What we will never understand about Americans. Tells a Russian living in the USA
A user of the Pikabu portal with the nickname Chemicalbody has been living in Denver, Colorado for three years. During this time, he noticed several features of the American mentality that seem, let's say, peculiar to us.
Source: Pikabu
Americans are terribly afraid of snow. And this is despite the fact that I live on a mountain (the city is a mile above sea level) and snow is not an extraordinary phenomenon here. If forecasters predict snow for tomorrow, then the townspeople immediately rush to the supermarket and stock up on food, as if they reported an impending nuclear war. And how do they drive on a snowy road…
Everyone violates the rules of the road. By their polls. Double solid? Two doubles? And what is it? If you need to turn here, it will turn. If the limit is, for example, 65 miles per hour, everyone goes 75-85. The only exception is "paid traffic lights" (those with cameras). Everyone there is obedient as one.
But there is also a spoonful of honey: the habit of giving way to special vehicles is in the blood of Americans. Everyone pulls over to the curb and stops. They are really ready to damage their car to let an ambulance or firemen through. They climb on curbs, into the bumpers, just to let them pass. This is how Americans are respected. Well done.
By the way, about special transport. You got into an accident, for example, you call 911. And you know what, all the services come, a bunch. Firefighters, ambulance, police. In any situation, if you called the emergency service, everyone will come. Moreover, the firefighters will stand up so that they will block the whole street with their car.
And yes, you will be in the USA, be sure to ask someone for the local emergency room number. If you suddenly feel ill and you call 911, then each service that arrives will issue a separate bill. And if they are also hospitalized, it is better to ask to go home from the hospital right away. Without insurance, the treatment of, say, a broken leg will cost 40 thousand dollars.
Americans are also very liberated. He wants to walk down the street with headphones on and sing — so he does. It's good for him — he will dance. Meeting a person in a bathrobe or towel on the street is also the norm. And why change clothes when you go to the pool? And it's not about drunks right now. They just know that no one will stare or point at them.
Newborns are everywhere. It seems that American women give birth and immediately after giving birth take the baby in their arms and go to shops, shopping centers, cafes. The child is still red and has not had time to open his eyes, but he is already shopping with his mother. Strange.
At the same time, they are very patient with foreigners (Mexicans do not count) and are always ready to help. They will go out of their way just to explain the way or provide any other help. Upon arrival in Denver, we went to connect SIM cards. So the employee drew diagrams and pictures on paper for us, explaining some details on his fingers. It's nice.
And the last. Americans always and everywhere have a casual conversation. It is impossible to buy flowers in a store without the seller asking why you are doing this. Be sure to ask and give advice. It does not happen that you meet an American in an elevator, and he is silent all the way. It is impossible to pay at the checkout and leave without hearing something from the cashier.
Once I bought several decks of cards and pickled cucumbers, cut into circles. Americans call these cucumbers chips, which translates from English as "chips". So the cashier couldn't resist and humored, they say, we have a big poker game planned, hinting at my pickled chips.
Keywords: Americans | Denver | Mentality | Observation | Usa