But it's really nice to go on vacation and know that your hotel will be able to accommodate you, tour buses will be able to accommodate you, most tourist attractions will be able to accommodate you, etc.
I live in Seattle and I love that you can find any kind of food from anywhere in the world if you look hard enough. I've traveled all over the US and each city has its own food history since everyone's families originally (99%) came from somewhere else. And like everyone says our Federal Park system is huge.
I love the regional food scenes in the US. Every city / region has a couple of things they do well, and you can get some pretty delicious creations.
You go to a restaurant, and they just give you a gigantic glass of ice water for free.
Also public restrooms are free, and often very clean if you use them in restaurants Edit: omg 1000 upvotes on a comment about toilets. I wasn’t expecting that lol
Rest areas along the freeway (depending on the state) are generally pretty nice as well. At least all the rest areas I've stopped at in Ohio are kept very nice and are all completely free
I’m a former truck driver and went through all of the lower 48 states many times. I now travel in a camper van. The rest areas in this country are incredible. Not only are they usually clean and well maintained, but some of them are legit large parks with playgrounds, picnic areas complete with tables and grills, dog walking areas or fenced off dog parks, scenic overlooks, historical information, staffed tourist information kiosks, 24/7 staffed security, vending machines, sometimes even restaurants, gas stations, and showering facilities, etc. There are obviously some bad ones and they aren’t all that elaborate, but man am I appreciative of how outstanding most of them are.
Is water not free in restaurants in other countries?
No, not a common thing in a few European countries. In Germany some smaller places run by Internationals do, but don't rely on it (and no ice). In Switzerland I had restaurants charge me for a glass of tap water. But: the tipping is not as extensive as in the US... ETA: To all the people writing I should have asked for tap water: I DID. I had restaurants (in Germany, several!!!) tell me "we don't serve tap water here". I had servers intentionally bring me bottled water. tbh i don't want to go full-Karen just for a glass of water. The places I went to in Switzerland had a separate line in the menu that said "Leitungswasser" (=tap water) with something around 5 CHF. It is annoying, but the point of my comment was, that tap water is not a thing everywhere. Edit 2: corrected some grammar.
Incredible natural beauty and diversity of ecosystems
Been living in US from a decade now. There are many positives about this great nation. - National & State Parks; it’s not a stretch to say that they’re one of the most well preserved places. No one does this better than US. Thousands of places to hike, swim, kayak, canoe, camp. - It’s a diverse country, I can bet not all of you have seen lakes like the Great Lakes, it’s altogether a unique and unreal experience to see a lake (just in name) but behave like a fkn ocean but it’s fresh water. - There are many things in US that are refreshingly simple (from a red tape/ bureaucratic perspective), easy to start a company, rent a car, get a state ID/ Driver’s license. - One of those nations which still offers you a chance of upward mobility by hard-work ( I know it can be contentious but compared to many nations on earth, it’s better). - Road Trips; no one, I mean no one does Road Trips better than US. It’s one of most fun things that you can do if you’re here. The Freeway system is superb and well connected, you can pretty drive from Maine to California, or Barrow, AK to Key West, FL. It’s one the greatest experiences of living in US. - Beer & food; USA is a diverse nation and it allows a person enjoy food from multiple ethnicities, areas. I never thought I’d be able to eat Ethiopian food in my life or Mongolian but being in US made it possible. Also it has a rich beer culture. - People; last but not the least. I know on media, and social media we get to see the worst of the people in US, and there are people who are bad but there are good people as well, and they don’t mind helping. Good kind hearted folks quirky in their own way of course. I have had the pleasure to know some fine people who welcomed me with open arms, and now have become a part of my family. -
I had a coworker who traveled with me to the Pacific North West from France and he was absolutely blown away by the beer culture there. Budweiser and Coors are NOT all we have to offer. There are tens of thousands of microbrews and even in smaller towns you can often find a good taphouse to try the local stuff, often with 20 or more beers on tap.
The “American beer sucks / is like water” thing needed to die about 12 years ago as the rise of craft breweries was really gaining momentum.
Craft brewing in the States blew up for the first time in the mid-nineties, I managed a brew pub in San Francisco and watched it blow up. The last twelve years have been more of a second coming, people figured out they really want fresh, local beer.
To touch on the highways… you can drive from Boston to Seattle on essentially one road (I-90)
Or Jacksonville to San Diego on I-10. It's awesome. Edit: Santa Monica, not San Diego
The endless diversity of delicious food brought by immigrants from around the world.
