That Crazy Place—America

I read an article about some of the things that visitors to America find odd or off-putting. Some of the things are valid, some not really.

Portion sizes for food or drink. Yeah, we do love our food, and plenty of it. I frequently will eat about half of a meal in a restaurant and bring the rest home to have the next day. Apparently this is JUST NOT DONE in some countries. I figure, if I paid for it, I’m darn sure gonna get my money’s worth and not leave it behind. According to the article, portions in Europe are 50-100% less than American portions. I think “doggy bag” would be “sac chienchien” in France.

The number of drive-through places. And the sheer size of this country. Americans don’t walk if they can possibly drive. I chat a lot with a Brit penpal and I remember how surprised she was when I told her how long it took to drive from Oroville to Los Angeles. She was blown away. Her family can drive 3 hours and be in Wales! And Carol walks just about everywhere. There are so many store and places within walking distance of her home. She was surprised when I told her how long it took to just drive to Walmart. And that Chico was a good 40 minutes’ drive away. And another thing…our cars are considered really big!

So many ads for lawyers!! Billboards all over the place!! TV commercials!! Visitors might come to the conclusion that we are a litigious people…

And speaking of commercials, the ads for prescription meds are fairly terrifying. All seem to include the possibility of death, along with lesser, but still scary, side-effects.

A lot of visitors are shocked by the number of squirrels in America, and the fact that they are so darn BOLD!!

The number of detached houses and all the space around them. I read long ago that America is the only place where we have a front yard of just grass, and it’s just there for looks.

For the most part, Americans are incredibly friendly to complete strangers, and it kinda spooks some visitors. We will smile at ANYONE!! We are also considered a bit too open and uninhibited. Personally, I think that’s a good thing.

The gap at the bottom of restroom stalls. Apparently elsewhere, there is a complete door that no one can look under. The ones here leave a visitor feeling terribly exposed.

Now here is where I COMPLETELY agree with visitors…TAXES on purchases!! If the price tag says $5.45, it should cost $5.45, not $5.45 + 39¢ equaling $5.84. If you want $5.84 for the item, put that price on the tag!!

So yes, things can be weird in America in the eyes of a visitor, but I still love her! ♥