16 People On Things They Couldn’t Believe About America Until They Moved Here

[1monster]

http://thoughtcatalog.com/michael-koh/2013/11/16-people-on-things-they-couldnt-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/#J8lDbmc6uIzrdghy.01

1. Rakib Islam
I am originally from Bangladesh and here are a few things that I find hard to explain to peeps back home.

Fruits and vegetables are way more expensive than meat and poultry.
That, generally speaking, the poor is more obese than the rich.
A lot of couples adopt children, sometimes in spite of having their own, and treat them exactly like their own. (To me, this alone is a marker of a great people)
By and large, people do not carry cash. (snip)

4. Natalia Rekhter
I’m from Russia. Below are a few things I almost always have to explain or discuss with visitors from Russia.

Why individual houses are so large? We always get into discussion that house is not just a shelter, but also a manifestation of one’s financial achievements.
Philanthropy. There is no culture of philanthropy in Russia and many view American philanthropy either as a waste of money or as some intricate plot to get some additional benefits.
People don’t walk places. They go everywhere by a car.
There is almost no public transportation except in a few large cities. People actually have to have cars to get places. Cars are necessity, not luxury.
Majority of high and middle schools have sport facilities of very high, almost professional quality.
Many schools have orchestras, bands, theaters of a very high, almost professional quality. Free. (snip)

More at the link

[Berlum]

1. # 17 - Republicons proclaim their "patriotism" with little flag-shaped lapel pins Made in China

- which serve as visual metaphors for Republicon falseness, mendacity & hypocrisy concerning just about any damn thing you care to name.

[calimary]

16. Your photo says it all, Berlum.

Maybe not specifically to this thread, but to SO MUCH that just generally ails America these days. (...Free market! Free market...)

[Douglas Carpenter]

2. excellent article

[Brigid]

4. The Swedish guy . . .

Thinks that equating Obamacare with "socialism" is "hilarious!".

[truedelphi]

5. Funny anecdotal story -

A friend of a friend sponsored a family from India. They picked the family up at the airport.

When they got back to their home, they used the automatic garage door opener and drove the mini van into the garage. The Indian family got out of the vehicle, and stumbling around in the garage, kept saying, "This house of yours is so big! It's gigantic!"

The couple sponsoring them didn't quite know how to explain that this well lit, cement-floored spacious area wasn't really their house - it was just where they parked the cars!

[iandhr]

6. When I studied aboard...

... people asked where my college was in America. The answer "Vermont" got a lot of blank stares.

[TransitJohn]

11. I got the same with "Wyoming."

Either blank stares or, "Miami?"

[Lodestar]

7. We have no awareness (unless well travelled) of our abundance

I've witnessed foreign friends who cried when they walked into an American grocery store and were
confronted with row upon row of produce, often an entire aisle of the same type of food (like breakfast cereals).

Another friend in college who was from England became overwhelmed with the size and the number of choices
that need to be made from the type of bread to buy to the type of insurance, etc. She actually had a breakdown and had to return home to England. That was an eye opener for me who at that age had not travelled beyond our borders, to see our country through another's eyes.

[Nine]

8. Very, very enlightening.

Some things to be embarrassed about or even ashamed of, some things to be proud of, and many things that just make you think.

[hfojvt]

9. a house is "a manifestation of one's financial achievements"

I don't think so.

People get big houses - because they want lots of space

And also because they have a lot of stuff, and most of the stuff they get is because they want stuff, not because they want to show off.

[Fumesucker]

10. "Keeping up with the Joneses"

It's half of what America is about.

[JVS]

13. Actually, I think restaurant portions and houses have both undergone a similar phenomenon, upsell

From a production standpoint it's more lucrative to put too much food on a plate and sell it for $12.99 than it is to put a reasonable amount of food on a plate and sell it for $8.99

It's more lucrative to put too much house on a lot and sell it for $400k than it is to build a smaller house for $80k

We have very little in the way of low price housing construction, we rely on depreciation to provide inexpensive housing.

[hfojvt]

34. that has long been a media theme

but how true is it in reality?

Even with cars. A nice, new car is a status symbol, but it is also likely to be more reliable than an old clunker. It's also likely to have a working air conditioner, unlike my two old cars.

Nice clothes are a way to show off, but they are also a way to look nice.

Is a big screen TV with surround sound a way to show off, or to keep up, or is it a really cool way to watch movies at home?

Generally kids, and adults like to have lots of toys. And generally too, many toys get played with heavily for a time, and then sit on a shelf or in a corner of the garage.

But lots of toys require lots of space. And so do lots of clothes and shoes.

[Lucky Luciano]

12. Cool! Nice post. nt

[BOG PERSON]

14. 17. Listicles

All written communication in America must take the form of a listicle

Meanwhile many of my relatives back in the old country have gone their whole lives without reading a listicle.

