21 Things Non-Americans Love About America

1.

"Free soda refills!"

2.

"America has amazing landscapes! And to Europeans, even places Americans would typically characterize as boring can be interesting. We’ve seen so much of America in movies that even a drive through Kansas feels like weird déjà vu. ‘Wow, it actually IS like that.’"

3.

"There’re so many people in the US, in so many ways and lifestyles."

4.

"NASA. You guys put a man on the freaking moon. How cool is that?!"

5.

"All the good TV shows and films that were created in the US! And the music too!"

6.

"I love that when I go to a store, the employees usually greet me and even attempt small talk, and that usually makes my day! And people will compliment others out of nowhere, and I love it. Just something I never thought of doing."

7.

"Accessibility, especially for people with a disability or other mobility issues. The large parking spaces, ramps, or leveled-out floors in so many places, and wheelchair accessible rides at amusement parks. Even a lift at the swimming pool, where a person can enter the pool from their wheelchair."

8.

"Thanksgiving food rules."

9.

"Googie architecture style is so good! I live in NZ and when I was a kid, I thought the USA was just like Disneyland."

10.

"Couponing. I’d be the queen of that."

11.

"Innovation combined with environmentalism. Tesla, anyone?"

12.

"I find that the big box stores in the US tend to have more and better things — especially nerd and pop culture stuff."

13.

"Doggy bags (to-go boxes/bags for leftovers at restaurants). Why don’t they do that everywhere?"

14.

"Most people are super helpful and friendly. One time, I was in upstate New York, trying to call a friend to come pick me up, and my British cell didn’t work. A man stopped to check if I was okay and lent me his, an act of kindness I’ll never forget."

15.

"The houses/interior design! I was born and raised in the UK but live in the US for my career in architecture and interior design. As much as I love my home country, most houses are hundreds of years old, and interior design isn’t great, unless you live in a city."

16.

"The variety of landscapes and topography that you can find within the country. I live in Florida, so when I went to California, specifically Yosemite, for the first time, it was like stepping onto another planet."

17.

"Supermarkets"

18.

"Salad menus in restaurants. They are like a main meal, and there’s so much choice. Servers always ask if you want any changes to it."

19.

"Right on red. The best traffic rule that I am going to miss so much when I leave."

20.

"The broad variety of different cuisines. Also, food trucks."