Just like wearing shorts all year and putting on socks and sandals, Americans love to put on Hawaiian shirts with cargo shorts and a basketball hat when they go abroad or stay outside of Hawaii. The interesting part is that some of these people have never been to Hawaii. So what’s their reason for putting on these brightly colored shirts? You can easily pick an American from the crowd by spotting people wearing this combo.
Have you ever considered why the World Series is called so even though only baseball teams from within the U.S.A participates? Just like how the United States is often called America, Americans call the competition involving baseball teams from within the country World Series. The tournament involves a team from the National League and the American League, all within the United States. The title makes it look as if the world revolves around the 50 states. Does it? Maybe it does. Americans are self-absorbed people and pride themselves in that. In other countries, they give names and titles to things that reflect the country’s culture and heritage.
This is another weird American practice that people from outside of the United States can’t comprehend. In America, nothing gets people more excited than tailgating. When a college or professional sports game is about to kick off, you will find hundreds to thousands of Americans there who just want to tailgate rather than watch the actual match. The vibes and brews are what get people excited, and that’s their only reason for being present. People from other countries find this odd. Why prepare such elaborate setups if you are not there to support any of the teams? Welcome to America!
Halloween has just begun to rub off on other countries, but it was the United States that started this bizarre tradition. Some people from other countries wonder why Americans celebrate Halloween. They say it’s another tricky way to observe a holiday, but we think they don’t understand the essence. In which country where you knock on a stranger’s door to offer candy for free? Halloween is such a unique period, but weird to foreigners.
Another way to separate an American from other people is from what they feed on. Americans love the classic combination of peanut butter and jelly. The salty and sweet taste is something they can’t get over. Americans are to peanut butter and jelly as India is to Cricket. Foreigners don’t know why Americans are never tired of this combination. It almost seems the meal gives them some secret superpowers. Some of them don’t know if jelly is the same thing as jam. The classic PB and J is an American thing that will remain for years to come.
I think this is one of the strangest things in this post. When it comes to road rules, each country has its own. In America, you are allowed to turn right at a red light. Unless there’s a sign that says you shouldn’t turn right on red, and there’s no sign of oncoming cars, you can go through a red light. This is weird in other countries as they only go when the green arrow shows up.
In America, sitting in the back seat of a taxi is common. You’ll never see someone hop in the front seat with the driver unless the back is occupied. Americans take this behavior abroad, and this leaves other people puzzled, especially cab drivers who are used to people sitting in the front seat with them. Americans believe that it will be weirder to sit in the front seat if you aren’t looking to have a conversation.
This is something Congress needs to work on. What’s up with every state having its laws? Shouldn’t there be a universal law governing all states? How are people supposed to remember the laws when they travel? I guess they will have to read the laws before coming. It would be much easier if all the states had the same laws. Well! It’s almost as if Americans enjoy making their lives more difficult.
As you can see, the United States has so many unique customs and traditions that are not widespread in other countries. While lots of them are weird, it doesn’t take out the fact that they give the country some uniqueness and defines its culture. If you are coming to the United States as a first-time tourist, be ready for a whole new experience.