Foreigners are constantly baffled by the volume of stuff Americans seem to think they need, and superstores are a perfect encapsulation of this strange sentiment. They just don't get the idea of loyalty to the school. . American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States. - Christopher Darroch, 39, actor, Toronto, "Capitalism. [], Your email address will not be published. - Pedro Ivan Gonzalez, 35, Havana, "I think the way they are talking and dealing with personal relations is quite direct. The material items that are kept, though, seem to consume all the time of the children. First, I began pondering this when I couldnt really think of anything distinctly American. American culture is clearly more advanced than all other cultures. Non-Americans of reddit, what aspect of American culture strikes you as the strangest. Overweight people, Donald Trump, elections, shootings." They are taken to a store where, when presented with a slip of paper, can be exchanged for currency. But elsewhere, there's no reason why eggs can't sit out on a shelf or counter. Many people's vacation days tend to pile up as the months of 50-hour workweeks roll on. In most countries outside the U.S., vacation time is a highly utilized way to get away from work for a few weeks (or even months) every year. The channels subjects and reporting are unassailably American. I explained it was a joke, I was from Canada. -- Countsblink, Made Mac n cheese for my aussie cousins. They are also unified in the sense that the dream isn't really a real thing anymore. Do they think of our wide range of geography and national wonders? has brought about most of the customs and activities. Build a pillow fort on your bed in any clear space using four chairs, an abundance of blankets and all the pillows you can find. Some even sell fresh fruit and prepackaged mealsbut if you're visiting the States from another country, we recommend getting your sushi elsewhere. In fact, most of these Americans I have observed highly treasure their material items from under the tree as they pay more attention to them than to fellow Americans. In most other countries, however, an A/C unit is used sparingly, if at all. However, young people both in and outside the U.S. are particularly fond of American popular culture. Lawrence Wetsit misses the days when his people would gather by the hundreds and . Not only did the geography of precontact America persist, but both the new arrivals and the indigenous inhabitants long retained their respective general characteristics, and it was the fit between . They also put some wires around it, which when attached to the wall, make the tree look very bright. A star, or in some cases an angel or other figurine is put on top of the tree, and it seems to be an honor for the person who is allowed to put it there. The drum is . They were floored (and clogged probably) -- Marcvsgrippa, Pumpkin flavored things, pumpkin is a vegetable yet it is always in seasonal items in combination with sweet flavors. You get a vision of their culture and their way of life. Some of the answers are pretty hilarious and/or eye-opening. But in the U.S., people are happy to just toss their card in a folder with the bill and let the server take it away for swiping. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Now, besides the few, awesome things, I will end with what was a bit of a mixed review from non-Americans. After all, isn't coffee meant to be enjoyed in a ceramic cup over conversation at a leisurely pace? We love our cheese. OR WHAT IDENTIFIES AS AMERICAN TO YOU? Even when it's the dead of winter, coffee shops are still serving up iced coffee. Eggs are a universal delicacy, but outside of the U.S., they are seldom stored in the fridge. It has been seen as the land of plenty, freedom and equality where Indian migrants could head behemoths like Google, Microsoft and Pepsi, and a South African could capture the imagination with an electric car. Foreigners, on the other hand, aren't even familiar with the concept. In England, the so-called "chemist" is the place you go to for medicine and medical suppliesand that's it. Not in America it isn't! if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Ponyboy Curtis is the narrator of this story, and it is through his . The second one is "B", the one you're attempting to write about (say, Chinese, Vietnamese, French). The spectacle of the Tupinamb men in the French court, as described by Montaigne, could be said to be an instance of "reverse colonization," a phenomenon in which those who embarked in a colonial . So, traveling down any city block, suburban street, or rural road, a foreigner will probably encounter at least a few American flags flying high, which likely isn't the norm in their home country. 600 Words3 Pages. The more multi-cultural our cities become, the more globalization and hyper-mobility affect our culture, the more it's normal not to be normal. But, besides the Willy Wonka level of sugar, we use a substantial amount of cheese in everything. How big the country is and the amount of time you guys are willing to drive. Fair enough! (She believed) that the people's voice should be heard." https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/business/media/an-outsider-looks-at-life-in-america.html. Americans are nothing if not by the book about the little things, so most foreigners quickly learn that it's wise to keep some form of ID on them at all times if they plan on having a drink. -- Source, Amount of cheese Americans can intake at a time. We should not ethnocentrically impose our own beliefs and opinions, which are products of our own enculturation. cota main grandstand; chocolate pudding with 2 percent milk Finding creative ways to fry things that probably shouldn't be fried is an American specialty and something that definitely confuses tourists. Baby Showers. - Ziva Meizels, retiree, Jerusalem, "I think their patriotism, you know, God bless America. NACIREMA: UPDATING A CLASSIC TO SEE YOUR OWN CULTURE AS AN OUTSIDER. And what do you think of when you think of a typical American? We don't know what lemonade is: In many countries, lemonade is not the iconic sugary drink that American kids sell at stands in summer. The general consensus is that Americans are very optimistic dreamers and have been; that we believe that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance. I