American Identity

[PsychoPompos]

****QUOTED THE WRONG THING*****
"finnish vodka posting*

which reminds me

is Nak still alive?
[/quote]

[Varaflame]

I've lived in Europe, but I am Icelandic and living in Iceland at the moment. 

I've only visited the USA once. I went to New York recently, and it changed my perception of Americans quite a bit. I know it's just a tiny bit of the USA, but it is very diverse. Of course there were all these typical (and sometimes rather amusing) "American" things you'd expect to see, like a huge billboard advertising a movie with the slogan: "action-packed action"...But I don't think that would appeal to *every* American really. There were many things that were obviously very popular, but again, those don't apply to everyone. What I did notice though, and what I think of as very unique for the USA, was the crazy packaging. I don't mean loud pictures with colors, but the fact that every single thing you buy will be wrapped in plastic, put in a paper bag and then handed to you in a plastic bag. You'll have trouble finding coffee that isn't served in a cup made of styrofoam or paper, with a plastic top and then wrapped in a layer of cardboard to make sure your fingers don't get too warm from holding it. Even if you buy a tiny piece of chocolate to go with that coffee you will be asked: "would you like a bag for that"

[Doombot]

It's funny what stands out. =)

To me having potato wedges or french fries served in a paper cup in Australia stood out. Even though we get our french fries is something similar at McDonalds (but not that similar) just having them in a drink cup felt strange.

That and hearing 'bloody' all the time.

"I'm trying to get bloody organised!"

"I"m in the bloody que!"

"Bloody Melbourne traffic!"

I've lived in Europe, but I am Icelandic and living in Iceland at the moment. 

I've only visited the USA once. I went to New York recently, and it changed my perception of Americans quite a bit. I know it's just a tiny bit of the USA, but it is very diverse. Of course there were all these typical (and sometimes rather amusing) "American" things you'd expect to see, like a huge billboard advertising a movie with the slogan: "action-packed action"...But I don't think that would appeal to *every* American really. There were many things that were obviously very popular, but again, those don't apply to everyone. What I did notice though, and what I think of as very unique for the USA, was the crazy packaging. I don't mean loud pictures with colors, but the fact that every single thing you buy will be wrapped in plastic, put in a paper bag and then handed to you in a plastic bag. You'll have trouble finding coffee that isn't served in a cup made of styrofoam or paper, with a plastic top and then wrapped in a layer of cardboard to make sure your fingers don't get too warm from holding it. Even if you buy a tiny piece of chocolate to go with that coffee you will be asked: "would you like a bag for that"

[Brugdor]

What I did notice though, and what I think of as very unique for the USA, was the crazy packaging. I don't mean loud pictures with colors, but the fact that every single thing you buy will be wrapped in plastic, put in a paper bag and then handed to you in a plastic bag. You'll have trouble finding coffee that isn't served in a cup made of styrofoam or paper, with a plastic top and then wrapped in a layer of cardboard to make sure your fingers don't get too warm from holding it. Even if you buy a tiny piece of chocolate to go with that coffee you will be asked: "would you like a bag for that"

*nods* We do like our waste here. 

That makes me curious though. Do Europeans get as much junk mail as we do or less? I'm guessing less but I honestly have no idea.

[Varaflame]

It's funny what stands out. =)

To me having potato wedges or french fries served in a paper cup in Australia stood out. Even though we get our french fries is something similar at McDonalds (but not that similar) just having them in a drink cup felt strange.

That and hearing 'bloody' all the time.

"I'm trying to get bloody organised!"

"I"m in the bloody que!"

"Bloody Melbourne traffic!"

I've lived in Europe, but I am Icelandic and living in Iceland at the moment. 

I've only visited the USA once. I went to New York recently, and it changed my perception of Americans quite a bit. I know it's just a tiny bit of the USA, but it is very diverse. Of course there were all these typical (and sometimes rather amusing) "American" things you'd expect to see, like a huge billboard advertising a movie with the slogan: "action-packed action"...But I don't think that would appeal to *every* American really. There were many things that were obviously very popular, but again, those don't apply to everyone. What I did notice though, and what I think of as very unique for the USA, was the crazy packaging. I don't mean loud pictures with colors, but the fact that every single thing you buy will be wrapped in plastic, put in a paper bag and then handed to you in a plastic bag. You'll have trouble finding coffee that isn't served in a cup made of styrofoam or paper, with a plastic top and then wrapped in a layer of cardboard to make sure your fingers don't get too warm from holding it. Even if you buy a tiny piece of chocolate to go with that coffee you will be asked: "would you like a bag for that"

There are probably some strange things that are unique to Icelanders. Maybe I'm standing too close to spot them...But if I had to guess, I'd say it's the habit of putting "cocktail sauce" on everything. When the British occupied Iceland in ww2 they introduced prawn cocktails to Icelanders. For some reason the prawn bit never caught on, but the sauce was a hit (a mix of ketchup and mayo). Everyone puts it on everything, be it pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, fries, salad, fried fish or steak...This is probably a bigger contributor to heart disease in Iceland than tobacco. But it tastes yummy. 

