Yeah, there would be no poor, homeless or sick. Gas would be $1.00 a gallon. Every child would have a father. There wouldn't have been a Hurricane Katrina or 9/11. We would all just sit around holding hands and singing happy songs. LOL

"Im probably gonna get beat up for this....but i blame the poor public schools here in Jordan. Now i consider my husband a very bright man, but he didnt study US history in school....so he is always confused on what is a state vs. major city...I know it sounds kind of dumb, but he though detroit was a state...lol...i pulled up a US map on the comp and taught him everything....also the fact that my grandparents are in the next state over (indiana) but it takes 4 hours to get there.....why it costs 100$ for a women to get her hair colored, and u still have to tip....the whole "free refills" on sodas at restaurants boggles him..(most places in jordan serve cans) drive thru banks...so many things, and he hasnt even been in the US yet...its only from things we have talked aout"


Dollface, I surely don't mean to offend, but how much Jordanian history did you study in school? Isn't it the least bit presumptuous to expect people to possess detailed information about foreign places they have never been to?

I (non-USC) used to get pretty worked up when offered a "tea" which would turn out to be herbal tea (not black tea). In Russia, that would be called "tisane" or "infusion." I have eventually gotten over it.

well, I make my husband giggle at least 3 or more times a week with the silly things I get up to.

The best one I have pulled so far, and boy do I feel stupid about this one is the following....

In Belgium we hardly ever experience snow, and when we do, its a tiny amount and never really lays.... so coming to Nebraska was quite an experience as me nor my son has ever seen this amount of snow.

It soon melted after our arrival and hadnt come back until last week, when temps suddenly dropped and snow lay heavy and thick.

We went grocery shopping that day and outside the market a man was shovelling the snow. I looked at his tool and thought long and hard where I had seen it before, when it hit me.... we have tree of those in the garage so I shouted out loud "thats what those weird looking shovels in the garage are for" my husband bursted out laughing.... to make matters worse, in the afternoon, when he'd gone to bed before work, I decided to clear the driveway (an excuse to try one of those shovels out).... after doing so for like two hours!!!! my arms nearly fell off, so clever me ran into the kitchen, and believe it or not, went and got the kitchensalt. With the tiny little shaker I started sprinkling the entire DOUBLE driveway!
After having done, I put the salt on the garbagecan in the garage and forgot all about it..... till my husband woke up and went to start his car and warm it up. He saw the shaker standing there and laughed so hard he nearly wet himself...... how was I to know they use different salt on roads?????

So yes, I have my lill stupid spells..... like asking what the sign DIP stands for, when really as it means is "there a dip in the road!"

Also, numerous times do we get all mixed up with language....... a few days back there was a waterleak so I asked my husband to get me a torch, not knowing its called a 'flashlight', or I ask my Mom in law "do you want this in the bin" rather than garbagecan..... and so on...its all good fun, and I Love seeing my husband giggle like that, puts him in a supergood mood So...my sillyness isnt in vain!

Sheridan

LMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my wife often answers me with O O (oh-oh) which is Tagalog for "yes", but it usually sounds more like uh -uh which sounds more like a negative response to me. I've gotten quite used to it, but it's always fun to ask if by that she means yes. She usually chuckles then and says yes. Actually I always know that she means yes, because she has never used the uh-uh term to mean no.

Well I just spit coffee and fell off my chair laughing when I read that the first time

Oh good, I'm not the only one...

Radacos, I dont know about you, or about Romania, but i do know this, Jordan is a very well developed country, and they do study american history etc....i know in high school in chicago, i studied every darn country in this world.....and by the way...isnt this what this thread is about....laughing about the things our SO needed to get explained to them.....yes it is....so go somewhere alright!!!!!!

Dooryards, hahaha. Maine is a strange place. I know what you mean about dropping their R's. The first time I heard somebody from Maine pronounce Portland, it sounded like Potelind. On the other hand, I've heard of at least 2 born in the USA Americans who didn't know that Maine was a state.

As a Canadian, I get mixed up over sweet tea. There is no such thing as sweet tea in Canada.

