Five Weird Things About America

So last month we went America for ten days and for me this is my second trip to the US. My first trip was four years ago, the first summer after my wife and I married. This time I knew what I was getting into, and I knew what to expect in some ways. I knew there would be too much salt in all the food (and too much food), I knew that public transport was just not a big thing in the US. And I knew how the money worked and that I could buy some unexpected stuff in the pharmacy.

I knew this but some of it still tripped me up a bit. So here is my list of what I found weird about America.

Sticks To Open Curtains

From Tracks and Poles.

So the first weird thing I came across was at the hotel in Cape Cod. Sticks to pull open curtains. Instead of using their rough grubby hands on your fine delicate curtains they’ve decided that having a random bit of wood hanging down is a better alternative.

How?

Curtains still get dirty and dusty, you still need to wash them. The stick is just going to get in the way and hit people on the head eventually. Especially clumsy people like my wife and I. It’s something for small children to pull and break, and to be honest it’s ugly.

You could get a stick that matched your curtains but it’s still going to stand out. And be odd.I didn’t use the stick once (nor did I hit my head thankfully). I just used my hands.

It’s really, really odd.

Drive Thru…Everything.

We have drive thru’s here. Except I prefer to call them Drive Throughs because I hate the word ‘thru’. We have drive thru fast food places, just like they do in America. However, in America, they have drive thru pharmacies and banks.

Banks!

You can get cash out of the cash machine without even getting out of your car. And then go and get your medication too.

It’s both exceptionally genius and exceptionally lazy. Fast food was made for laziness, they go hand in hand. No one is expecting you to run through Maccy D’s during a jog. But a pharmacy? What did someone have a migraine, decide they could drive to the chemist and then crashed into it? And some smart aleck decided a drive through would solve the problem. I need my methadone, I’ll just use the drive thru pharmacy for my supervised consumption of this very strong and controlled medication.

I actually don’t know if they do that in the drive thru – part of me suspects not but then part of me is not surprised by anything in America. And Pharmacies are weird.

Do you think you can open a bank account in the drive through? What do you do? Move over to the passenger side so you can fill in the paperwork on the dashboard? There must be so much leaning involved. What if you have short arms or are just short in general?

What next? Drive through doctors surgeries?

I don’t even drive….

Flags

There are flags. Everywhere.

Everywhere. From Cape Cod to Jersey you’re just tripping over flags. There are quite a few flags dotted about Wales; we’re a small country with a history of being overtaken by our neighbours. British flags are dotted about. English flags aren’t common here except round Euro or World Cup time. No one wants to point out that they’re English unless it’s about football or rugby.

In the US there are flags everywhere. Big ones. Not like medium size ones you might see hanging from a window during some sort of sports tournament. Hugs ones that would fly from official buildings can also be found mounted in gardens, attached to random bridges, benches and beaches. Everything has a flag on it. Food, freeways, foliage.

On top of that, there are laws about flags in the states and exactly when and where you can display them and how. It’s called the United States Flag Code. I am 100% not making this up. It is a myth however that you cannot burn or desecrate an American flag. In fact, the Flag Code states that flags unfit for display should be destroyed with dignity, preferably by burning. Desecration of a flag is an iffy subject but technically not illegal. It all depends on how and where it’s desecrated but to do so is protected as ‘symbolic speech’ – as long as you do it at an appropriate time and place.

Here in Britain, there is no concept of desecrating a flag. Cause they live in our hearts (also, they never last in this weather and cost like a fiver to replace).

Adverts

Oh, my word the adverts.

The only thing that there may be more of in America than flags are adverts. There are so many bloody adverts.

I actually think it’s worse for me because not only am I British, but I don’t watch any live television. The only adverts I see are the ones on All 4 when I watch The Last Leg or The Crystal Maze. Or Bake Off. I have Netflix and downloads and DVDs. I saw more adverts in the ten days I was in America than I’ve seen in the past five years.

