5 Things I Love and Hate About the USA
Beyond tipping and small talk
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The US is a fascinating place full of contradictions.
Over the last four weeks, I’ve been crossing the southern US from Atlanta all the way to LA. I had been to the US before, but this was the most comprehensive US trip I’d ever done.
Staying with locals, going on good old-fashioned road trips, and trying out the country’s horrific public transit taught me quite a few lessons.
Most Europeans who travel to the US complain about the tipping culture, the over-the-top service, and the small talk. I couldn’t care less about those things.
Those are just minor cultural differences that we Europeans don’t understand. But they do not make or break your trip.
I want to talk about some integral parts of American culture and society that I like and dislike.
In other words, these are the big things about the USA that will form your opinion about the country.
On this basis, here are five things that I love and five that I hate about the US.
What I love about the USA
Since I’m a positive person, I’ll start with the things I love about the US.
I also made a Youtube video about this.
The national parks
If you need one reason to come to the US, it’s the national parks.
No country on earth has such a well-organized and comprehensive system of national parks. They are all over the US, easily accessible, and kept in a pristine state.
And that’s without talking about the sheer beauty of the parks themselves. I have done five on this trip, and I actually regret not doing more. In truth, the cities — bar a few — aren’t that spectacular in the US (more on that later).
Next time I come here, I will spend a lot more time in national parks because that’s one thing that…
