It’s no secret that America stands out from the crowd. There are so many little quirky American things that the rest of the world just can’t wrap their heads around. Like the word “y’all,” red solo cups, free refills, and bulk shopping, to name just a few.
So when someone asked the non-Americans of Reddit what’s the craziest thing they’ve heard about the greatest country in the world that turned out to be true, the question was destined to become a hit. 56.9K upvotes later, the thought-provoking inquiry generated some very surprising answers. Let’s take a look at the best ones so far down below.
To all the non-American Pandas out there, share more of these rumors-turned-facts in the comment section below!
#1
Injured people try to avoid getting ambulances called for them
#2
That American kids eat straight sugar. Walked on to the playground and saw kids chugging these long thin sticks. I try and it was just colored sugar lol. Called them pixie sticks.
#3
You can see into the public toilet cubicles
There’re so many customs that Americans use without too much thinking. But when traveling around the world, some of the cultural differences become quite obvious.
While tipping is not a matter of choice in the US, people in Japan and South Korea see that as an insult. That’s partly because workers are proud of their jobs, and they get decent pay for whatever it is that they do.
There’s nothing wrong about being a tiny bit late in the US. But in some countries, that would be totally inappropriate. If you’re fashionably late for a meeting in Germany or Netherlands, locals are likely to think that you don’t value their time as much as your own.
“Athleisure,” while a popular choice of fashion for the day-to-day business, is viewed as distasteful in many European countries. For example, Italians never miss a chance to laugh at tourists wearing flip flops or denim shorts for restaurant dinner. The sloppy appearance can be understood as disrespectful.
#4
Biscuits and gravy is a legit thing. Also you can ride motorcycles without helmets in some states??? And your iced tea isn’t sweetened unless you ask for sweet.
#5
Free soft-drink refills in restaurants. Like wth
#6
I’m from Australia, and all my life I believed red Solo cups were like 555 area codes – a Hollywood prop. When I immigrated to the US, my MIL was making dinner and offered me iced tea in a red Solo cup.
I lost it, made everyone sign the cup. I’ve still got it.
#7
Drink sizes. When my family visited in 2017 we landed in Texas for a stopover. First thing I saw in the shops part of the terminal was a dude who was drinking from what looked like an actual f***ing bucket – here in NZ our “large” drinks would be considered an American “small” or maybe “medium”
#8
Two-dollar bills.
#9
That they actually do wear shoes indoors, I thought it was just a movies thing (less hassle filming), but no.
#10
So apparently yellow school buses are actually a thing in America. I honestly thought it was just a cartoon thing, but nope.
#11
That Dolly Parton has her own theme park in Tennessee. I thought it was a joke.
#12
I always thought that the Olive Garden in The Simpsons was just code for ‘generic restaurant’
#13
Surfer-dudes actually speak like that.
#14
That people actually get attacked by Alligators which got in their pools (specifically referring to Florida here).
#15
They have garbage disposals in their kitchens. That’s just so wild to me.
#16
Private prisons. I thought it was some sort of “haha the US is a dystopian hell hole” exaggeration joke the first time I heard it was a thing. I had to look it up to believe it because I was 100% sure the person was just trying to [mess] with me when he said he was serious.
#17
I studied in Maryland for about half a year back in 2017. I’d always heard that Americans are like… super good at pie. I was pretty much all alone during thanksgiving since everyone else was with their families. One of the RAs I’d befriended knocked on my door and brought me all different kinds of pie. Dear lord, I’ve never tasted anything that delicious. From blueberry to apple to pumpkin. Every. Single. Pie. They were all amazing.
#18
I’m from Quebec and when we went down to Boston for a school trip, I sneezed in public and heard two or three people say “bless you”. Quite a weird rumour I had heard not 2 months prior to that. I thought it was nice.
#19
Free refills!
#20
Masked people come to your house, knock on your door asking for candy. Mostly it’s just packs of kids but sometimes whole families. This was my friends Halloween culture shock.
#21
They have milk in gallon cartons!
When I visited America I went a supermarket for some breakfast stuff, cereal and milk. All they had was milk in gallons! Who could possibly have that much milk? I asked for a smaller carton and the lady who worked their just laughed at me and made a remark about don’t we like milk in England
#22
Switching hands for you knife and fork. Its bizzare to me
#23
I actually don’t properly know if this is true but yous have like a whole isle in your supermarkets dedicated to just the hundreds of cereals you have ?
#24
That public transport is almost nonexistent in many smaller towns, which makes it a necessity for teens to have their own cars.