They are everywhere too. Often incorporating flags for a double whammy of America. Billboards are everywhere. If there is space there is a billboard. Big flashy billboards along every highway and freeway. So you have something to read and watched while you’re driving…that’s safe, right? I’m surprised there aren’t more accidents cause I found those billboards really distracting.

If there isn’t room for a billboard, well that’s okay. Regular advertising will do; posters and signs and flyers on every available space possible and then some on the unavailable space too. Just to get the message across. It’s like if Facebook filled in every bit of white space with an ad. But you’re on the move and this is real life and you can’t just log out.

I tried.

The adverts are for everything too. Like medicine, you have to be prescribed. Hey, are you a miserable git? Ask your doctor for Happium*, and for the next minute we’ll list the 400 side effects as quickly as possible so we can fit them all in – may cause death. But you’ll die happy.

Sidewalks and Crosswalks.

Of the lack there of.

I find that unless a crosswalk is actually going to stop the cars from coming at you, it shouldn’t really count as a crosswalk. It’s like being at a pelican crossing always and the lights are flashing amber. You and drivers both know neither of you are going to stop so good luck everyone.

It’s like that but all the time. There is no green man. He’s not green cause the cars never stop coming. Even when you’re told to walk the cars keep coming. Not all the lights change, only some of them are on red. Some are on turn anyway and hope there’s not a pedestrian crossing (not an official light, please consult your green cross code).

Every time we went to Dunkin’ Donuts down the road a bit from my in-law’s house we have to cross a crossroads. And dodge cars that were legally allowed to turn while we were trying to cross as instructed by the crosswalk.

The walk down to Dunkin’ Donuts was short but not easy. Because there were no sidewalks. Once you got to edge of the houses the paths just disappeared and you have to walk on the road or the grass. If there is grass that is – there’s not always a verge. This was not something I liked doing while pushing my bubby in the behemoth of a pushchair we used while over there.

America is not made of pedestrians. Petrol is cheaper, and cars rule the roads. And the pavements. Public transport isn’t everywhere, pavements are for neighbourhoods and shopping districts. Everything else is tarmacked and driven on. Walking is not American but driving is.

Which certainly accounts for all the drive throughs.

America

I actually really like visiting America – I could never live there permanently, there are no villages and I don’t drive (also Trump is in charge) but I do like to visit. And there are a lot of things about the US I really like. That’s not weird though and for another post.

What do you find weird about America? Let me know in the comments. Or if you are American, what’s weird about Britain?

*unavailable in all good pharmacies.

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21 Replies to “Five Weird Things About America

  1. Hi there, this is an interesting take on America. It’s funny you mention the drive thu banks/pharmacies. I think there are a lot of them in certain places (not many out here in california) because of the snow. It’s less about laziness and more about not wanting to leave your car to brave the bad weather. That’s what I’m told by my midwestern husband anyway… I never really noticed an abundance of flags, but one reason for it where you are is that on the east coast there’s a LOT more history than say on the west coast. That may be why there are a large amount of flags. Also, you could be right… america is inlove with our flag and its importance to our history. I can’t defend the advertising.. its horrible, but living here you just kind of learn to ignore it after a while. It becomes this visual noise that you just learn to filter out. I hope you come back and see more of the USA. There’s so much to see here and so many different regions to explore and find more “weird” things to write about :).

  2. SUch an interesting take on America – I live in Chicago, i do agree that the whole “trump is in charge” thing doesn’t make us desirable. i would love to visit britain one day!

  3. Yeah. Those are somewhere things we have here. Don’t forget the ice thing. When I visited EUROPE and asked for ice in my water (a normal thing here) IT EARNED me funny LOOKS. now that you mentioned it, I didn’t see any Drive Through on my visit to Europe. Not one. Great post!

