After years of having the United States at the top of my bucket list, I finally had the chance to visit in February, on a four-night, five-day trip to Nashville.
Growing up in the UK with a steady diet of American pop culture, I spent years building stereotypes and misconceptions about the country.
But my visit, although fleeting, opened my eyes to how different the United States and the United Kingdom really are.
From warm hospitality and overly generous portions to the tipping culture and lack of public transport – these are the things that, as a Brit, surprised me.
everything is huge
Jessica Hamilton’s first visit to the United States was a quick trip to Nashville. She explains the things that surprised her most about the United States.
Size really matters to Americans.
As soon as I landed in Nashville, I realized how big things were in the US. From the height of the buildings and the width of the roads to the overly generous portions of food, often virtually impossible to finish, everything was larger than life. .
Warm hospitality
It wasn’t until I visited America that I realized how deprived the British are of friendliness in restaurants and cafes.
Whether it’s the tipping culture or genuine attention, American waiters go the extra mile.
Tipping culture
Jessica reveals that she never came to terms with the deep-rooted tipping culture in the United States.
Everyone knows about America’s frank tipping culture, but figuring out how to negotiate it without offending anyone is another matter.
When do you tip? When do not? How much do you tip? Do you tip before or after taxes? This is all a minefield that I never came to terms with.
You pay more than the price
Do you think you have the exact amount of cash to pay for a souvenir? Think again.
It turns out that US prices do not include sales tax.
For the uninitiated, this comes as a surprise when you are forced to spend extra dollars at the checkout.
Public transport
Five minutes on foot or 30 seconds by car? The answer is obvious to most Americans.
Like many American cities, Nashville is not entirely walkable. Although there are some pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, especially the city center, most people rely on cars to get around.
It made me long for the old, unreliable British transport.
While visiting Nashville in the US, Jessica discovered that not all areas were walkable
Commercial
Maybe it has something to do with British modesty, but I found the advertisements or ‘commercials’ to be more brazen in the United States and, as a result, much more enjoyable.
I was lucky enough to witness the extent of America’s unabashed commercialism during the Super Bowl, which I watched from a local bar.
The ads, which cost approximately 7 million dollars (£5.4m) each, featured everyone from Christopher Walken and Kanye West to Jennifer Coolidge and Victoria Beckham, and each played like an Oscar-nominated film.
To my surprise, these 30-second clips attracted more attention than the soccer ball.
Sport games
From football, baseball and soccer to basketball and ice hockey, sports are big in America and, dare I say, more fun.
It wasn’t until I watched an ice hockey game at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena that I realized how exciting a sports game can be. The excitement, unpredictability and atmosphere of the stadium was like nothing I have experienced at UK football matches, which mostly take place in extremely cold weather and attract unbearable fans.