yeah i get that, it really just depends on where you're from. i live in a big city and in the city, everyone minds their own business and gets stuff done. 20 mins into the suburbs, EVERYONE talks and is so sweet. it's pretty funny actually!
As an american, one that really confused me when i went to england was people asking “[are] you alright?” As a greeting. I was just thinking “um...yes? Why is something wrong?”
A friend from the UK was coming to visit. I lived in Knoxville, TN at the time. He was planning to visit Nashville. But he wanted to "drive over to Texarkana" first, and then swing back to Nashville. Um ... How much time ya got? Because it's, like, 5 hours just to get to Memphis from Knox.
I mean.... it can be done.... kinda... You gotta plan out your trip and limit your stops. From Kansas to Tennessee Hit the road no later than 5am to miss the morning rush hour in Kansas city, and to miss the lunch rush hour in St. Louis The evening rush hour in Nashville is inevitable, Annnnd you should be in Chattanooga around 8pm
Driving from Gary to Evansville (in Indiana) is far enough. Is that like driving from Dublin to Galway, or Londonderry to Skibbereen? Just did some googling, and Indiana is larger than Ireland; Indiana is ranked 38th in square miles of area as compared to other states in America. Holy moley, great great granddad.
The difference between Americans and Europeans (and UK peoples) is, Europeans think 100 miles is a long drive, Americans think 100 years is a long time.
Don't forget America is huge and most Americans never see more than 10 states in their life. Why would I travel to overseas when I still have 17 states to explore plus the U.S. Territories Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the North Mariana Islands.
that and most can't afford the price of international travel when domestic is many times cheaper. my cousin flew from Australia to Delaware (4 flights, I think) for our grandaddy's funeral and there was no way she was able to afford it, my aunt and uncle paid for her tickets. it's thousands of dollars to get even coach class plane tickets if you're traveling a long distance so that's why we don't travel. within the 48 states flights are almost always under $1000 round trip.
Which is a shame. It would be nice to disagree politically but still be friendly. French people do that, but Americans aren't about to emulate the French.
Most Americans really don't care about foreigner's opinions on American politics. It's really just seen as rude and idiotic here. This can be especially true when they speak about guns or healthcare
The expense of parking in cities is a shock to Americans in cities as well. I’m lucky to live in Houston where I can avoid paid lots/garages unless I really need something downtown.
In Center City (downtown) Philadelphia I saw parking garages offering $40.00 parking for a day. Most were going for about $20.00 though. Here in South Central PA, parking downtown is more normal : about $1.00 per hour unless you're allowed to park in a parking lot. Cities are expensive.
I never realized my own culture until I came back from studying abroad in Japan. Just random people started to speak with me in the elevator, I forgot how often small talk happens in America.
This! I went to japan for 2 weeks and it was like reverse culture shock arriving back in the states. People yelling FUCK YOU and police sirens was a very abrupt welcome to chicago lol
It's gross right? My time in Jpan was so much more relaxing with the dead silence and people who won't make eye contact and telling crying children to shut up on the train. Fucking heaven
If you don’t know anyone, that may be the experience. I’m a teacher and when I was there my door was knocked on at 7am every day as my former students - who had somehow FOUND EACH OTHER AND COORDINATED - came to pick me up while I was still in my PJs and sit with me from breakfast on, all day, even being there outside my conference to pick me up so I was unable to network with colleagues. I was not allowed to use the subway alone or anything. It was so *incredibly* caring but this introvert would just go home at the end of the day and cry with exhaustion. The friendliness of people who do know you puts American hospitality to shame 100 times over.
When I came to Ireland for the first time, for a couple days I thought I was coming down with some illness, because every shop I went to, the cashier asked, "Are you okay?" Took me a minute to realize that they were saying the equivalent of, "How can I help you?"
I was 45 years old (American) before the very idiotic and nonsensical phrase, "Did you find everything OK?" first showed up in stores, etc. I finally was able come up with the proper retort, "Yes, thanks, everything I've found is fine".
Don't be an asshat- if you are looking for something in particular but cannot find it, the cashier will probably know where it is- especially in bigger department stores so you don't waste a lot of time wandering up and down aisles in frustration. Some people will not speak up but will leave empty handed instead. Really it is intended that the shopper will know right where to look for the item the next time they are in. But if you cannot be bothered to exchange pleasantries with someone offering assistance then you are perfectly free to plod through the crowds for hours. The cashier on the other hand has to contend with a greeting like "Hi! How's it going?" being constantly answered with the rude "Are you open?" Or ignored. Or talked over.
"if you go to one state you might not even get to see the whole state" WHAT. I haven't even seen the entirety of the state I've lived in for 20 years...
Same. I've lived in Texas all my life (except the 4 months I "visited" Florida) and I'm 37. I have still yet to see the entire state 😂 Edited for typos
Shoot it’s 900 miles across Texas it’s a long long days drive! And ya if you invade a Texans personal space as a stranger you will probably most likely get a knuckle sandwich, and possibly get to look down the barrel of his side arm as well. But we’re friendly as hell otherwise 😁
Americans are touch starved. We don't foster platonic intimacy like they do in many places, because we sexualize intimacy in general. And that's because capitalism sexualizes everything, because sex sells. Except for sex itself, which we're not allowed to pay for except in EXTREMELY specific circumstances. Yay irony
Really? I've never heard this before. Why? Whenever I have used that phrase, it was meant as a good thing. Either because I witnessed an act of kindness or encouragement for someone who tried something and failed... I consider it a loving statement. What ? Do Southern woman take it as a sign of weakness ? I am surprised by this.
1 mistake: DO use colloquialisms. We Americans, being as isolated as we are, absolutely love learning "secrets". So, use that odd phrase, the odder the better, but let us in on the secret if what it means, and we'll be thrilled to be so newly refined like a European.
A German tipped me 10 cents once. He was so proud he remembered to tip, I couldn’t get angry at him. (Tipping less than a dollar is generally seen as insulting to most services, but there is also nothing wrong with admitting you can’t afford a tip)
From my travels and reads, I've come across that it isn't necessary in other countries because it's already included or they get a monthly salary compared to the U.S. dismal $4/hr + tips or whatever it is.