  4. I can’t wait until our children are old enough that they would cope with travelling around America haha. It’s such an amazing place and aside from the weirdness I really would love to live over there! #KCACOLS

  5. Flags and adverts – yes! They definitely are everywhere! I don’t remember seeing a drive thru bank but just in general, there are so many drive thru restaurants. #KCACOLS

  6. Haha great post! I was surprised by all the drive thrus too….even a drive thru dry cleaners! That made me laugh. I quite like all the flags as it shows how patriotic they are. I also like the way children in schools salute the flag each morning; perhaps we need a little of this in the UK. I couldn’t live in the US either but each State is so different and interesting, don’t you think? I would love to go to the East Coast next. #KCACOLS

  7. I never knew about the drive through banks, I do think that sounds pretty lazy! I love America and would happily live there for a few years, I’m not sure exactly where though. I like that it’s so diverse from east to west. This was a really interesting take on visiting the US and had some really great facts. Lovely post x #kcacols

  8. Wow,there is a whole lot of stuff happening in America. Though I do like the idea of sticks to open curtains X #KCACOLS

  9. Years ago we went to Orlando and tried to order a small icecream for our then 5 year old. They looked so confused! I explained that I would pay the same price but only wanted a little bit of icecream in the cone. They couldn’t get it and gave us a pretty huge one. #KCACOLS

  10. I love reading posts about other countries. It’s so interesting how different they are to us. I live in Wales.
    But my god, drive ‘thru’s’ everywhere? Have to say that’s pure laziness, don’t you think? Would be handy in some places though!

    #KCACOLS

  11. Hehe this made me chuckle but I don’t actually find any of this weird. Although I can’t get my head round the crosswalk thing even though I know most of Euro also do that system. It just baffles me. Surely cars should just stop? They do also LOVE an advert, which whilst I don’t find too odd it is seriously irritating after a while. I could 100% live there though… but maybe once Trump is gone.
    #KCACOLS

  12. Haha! I do remember there being loads of adverts when I went to America, constant bill boards as you travelled! I remember there being a Starbucks on pretty much every corner (10 years ago) but we are pretty much the same now with coffee shops!
    #kcacols

  13. This post made me chuckle. I’ve been to NYC twice but no where else in America. We have a Drive Thru Fish and Chips near us – everyone is always shocked/impressed by this. Drive Thru banks I do agree with you on…seems a little odd. Your comment about short arms amused me!
    Maybe its the difference between the British and Americans but I found Americas (In NYC anyway) very outspoken. We walked down the street, my sister in a denim skirt, tights, boots and hoodie in October and a guy said “Damn girl, it’s cold!” It was a strange moment. #KCACOLS

  14. Someone once told me that in some places they have drive thru schools so you don’t have to get out of the car to collect your kids! After the torrential down pour on the school run today, this sounds like a winning idea!! #KCACOLS

  15. I embarrassedly live here, with the drive (horrid) thru’s and the adverts. The crosswalks and the curtain pulls, and the plethora of flags. I must admit, it must look rather odd. Living here, it is just as odd. The flags have really upped the ante since mr t, our orange prez showed up. They are everywhere now. I have never wanted to be an expat more than now! Thanks for this great post! #KCACOLS xoxo

  16. Ah I loved this – you made me laugh with the curtains! I’ve never been to the States… one day. Then I’ll remember these things and start adding new odd things, I’m sure! Thanks for sharing! #KCACOLS

  17. We don’t have any around here, but in a lot of places here in the States there are drive through liquor stores. Always thought that might be looking for trouble…I do like the driv up cash machines though, I do most of my banking on my lunch break so it saves a lot of time #KCACOLS

  18. Oh my gosh really! I’m literally reading this aloud to my hubs. I love the thought of America but your post has revealed a lot of things I didn’t know. Drive through cash machine is something I wish we had here in a sense. Especially for mums. I really wanna go but when I go i wanna really go. Like stay for a couple of months AT LEAST! The salt thing stresses me out though. We don’t have salt in our food in our family since my pregnancy with G. We’d really taste it and it would ruin stuff.

    Love this post soooo much.

    #KCACOLS

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