Info & Tips: Everyday Life in the USA

Do you want to emigrate to the USA or stay in the United States for a longer period of time? Life in the USA is sometimes very different from what we know in Europe. Endless highways, enormous metropolises, XXL fast food, huge festivals and sporting events – everything is a little bigger in the USA. So, how can Europeans learn to fit in with the American lifestyle? We give you important information about life as it is typical in the USA. You will also receive practical tips on how to deal with small talk, supersized portions in restaurants and much more.

When you think of the USA, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Faster, bigger, further? Yes, in the United States everything really is that little bit bigger and wider – though not necessarily faster.  

• Fast food
  Burgers, steaks, fries – the USA is known for barbecues and fast food. It is hardly surprising that chains such as McDonalds, Burger King, etc. have made their way over to us from the USA.
• Long distances, endless highways
  The USA covers 9.8 million square kilometres. By comparison, Germany is just 358 thousand square kilometres in size. Of course, not every corner in the USA is densely populated, and it can often take quite a long time to get from A to B.
• U.S. sports & the Super Bowl
  U.S. sports such as American football, basketball and baseball are cultural events in the U.S. Everyone comes together to cheer on and celebrate with their teams. The most famous of these around the world is probably the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event in the USA. It takes place every first Sunday in February and decides which team will win the title of NFL (National Football League) champion. The halftime shows, in which top-class stars appear, are especially spectacular.
• Optimism & kindness
  Americans are known for their particularly friendly disposition and optimism. They have a strong sense of the “American Dream” and being able to achieve anything.
• Shopping malls & Black Friday
  Huge shopping malls are an unmistakable feature of the American landscape. Young people also meet up there after school. And Black Friday also originally comes from the USA. It always takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving and marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season with discounts and special offers.
• Thanksgiving
  Thanksgiving is basically the American harvest festival – except that it is celebrated on a much larger scale in the USA than in Germany. In the USA, Thanksgiving is a national holiday that usually involves turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. This holiday is of important cultural significance in the USA, where the whole family meets up and spends time together.

Thanksgiving is not the only public holiday in the USA. There are a total of ten national holidays and three other important non-statutory holidays.

The following are all national public holidays:  

• New Year’s Day – January 1
  Just like in Germany, the new year is heralded with parties and fireworks.
• Martin Luther King Jr Day – third Monday in January
  On this day, civil rights activist Dr Martin Luther King Jr is remembered and celebrated with commemorative events and actions to promote equality.
• Presidents’ Day – third Monday in February
  Originally in honour of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, the day is now considered a holiday on which all U.S. presidents are celebrated.
• Memorial Day – last Monday in May
  On Memorial Day, all fallen soldiers are commemorated with parades and memorial ceremonies.
• Independence Day – 4 July
  Independence Day on the Fourth of July is the most important national holiday in the United States. On this day, independence from Great Britain in 1776 is celebrated with fireworks, parades and barbecues.
• Labor Day – first Monday in September
  Similar to Labour Day in Germany, the labour movement is celebrated on this day.
• Columbus Day – second Monday in October
  Columbus Day is a controversial holiday that commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Since his arrival also marked the beginning of slavery in the USA, many states now replace this holiday with “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” to honour the Indigenous peoples of America.
• Veterans Day – 11 November
  A holiday in honour of all war veterans, during which parades and ceremonies are held for former and active soldiers.
• Thanksgiving – fourth Thursday in November
  As explained above, Thanksgiving is a day of thanks and appreciation for the good things in life.
• Christmas – 25 December
  Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year in the USA too. People decorate their homes with lights and figures. The USA is known for exuberant and rather kitschy Christmas decorations. However, Christmas itself is celebrated on the morning of 25 December (Christmas Day).

Additional non-statutory holidays in the USA include:

• Valentine’s Day – 14 February
  As you might expect, Valentine’s Day is a much bigger deal in the USA than it is in Germany.
• Easter Sunday – variable (spring)
  Depending on the religion, Easter is celebrated in the USA, but it is not as big as in Germany.
• Halloween – 31 October
  In the USA, people tend to go all-out for Halloween: houses are decorated, parties take place, and children play “trick or treat”, running from house to house for sweets.

Sporting events are celebrated in the USA in a similar way to the holidays. U.S. sports play a central role in culture and society. Specifically, we are talking about American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. Sports such as football (soccer), which are very popular in other countries, are not just as popular in the USA.