The exception to this is if you are receiving counter service (eg. coffee, deli) you can say "keep the change", these positions receive at least 'regular' minimum wage that a retail or other position might earn. Note: bars of the alcohol sort are considered equivalent to table service, $1/drink is a normal tip.
Some places the workers are not allowed to accept tips. The other day a guy tried to tip me for working during all this virus stuff and I let him know I was grateful but I was not allowed to accept it
The one about IDs is funny. She was like "you need it everywhere", and I'm like, "Not really. Only if you're buying alcohol." And then I remembered she's Irish, so yeah, she'll need her ID all the time.
When I lived in England I found it utterly weird that the check-out person at a market didn't greet me and when I greeted her/him it was if a chair just talked.
@@callmeneutrino7136 You're right. "Smaller Cities" can have metered parking, but how much they gouge you for is the Big Question. Even worse, how much is the ticket when your meters' time runs out??
Had a European friend tell me they were thinking of spending a day trip in my area (Central California), and I asked them where they were staying. They said Chicago. They honestly thought they could take the train and be back by the end of the day. I laughed.
Lawd Yes! We even make TV comedy about "close talkers" and people who stand less than 3 feet away... utterly amazing how we can possibly catch COVID when we're all pro's at social distancing!
Amazing to me that Europeans can brush up against each other and it's fine, but they think we are odd for making eye contact and saying hello to strangers.
i don't know about Ireland, but in England strangers can sit with you at a restaurant if there are unused chairs at your table. *AWKWARD* we do not do that in the USA, unless it's an informal setting with long tables with many chairs or long picnic style tables.
So much random, intimate, physical contact, even from strangers... And yet it is, to this day, some sort of mystery why the Black Plague killed so many Europeans back in the day...
@Jason Smith Right... so a guy covered in plague infested fleas hugging another guy cannot, in any way, result in a transmission of the virus... Nor can a house infested with plague-carrying rats result in a total depopulation of the household from the carrier ticks. You're right. Totally not contagious... hundreds of millions of Europeans died from a figment of their imaginations.
Selling alcohol to a minor: "Maybe a couple of days in the slammer or $100.😂" It's a lot worst than that. Up to a year in prison, you're definitely fired (you're work may even lose there license to sell alcohol) and up to thousands of dollars in fines. It's usually very $$$$$. Depends on the State, but yeah that's pretty common across the board.
To be fair, it's the same here hahaha it's just that we will do super dangerous stuff simply for the craic. The drinking age is 18 but we don't get our ID checked constantly or everytime you buy a drink and it's question 25
IDs are required for more than alcohol. Cigarettes and similar products (like vaping) require an ID. Buying certain products (particularly ones that can be used to produce illegal drugs like meth) require an ID. Traveling can require an ID. Getting in to a "secure" building may require an ID. Etc.
Also, if you over-serve someone who is already visibly drunk and that person gets into an accident/dui and causes death, injury, or property damage, the owner of the establishment can be sued in violation of dram shop law.
@@peterbelanger4094 I agree. I can’t stand people who immediately go into insulting me (or downright bullying) before I’m even comfortable with them and they view it as “friendship”
Oh girl, I’m American and a Southerner and Bless Your Heart is used in a wide variety of ways. Haha. But I wanna know who are these Americans who have never heard of Ireland. 🤨🤨
I'm from Louisiana and I deployed with a guy who didn't know who Hitler is. We made fun of him for weeks about his "Hitler mustache" before he finally asked us who that was.
Case in point: As a teenager I use to pretend to speak French & used an accent in shops to get special treatment. as opposed to being followed and side eyed. Worked like a charm in Southern Cali and Alabama! In NYC, not so much. There it worked better if you just learn as much of the language you could of the neighborhood you were in.
In San Diego California we love each other 🤗 the amount of times I have been smiled at by strangers and people hold doors open for each other and greet each other it's quite nice! Come over sometime we will show you how much we care for you
@@shyryTsr2k That's awesome! I'm glad for you! Not to be a downer, but ... I attended high school in Poway (in San Diego county). We moved there in '96. There was recruiting for the Neo nazis in our school. Some of the skinheads would be sure to routinely leave recruitment flyers in the part of the cafeteria where Black students congregated. They read "Keep America Beautiful" with old pictures of Black people lynched & hanging from trees. Walking with my boyfriend one day close to Halloween, we passed a group of skinheads and one took a bite of an apple and threw it full force at my head. We had many "race war" fights but Untill then I thought I was "too pretty" to experience violent racism. Boy did I learn. I remember the problems my Mexican friends had. My boyfriend (who was Persian) was so scared to admit his race that he pretended he was Mexican! My brothers and I each had our first racist cop stories happen there and much more. By the time I traveled more a friend asked me what was the most racist place I'd ever lived. I said San Diego without a doubt. And yes, that's even considering I've lived in rural Alabama! It's wonderful to hear there's been a change with the years!
@@jamera8223 I'm so sorry to hear such a tragic story such as this, I myself am of a mixed race but I've never experienced ANYTHING like that before!! I am Mexican, Black, Native American and French so I am quite the mutt haha. I've never been treated any differently because of my race... RaceS I should say emphasis on S lol, if I am to be discriminated against at least do it to my Latino African and Native Indian French races. But yes things certainly have changed here for the better!! You should come back my friend, we have embraced so so many different people, cultures, beliefs and etc I doubt you'll even recognize it😉 That must've been so traumatizing nonetheless, I hope you both are doing much better now, hope to see you round though I don't even know ya😅
This, so much. Was the hardest thing for me to get used to when traveling in Europe the first time. I almost punched a strange man who stepped into my personal space without warning on an uncrowded sidewalk. Had to hard tell myself he was sincerely just being friendly, and wasn't aware that he'd triggered my fight or flight response. He was quite surprised by how fast I moved away from him.
