One Italian Redditor was completely blown away by the idea of putting something like spaghetti in a can! It seems perfectly normal to everyone who used to enjoy canned spaghetti as a kid (or even as a grown-up), but it’s definitely something a true Italian would never eat. Many other visitors to America are bamboozled by the sight of other canned foods like canned hot dogs.

Everyone knows about drive-thru fast food joints. America is famous for them, after all, and they’ve spread all over the globe. Drive-thru ATMs, however, are a bit of a different story. One user joked that he thought they were a ‘myth’ until spotting one while visiting the US on vacation.

It’s normal to see billboards advertising products and businesses in many countries. It is, however, a little less normal to see billboards with ‘Jesus’ or ‘Jesus Lives’ written on them like we sometimes do in the US. Does Jesus really need so much advertising?

Many people are familiar with the sight of steam rising up from manholes on city streets. It’s an image used time and time again in movies, especially those based in New York. Lots of people from around the world have seen those kinds of movies, but many are still shocked to see the real thing actually happening. As one guy said “I thought that was just a movie thing”.

A few users shared their surprise at seeing Americans using microwaves to heat up water and prepare cups of tea. In most parts of the world, electric kettles are an essential appliance in every kitchen.

Many people hear Americans saying ‘Woo!’ excitedly on TV or in the movies, but they don’t think people actually say it in real life. Then, they arrive in America and see that it’s actually pretty common, especially at sporting events.

Again, people often see classic red cups in many American movies and shows, but they’re shocked to see that people really use them all the time. One Redditor joked that foreign students at his college parties were often amazed to see those cups actually used. Country singer Toby Keith even sings a humorous song called Red Solo Cup in which he calls it the ‘best receptacle’.

One poster thought that Easy Cheese or other canned cheese products was ‘a hoax’. They were shocked to discover that Americans really do squirt cheese out of a can onto crackers. It is a little gross, when you think about it, but many people can’t resist that processed cheesy goodness.

Americans like to applaud. It’s a nice way of showing appreciation or admiration for someone, but there are certain times when applause can seem a little strange to non-Americans. Some users posted how they were surprised when Americans started clapping at the end of a movie, for example, or after a plane landed.

In many parts of the world, bidets are a normal part of the typical bathroom. They’re usually placed beside the toilet and help people be a little cleaner and more hygienic in their daily lives. So, when people who are used to bidets arrive in America and discover they don’t really exist, they can be a little shocked.

Milk is an important part of many people’s diets. However, in a lot of countries, it comes in quite small and simple packaging as people don’t feel the need to drink too much of it each day. In America, milk is sold in huge, gallon-sized cartons. One Redditor revealed that he asked if there was a smaller size while shopping at an American grocery store but the lady who worked there simply laughed at him.

Another classic image from NYC movies, in particular, is the scene of people angrily honking their horns at each other when stuck in traffic or having a bad day. Once again, many non-Americans thought that this was just something that had been exaggerated by Hollywood. Then they arrived in New York and saw that it was very real!

Many countries like to encourage after-school activity. Schools around Europe, for example, might have a sports team or two, along with a couple of clubs. But the US goes far above and beyond the call of duty in this regard, offering a staggering array of extra curricular activities and clubs from football to chess. Many foreign visitors to America are amazed at how seriously we take all of this.

If you’ve ever seen surfer movies or hung around with surfers, you’ll have heard terms like “Stoked to the max!” and “Latronic, dude!” A lot of people outside of the US assume that those kinds of terms and surfer personalities are exaggerated in movies. So imagine their surprise when they arrive somewhere like Malibu and realize that people really do talk that way!

Patriotism is a nice thing and many people feel proud of their nations, but they don’t quite feel the need to express it as much as Americans. We have flags absolutely everywhere! You can’t drive down a single street without seeing the stars and stripes. In other countries, flags usually only appear on important buildings or during big sporting events.

One of the perils of using a public bathroom in the US is the dreaded toilet door gap. It’s so awkward trying to use the restroom while knowing that people can look through and see you. Of course, people aren’t really interested in what you’re doing in there, but it’s still worrying. In other countries, this kind of gap just doesn’t exist and public bathrooms are much more ‘private’.

Adult beauty pageants exist in many countries. That’s how we get to see Miss France, Miss China, and Miss Australia all taking the stage at big international events like Miss World. Child beauty pageants, however, are a true American invention. Many people find it a little weird that little girls are being all made up like that and judged based on their cuteness.

