25 Things That Visitors Will Find Most Surprising About The United States

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• published: 08 Jul 2015
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The United States is a very misunderstood country. In fact, almost everybody in the world has a different point of view concerning what it should/could be and the media never helps. As big as it is, generalizations are very hard to make. Every state is different. Actually, every state even has its own military! To understand why America is what it is you need to go back to its roots. It was built by people trying to escape government. It was built with a wild west, this-land-is-mine mentality. It’s a no-government-can-tell-me-what-to-do mentality. It’s survival of the fittest and this mentality survives until today. For better or for worse these are 25 things that visitors will find most surprising about the United States. Follow us on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/list25 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/list25 Website: http://list25.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/list25/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/list25/ Check out the physical list at - http://list25.com/25-things-that-visitors-will-find-most-surprising-about-the-united-states/ If you're planning to visit the United States, you might be surprised by things like: People almost never carry cash. Payments are usually debit or credit. If you are from Europe this won't surprise you, but parents can be arrested for physically punishing their children Your credit score is extremely important and not just for getting a loan. Even (government) jobs will sometimes check on it. Tipping happens a lot. If you're going out to eat or getting a haircut get ready to flex your algebra muscles! Prices. The U.S. price tags don't include taxes, so what you see on the tag is not necessarily what you pay at the register. This may confuse some visitors. People actually drive within their lanes. Ok, this is pretty common in Europe too, but if you're coming from Asia or Africa get ready to witness the wonder. The country is huge and there is virtually no public transport. This is a symptom of the Wild West mentality. It's up to you to find your own way around. Poorer people are usually more obese than richer people. Once again this stems from the Wild West mentality. Health is not seen as a societal issue but an individual issue. As a result, poor people will have less access to and knowledge of health related topics. With some exceptions, cities look the same, suburbs look the same, and everything is zoned. Don't expect your suburban neighborhood to be full of cool stores, boutiques, or bars. (Though we have to admit, this is a trend that is changing) Piggybacking on the last point (and the one about public transport), if you do happen to want to go to a restaurant or a store you will absolutely, categorically need a car…unless you live in a big city. Portion sizes are beyond massive. Coupled with the car culture it is easy to see why obesity is more prevalent than in other parts of the world The government has much less say in your life than in other countries and there is far less regulation of food, health, family life, education etc. Guns! Yes, this is a prime example of the last point. It is insanely easy for you to purchase a gun. But no, most Americans have never been in or seen a gun battle. The country is safer than the news would suggest. Drive-throughs are everywhere. In fact, there are even drive through pharmacies! Once again, more convenience is offset by less health. The US is one of the only developed nations without public healthcare. Once again, this reflects the "no government" philosophy. Each person is seen as being responsible for making enough money to fund their health. Everything, including healthcare, is earned. Everything is big. Houses are big, food is big, stores are big, cars are big, the country is big. and more... If you visit the United States, you might just experience a little bit of culture shock, but that's not necessarily a bad thing is it? Talking about shocks, check out these lists for other cool and shocking stuff: 25 Coolest Roads And Drives Around The World - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW9EdA1NGYE&list;=PL3Ikn3SKdJHgnTKi4Fy65KWOwbban6fym&index;=54 and 25 Scary Bridges You'll Have To See To Believe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OIHRh6dto8&list;=PL3Ikn3SKdJHgnTKi4Fy65KWOwbban6fym&index;=27