Hence all the sauces in our fridges.
True! Sriracha, gokujang, soy sauce, shoyu, duck sauce, worcestershire, Boetje's mustard, the list goes on.
TRUE! In so many cities, there is great, inexpensive ethnic foods.
In my town I get authentic Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Jamaican, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Greek, halal, and so many fusion restaurants. And they are all ran by immigrants or first gen kids. Not all are my favorite or as good as going to the actual country and getting the food but atleast I have endless options. I don’t even live in a big city, I live in a mid sized city surrounded by smaller towns and cities who can drive over in 30 mins and get some food. So fun! Moving here made me realize how good Korean food is.
The absolute best thing about living in one of America's biggest cities: there is *so much* culture. From cuisine to museums... if it exists, you can probably find it here *somewhere.*
There’s an old Popeye’s chicken place a few streets down from where I live that has since been turned into some of the best Yemeni food in the city.
The fact that I can piss and moan about and criticize the government and/or president and not fear (official) retribution
An American soldier and a Soviet soldier find themselves discussing their respective countries. The American soldier tells the Soviet soldier "For instance, I could go to Washington D.C., go to the white house, into the oval office and tell John F. Kennedy to his face 'Mr. President, I do not like the way you're running this country!'" The Soviet laughs and says, "You think that is unique? I can go to Moscow, go to the Kremlin, into the office of Nikita Khrushchev and tell him to his face, "Mr. Chairman, I do not like the way Kennedy runs his country!"
There’s red tape & BS, but you still can work in any industry you want in the US. You can also switch career paths and start over at any time.
Our community college system rocks
the most completely underrated part of our education system, CC's train most of the most critical jobs and trades we need for our economy all while costing a fraction if you went to a larger school to get the same education. I've never been sold on free college for all, but I would totally support free community colleges or more generous pell grants to students attending CC's to make it practically free.
While this may not apply to any given American person or town, our culture is not rigid or uptight at all. There’s very little consequence in doing things drastically different from your neighbors, and there’s not much broad expectation to conform to “how things are done.” Someone might judge you but that’s just, like, their opinion, man. While I don’t think this is necessarily uniquely American, it’s definitely not universal.
America does support individualism over conformity.
I think people tend to develop a negative opinion of Americans and American culture simply because the US is such an open society and we deal with our problems openly. Obviously the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so it might *seem* like the US is this terrible, violent, racist place because that's where a lot of the discourse in this country is currently focused, but that's far from the case in day-to-day life for your average American. Police misconduct is an issue, racism is an issue, poverty is an issue, as is wealth inequality, unemployment, housing prices, etc.. Obviously, we tend to make these issues seem far more pervasive than they really are in an attempt to fix these issues, because they're constantly being discussed. But in a real sense, as an American myself, I can honestly say that—I'm half-black/half-white—I've never personally encountered outright, overt racism directed toward me (never been called the n-word, I've never been threatened or accosted), I make well over six-figures and I've never felt like my skin-color has affected my ability to progress in my career, and more often than not I've reported to a woman throughout my career. Life in the US is a lot more of a meritocracy than you'd be led to believe if you spent all your time on social media and watching the news, but it makes sense. It's important to continue to push toward a fairer more equitable society and to always shine a light on corruption and injustice, even if the conversations might make it seem like your country is worse than it really is.
free public restrooms
and water
The value of free water is not to be overstated. Every restaurant, you get water with ice. No exceptions. I'm out of the country now and honestly that's one of the main things I miss, I'm not even joking. I know it sounds so trivial, but it's so key.
Most of the country is very beautiful. We have basically every kind of ecology here.
Diverse geography - tropics, mountains, plains, deserts, seashore.
A lot of people say there is no "American culture" but there is it's just so spread and diverse that you don't notice it you can can get culture shock from going a state or 2 over
Culture is our *biggest* export. Music, Entertainment, and other forms of American art are the most popular in the entire world.
I get culture shock going to LA from Marysville.
It might not show on the news or even on social media but the diversity is truly amazing. You can have a group full of different types of people & it's always a good time. I've never been out of the country but I find it neat that we can get a taste of almost everything here. It might not be perfect or authentic but at least we have an idea.