[Inkfreak]

30. 3 things I gotta say:

1-I didn't know what listicle meant
2-I looked it up
3-I'm better informed now

[IrishAyes]

15. Well, you just sent me on a real joy ride, monster! Thanks.

Sometimes I worry about DU taking up so much of my reading time but today it proved especially worthwhile. I even went on to read the entire list. Thank you again. "Oh, for the gift to see ourselves as others see us..." I won't even attempt the Burns version.

This romp brought back happy memories of my Los Angeles days, where you could easily bump into what seemed like an example of every country in the world. I used to host a regular open house for legitimate political refugees as much for my own pleasure as anything more altruistic. Most Americans unfortunately grow irate when I tell one of my favorite stories about that:

A couple from Sri Lanka came to stay a few days, and of course when they first entered the house they took off their shoes. I was accustomed to that and always had mats and slippers for anyone who wanted them. But after initial introductions, when these newcomers saw me enter the kitchen wearing anything at all on my feet, they were shocked and a little concerned. I had to ask what was the matter. Reluctantly they told me I would make the kitchen gods angry doing that.

Well, I had to do something to reassure them or they might have been unwilling to sit at table with me. So I explained that as a Christian I have no kitchen gods myself and therefore can't honor what I don't have. However, I did honor and appreciate my guests and would be more than happy to please them by removing my slippers. They were relieved and made the most considerate and interesting company I ever had.

You don't want to know how many Americans turn red with fury when I tell that story. The very idea of cultural sensitivity appalls many. "They're here in OUR country, they can do things OUR way!" totally ignoring how many different ways Americans have themselves. I think it generally translates to MY way or the highway. Shameful.

[catrose]

17. o wad some power the giftie gie us

to see oorsels as ithers see us.

Sorry. As a former Burnsite, I had to try. Great story.

[IrishAyes]

18. While totally inept at the dialect,

I do remember the occasion to which the poem spoke: a lady in church not realizing that a mouse was scampering around in her huge, showy hat of which she must've been very proud.

Hope that redeems me somewhat.

[catrose]

21. Mouse or louse?

can't remember

But, yeah, Bonny Bobby wasn't listening to the sermon; he was watching this creature scamper in the lady's hair/hat.

[1monster]

24. A louse, not a mouse. That was another Bobbie Burns poem...

To A Louse

On Seeing One On A Lady's Bonnet, At Church
1786

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.

Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner,
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,
How daur ye set your fit upon her-
Sae fine a lady?
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.

Swith! in some beggar's haffet squattle;
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Whaur horn nor bane ne'er daur unsettle
Your thick plantations.

Now haud you there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rels, snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet! ye'll no be right,
Till ye've got on it-
The verra tapmost, tow'rin height
O' Miss' bonnet.

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
As plump an' grey as ony groset:
O for some rank, mercurial rozet,
Or fell, red smeddum,
I'd gie you sic a hearty dose o't,
Wad dress your droddum.

I wad na been surpris'd to spy
You on an auld wife's flainen toy;
Or aiblins some bit dubbie boy,
On's wyliecoat;
But Miss' fine Lunardi! fye!
How daur ye do't?

O Jeany, dinna toss your head,
An' set your beauties a' abread!
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's makin:
Thae winks an' finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.

O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

Robert Burns (1759–1796). Poems and Songs.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.


76. To a Mouse

WEE, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee, 5
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry man’s dominion,
Has broken nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle 10
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave 15
’S a sma’ request;
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss’t!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin! 20
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
Baith snell an’ keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, 25
An’ weary winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell—
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell. 30

That wee bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter’s sleety dribble, 35
An’ cranreuch cauld!

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley, 40
An’lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!

Still thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e’e. 45
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!

[IrishAyes]

25. Thanks for both beautiful poems. Odd how my memory switched the critters, isn't it?

Although I've certainly disposed of every rodent ever found in my house, I pity the poor things too and prefer to keep them away in the first place by various means.

One of the most delightful books I ever read was simply called 'Walking', a year's diary of a naturalist's woodland ramblings. I think of it often, and the beautiful field mouse I once saw sitting perfectly upright and still. It's little ears were translucent as jewels with the morning sun filtering through.

[TuxedoKat]

40. I was checking

one of my bird houses yesterday and saw that a mouse had already made it his home for the winter. I opened the flap of the bird house box and a mouse peered out like it was saying, "Yes, what do you want?" I closed the box and left him/her alone figuring I'll just clean the box next spring for the birds.

[hfojvt]

35. the mouse one is almost readable

but I'd rather see an English translation than work my way through the original.

Almost as bad a reading Ruskin and he keeps throwing in Greek phrases, or latin.