#25
I remember when I was younger seeing something on an American sitcom or a movie (I forget) about cheese that came in some kind of spray can? Or a squeezy tube? And I remember thinking it was a joke.
#26
Home owners associations. What the [hell] is up with that?
#27
As a Brit living in America the amount of pharmaceutical commercials on TV is creepy.
#28
Not exactly crazy, but I wanted to test out the stereotype that Americans will talk to anyone so I sought out a sports bar on my first visit. Ended up having a ton of really fun conversations with total strangers who I’ll never talk to ever again. It was great!
#29
I’ve had several German friends who were amazed that at house parties everyone actually does drink out of red Solo cups. They thought that was just a weird thing people did in movies and now they think it is a huge conspiracy or something
#30
The honking… I thought it was a movie stereotype, and then I went to New York
#31
Sports Bars are actually exactly how they’re portrayed on TV
#32
That there are security guards(or cops) in the school’s halls, and some even have metal detectors at the entrance like the TSA at airports…
#33
Literally anything about what goes on in Florida.
#34
That higher education can cost upwards of $50,000 per year
#35
Not really crazy, but I just learned you guys have like outdoor sirens that get tested somewhat frequently. I’ve only heard those noises in video games and movies until my friend sent me a clip, because I had no idea it actually happened.
#36
The “Take me out to the ballgame song” thats apparently sung at baseball games. still not entirely sure that guy wasnt taking the piss out of me
#37
That you can identify Texans with the simple phrase “The stars at night are big and bright”
#38
That there are many libraries of all kinds in the United States.
#39
That the prices on their products are without tax and you get the tax when you pay
Like here the tax is already like, in the price. If it costs 1€ you pay 1€.
#40
They have those angry sinks that chop [crap]
#41
American State and National parks are some of the most beautiful places on earth. All parks could use more funding, but American parks are well staffed and maintained. There’s real pride.
#42
That people will just suffer through an injury or illness because they can’t afford health insurance.
#43
That you can rack up 100,000$ upward in debt easily through student loans.
#44
People of Walmart
#45
That they’re not allowed to just cross the road wherever it’s safe, “jaywalking” is the term I think.
#46
Apparently, rolling coal is actually a thing.
#47
The extent of the tipping culture is frankly shocking to me.
#48
That women only get about 6 weeks off work after having a baby and it’s most likely to be unpaid.
#49
One positive thing Iv’e noticed, foreigners love how big Halloween is here.
#50
Nearly every man is circumcised regardless of religion.
#51
2017 in Athens, Georgia I passed out at work and was fine but my boss had already called an ambulance and insisted I get checked out…a less than 2 mile ambulance ride cost me $950 with insurance. I was only dehydrated..
#52
The minimal amount of paid days off you get from work. A friend of mine from Wisconsin was very proud he got 20 days off per year. If someone in Germany would offer me only 20 days, I would laugh at him and leave.
#53
I never understood why people in American TV series lost their house and job just because they got really sick.
Then I found out that it can happen in America.
#54
All the food is bigger.
#55
Not really a rumour but your houses are made of mostly air and drywalls. I think that’s pretty crazy
#56
That they are able to drink from the sink i tried that and spit the water it taste like [crap] (in my country) but when i went to america it taste great
#57
Some cafeterias renamed “french fries” as “freedom fries” when we refused to help the US for the war in Iraq. A canadian friend told me that, I thought it was a joke. Turns out it wasn’t. It’s the most passive aggressive think I’ve ever seen.
#58
The amount of sugar y’all put on EVERYTHING. I spent only 2 weeks in the US and I couldn’t take it. Even the portion sizes are colossal, I felt that in a month with this lifestyle I’d probably drop dead, my heart wouldn’t be able to take it
#59
In an area, you’re subject to a f*ck ton of different laws. There’s laws that apply to the whole country, laws that apply to individual states, laws that only apply to counties, laws that apply to individual cities, and then I think, different areas within a city. In England, no matter where you are, all the same laws apply, with very rare exceptions. Homeowners associations as well. What a load of [crap]. Land of the free, but your neighbour can tell you what colour your f***king fence can be.
#60
I’m still not 100% sure is true so hopefully can confirm – “buoy” is pronounced “boo-ee” ?
#61
That you can get into university just by being good at sports…. Like…wtf?
#62
How deeply religious and patriotic it is in contrast to Europe.
#63
People in their 20s can earn six figure salaries.
