10 Things First-Time Visitors To The U.S Find Strange

There is nothing unusual about smiling especially to a stranger that is according to Americans, though non-Americans in their wildest thought find that so strange. Americans are known for their huge smiles; to them it is a kind way to make one feel comfortable and warmly welcomed. Some people might find it bizarre and see those smiles as unreal, but the truth is giving someone that big beautiful smile is so much better than giving the gloomy look.

It is for a fact that smiles are obviously linked to being friendly. Americans do not draw lines when it gets to being friendly, meet him or her in an elevator or a metro bus they always will give you that good look and a "how are you" will always follow in a short moment. But non-Americans often take this question seriously when to Americans that phrase is so common

Americans mostly tend to never waste meals, they are accustomed to carrying "doggie bags" home, and to some non-Americans this is viewed to be disgusting and selfish since most non-Americans are known to believe in sharing huge meal portions but to Americans carrying meals home is considered ideal for those who do not want to waste food.

Getting tipped in America is more of a day-to-day thing, hotel employees get tips from clients, the bartenders, cab drivers, the wait staff. Almost anyone in the service industry in the United States gets tipped, the whole exercise is considered voluntary but should one decide to tip, it should never be less than 15%. Giving less than the accepted percentage or not tipping at all is generally looked down upon; this is one of the things foreigners find it so strange in the U.S

With an area estimate of 9,826,675 km2, and about 50 states all rolled up into one United States of America. America is so vast and huge; foreigners often tend to underestimate it, even a month across the United States in never enough to complete all states, it is practically like crossing the Atlantic in a day on a boat.

If you are used to metric system in your country then you will face a huge problem transitioning from the metric system like millisecond, kilometre, metric ton to the United States non-metric system, unless you are from Liberia and Myanmar, you will totally have no problem with it. Visit the U.S and meet words like inches, miles and other imperial measurements.

In the United States of America, waving flags, cheering and singing of how proud they are of their country is a common phenomenon, and to them that is no problem at all. But to many other foreigners, that might be seen as nationwide xenophobia.

Return policy in America is so strict, strange as it may seem to other non-Americans, almost everything and anything can be returned for full refund, ranging from food to clothing. This is no big deal to natives.

Most Americans drive on cars between destinations, try walking in any American city on foot or even riding a bike, you will feel alone, an American will prefer driving from point A to B even when the two points are in close proximity, those other foreigners who probably had lived in cities with reliable public transportation or in places easily accessed on foot or by riding a bicycle will find it so strange.

Taxes vary depending on the state you are in, counties too do have their own sales tax percentage, foreigners do find it unusual after one walks in into any item store, it is after you have walked into the cashier and find the sales tax included in the purchases. Sales tax exclusion does allow companies to advertise at lower prices.