Everything you learn about Americans while studying abroad

This past year I have had the amazing opportunity to study abroad. I visited seven countries, some of which I had only seen before as a child. In each one, I learned more about who I am individually as well as my identity as an American. There are a few characteristics Americans have that we don’t realize, think about or understand, until we’re caught in a situation where we are the only ones with said characteristic. From manners to cell phone plans, Americans are quite different from most of the world.

We’re really, really loud

Honestly, it’s not even really our fault. Our accents alone are louder than most. When I arrived at orientation in Australia, our group of American students was told by an administrator that in order to create an American accent, she just needed to open her mouth wider and speak louder.

We also have a tendency to interact often in public places. For instance, we like to continue our conversations while on public transport though in most cities outside the US, passengers are silent on buses and trains.

Our automatic reactions are sometimes perceived as rude

One thing I did not realise until traveling to Australia and Ireland is that “mhm” is not a common response to “thank you.” In fact, it is perceived as dismissive. We tend to use slang or vocal shortcuts where other cultures are more formal.

We should care more about nature

I say this because I see places like Scotland and Ireland with their vast pastures full of green, and I wish I saw more of it in the states. Our beaches and water is so polluted, when it could be clear and colourful.

American coffee is bullshit

I can tell you now that if you aren’t already aware, Starbucks is not coffee. And you’re not getting more bang for your buck if you order a venti, you’re simply just getting more milk and foam. In other countries across Europe and Oceania, a large coffee is the size of our “tall”, and that is because the coffee is pure. I have no idea how I ever managed to even finish a venti in the states.

Phone plans are a rip off

I will put this plainly — in Australia I paid AU$40 per month for 6GB of data and unlimited talk and text. That is a country where Internet access is limited. In Ireland, I paid 20 euros for a month-long plan with unlimited everything. Yes, unlimited data for under $40. Yet I pay over US$100 per month for unlimited data in the states. Someone please figure out why so it can be fixed ASAP.

Our measuring systems are nonsense

Why don’t we use the metric system? Why is it that everywhere I go I have to figure out what 30 degrees celsius means? I hear that its 19 degrees and I’m ready to have a coronary. And why does it take me a full minute to understand how far away something is? It’s honestly irritating. I would also much rather prefer to be 54kg than… whatever that is in pounds.

We pay waaaaaaay too much for education

I don’t need to tell you how much you are currently/were/will be paying in order to be somewhat, maybe eligible for some sort of career. In pretty much any developed nation that isn’t America, that problem doesn’t seem to be high on anyone’s list. Let me just make an example of the countries I have visited during my college career and compare their prices for a bachelors degree.

• Australia: up to $33,000
• Ireland: around 11,000 euros
• New Zealand: around $35,000
• Italy: up to 1,000 euros per year
• France charges $200, and Sweden offers free education.

Let that sink in.

We underestimate the proper living wage

I was very pleased to find out that in both Australia and Ireland, tipping is not necessary nor expected. This was nice, because I always dreaded the extra money I had to dig into my bag to find, in order to provide someone with a chance at paying their bills. Then I learned why.

In Australia, the minimum wage is AU$20 per hour. No shit. A waitress in Aussie gets paid that amount to work, while in America they get paid like $2.13, because of tips. Wtf.

We have got to chill

As someone who has interned in New York City for the past two summers, I understand timeliness, deadlines and “no days off” well. I respond to emails when they come in and work as late as possible to get things done. This is not usually the case in other countries. There is actual balance. Eight hours of work, eight hours of play and eight hours of sleep is the usual time map. When it is time to go home, everyone leaves. Tasks left incomplete, unless urgent, can wait until tomorrow.

Similarly, eating is a leisurely experience in other countries. I’ve had to literally hunt down wait staff to get the bill because their job is to seat you, serve you, and let you eat without bugging you every five minutes. While this was annoying at first, it reminded me that I need to sit and calm down when inhaling enjoying a meal, which is healthier anyways.

We demonise alcohol

Not only is the legal drinking age ridiculous considering we can take part in war before we can have a beer, it also tends to cause more problems than it is meant to. For places like Ireland, pubs are a huge part of their culture and a place to socialise, not bury their sadness. Though Australia has had some drinking problems and now has strict drinking laws, you can get a box of wine for $10 and the drinking age is still 18.

As far as alcohol-related incidents, the U.S. has a much higher alcohol death rate than some of its more lenient counterparts.

We romanticise guns

I know this is a touchy subject but something rather interesting happened when I was abroad.

For the first time in a long time, I felt safe. I could walk down the streets of Sydney and not feel threatened. There were no deadly weapons, and it wasn’t scary to walk home alone, even at 3am. The level of crime is moderate to low, and the more prevalent crimes involve theft and vandalism, with barely any violence. It was such sweet bliss.

Then I arrived in Dublin to hear of the Manchester attack and became nervous again. We were at orientation discussing reasons to call the locate emergency line and one American student said that a good reason would be an active shooter. Though reasonable for the rest of us, our Irish administrator looked shocked. She said there is only one division of armed police, and they are for extreme emergencies only.

We need to put down the phone and breathe

Yes, I know. The horror of being without your cell phone. One of the best parts of travel is that you probably do have limited access to your phone and therefore will be forced to immerse yourself in the culture around you — and you know what, that is the point. That immersion is what you need in order to truly appreciate the world around you.

Put your phone away, find new people to interact with, and get friendly. That is how you learn, grow, and truly explore a new land.

Though there are many things Americans could learn when it comes to the rest of the world, I am a fan of our eagerness to please clients and get things done. It’s nice to know that I don’t have to go out of my way to get service during a meal. My ability to order copious amounts of food in the states and expecting things to get done in a short period of time is a reason I am proud to be an American.