If you’ve seen my earlier posts about moving to the US, adjusting to a new life, and the things that surprised me here, you might remember that I was born and raised in Bulgaria and moved to the US as an adult. Today, I’m continuing this story by sharing a few things in the US that I still can’t get used to, even after living here for more than twenty years.
Don’t get me wrong, I love living in the US and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Although I enjoy traveling, I consider the US my home. Through the years, I’ve made many friends, went to college, worked and changed careers. So, I can honestly say that I am very well adjusted to this culture.
I am a firm believer that in order to feel happy in our host country, we need to adjust to its culture. Learning the language is great, but unless we accept the local norms and way of living, we won’t feel truly at home.
But although I’ve been quite open to different aspects of American culture, there are certain things that still make me cringe.
1. Paper coffee cups
The first custom that I still find odd is the way coffee shops default to paper cups, even for people who stay and drink their coffee inside. Now, I get the convenience of not having to actually sit at one place in order to have coffee, so I do appreciate the existence of paper cups. What I don’t like, though, is that they’ve become the default to the point that it makes me feel weird when I ask for a mug.
For example, a few weeks ago I went to Starbucks and actually decided to ask my coffee to be put in a mug. The young barista looked at me as if I was from a different planet. He was so confused that he asked me to repeat it a few times. Then he told me that the mugs there are just collecting dust, and yes, these are his words verbatim. Long story short, one of his coworkers washed the mug for me, but I definitely regretted my request. I felt so weird. I mean, I never thought that asking for a mug in an actual coffee shop would be so strange.
2. Wearing pajamas and slippers in public
The next point on my list is people wearing pajama bottoms and slippers in public. This is something that I will probably never get used to. I just can’t imagine myself walking outside dressed like that. Americans always say that they are all about comfort. However, there are other types of comfortable clothes out there, so you won’t see me walking down the street in pajamas any time soon.
3. Gaps in bathroom doors
American public bathrooms often make me cringe. Don’t get me wrong, most of them are actually quite clean, so no complaints there. What really gets me are the large gaps between the stall doors. I mean, you can literally see the person inside. It’s so awkward.
The doors are also so short that you can often see the feet of the person inside and sometimes even their head when they stand up. I just don’t understand why Americans always talk about how important privacy is to them, and yet this doesn’t seem to bother them.
4. Units of measurement
The next one is the units of measurement. I gotta be honest – even after twenty years in the US I still prefer the metric system. I grew up using meters, liters, and kilograms, so inches, gallons, and pounds still give me a headache.
Also, when it comes to temperature, I still prefer Celsius over Fahrenheit. Of course, I know what 77°F is, but to me it still feels more authentic when I say that it’s 25°C.
5. Homelessness
Next is homelessness. The US is considered one of the richest countries in the world. That’s why I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you see so many homeless people sleeping on the street in most major cities. This is especially noticeable in California, where the weather is relatively warm throughout the whole year.
There are entire camps full of tents, where you can see communities of homeless people. For years, local governments and political candidates have been talking about how to deal with the issue, but not only do we not see any improvement, things are actually getting even worse!
I know that other countries also deal with poverty and homelessness, but considering that the US claims to be one of the most developed countries in the world, this is definitely mind blowing.
6. Driving slowly on the left lane
The next one is driving me crazy any time I’m on the road: driving slowly in the farthest left lane. In Europe, if you drive slowly, you drive on the right lane, but here in the US no one seems to care. You might have five lanes with five cars ahead of you, each on a separate lane, and all driving with the same speed. So, they block you and you can’t even pass them. Seriously, this drives me nuts.
Ok, let me stop here because my blood starts boiling just thinking about it 😂.
7. City life
If you live in or have ever visited Europe, you must know that no matter how large a European city is, it always has an area in downtown that is solely for pedestrians where no cars are allowed. These places are constantly full of city life and have plenty of restaurants, bars, night clubs, theaters, etc. There are also plenty of outside sitting areas full of people. In the US, with some exceptions, this is not the case.
Every place has to be vehicle-accessible, which means that all streets are full of cars. You can find some alleys, but these are typically in parks, where there are no restaurants, bars, etc. If you happen to find food in such areas, it’s always fast food.
There are small downtown areas here and there with a few bars and restaurants, but as I mentioned, there are cars everywhere, and you can’t really enjoy sitting outside so much because of the noise.
8. Tipping
And the last one on my list is tipping. Guys, the amount of money you’re expected to tip in the US is literally RIDICULOUS. Whether you go to a bar, restaurant, hair salon, nail salon, or anywhere else that involves some kind of service, you’re expected to leave at least 18% of your total bill.
And when I say 18%, that’s actually the minimum. A more acceptable tip would be 20%, even 25%. I mean, are you kidding me? Why is it my responsibility that servers aren’t on a salary? Eating out is already getting more and more expensive. Why do I have to pay so much extra?
And now, mind you, even coffee shops have added a tip option when you pay, even though they don’t have servers. I mean, yes, I get it – they brew the coffee and pour it into the cup for you, but aren’t they getting paid for that?
Don’t get me wrong, I always leave a good tip because I live in the US and I feel I have to comply with the culture, but the original purpose of tipping was to show appreciation for great service, not because there’s no other option.
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Guys, I didn’t write this post to complain. I live in the US by choice and I enjoy most aspects of my life here. No one forces me to stay here if I don’t like it. I just wanted to share these things, so that you are not surprised if you haven’t been to the US yet, but plan to visit.
Leave me a comment and let me know which point surprised you the most. If you live in the US, let me know if you also have things that you can’t get used to.
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