<p>My fave US city is Boston by far. I think NY comes second.</p>
<p>I’m gonna pick this thread up again, because it’s really interesting… </p>
<p>I’m an American living in Germany, and will be starting college next year. Although I do know most of the differences and thus won’t really be surprised, there are a few things that I know I will have trouble getting used to.</p>
<p>BTW: Boston is also my all-time favorite American city. 
Gotta love it!</p>
<ul>
<li><p>THE FOOD!
It’s sooooo hard to find good food if you don’t want to spend a fortune on it! My uncle is a chef at a catering company in Boston, so when we visit him we eat the best of the best food you can get (for a reasonable price) in the States, but the bread is just blaaah. It’s gooey and sweet and blaaah. I’m REALLY going to miss German bread! Everytime I’m in the States for the summer and I come back I just eat bread and butter for days because it seems like a delicassy in comparison to American bread. And there’s the same thing with the bottled water, some of it really tastes like sugar water to me. When I was visiting campuses this summer, I peaked into some of the dining halls and it looked like there was just an area for burgers, an area for pizza, an area for sandwiches and a tiny salad bar. I’m going to starve there.</p></li>
<li><p>the alcohol problem
In Germany the drinking age is 16 for beer and wine. I’m not a huge drinker, but I do like the occasional drink. At 19, I’m finally at the age where they don’t ask me for my ID everytime I want a glass of wine. I’m going to turn 21 in my freshman year, and really don’t feel like going through the years of showing my ID again everytime I want a drink again. But I guess that’s just something I’ll have to live with.</p></li>
<li><p>WASTE
People waste soooooo much! In stores it seems like they put 3 things in a bag and then, regardless of the size of the things in the bag and how much room is left, start a new bag. When I say: no thanks, I don’t need a bag because it fits in my backpack or I just have to go around the corner, they look at me like I’m some kind of alien. When we lived in the States, our trash can was about twice the size as the one we have in Germany and was emptied twice a week. In Germany, our trash can hold 120 liters and is emptied EVERY OTHER WEEK! And we get along fine with this! But then again, we recycle instead of just throwing everything into one thing.</p></li>
<li><p>Being dependent on cars
I’m going to go to school in Boston, so this won’t be a problem for me. But when I visit my grandparents in the summer, who live in the suburbs in CT, I’m stuck at their house because THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION! I have a drivers license, but I’m not allowed to drive the rental car. I feel like I’m 10 years old again and need to be driven around by my parents.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>-the LAZINESS!
It really shocks me how LAZY people are! WHY do you have to drive across the parking lot from the CVS to the Stop-n-Shop? Would it really kill you to just walk a few yards?</p>
<ul>
<li><p>the sex-phobia
I read The Reader with my 10th grade German class, where a 15 year old kid and a 30-sth year old woman have an intimate relationship. Magazines read by 12-year-olds talk about sex and protection etc, but we don’t have an outrageous number of teenage mothers. I work in a restaurant where I serve drinks to naked people. And it’s all really not a big deal. At some of the Info Sessions I was at, some of the parents seemed devestated that their little girl would be able to have a boy come to their room AND EVEN SPEND THE NIGHT! (none of these colleges had any kind of religious affiliation, btw.)</p></li>
<li><p>narrow-minded people
I’m not saying all Americans are ignorant. But if you think German health care is for free, you’re wrong. Also, believe it or not, Hitler is no longer alive and there are very few people who are sad about that. When I had to go to the emergency room last summer, I was asked (and I am not joking) whether I live in East or West Germany. My mom and I were like “■■■■ WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WATCHED THE NEWS???”</p></li>
<li><p>Safety issues
I was really surprised while visiting campuses how big of an issue the on-campus safety was and how you can call to have someone escort you from the library to your room after dark. If you’re going to college, you’re basically an adult. I understand that there is a lot of crime in big cities, but it just really surprised me how big of an issue it was. </p></li>
<li><p>Obsessive parents
Sure, the parents are paying for your college, so of course you depend on them a lot. But as I said before, if you’re going to college, you’re practically an adult. At one of the information sessions I was at, the admissions officer was talking about how you can get cheap concert or sports tickets. Then this one mother asked if the kids would have an escort come with them to the concerts or games. The admissions officer was probably just as shocked as I was cause he was like “Um… no?” and then had this funny look on his face. YOUR KID IS GOING TO COLLEGE IN A CITY, SHE DOESN’T NEED A FRIGGIN BABY-SITTER! it’s not a field trip where they all wear the same shirts and hats. It’s you kid going to a baseball game with her friends in her free time. The only thing it has to do with the school is that she can get a discount on the tickets!!!</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The worst thing about the US, and I state now that I like America a lot, is you guys dont really have cricket. Sure some desis and West Indian origin folks will tune in, but on the whole, nope. :(</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Poor public transportation</p></li>
<li><p>Too many frigging strict rules. I come from Africa, and more often than not rules can be twisted and turned to satisfy a purpose. Not here. No “please”, “i am sorry”, “it was a mistake”, “please forgive me” or “just accept this form in this way.” </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Or maybe I have just been meeting strict people.</p>
<p>I’ve heard that downloading music/movies/videos using torrents is strictly regulated/banned (you get copyright infringement notices).