[1monster]

37. Here you go. I tend to like the Scots, myself, but the English translation is cool too.

To a Louse
by Robert Burns
modern English translation by Michael R. Burch

Ha! Whare ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie? Hey! Where're you going, you crawling hair-fly?
Your impudence protects you sairly, Your impudence protects you, barely;
I canna say but ye strut rarely I can only say that you swagger rarely
Owre gauze and lace, Over gauze and lace.
Tho' faith! I fear ye dine but sparely Though faith! I fear you dine but sparely
On sic a place. In such a place.

Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner, You ugly, creeping, blasted wonder,
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner, Detested, shunned by both saint and sinner,
How daur ye set your fit upon her— How dare you set your feet upon her—
Sae fine a lady! So fine a lady!
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner Go somewhere else to seek your dinner
On some poor body. On some poor body.

Swith! in some beggar's hauffet squattle: Off! around some beggar's temple shamble:
There you may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle There you may creep, and sprawl, and scramble,
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle, With other kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations; In shoals and nations;
Whare horn nor bane ne'er daur unsettle Where horn nor bone never dare unsettle
Your thick plantations. Your thick plantations.

Now haud you there! ye're out o' sight, Now hold you there! You're out of sight,
Below the fatt'rils, snug an' tight; Below the folderols, snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet! ye'll no be right, No, faith just yet! You'll not be right,
Till ye've got on it— Till you've got on it:
The vera tapmost, tow'ring height The very topmost, towering height
O' miss's bonnet. Of miss's bonnet.

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out My word! right bold you root, contrary,
As plump an' grey as onie grozet: As plump and gray as any gooseberry.
O for some rank, mercurial rozet, Oh, for some rank, mercurial resin,
Or fell, red smeddum, Or dread red poison;
I'd gie ye sic a hearty dose o't, I'd give you such a hearty dose, flea,
Wad dress your droddum! It'd dress your noggin!

I wad na been surpris'd to spy I wouldn't be surprised to spy
You on an auld wife's flainen toy: You on some housewife's flannel tie:
Or aiblins some bit duddie boy, Or maybe on some ragged boy's
On's wyliecoat; Pale undervest;
But Miss's fine Lunardi! fye! But Miss's finest bonnet! Fie!
How daur ye do't. How dare you jest?

O Jenny, dinna toss your head, Oh Jenny, do not toss your head,
An' set your beauties a' abread! And lash your lovely braids abroad!
You little ken what cursed speed You hardly know what cursed speed
The blastie's makin! The creature's making!
Thae winks an' finger-ends, I dread, Those winks and finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin'! Are notice-taking!

O wad some Power the giftie gie us O would some Power with vision teach us
To see oursels as ithers see us! To see ourselves as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us, It would from many a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion: And foolish notions:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us, What airs in dress and carriage would leave us,
An' ev'n devotion! And even devotion!


[b[To a Mouse
by Robert Burns
modern English translation by Michael R. Burch

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, Sleek, tiny, timorous, cowering beast,
O, what panic's in thy breastie! why's such panic in your breast?
Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Why dash away, so quick, so rash,
Wi' bickering brattle! in a frenzied flash
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, when I would be loath to run after you
Wi' murd'ring pattle! with a murderous plowstaff!

I'm truly sorry Man's dominion I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union, has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion, and justifies that bad opinion
Which makes thee startle, which makes you startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, when I'm your poor, earth-born companion
An' fellow-mortal! and fellow mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; I have no doubt you sometimes thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! What of it, friend? You too must live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave A random corn-ear in a shock's
'S a sma' request: a small behest; it-
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, 'll give me a blessing to know such a loss;
An' never miss't! I'll never miss it!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! Your tiny house lies in a ruin,
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! its fragile walls wind-rent and strewn!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane, Now nothing's left to construct you a new one
O' foggage green! of mosses green
An' bleak December's winds ensuin, since bleak December's winds, ensuing,
Baith snell an' keen! blow fast and keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast, You saw your fields laid bare and waste
An' weary Winter comin fast, with weary winter closing fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast, and cozy here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell, you thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past till crash! the cruel iron ploughshare passed
Out thro' thy cell. straight through your cell!

That wee-bit heap o' leaves an' stibble, That flimsy heap of leaves and stubble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! had cost you many a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, Now you're turned out, for all your trouble,
But house or hald. less house and hold,
To thole the Winter's sleety dribble, to endure cold winter's icy dribble
An' cranreuch cauld! and hoarfrosts cold!

But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, But mouse-friend, you are not alone
In proving foresight may be vain: in proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men
Gang aft agley, go oft awry,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, and leave us only grief and pain,
For promis'd joy! f or promised joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me! Still, friend, you're blessed compared with me!
The present only toucheth thee: Only present dangers make you flee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e, But, ouch!, behind me I can see
On prospects drear! grim prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see, While forward-looking seers, we
I guess an' fear! humans guess and fear!

