# 16 People On Things They Couldn’t Believe About America Until They Moved Here **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 15, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954 "2013-11-15T01:24:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/81 "2013-11-16T17:22:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > You can enter private homes wearing your shoes in the U.S. > > I was amazed that my friends in Canada _expected_ me to remove my shoes before coming into their house. I’ve heard its that way in Japan too. As others already said, let’s not hijack this thread with this topic. 😃 Buuut my point is somewhat relevant to the OP’s topic: these attitudes vary around the US (and Canada, as **Spoons** noted). So this is more of a regional thing. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/82 "2013-11-16T17:26:40Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > As others already said, let’s not hijack this thread with this topic. 😃 Buuut my point is somewhat relevant to the OP’s topic: these attitudes vary around the US (and Canada, as **Spoons** noted). So this is more of a regional thing. I’d argue its not even regional. On my block some asked guests to remove their shoes and some didnt care about it. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/83 "2013-11-16T18:04:47Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > A store like Costco probably would not do so well in Japan; you’d have trouble getting home with just one 24-pack of paper towel rolls. [Funnily enough, there is Costco in Japan.](http://www.dannychoo.com/en/post/26024/Costco+Japan.html) The list of locations seems to be in smaller cities though, where using a car would be more common. We aren’t talking metro Tokyo here! I have no idea if they’re popular though, I only heard they exist from ex-pats who love being able to go there. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/84 "2013-11-16T19:36:46Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > I must laugh at this, b/c the first time I ran into this was at a wedding talking to a Swedish guy who asked what I knew about Sweden and all I could think was the chef from the Muppet Show. > ‘Bork bork bork’ neither translates well nor leaves a good impression of the speaker. i believe that is because the swedish chef is a bit more norwegian than swedish. picturing you explaining the chef and bork, bork, bork, to an increasingly alarmed swede, had me laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/85 "2013-11-16T19:55:41Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > i believe that is because the swedish chef is a bit more norwegian than swedish. > > picturing you explaining the chef and bork, bork, bork, to an increasingly alarmed swede, had me laughing. I had big late 80’s hair if that helps complete the hilarious picture for you. He even repeated it back to me in a confused but Swedish tone - “Borrrk borrrk borrrk?” 😕 I can only hope in decades since that the Muppet Show has made great inroads to Vasteras. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/86 "2013-11-16T20:07:15Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > A Chinese coworker was astonished at the amount of food at the local grocery store, like almost to the point of tears. I walked into Wegmen’s this week and practically fainted at all the abundance. That place would make your coworker scream. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/87 "2013-11-16T20:47:08Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Not true, I lived I in Russia and if you got a DWI, you were fucked. In my time I’ve arrested a couple of Eastern Europeans for DUI who were happy to explain that back in their country they would be lookin at significantly harsher penalties under the law there. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/88 "2013-11-16T21:57:02Z")
Olof Åkerlund: "People really are afraid of socialism. This seems to be especially true the less they know about it, or believe it means turning their car in to the state. It also turns into fear of Obamacare being some sort of socialist plot, which is hilarious. A lot of people really think a constitution written hundreds of years ago provides written guidance to any issue the nation might be faced with. Then again, a large subset of the same group believes that a book written 2000 years ago provides answers to all problems in life." Heh! I’d like to see George Will, Charles Krauthammer or any of the Fox News pundits respond to this guy! ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/89 "2013-11-16T22:05:36Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > This is probably much more prevalent in suburban areas than cities; being from NYc and now living in suburban NJ, I realize that there’s often no other way to get home. It’s not easy to get a cab late at night. Oh, for the old days (before zoning laws) when there was a tavern on every corner! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/90 "2013-11-16T22:13:52Z")
I wasn’t clear last night. I should have qualified my comment earlier that entering a U.S. home wearing shoes is generally ok. But every homeowner can set their own rules. Their are places like Japan where it would be a faux pas to even attempt to wear your shoes in a private home. Theres probably other countries like that too. > [@zweisamkeit](#): > > As others already said, let’s not hijack this thread with this topic. 😃 Buuut my point is somewhat relevant to the OP’s topic: these attitudes vary around the US (and Canada, as **Spoons** noted). So this is more of a regional thing. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/91 "2013-11-16T22:21:38Z")