This made me happy because you’re not acting like our cultural idiosyncrasies are bad, you’re just expressing how they’re different. Thanks for being kind
You're giving us a lot of credit lol a lot of people here believe that the basic education they had is enough. Most can't point out the states on a map!
@@natashachenkov1850 aint that the fucking truth. Big yikes. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ I mean I'm glad I'm American but jesus we deal with some dumbasses on a regular occurrence. It makes me want to move to Ireland just to get away from the sexist racists (and I just meant everyone who is like that) and the nitwits who blindly follow the people running our country. Oops did I say running? I meant ruining.
You forgot the big one: If you take liquor or food to a party, don't keep it as your "personal supply," and don't take the leftovers home with you. As soon as you walk in the door with a bottle of vodka, for instance, that's for everyone. Likewise, you are welcome to help yourself to anything other people brought. (Unless it looks like something special. Like if you see a bottle of 25 year old scotch, it might be a gift for the homeowner or something. Ask first.) And if anything is left, it stays at the home of the person who threw the party.
@@vellamour Oh, me, too. Sometimes people bring so much... But the host should offer - "Hey, would you like to bring some x,y,z home with you?" When someone's leaving your house and just helps themselves...that's off putting.
Yes there are a lot of people in America each state is essentially a “different country” so it’s difficult to make generalizations about the entire country or about everyone
It's like how she said "parking is expensive in America..." This tells me you have been to LA or New York.... Try Wyoming you will never pay for parking in Wyoming.
As an American I was really put off at first by people in Russia when I spent a year there. If they don't know you, they rarely make eye contact or even acknowledge you are there but once you meet someone they are very friendly. The friends I made there were awesome and they really go out of the way for you and are very generous.
I’m a cashier in Maine and the fine for selling alcohol to an underage person is $2000 and if it happens again you’re fired. Many young people don’t care about the cashier who gets fired they just want their six pack of beer. Bosses are always watching because a store could lose its liquor license. Undercover police possibly watching at any time and set up sting operations sending in miners with fake IDs to trick or test you. People who understand the risk that (minimum wage) cashiers are in will have their IDs out before being asked. This is greatly appreciated. And hey, instead of being annoyed at this slight inconvenience to you, take the compliment that you look under fifty.
LOL Can't help point out your spelling mistake because it made me laugh so hard. I just got a mental picture of all these miners all dirty wearing head -lamps and carrying picks and shovels lined up with their fake ID's straight from the coal mines. Wondering why and where the cops found these miners(in Maine) to send in? I believe you meant minors as that means someone underage.
If it happens enough at the same place the establishment can also lose their liquor license (this effectively closes businesses that rely on selling drinks). Where I live a lot of retailers have to scan your ID or enter your birthdate into the register before it will allow them to complete the sale. So 100% of people get carded.
My restaurant was busted by cadets and the restaurant was fined $10,000. The server was charged with serving minors and can’t get a job serving alcohol. The restaurant was put on probation. If violates the restaurant can loose their liquor license.
For the no teasing thing, I would say we probably know you’re joking but we don’t like when people assume we’re already close enough for you to do that. Does that make sense? If someone was teasing me before we get to know each other a bit I would be like “I don’t know you like that, you don’t have that privilege yet”
Exactly! Since our language/culture doesn't really have "official" levels of formality or intimacy, we have to handle it ourselves. It was a big deal when I felt comfortable enough to let a curse or two slip around co-workers, like 2+ years, and that's in a super-friendly office.
So true about the teasing thing. When we moved to Australia, my two sons were not happy with this thing the Aussies call “bantering”. As soon as the oldest one graduated, he took off back to America so fast it made my head spin. He didn’t leave just because of the bantering, both boys learned how to deal with it, even if they still don’t like it. As wonderful as Australia is, he still left because he loves being in the USA.
When she was taking about "you could only visit one state and not see the whole state" I'm like is that something you can do in other countries? My boyfriend lives in the same state as me but he's still 8 hours away
@@aster2157 I grew up in Michigan and it legitimately takes 8+ hours to get from the bottom end of one peninsula to the far end of the other. And Texas is almost 3X the size of MI!
As an American I can say those all seem pretty accurate, especially the last one. The joke in my state of Maine with the current social distancing is "Isn't 6 feet kind of close?!".
@@niveknanorc7316 yep. NYer with half of my family being from the Kentucky/ WV area so I know the talk cuz of my family talking like that. Love it when other NYers will get told "Bless your heart" and be completely oblivious to the fact theyre being disrespected
I find in Canada its only those of us who enjoy time out of the citys, when i come back after summer ill walk down the street and say hi to someone on the sidewalk and theyll jist look at me like i have 2 heads
Except around Chicagoland... When I came here, people looked at me like I had just sneezed in their face when I talk to them in public....... but, pretty much, every where else I visited people are mostly friendly.
@@orcapod1025 I had a manager from NYC (in TX) who told me about going home after living here for a while and needed to take the subway somewhere. He said there was a woman looking at the map, and as he walked up to do the same he greeted her. He said the reaction was quite similar.
@@teveler depends what “north” you are talking about. Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa, etc all are very approachable and genuinely nice... But north like NY... not so much
As an American I want to add a note that some of these may be more true in some states rather than others, we are very different people throughout the country.
Her comment about different states being like different countries is pretty true! If you go from the west coast states to the "southern" states, even the language is different. :)
@@sassytbc7923 East Tennessee here, but traveled... It's funny when my stepdad gets asked questions by non-locals, who immediately ask me for a "translation". It's similarly entertaining to be the "trusted resource" for folks who move to our mountains more permanently. They love the views, but struggle with the dialect and accent. ;o)
Back in the early 1990s a girl from England came to visit family and was a friend of a friend. He took her to the local bar to met some people and have a few drinks. This is where the story starts to get funny, she kept saying she was "so pissed". It was awkward thinking someone said something that upset her. So my friend asks what she is "mad" about? She said she was "mad from drinking". He looked so confused not knowing "pissed" means drunk not angry in English slang and "Mad" means crazy. We all had a good laugh about it. She was not bad looking and I tried to hook up with her but she knew better. lol
C Robinson Nah, hospitals write off millions of dollars every year. (I previously worked in hospital administration.) That’s probably the reason they overcharge!
