Weird Findings in America as a Brit / USA and Canada 2024

After a month in America, there are a number of things that specifically stood out to me and I thought I would share some of the biggest oddities to me. I often see this types of posts from the other perspective and it's so interesting to me. 

The toilets are a little odd. They often look more like urinals but the more uncomfortable part to me is the lack of privacy. The toilets are super low to the floor, very short and then the cubicles have large gaps between the floor, rather than going all the way down, so much so that you can easily crawl underneath, and the gaps between the doors so you can see out...hence I'm sure people can also see in.

Americans can really be quite rude. I was pushed down in the middle of New York, clearly in pain and bleeding. I've still got a scar there till this day and not a single person stopped to help, despite blood trickling down my leg. 

New York especially felt very market central. There were so many knock off products and floor markets around the areas. I saw them near Times Square, queuing to Liberty Island and in Central Park. 

This was the big one for me...no duvet covers! I thought the first hotel had just run out of covers, but every single hotel had the same situation, except for the cruise. I found it so frustrating because having just a non-fitted sheet above and below the duvet isn't appropriate in the slightest. I hated the thought of my face and skin touching the duvet that probably never got washed...the germs... On a similar note, cleanliness in the hotels was very poor. Everything looked clean and tidy from a distance but the hotels weren't cleaned well and hidden or unobvious areas were filthy. This was just one example of the layer of dust in the hotel in Niagara Falls.

Frustratingly, the flavour colours associated with things was changed. For example, I bought these crisps so excited for some Flaming Hot Doritos, only to open them to a disappointing Nacho Cheese. I didn't think to look at the flavour because I just chose them from familiarity and association. 

Finally, the portion size of food is crazy! There was only one meal I managed to finish and that was one at Universal Studios Hollywood, where I ended up still being hungry after my fajitas. Everywhere else, the portions were HUGE! I didn't finish another meal for the whole month and this was my takeout box, after already eating at least half the chicken, pasta and bread. I wish they just provided half portions, for half the price because then I would have managed to eat the food and enjoy it, without forcing myself to eat more than enjoyable or wasting it, and it would have been much more affordable. 

If you're a Brit, have you ever been to America and been shocked at the differences? Or vice a versa, an American travelling to England?