What are some strange American customs?

[Bunkeranlage]

In short, you're a xenophobe?

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

No because to put it the simplest terms, they are not like us.

There movies are strange, the food they eat is strange, they like to eat food without spice and cannot tolerate spice, they cannot drink water, which is not boiled ten times over and can only drink packaged water, some of them drink pepsi/coke with their food, In short their customs are a little strange

Indians are strange because I'm Chinese, and they're not like us.

They don't drink green tea, they don't eat steamed fish, they don't wear silk clothes, they don't give each other red packets on Chinese New Year. In short, their customs are a little strange.

You see what I mean? Just 'cause something is different from what you're used to doesn't mean that it's objectively strange.

You would be surprised to know that Chinese food that is Indianized Chinese food is the most selling food in India, We do have American fast food chains but the older generation like my grandparents, parents and many other people don't like the non fresh food served by the Americans , while Chinese food is liked by all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Chinese_cuisine

I can relate a little bit with the Chinese as they have some concepts which are similar to ours like filial piety and some other common shared values but the Americans, I cannot understand them. Their ways are different

[Bunkeranlage]

Indians are strange because I'm Chinese, and they're not like us.

They don't drink green tea, they don't eat steamed fish, they don't wear silk clothes, they don't give each other red packets on Chinese New Year. In short, their customs are a little strange.

You see what I mean? Just 'cause something is different from what you're used to doesn't mean that it's objectively strange.

You would be surprised to know that Chinese food that is Indianized Chinese food is the most selling food in India, We do have American fast food chains but the older generation like my grandparents, parents and many other people don't like the non fresh food served by the Americans , while Chinese food is liked by all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Chinese_cuisine

I can relate a little bit with the Chinese as they have some concepts which are similar to ours like filial piety and some other common shared values but the Americans, I cannot understand them. Their ways are different

You just missed my entire point.

I was pointing out that just because a culture is different doesn't mean that it's strange.

It may be strange to you, yes, but they're not objectively strange.

[Ifreann]

...
....
....Thats literally calling us strange because you said we are.
Also, stop generalizing
Dont like spice? Making alot of assumptions here.

No I find them strange, I find all foreigners to be a little strange, it is not a bad thing to be strange, there is no equivalent word I can describe.

The word is "different".

No from what I have seen and from my deductions, they are not able to eat some kinds of masalas, seriously, they even have stomach problems after eating spicy food, there digestive systems are not as strong as ours, The American cannot drink water from anywhere or eat anywhere for he is not used to such things, it is a thing I have seen, the Americans carry packaged water or boil their water and cool it. It is a fact not generalizing here, they call stomach problems caused by spice delhi belly.

This isn't a matter of your digestive systems being stronger. It is a matter of your digestive systems developing in different environments.

Also all foreigners are strange but Americans like the other people from the west and maybe Arabian people are a little more in the strangeness scale as it is difficult to understand their customs and it would be rude to ask them

Perhaps they seem the most different because they are the furthest away.

[Washington Resistance Army]

So they're strange because you say so?

No because to put it the simplest terms, they are not like us.

There movies are strange, the food they eat is strange, they like to eat food without spice and cannot tolerate spice, they cannot drink water, which is not boiled ten times over and can only drink packaged water, some of them drink pepsi/coke with their food, In short their customs are a little strange

I can't understand Indian's because they don't wear togas, don't praise Jupiter, don't kill and enslave filthy barbarians and don't have an Emperor. In short, their customs are a little strange.

[Bunkeranlage]

The word is "different".

To be fair to him, though, the thread is called "What are some strange American customs?"

[Ifreann]

The word is "different".

To be fair to him, though, the thread is called "What are some strange American customs?"

True.

[Bunkeranlage]

To be fair to him, though, the thread is called "What are some strange American customs?"

True.

I would have called it "What are some subjectively strange American customs?", but that would be too long.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

You would be surprised to know that Chinese food that is Indianized Chinese food is the most selling food in India, We do have American fast food chains but the older generation like my grandparents, parents and many other people don't like the non fresh food served by the Americans , while Chinese food is liked by all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Chinese_cuisine

I can relate a little bit with the Chinese as they have some concepts which are similar to ours like filial piety and some other common shared values but the Americans, I cannot understand them. Their ways are different

You just missed my entire point.