@@annecaulder9495 they wont let you into the country most times without the insurance because they dont want tourists being a drain on the medical system here in the us we already have tons of illegals who dont pay there hospital bills already we dont need some tourist doing it too
As an American, I can believe any level of ignorance in other Americans. You said "Don't expect Americans to know anything about Ireland." You should have just said "Don't expect Americans to know anything." Don't get me wrong, I love my country, and even the Americans whose education in world events and geography are lacking.
Thank you for being respectful. There are so many times where I'll see videos or read articles by foreigners talking about America and they'll just be rude.
"If you go to one state you might not even get to see the whole state"--Good lord, I've spent the last 16 years trying to see the whole state I live in, and I don't expect to finish in the next 16 years.
I took a class in Community College called "Field Geology of Oregon". For Spring Break we travelled the state in a big loop. Saw the most incredible stuff I had no idea existed. 1% of Oregon. Note, Oregon is about the same size of the former West Germany before the reunification. We have the Pacific Ocean, The Columbia River Gorge, Volcanoes, glaciers, multiple mountain ranges, deserts...you name it.
Without courses like that or work that takes you across long distances, I think most people live in a state for decades without even a good sense of how much is out there to see, much less seeing it.
@@Foxfire-xq5ij Rhode Island is one exception. Then there are the states that are narrow in length but wide, or vice versa. I am Pennsylvanian, and it's pretty much 8-10 hours driving to cross either way. Diagonally is even more.
I live in New York City and I've just resigned myself to the knowledge that I'm *never* going to be even able to see the whole city and everything that it has to offer. It's wild.
All these people in the comments that are shocked about her saying Americans are super friendly have obviously never been to Europe, lol. European workers don’t even greet you when you walk into a store (compared to here where we have separate employees whose entire job is dedicated to that), let alone wanting to making small talk while waiting in lines and smiling at each other in passing. They pretty much keep to themselves and if you try to make small talk they think you’re being weird. It’s just a different culture, but to someone coming from that to here we would seem extremely friendly. And honestly, we are very welcoming and go out of our way to at least seem pleasant compared to a lot of other cultures. Obviously there are jerks wherever you go, but as a whole I completely agree with what she said about Americans being very friendly.
I would actually prefer that. I don’t like the stigma in America that service workers with shitty jobs need to smile all the time and practically jerk the customer off. It weirds me out as both a customer and having worked in foodservice.
Sean Longo Yeah, I get that. I think that’s partially why they don’t do it in Europe either. It makes the customers uncomfortable. I believe it’s considered pushy there, kind of like how we view cars salesmen? Or at least that’s how it was described to me! I only used that as an example because it was something I didn’t even realize I expected when I walk into a store and felt weird when it never happened.
Sean Longo I’ve been to Europe several times and it actually makes me sad :( I feel so invisible. I work as a public librarian in Pittsburgh so I’m expected to be friendly, but I don’t have to try because I’m friendly anyway 😅 it was draining when I worked in food service in college though
One of the big box stores figured out long ago that psychologically, by saying hello to someone as they enter a store they are less likely to shoplift or steal something. It makes you feel noticed , or being watched. It's not about being friendly , it's about the bottom line $$
Becky T I feel exactly the same whenever I go there!! It makes me sad too. I’m also super friendly naturally though so maybe it’s just a problem for very friendly people haha.
It's important to note that while the men's room is rarely clean, and I'll clean the toilet seat myself if I need to use it, even if the cleaning crew just went through, I've heard horror stories about ladies rooms. Serious horror stories. Like it looked like Freddie Kreuger gave birth to Michael Meyers in a stall type horror stories.
@@SirLyonhart i've worked maintenance at places cleaned the bathrooms the mens room is your normal typical mess the ladies room though that mess was like something out of a lovecraftian horror story... i am fascinated my spellcheck finds lovecraftion to be a real word correctly spelt
@@SirLyonhart women's bathrooms are definitely worse. I work graveyard shifts at an amusement park and I had go, like immediately, so I made the mistake of using the employee bathroom. Well the guys toilet was over flowing with shit, so that was pretty bad. Until I saw the woman's bathroom. Not only was the toilet clogged with shit there was a 3 foot pile of bloody tampons and pads in there. Luckily it's not my job to clean bathrooms, but I can't even fathom how anyone can be so foul. Now I always use the guest bathrooms because they get cleaned after the park starts closing, so they're always clean and ready to use.
I have several friends from the UK and other countries (American myself), but it still surprises me how casual other countries are about teasing. Like, we'll mess with our friends, sure, but you _do not_ just casually insult strangers. Depending where you are, that could get you killed. Different cultures are fascinating. EDIT: Sorry, just had to add another bit: Sometimes even Americans underestimate America. My Dad was a park ranger working Ft. Pulaski (Savannah, GA), and some folks from the north asked him if he knew any good places to eat in Atlanta. It was around 5pm when they asked, and if you're not familiar Atlanta is a good 3 hour drive from Savannah. That couple just did not realize how big Georgia is.
Ha, well I do now. I flew into Savannah for a job in Folkston because the price to fly to Jacksonville was way too high for some reason. While I was there, the client added a job in Newnan, then I had to drive back to Savannah.
Yes, seems most often used this way but many people sincerely mean it if not sarcastic. ^_^* And/or it's more "bless your heart"....because you need it because you need help. LOL
I lived in New York State for 20 years. I've barely seen 20% of upstate, and I've only by to NYC twice. I've lived in PA for 6 years and Florida for 14...in all cases I have seen less than 10% of the state...I don't think most American's understand how big America is. And yes, Florida is America's Australia.