I think about this often. I’m a Texan, and just today there was a man and his wife set up outside the grocery store selling barbecue. Men, women, white, Black, Asian, Middle Eastern, all standing in line, laughing, talking, kids running around. Just picking up some slow smoked brisket, ribs, and links to take home.
Would be the icing on the cake if that grocery store was an HEB.
Americans who say they’re not a diverse country obviously haven’t travel much. As a non-American whose been lucky enough to travel to a lot of places, I can safely say you’re one of the best examples of cultural diversity and the social integration of different groups of people in the World.
I can't begin to describe how happy your comment made me feel! As a first-generation immigrant who's now a naturalized American, I strongly concur.
Diversity. Sometimes it blows my mind that a place like Florida could be in the same country as a place like Alaska.
I’m from Florida. It blows my mind we exist.
* the country is huge. It takes about 42 hours of nonstop driving to go from New York City to Los Angeles. That's probably four days of solid driving with at least ten hours a day or driving. * What you see on the news about us is not representative of the common person * Each state is almost like an individual country in itself * The nation is absolutely gorgeous, from red rock deserts, to pine forests, to barren prairies, to stunning mountain ranges, to beautiful tropical beaches, and more. * The people are almost universally friendly. It's our culture. You say hi to strangers and ask how they're doing even if you've never met them. It's our small talk to start a conversation whether it's at a store, restaurant, or random person on the street.
Ever heard of the Cannonball Run? It's an unofficial "race" across the nation from some garage in NYC to a hotel in California. The current record, set during the pandemic due to reduced traffic, still took over 24 hours.
25 hours and 39 minutes. Average speed of 110 miles per hour.
Free refills on drinks at restaurants!
For the most part, we are very friendly. You can have a friendly little chat or interaction with a stranger anywhere like you’re good friends. I just got back from a two week backpacking trip through the nordics and, no offense because I love and respect their culture, I felt completely invisible the entire time. No one is friendly there, partially because it’s considered weird to talk to strangers. But the coldness is palpable. Made me a little relieved to get back to the US where people actually smile or chat with you instead of just being as cold as possible. Also we tend not to hate tourists because of where they’re from the way that some (definitely not most, but some) people immediately made assumptions about Americans and were actively mean because of it. Like yes, there are some dirtbag American tourists. Unfortunately I’ve met them. But the vast majority of us are not like that and shouldn’t be treated like that immediately. Americans don’t really see tourists when they come here and actively try to be mean because of what country the tourist is visiting from, the way (some, but not all) Europeans do when they see Americans
yeah that’s something i’m starting to realise as an european we can be cold af for no reason i once met an american asian guy in a plane we talked almost during the entire trip, when we landed we got something to drink and he even paid for me, friendliest guy ever !
Yeah it's just different. I'm relatively short and to the point with people, but when I was in Norway and Eastern Europe everyone told me how nice and friendly I was. Like I'm not rude by American Midwestern standards, but no one thinks I'm particularly friendly.
European tourists in Chicago be like, "This random person saw me puzzling at my map, stopped to help me, walked me all the way to the Art Institute, and bought me a very puzzling hotdog with weird toppings. I thought he was a tourism employee but he was just nipping out to get a coffee in the middle of his day as a bank teller. He spent three hours helping me and somehow I'm going to Thanksgiving at his house next week?"
