16 Personality Traits That Make Foreginers Know They’re Dealing With an American

Sometimes, a fresh perspective helps us notice things we might have overlooked. This truth applies to understanding how our culture differs from others around the world.

Millions of foreigners visit the United States each year, and just like when Americans travel abroad, they often leave with observations. After more than a decade of living and traveling abroad, here are some of the most intriguing “typical American” things that non-Americans have pointed out to me.

Like anything dealing with personality traits, some of these points aren’t true across the board. Others are unequivocally the case.

1: Very Friendly

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Americans have a reputation for being bubbly, friendly people. We also don’t tend to be as shy as certain regions of the world, such as East Asia. For the most part, Americans will smile at and talk with a stranger they pass on the street, which people from some cultures aren’t accustomed to.

2: So Much Green

Woman holding a $1 bill.
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Money doesn’t grow on trees, but it can feel like the American government wanted it to look that way. American money is the same color regardless of the bill’s worth. In many countries, bills are color-coded according to their value.

3: Lineage Pride

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From my experience, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a European who hasn’t been told by an American about their European ancestry. Even the slightest percentage of a European heritage sends some Americans off into an excited story about their AncestryDNA results when they meet a European who’s from said country.

4: Living Well

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People who visit the U.S. from developing nations are often surprised by how relatively well-off low-income Americans are. Although the U.S. poverty rate of 11.5% is far too high, government and non-profit resources can help the poor have access to food and services that those from developing countries may not have.

5: Extremes

North Dakota rural dirt road with fields on both sides.
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On the other hand, some non-Americans I’ve met have expressed their surprise by how undeveloped much of the United States is. They described shack-like houses in rural areas, a stark difference from how they had the U.S. pictured.

6: Super Sized

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Although shrinkflation might change this perception, historically, many foreigners are surprised by the large portion sizes in America. This is a two-way street; American travelers are often taken aback by how small the portion sizes are when they travel abroad.

7: Tell Me All

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Perhaps it has something to do with Americans being so friendly or the hostel culture I’m usually surrounded by, but I’ve heard foreigners express surprise by how quickly Americans dive into religious and other sensitive topics with someone they just met.

8: Medical Bills

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According to Hudson’s Global Residence Index, all but 43 countries provide free or universal healthcare for 90% or more of their citizens. Naturally, many non-Americans who have to go to the hospital can’t believe it when they receive their medical bill.

9: School Taxes

School lunch.
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To some foreigners, it seems crazy that a portion of school funding comes from local property taxes. Around 81% of school funding comes from them, according to USAFacts. That doesn’t include funding from state governments and the federal government. Nevertheless, the difference between rich suburban schools and poorer rural schools can be extreme partly due to this.

10: Firearms

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Depending on where a person visits in the U.S. and any national or local news that might be making the headlines, it can seem to some foreigners that firearm ownership and misuse is rampant in the U.S. According to Gallup, approximately 32% of Americans personally own a firearm.

11: Beautiful Accents

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Those who watch American movies and TV are often accustomed to a regionless American accent. So, some foreigners are surprised to hear regional accents as they travel throughout the U.S.

12: Extra Price

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In many countries, it’s customary to include the tax in the price of items on shelves. But in the U.S., the sales tax is added at the cash register. That’s an unwelcome surprise to unsuspecting non-American tourists who have to shell out more money than they expected.

13: Imperial Pains

Measuring tape
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Many foreigners I’ve met can’t wrap their heads around why Americans don’t switch over to the metric system. Although the U.S. has tried many times to change to the metric system, they haven’t been able to get enough businesses and citizens onboard to make it effective.

14: Shoes On

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Although shoe-wearing inside American homes isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, this much is true: It flies in certain households, while it essentially never flies in many Asian countries. Needless to say, international tourists visiting the U.S. from countries where wearing shoes inside is a huge no-no have quite the cultural shock to overcome when they arrive in the U.S.

15: Processed Everything

People eating junk food at a store.
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So much of the food on American grocery store shelves is processed, and this takes some getting used to for people from some countries. Nordic countries like Denmark and Finland are especially notorious for selling locally, minimally processed foods.

16: Tipping Woes

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Tipping is another way American culture unexpectedly cuts into foreign tourists’ spending money. In some countries, tipping is frowned upon. But in the U.S., tipping is expected, and tipping a mediocre amount is frowned upon.

A Different Perspective

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Arriving in the U.S. doesn’t always come as a cultural surprise to some international travelers. The reason? They watch American movies and TV shows in their home countries. Of course, Hollywood doesn’t come close to the average American’s life, but it appears there are enough similarities that it lessens cultural shock.

9 Countries Where Tipping Is Rude or Uncommon

A small tip on a plate.
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Since when did tipping your local coffee shop barista 20% become the norm? If you’re tired of American tipping practices, you just might want to visit (and perhaps move to) one of these countries.

9 Countries Where Tipping Is Rude or Uncommon

10 Overweight Countries That Make Americans Look Thin

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The United States technically isn’t home to the highest percentage of overweight citizens. Can you name the countries that have the most overweight residents in the world?

10 Overweight Countries That Make Americans Look Thin

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