I would add a few things: 1) Don't assume that the entire country is homogeneous. The USA is a very large country and has many different cultures- both from region to region and within a given region. 2) Don't eat at "chain" restaurants unless you have no other choice. Food in the USA is amazing- diverse, regional, abundant and delicious. Explore. Some of the best food you'll ever have will be from food trucks, ma-and-pa roadside diners, or "ethnic" places. 3) Be very careful when talking about politics or religion. Both are very acrimonious subjects and must be tread upon very lightly. However, as an outsider, you much more likely than a native to be given a pass for having a contrary viewpoint. Some Americans could stand to hear what the outside world thinks of us. 4) Don't confine your travels to the big cities and "toursity" areas. Many foreign travelers confine their visits to the USA to New York, Florida (AKA Disney), and California. Those places are fascinating, but are just a small part of a large and very diverse country. 5) Don't be shy about your accent. By and large, people in the USA find foreign accents (that they can understand) charming.
Brad Hoehne On 5, I would like to note that Americans are so diverse in their own large country that they understand accents and slang are very different. The difference in a Californian "valley" accent, a Southern accent, and a New York accent (which can be further divided by regions of New York state and New York City) are insanely different and many Americans recognize this.
To be fair to Diane, she has covered many of theses points in various videos. It's a shame that if you don't see the right video you might not know how she feels about this stuff. Maybe she should post a link to a well written disclaimer in every video lol.
@ALJ Studios ... No one said there is "No American Culture"... No place on the planet is 100% homogeneous and that is true in America- that's all that is being said. Compare Miami and its glitz to Forks, Washington. Think about contrasting cities in the same state (Austin, "keeping it weird" to the point that I think I might be in Boulder, Colorado. Contrasting to Dallas where I know I am nowhere but Texas). Seattle to DC, SanAntonio to Anchorage, and so on. In the end, much of America is the same and I'll call that the American Culture, but the rest is local. Hang with one crowd for a while and you see a different take on life than another crowd even in the same city (society for creative anachronisms anyone? ). Sure, USA has some broad cultural norms which I think the video touched on, but different regions have different modes. I love accents too as do most people, but I'm also a wannabe linguaphile so I might be biased. I'm also an optimist, so I might be based about people being nice, but I also do think it is an unwritten rule in USA to not discuss politics, religion, and your financial status, unless you want to be perceived as rude. Which is a shame, because I think communication helps. I especially like discussing politics with Foreigners, but I give a free pass to anyone local or otherwise who wants to disparage my beliefs if it means I might learn something new (that's why I love free speech).
It blows my mind that the "don't invade peoples personal space" one even hast o be said. How is that not a thing everywhere? I get so uncomfortable when someone is standing to close to me for any amount of time
When I visited Europe for the first time, I was stunned at how fast we went from country to country. I'm thinking "what? wait, we are in France already?"
"Most states are like little countries," exactly. Actually, if you read up on the 13 colonies, the founders actually wanted to be sovereign countries. We were supposed to be United states. Due to the revalutionary war with England, we decided it best to be the United States of America, cause we were stronger together then seperate.
We tried to be very separate states with different legal and monetary systems *after* the Revolutionary War. That failed with massive inflation, etc. so several years later, the states got back together to develop a new governing system - the Constitution is the product of that, with George Washington as the first President. But that gives you an idea of why the surrender at Yorktown happened in 1781 and Washington didn’t become the “first” President until 1789. Whole bunch of failed history in the middle which was basically the colonies-turned-states trying to be separate and failing. The Constitution then envisioned them as still being separate to some extent and serving as a kind of scientific experiment where the state with the best laws would be where people would choose to move to, thus telling lawmakers what the best set of laws were, but, um, sorry rarified rich and educated dudes sitting at your desks and thinking all day, turns out most people can’t or don’t live their lives that way.
This is true, and also reveals why states' rights were preserved in our constitution. Anything not specified as a federal power is left to the states, who have their own governors and houses and senates.
@@kimberlygabaldon3260 I think a lot of the state powers (no such thing as rights for states) should be cut. States should not be permitted to undermine federal constitutional law via their own laws, regardless of intent. So, no laws regulating firearms as it would violate the constitution. These states and their law are amounting to little rebellions against the union.
4:38: "American people are some of the nicest people in the world. They are so friendly and really really welcoming." When you've got the Irish complimenting your niceness and friendliness, you've really accomplished something. 😀
That's an example of what I call "vacation bias" ("holiday bias" for the Europeans). When someone is on a personal time trip somewhere else, they are generally in a very good mood, thus, everyone they meet reacts to that good mood and reflects that. People in places you travel to seem "nice", visitors from other places also appear "nice". But when you get back to the normal day-to-day grind, the world is full of jerks again. Neighbors are crappier to each other than they are to tourists. Tourists help local economy, neighbors get in the way. Move anywhere in the world, you will find this to be true. The grass is always greener. And DUH, NO SHIT, everyone's going to be nice to a pretty, young blonde girl with an accent. Take away any of those and she would not be treated as nicely. She's in a bubble where the world appears nicer than it really is. When she gets older and loses her looks, she will find this out.
What a fun external perspective! Mostly spot on, especially size and regional differences. I would say though, don't lose your slang but be ready to explain it, might start a new trend. Thanks for making this!
Ilona Dang i would probably go crazy lol it's just really fun to start up a random convo. And I'm anti social most of the time but i like to get out once in a while.
Coming from California to Kentucky, I’d never heard it used quite like it’s used here, but every time i hear it, i say to myself, i know a fuck you when i hear one.... LOLOL
The Last_Saint It’s really not “ Eff off” It is however used when you say something less than complimentary about someone or too someone As in “Well he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer, bless his heart” You can say anything about someone as long as you say “Bless their heart” afterwards.
