Things in Other Countries Americans Find Ridiculous Compared to US
Browse more guides: United States travel | Americas destinations Things in Other Countries Americans Find Ridiculous Compared to US Last updated: April 2026 · 12 min read I'm American. I lived in Europe for two years, spent a long stint in Asia, and I've been to roughly thirty countries on a US passport with a US wallet and a US set of expectations. Plus plus plus the first three weeks of every long trip, my brain throws the same little tantrum: "Wait, that costs HOW much? Where's the rest of my drink? Why is the bathroom locked?" Then around week four, I stop noticing. This list is for the first three weeks. So it's the stuff that genuinely surprises American visitors abroad . Not the food, not the architecture, not the language. The everyday small things. Refrigerators. Coffee. Toilets. The plastic mechanics of daily life that we never think about until we're standing in a German Edeka on a Sunday wondering why the lights are off. I've tried t...