WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED to the USA! (REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK)
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
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In August 2022, we took an emergency trip to the United States to help Amelia's family. After spending a month in Texas and several days in Kansas, we now understand what reverse culture shock means.
We left the United States 5 years ago to start a new life abroad in Ecuador. The last time we went back to the USA was over 3 years ago before the pandemic
Lots of things have changed since the pandemic, but even the things that stayed the same seem very weird to us now.
In this video, we'll talk about the 22 things that were very shocking to us as Americans after being gone for so long.
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As a Brit who was a teenager in the 80s and envious of the American lifestyle, I only travelled to the States for the first time just before Covid. What cut straight through my rose-tinted glasses was just how cheap everything looked. But the real culture shocker was when talking with friends and associates, and how they talk about monetisation of as much activity as possible. I couldn’t even talk about hobbies without someone saying “you could charge for that!” Or “that would be a great business idea.” The intrusion of having to constantly think about making money must be exhausting. I know it’s important to get by, but this was complete obsession with the dollar.
One thing that impresses us about Ecuador is how many fun activities are free, or just cost a dollar or two. There are many community celebrations that do not charge admission. One of our first days here we were treated to a free concert by the Ecuadorian National Orchastra. This seems to have a good impact on community pride, and the mental health of the community in general.
This is the reason US is the richest country in the world...
I hate how when I'm being introduced to someone, the first question out of their mouth is "What do you do for a living?". People are so obsessed with jobs and how much money you make.
@@logician3641 yes, but does it also make you the happiest country?
Oh, if you liked that, you’d *love* dating here.
My wife and I moved back to the U.S. after 5 years in Northern Italy just 1 month ago. I feel like a stranger in a strange land. America is not feeling like home anymore at all.
Why'd you move back? I would stay gone gone gone..
I returned 3 years ago, planni,no on leaving, permanently. Sad to see what has happened here
@@enough1494 that second part is a little hard to read with the typo.
@@Ghorda9 planning to leave, permanently! US is done!
I came back to the US in 2015 after 2 years in Germany. You're not alone. I still feel like an outsider surrounded by people who just don't understand.
I am an American who has lived in Asia (Japan) for decades. We return to the US every few years for a few months and know all about reverse culture shock so this was interesting. Of course our experiences are different from yours because the country where we live is so different from Ecuador. The thing that stands out the most to us is the danger/fear levels in the US are off the charts. Living in a low-crime country where we are in one of the biggest cities in the world yet hardly think about danger to us or our children we are shocked in the US about the "lock the doors", "learn to defend yourself", "never let your children out of your sight", mentality. Fear all the time.
Note: Japan is not overrun by illegal, undocumented aliens, who now number nearly 20 million in the U.S. Japan does not have one political party that has created poverty conditions in the inner city on a massive scale, while outsourcing most manufacture and tech jobs overseas. It is simply a fact that the American government has worked AGAINST the best interest of Americans - especially the industrious middle class -for the past 30 years at least.
@@timothywilliams1359 You are spot on Tim. Those gosh darn Republicans with their crazy policies, like tax breaks for the ultra wealthy, and trying to dismantle social security. Spot on analysis my friend, keep up the good work.
@@timothywilliams1359 And we see why the fear is there. Hype by political fear mongers who want to convince others that if you will just elect us, we will fix everything. Like the Texas attorney general campaign add saying Texans are sick of crime. Vote for me and I will institute a,b, & c all the while ignoring the minor detail that he and his party have been in power since Mosses parted the Red Sea.
@@mabehall7667 Texas has no control over its own border. Just look what is happening to Arizona as they try some initial attempts to gain control of theirs. They are being threatened by the DOJ.
@@timothywilliams1359 yes Tim,here in Australia we recently booted out our Conservatives who were still advocating neo liberalism, privatisation of everything and trickle down economics. First started by Thatcher and Reagan in the 1980’s those policies are now totally discredited here and in my old homeland, the UK. Big money in politics is the evil killer!
We have boiled America down to maximizing profits over quality of life. The shocking part is how well we have gradually adapted to this downgraded lifestyle.
Corporate Greed, Americans have been programmed to be consumers.