#64
That you can be fined if you don’t mow your lawn or park your car incorrectly. I really can’t believe that’s true
#65
hat lesser-known musicians aren’t paid for their show by the owners of the club/bar/what ever. I still remember how a Los Angeles musician told me completely surprised that he and the band had received free food and drinks before his show here in Germany. This is just normal for us! That artists – no matter if wellknown or unknown – are paid for their music by the booker and get catering. (even if the celebrities, of course, get more and better stuff)
#66
Employees can get fired ‘at will’. No warning, no performance review plans, nothing, just straight up fired.
#67
That there are video games in their libraries.
#68
That they clap at random times. I was watching a movie in the USA and people liked what happened so they started clapping on the middle of the [frikinn] movie.
#69
Majority of cars have automatic gearboxes. We don’t get that here in Greece.
#70
That Hawaiians really like spam.
#71
Not me but my dad
My dad heard this crazy rumor about everyone getting drunk and wearing green for one day a year. He obviously didn’t know this was a holiday, and was like WTF. When he came to the US and discovered St. Patrick’s Day, he was amazed.
#72
That your country is huge!
I got off the plane and asked the cap guy how far the hotel was and he said about 30 miles. I almost had a heart attack… turns out cabs are cheaper than the Uk
I can’t remember the price I paid but I was presently surprised.
The UK cabs are like £4 per mile
also you would get laughed of the taxi for asking to go 30 miles and not taking the train
#73
America has libraries that are essentially free to use.
(This was not even a rumor, but more like sarcastic comment from a friend who heard I was excited to go to the US, because he knew what book nerds my entire family is)
When I first arrived here 25 years ago, the first day of work at Newark NJ, I walked out at lunch time and saw the huge Central Library. The size boggled my mind, but I bravely walked in to check it out. The guy says, yup, show me your work ID (for local address) and you get a membership card.
Me: how much does it cost? I only own $80 total till I get my first pay.
He (bemused, almost laughing): it’s free. You don’t pay anything.
Me (after a brief recovery time from shock): so how many books am I allowed to take home? (Expecting that to be a catch – maybe I need to put down a security deposit for each book)
He (now positively enjoying himself): how many can you carry?
That day I took home 30+ books, just being greedy.
And quickly called my dad to tell him about it.
For a guy who painstakingly would browse used books stores in small town India just to get his kids great books to read, he was suitably amazed. He was puzzled if that would kill the book-store business, because who’d buy if such free libraries existed?!?
Till date I remember the gratitude I felt that day for being able to come here. And when Dad visited some years later, I would drop him off at a library on my way to work and he’d be lost in it all day.
#74
That education costs two souls.
#75
That an ambulance costs $2,000 F***ING DOLLARS!
#76
the SATs exam being multiple choice
#77
The freaking flag thing man, here we barely have one per school, or even government building.
#78
Crazy hospitable…turned out to be true. Talkative…turned out to be true as well.
#79
Americans are nice and will stop to talk to Strangers. Canadian here living in Alberta. To any one who has never been, you will be blown away by the general Americans’ generosity of their time, knowledge and helpfulness. I have done a few summers of Road trips from Calgary. one time i went to as far east as Ohio-Tennessee, as far south as New Orleans and Dallas, went through the flat lands and rode up the Rockies the rest of the way home… I have visited almost all the landlocked states (5 more to go) and 4 along the Gulf states, all by Car. I have been through a lot of big American cities and a lot of tiny towns. ALL OF YOU, North to South – make Canadians look like Bloody Savages. I expected something worse, probably because of Television and the Internet. i ended up leaving your country after the first time i visited, blown away and with a new found VERY REAL love for my southern neighbors. Been 5 times on multi-week trips. will spend time and money there again. 10/10.
#80
I’m an American, but one that I’ve heard a lot is that we have a bunch of trees. I’ve never really thought about, but when I was told this I did some research. Turns out about 70 percent of the US is forested. Guess we have an abnormal amount of trees.
#81
That a lot of American houses are actually built with a lot of wood and a lot less concrete than here in Germany. You would never get the idea to built a house out of wood here. But when I went to Minnesota lo and behold my host family had one of those wooden houses I’ve seen in movies and such. To me it was mind-boggling at the time 😀
#82
Super Sized meals, seriously, americans can f***ing eat!
in denmark we dont even have extra large!
#83
That people are still paying off student loans in their 40’s
#84
Someone once told me that it’s cheaper to go on vacation to Australia for one week than to treat your broken arm in the USA.
#85
The amount of cola consumed. It’s ridiculous how it’s part of a regular meal and not unhealthy snacking
#86
Your love for cheese. It rubbed off on me and now I love cheese too
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