@@j.s.1816 What are you talking about? Most shootings are by people that know each other. This is true of all murder worldwide, in fact. The odds of being shot to death by a complete stranger because you *touched* them are insanely low. You're more likely to die in a car accident on the way to work.
diane: "american people are some of the nicest people in the world" me: *squints* diane: "they are so friendly and really really welcoming" me: *squints harder*
I myself am an american and I'll let you know the truth... a large percent is very rude and snobby and awful. Im only 30 but have learned many life lessons to never ever trust anyone and i do as much as i can not to deal with others as well
I’m a Southerner, and although I think we’re (Southerners) generally a welcoming lot and we try to exercise manners (or at least we do initially) I think Americans as a whole are not nearly as nice as we once were, and most especially not towards one another. As Americans, we can be very very short tempered, we’re almost always in a hurry, and we tend to be pretty rude to one another in general; don’t believe me? all you have to do is watch the news, especially since COVID-19 has brought the world to it’s knees. How a person behaves and treats other’s during the more difficult and life-altering situations that life throws at them, says everything about their true character. 🤷🏻♀️
Kaitlin Vincent I visited Paris last year and I thought the toilets were some of the cleanest I had ever seen! The exception was one in a corner bar lol
I really like the fact that you mention how large America is. I feel like some Europeans don't realize that we are a huge country with A LOT of empty space. That's why we do certain things here that might seem Impractical or wasteful. For example, nearly everyone own a car. Depending on where you live, it could be an hour drive just to get to work every day. Public transit might not even get you close. Great Vid. I like you take on our country.
I live here in the Houston area and if I wanted to go to the other end of town,it could take over an hour. Also if you drive from Beaumont to El Paso it could take you over 12 hours to get there.
Omigosh, this. I feel so judged by all these RU-vid videos saying I should downsize my car and bike everywhere lol... I really want to, but I could never make it to the grocery store within a day, and also I’d get mowed down on the county roads lol. Cars are basically mandatory here unless you live in the inner city. Most Europeans (and more urban Asian countries?) have SO much more flexibility in transport.
So true! My town and the one next to us had a celebration when we got a grant for a 'city' bus in 2017. There is 1 bus, 2 drivers, and a total of 8 stops, though it started with 7. Most smaller towns like mine don't have any kind of public transportation.
Number one thing not to do in America: don’t comment on the politics wether you’re talking to a liberal or a conservative. You will probably piss them off
@@MuttFitness Oh, but that was settled years ago, by the largest selling toilet paper manufacturer, shown back when they used to print designs on the toilet paper. They placed the roll so that the loose end came over the top, so that the design could most easily be seen, and the end could most easily be grabbed without scratching the wall. In fact, I think that's why they initially began printing designs - specifically in order to settle that dispute. 😉
@@saundrajohnson1571 funny thing this rule is not universal but Americans think it is. In plenty of countries you can talk about politics without it being considered a violation of the rules. Just Americans are so polarized by media propaganda and get annoyed/angry about political talk easily.
@@DiaboloMootopia I'm hardly surprised. Especially after our most recent presidential campaigns. I don't recall such angry division in my lifetime. Yet, I've been witness to Brits and Aussies, who could easily and casually bring up their differing parties, and it always got laughed away. We Americans. We just have to (try to) be different. 🙄😄
"You should still travel. It's good fun to travel. Get you a passport..." Goodness, I wish getting a passport was all it took to enable Americans to travel internationally. In general, Europeans have more time off from work for travel and can get to other countries cheaper/quicker/easier than Americans can. Someone in Ireland can hop on an airplane and be in, say, France, inside of two hours. Whereas it would take me between 12 and 16 hours (depending on how many layovers I had) and cost me many, many times as much money. It's really not realistic or fair to hold Americans to the same standard with regard to international travel. It's apples and oranges.
This is a fundamental reason why Americans are so ignorant. If Americans experienced other cultures more, this country would be a lot more understanding of people who look/sound/act differently than them If everyone wants to have a fit over my comment, I’ll clarify. I’m not blaming Americans for their ignorance. I am agreeing with the OP that there is not as much opportunity to travel for Americans. In general, Americans get less vacation time and the minimum wage here is basically a starvation wage. When you get no vacation time and are working yourself to the bone just to pay your bills, of course you’re not going to prioritize traveling. In my experience, Americans are ignorant. Not necessarily on purpose. But lack of intent doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. If the shoe doesn’t fit, then this comment isn’t about you, so just... don’t be offended by something isn’t aimed towards you. I genuinely hope to see a change in things like paid time off policies and minimum wages so that Americans can see more of the world and be more understanding of people that look, speak, and act differently than them.
Of all the American stereotypes and accusations this is the only one that hurts my feelings a little. You nailed it! It just isn’t as easy for us to hop to other countries. I could have a nice family vacation in America for what just airfare to Europe/Asia/wherever would cost for three of us. Not my choice just my budget. 🤷🏻♀️
In America, there's a couple things you should note. "How are you?" Is a greeting. You go to the Grocery Store, and the cashier says "Hi, how you doing?" or "How's life?", you simply reply with one or two words. "Good, you?", "Doing alright.", "Bit chilly." You can be playful, and say "Livin the life!", "Living the dream!", "Same old, same old.". But IT ENDS THERE. It's just a formality. We don't want to hear about your life, or your Great Aunt Charlotte. Petrol/Gas Stations will have you pump your own gas. Many are on skeleton staff, and cannot assist you while there is other customers in store. There are Variations, even within the US, in Dialects, Mannerisms, and Tone. The Southern States are all BIG, friendly, and outgoing. Northern states are a little more reserved, and we like to keep to ourselves. Southerners have the Souther Drawl, while Northerners have an even wider range from Pacific, Midwest, Minnesota, Boston, New York. All different accents. Or you could have a mix, like me. Father from New York, mother from Louisiana, living in the Pacific NorthWest. I have a Southern Drawl, and say Y'all often. I also somehow manage to speak in the monotone accent of PNW, but have the angry inflection of a NY accent. Like above, this changes from region to region, but Hospitality. Most Americans are super nice and want you to experience the best of the US. That being said, Southerners are much more hospitable. They are objectively nicer. In Seattle, you will not get the same treatment you would in Texas. It's cold, and rains for 7 months at a time. We just want to finish our day, have a coffee, and go home. We won't actively try to ruin your day or be rude to you. But we haven't seen the sun for the past 8 months, so I dont know what you want from us. Southern states, will be OVERLY nice to you. Sometimes to the point where it's just creepy, like a horror film. But that's just how they are. They're super nice. Places such as Fast Food or Petrol/Gas Stations (This if super fucked up), are not legally allowed to take tips. They could face repercussions for even taking your tip. Only tip at a Sit Down Restaurant, Bar, Hair Salon, or Car Valet. Yeah. DONT TOUCH US. WE WILL SHOOT YOU. She wasn't joking. No side face kisses from France, no Hugs unless we really know you. No touchy. We will shoot you if we have to.