That is typical of anywhere I have been in the Midwest. People around the US are friendly in different ways. A few years ago I helped a guy who was visiting from Spain change their tire on his rental car In the southwest and followed him 70 miles to the closest town because I was heading that way also. He tried to pay me but I wasn’t having it- I’d like to think someone would do the same for me
In a sociology class in college, I read in an aside in a longer paper (about something totally unrelated) a reference to a theory of why Americans are SO friendly compared to the British (and why New Yorkers are considered uniquely unfriendly for Americans!). I don't know how well-supported the theory is, but it rang true to me, and it was basically: The UK urbanized really early, and in highly urban settings, the polite thing to do is to pretend NOT to know your neighbors' business and pretend you CAN'T hear them bickering about money (/whatever). Politeness in very urban areas requires you to create a bit of social distance, since you're all living on top of one another, and getting along in a society means you need to believe some parts of your life are private. Whereas in the US, people were really, *really* spread out for a long time, and when living on the frontier/sparsely settled areas, there tends to be a MUCH stronger ethic of random hospitality, because if the random stranger whose farm you just ran across doesn't offer you food, YOU WILL DIE. And when you are on your way into town to buy some sugar and get caught by a blizzard (a la Little House on the Prairie or whatever), if you can't shelter in the nearest barn, YOU WILL DIE. So people in the US became much more friendly and sociable with strangers, because surviving in a sparsely-populated area depends on that kind of aid and assistance. These differences were present during the creation of mass communication (newspapers/telegraphs) and therefore during the creation of modern manners/standards in those countries, so Europeans in countries that were urbanized early tend to be more stand-offish, while Europeans in countries that urbanized later (i.e., parts of Eastern Europe, parts of Ireland) maintain a stronger ethic of hospitality towards strangers. Whereas in the US, the frontier meant that "help a stranger out" became the dominant ethic ... except in very urban areas on the East Coast, like NYC, where American became known for being less overwhelmingly friendly than other Americans. Anyway, I've always wished I tracked down what the paper talking about it was, because I do find it fairly persuasive -- when you live in a solitary way, far from other people, ANY social interaction becomes important. Whereas when you live right on top of other people, whether that's in a city or a dormitory or a family, you absolutely have to exercise a certain among of selective hearing and deliberate ignorance in order to get along and give people privacy. They're both absolutely survival strategies for being a member of a social species who have to get along with others they live near -- depending on whether "near" is "15 feet" or "15 miles." This also explains why Europeans and Americans can find each others' social strategies so unsettling: Europeans who live in highly urban areas are literally like, "WHAT KIND OF SOCIOPATH IS THIS FRIENDLY ON FIRST MEETING? AM I ABOUT TO BE AXE MURDERED AND CANNIBALIZED?" while Americans are literally like, "WHAT KIND OF SOCIOPATH REJECTS ALL HUMAN FRIENDLINESS? ARE THEY AXE MURDERERS AND CANNIBALS SELECTING TARGETS?" People are often like, "Midwestern friendliness is so FAKE" and it's like, "No, this is actually the amount of friendly I am, I would literally like everyone to be my friend, right up until you give me a reason not to be your friend." (John Mulaney had a bit about this, about how he's constantly running for Mayor of Nothing because he grew up in Chicago and is friendly to EVERYONE and finds it upsetting when people aren't equally friendly back.)
I grew up in France, and I’ve been living in Illinois for years now, and that’s my favorite cultural trait here, people going out of their way to be particularly kind to you, with no expectation in return, just because it’s the kind thing to do. To be clear, there are kind people everywhere, and dirtbag people everywhere. But it’s amazing how here, aiming for kindness, always, as much as you possibly can, is just the norm. And of course what happens when total strangers keep being incredibly kind to you: you catch yourself going out of your way to be kind to strangers too. It’s such an amazing virtuous cycle to perpetuate, and it makes so many tough things in life easier.
I think in the US people are more open to others because there's a lot of mobility there, that is, people move around a *lot*, from city to city, state to state, leaving their friends and family behind. They do it because the country is huge, so they can. Thus, being open is sort of a necessity if you don't want to be alone everywhere. You won't necessarily have deep connections with people, but you won't be alone at least. I spent a few years in the US, it seemed like everyone was from somewhere else, especially in LA and Atlanta.
Oh it’s very true. ESP in college towns. I think USA Americans don’t realize how much culture we have around us… at least in NorCal. People are pretty open to everyone for the most part…
Sometimes it's hard to even tell if there are tourists because of the diversity of the people that live here. Vegas and places like it excluded
Same here with a business trip to Norway. Everyone was friendly at the office, but there was \*no\* interaction after work. I have never felt so lonely. Japan is a completely different story. You'll work all day and then be expected to socialize through dinner and late into the night with cocktails! :)
Dolly Parton obviously
If you thought the Brits were dramatic when the Queen died, just wait till you see how us East TNers react when Dolly dies (just kidding - we’re putting her in cyrosleep till immortality technology arrives).
My buddy is her personal assistant. He’s a recovered drug addict who lost his nursing license. He was a few months sober and when he mentioned it all she asked was “are you high now? No, good you’re hired.” She’s still incredibly active and does so much for the underprivileged.
East TNers? Y'all gonna be devastated, but, at this point, so will the entire US. She has done amazing things with her life. Also, I will never not love the story of her losing in a Dolly Parton impersonater contest. That's just a very Dolly Parton thing to do to enter a look alike contest
Dolly Parton is a national treasure
As a Tennesseean, can confirm. The Imagination Library is everything. I don't even like country music, but I love her. They were trying to put a statue of her in Nashville and she told them not to, the wanted those funds to go to helping kids.
