Even if you have never visited the US before, it’s easy to believe you know everything there is to know about American culture. It’s just like in the movies, right?
Well, sort of. While some things may make you feel like you just stepped onto a Hollywood set, this is more of the exception rather than the case. And no matter how much television you watch beforehand, it won’t give you a real sense of what it feels like to live here and experience American life for yourself.
That’s where this post comes in! I’ve rounded up some of the most common cultural differences you might experience while studying in the US, along with those some other current international students have noticed during their time here. This by no means covers everything to expect, but will give you a good headstart!
Everything is bigger.
Food, drink, buildings, roads…to me, America can seem like it has been placed under a magnifying glass. Marine d’Abzac, a fellow international student who comes from France, has expressed a similar sentiment. “A medium [drink] is a large in France, and the makis are twice the size of those served in a Japanese restaurant in Paris” she says.
Americans come across as very outgoing and enthusiastic.
This is especially true when shopping and eating in restaurants, where people working in customer service positions are trained to engage with customers and speak in a cheerful, friendly manner. Even when meeting new people, I have found Americans often seem more passionate in general, rather than the more reserved nature of people in my home country of the UK.
Attitudes towards the country.
Lucia Accorsi is an international student from Italy, and notes that the patriotism of Americans is something that she found to be very different. She says “It can be easily taken for “my country is better than yours” rather than “I love my country.”” It is indeed common to see American flags while out and about, and many locals have a great deal of pride in their country. It’s important to avoid offending your future classmates and peers!
America is incredibly diverse.
Due to its size, your experience in the US can differ a lot depending on where you are. This includes different weather, attitudes, food, and more. You might be studying in a cosmopolitan city or a rural town, each of which has their own individual cultures, depending on where you apply. Mariana Gugelmeier, an international student from Uruguay, says she really began to notice this after travelling to different states and realising that things she had come to expect were not in fact common across the entire country.
Depending on where you come from, some aspects of American life might seem similar, while others will be completely alien. If you know people from your own country or region who have experienced living in the US, get it touch with them and ask what they personally found strange. Their answers might surprise you!
For those of you who have experienced living in the USA: what did you find to be the most surprising thing about American culture? Leave a comment with your experiences, or join the discussion on the Facebook group here!
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