As my exchange semester nears its end, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of the biggest culture shocks for me as a German in the United States.
Having been here before, years ago, I expected that nothing could surprise me, but I was very wrong about that. Honestly, even on my first day here, I noticed so many things that were so different from my home.
The moment I arrived at Philadelphia International Airport, I noticed the absolutely massive gaps in the public bathroom doors, and I was flabbergasted. In Germany, we do not have that, and the doors are usually fully covered, so I was very confused to see that, and honestly, I still do not know the reason behind it, if there even is one.
On the drive to my apartment, I saw a dozen law adverts – most of them focused on medical malpractice – and I am genuinely wondering how many malpractice accidents happen here if there are so many billboards focusing on it. Why is that such a huge thing here in the States?
In general, the overload of advertisements is crazy here! I got ads on my phone in apps I never got before in Germany, e.g. the New York Times Games App and Snapchat. Coupled with the dozens of massive video billboards, you almost cannot get away from it.
The capitalism being shoved in your face also has positive aspects here. In Germany, we do not have free refills or tap water at restaurants, and our stores are also all closed on Sunday, so it was a lot of fun to refrain from worrying about not being able to get groceries because the store is always open.
One thing I will not miss is the water here because it tastes and smells so much like chlorine. One of my German friends compared it to drinking out of a swimming pool, which I think is a bit dramatic, but I will still be very happy to drink and shower in “normal” tap water back home.
Also, the people here are so much nicer, always saying “Hello, how are you?” to start every conversation, compared to the boring “Hi.” you would get in Germany. Customer service here is especially kind!
I think because of that mentality, it is very easy to bond over things like university with people. School spirit means so much more in the US. People care about it so much and take such pride in their sports teams. I love seeing so many Drexel students wearing
