Foreign Perspectives on America

[BogWalker]

I found this very interesting article today. It is 16 People On Things They Couldn't Believe about America until They Moved Here.

16 People On Things They Couldn?t Believe About America Until They Moved Here | Thought Catalog

A few common things I noticed.

1. We have a high standard of living and treat our poor and elderly fairly well.
2. Everything is huge (including land area, stores, food, cars, and homes)
3. We don't have as strong family bonds as other nations.
4. We're wasteful.

A few strange observations:
One Russian woman was surprised the President doesn't automatically become the richest man in the nation.
Many are surprised to find stores have return policies.
The last guy thinks we're crazy for trying to apply the Constitution to the modern day.

Overall I feel those interviewed had a positive outlook on America. We're a wealthy, generally friendly people who don't know how well we've got it. This was rather refreshing compared to the "America sucks and is evil" diatribe I get from the people who have lived here their entire lives.

 

[actaeon277]

Nice article

I'm sure a lot of Americans would be surprised by stuff if they moved.
Culture shock

 

[Lee11b]

plus GUN shock or should I say lack of gun shock.... First time I took my wife to the range, both my thumbs were sore.....she's AUSTRALIAN!!!!! I suffered the boom a rang, blow gun and bow & arrow syndrome.... I couldn't load the magazines fast enough..... I guess that's called deprivation

 

[Tanfodude]

I also noticed that a lot of people here had taken for granted the freedom that they have here and have no understanding of the US constitution and Bill of Rights. No grip on reality. First world problems. Sense of entitlement.

IMO, it's the greatest country one could ever lived in. But the people the I mentioned are destroying it.

 

[OakRiver]

I face palmed at the one who said you can go into a gun store and buy a gun without any real background check

 

[actaeon277]

I face palmed at the one who said you can go into a gun store and buy a gun without any real background check

That's what the news puts out.
Americans don't know any better. How can a foreigner?

 

[hornadylnl]

If we don't require 4473's of those we arm overseas, why would anyone expect our government to require them of their own citizens?

 

[femurphy77]

"Which also reminds me of the extremely bad coverage that AT&T provided. I’m used to better coverage in India."

 

[actaeon277]

If we don't require 4473's of those we arm overseas, why would anyone expect our government to require them of their own citizens?

Why do those that say WE don't need guns, then give them to others?

 

[hornadylnl]

Why do those that say WE don't need guns, then give them to others?

That'd be a question to ask every president from the last 50+ years.

 

[RockofStrength]

The thing that kept striking me was the comments about our houses being both too big and made of wood. I guess when you find a land with millions of acres of forest the logical solution just comes to you?

 

[The Bubba Effect]

From talking to my Chinese friends and their visiting family, they say the biggest differences for them are 1: the way people drive (apparently Chinese drivers just go for it, ignoring signs, lights, laws, or other drivers) 2: How not crowded everything is (room to spread out, buildings and people) and 3: Pollution (how there wasn't terrible smog everywhere like in China and our cities do not have the strong smell of feces).

The best line I took from the article is this: A lot of couples adopt children, sometimes in spite of having their own, and treat them exactly like their own. (To me, this alone is a marker of a great people) That is absolutely true. Taking a child into your house and loving them, raising them with love as your own is among the very finest things a person can do.