s/o "European" myths about Americans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from the European myths thread, I am English (so soon I won't be European ) and here are some of my stereotypes about Americans:

- Americans require EXTREMELY cold drinks. If it's a cold drink, it must be served filled with ice. Fridge-cold drinks without ice are not acceptable

- Americans can be identified in the summer by their shorts. Shorts are worn in some places in Europe in the summer but not very commonly outside the beach. Extra American points if there is a shirt tucked into the shorts and a belt, with white socks and running shoes.

- This doesn't apply to people in NYC, but Americans love their cars, have enormous cars (even the ones many people consider to be "small" or "average" are big to me) and drive everywhere. This is a function of low gas prices and poor public transport/infrastructure

- Americans eat at really weird (to me!) times - really early. Lunch at 12, sometimes even earlier. Dinner at 6, sometimes earlier. Before I moved here, the first time I encountered this was a client coming from here who I invited for dinner; he said yes but he'd be arriving late so did I mind having a late dinner.... at 7:30. I thought he was joking, but no!

I will think of more but I think that's a start!

I agree with all of the above! Especially in SoCal where I spent many years. I've seen people have lunch at 11:30!!

Do you have any tips on where to meet Brits?
I've been in the US 10 years, but on the west coat until recently.
I'm looking to meet some Brits here because I always enjoy having some British friends for the banter. My husband is American and I have lots of American friends too, there's just something different about the British banter.
Cheers.

Do you support a Premier League English football team (soccer)? If so, there are a few supporters clubs here, made up of expat Brits and some Americans, and that's a good way to meet some Brits!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from the European myths thread, I am English (so soon I won't be European ) and here are some of my stereotypes about Americans:

- Americans require EXTREMELY cold drinks. If it's a cold drink, it must be served filled with ice. Fridge-cold drinks without ice are not acceptable

- Americans can be identified in the summer by their shorts. Shorts are worn in some places in Europe in the summer but not very commonly outside the beach. Extra American points if there is a shirt tucked into the shorts and a belt, with white socks and running shoes.

- This doesn't apply to people in NYC, but Americans love their cars, have enormous cars (even the ones many people consider to be "small" or "average" are big to me) and drive everywhere. This is a function of low gas prices and poor public transport/infrastructure

- Americans eat at really weird (to me!) times - really early. Lunch at 12, sometimes even earlier. Dinner at 6, sometimes earlier. Before I moved here, the first time I encountered this was a client coming from here who I invited for dinner; he said yes but he'd be arriving late so did I mind having a late dinner.... at 7:30. I thought he was joking, but no!

I will think of more but I think that's a start!

I see shorts--a LOT of shorts--in London every summer on young women. Up North, I see shorts ALL WINTER (with tights) in Manchester. A few years ago Next and other high street stores were pushing suiting for young women that consisted of shorts and blazes. And I know multiple little boys for whom shorts are part of the school uniform (in UK). Have you maybe not been home in a really long time?

OP here - I only moved here a year ago from London and I have been home several times since then! Yes, there was a trend a few years ago for shorts with tights, and "city shorts" (what they called the suit-shorts), but I really don't feel like they took off, in London anyway. Yes, kids wear shorts in school and out; I wasn't including them. I do not often see adult women wearing shorts outside of beach resorts, is what I guess I should have said

Weird. I guess we frequented different places in London because I really do not see much difference in attire between London and East Coast America. There are plenty of frowsy British mums walking around in leggings and Converse, or hideous muumuu type "tunics" from Monsoon. And shorts are definitely a "thing" up North (for teens and young adult women too). I'm a runner and yes, shorter American style Nike-type shorts for running are currently not in vogue in UK (leggings and long compression shorts, which I hate), but young women DO wear shorts.

I actually see MORE leggings in UK than I remember from the US, but I haven't actually been home to the US in three years, so the leggings thing may have exploded there as well.

On the whole, I do not think the British are incredibly well dressed. They are better than Germans, though.

[Anonymous]

Americans smile all the time.

The smile when they are happy. They have a sad smile to make you know they are sad with you.

Crossing the street? Oh...smile because I'm crossing the street too!

Saw you in the elevator this morning. Smile.

Feeling nervous? Smile.

As a people, Americans have a lot to smile about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Americans like free bathrooms everywhere
-they like to tip
-they like to use credit cards and hate carrying cash
-air conditioning

Clean and with toilet paper too! Who doesn't like this?

Free bathrooms are hardly ever clean. Clean ones are run like businesses. America doesn't have bathrooms outside malls/ restaurants/ bus or train stations.

That wasn't the myth. See the bolded above. That seems to be a universal "like"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from the European myths thread, I am English (so soon I won't be European ) and here are some of my stereotypes about Americans:

- Americans require EXTREMELY cold drinks. If it's a cold drink, it must be served filled with ice. Fridge-cold drinks without ice are not acceptable

- Americans can be identified in the summer by their shorts. Shorts are worn in some places in Europe in the summer but not very commonly outside the beach. Extra American points if there is a shirt tucked into the shorts and a belt, with white socks and running shoes.

- This doesn't apply to people in NYC, but Americans love their cars, have enormous cars (even the ones many people consider to be "small" or "average" are big to me) and drive everywhere. This is a function of low gas prices and poor public transport/infrastructure

- Americans eat at really weird (to me!) times - really early. Lunch at 12, sometimes even earlier. Dinner at 6, sometimes earlier. Before I moved here, the first time I encountered this was a client coming from here who I invited for dinner; he said yes but he'd be arriving late so did I mind having a late dinner.... at 7:30. I thought he was joking, but no!

