1. US flags displayed everywhere

I was surprised to see that the US flag is displayed on rooftops of houses, in windows and all sorts of clothing.

2. Tipping is a golden rule!

I went to restaurants, and my friends would always be calculating the tip, even when the person that served us was not hospitable enough! So here, they tip whether they received good service or not! And sometimes it's considered rude not to tip.

3. Customer service is good!

In most of the shops I go to, there is somebody constantly checking on me asking, “Hey miss, are you finding everything alright? How can I help you?” This nice treatment for customers was definitely something I was not used to!

4. Multiple versions of a product leave you with many choices!

Go into a shop and you’ll just see a whole aisle full of different versions of a product: Almond milk, hazelnut, soy, 2%, only to name a few. And getting a sandwich in some places can be a long conversation because of the different options available. At home if I say that I want a cheese sandwich there are usually two options to choose from: with or without ham. But here there are a zillion choices!

Me: Can I get a cheese sandwich?

Response: What kind of bread? What sauce are you putting on? Which vegetable? What type of cheese? What type of meat? Grilled or not grilled?

5. Return policy works on almost everything!

I love this policy!

In America you can return anything, get a replacement or a full refund right away. Back at home, returning and getting a refund is almost impossible. It’s something I never even think about. They would say, “once the money is in our hands, it can never go back. That’s how business is!”

6. Fast food is cheap!

Burgers, fries and all those kinds of foods are cheap! And what is called healthy food is expensive. At home, it’s the opposite, fast food is more expensive than healthy food.

7. Eating or drinking while walking is totally fine!

If it's coffee, there is no need to even sit! You can walk while drinking coffee. And for food, you can eat a burger or a sandwich while walking. At home it is considered inappropriate to walk while eating or drinking. Its very interesting how much culture is different everywhere.

8. It’s a cashless society!

Most of the shops accept credit and debit cards, so there is no need to carry cash everywhere!

9. Measurement systems are completely different!

Even now, it takes me a few seconds to process fahrenheit, pounds and miles. I was always converting units when I got to the US. This is when conversion apps became really useful