[hfojvt]

39. not sure I trust this Burch fellow

why change "on" to "in"?
On sic a place. In such a place.

why change "strut" to "swagger"?
I canna say but ye strut rarely I can only say that you swagger rarely (I cannot say but you strut rarely - seems pretty comprehensible to me)

why add the word "both"?
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner, Detested, shunned by both saint and sinner,

How or why does "of it" become "flea"?
I'd gie ye sic a hearty dose o't, I'd give you such a hearty dose, flea,


Dang, thank goodness I am in America, because all I ever do is complain.

[Aristus]

19. I'm glad I read that. There are some things we could stand to improve in this country,

and I'm all for pointing them out in order to expedite the improving.

But there are also a lot of things to be proud of, too.

My own personal story - I was in the room when it happened: the family of a friend of mine was sponsoring an exchange student from China (this was back in the 80's). A great guy named Wan. We were getting ready to visit some friends in Oregon, and told Wan that he would get to see another of the 50 States. He said: "I'll need to update my passport before we leave." We told him he didn't need his passport to cross a state line, and he couldn't believe it. He thought we'd have to "show our papers" at the Oregon border.

A few years later, when The Hunt For Red October was released, I remembered that when Sam Neill's Soviet officer found out you don't need 'papers' to travel from state to state.

[jtuck004]

20. Bureaucracy really is kafkaesque at times. But most of the time, it’s just that

there are over 300 million people and the manning for a certain department is limited to two guys in Kentucky who have to answer every request by snail mail. This is probably the real reason people say government is evil.



Exactly.

Thanks for that

[surrealAmerican]

22. Well, that was interesting.

It hadn't occurred to me that much of the rest of the world has abandoned mailing checks around. It makes sense, I just had expected that banks wouldn't want to change that.

[IrishAyes]

23. Technology was supposed to give us a paperless society. Instead

it gave us more paper than ever, to back up the technology. Unintended consequences.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

26. I know a british woman who is totally baffled by beverage sizes.

Her remark after seeing a super big gulp or something similar was "and conveniently enough you can piss in it when you're done"

[City Lights]

27. This is excellent!

Didn't finish all of it, so I bookmarked for later reading. I've really enjoyed what I've read so far. Thanks for sharing, 1monster!

[Mopar151]

28. Verry Interesting.....

[pnwest]

29. Great article! My contribution:

My parents are from Holland, and my mom told me she was flabbergasted when she came here and people ate CORN! Back home, that was hog feed.

My aunt came to America to visit my mom, mid 90's. My mom lives in Florida, so that's where she went, then they drove up to Indiana to visit me. Aunt was existing a half a day's drive, and could not BELIEVE the distances. And the LAWNS! So huge!

[Inkfreak]

31. I like that free refills are mentioned frequently.

[Laelth]

32. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Shrek]

33. "A country that can produce both Snoop Dogg and Westboro Baptist Church is like no other place"

[Maeve]

36. I think the absolute size of the US is one of the "biggest" thing for Europeans

Over and over again I have found that no one who hasn't been here gets that the US is freakin' HUGE compared to their countries.

[FreeJoe]

38. Sporting Events

I had a contractor from Algeria here on an assignment. He said that the thing that most shocked him in America was sporting events. When he went to his first game, he was walking in with his group when he saw people with jersey's for the other team walking alongside them. Thinking that they were on the wrong side of the stadium, he started to panic. It took a while for him to accept the fact that fans for different teams freely mingle at events. Where he was from, they had completely different parking areas and sections of the stadiums and that there was no simple way to get from one to the other. He was also amazed that there wasn't a huge barrier between the fans and the field.

I have a Norwegian living next door to me. The thing that amazed him the most was the ready availability of low cost personal services. Here he has people mow his lawn, take care of his pool, and clean his house. He said that in Norway such things were almost unheard of because no one takes jobs that pay so little. All but the wealthiest take care of their own chores, so to speak.


Even within North America, I've had some culture shocks. I was almost stuck in Calgary in the +15 (above ground walkways between buildings) holding open a door. People kept coming but no one would take the door from me. I couldn't just let it go because where I live you have to hold the door open for the people behind you until they take it. When I told my hosts about my experience, they laughed and struggled to understand why I would feel compelled to hold the door open for someone easily capable of opening it.

I also had my breakfast server almost in tears when I responded to a question with "yes, ma'am." Where I come from, that's the standard affirmative response to any adult female. She took it to mean that I thought she was an old lady.

I still struggle with some of the local customs and I've been living here for decades. Why do women have to get off of elevators first, regardless of how inconvenient that is? Am I no longer supposed to give up my seat to a woman on a bus? Failure to do so would have been unheard of when I was younger, but when I gave up my seat to a woman last year, people looked at my like I was a freak.