4 Things Foreigners Will Never Understand About America

[Webb]

4 Things Foreigners Will Never Understand About America

The first 2 are pretty stupid. I live in a condo so I don't even have a lawn.

But college sports. Heck yeah. Does anyone in Europe know that FSU is the top ranked football team? Does anyone in Europe even know what "FSU" means?

Let's not even mention March Madness.

[ozzy72]

Yeah, college sports can be a little baffling to the uninitiated Jim I lived for 3 years in the States as a kid and I still don't get it!
However the one that baffled me was the inability to walk to places, my neighbours would drive round for dinner, they could have just crossed the garden and hopped over the fence. I've been to towns where there are NO pavements (sidewalks), you HAVE to drive. I've never understood this..... I quite enjoy walking to the shops, browsing down the High Street or whatever. Still love the States mind. Must pop back and see how you colonials are doing sometime

[Sprocket]

Ha HA...BRILLIANT ARTICLE..Love this part..

"There's an infamous advice column out there from the year 2005 in which a woman wrote to her paper asking for help with her godson and his potentially unwholesome interest in camel toads."



Jan

[ozzy72]

And the best American Agony Aunt (and possibly on the planet if we're honest!) award goes to.....

[Fozzer]

I mostly get confused when it comes to culinary items...

Bay-zil.
Toe-may-toes.

...and various Motor car bits and bobs... ...!

Fenders, Hoods, Tires, Wrenches, Carb-you-rayters.... ...!

Paul.... ... ...!

Ozzy...>>>>

["Private Time"
.....
..."Knock"]

Some of our Chums across the Atlantic do have a fantastic sense of humour!... ... ...!

[ozzy72]

You have to admit Paul, that as replies to awkward questions go Emma deserves a medal for hers I love people that are that candid whilst being completely correct and showing just a hint of tongue in cheek humour

[Bass]

Only 4 things

[Apex]

Here's my 10 cents:

Lots in my neighborhood are either 37,000 sq ft k or 35,000 sq ft. But in reality, many lots in nearby areas are quite small, the result of housing developments back in the 50's and 60's.
Many of the larger lots are now fenced in, and a lot of the smaller lots have fenced in back yards. Fences and short walls with iron stuff on top are quite popular nowadays.

"Americans just love watching awkward adolescents doing sports with each other."
"Awkward adolescents" ?? I don't think so. Maybe this guy should actually watch college sports before spouting off negatives about it.

"Pride in ridiculously unhealthy food."
No one is holding a gun to your head and telling you what to do with your diet. Everyone knows the risks of this or that. There is no mention of one item, tho: Sugar, which is overloaded in most of everything on the shelves. Whatever, at least we have food here.

"Relentless optimism"
I dunno. We've had enough problems lately with wars and the economy to cast doubt on that, but let's not get political here.

I'm surprised he didn't bring up guns and gun control issues.

Now if I may be excused, time for an extra large burger, fries, and a tank o' beer to wash it all down with while I watch some "awkward adolescents" play college ball like we all wish we could.

[Hagar]

Only 4 things

[jcj78]

I'm a sod farmer. America's facination with green lawns (and the lending institutions' insistance on having established grass on any property they lend money on) is what pays for my flight instructor and rentals, and all my fs toys, and my motorcycle, and my kids clothes and shoes and food and fun.

Its also cool cause once in a while one of the sailplanes out of Moontown (3M5) runs out of lift up here around the state line, and they all know this is a friendly place to trailer or even call the 235 Pawnee to come tow them out of. Saturday mornings on the tractor one is advised to keep an eye skyward and stay on his toes.

[Webb]

I'll stick with college football as something no foreigner, even Canadians, will never understand.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has about 1000 schools in it. It is divided into conferences. In January there is (now) a playoff and a national championship game.

In Florida alone we have

The big guys
University of Florida Fighting Gators (Southeastern Conference)
Florida State University Seminoles (Atlantic Coast Conference)
University of Miami Hurricanes (Atlantic Coast Conference)

The lesser knowns
Florida International University Panthers (Conference USA)
Florida Atlantic University Owls (Conference USA)
University of Central Florida Golden Knights (American Athletic Conference )
University of South Florida Bulls (American Athletic Conference )

[Fozzer]

One thing I could never understand, on either of the Atlantic Ocean, is a sport involving folks playing with balls...

..in fact, the very thought of anything to do with; "Sport" makes me feel totally exhausted.... ... ...!

Paul...having a lie-down... ...!

[Webb]

For us older folk there is always golf. I believe that it is played in your country.

Even Americans understand terms like "birdie", "bogey" and "Rory McIlroy".

[Fozzer]

For us older folk there is always golf. I believe that it is played in your country.

Even Americans understand terms like "birdie", "bogey" and "Rory McIlroy".

Regarding "Balls"...

I sometime play; "Pocket Billiards"..... ....

But I have often been told to stop doing it, in case someone notices... ....!

Paul.... ... ... ...!

[Apex]

Keep one thing in mind about American's love for sports, or, as some might have it, "fascination" or "obsession": The sports industry employs a lot of people, a lot of people, think about it, doing different sports related jobs, and of course, that's good for them and the economy, and the impact on the economy trickles down, or maybe up, to everyone, even those who are not sports-people. That is a very big deal, esp in times of economic weakness like the past years.

So, if you don't like sports, it's easy to ignore it all, yet you will still receive some sort of economic benefit, however indirect.

America's "obsessions" with things include sports, guns, TV crime and cop shows, and other stuff I can't think of right now. Why we are so vividly into these things, well, at least that article did attempt to explain it, but it's an unknown factor, but that's the way it is here, and it's been that way for decades, not just recently. I personally go for moderation in everything, but maybe that's not the norm here. But I couldn't explain why we are like we are, so I guess to anyone living elsewhere, it could easily be a mystery also. But we do have a multi-ethnic and diverse society here, that's one reason, and of course, historical circumstances are also important.

Now if I may again be excused, there's an economic sports benefit waiting for me again here, where did I put that beer?