I will think of more but I think that's a start!

I see shorts--a LOT of shorts--in London every summer on young women. Up North, I see shorts ALL WINTER (with tights) in Manchester. A few years ago Next and other high street stores were pushing suiting for young women that consisted of shorts and blazes. And I know multiple little boys for whom shorts are part of the school uniform (in UK). Have you maybe not been home in a really long time?

OP here - I only moved here a year ago from London and I have been home several times since then! Yes, there was a trend a few years ago for shorts with tights, and "city shorts" (what they called the suit-shorts), but I really don't feel like they took off, in London anyway. Yes, kids wear shorts in school and out; I wasn't including them. I do not often see adult women wearing shorts outside of beach resorts, is what I guess I should have said

Weird. I guess we frequented different places in London because I really do not see much difference in attire between London and East Coast America. There are plenty of frowsy British mums walking around in leggings and Converse, or hideous muumuu type "tunics" from Monsoon. And shorts are definitely a "thing" up North (for teens and young adult women too). I'm a runner and yes, shorter American style Nike-type shorts for running are currently not in vogue in UK (leggings and long compression shorts, which I hate), but young women DO wear shorts.

I actually see MORE leggings in UK than I remember from the US, but I haven't actually been home to the US in three years, so the leggings thing may have exploded there as well.

On the whole, I do not think the British are incredibly well dressed. They are better than Germans, though.

Haha - I don't think I said that British people were well-dressed. I only referred to shorts. Otherwise yes, there are a lot of leggings and tunic type things and mum-wear like Boden, and odd things are very popular like the faux fur gilet! I do think that amongst *some* British people, mostly Londoners (all bets are off up north ) there is a cool sense of style that is very different to here. A sort of teaming of things together that seem unusual but actually are often born out of the unpredictable weather - biker boots with a summery dress, etc. I worked in the city and women's city attire is, I think, much more stylish than the clothes I see in my office here. Maybe this wouldn't be true in NYC, but there is certainly a difference between DC and London

[Anonymous]

Americans eat lots of meat, and Americans put cheese on everything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we all own guns, ALL of us. in fact, the reason Americans keep their hands on/above the dining table is to show everyone that you're not holding a firearm. (explained to me by a slightly inebriated French hostess, some years ago)

I think the opposite? Americans keep left hand in our laps while eating. Europeans eat with both hands holding knife and fork.

Agree. I was taught to keep hands off table--and elbows. Germans eat with hands on table.

[Anonymous]

I hardly saw any Americans when I was in London and Paris. I saw plenty of tourists from other parts of Europe who looked American or Canadian (and how can you tell the difference?) but they spoke other languages. My point being: the poorly dressed white people I saw were actually European. They were wearing jean shorts or Bermuda shorts.

Americans wear under armor or athletic shorts. Or maybe khaki shorts. Saw plenty of women of many nationalities wearing leggings or yoga pants.

[Anonymous]

Americans only eat cereal in the morning, they eat in their cars, and they walk around with food in their hands at all hours of the day. They are squeamish about meat that doesn't come neatly cleaned and presented in a styrofoam pack. Also, Americans overshare and are generally indiscreet.

We moved to Lisbon and I've gotten used to hearing all of the above - as well as OP's list and many of the other things said.

Things I miss most: real air conditioning (places here say they have it, but energy is expensive and no one runs it for very long). I miss the convenience of being able to get OTC medications at the supermarket - here, you have to go to a pharmacy and speak with a pharmacist even for simple things like Tylenol. And I miss emailing people and getting a prompt response - here, no one responds to email, you must call and arrange everything by phone.

[Anonymous]

Americans will wear a college/nfl/baseball/hockey team name on their shirt, jacket, hat, etc. I can spot my fellow American from across a platz just by seeing the yellow/maroon Redskins hat.

[Anonymous]

North Americans don't know how to kiss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About the shorts thing: I think at least part of the reason Americans are more likely than Europeans to wear shorts is that in most of the us it gets hotter in the summer than it does in most of Europe.

Italy? Spain? Greece? France?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we all own guns, ALL of us. in fact, the reason Americans keep their hands on/above the dining table is to show everyone that you're not holding a firearm. (explained to me by a slightly inebriated French hostess, some years ago)

I think the opposite? Americans keep left hand in our laps while eating. Europeans eat with both hands holding knife and fork.

Agree. I was taught to keep hands off table--and elbows. Germans eat with hands on table.

Prost! Both Germans and Americans have unhealthy habits

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a trend with "smiling". Is smiling a bad thing? I suppose they see it as inauthentic?

OP - no, I like the smiling! It's just different, and part of the stereotype that Americans are super-friendly. But keep smiling, please!

+1. Give me my warm, smiling Americans any day. I immigrated here and that's the best thing I like about Americans. Genuine warmth, friendly smiles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About the shorts thing: I think at least part of the reason Americans are more likely than Europeans to wear shorts is that in most of the us it gets hotter in the summer than it does in most of Europe.

Italy? Spain? Greece? France?

Maybe we should differentiate by US states too. I'm guessing people from Alabama are more likely to wear shorts than people from Rhode Island. Let's not lump all people from the US together.