German Man Visiting The US For The First Time In 6 Years Shares 15 American 'Oddities’ He Doesn’t Understand
Is the U.S. weird, or is Germany weird? Or maybe a bit of both?
Saliha Alpaydın | Pexels | ryandeberardinisphotos | Canva Pro There's no doubt about it: America and Europe are, in some ways, worlds apart, not just an ocean apart. But when you don't know any different, it can be hard to see the contrasts.
A German man recently posted his observations about the U.S. after a recent vacation. And what he discovered was revealing in ways both good and bad, and says a lot about who we are as a country and who we might become as we navigate the tough times we're living in.
The German tourist shared 15 'American oddities' that left him 'stunned' by our country:
Ole Lehmann is a German entrepreneur who recently took a vacation to New York City and Las Vegas. It wasn't his first visit to the States, so he knew somewhat what to expect. But he hadn't been to our country since 2018, so the contrasts quickly stacked up regardless.
He shared some things he noticed in a thread on X, from simple cultural differences to things that left him deeply uncomfortable and even a few things that left him feeling inspired and optimistic.
If you've never been outside the States, his observations just might teach you something about how unique — in ways good, bad, and even hopeful — our country is compared to other parts of the world.
1. Americans are far more open about money than Europeans
Lehmann said he was surprised that money isn't more "taboo" like it is in Europe. "I noticed that people are excited to talk about their work and financial success without any negative vibes," he wrote, going on to say he found it "freeing" to be able to talk about this with others.
2. Fast food was disappointing
Okay, sure, that's not exactly surprising — but Lehmann wasn't talking about Burger King (no offense, Burger King Inc.). He was talking about the West Coast legend In-N-Out, which he called "a letdown," "just meh," and rated a 2/10.
Now, I'm gonna let Lehmann continue to do his thing, but this is mendacious, diabolical, and unforgivable, and one of the presidential candidates needs to come up with a plan to retaliate for this slander against America's most important cultural icon, the Double-Double, Animal Style™!
3. Being asked 'How are you?' everywhere you go, all the time
Travel to another country and you will indeed find this is definitely an "American oddity." I once asked a shopkeeper in Paris how she was and she looked at me like I'd just asked for her medical history.
Lehmann said this struck him as odd because it "feels kind of fake to ask a question that no one really wants an honest answer to."
Hard to argue with that when you think about it!
4. Our 'broken system' of 'excessive' tipping
It's not just all of us who have absolutely had it with being asked to tip everywhere for everything. What's next, tipping the gas pump?! Lehmann had his fill, too, by the end of his vacation.
"I don't get why taxes aren't included in the prices, and then you're expected to add an extra 18-20% on top?" Lehmann asked in exasperation. "Also, tips for basic service like a coffee order seems EXTREMELY excessive to me."
Us, too, Herr Lehmann. Us too.
5. American optimism is still alive and well — despite, you know, *gestures at everything*
Times are definitely not easy in the U.S. right now, and most of us are feeling it. But the general vibe Lehmann noticed was the opposite. "The American dream is still going strong from what I can tell," he said. "There's this huge desire to innovate and create a better future."
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Granted, the decadence of Vegas and the profligate wealth of New York City are not exactly representative of the country as a whole, but still — it's good to hear that optimism is still the primary thing in the air despite it all.
6. Americans are loud
"Americans are so much louder than Europeans," Lehmann said. "Like 10x louder." Yeah, we're never beating those allegations.
7. Casinos are 'both fascinating and super sad'
"I couldn't believe my eyes, watching people chain-smoke and lose money on slot machines," Lehmann said. And yeah, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more discomfiting scene than some of the goings-on at your average slot machine.
8. 'Obesity is off the charts'
Yet another thing we're infamous for. Lehmann said the number of "severely overweight people" he saw "felt dystopian," and the juxtaposition with the "ton of extremely fit people" he also saw was disorienting. "It's like America is a land of extremes."
9. Everyone is super outgoing
Compared to quieter, more reserved Europeans, people in the U.S. seemed downright gregarious to Lehmann. "They'll strike up conversations with strangers like it's no big deal," he said, "which can be both refreshing and a bit overwhelming."
10. Americans don't seem concerned with saving energy
"The lights are always on in America," Lehmann noticed, "which is so different from the energy-saving habits I'm used to in Europe and Asia."
He chalked it up to America's wealth and the "feeling of constant abundance I haven't experienced elsewhere" that it creates.
11. 'Everything is super-sized'
'From drinks to cars…. Everything is just bigger in the U.S.," Lehmann observed. "In Las Vegas, my 'small' Diet Coke was nearly a liter."
12. Eating healthy is 'an annoying challenge'
"I was shocked by how expensive and hard to find nutritious options were compared to Europe," Lehmann said. As someone who's lived over there, I can confirm. Lehmann said that compared to Europe, finding a healthy meal "without breaking the bank… felt like a treasure hunt."
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13. Customer service is far friendlier
Europe is notorious among Americans for its indifferent customer service, and the contrast definitely took Lehmann by surprise.
"American customer service is super attentive & friendly," he noticed, which he chalked up to "tipping culture" and the U.S.'s "consumer-oriented society."
14. 'Flashiness and status symbols are everywhere'
From designer watches to luxury cars, Lehmann was taken aback by "public displays of wealth" that he's just used to seeing in Germany, and it felt to him like it was a reflection of America's values that "financial success and all the material stuff that comes with it" takes such a priority.
15. An 'inspiring' spirit of 'risk-taking'
Even as off-putting as Lehmann found some aspects of America — or Las Vegas and New York City, anyway — he was still left inspired by his visit overall.
"People here aren't afraid to change the world, even if it means leaving their comfort zones," he said, noting that that's "a stark contrast" to Europe's more "risk-averse mindset."
It's perhaps inspiring for us, too, to hear an outsider's impression of our country, especially in these difficult times. As tough as things have been, we still haven't lost a certain forward-thinking resilience.
Hopefully, that attribute will lead us into our next chapter.
John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice, and human interest topics.