The Biggest Culture Shocks For Non-Americans Moving To America
The Biggest Culture Shocks For Non-Americans Moving To America
No matter what your reasons are for moving to the United States—"the land of the free and the home of the brave"—if you come "from away", even a place that's culturally similar like Canada, you may find yourself feeling a bit of culture shock. Here are some of the biggest culture shocks that non-Americans can expect when moving to the United States.
The Size Of Everything
America is the fourth-biggest country in the world by land area. They have the space and they fill it! Everything is bigger in the United States, from the size of their shopping centers to the portions of their fast food. If you're coming from Europe and aren't already familiar with American, expect everything to be about 20% bigger when it comes to fast food portions. But in general, everything is bigger in the US.
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Tipping Serving Staff
One of the biggest culture shocks for non-Americans that move to the United States is the culture of tipping your serving staff. Practically unheard of in Europe and even considered rude in some countries in Asia, tipping is very much a North American thing. You'll likely see a suggested tip amount of between 15% and 22% on top of your original bill—you're free to decline a tip of course, but it's seen as rude to refuse when the service was good.
Taxes Not Included
Another surprising thing for non-Americans is that taxes aren't included in the purchase price you see on the shelves. Meaning you'll need to calculate your sales taxes (which differ by state), and add those on top of your purchase price—or just wait for it to be calculated at the cash register. Louisiana has the highest combined sales tax at 9.65%, meanwhile Alaska has the lowest combined sales tax rate at 1.82%.
Smaller Bathroom Stall Doors
Despite going big with almost everything else, American bathroom stall doors are generally fairly short. Practically, these help with cleaning when hosing down floors—just try and avoid the uncomfortable eye-contact with the stall next door.
