I have visited the United States several times for the purpose of attending various business conferences. I went to Orlando for the first time in 2015. On my next two trips, I spent time in major cities such as New York, Washington, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
When I checked into my hotel in Orlando, my first mission was to try to charge my cell phone. Of course, there was a different plug, and the interesting thing is that the one I bought in the UK also didn't work. This has nothing to do with culture, it is a memory left in my mind. Fortunately, the hotel shop was selling adapters. Mobile phone charging, as we all know, is a critical issue.
My first observation about North America was that everything was huge. Disposable shampoos are really disposable in Europe. However, it is possible to use disposable shampoo in American hotels for two weeks. And the towels are really big. So are taxis. The lobbies of the hotels are huge. The portions are large enough to feed two people. The chicken in the bucket comes in a really big bucket, and no matter how hard you try, you can't finish it.
The day after I set foot in America, I went to Disneyland and was shocked by the sight I saw. The majority of the people I saw there suffered from obesity. This was the case for both employees and customers. Even though I had a lot of fun at Disneyland, I left thinking that the end of America was coming because of the obesity problem.
The next day, when I met people at the conference, I started thinking again that Americans are normal people. There was not even a single person with weight problems among the conference participants.
I'm not a picky eater, so I don't have a hard time in the countries I visit. There are Italian restaurants all over the world. Because of our common Mediterranean culture, I can eat every meal in Italian restaurants. In America, breakfasts have become a problem. Because the food served for breakfast had a sugary taste. Later I thought that this might be related to corn agriculture. Corns dry up in American disaster movies. So it's a basic food source. However, wheat agriculture is essential in Turkey. And in the Far East, rice farming.
A cop helped me to cross the street in Orlando, even though I didn't ask for help. I have never had such help from the Turkish police in my half-century life. It was an interesting experience for me.
Americans believe that every cent is valuable, and they like to emphasize it. It is not welcome to value money in Turkish culture. On the other hand, everyone is desperately trying to make money. As bread is considered sacred in Turkey, special respect is paid to pennies in America.
Americans begin the conversation with a stern attitude and end it in a friendly manner. Officials emphasize their authority and make it feel that they have the right to use it to the fullest. As I understand it, sacredness is attributed to the task, and it is a cultural norm to respect all kinds of workers because of the task they undertake.
Among the cities I visited, I liked Los Angeles the most. The radio was on in every taxi I took, and fine music was playing. I used Uber several times, and talking with drivers from different countries was nice. I also really liked the shows I watched at Universal Studios, especially Water World.
Before visiting America, I thought that I was familiar with American culture thanks to Hollywood films. However, after spending some time there, I realized that the films do not fully reflect America. On the other hand, I don't know to what extent it is correct to talk about a single American culture.
Thank you for reading.
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