Foreign visitors recount culture shocks on first US visit

Travelers from Britain, Canada, Arctic regions and other countries reported a range of unexpected observations during their first trips to the United States. Highlights included the prevalence of wide, open skies, the ability to drive for hours on straight roads, the sheer size of landmarks such as Lake Michigan, and the stark contrast in humidity between New Jersey and upstate New York.

Other surprises involved the difficulty of navigating without a car, the extremely large food portions at American breakfasts, the diverse racial makeup in cities like Baltimore, and challenges with local services such as New York City taxis. These anecdotes illustrate how everyday experiences in the United States differ from expectations shaped by media and other countries’ urban environments.