If true, then this is the single most annoying problem I would face.</p>
<p>^^Yeah, same thing in my case. Anyone who has had this experience? Please help! :)</p>
<p>Best thing:</p>
<p>Ben’s Chilli Bowl in DC. Gotta love it.</p>
<p>Actually, DC is the best of America as long as you avoid the crappy South-East parts of the city.</p>
<p>Nothing new?</p>
<p>Bumping this!</p>
<p>Have any of you international students been to the San Francisco Bay Area? As a Californian, I’m so sick and tired of hearing about the east coast!!</p>
<p>I am not an international student yet, but I lived in the US for a year, not as a student, as an aupair (nanny or caregiver). So I was in touch with the kids school, school system, parents, kids, parks, supermarket, transportation, gas, public transportation etc etc…</p>
<p>Besides the food issue of course.
I realized it all depends on where you go or move. </p>
<p>Im from one of the biggest cities in the world, so Im used to crowds, traffic, thousands of cars passing by per second, thousands of cars stucked for thousands of seconds lol, noise, where I live is a very accesible area so anything I need I can get it in minutes, public transportation is good and the most important roads are around me. We have the most important TV (station?) in our country so actors, singers, blah blah live here and is a common thing seeing them, or being friends with them blah blah…
Said that, whatever I mention as surprising will be in comparision to that.</p>
<p>I lived in two different areas in the same state, house A was middle class neighborhood, middle-high class city, House B was in Upper class neighborhood, and by upperclass I mean neighbors were famous singers, actors, directors, producers blah blah.</p>
<p>Lack of public transportation, it was not bad at house A but at house B WOW! there wasnt any!! of course hummers, bentleys, limousines to get to school, ferraris, lambos etc were an everyday thing. Both houses were around a big city. To get something (not that specific just an everyday thing) sometimes I had to go into the big city just to get it.
Clothes are way cheaper in the US about 50% cheaper at regular price and at discount stores baah!! 90% cheaper.
People dont usually say goodbye when they hang up, some do some dont. </p>
<p>They ask how are you and they dont mean it, like on the phone they are always like Hey how are you guess what?! or im calling coz of… lol, I am used to hi -hi -how are you? -good thanks, how are you?- good blah blah…</p>
<p>People isnt very affectionate, dont hug or kiss regularly (kiss chicks or forehead, hand, whatever)
Chivalry in men, I am used to men opening the door and closing it, carring my stuff, paying for everything. I am not used to pay for drinks when I go out usually there is a guy who will pay for it, in the US they wont pay for your drinks unless you are together or already in a relationship not if they just met you. Few men will pay for your drinks just after meeting you. Chivalry in general, the whole protection thing, men walking on the street side of the block and leaving the “safe” side to the woman, etc etc.</p>
<p>There is a lot of people who have lots and lots of money but lack of ettiquette manners or culture. Dont even know the proper thing to do when opening the door of their house etc etc lol.</p>
<p>Awarness, they are always scared and aware, someone says be careful there is a dog that looks like a fried hot dog running around and if touched you will become an eatable hot dog, well the whole community will talk about it and make a big fuss about it although it sounds very unrealistic. </p>
<p>Bullying! my kid was a victim of bullies and he wasnt even in elementary yet.
I found some people very rude, we have rude people at my place but they have a reason. Over there some people will be just rude because they want to be rude and yell mean things or try to start a fight over nothing, specially in the subway or low income neighbourhoods.
Parents over protect kids.
