How fat everyone is. You get used to it in the States, but when you first return it’s the most immediate thing to notice. Second thing is the amount of billboards.
The sugar and high fructose corn syrup in food. I am currently back in the states visiting and the food is almost sickening sweet.
I’ve never eaten meat, so I never knew, but my husband checked every packaged sausage in four grocery stores (I stg that’s what he wanted to see) when we visited recently and they all had high fructose corn syrup. I’m relatively defensive of the use of hfcs over sugar, but I don’t know how people justify it in sausage (I would even forgive one with barbecue sauce in it or something, but an unflavored sausage shouldn’t be sweetened!)
It’s culture shock leaving the coast and travelling 2-3h inland in the US even. People in the coastal cities tend to be normal human sized, but you go inland and they’re shaped like bowling balls.
The prescription drug commercials
I’ve spent 3 years in Japan, 4 years in the UK, and a year in Korea. For me it was how incredibly rude everyone is. Sure I encountered rude people in other countries, but it’s on another level here. Also, there are so many bad drivers that drive so confidently here.
Edit: typo
Shut up and get in the right lane slowpoke!!!
Welcome back! :P
I’m in Germany and recently visited the US again. I was struck by the politeness, lol
Yeah I would say Germany and Italy have the US beat in that category lol. I visited both for only a few days so I wasn’t too sure.
The size of the meal you get a restaurant and how cheap it is. I knew it was big and cheap, just forgot to what degree.
How much personal space people need. I also need that much personal space, but I thought I was just being unfriendly
Road width! There’s so much room for activities on american roads compared to the very narrow side streets in most european towns
