All American Attitude – 5 American Traditions (A Visitor Guide for Foreigners)
The “All American Attitude” is difficult to describe. Because America is a melting pot of so many different global cultures, sometimes it’s tough to put a guy from Boston and a lady from Los Angeles in the same category.
If you’re coming to visit the United States, here’s 5 specific topics that will bring instant feedback from Americans.
# 1 – Football. I don’t care where you’re from in the U.S. – football is KING. With NFL teams worth billions of dollars and little league 5 year olds dressing in full shoulder pads and helmets, you should know about our game. Soccer belongs overseas. Talk about the local football team and you’ll have an instant foot in the door. Which team will you cheer for?
# 2 – Hot Dogs.
Every year, the average American consumes 60 hot dogs! Hot dogs are primarily regarded as a fun, summertime food, and most are eaten between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They are scarfed down at barbecues, baseball games and county fairs. In 2007, Americans consumed more than 1.5 billion pounds of hot dogs! Want to try one?
Hot Dogs
# 3 – Politics. Turn on CNN and see true American entertainment. From Barack Obama to John McCain, democrats and republicans, it seems nobody knows what the heck is going on. If you can find somebody who supports the candidate of your choice, you’ve found a friend for life. ** Warning ** Be careful talking politics. Some Americans will get instantly upset! Ask an open ended question and nod your head in agreement. That’s a safe route. Who would you vote for? Why?
# 4 – Money. Americans love money. Cash is king. In fact, Americans love money so much that the average savings rate is NEGATIVE! That’s right, cash goes through an Americans hands like a train through a tunnel….here one second and gone the next. Americans spend, on average, 40 hours per week working and have 10 vacation days. We love our big cars, big homes and big debts. What’s the latest big money craze?
# 5 – Holidays. Spend the 4th of July in the United States and prepare yourself for an evening of fireworks. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a rural town or a big city, fireworks are close! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Day…. come here during those times and surely there’s a party somewhere near by! Schedule your vacation around a traditional holiday and enjoy the spirit of the day. What’s your favorite holiday?
Tourists, there you have it – 5 American Traditions: Football, Hot Dogs, Politics, Money and Holidays. If you’ll take the time to learn the local team quarterback (football), dive into a hot dog (food), listen to a politician (public events), spend your money (shop til’ you drop) and bask in the social Holidays (time events) – you’ll experience firsthand the “All American Attitude.”
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