America does a lot of things its own way— sometimes weird, sometimes genius, and sometimes just… While they think these things are perfectly normal, the rest of the world is side-eyeing hard.
Whether it’s eating habits or social norms that don’t make any sense outside of the U.S., one thing is certain: Americans aren’t going to change anytime soon. And, honestly? That’s sort of what makes it interesting.
Using Fahrenheit, Miles, and Other Mystery Measurements
Ask an American the temperature and they will tell you “it’s 85 degrees.” Cool, but what does that mean? The rest of the world operates in Celsius, kilometers, and liters, but the U.S. remains with Fahrenheit, miles, and cups—because who needs to make any sense when it’s simpler to be different?
Tipping for… Literally Everything
In any other nation, a tip is a kind little something, not a second salary that’s mandatory. But in the United States, not tipping is practically a felony. The tourists are confused when they see Americans doing math gymnastics to arrive at 20%—and outraged when they realize servers rely on it just in order to survive. “Why don’t they just compensate the employees fairly?” Great question, but America said, “Nah, let’s guilt-trip customers instead.”
Peanut Butter Obsession
Americans use peanut butter like it’s a major food group in America: PB&J, Reese’s, peanut butter-flavored cereal—you name it, it’s here. But try to present a jar of Skippy to a European and watch the face contort in horror. It turns out that in most countries peanut butter just doesn’t exist or is strictly for bodybuilders alone.
Portion Sizes That Would Feed a Small Village
A “medium” in the U.S. is the same as a “family-size” beverage everywhere else. And don’t even get us started on restaurant portions—America’s “single serving” would satisfy a European family of four. The rest of the world cannot understand the United States’ obsession with fast food, but Americans are just happily carrying around bucket-sized sodas and burgers bigger than their face.
Flags. So Many Flags.
No one loves their flag more than America does. It’s in houses, on cars, on apparel, even on underwear. Other countries have flags for actual national events only. Foreigners who visit the U.S. for the first time are left wondering, “Wait… is it a holiday? Oh no, it’s just every day.”
Cheerleaders in Schools Like It’s a Movie
Most countries have sports. But Friday Night Lights and high school cheerleaders? That’s America to the core. Foreigners find it’s straight out of a teen movie—and they’re not far off. No other country turns school sports into a mini-NFL season.
Writing the Date in the Most Confusing Order Possible
Only in America does April 7th, 2025 become 04/07/2025. The rest of the world is happy with day/month/year—i.e., the logical way. To the rest of the world, the format of the American date is sheer madness. Is it July 4th? April 7th? Who knows? Americans are just here spoiling international calendars left and right.
Drinking at 21, but Driving at 16
Americans can legally drive before they can legally drink. Sounds reasonable? Not quite. The rest of the globe watches in confusion as 16-year-olds drive but are not yet permitted a legal pint for another five years.
Huge Gaps Under Bathroom Stalls That Give Zero Privacy
If you’ve used a U.S. public restroom, you’re familiar with the terror: those huge, door-to-floor gaps. Other nations get full privacy, but American stalls allow you to inadvertently make eye contact with strangers while you pee. Why? No one knows.
Wearing Shoes Inside the House
Americans will walk around in muddy streets, trudge through who-knows-what, and then walk around living rooms like it’s okay to do that. But in all the rest of the world, as soon as you enter a home, you’d better take your shoes off or be prepared to be tackled. Foreigners are always shocked when they come to the U.S. and see Americans sitting on the couch wearing outside shoes.
Naming Everything ‘World’ Championships (Even if It’s Just the U.S.)
The World Series? The NBA World Championship? The Super Bowl winners being called “world champions”? Yeah, that is America for you. Other countries are confused, considering they weren’t invited to play in the first place. But if the U.S. is part of it, then it’s obviously the whole world, right?
Hugging People They Just Met
There are no personal boundaries when it comes to Americans. The rest of the globe is happy with handshakes (or even a nod) but Americans just go into full-on bear hugs on people they just met. It’s a social crisis for the Europeans and the Asians when they’re standing there stiff as a board and an American wraps around them in a surprise full-body hug.
The Super Bowl: More About Advertising Than Sports
In the rest of the world, sports events are, you know, about sports. In America? The Super Bowl is about commercials, halftime shows, and snacks. You can watch the whole thing and not even know who’s playing—and still enjoy it.
Pumpkin Spice Everything (Why is it in Everything?!)
Pumpkin spice is a full-on personality in America. It’s in lattes and cereal and even dog food if it’s fall. The rest of the world enjoys pumpkin in ‘soup or pie—’ not in every possible product. Even Canada (America’s chill cousin) is like, “Are you okay??”
Calling Themselves “American” (As If South America Does Not Exist)
The U.S. appropriates the entire identity of the two continents for itself. Technically speaking, everyone from Canada to Argentina is an American, but the U.S. acts like it’s the rightful owner of the name. Latin Americans in particular are side-eying this one all the time. Good luck with getting a U.S. citizen to start calling themselves “United Statesian,” though.
Obsession with Serial Killers
True crime is an American favorite. Way too much. From endless Netflix documentaries to serial killer fan pages (seriously?), the fixation is real. The rest of the world finds it all a bit… unsettling. Americans are like, “Yeah, let’s relax with a murder documentary.”
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