I was pointing out that just because a culture is different doesn't mean that it's strange.

It may be strange to you, yes, but they're not objectively strange.

The word means

unusual or surprising; difficult to understand or explain.

https://www.google.co.in/#safe=off&q=strange

Does it according to me fit this criteria, yes it does.


The closest thing I have visited to America would be Britain but let us not go there, let us just say that such kind of countries, the people their are different

[Bunkeranlage]

The word means

unusual or surprising; difficult to understand or explain.

https://www.google.co.in/#safe=off&q=strange

Does it according to me fit this criteria, yes it does.

Fair enough.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

In short, you're a xenophobe?

Now I am not a xenophobe, I am not going around screaming death to America/ kill all da yankees off or something like that just saying that they are not like us

[Bunkeranlage]

In short, you're a xenophobe?

Now I am not a xenophobe, I am not going around screaming death to America/ kill all da yankees off or something like that just saying that they are not like us

Uh huh. I stand corrected.

After all, the thread didn't exactly specify what "strange" referred to.

My bad.

[Dakini]

Indians are strange because I'm Chinese, and they're not like us.

They don't drink green tea, they don't eat steamed fish, they don't wear silk clothes, they don't give each other red packets on Chinese New Year. In short, their customs are a little strange.

You see what I mean? Just 'cause something is different from what you're used to doesn't mean that it's objectively strange.

You would be surprised to know that Chinese food that is Indianized Chinese food is the most selling food in India, We do have American fast food chains but the older generation like my grandparents, parents and many other people don't like the non fresh food served by the Americans , while Chinese food is liked by all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Chinese_cuisine

I can relate a little bit with the Chinese as they have some concepts which are similar to ours like filial piety and some other common shared values but the Americans, I cannot understand them. Their ways are different

The Indian version of Chinese food is vastly different from the food that's in China. Even the wiki article notes some of the most obvious differences...


Granted, my parents live on the outskirts of Toronto and they sometimes visit an Indian buffet. This place is close to an area where many Chinese immigrants end up, so the owners (despite being from India) have a dish or two that are sort of Chinese-inspired. I will definitely say that fusing Indian and Chinese spices is amazeballs, but I wouldn't say it's either Chinese or Indian. It's either an Indian take on Chinese food or a local fusion (and given that I've been to Indian restaurants on two continents, I'm inclined toward the latter).

[Dakini]

...
....
....Thats literally calling us strange because you said we are.
Also, stop generalizing
Dont like spice? Making alot of assumptions here.

No I find them strange, I find all foreigners to be a little strange, it is not a bad thing to be strange, there is no equivalent word I can describe.

No from what I have seen and from my deductions, they are not able to eat some kinds of masalas, seriously, they even have stomach problems after eating spicy food, there digestive systems are not as strong as ours, The American cannot drink water from anywhere or eat anywhere for he is not used to such things, it is a thing I have seen, the Americans carry packaged water or boil their water and cool it. It is a fact not generalizing here, they call stomach problems caused by spice delhi belly.

1. The water treatment in India is notoriously shit. That's why people who are not from India (this doesn't just include Americans, this is everyone from a highly developed country) carries pills to avoid being poisoned by your shitty-ass water.
2. Dude, other people can handle spice. Just because you've only met wussies who can't doesn't mean that they're the only people who exist. Also, your countrymen insist on wussyifiyng spice for white people. Fuck that shit, yo.

Granted, it's worse in Japan. Getting Indian food at maximum spice here doesn't even feel like fire on the way out.

Also all foreigners are strange but Americans like the other people from the west and maybe Arabian people are a little more in the strangeness scale as it is difficult to understand their customs and it would be rude to ask them

Eh... if you're at a bar with a Westerner, you can pretty much ask them whatever. Even if they're a tourist, as long as you're asking them in English that's pretty understandable, they'll be fine with it (and you'll just become part of a story they tell their friends later). Seriously.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

The word is "different".