8:32 “Bless your heart” oh dear lol Depending on the situation when people say it they’re either being friendly/concerned, or they’re being extremely condescending.
artman2oo3 , it can be a nice insult in the south...such as: bless your heart🙄 (you moron)...or, bless your ugly heart, or sympathetic...bless your heart😢, or when you fail, bless your heart (for trying, like you were going to succeed 🤣). It’s all in the inflection of your voice whether it’s a good or bad thing🤷♀️
@@DavidJones-tp7td that depends on who you're talking to. A lot of the time, it's actually an insult of some sort as socadream pointed out. It's also a polite way of telling someone what they can go do with themself AND the horse they rode in on if ya catch my meaning lol.
It isn't an excess of sensitivity, it the underlying notion that every opinion needs to be defended. Plus Americans confuse disagreeing with disrespect. Not every idea is worthy, most are just dumb. But in the USA, we give equal time to dumb and great ideas! Everyone has the right to speak != Everyone has something of value to contribute. As Marge Simpson once said "Anyone can make a difference, but most people shouldn't."
inflection and tone of voice are very important when using this term it changes the meaning quite a lot. being from the south i have said this millions of times and to be honest MOST of the time it is being used as a polite way to tell someone exactly what they can do with themselves without escalating matters . ive heard it misused quite a few times though and it sets my teeth on edge lol
@@katebayer6850 in the south ( USA / Louisiana) , Bless your heart is an insult of one of the highest orders. Doubly so if they use 'bless your little heart'
Put this in perspective, driving from Key West, Florida to Seattle, Washington is greater than the distance between Lisbon and Moscow. And all throughout that journey, everyone you meet speaks English.
It took me four days to drive from SE Washington to NE Ohio. It was an interesting trip and you get an appreciation for just how big this country is. Don't think I'll do that again but I'm glad I did it at least once.
Okay, I'm gonna quote Goethe here from the 1870s: "Ich hasse es, wenn mir das Wasser beim Scheißen ans Arschloch spritzt." In English: I hate having the water splash against my arsehole when taking a shit. Culture is beautiful
Same here even if I go to my grandparents house to visit I still have my wallet with my I.D medical card as well as my student I.D for when I’m on campus which ain’t much anymore sadly.
Depending on state. Some states require identification on demand by LEO. Alabama, for example, requires identification. However, the legal standard is the equivalent of a sticker note with a name and address written on it (no photo, handwritten is fine), which threw some LEOs for a loop when we did that, lol. Driving requires driver's license. But walking or being about in public in Alabama just requires the aforementioned sticky note.
A few more, I'm afraid...getting into bars, drinking at those bars, getting into movies with ratings other than "G," renting things like cars and apartments, checking into a hotel, flying on a commercial jet, voting, and lots more. The young lass from Ireland was right about taking ID with you EVERYWHERE.
The one about how big the states are made me laugh. It reminded me of the first time my English friends came over for a visit. The thought that they would be able to visit Philadelphia, Florida, and San Francisco in the same day. 😂 “You guys have a lot of trees and space with nothing in it” and “it takes soo long to get from city to city!”
"They'll just start talking to you out of nowhere" Well this statement is certainly true in the Southern states and more rural areas. In populated North Eastern states strangers won't give you the time of day. West Virginian here.
Western US are very receptive to new folks. Eastern folks referred to are probably NYC, who are calloused toward anyone because they live in a cesspool of humanity.
I was at a greyhound station in philly just passing through and within 5 minutes of the bus getting to the station me and 3 random dudes were rolling. Like we just each pitched in a bit and bought a 2 pack of swishers and we were instant buds.
As someone who cleans the restrooms for their establishment, the hovering technique is exactly why sitting on a toilet seat could be gross. If they all just sit on the damm seat, the toilet wouldn't be filthy. Because it wasn't filthy until someone pissed on it...
@dannaftw you know they said 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 tho, right? @Angie Wendt I feel ya! Seriously that was my exact thoughts when she was saying that! But I understand with the foreigners bc our sewer system is completely different than
Yeah or when you stop talking say “have a nice day!!” To me i think its odd when people don’t use common phrases like that or when people don’t say “please” or “thank you” because thats like my natural instict
I HATE when people do this. I try to just say hi. I always feel compelled to answer honestly. Cant stand beating around the bush and saying "oh I'm good" then getting to the point. So annoying, especially when I'm walking past someone and they say "hey howre you" and keep walking.
The nightmare where people trust strangers. As in the saying Strangers are friends that you haven’t met yet. But on the other hand, I’m Swedish and we also like to keep our distance until we get to know people.
@@ulrikaandersson1463 "As in the saying Strangers are friends that you haven’t met yet." The "saying"? That's a line from the Simpsons TV show and it's meant to suggest the extreme naivete of a character. "Have you met my friend Ted Bundy?"
I had a friend who didn't stop tickling me or just touching me on the shoulder randomly and i usually played along because I wasn't experienced with friends and wanted to keep her, that was one of a man reasons we stopped being friends but it was definitely one of the bigger reasons
@@ulrikaandersson1463 in the US it's not about trust. there are situations (like a hand shake or in some parts of the country a hug) where you are warned of imminent touch but aside from that it's just considered bad manners.
