It really amazed me just how well I adapted into the American way of life in just 14 days. Before I knew it I was asking where the restrooms were, and I was lapping up the gargantuan portion sizes that, at home, would probably have left me in need of a trip to A&E.
But there was still a lot about America that really blew my mind. I’m sure a lot of you will have seen this insanely popular post about what an American noticed about England on a recent trip. As a little bit of fun, I thought I would reverse the roles. So here we go: these are my very own observations about America!
1. Everything is so convenient – like, card machines in cabs?! So simple, yet so beautiful. *Sheds tear*
2. In the state of California, they’re very keen to tell you about every single thing that could potentially cause you serious diseases maybe sometime in the future.
3. Tipping. Tipping everyone. Taxi drivers, coach drivers, valet staff. You’re even supposed to tip people you never see, like your hotel maids. Does no one in America get paid?!
4. You may have the exact change for that bag of crisps marked up as $1.39, but it’s definitely not $1.39. At the till they’ll add on a seemingly random number and call it ‘tax’, and you’ll be left fumbling around the bottom of your bag for extra coins.
5. Why does America need a $1 bill and a $1 coin?
6. Air-con can be found in literally every place you go into. Even in winter.
7. WiFi is also absolutely everywhere. You can even check-in at Alcatraz!
8. So many news channels, I just didn’t know what to do with them. (In the end I just switched over to Nickelodeon instead.)
9. America really knows how to do trashy reality TV. While in the UK we may have TOWIE, in the US they have Storage Hunters and Million Dollar Listing. Basically, never sit down to watch TV when you’re in America, because it’ll be days before you can break away it. It’s incredible.
10. Double decker trains are a thing, and they are everything I ever dreamed of.
11. Oh, there’s a green light? Nah, you could still get run over. Cars just keep on coming no matter what colour’s up there.
12. Literally everyone wants to know how your day is going, which is pretty lovely. Not so lovely when they just give you a soulless ‘Ariiiiite!’ and walk off.
13. Does a healthy salad actually exist? Every single salad I ordered was smothered in balsamic vinegar. My body was practically made up of 80% vinegar at one point.
14. America really does have the saltiest chips, but it also has incredible pink lemonade.
15. It really is a place of extremes: it’s either completely obsessed with healthy eating, or completely obsessed with fast food.
16. The fast food always tastes better though. Unless you’re a vegetarian and at In-N-Out Burger.
17. What’s with the massive gap between the toilet restroom floor and the door?! And don’t even get me started on the amount of water in the toilets…
18. Anyone can get a medical marijuana card. Especially at Venice Beach.
19. People will look at you confused when you say ‘plaster’ instead of ‘band aids’, and ‘knackered’ instead of tired.
20. Cheesecake Factory is officially the best thing known to man. Why are they not everywhere?
Those are my observations about America – are there any others you would add to the list?
Lol! We had lunch at cheese cake factory in LA 🙂 I thing I noticed is everyone will try and talk to you no matter what the situation!
Ooh, good one! You definitely don’t get that in London :’)
Oh my goodness, I totally know what you mean about American TV. When I was in Miami last year I got sucked into a show about women who didn’t know they were pregnant and then had suddenly given birth. 3 episodes I watched without realising it! They need to bring the Cheesecake Factory over to the UK though, I think I’d be there every weekend! One thing I noticed is that all the cars are huge! There’s no little, diddy, cute vehicles. They’re all just massive!
Oh yeah, good point about the cars!! I guess I didn’t really notice it at the time because everything else was so big too! Also, that TV programme seriously sounds ridiculous. I need it in my life 😛 x