Can any Brits comment about home improvements in the UK? I’ve seen news articles about Council planning. Someone wants to add a bedroom and bath suite onto their home. It gets denied because that home is planned or designated to have only so much living space? Hope I’m explaining that correctly. 😉 If I’m understanding that correctly. Then its different in the U.S. You need permits to add onto a house. But the permits are focused more on the structural engineering design and inspecting the work as it’s completed in stages. Making sure the work is done to code and safe. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/92 "2013-11-16T22:30:21Z")
The parts about how our social relationships are very superficial was interesting. I wonder how it works in various other nations. Do people have deeper close social ties with family and friends but are not as friendly with strangers, or what exactly. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/93 "2013-11-16T22:37:52Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > Flip-flopping the OP, what about Europe. > > No, or at best rare, free toilets. We were there for 28 days and probably spent $60 on peeing. It was .5 euros a leak, if not more. One place in Hungry wanted a euro, about $1.35. > > This was a good surprise, the number of really attractive young ladies. I thought Italy was a girl watchers paradise. Yep, paid to pee a lot in Germany on our 3 week trip this autum. Any establishement that serves beer has free toilets though. But it is a bit discurting in train stations and airports and such. What was worse, was the total lack of water foutains. Just to get a quick sip of water. In all of the eight cities we went to, with all the stations in between - I found two. To the point that in the Frankrut airport my wife got my attention and said “Look! look! a water foutain” Oh. and Munich has some VERY good looking people too. Rented bikes for the day. Oye. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/94 "2013-11-16T23:03:03Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > One of the items in #10: “No jaywalking. At least not in Seattle, no matter how empty the street.” > > I noticed the same thing last year when I was in Seattle. It certainly doesn’t apply to Chicago, Washington DC, or any of the smaller cities I’ve lived in/near. I think they actually give tickets to jaywalkers in Seattle. I’ve only read to this post, but I had to respond. People jaywalk in Seattle _all the time!_. No cars coming? Yeah, people cross the street. Sometimes I cross in the middle of a street. (OTOH, my old SoCal habits are still strong after a decade away, and I do find myself waiting for the light to change.) I don’t mind people jaywalking if there are no cars. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a green light and am close to an intersection, and people just start walking in front of the oncoming me. I think the lack of jaywalkers in Seattle is a myth. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/95 "2013-11-16T23:59:14Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > A fellow from the UK once came to Wisconsin for some post-doctoral work. At one point he and some friens rented a Cadillac and drove to Utah. He said that after driving all that distance he finally appreciated why Americans like big-ass cars like that. Indeed, even if you’re not taking a cross-country trip, the typical American spends a lot of time in his/her car just commuting: comfort becomes much more imporant than if you only use your car once every week or two for a special errand. When I was going to grad school, a UK student said almost the same thing to me. He had arrived in NYC, and decided to drive across the US go get to school on the west coast. He had been knocked flat at the variety and size of the country. (Texas alone is about 3 times the size of the UK, so the whole of the US must be culture shock to those from the UK who come here) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/96 "2013-11-17T00:04:18Z")
> [@Marion\_Wormer](#): > > Texas alone is about 3 times the size of the UK… If you cut Alaska in half and made each half a state, Texas would be the _third_ largest state. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/97 "2013-11-17T00:18:16Z")
Texas is one of those states where looking at a road map doesn’t make you realize the long drive ahead. I once made the mistake of trying to bypass Dallas’ busy area and get to Ft Worth. That little jog on the bypass cost me an hour and half. It was just a short line on the map. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/98 "2013-11-17T01:54:41Z")
Root beer: sold in Canada as well. Butter: in much of Europe, butter is slightly sour, presumably allowed to on purpose. Of course, salt butter is salty. Big and empty: Yes, the flyover states are largely empty of people, but not of grain. But nothing can compare with Canada. Supermarkets: When I spent a month in Japan I had no car and there was a large supermarket nearby that I went to and schlepped stuff by hand from. This was in a smallish town (Tsukuba). ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/99 "2013-11-17T02:04:40Z")
1992: Mesa Verde campgrounds. German tourist asks “Where are all the people?” She was genuinely shocked there were such vast open spaces with so few people living in them. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954/100 "2013-11-17T10:34:37Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > 1992: Mesa Verde campgrounds. German tourist asks “Where are all the people?” She was genuinely shocked there were such vast open spaces with so few people living in them. I encountered that while riding a train across northern Ontario. There was a group of British tourists on the train, and after almost 24 hours of rocks, trees, and muskeg (followed by more rocks, trees, and muskeg) they wondered who owned all this, and where they lived. Nobody owns it, they were told (though technically the government does), and nobody lives in it. But these tourists had never before seen land that nobody owned, and that nobody lived on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-people-on-things-they-couldn-t-believe-about-america-until-they-moved-here/673954.md?page=6)