To be fair to him, though, the thread is called "What are some strange American customs?"

Ketchup in scrambled eggs.

[Dakini]

No I find them strange, I find all foreigners to be a little strange, it is not a bad thing to be strange, there is no equivalent word I can describe.

The word is "different".

No from what I have seen and from my deductions, they are not able to eat some kinds of masalas, seriously, they even have stomach problems after eating spicy food, there digestive systems are not as strong as ours, The American cannot drink water from anywhere or eat anywhere for he is not used to such things, it is a thing I have seen, the Americans carry packaged water or boil their water and cool it. It is a fact not generalizing here, they call stomach problems caused by spice delhi belly.

This isn't a matter of your digestive systems being stronger. It is a matter of your digestive systems developing in different environments.

It's not quite environment... I mean, it is, but it's what you're used to eating more than what the culture around you eats. My parents both enjoy spicy food (and trying new food), so they raised me eating spicy food and food that is totally random. Even now, I try anything that isn't full of meat (because meat is gross, yo).

So it's a matter of getting used to things, which nobody is going to do in a week as a tourist, but people definitely do after spending years living in a place and eating similar food.

[Eastern Equestria]

Speaking of baseball, I find it curious how most Americans would gladly watch NFL match-ups consisting of two teams based thousands of miles away, but will only watch the World Series if their hometown team is involved.

No clue. I won't watch NFL if it's under my bedroom windows. I hate football.

I wouldn't say that I hate it, but it's definitely my least favorite out of the 4 major professional sports in America.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

You would be surprised to know that Chinese food that is Indianized Chinese food is the most selling food in India, We do have American fast food chains but the older generation like my grandparents, parents and many other people don't like the non fresh food served by the Americans , while Chinese food is liked by all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Chinese_cuisine

I can relate a little bit with the Chinese as they have some concepts which are similar to ours like filial piety and some other common shared values but the Americans, I cannot understand them. Their ways are different

The Indian version of Chinese food is vastly different from the food that's in China. Even the wiki article notes some of the most obvious differences...


Granted, my parents live on the outskirts of Toronto and they sometimes visit an Indian buffet. This place is close to an area where many Chinese immigrants end up, so the owners (despite being from India) have a dish or two that are sort of Chinese-inspired. I will definitely say that fusing Indian and Chinese spices is amazeballs, but I wouldn't say it's either Chinese or Indian. It's either an Indian take on Chinese food or a local fusion (and given that I've been to Indian restaurants on two continents, I'm inclined toward the latter).

Yes, Indian chinese is different as it more spicy and some of the popular dishes were allegedly invented in the Cricket Club of Calcutta and the Chinese part of Calcutta , I know what real Chinese tastes like but I said earlier it is Indianized Chinese, even the Pizzas here are Indianized, I have eaten the original pizzas but the Indian version tastes better it is more eatable. Now my point is that is what I have said, everything in India gets Indianized, food but like everything over here, everything is borrowed from somewhere so Indian Chinese food is not like Chinese food but shares some features of the Chinese.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

No I find them strange, I find all foreigners to be a little strange, it is not a bad thing to be strange, there is no equivalent word I can describe.

No from what I have seen and from my deductions, they are not able to eat some kinds of masalas, seriously, they even have stomach problems after eating spicy food, there digestive systems are not as strong as ours, The American cannot drink water from anywhere or eat anywhere for he is not used to such things, it is a thing I have seen, the Americans carry packaged water or boil their water and cool it. It is a fact not generalizing here, they call stomach problems caused by spice delhi belly.

1. The water treatment in India is notoriously shit. That's why people who are not from India (this doesn't just include Americans, this is everyone from a highly developed country) carries pills to avoid being poisoned by your shitty-ass water.
2. Dude, other people can handle spice. Just because you've only met wussies who can't doesn't mean that they're the only people who exist. Also, your countrymen insist on wussyifiyng spice for white people. Fuck that shit, yo.

Granted, it's worse in Japan. Getting Indian food at maximum spice here doesn't even feel like fire on the way out.