THe Size of the country IS part of it. And the culture obviously. Dont go to South Korea ever, you'll be ass to teakettle pretty much the moment you get out of the airport. There is Z E R O personal space in SK, especially in the big cities. In Europe, the cultures tend to be more communal, community focused. family structures and societal norms are much more rigidly established. Almost everyone in Germany is German. in France they are French. Some slosh around the borders, but for the most part everyone within the country is the same, has the same general upbringing, and same culture. in the US we are a smorgasbord of WTF, from all across the spectrum. We have no national language or identity, are borderline xenophobic, and media brainwashed to be scared of strangers because any stranger is just someone waiting to mug or rape you when your back is turned.
Europeans are less confrontational in uncomfortable situations. They tend to just glare, where as Americans will speak directly to you and call you out for something.
Ya, here in America it's rude to joke with strangers, but toatally ok with friends, it's a familiarity thing, it's not about being sensitive most of the time, it's just about etiquette
Adding to that: In America It usually doesn't take more than an hour (maybe two) of talking with someone to catch on to an individuals general sense of humor. Which is why you try to make a good first impression by making colloquial jokes before diverting to sarcasm/personal jokes. It's *more* about building trust than actually being funny. Americans are big on first impressions....we usually don't dwell on insults, but if that is used as your only way of meeting people or getting laughs, it is very unlikable. After writing this I feel like this is probably most places on earth....
i'm convinced the people saying that "bless your heart" is an insult aren't from the south, where the phrase is most common. it can definitely be said sarcastically but also your sweet grandma will say it to you if you're crying. americans aren't THAT cynical
I received a thank you card (For a funeral floral arrangement) with a precious moments illustration on the front and inside The card had pre-printed bless your heart. So definitely not an insult to all people.
Like most things, it depends on the context. It can mean "get a load of this idiot", "I pity you", or a genuine blessing. Southern women are masters of passive aggressive sarcasm, so pay close attention to their tone and facial expressions.
@@g5rearea 100% agree- bless your heart can have at least 6 different meanings and that's only when used by someone not skilled in the use of the phrase; a true bless your heart master can invoke upwards of twenty distinct sentiments at any time.
Tipping here comes from the Great Depression in the 20’s. Restaurant owners couldn’t afford to pay their workers, so the customers took responsibility for a part of the workers wage to make sure the industry stayed alive. We still tip today because the federal government and local businesses refuse to get with the times and increase server wages again. In some places, they make less than $3 an hour, so the tips are the only way they really survive. Common standard is 20-25%.
James Allen Wow I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing! But I understand, I make 3.65 an hour...I rely on tips for the majority of my income. We get lots of Europeans in my bar and I try not to get upset if they don’t tip well (or at all) because I know that their culture is different with tipping customs and hourly wages.
Read the law. By law, if you do not make it up in tips, your employer has to pay you the difference between your set normally hourly wage and standard minimum wage (federal or state, whichever is higher) to make up the difference. Fair labor act. Seriously. It’s a lie that keep being spread out of ignorance and your boss won’t correct you because it saves them money. You’re in a position to have your cake and eat it to, it only requires some reading and a spine when tips come up short.
@@xa5150 have you ever tried to make an employer pay minimum wage when tips weren't enough? Legal fees are more than you would make in winning when the restaurant just ignores you
@@xa5150 except that tipped wage only has to be calculated by pay period not by hour. So if you make that all in one Saturday night, it legally doesn't matter what you made any other day you worked because you're at "minimum wage" for that pay period. Plus employers typically don't account for, and sometimes aren't legally required to account for, wage pools (like tipping out the bartender, busser, and hostess), and often report the full amount you were tipped, and not what you received after you had to share 1/3 of your tips with other staff members. Also as someone else mentioned, even though you can sue (if you're lucky enough to live in a state that makes it easy to do so), it can often be time and cost prohibitive. Plus it becomes a matter of public record, and can make it impossible to find a job in the future.
" cause they might shoot ya" Dude I lost it. I laughed so hard cause honestly, that is a possibility. I did not realize that there are these differences. As far as I'm concerned everyone hates us and thinks that we are the rudest people in the world. So thanks for calling us nice cause I really always try to be. Unless you invade my personal space, my bubble... mine. lol
Tipping comes from the time of the Great Depression. Back when everyone was struggling, rich ppl would bribe for better service by tipping the workers. Their bosses realized they could pay their employees less as long as customers continued bribing for better service. The custom has stuck to this day.
My friend used to work at Harley Davidson renting motorcycles to people who wanted to joyride for a couple or a few days. We were in Florida. One time a group of Italian tourists were trying to rent some bikes for not much money for a day or so. Then he asked what their plans were. They were planning to spend a day or so riding motorcycles to the Grand Canyon and back to Florida. He was 18 but he had to sit them all down and teach them about America.
American here--you're so right about our need for personal space! When I was in college, my archaeology class went on a summer trip to Egypt and Turkey. I distinctly remember at one point, our Turkish tour guide walked toward our group as he was speaking, and we all just backed away unconsciously. The two professors, who were standing back a little ways, said it was like watching the parting of the Red Sea. :p
One thing a European comming to the US should be aware of is that the depictions of Americans on TV etc is politically very skewed to the left. You may run into some very different opinions from what you have seen on TV, especially if you get away from the coasts.
Yes everything on tv here is so tippy toe like and careful. It gets so old after a while. The one show that tried to come about that leaned more right did not make it long at all.
savior139 I’m not sure, but I believe it started Tim Allen as the main actor. I’m really crappy with time lines. But it was around I think in 2012 or 2015. I never got to watch any of it, but I remember there was a big fuss about the show.
I one time said I was from Ireland once and had someone ask me what Ireland was, and thought it was a part of America. That was the day I really realized some people have no clue about other countries lol.
Lol, got told my English was pretty good, did you learn out here or in Ireland and also got asked why I had an accent if English was my first language. Lol, I could go on all day with all the things asked/said to me.
I have a friend who at the time was working in a large (rather posh) hotel in London and had an American man ask her ‘when does Wales open?’ like it was a theme park or something 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@carlgharis7948 In my area the emergency number and the non emergency number go to the same place. The only difference is in how soon they will pick up your call.