So many parents pushng their kids to be special, that was very surprising and annoying but at the same time a good thing in the long run.
Very religious, And they follow and serve their religious community, atheist or agnostics are hard to find.
At house B it wasnt common to see someone running outside or walking their dogs etc…At house A was very common.
There isnt such thing as difference in societies.
Where I am from we are extremely divided, from how you look, to what you wear, drive, blah blah and how much you have. In the US there is such thing but not to that extent.
I am used to kiss people when we meet, not in the US, if its the first time they meet they shake hands sometimes or if its informal not even shaking hands. Where I am from we shake hands when we first meet and once we know eachother everytime we see eachother we kiss on the cheek.
Juice and fruit is so overpriced!
Parks and all the public areas we have a couple of public pretty areas, but that is it, so I was surprised at theirs, specially the facilities.
Most people dont filter their comments so they end up being a little bit rude.
People think they DESERVE a tip, in my country the proper thing to do is to tip 15-20%
but if the service sucks then you may tip whatever you want or not at all!, over there is like a duty or something, if you dont tip they call you names.
Prices plus taxes!! Im used to pay what the tag says (taxes included) but the thing of plus tax is annoying.
People dont laugh that often and take everything very serious.
The tv commercials: Did you fell at your neighbours doorstep? did you get hurt because of snow or something like that haha CALL US we are a legal firm (or law firm something like that ha) advertisments on how you can sue just anyone.
College parties, they were different, very different.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>@ #109:</p>
<p>I am a journalist and PhD student who focuses on the US in both cases. California is nice in parts, but the East has (a) much more history (b) is the epicenter of political happenings and (c) has a climate more akin to that which we are used to.</p>
<p>You should read my work btw.</p>
<p>^ Really? The Pacific Northwest climate is rather similar to that of the UK, is it not?</p>
<p>Eugene Oregon isnt exactly a tourist hotspot (although I like it).</p>
<p>Many elite schools in the East aren’t exactly in tourist hotspots either. (Yale?Cornell?Wesleyan?Vassar?)</p>
<p>We were talking about visits, not schooling.</p>
<p>NY = too big. DC = right size, loads to do, and a nice clear marking between the good bits and the crap bits. </p>
<p>Boston is nice, too. </p>
<p>If I was to study in America, I’d want to be in DC or Boston. As a tourist/visitor, I like lots of areas.</p>
<p>this thread points out the jealously of other countries toward the United States of America. I’ve traveled many places and the United States is, hands down, the best country in the world to live in. The United states is a vast country. north, south, east and west (and every state in between plus Hawaii and Alaska) and all are so very different. Some of these observations about the United States are silly. it would be like landing in Berlin and telling me what the people in Nice are like. We are proud of our military and it protects our way of life from those who wish to change it. The United Sates has the strongest military that the world has ever known. The United States is the only super power on the face of this planet. We have the ability to protect ourselves from all foreign armies. We are free to yell and complain about our President with a megaphone right in front of the White House. We have the right to accept any religion or condemn any religion without retribution. Any of you on this thread could become citizens of this country and rise to the top and not even be out of place. Our country is the most stable country in the world because of our military</p>
<p>All that is irrelevant.</p>
<p>I like the US a lot, but I also give a neutral insight.</p>
<p>My greatest shock was just how impudent the young were towards their elders.A student could answer a teacher as if they longterm buddies,and i had never seen anyone just walk out of a class.Everyone believed he/she was beautiful&brilliant irrespective of the facts.All in all,i like the creativity.I like the fact that one can disagree with a teacher and still pass his finals.In my home country,disagreeing with ur teacher can severely derail ones chances of graduation.</p>
<p>^ Totally agree with you.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ah, let’s see …</p>
<p>
That is your observation.</p>
<p>
Military. Military. Military.
Why are you so hell-bent on praising your military? This thread was about how international students felt about life in US. Did someone-anyone say the opposite abt military? Did anyone even mention this topic on the thread? (I have not checked, but I’m taking a chance anyway :D)</p>
<p>
Wh-What?</p>
<p>
That, my friend, is what constitutes a Democracy. And yours isn’t the only one in this world. Definitely not something to brag about.</p>
<p>EDIT: Got nothing against US (Heck, I’m coming there for the next 4 yrs), but I just wanted to reply to this guy’s post :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ah yes, everyone who criticises you is just jealous.</p>