don't understand why other cultures are all so primitive. If we ask for a high price, they don't bargain. One of the hardest (or at least most expensive) things about being an outsider traveling in the United States is tipping. The only way to properly do this is to be comfortable, because why relax when you could relax? In most European countries, service fees are included in the price of a meal, and tips don't usually go above 8 to 12 percent. Even though winter is ending soon, it does not mean the cold is. I found the people very hospitable, nice and very cordial." But now its not Nigeria or China being looked at like this, but the great superpower by an upstart Arab network, no less. Americans are gallant." While many love how so patriotic we are as a people, some, to be blunt, find it a bit creepy. I do not understand the importance of this, as usually the father of the family just eats the biscuits and drinks the milk anyway, and it is always late at night when he does this too. To be fair, most Americans don't either. It seems that the boxes were for them all along, not another being or deity. Ethnocentric views are often closely tied to racism. It was reported to me that the ritual consists of inserting a small bundle of hog hairs into the mouth, along with certain magical powders, and then moving the bundle in a highly formalized series of gestures.. At another moment, she sits beside an 11-year-old as he plays the game, asking him, simply enough, what he likes in it. They cannot generate these results, because they are based on, and restricted by, the ethnocentric perspective. Saysthingsfromabush, In Scotland our equivalents are ceilidhs and in school you just go and f***ing dance. Get the picture? No, this isn't the standard bottle of wine in the States, but it's a common sight at any American supermarket or wine store and something you'd rarely encounter in the wine countries of the world like Italy or France. This will make any chill session that much more enjoyable. The fellow in line asked me in a very American accent, 'Y'all can't get what in the States?' Still, and after more than a decade following the publication by Headland, Pike and Harris (1990), discussions about insider versus outsider status of the researcher remain alive and relevant. For foreigners, the excessively large cracks in the stall doors in public restrooms are just plain confounding. If even we Americans don't get it, we can't expect anyone else to either. Throwing Tailgate Parties. WHAT MAKES AMERICANS AMERICAN? Grab a blanket and a glass of hot chocolate, and do these five warm indoor activities for those rainy winter days. Marketing companies that work from outside of your company bring a fresh perspective that doesn't exist from within your company. I read on several different forum sites how things such as the pledge of allegiance and how our flag is plastered everywhere you go is quite strange to outsiders. And after 9/11, the world grieved with America. In every public surveyed - including the U.S. - people ages 18 to 29 are more likely than those ages 65 and older to rate U.S. entertainment as above average or the best. These Americans, thus, are all quite concerned with the overall presentation of their houses: they make sure other people see and admire them. As an American this is something I love. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group, Saying "how are you?" "Here in New Zealand, lemonade generally equals . Sure, fried chicken is hardly a foreign conceptbut try explaining chicken-fried steak or deep-fried Oreos to a non-American. xhr.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain;charset=UTF-8'); It's pretty infuriating to live somewhere where something as natural and beautiful as the human body is viewed as taboo and "corrupts" our youth, but a guy getting his head cut off or getting beaten to death is perfectly okay for kids to watch. An emic view of culture is ultimately a . Instead, their purple Skittles taste like blackcurrantand while this fruity flavor used to be popular in America, legislators banned the fruit itself in the 20th century because it served as a vehicle for a wood-destroying disease known as white pine blister rust. - Ingerlise Kristensen, 68, retired bank employee, Copenhagen, Denmark, "I had a roommate a Californian, when I was in Korea as a college exchange student. Boy was I wrong. To find out, I thought that I should get a view from the outside of the proverbial white picket fenced, good ol Murican home. Now without the photo below (but maybe skewed by the photo above) and in the context of the rest of the paper, many students do not recognize this as our daily habit of brushing our teeth. While many Americans feel their nation is divided as never before, a sampling of the rest of the world reflects a more charitable view. } That . You can describe American culture in general, as Miner does, or you can describe an American subculture, such as a specific geographical group (e.g., New Yorkers), a . Red Solo Cups are the symbol of college keggers and backyard barbecues alikeand yet, they're rarely seen outside of the U.S. At Slate, Seth Stevenson gave a good explanation of the appeal of the plastic cup: Its opaque color makes it impossible for authorities to casually tell what's in the cup; its sturdy design makes it virtually spill-proof; and its newly created square bottom makes it easy to hold. At one moment, she is playing the game while addressing viewers, and, standing before us, begins to beat an innocent man with a golf club: fresh, jarring, thought-provoking television. In the U.S., every food order requires several decisions. One habit was found to help keep the brain healthy over time. People are nice but superficial. Native Americans believe that the beating of the drum is a uniting force, bringing together people of different tribes, as well as uniting a person's spirit to their body and mind. From our portions to our PTO, here's where we differ from the rest of the world. Mehta, 34, health insurance worker, New Delhi, "America is a land of opportunities. used by the People to entertain and amuse themselves.". If you're a member of B, then . If you want a second soda in a place like Paris, for example, be prepared to dole out some extra cash. Many of the novel's characters, whether they were labeled as Socials (Socs) or greasers .