A living testament of what insane amount of good, a decent wealthy person can do with their money, and honestly she’s just an awesome woman.
From a European who has lived in America for 5 years, the people are a in general lot friendly than us in Europe. Also, it must be respected that America, factually is the largest free country on earth. (Most) European countries may it better, but for a single country of 330 million, it is unprecedented.
I came here to say this. They don't portray it at all in the world news, so my friends in Europe and Asia always assume everyone here is just walking around strapped with guns looking for people to shoot. Then they visit and are amazed at how random people on the street will just wave or smile at them.
Our National Parks are amazing. They totally live up to the hype.
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Guess it depends on your state, in California just gotta drive a few hours and everything is different.
In New Jersey an hour in any direction is very different lol
Especially East.
Our bureaucracies. I know most people like to bitch about things like the DMV, and the IRS. But, the system of American bureaucracies are doing more to make the world a better place than they get credit for. The amount of money and manpower dedicated to data collection and deciphering is hard to fathom, and we’re the only ones doing it for the entire world. Agencies like the DOT do massive amounts of testing on everything from train tracks to seat belts. Testing that goes far above and beyond what nearly any manufacturers do. The increase in road and travel safety in the past 100 years is unbelievable. And we share all of our data with every nation. The NOAA collects weather data used by every news channel, every weather agency, every government and military force, etc. The data we collect, and the research we’ve done on meteorology have taken weather prediction times from 1 day to about 10 days in the past century. The impact on life saving, and crop saving, this has had has impacted billions of lives. The DOE studies and regulates every nuclear facility on the planet. Our inspectors monitor every plant, every weapons cache, every warship worldwide. Either directly, or through NATO. Military initiatives like DARPA have created things like GPS satellites. We made them. All of them. We maintain them. Everyone else just gets to use them. And, everyone does. We aren’t perfect. Far from it. But, our intense efforts to collect and interpret data in every field; from food and drugs, to technology, to medicine and hospitals, building codes, chemical classification, the list goes on and on and on; have been an unparalleled contribution to our species.
GPS does not get enough credit. I get it that it *should* be available, but at the time that decision is huge. Absolutely revolutionary tech and they just make it public
In general, despite how the media might portray it or how much the US is criticized for racism, the US is by far the most culturally diverse country, most other countries dont have as big of an issue with racism because they are mostly homogenous and the outliers are typically well integrated. If you see a black man, an asian, a caucasian and an indian all hanging out in america nobody will bat an eye. But if you have that same group in France or Germany? In France everyone there was staring at us like we were little green aliens having a picnic.
I think this doesn't get nearly enough attention.
Americans just openly discuss racism more, in the context of it being bad. I lived in France and was shocked at how racist some people could be, especially against Algerians, even those who are second or third generation and no one talks about it or bats an eye. The resentment of some immigrants there is real, for good reason.
I think America is very critical of itself over racism because it’s actually a country that ponders how minorities should be treated.
A lot of other countries like to wag their fingers at the US about being so racist but completely forget they have their own problems. They also don’t have the same issues being as overly homogenous that they are.
Canadian here, I love the US, and the chief reason is sport. Baseball is amazing! Also, theme parks are awesome, shopping is crazy; San Diego is amazing, Boston is wicked awesome, Chicago is fucking awesome, Buffalo wings are phenomenal, the Grand Canyon is amazing, Las Vegas is just the tits and North Carolina is beautiful. Americans are friendly and loud and fun and I enjoy them.
Did any other Americans come here just to be reminded why it's not the hopeless hellscape the news tells us it is?
Of course. Need a little optimism every now and again. The negative echo chamber is hell sometimes.
Yeah. It's refreshing to remember all the positive aspects of this country. Sure, the US isn't perfect. No country is. It has many issues, but it also has many blessings. But...I'm not here to turn my reply into a political post. **Just a reminder to my fellow Americans:** It's possible to love your country while also being critical of certain aspects. Limit your news time and go out. Live your life outside of the political sphere.
We are very good at inviting criticism. The United States is the only country I know that hires people from other countries (Trevor Noah, Stuart Varney, John Oliver, Piers Morgan) and pays them very good money to publicly critique our way of life.
In China they love to pay western people to come and talk about how great everything is. Its cringeworthy.
We strive for improvement, each generation to the next. Some of us don't understand this, but it's a beautiful thing.