Only in America could a country and western singer get her own amusement park! Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park, is a popular family fun spot down in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It has a bunch of great rides and attractions, as well as a neighboring water park called Splash Country. One Redditor revealed that he thought Dollywood was just a joke until he saw it with his own eyes.

In America, we like things to be big! We like big cars, big houses, and big food too. Just take a walk around a fair and look at those enormous hot dogs and turkey legs people are eating. It might seem normal to me and you, but non-Americans find it very funny and even a little weird to see folks chowing down on gigantic turkey legs while walking around a fair.

Many visitors to the US are also astonished to see countless ads for lawyers, especially on massive billboards on the side of the road. This just doesn’t happen in other countries, highlighting the differences between our legal system and others.

Pumpkin pie is a fall classic. It’s great to enjoy on Halloween or over the Thanksgiving period. Some non-Americans, however, don’t agree. One user said that pumpkin, as a vegetable, should never be used in a dessert. He added that the texture is super strange and other users joked that they didn’t really enjoy it either.

Even something as simple as the way people greet each other can seem strange to non-Americans. A few Reddit users commented on the fact that many Americans say “Hi, how are you?” when greeting each other, but they aren’t really interested in knowing how the other person is.

In many other countries, like the United Kingdom, for example, mail is usually delivered through a slot in the door. This allows people to get their mail without needing to walk outside in their pajamas just to get a postcard from their aunt or an unpaid water bill. So, when people visit the US and see mailboxes, they’re often quite surprised!

Okay, here’s one we can all understand. Wacky waving inflatable tube men are pretty strange! Many people outside of the US have only seen these weird inventions in animated shows like Family Guy and assume that they’re fake, before arriving in America and driving past one, waving its arms like crazy.

Shopping in the US is very odd for non-Americans. In many other countries, tax is automatically added and included with the price you see on the price tag. So, when you walk up to pay for your goods, you more or less know exactly what you’re going to be paying. In America, things are done a little differently.

In America, we love our free refills. It’s just a regular part of life to be able to head over to the soda machine and stock back up on sweet, sugary soda goodness after finishing our drink, without needing to pay for the privilege. In other countries, when you buy a soda, you get that soda. If you want a refill, you’re going to have to pay for it.

The health system works very differently in many countries when compared to America. In most places, pills and medicines aren’t really ‘advertised’ like products in the same way they are in the US. This means that when non-Americans watch US TV and start seeing all those ads, they can be a little confused.

Many first-time visitors to the US are surprised to see random strangers smiling at them as they walk down the street. This kind of thing just doesn’t happen in other countries. A lot of Reddit users commented on this issue, sharing their surprise at seeing so many happy faces all around them. Most of them agreed that it was a nice thing!

Vacation time is something that is sorely lacking in the US. In many other countries, workers are entitled to take time off and still get paid. This lets people chill out, de-stress, and take vacations without worrying about their finances. In America, vacation days are a lot rarer and people seem to work almost non-stop. Naturally, many foreigners find this strange and we have to agree with them.

The US dollar is the most significant currency in the world, dominating the global economy, but in terms of the bills and coins we use, it’s actually a little dull. This is especially true when you compare dollars to other currencies from around the world. Many of them have very colorful bills with different famous figures and symbols on, often releasing new bills every few years with updated images and fun new ideas. In America, dollar bills are all mostly a dull green color with few distinctive features.

In many countries, air conditioning is seen as a bit of luxury. On hot days, people will open windows or use fans, and you might get A/C in an office building or store. In the US, however, we love our A/C units and install them absolutely everywhere! Countless homes, businesses, and other buildings all over the country have air conditioning to keep the temperature just right, all through the year.

Americans are used to having a lot of options at the grocery store. If you go to a different country, you might be surprised to see that supermarkets are a little (or sometimes even a lot) smaller. A few Reddit users commented on this, saying they were amazed at how many different options are available in America. One guy joked that Americans have every single flavor of coffee creamer imaginable.

Deep-fried Oreos, chicken and waffles, Jell-O and cream… Many people enjoy these delicious treats all across America. But a lot of international visitors find some of our tastes to be very strange.