[Varaflame]

*nods* We do like our waste here. 

That makes me curious though. Do Europeans get as much junk mail as we do or less? I'm guessing less but I honestly have no idea.

We get lots of it over here. But you can put a sticker on your door that says "no advertising" or something similar. This has been known to lead some mailmen to think "oh, I guess he doesn't want his newspaper then, it being full of ads and all". So now you sometimes see "No advertising but I'd still like my newspapers and magazines thank you" stickers on doors.

[Solwyn]

A friend of mine from New Jersey finally came down to Texas, and was amazed that we don't all wear cowboy hats and speak in accents. As a matter of fact it's something like 8-10% of us who are like that.

I think a lot of people have these preconceived notions of what people are like, and I think it's healthy when those get shattered, or at least cracked a little bit once you meet the person face to face.

[Doombot]

A friend of mine from New Jersey finally came down to Texas, and was amazed that we don't all wear cowboy hats and speak in accents. As a matter of fact it's something like 8-10% of us who are like that.

I think a lot of people have these preconceived notions of what people are like, and I think it's healthy when those get shattered, or at least cracked a little bit once you meet the person face to face.

My boyfriend groans when I play country music. In fact everyone from Texas that I met hates country music. =)

[Brugdor]

My boyfriend groans when I play country music. In fact everyone from Texas that I met hates country music. =)

Which is funny because my two friends in Dallas both hate it too. 

[Solwyn]

My boyfriend groans when I play country music. In fact everyone from Texas that I met hates country music. =)

Which is funny because my two friends in Dallas both hate it too. 

I like some of it. "Country" these days is too poppy for me. Not that I hate pop, but it all sounds the same, so I get sick of it. And I freaking HATE steel guitars in country music (sounds like a little kid pretending to make laser beam sounds... pyew pyew pyew!!). I love Texas blues (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lightnin' Hopkins, Johnny Winter). But Shania, Reba, and Garth don't really do it for me.

[Doombot]

My boyfriend groans when I play country music. In fact everyone from Texas that I met hates country music. =)

Which is funny because my two friends in Dallas both hate it too. 

I kinda feel that way about Hawaiian Music even though there's a large selection that's absolutely beautiful like Brudda Iz. I winch a bit when I hear it since I heard it for a VERY long time.

[Hoopy Frood]

But if I had to guess, I'd say it's the habit of putting "cocktail sauce" on everything. When the British occupied Iceland in ww2 they introduced prawn cocktails to Icelanders. For some reason the prawn bit never caught on, but the sauce was a hit (a mix of ketchup and mayo). Everyone puts it on everything, be it pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, fries, salad, fried fish or steak...This is probably a bigger contributor to heart disease in Iceland than tobacco. But it tastes yummy. 

Our seafood cocktail sauce is pretty much just ketchup and horseradish. I don't think I've ever seen it packaged with mayo.

But then again, although mayo is used a decent amount over here on sandwiches and in potato salads, it seems that the Europeans use it as a condiment much more than we do. (Don't the Dutch put it on their french fries/chips/whatever they call those fried potato things?)

[Solwyn]

I hear the Canadians also enjoy Mayo on their fries/burgers etc.
Which isn't too bizarre I suppose. I think Mustard and Ketchup are the favorites here in the states when it comes to sandwich-type condiments.

[BlueCross]

I like some of it. "Country" these days is too poppy for me. Not that I hate pop, but it all sounds the same, so I get sick of it. And I freaking HATE steel guitars in country music (sounds like a little kid pretending to make laser beam sounds... pyew pyew pyew!!). I love Texas blues (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lightnin' Hopkins, Johnny Winter). But Shania, Reba, and Garth don't really do it for me.

But Patsy Cline... if she doesn't do it for you, then you're either tone-deaf or dead.

[Solwyn]

I fall to pieces when I hear Patsy Cline.