I've never really used air conditioning in cars before (In Canada, you've got about a 50% chance of having a car with A/C and if you do have one, there's a 90% chance it doesn't work from underuse)....So I was under the idea that the MAX a/c and NORM a/c were somehow different in that the MAX mode would use more gasoline and take more power to run. Turns out they do the exact same thing but MAX recirculates the indoor air and dehumidifies it, while the NORM mode takes the hot humid air from the outside and cools it (but doesn't dehumidify very well).

This is a problem in Houston as it's one of if not the most humid cities in the country. We were driving along the highway and I silently moved it over from MAX to NORM....About 5 minutes later we're both sweating in the car. She looks at the knobs and then looks over at me. DID YOU DO THAT? hahahaha.

I had a German boss in Canada that used to tell me all sorts of things about first moving to Canada. Buying a root beer and thinking it was beer. But my favourite was when he kept seeing "gift shops" everywhere. Apparently gift shops are where exterminators buy their poison in Germany. He used to think his neighbours were cheap because if he would go over to visit, they would offer him coffee instead of beer.

Acutally, I'd never heard it that way, my understanding was that Luva had t right, but it looks like you're both right:

http://people.howstuffworks.com/water1.htm

Magnus was amazed at how quickly dinner is served at restaurants. In Sweden, you wait a long time before they bring meals out to you after you have ordered the food, where as it takes only about 15 minutes here. Also the concept of tipping a server was new to him.

Yes, Ewen and I have had several discussions about tipping. I had to explain that in the States, wait staff are exempt from minimum wage laws, so they make their money in tips.

He especially couldn't believe that you're supposed to tip bartenders. I told him that if you're at the bar on a weekend night, you better tip that bartender if you ever want a second drink!

One thing I've noticed about the water towers is that it makes the water a lot hotter. Turning on only the cold water tap in Texas, the water is WARM! Especially in the summertime. It's kind of a bummer as you want cold water to soak your face in a facecloth when it's hot and sticky outside.

A friend of mine worked in NY for a while - which btw she LOVED - always said if she ever emigrated she'd go live in NY even tho she also loved the laid back Ca. lifestyle that so impressed ME - anyways - she and some pals were in a bar one night and the girl she was with didn't tip the bar waitress (my friend tipped as she was used to the NY culture)..the waitress followed her out of the bar at the end of evening and aggressively demanded her tips!!!!

And thanks for the water tower info Now I know, I'm happy

OOOH the tipping thing. YES it makes Stewart crazy - like ewen, it's at the pub where he most doesn't get it. He cannot FATHOM having to tip someone for pouring a beer...

He also doesn't understand why many Americans think that Outback Steakhouse is just SO Australian....

He gets a kick out of that place

Your post brings Taco Bell to my mind. When they advertise it as "south of the border" .... I think Canada

I'm amazed people get mail at all. I don't know if this is common everywhere or not, but in Houston nobody seems to put Rd/Dr/St/Blvd on the end of their mailing address. And it's a large city too! Also I'd guess that 80%+ don't use the full zip code. Just the shortened one.

Ok this is funny. I was goin to the grocery store and my father in law asked me if i could buy him some CASHEW (the nuts) i said ok and i went to my husband saying: WHY YOUR DAD WANTS SOME CAT SHOES?HE doesnt even have a cat!!

We have had some laughs about my attempts at Bisayan. I have found out what Leonedesa types in chatting with me is not the way she pronounces the words sometimes, for example she says slippers and types sleepers. Daylight savings time was a concept I had to explain so we would be online at the same time to chat.

This thread made me giggle! I was just with my fiance and we had a lot of discussions about the differences in our countries. It will be interesting when he gets here and experiences everything for himself. He is also very knowledgable about U.S history which amazed me. The only things I know about the history of Egypt is what I have seen on the Discover channel or what I have learned recently! LOL! Guess I need to study up more!

The only reason that you would be required to puv Ave. Blvd etc on the end of an address is if it refers to two different streets a la New York City. However, that's mostly an East Coast Phenomenon. In most places it's not required at all. In most places each street has a unique name. In this case the added indentifier such as Ave is not required at all.