There’s nothing like a frosty drink on a hot day, or any other day really. Many people in the US like adding ice to their drinks to make them more refreshing, but did you know this habit is seen as strange by many non-Americans? Outside of the US, people only really add ice to drinks in summer to cool off.

When people go to sporting events in other countries, they go to see the sport, and the sport is all they get. They take their seats and watch the game. It’s as simple as that. In America, however, sporting events often feature cheerleader performances, dancing mascots, and people singing at half-time.

In a lot of countries, servers actually get paid decent wages, so tipping isn’t really a part of other cultures like it is in America. Here, we know that many servers rely on tips to survive, so it’s normal to reward good service with a little extra cash.

Many countries actually have laws preventing cereal makers from putting too much sugar in kids’ cereals. Not in the US! We’ve got Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, Trix, and so many other super sweet cereals, loaded up with sugar. Many visitors find it totally weird to have candy mixed in with cereal like that.

Some people come to America and assume that most of the states are more or less the same, since they’re all part of the same big country. Then, they start to visit different areas and see just how different life, laws, and attitudes can be in, for example, Texas compared to New York or Colorado compared to New England. One user said it was like dozens of little countries all stuck together.

Everyone loves eggs. That’s something we have in common with people from all around the world. But when it comes to storing eggs, Americans do things differently. Many non-Americans were surprised to learn that we keep eggs in the fridge. This is because of the way our eggs are treated. We have to keep them cool to prevent bacteria from growing, but that simply isn’t necessary in other places, so eggs are often seen simply sitting on the kitchen counter or on shelves.

Many people in the Reddit thread joked about American pharmacies that also happen to sell alcohol, candy, cigarettes, and other things that really aren’t too good for our health. It does seem a little contradictory, now that we think about it.

In many countries, you order your food at a restaurant and you eat it. If you can’t finish, well, that’s too bad. The food left on your plate gets tossed in the trash. In America, however, we take food very seriously and don’t want to let a single bite go to waste! That’s why many people ask for doggy bags, but this entire concept is seen as quite weird by many non-Americans.

We sure love our babies in America. In fact, we even start to celebrate them before they’re born, holding baby shower celebrations and gender reveal parties. This is a fun part of family life for a lot of people, but many non-Americans think it’s bad luck to celebrate a baby before it’s actually born.

Food was one of the main issues that kept coming up throughout the Reddit thread. Specifically, a lot of people talked about how big our portions are. It’s no secret that one stereotype of Americans is that we love fast food and tend to eat a whole lot, but many visitors are still shocked to see just how big our burgers can be and how huge the portions are at many restaurants. This is why we need those doggy bags!

Did you know that college education is free in many countries? Here in America, however, students end up with lifelong debt just for the privilege of being able to get a degree and the chance of a good job. Plenty of international students come to America for the high quality education offered by the likes of Harvard and MIT but are still shocked at how expensive it is.

Halloween fun has finally started to spread around the world in recent years, but most of the celebrating goes on in the US of A. Americans love to decorate their homes, host Halloween parties, watch scary movies, and go trick or treating on October 31st. Many people in other countries are amazed to see how seriously people here take the spooky holiday, amazed at all the decorations and costumes.

We’re used to seeing dates written like 4/10, meaning April 10, or 11/25, meaning November 25. It makes sense, right? Well, not according to many non-Americans. In a lot of other countries, they write the date, then the month, so November 25 would be 25/11. So, when they arrive in America, they need a little time to adjust to seeing the date written the wrong way round.

It’s not uncommon to see grown men and women, and even elderly people, being asked for ID when buying alcohol in stores across America. Many visitors find this practice a little weird, especially when it’s so obvious that the person buying the booze is clearly of legal age.

Most countries have clear opening and closing times for their stores and restaurants. Even in big cities, if you try to get a burger at midnight or buy some food in the early hours of the morning, you’ll probably have a hard time. In America, however, it’s not uncommon for many businesses to operate on a 24/7 basis, letting people come in and eat or shop whenever they like.

Several users spoke about the tiring long lines at grocery stores and supermarkets. They also found it strange that workers fill your bags for you when you shop. In other countries, lines move a lot faster as the workers simply scan the items and let you pack them yourselves.

Last but not least, a few users shared their surprise at seeing newspaper vending machines simply sitting out there on the street for all to use. In most places, newspapers are sold in little shops or by street vendors. A few people joked that the machines would be emptied within minutes in their countries as people would just open the door and take every single paper.