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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:46 am Post subject: Non-US people: Things you did/saw/experienced 1st in the US |
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Sorry for the slightly awkward title but I was trying to fit my topic into the small space allowed in the 'Subject' line.
Anyway the main theme is things that people not from the US experienced or saw for the first time whilst living in or visiting the US. These may be mundane minor cultural differences or massive surprising shocks. I'd say I experienced culture shock in the US, but it was a culmination of small things over a period of months, not a drastic change in culture.
For background information I'm British, but studied (2 semesters) and worked and travelled (three months) in the USA. I had a great time and I love the country a hell of a lot more than I would have if I'd just relied on TV and internet reports.
Anyway, here's a few things I either experienced for the first time or was surprised by whilst in the US:
- Boiling water on a stove top. In England everyone has an electric kettle with which to boil water. I felt like I was living in the 1950s when I had to fill a copper kettle up with water and put it on the stove. Strange, but in no way offensive. I put this difference down to the fact that Americans usually drink coffee and make it with a coffee maker which heats the water. In Britain we usually drink tea (or instant coffee) and thus use our electric kettles several times a day and as such have a greater use for them. The first time I visited the USA when I was 8 yrs old I was with my parents, and at the time I remember them remarking that it was "just like when we were growing up" as if the US was far far behind the UK in modernity.
- Baked beans being different. In Britain baked beans are vegetarian and they're made by Heinz (or a supermaket 'own brand'). In the US they are made by Heinz and several other companies and contain A BIG LUMP OF PORK FAT in them. This surprised me. The recipe is also different. The US baked beans are generally less suited to the classic British student dish of baked beans on toast.
- Fat people. Britain has fat people, but the US can take it to another level at times. For the first time in my life I saw a person SO fat that they had to drive a cart around the supermarket to buy their food. It was mostly junk food.. voyeur that I am I was so fascinated by someone of such size that I followed her and her trolley-pusher around for several minutes. I felt sorry for the supermarket-worker who had to pile-up and push her trolley full of crap, no offense intended towards the American snack food producers. By the way, 'trolley' is the British English word for shopping cart.
- Racism. It certainly exists in Britain, but I grew up in a nice safe bubble outside of such nonesense and then went to a prestigious University full of very polite politically correct people. The college I attended in the US was also very nice and full of politically correct people, but the bar just next to the campus was not. On my first night in the US a fellow called "Bobby Bones", and his buddy "Rich" told me that they knew that my country didn't have many "nigg-"s, and that they didn't like "nigg-s" except, as Rich finished for his buddy, "when they're hanging from trees!". I was shocked. I'd never ever experienced anything quite as in your face as that.
- points for attendance in college. At my University in the UK there was no percentage of our grade based on attendance. It was, strange as this may sound, a shocking concept to me. I was amazed that they gave points *just for turning up*. Of course in our 'tutorials' there were certaine expectations, but on the whole our grade was from what we produced in our essays and exams; there were no points just for being there.
- I saw a 20 year old girl cry and break into prayer - when an on-campus sorority party was busted by the campus police - because she was scared of getting caught drinking alcohol. I found the entire thing hilarious. I was 19 at the time. I could just imagine what my mother would say if they called her up and told her that they'd found her 19 year old son drinking alcohol.. (Hint: She would have laughed in their face because she has no idea that the US has a 21yr old drinking age requirement and wouldn't respect it if she did know)
- I made a fake ID. I made for the first time a fake ID at the age of 19. I'd been drinking in pubs in England since I was 15, but suddenly I ended up in certain situations in the US where I couldn't drink because I was 19 years old. So I made a fake ID. It was crap. I got busted. I got sentenced to 30 hours community service. I didn't do it. It was only the college's punishment, not a police thing so it's cool now.
-Got to study a variety of courses in college. In Britain, generally, you study your 'major' and that's mostly it. In the US I had to take 6 courses to do with my major (my home Uni's requirements), but I was free to choose whatever else I liked for other classes. As such I got to study an interesting history of Christianity class and Spanish, two things I could never study at my University due to my subject. I like the breadth of education available in the US, even at the college level. (In Britain I'd studied a mere 3 subjects from 16-18 and then at University I'd studied courses contained within my 'major'. This is normal in the UK.)