And normal people are only required to use the First 5 numbers of the Zip Code. The ZIP+4 is only required for mass mailers.

aww...heehee...cute!

I had almost forgotten the times I had to explain daylight savings time.

...you mean you don't tip bartenders in other countries?

><

all this time I'd thought he was just being cheap at the bar!

... and that explains the funny looks the bar girl gave me at that pub in London.

I had to get some medicine at the pharmacist. She asked me what country I was from so i told her: " the Netherlands". She gave me a puzzled look and asked: "Which one?"

With Carlos being from Panama, I, too had to explain the reasons why a taxi is 25.00 not 2.00 and the tipping thing! He totally does not get it and agreed that when he gets a job and all that, he will pay the food bill but I am to leave the tip haha! I also showed/explained to him the joy of coupons..for groceries, restaurants, dry cleaning etc. He was amazed and happily shocked at the whole process. Buy one dinner and get one free...what a concept! He was also very surprised that in this country if you get bad service, a bad product, etc..usually if you complain you get compensated if the complaint is warranted. I guess that NEVER happens in Panama. If you don't like your food or your service or if a product is damaged too bad so sad. Even if a merchandise is defective the store will not take it back. When my mother in law was staying with us before the wedding, she was amazed that in the mall you could go into a store with a package from another store and did not have to check it in at the door, leave it and get a number. You have to do that at all the malls in Panama..guess they have alot of theft.

Tipping is considered rude in some countries

In China, I tried tipping taxi drivers and what not and they just wouldn't accept it. The bartenders at the bars in Beijing where all the westerners go to seem to have cottoned on to the concept though

That would be somewhere near the "Nether-regions" right?

My wife is from Peru and she does not understand why we do not have Taxis and Buses running up and down the main streets every minute.

I had to explain tipping. 24 Hour grocery stores and walmart. Also being able to return items for something else or money. She likes to open and things and sample them before buying them--and I have to tell her that is not allowed here without like permission to do so. Sales tax has not really come up. But property tax is a lot higher here so that has been an issue.

She thinks that the Mailman (lady) is really really busy since everyone has a mailbox and everyone seems to get mail--I told her that there are more then just one mailman doing the job so do not worry. How nobody will normally steal the mail that is in the mailbox.

She also had to be told about seat belt use--that children under like so many pounds or age need to be in childseats, and that law enforcement are strict on moving violations. How can I leave my car unlocked in our driveway. Why none of the homes have bars on the windows--and that homes are made from wood or otherwise non-reinforced concrete. She also was told how prisoners clean the streets to cut time or as part of their punishment. What else--oh also how you do not get free gifts when you buy stuff and how the days get a lot longer in Summer and shorter in Winter.

I was in York (THE York) and an American girl got talking to me - she said - 'we are going to Norway tomorrow - is that in the North of England too ? '

Many brits say to me 'is it hot in america ? ' - they don't appreciate the variety of climates at all.

I reckon geography is not too strong in the uk or usa


My american wife thinks that Manchester and York etc were named AFTER the American towns...

I keep saying - do you mean the original Boston ? - she says - yes in Massachusetts....



I would love to execute a 4 way stop but there is no death penalty in Wisconsin

Hey, what's that 4-way stop ever done to you?!?!

cue allan thread: "roundabouts: americans just don't understand"

Actually we do have rotaries in MA, but out-of-staters always look confused on them and get in the way! I've seen a few in PA too, but just on small streets usually

I once saw my life flash before my eyes on that rotary that goes before the bridge that takes you to the Cape

we've got some here too,and no one knows how to use them properly. I always go in with one foot near the brake and one have near the horn. I can't tell you how many times someone's pulled into one, right in front of me.

I mean.. the "yeild" sign is there for a reason.

Oh this is the best thread ever - made me laugh.

I went into a store in Oklahoma where my baby lives and asked for 20 marlbrough lights.... she got this look on her face, you want 20 boxes of 200!!!...