Also all foreigners are strange but Americans like the other people from the west and maybe Arabian people are a little more in the strangeness scale as it is difficult to understand their customs and it would be rude to ask them

Eh... if you're at a bar with a Westerner, you can pretty much ask them whatever. Even if they're a tourist, as long as you're asking them in English that's pretty understandable, they'll be fine with it (and you'll just become part of a story they tell their friends later). Seriously.

1) I know that I can drink water from anywhere and nothing much would happen to me that is why it is not wise to take foreigners with you anywhere as it is a logistic headache, you cannot take them anywhere, which includes the Americans, in other words, one should avoid eating with them. I have taken this advice and i am rather safe.

2) I have not seen any credible evidence, It is possible some of them can take spice but allot of people cannot eat spicy food


3) I don't think so, It best to let the foreigners to their ways, I think quiet observation is the key to understanding them, It would definetly offend them if you go up to them and say " Hey, you guys are really strange people"

[Dakini]

1. The water treatment in India is notoriously shit. That's why people who are not from India (this doesn't just include Americans, this is everyone from a highly developed country) carries pills to avoid being poisoned by your shitty-ass water.
2. Dude, other people can handle spice. Just because you've only met wussies who can't doesn't mean that they're the only people who exist. Also, your countrymen insist on wussyifiyng spice for white people. Fuck that shit, yo.

Granted, it's worse in Japan. Getting Indian food at maximum spice here doesn't even feel like fire on the way out.


Eh... if you're at a bar with a Westerner, you can pretty much ask them whatever. Even if they're a tourist, as long as you're asking them in English that's pretty understandable, they'll be fine with it (and you'll just become part of a story they tell their friends later). Seriously.

1) I know that I can drink water from anywhere and nothing much would happen to me that is why it is not wise to take foreigners with you anywhere as it is a logistic headache, you cannot take them anywhere, which includes the Americans, in other words, one should avoid eating with them. I have taken this advice and i am rather safe.

2) I have not seen any credible evidence, It is possible some of them can take spice but allot of people cannot eat spicy food


3) I don't think so, It best to let the foreigners to their ways, I think quiet observation is the key to understanding them, It would definetly offend them if you go up to them and say " Hey, you guys are really strange people"

1. Yes, you can drink water from anywhere in India because you already have all the parasites you're going to acquire. People who are used to living in highly developed countries do not have these parasites and would generally not like to acquire them.
2. Yeah, but that's the same of many Chinese people. I remember one time in undergrad, one of my friends from China and one of my friends from India were like "I will add all the tobasco sauce to these scrambled eggs" and my Chinese friend was breaking out in a sweat while my Indian friend was just fine with it. Also, since you don't seem to actually have any friends from other places (see point 3), I would say that you don't know what the fuck you're talking about here.
3. Yes, telling people they're strange is generally offensive. How about "Hi, how are you? Where are you guys from? What are you up to around here?". You know, friendly questions that demonstrate you're interested in learning about them.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

1) I know that I can drink water from anywhere and nothing much would happen to me that is why it is not wise to take foreigners with you anywhere as it is a logistic headache, you cannot take them anywhere, which includes the Americans, in other words, one should avoid eating with them. I have taken this advice and i am rather safe.

2) I have not seen any credible evidence, It is possible some of them can take spice but allot of people cannot eat spicy food


3) I don't think so, It best to let the foreigners to their ways, I think quiet observation is the key to understanding them, It would definetly offend them if you go up to them and say " Hey, you guys are really strange people"

1. Yes, you can drink water from anywhere in India because you already have all the parasites you're going to acquire. People who are used to living in highly developed countries do not have these parasites and would generally not like to acquire them.
2. Yeah, but that's the same of many Chinese people. I remember one time in undergrad, one of my friends from China and one of my friends from India were like "I will add all the tobasco sauce to these scrambled eggs" and my Chinese friend was breaking out in a sweat while my Indian friend was just fine with it. Also, since you don't seem to actually have any friends from other places (see point 3), I would say that you don't know what the fuck you're talking about here.
3. Yes, telling people they're strange is generally offensive. How about "Hi, how are you? Where are you guys from? What are you up to around here?". You know, friendly questions that demonstrate you're interested in learning about them.