- I ate 'grilled cheese'. I swear if I hadn't gone to the US I would never have understoof what this meant. I'd seen it mentioned in novels and always had visions of cheese dripping through a grill and wondering how one was supposed to eat it. They never mention the fact that there's BREAD involved.
- I learned what a diner is. Of course I'd HEARD of diners, and I'd SEEN diners in movies, but I didn't experience the whole.. diner culture (is that right?) until I lived in the US. I love diners now. They're awesome on so many levels.
- I'd also never experienced a K-Mart or Walmart. I was amazed that a shop that sells Oreos also sells shotguns, shotgun shells, bows, arrows for the bow, and barbie dolls. Wow. That's America right there in one shop. Fantastic. They also sell car tires, tents and drugs. (I mean the pharmacy kind)
- Pharmacies (aka drug stores) selling cigars. That was hilarious to me. Why the hell does a medicine shop sell tobacco? And if they sell tobacco why the hell don't they sell liquor? I'm sure they do in some states, but not where I was.. I just couldn't get the logic behind whatever licencing was going on there.
OK that's enough for now. Those are things I experienced in the NE. I obviously experienced a lot more. And of course, I have just limited myself to things which I'd experienced for the first time in the USA, and had not experienced in the UK or other nations I'd visited. I hope some Aussies/Kiwis/Brits/Irish/Saffars/Europeans and even some Canadians might chip in with other things they first experienced in the US. I don't want this to be an American bashing thread since there's plenty available for bumping. |
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blaseblasphemener
Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Location: There's a voice, keeps on calling me, down the road, that's where I'll always be
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| When I was in kindergarten my family took a long trip through the U.S. and Mexico. While in New Orleans, I remember our family walking by what must have been a strip club, during the day, and the door was open. There was a girl dancing with what I later learned to be called pasties. What a shocking and wonderful introduction to the "Big Easy"! |
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Don Gately
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: In a basement taking a severe beating
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Non-US people: Things you did/saw/experienced 1st in the |
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| Hyeon Een wrote: |
| Fat people. Britain has fat people, but the US can take it to another level at times. For the first time in my life I saw a person SO fat that they had to drive a cart around the supermarket to buy their food. It was mostly junk food.. voyeur that I am I was so fascinated by someone of such size that I followed her and her trolley-pusher around for several minutes |
My friend, you put the "ass" in classless!
| Quote: |
| - Racism. It certainly exists in Britain, but I grew up in a nice safe bubble outside of such nonesense and then went to a prestigious University full of very polite politically correct people. The college I attended in the US was also very nice and full of politically correct people, but the bar just next to the campus was not. On my first night in the US a fellow called "Bobby Bones", and his buddy "Rich" told me that they knew that my country didn't have many "nigg-"s, and that they didn't like "nigg-s" except, as Rich finished for his buddy, "when they're hanging from trees!". I was shocked. I'd never ever experienced anything quite as in your face as that. |
Don't forget how we make monkey noises at black soccer players and throw bananas at them.
No, wait ... That's not us. |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Non-US people: Things you did/saw/experienced 1st in the |
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| Don Gately wrote: |
| Hyeon Een wrote: |
| Fat people. Britain has fat people, but the US can take it to another level at times. For the first time in my life I saw a person SO fat that they had to drive a cart around the supermarket to buy their food. It was mostly junk food.. voyeur that I am I was so fascinated by someone of such size that I followed her and her trolley-pusher around for several minutes |
My friend, you put the "ass" in classless!
| Quote: |
| - Racism. It certainly exists in Britain, but I grew up in a nice safe bubble outside of such nonesense and then went to a prestigious University full of very polite politically correct people. The college I attended in the US was also very nice and full of politically correct people, but the bar just next to the campus was not. On my first night in the US a fellow called "Bobby Bones", and his buddy "Rich" told me that they knew that my country didn't have many "nigg-"s, and that they didn't like "nigg-s" except, as Rich finished for his buddy, "when they're hanging from trees!". I was shocked. I'd never ever experienced anything quite as in your face as that. |
Don't forget how we make monkey noises at black soccer players and throw bananas at them.