Also whats a freshman and an alumini... goodness ive got a lot to learn.....

freshman - first year student
sophomore - second year student


alumni - a graduate of a school or university

there's something else different in this country that I have to be in the habit ... It's the sarcasm. In latin america We don't use it to much because some people specially the olders can misunderstanding and think you are being disrespectful so young people in Latin america use the sarcasm as a joke whit friends who have close age but here is common hear a commentary about something using the sarcasm and you don't know if people are being sarcastic or are not.. I think it will take me time to understand when people use It and what to say about it...









there's something else different in this country that I have to be in the habit ... It's the sarcasm. In latin america We don't use it to much because some people specially the olders can misunderstanding and think you are being disrespectful so young people in Latin america use the sarcasm as a joke whit friends who have close age but here is common hear a commentary about something using the sarcasm and you don't know if people are being sarcastic or are not.. I think it will take me time to understand when people use It and what to say about it...









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the sales tax thing got me all freaked out and still does sometimes. i guess it goes together with vanity sizing in some stores. At some stores I'm a size 2, while I'm normally a 6 and at Victoria's Secret my 36 C turned into a 34 D very quickly...
Also, why in summer, they like to produce artificial temperatures below freezing inside stores and buildings. Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that there is Air conditioning but I don't wanna freeze my butt off in my shorts in August...

Here in Brasil we can't turn right on a red light either, in fact, you can't move even if there's nobody else in the street.

What about the measuring???

Here You have to use ºF and many countries use ºC

ºC = ºF – 32 x 0556 or
ºF = ºC x 1,8 + 32

so if you use celsius 30ºC is 86ºF

----
Kg Vs Pouns

if you weight 58Kg , you weight in lbs is 127.8

---

meters vs feet

if you height is 1.65m , you are 5.41 ft

---
kilometers vs miles
so if the speed is 60mi, in km is 96.56km


and that is just starting... there's also inches / cm, grams /ounces, ml/oz, liters/gallons

That will be an issue for me. Clothe sizes, shoe sizes (well, I actually know that one), temperature, speed, etc.

I do love this thread, so fun.
My hubby is taking GED classes, and we were working on the reading comprehension one. Well, it was going over punctuation, which he already knew, but I was making darn sure of it. Anyhow, we went over comma's, question marks, exclamation points, then we came to what I grew up in the United States calling a period.
Well we came to that one, and he said "full stop". I had bandied the "period" term about in various ways since he has been here, but didnt have a clue he didnt know what it meant when it came to punctuation! lol I asked "you call them full stops?" He replies "yes", I asked, you never grew up calling them anything else? "no"...I then replied...the light going on...."ohhhhhh. In our country we call them periods". He..with perfectly straight face..says..."I thought periods were something else!". I was dying...cuz I know when I was showing him how to use the computer, and he needed to do a dot.com...I kept using the term ..period..so lookin back no WONDER he acted confused...

We have full stops in the UK too

I love some of the pronounciations. It leads to some explaining on both sides at times...

Oregano, the herb as an example:
"orra-gah-noe" - UK
"orr-ray-ganoe" - US

oh yes, the temperature and size thing.
When someone asks me how tall I am I'm always sitting there going "one inch is appr. 2.5 cm so I am...." and the temperature, especially when cooking is getting me too. But my math got better, at least with x1.8 +32

My nickname was Oraygano with some UK friends because they found it so funny.

Do you realize how many seperations of our common language occur in the herb garden (or should I say erb garden?) and vegetable patch?

Baysil=bazzill
oraygano-orrygano
erbs=herbs
cilantro=coriander
arugula=rocket

etc, etc, etc

I always made mistake saying the words that start with "h" like "herb" that doent have the "h" sound when you say it... i'd say "herb" as is and everybody have no clue what i'm saying. ;p

and yea.. have no clue about miles and lbs , yards, acre and sq feet (we r looking for a new house for us so have to deal with thouse things and I have a hard time imagine it.)


ahh.. one questio.. what is the different between shives and green onion?

chives are a herb, I mean erb -- they are usually thinner than green onion (or scallions, or spring onion for UK types), which is the onion before it matures. They have a similar flavor but I guess a green onion is a bit more sharp.

In the US (at least around here) we say both....Cilantro is the plant and leaves of the "erb" while the seeds (dried and used as a spice) are called Coriander.

Yes -- in the UK, coriander is leaf and seed.