Huge portion sizes, yellow school buses, giant pickup trucks, and people casually calling everyone “buddy.” If your brain instantly jumped to the USA while reading that, trust us; you’re definitely not alone. Most of us carry around a mental scrapbook of stereotypes about different countries, usually stitched together from movies, TV shows, random internet clips, and the occasional dramatic news headline. But as entertaining as those assumptions can be, they’re often wildly exaggerated… or just completely off the mark.
Speaking of which, someone online asked: “Non-Americans, what American stereotype that turned out not to be true shocked you the most?” And let’s just say, the answers delivered. From people expecting every American to look like they just walked off a Baywatch set, to genuinely believing everyone in the US is rolling in money, these responses are equal parts funny, baffling, and oddly relatable. Keep scrolling because some of these assumptions are about to give your idea of America a serious reality check.
#41
That everything was great and first world, your public transport is bad and your cities are really spread out, how was I supposed to move around.
Report
4points
#42
My husband is from the Philippines. He was shocked when he came here and found that Americans typically eat with either a spoon or a fork, not both at the same time as is common there. He'd thought that his country got that from us. He still sometimes shakes his head at our inefficient utensil habits.
...And I gotta admit, he's right. Fork in one hand and spoon in the other is really useful for many foods.
...And I gotta admit, he's right. Fork in one hand and spoon in the other is really useful for many foods.
Report
4points
#43
When I saw a news broadcast in American films I always assumed it was exaggerated. I went to america and i was surprised to see that that's how American tv really is.
Report
4points
#44
I was sad when I walked out of the airport and there wasn't some sort of fight everywhere I went.
3points
#45
Family comes from the UK to visit us in Atlanta and are visibly surprised to find no theme parks or “international blvd” like stripe of bars and entertainment.
Ended up taking them to Dollywood a few times. I think that’s a culture shock for most Americans, not just foreigners though.
Ended up taking them to Dollywood a few times. I think that’s a culture shock for most Americans, not just foreigners though.
Report
3points