No, wait ... That's not us. |
Don Gately:
Cheers. That's exactly what I was looking for. Whilst I pretended that I was looking for people to share their experiences in the US what I was ACTUALLY looking for was twats to take 'soundbites', twist them, and throw them back at people from the UK! That's awesome! Thanks dude, you made my year! Of course I grew up calling black people monkeys every day of my life before I came to Korea, it's what us Brits do (even the black ones!) All of us! Every last one of us! And we all, even if we're not doing it ourselves, experience it on a daily basis! Huzzah for British racism.
(NB. Sarcasm was used above. It's only common in the circles Don Gately moves in, not educated people.)
Everyone Else:
I think I was pretty careful in mentioning several positive experiences as well as several 'neutral' experiences about my times in the US. I think I only mentioned two negative things amongst a host of cultural differences. If anyone mistook my post for a bash on the US and thus wants to throw up a few wild straw men from my country and and tear them down in this thread, instead of starting another, then.. well.. go ahead. Not really the kind of topic I wanted to start though.
I merely wanted to express a few of the unique things I encountered in the US. Sure a couple of them were negative but if anyone thought the overwhelming theme of my original post had a negative intent then I've been sorely misunderstood. I apologize for any misunderstandings I may have caused. I personally have very positive feelings towards the US and greatly value the time I've spent there. I enjoyed experiencing a different western culture to that I grew up in whilst living and studying there and look forward to other people sharing their feelings. (And, for once in my life, I'm not being sarcastic)
So, any non-US people want to share things they experienced for the first time in the US? |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Speaking as a minority, the racism isn't bad at all IMO....you have your occasional idiot though....
As for the Pharmacy thing....pharmacies here have a history of selling all sorts of random stuff becuase in the olden days, most stores were forced to be closed on Sundays(or close early), and pharmacies were permitted on account of being medicinal.
Plenty of them sell alcohol, and more would if they could get the license. |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Ukon wrote: |
Speaking as a minority, the racism isn't bad at all IMO....you have your occasional idiot though....
As for the Pharmacy thing....pharmacies here have a history of selling all sorts of random stuff becuase in the olden days, most stores were forced to be closed on Sundays(or close early), and pharmacies were permitted on account of being medicinal.
Plenty of them sell alcohol, and more would if they could get the license. |
But...
It sounds like you're speaking as an American! And if you're not you're not telling me about new things you saw in the states! If you're not American tell me about new experiences you saw there please =)
Here's another couple for me:
In the south I was at a petrol station (gas station) and they sold beer in the refrigerator by the single bottle. I mean, who goes in to a petrol station and buys a single bottle of beer and DOESN'T drink and drive? Not many people.
But more excitingly, they had a whole 'griddle' thing going on and they were cooking up burgers and hot dogs and stuff.. that is something you would NEVER see in a petrol station in England. We buy overpriced plastic-wrapped sandwiches; we don't have a short-order cook on the go. I liked that a lot =)) They cooked decent stuff too, it wasn't like McDonalds. |
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Don Gately
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: In a basement taking a severe beating
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Hyeon Een wrote: |
| Ukon wrote: |
Speaking as a minority, the racism isn't bad at all IMO....you have your occasional idiot though....
As for the Pharmacy thing....pharmacies here have a history of selling all sorts of random stuff becuase in the olden days, most stores were forced to be closed on Sundays(or close early), and pharmacies were permitted on account of being medicinal.
Plenty of them sell alcohol, and more would if they could get the license. |
But...
It sounds like you're speaking as an American! And if you're not you're not telling me about new things you saw in the states! If you're not American tell me about new experiences you saw there please =)
Here's another couple for me:
In the south I was at a petrol station (gas station) and they sold beer in the refrigerator by the single bottle. I mean, who goes in to a petrol station and buys a single bottle of beer and DOESN'T drink and drive? Not many people.
But more excitingly, they had a whole 'griddle' thing going on and they were cooking up burgers and hot dogs and stuff.. that is something you would NEVER see in a petrol station in England. We buy overpriced plastic-wrapped sandwiches; we don't have a short-order cook on the go. I liked that a lot =)) They cooked decent stuff too, it wasn't like McDonalds. |
Any fat people to follow around in the gas station? |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Hyeon Een wrote: |
| Ukon wrote: |
Speaking as a minority, the racism isn't bad at all IMO....you have your occasional idiot though....
