5 Things You Didn’t Know About American Culture

            When you move to a new country it can be exciting and scary at the same time. You probably won’t know how different things are until you experience a typical day in that new country. Here are somethings to keep in mind about Americans and US. culture. 

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On the move: We Americans tend to be always on the go. Meaning we want things done fast so we can move on to something else. Our culture is all about “on the go”. In the US alone there are over 200,000 fast food restaurants according to the “Fast Food Industry Analysis 2016” (https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/fast-food-industry-report/). Many Americans eat at fast food restaurants because they are quick and cheap. In fact, fast food generates a revenue of over “$200 billion” in the US, that’s a lot of hamburgers.

BIG: Another quirk about Americans is we like to have everything BIG. Whereas in other countries like small and practical, in the US, Americans often like to have large and top of the line. Don’t be surprised when you see how big the houses can get. Americans tend to like their space even if they don’t use all of it up. You will probably see a lot of big SUV’s and large trucks. Don’t be surprised when you go to the super market and you see a big truck taking up two parking spaces.

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Sports: To say that Americans like sports is an understatement. In the US, the most popular sports are American football, basketball, and baseball. People love to cheer on their favorite sports team. Sports create rivalries like no one has seen before and have traditions and superstitions attached to them. Don’t be surprised to see more than five TV channels just for sports alone. Competition is the main contributing factor in the popularity of sports. Americans love to compete and especially love to win.

Saving Money: In the US, people always want to save money. A way to do that is second-hand stores. Clothing stores are the ultimate feeding grounds for shoppers. You need clothes to survive but why pay full price when you can go to a second-hand store which has the same shirt you want to buy at an affordable price. Stores like Goodwill, Plato’s Closet, and Stuff are second-hand stores that sell clothing and household items donated by people. These stores resell these items at prices way below market value. They even have promotional days where you can get these items at an even lower price. At Goodwill, they mark their items with a colored label. Whatever colored label is chosen for the week then promotions like two for 88 cents and half price become an extra bonus to shoppers.

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Expressing Yourself: People in the US express themselves in many ways. We tend to be loud and obnoxious even when around family. Americans are not afraid of speaking out, that’s why we have Freedom of Speech. But we don’t just express ourselves with words but also with image. People in the US dress in all different styles from crazy colored hair to 10-inch-high heels. The reason why there is so much diversity is because you can practice so many faiths and beliefs or values and traditions. Don’t be afraid to be yourself while you are in the US. It’s what makes America so different.