Americans Who Have Traveled Overseas Are Revealing The One Thing That Made Them Say, "Whoa, We're Not In America Anymore"

When you're traveling abroad, there are so many new and exciting things to take in, from new sights to new foods. However, there's usually at least one cultural thing that catches you off guard, and then it hits you: You're not in the US anymore.

Loew's, Inc / Via giphy.com

In response to u/Some_Chow's question, Americans of the BuzzFeed Community who have been overseas shared the one thing that made them go, "Whoa, we're not in America anymore.'" So, without further ado, here they are:

1."In El Salvador, I went to a small city health clinic for a throbbing migraine and was seen immediately. No vital signs were taken, and no paperwork was done. The physician saw me and ordered two injections to be administered by a nurse. I was headache-free in 30 minutes. The charge: $5 each for the doctor, nurse, and medication."

"What a deal."

baizaroberto44

2."In Romania, cars have the right of way. While there visiting my mom's family, I was crossing the street, and a car came flying around the corner. It didn't slow down even though I was right in its path. Luckily, my mom pulled me out of the street before I got hit. Apparently, if someone gets hit by a car, it's the pedestrian's fault."

street in Romania

3."In Argentina, it was eye-opening to see that most of the public restrooms had the handicap stall first. Of course, you wouldn't make the person who potentially has the most difficulty walking go the farthest for the accessible stall."

"Also, siesta was crazy. Our hotel was on the corner of a huge intersection. At least five large, main roads intersected there. It was crazy to look out the window at 3 a.m. and see the roads and sidewalks packed with people. I couldn't sleep because it was so loud, even though we were really high up."

bree-nb

4."In Scotland, I couldn't figure out how to turn on the shower. Turns out, there's an electric switch to push outside the bathroom."

"Who knew?!"

megitismyname

5."In Saudi Arabia, out in public, most men wear white thobes, while most women wear black abaya dresses with hijabs and niqabs. It's not quite 100% (it varies depending on which city you're in), but it really is unique. Privately, you can wear what you'd like. Foreigners, and even long-term immigrants, are not expected to conform."

"When I visited in 2019, as a foreign woman, I was instructed to wear the abaya. But in the future, it might change.

There was also a unique degree of gender separation. Most restaurant seating areas were divided between the 'single men' section and the 'women and families' section."

laura37911973

6."In Dublin, Ireland, my friend and I were trying to discreetly look at a map to find a tiny museum. An elderly woman stopped and asked if we needed help. However, she didn't know where the museum was, either, so she stopped a random guy walking by and told him, 'These girls are lost. Be a good boy, and take them where they need to go.' And he did! He walked us there, said goodbye, and went on his way."

Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland

7."In Spain, while studying abroad, my host mom asked me what time I wanted to have lunch. I said that 12-12:30 p.m. was fine for me. She looked at me, laughed, and said, 'No. How about 2-2:30?'"

"Quickly had to shift my eating schedule to Spanish time."

jkeegan

8."In Portugal, while pregnant with my daughter, I learned that there are perks to pregnancy. There's special parking, you're allowed to skip the line (learned this at the car rental), and there's even a special line at customs in the airport!"

tram in Lisbon

9."In London, they include the tax in the listed prices on the menu. I went to a coffee shop and, while paying, waited to see how much the final price would be. To my surprise, it was the same as the price on the menu. When traveling in the US, you never know what the taxes will be as they differ by county."

"The other thing I noticed was the prevalence of 24-hour time. It took a bit of getting used to when buying a train ticket."

tomb4adc7727a

10."In Turkey, I forgot my phone in a random roadside store, and when I went back for it a few days later, the owner immediately took it out of a drawer to return it. I exclaimed, 'Wow, I didn't think I would get it back!' He's asked me why not and then informed me that people had been calling me."

"Also, Coke cans come in all colors of the rainbow."

jules664

11."In Japan, a lot of people used face masks in public even before the pandemic as a precaution to not make OTHER PEOPLE sick."

people wearing masks in Tokyo while walking

"The consideration the Japanese people have regarding other people's wellbeing is admirable."

pauloyanagi

Carl Court / Getty Images

12."In Stockholm, everyone was so accommodating to and helpful with my mother who used a wheelchair, from cab drivers to shop clerks."

"One restaurant did not have an accessible entrance, so they let us in through the kitchen. At another restaurant, two absolutely hulking waiters carried her — chair and all — up the three steps into the restaurant. She never had people accommodate her that way in the US."

duct_tape_heart

13."In France, some bathrooms are a 'sanisette,' wherein the bathroom automatically sprays itself down with water to clean after someone uses it."

"We were on a tour of Montmartre, and I went to use a public restroom. It was a little oval building on the side of the sidewalk, and another person had just gotten out of it.

Just before I went inside, my tour guide pulled me back and told me to wait a minute. Had I not known, I would have entered and been drenched! It was definitely the strangest thing I've seen in Europe."

books_baking_broadway

14."In India, I saw many whole families riding on one scooter."

"Mom, dad, little kids, and even infants all rode on one tiny Vespa. In every single case, only the man wore a helmet."

chrisa443ec9017

15."In Spain, we left a $15 tip after sitting at a table in a restaurant for six hours, and the owner chased us down to tell us we left our money."

aliciafuller05

16."In France, it's pretty rare you'll just sit down, have a quick meal, and continue with your day."

restaurant in Paris

17."In Costa Rica, the eye doctor apologized that a six-month supply of contacts would cost me $30 US since I wasn't on the national health insurance. It was the same brand I buy in the states for about $50 per month — with a good insurance paying most of the cost."

"I went to visit relatives for a few months and had lost my glasses in the ocean on the first day. They called the local optometrist and got me in the same day (since I'm super blind). We were on the west coast, and the glasses had to be shipped from the capital, which would take a few days.

The doctor said I could buy contacts off the shelf from them right now. He apologized that If I was a resident, they would have been free. 'So sorry you have to pay the high out of pocket cost.'"

u/TheOtherKatiz

18."In Bangkok, Thailand, I saw a family of four on a motorcycle."

"That was alarming for a midwestern American to see."

u/VaginalDeathCrabs

19."In Madrid, they offer beer as a combo meal option at McDonald’s. The BEST difference, though, was the free tapas — if you order a drink, they bring you free food."

"Even better? Really, really good Spanish wine could be had for two euros a glass. Go bar hopping, eat all the free food, and you can skip dinner.

The one weird thing is that all these bars would be lit up like an American diner would be in the morning. I’m used to bars in the US, which tend to be very dark."

u/mst3k_42

20."In Canada, I ran into someone — totally my fault — and he said sorry first."

"This made me realize, 'Are you fucking blind?' was not the only response to it."

u/Oh_No_69

21."In Iceland, I asked for a bottle of water. The guy just shakes his head and goes, 'You don't need that,' then filled me up a cup from the tap."

aerial view of Reykjavik

22."In Cairo, Egypt, traffic was the definition of pure chaos."

"Honestly, if I was driving, I wouldn't have survived five minutes."

u/everythingsgreat3333

23."In Tokyo, Japan, I realized there was no trash anywhere, and it was just really clean."

"Like, I wouldn't have felt bad sleeping on the ground."

u/ShareHappyness

24."In Peru, the calendars are laid out so Monday is actually the first day on the left side of the calendar, so my spouse and I missed our bus."

old town in Peru

25."In Japan, my wife left her handbag on a train. We called, and they found and delivered it to her home address...on the same day."

u/fanzipan

Have you experienced any of these things while abroad before? Tell us what made you really realize you weren't in the US — or your home country — anymore in the comments below!