As for the Pharmacy thing....pharmacies here have a history of selling all sorts of random stuff becuase in the olden days, most stores were forced to be closed on Sundays(or close early), and pharmacies were permitted on account of being medicinal.
Plenty of them sell alcohol, and more would if they could get the license. |
But...
It sounds like you're speaking as an American! And if you're not you're not telling me about new things you saw in the states! If you're not American tell me about new experiences you saw there please =)
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Heaven forbid someone provides an explanation to one of our "quirks" here in the States. I always wondered why our pharmacies were like that. Thanks Ukon for the explanation. |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Don Gately wrote: |
Any fat people to follow around in the gas station? |
Yeah but luckily they waddle so slow that I could also eye up the vast array of obesity-enhancing supplements (err, I mean snacks) on offer. Do you wear a mu-mu by chance? |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| bucheon bum wrote: |
Heaven forbid someone provides an explanation to one of our "quirks" here in the States. I always wondered why our pharmacies were like that. Thanks Ukon for the explanation. |
No no, I think you misunderstand. I love the quirks of the US. My country has just as many strange quirks. If the thread is to go the way of explanations of American quirks then.. well that is OK. I have no problem with that. I was initially merely curious as to 'new' experiences non-Americans experienced in the USA.
Unfortunately Don Gately took offense to what I've seen and we went a little off-topic, but I'd still like to hear from other non-Americans about things they've seen for the first time in the 'states. Kind of like the threads about "I never saw ..... until I was in Korea" or however the thread title goes. |
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Don Gately
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: In a basement taking a severe beating
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Hyeon Een wrote: |
| Do you wear a mu-mu by chance? |
Why do you ask? Are you planning on stalking me now? |
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nolegirl
Joined: 17 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I ate 'grilled cheese'. |
I find that really funny. You should take grilled cheese and dip it in tomato soup, its delicious!!!
On a side note, I have never been to the UK (i'm from the states) but when you speak of violence and crime in England I think its sort of funny. I know there are criminals but I just think of everyone being so polite and having accents and drinking tea. Obviously, I am being thick headed but I just can't picture someone holding me up with a gun in such a nice accent. I just think everywhere in England as being safe and polite. And when you speak in an English accent you sound so intelligent, I have alot of Brits that I work with and they just sound so smart and half the time I don't understand them, there all from North England (I guess that means different accent) in Kirbymoorside and its harder to understand, especially when they are all talking at once and I am having to take meeting minutes for a meeting that I am having. I have no idea what they are saying, its like a different language. Thats my take on England
Hyeon did you get laid alot b/c American girls really like accents!!!
btw, You have to also take into account where you were in the US, if you ar in the NE, SE, West... all very, very different. |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Don Gately wrote: |
| Hyeon Een wrote: |
| Do you wear a mu-mu by chance? |
Why do you ask? Are you planning on stalking me now? |
Umm not so much. Not really into guys. Even if they have to wear a Mu-mu... I'm just not that into them. |
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aarontendo
Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Location: Daegu-ish
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Eh last I checked the UK was #3 in the world for obesity. Now given, America is #1 and all but hell, I wouldn't be too hasty in pointing out American fatties, you got your own and plenty of em.
(30% of Americans being obese, 23% of Brits).
Now, if you're talking about those giant human donuts that are like BMI 60 and crap, yeah we got a lot of those at home and you're probably right on that they don't exist nearly as much in the U.K. (God damn supersizing heh) |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| aarontendo wrote: |
Eh last I checked the UK was #3 in the world for obesity. Now given, America is #1 and all but hell, I wouldn't be too hasty in pointing out American fatties, you got your own and plenty of em.
(30% of Americans being obese, 23% of Brits).
Now, if you're talking about those giant human donuts that are like BMI 60 and crap, yeah we got a lot of those at home and you're probably right on that they don't exist nearly as much in the U.K. (God damn supersizing heh) |
Well yeah, I was talking about *my* experiences in the US which were about 7 years ago. I haven't spent much time in the Uk since then so maybe we do have people so big they can't shop for themselves nowadays.. it's just not something *I* ever saw in the UK. It was only one of my
many many points above and I wish it hadn't been the one people brought up..
Again, I didn't want this to be an anti-US thread! |
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