Although I have lived in the United States for over twenty years, there are still some things that I am not used to. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life here 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 somewhat 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. Now I’m used to most of the cultural features I found strange when I first moved to the US. But although I’ve been quite open to different aspects of American culture, there are certain things that I still can’t get used to.
Seven things about American culture I’m still not used to after 20 years in the US
Below are seven things that I am yet to get used to despite having lived in the US for over two decades.
1. Calling my friends “honey,” “sweety,” and “love”
Calling your friends “love,” for example, is popular in the US, especially among girls and women. But I grew up using my friends’ names and calling someone other than my husband “love” doesn’t feel natural to me. To be honest, I once tried to call a friend “honey,” but it felt so weird I decided that it wasn’t for me.
2. Walking outside wearing pajama pants
This is one thing that I will probably never get used to. I don’t mind when I see other people wearing pajamas in public, but 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 and small doors in public restrooms
Even after twenty years in the US, I still can’t understand this one. See, Americans are so into privacy. They always talk about how they need their space and they don’t like it when someone else invades it. They also feel very strongly about nudity. Unlike many other countries, you will never see nudity on American public television. Yet, you could feel totally exposed in an American bathroom due to the very short door and the gaps between the wall and the door. (To me this looks more like an entrance to a bar from a western movie. 😉) Honestly, this still annoys me and I don’t think I will ever get used to the feeling of being exposed in a public restroom.
4. Watching baseball and American football
When Americans talk about sports, they usually mean baseball, American football, or maybe basketball. To be honest, during my twenty years in the US, I haven’t watched a baseball game. Not even one. I like sports, but different ones; I can watch a good tennis match for hours; and I also love rhythmic gymnastics (a very popular sport in my native Bulgaria). But I just never learned to appreciate what Americans call “sports.”
5. Units of measurement
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.
6. The problem of homelessness
The US is considered one of the richest countries in the world. It is therefore a paradox that you may see homeless people sleeping on the street in many major cities like New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. This is especially noticeable in California, where the weather is relatively warm throughout the entire year, so that one doesn’t freeze when sleeping outside. There are entire camps full of tents, where you can see communities of homeless people. For years, we have been hearing plans to solve this issue from candidates for various positions in local governments, yet the problem persists and has been getting worse year after year. While poverty also exists – in various magnitudes – in Europe, this problem is definitely less visible there.
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 which is reserved for pedestrians where no cars are allowed. Such promenades are constantly full of city life with 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.
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Culture is such an interesting concept. Sometimes we immediately get used to one thing while other aspects of daily life take years to get accustomed to. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to agree with everything within your new culture. Just try to accept that people in other places have different habits and way of life. Having the opportunity to explore and experience new places and cultures is a blessing.
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