systlin:hashkivenu:systlin:ruffboijuliaburnsides:heroofthreefaces:renniequeer:steakplissken:cazador-
systlin:hashkivenu:systlin:ruffboijuliaburnsides:heroofthreefaces:renniequeer:steakplissken:cazador-red:theultimatepumpkinpie:notasupersaiyan-yet:built2bulk:berserkerjerk:pr1nceshawn:Giveaways that someone is American, as told by non-Americans.Accurate.This is oddly comforting.Idk why I was expecting a list of negative shitWe do do these things a lot and it’s so nice to hear them in a positive light because so often I feel like we’re hated on. Never in my life have I had someone from another country call us friendly. They always say we’re loud and obnoxious (not that that’s not true, it often can be). It’s such a relief to hear something else.Being prepared for anything should be everyone. On the off chance a giant whale drops from the sky and splatters in the desert with a flower pot I’m prepared for it. I had a poli-sci Professor from Bulgaria who had done work in refugee camps during the Bosnian wars and she said the American volunteers were the most helpful, least-jaded of everyone. Not naïve, but willing to believe problems could be solved and trying to keep spirits up rather than saying it was a shitty situation and what else could you do? Friendly to the point of suspicion and prepared for everything. I feel like pointing out that the “prepared for anything” and treating cities like uncharted jungles with nowhere to shelter or get water is largely because, in America, water and shelter are commodities. You usually CAN’T find water or shelter for free or even cheap in any given large American city, and a lot of us (especially who grow up in hotter American climates) are taught from a very young age to always bring your own water, along with an umbrella and a jacket. You can’t “loiter” in the air conditioning anywhere, it costs $3+ for a decent-sized bottle of water, and business owners are outright hostile to people who enter the building just for quick relief from the weather.And the “tipping the barman” paragraph reflects that food service employees in the US are legally paid a minimum wage about 1/3 of everyone else because the difference is assumed to be made up with tips. I’m honestly deeply touched that “loud but friendly and prepared, not sarcastic when saying things are ‘great’, big smiles” was the takeaway from this, not “loud and obnoxious ugh stay away americans.” because we *can* be wonderful and it’s always a little heartbreaking that only our very worst behaved people (or stereotypes that aren’t generally accurate) are ever considered an “example” of what Americans are like.Can confirm the water thing; in cities I always automatically assume that a small bottle of water will be like $3 or more, and so just bring my own instead. And a small first aid kit, because if you need it it’s faster to just whip yours out rather than trying to find out where you can get what you need around you. Restaurants usually have free cups of water and i usually am able to find a water fountain somewhere o_oWell, yeah, but finding one when you’re not familiar with the area takes time that I’d rather be spending seeing the sights on my vacation, and plus this way I’ve got a bottle to fill up at any water fountains I find to have on hand. I always have a bottle of water on hand, even at home. Reminds me to stay hydrated and all that. >Restaurants usually have free cups of water On what planet -- source link