1) It is that I can survive in more tougher conditions as compared to them, I don't think these so called parasites harm me, In my family we don't believe in Aqua Guard and all these other western scams

2) I certainly don't think friendship is a viable solution but I have dealt with many such foreigners and I have been to a western country which would be similiar to America ( Britain).

3) Watching them from a distance is better as it is common sense, I would not go upto people from a country 10,000 miles away and start a conversation with them

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

1. Yes, you can drink water from anywhere in India because you already have all the parasites you're going to acquire. People who are used to living in highly developed countries do not have these parasites and would generally not like to acquire them.

Your system is already used to any bacteria the water in your country has. A foreigner is more than likely not used to that. People in Mexico drink tap water fine. If I try, I will get sick.

My mother has a bacteria in her gut that people who live in Puerto Rico acquire from the food and water there. It doesn't harm her. If a Chinese person gets it, it'll kill them.

[Dakini]

1. Yes, you can drink water from anywhere in India because you already have all the parasites you're going to acquire. People who are used to living in highly developed countries do not have these parasites and would generally not like to acquire them.
2. Yeah, but that's the same of many Chinese people. I remember one time in undergrad, one of my friends from China and one of my friends from India were like "I will add all the tobasco sauce to these scrambled eggs" and my Chinese friend was breaking out in a sweat while my Indian friend was just fine with it. Also, since you don't seem to actually have any friends from other places (see point 3), I would say that you don't know what the fuck you're talking about here.
3. Yes, telling people they're strange is generally offensive. How about "Hi, how are you? Where are you guys from? What are you up to around here?". You know, friendly questions that demonstrate you're interested in learning about them.

1) It is that I can survive in more tougher conditions as compared to them, I don't think these so called parasites harm me, In my family we don't believe in Aqua Guard and all these other western scams

2) I certainly don't think friendship is a viable solution but I have dealt with many such foreigners and I have been to a western country which would be similiar to America ( Britain).

3) Watching them from a distance is better as it is common sense, I would not go upto people from a country 10,000 miles away and start a conversation with them

1. Bullshit. Do you know what to do when the temperature is -40 C? No. You don't. Being full of parasites and poorly nourished to the point of stunted growth does not make you a superior human being.

2. This point was about spicy food and how Indian people totally do not have everything in common with Chinese people (except from a very particular region of China) on this point. Since you have not spoken to or interacted with Americans very much, I feel pretty comfortable pointing out that some of them are pretty fine with spicy food since you're assuming that Americans have the same cuisine as British people (when the cuisines of both countries contradict this assumption).

3. I'm from Canada and live in Japan. Do you know how many people practice their English on me and ask me about my home country or how i enjoy Japan? I'm going to tell you, it's a lot. It's fine. Maybe if I was here for more than two years, it would get tiresome, but at this point, I don't mind these questions. Tourists definitely don't mind talking about this shit.

[Imperialpowersofkorea]

I think I can list a few more customs but remember these are generalizations and should be treated accordingly for some people on this forum don't understand

1) The American will eat a far larger serving of food and generally will eat meat everyday and the American eats bigger morsels

2) I have only seen white Americans, so I can say that when the American comes here he is pale but after a year his appearance changes as he becomes tanned, according to one my friends who knows them a little more better than I do, Tanned skin is preferred by some Americans , while over here we have fairness creams ( colonial hangover) both customs are equally weird

3) I think I have said this but the Americans use their shoulders to hold a phone and not their hand

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Explain please.

Servants are supposed to be treated like servants otherwise it would get in their head that they are not servants, there is always a certain hierarchy in organization, which is supposed to be respected. A person serving tea is not supposed to be acknowledged or thanked, it is his job to serve you tea. Similarly, Americans greet the watchmans, the darbars and other people, which is not good as it does not adhere to hierarchy. I have never correct the shoulder phone method of holding the phone because I never saw any need to, it is just a quirk but this is breaking basic protocol and is against common decency

I'm sorry you mind us actually being informal.

It's not like we're going to give a shit all of a sudden, really.