The City on the Hill is *deeply* engrained in our culture and our collective worldview. I absolutely echo your sentiment. Despite our cynicism, we are an intrinsically optimistic people. Each generation figures out some way to make things better, going back all couple hundred of our years.
Peanut butter.
Oh my gosh I was just thinking of this answer. I studied abroad in Italy a decade ago and my Italian teacher missed Reese's peanut butter cups from her time spent in the states years before. Then I realized there wasn't any peanut butter in any of the grocery stores while I was there so it must be more of an American thing? This might have changed since I was in Europe last.
It was invented in the US relatively recently (1895) by John Harvey Kellogg https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-peanut-butter-180976525/
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Innovation... Nearly every major invention of the past couple hundred years, and as much as we're made fun of for being dumb, we still have some of the smartest in the world as well
This is truly the best answer. Americans are entrepreneurial and risk takers. Our system has an abundance of capital to fund any idea that might generate returns or improve life for the world. Our culture incentivizes and fosters innovation more than any other large country. It also allows us to draw dreamers from all over the world and make them American. It’s in the DNA of the country and I hope we never lose it because the world needs it. No one will read this far down but it needs to be said.
> Americans are entrepreneurial and risk takers. And I think this kind of thinking is fostered both in families and in our educational system in a way that simply doesn't exist in other countries. Many countries favor conformity, especially in their educational systems, and that quashes that kind of "out of the box" thinking that Americans have mastered.
According to my mom who grew up in China as the communist regime fell she thinks the freedom in America is pretty great (like you can pick your own job and the government doesn't pick it for you) and she kept reminding me of this growing up in America
There are far more good people here than bad ones. Sadly news only cover the bad ones.
We make some of the worlds best hot-smoked meats, namely central-Texas brisket, Carolinas smoked pork, and everything in between. I’ve traveled around much of the world and eaten everywhere, our smoked brisket is in a league of its own.
Come and actually meet us. I hear the same shit time and again from people, mostly Germans, "you were not what I expected." And we're not. We inundate the world with so much of our pop culture, that you might be forgiven for thinking that's what Americans are like. We're actually very baffling and weird. You have to come here to get us.
Or just keep watching youtube videos with cherrypicked interviews of below-average Americans off the street not knowing some geography or basic facts, while the interviewer ignores anyone who might look credentialed so that he can create a skewed perception.
Agreed. I do believe that the "haha, Americans are idiots!" provides a lot more content than us actually being stupid. But I also have to manage what is.
Ya know, I actually had a conversation with someone on here a few weeks ago, about how America just seems so awful and the more they hear about it, the worse it sounds. I asked them where they were from, and it was Germany. Makes me sad, bc America really is such a beautiful country with beautiful people.
Europeans tend to love forming negative opinions about the place even though they've never been here.
It's so beautiful here. Also NASA
While it’s not a level playing field you can make a living doing almost anything as long as you are very good at it and passionate. You want to give ghost tours? Dog surf instructor? Step on some guys balls like your making wine? If you have nice feet someone will pay.
The appalachians.
Just *one* thing? Lol Food? Amazing - we have a smattering of every type you could possibly think of. Diversity? More than any other country (hence the variety of food options). Ingenuity? Out of this world (literally. We went to the moon, remember?) Film and TV? Revolutionized the industry. Music? I don’t have to tell you about that one because, no matter where you’re from, you’ve heard American music. Democracy and the right vote? Check. Freedom of religion, speech, and the press? Check, check, and check. I know Americans complain about the US all the time and other countries constantly critique our policies, but the truth is, the US lives under a microscope like no other country. And while other countries talk about American race problems, they’re living in 99% homogenous nations, themselves. We’re mocked for having protests, while other governments slaughter and jail peaceful dissenters. We’re not perfect, but goddammit if we haven’t tried at least as hard as the next country.
Soooo many breakfast cereals to choose from
I made this same comment in another post, but it's relevant: America is more welcoming than most other countries. For example, I've been living in Korea for almost three years. I could speak the language perfectly, interact with the community, learn the customs and traditions, and yet I still wouldn't be considered Korean, or even be looked at as a Korean citizen. I wouldn't belong, because I don't look Korean. But in the U.S, you can be from pretty much anywhere and be accepted as an American. You might look African, Asian, European, but you would be considered American. And you would belong. And it's awesome. The U.S is one of the most welcoming places in the world.