Above all, U.S. sports strengthen cohesion in society. Major sporting events such as the Super Bowl or the World Series bring people from different cultures together. Many people also identify strongly with their local teams and have a close emotional connection to them. People from all walks of life can celebrate together with their teams.

But which associations are there in professional sports in the USA? One is the NFL for American football, for example, which also hosts the Super Bowl. The equivalent for basketball is the NBA, which has produced international players such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. In baseball there is the MLB, and in ice hockey there is the NHL. But not only professional sports in the USA are held in high regard; college sports have almost as large a following in the USA. College football and college basketball are particularly popular. Major universities such as Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan have huge stadiums that are regularly visited by tens of thousands of fans.

For many young people in the USA, however, sports are also a way of receiving university scholarships. University fees in the USA are quite high, so many young people rely on these scholarships.

Due to the size of the USA and the diverse landscape alone, the country offers a huge range of leisure activities. From the beautiful beaches in California, to the fascinating Rocky Mountains, to exciting activities in metropolises like New York. In the USA, there really is something for every taste.

The diverse nature in the USA offers you numerous opportunities for outdoor activities. You can go hiking or climbing in one of the national parks, such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite or the Appalachian Mountains, and experience the unique nature of these regions. National and state parks also have thousands of campgrounds where you can camp for a weekend getaway in nature. You can go skiing or snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. And the coasts of California, Hawaii or Florida are not only popular surf spots, but also invite you to dive or snorkel. Of course, you can also go swimming at all public beaches and lakes in the USA. Or you can go kayaking or canoeing along the rivers and lakes.  

Of course, the USA also has numerous metropolises and cities, where there are countless opportunities for entertainment and culture, such as museums and galleries. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles are particularly popular and well-known. Or you can visit a theatre or take in a musical, for example on Broadway. Americans also enjoy going to a comedy club or food festivals, which are also becoming increasingly popular in Germany. Other popular leisure activities are, for example, simply going to the cinema or getting together with friends in one of the numerous shopping malls. The USA is also known for two of the biggest music festivals worldwide: Coachella and Lollapalooza.

The USA is home to some of the most famous theme parks in the world, such as Disneyland and Disney World. Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is not only the first Disney theme park, but also the only one built under Walt Disney’s supervision. Almost as well-known are Universal Studios in California and Florida, where film theme parks are located.

The USA is famous for endless highways that invite you to epic road trips. Classic routes such as Route 66 or the Pacific Coast Highway are popular for exploring the diversity of the country.

For travel within the United States, it is best to take a domestic flight or a bus. The rail network in the USA (Amtrak) is not as well developed as the railway system in Europe. Well-known bus companies include Greyhound and Megabus. These offer cheap long-distance bus connections, which can be an alternative to air travel.

Give a tip of about 20 percent and not just ten percent like in Germany. Also, it is better to tip in cash. Hotel staff should also be tipped in the USA, about five dollars per service.

In the USA, the portions are often much larger than in Germany, but it is also normal to simply take leftovers with you.

Petrol is generally cheaper in the USA than in Germany. In the USA, however, people also drive a lot. Important: you often have to pay before you fill up your tank.

In addition, the tank capacity is not given in litres, but in gallons. A U.S. gallon is approximately 3.8 litres.  

One of the biggest misunderstandings between Germans and Americans is the sentence “How are you?”. In America, you do not expect to learn the whole life story of the other person in response to this question: it is just a phrase, a simple “hello”. Small talk is common and expected in many situations, especially during everyday interactions such as in the supermarket or on the underground.

In many states in the USA, there is always automatically a plastic bag with every purchase. In 14 states, including California and New York, plastic bags are now banned from shops. However, some states oppose such a ban. Our tip ist to take your European sense for environment and nature with you to the USA and take a bag with you when you go shopping.

In Germany, people are used to somewhat faster speeds on the roads. Being overtaken by a lorry? In this country, this is rarely the case. In the USA, this can happen, because the speed limits are much lower than in Germany. So, be sure to keep these speed limits in mind.

In most U.S. states, goods and services are subject to sales tax that is not included in prices or stated on price labels. These taxes vary by state and can range from zero to ten percent.

One thing that is only gradually becoming widespread Germany has been common in the USA for a long time: you can pay by credit card everywhere, quite normal in the USA. It is still better to pay tips and smaller amounts with cash.

Do you have an emergency? Dial 911, a number which you may already know from various US series or films.