Surprising Cultural Differences: What Americans Should Know When Traveling Abroad!

Hung out with my buddy over the weekend. Traveling is much more enjoyable when you're around people you connect with.

Ask me about the “Low-Speed Uber” chase. 😉

In America, we take a lot of things for granted. I don't mean this from a privileged perspective since we can also find ourselves shocked when visiting other westernized countries. While traveling however, we notice that some things we believe to be universal are actually quite different in other countries. As a result, when we encounter these discrepancies abroad, we’re often taken aback. Below are some noticeable differences I’ve come across in my travels.

Things to be aware of…

Americans can be impatient. We want what we want and we want it NOW! Americans aren’t used to waiting a long time for services because everything here is fast-paced (except for the line at the DMV 😑). However, not getting what you want right away doesn't mean that something is wrong or that you should immediately pull a Karen and cause a scene. To get an idea of the average wait time for something in another country, you can ask a friend who’s local and then set a timer. If the timer goes off and you’re still waiting, then feel free to consider throwing an adult tantrum! 

Americans can be excessive - In my experience, Americans tend to take everything to the max! While this mindset can be beneficial in competition and in business, it can be off-putting when it extends into everyday life. We don't always need to eat the most, drink the most, or do the MOST in general. Sometimes, it's okay to relax and take it easy. Maybe I too suffer from this tendency. 🤔 Lol 

Americans expect air conditioning - Energy is expensive in some places, so don't expect to have climate control everywhere. In fact, some travel destinations don't have air conditioning OR heating at all! Because we're used to being able to control the temperature of our immediate surroundings, our bodies don’t handle minor temperature differences as well as people in other countries can. 

Americans depend on super-fast internet - Having internet service in a country doesn’t guarantee good or reliable service. Therefore, it’s recommended that you print important documents or download maps to your phone in advance of your trip so you’re not left SOL. Some countries might have lower thresholds for internet bandwidth speeds, which is something you’ll need to adapt to.

Smaller accommodation sizes - Americans have a tendency to expect plenty of space, whether it be at home, in cars, etc. However, many countries, even industrialized ones, operate with much smaller accommodations. Therefore, it’s normal to encounter small bathrooms, small kitchens, etc. It's not that these places are wrong; it's just that our expectations are different.

Toilet Paper - Flushing toilet paper down the toilet is a common practice among Americans. But, that’s not always the case in other countries, so it’s important to check the guidelines before your trip. Many countries don’t have the updated infrastructure needed to handle toilet paper in the sewage system. If you visit a country and notice a smaller closed trash can placed next to the toilet, it’s likely an indication that you shouldn’t flush toilet paper.

Americans have high expectations for customer service…sometimes to an unhealthy extent. We often expect people to go above and beyond to satisfy us. However, this level of customer service is not the norm in other countries. In other countries, staff don’t work for tips and as a result, may not prioritize providing you with exceptional service. It’s important to note that getting angry with customer service is unlikely to get you better service. In fact, it might make the situation worse! You should avoid talking back to customer service staff as they may respond inappropriately or even ask you to leave. I’ve witnessed such incidents in Madrid.

What types of culture shocks have you experienced when visiting other countries?

Cocktail of the Week

The iconic Singapore Sling is not just a drink, but also holds a special place in cocktail history as one of the oldest known mixed drinks. It has become a symbol of the island nation and is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike, serving as a delicious reminder of the classic cocktail culture of Singapore.

Recipe: 

• 1 1/2 oz. gin 
• 1/2 oz. cherry liqueur 
• 2 oz. pineapple juice

Instructions:

1. Fill a shaker with ice.
2. Add gin, cherry liqueur, and pineapple juice to the shaker.
3. Shake well.
4. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice.

Random Travel Thought

I don’t want to do the grunt work of learning a new language, so I’m hoping to collect enough conversational tips so I can avoid it. 

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