Thats an interesting thought - i think humans can adapt to very horendous conditions and survive but its not living in quality - so you really have to step out for a longer time to see the difference but i heard a lot of citizen of the USA cant affort to go abroard or even Canada or countries in the South of America or they dont have passports…. So i hope they watch these videos and see it doesnt have to be like this
... except people on drugs and on the street... "You don't have to be on drugs (also psychiatric) to work for us but it helps."
Exactly and American Capitalism will end in failure.
@@inothome , it’s much more than capitalism, it’s unbridled greed. It’s what happens to capitalism when it’s left unregulated, and any regulations are designed to punish labor.
I'm only 42, but I've seen such drastic changes in this country in just the last 20 years. It's not the same country I grew up in
I grew up in Anchorage, AK in the 60's an 70's. When I left to go to the lower 48 it was a shock because people were not as close knit and resilient as in Alaska. It has only gone downhill since then.
The reverse culture shock points were just the same in the 80s as today.
Amen to that. And I am 63.
@@bluewaters3100 I think it really depends on where you live, and how. There are places like that in the lower 48, but rural areas, or tight knit religious groups or places prone to extreme weather. If people have a very reliable infrastructure, including income and it’s not threatened as much types of weather, these are the main determining factors. If they aren’t taught from life experiences that there’s any situation where it’s safer in numbers, or that one blizzard or hurricane can wipe out their infrastructure and leave them with basically worthless money, or no employment, in need of help from their neighbors, they might not ever learn to treat each other with that type of respect and responsibility.
Unfortunately, once isn’t enough to make humans change their behavior. There’s a delicate balance that allows people to live that way, in harmony. If they’re too deprived it will have similar consequences. Of course, addiction and drugs threaten this, but somehow cannot eradicate it.
Alaska is one of those places where they maintain the balance. I’d argue that certain other places in the states do, too. There are places in Florida, where I live, for instance, but it’s definitely not a large place. It’s just far enough outside the main and small enough.
I agree 100% it’s not. I do feel like we’ve reached the peak and self-destruction lies over it.
I've lived in USA my whole life and I'm cultured shocked at all the changes over the last few years myself! Two more weeks and I'll be visiting Ecuador for vacation. I'm so excited!
God bless you kiri. From texas!
Ecuador is amazing! You will love, visit everything you can do,
Have a safe trip🙂
I've lived here my whole life and I'm shocked on a daily basis at the changes
yea i came here to say the same thing
I went to Tulum for a week to attend my cousin’s wedding, and everything was slow and peaceful there. People were quiet and happy, food was great, and you could walk or bike everywhere. When I flew back home, landing in Orange Country during evening rush hour, my wife picked me up and drove me to a nearby restaurant, and the craziness of negotiating traffic sent me into a panic attack. When we sat down at the restaurant, I felt like I didn’t even know where I was, and I started crying in the middle of the restaurant. She had no idea what was going on with me.
I also noticed the same thing, that food, particularly produce was completely flavorless here. Cilantro and onions taste like nothing here.
America is so overrated. Frankly, despite being the so-called richest nation, to me it looks like a 2nd world nation. The urban design is basically a stroad hellscape. Buildings are ugly, the same damn franchises exist everywhere, and ugly asphalt parking lots litter the landscape. The sound of cars is everywhere. Nobody has any money. Cities don’t have any money. Schools don’t have any money. Yet hospitals charge a bankrupting sum, and contractors aren’t very far behind.
Scarey thing is how everything us Franchises as far as food . It's like you really need to cook, going to restaurants is either fast food , and even the supposedly good restaurants are a fortune between tipping and a small meal , you drop $100 or more .. I just don't get how anybody turns a profit or can afford any thing ..
my last hospital bill been €6000, cost myself €60....
they can charge me this year an additional €220, after that, every day in hospital is for free, after i spend €280/year....
did i mention, i am living in Europe, my country got health care since 1883!
@@Arltratlo Which country?
@@jwt1035 make a guess.... its not the USA or Africa....
@@Arltratlo Well, your payments were in euros, and there are almost 30 countries in the union. Not narrow enough for me to hazard a guess, and I’m not going to look up which European country got healthcare in 1883. So how about just answering the question?
I'm an American ex-pat who has been living overseas for 35 years. I try to fly to the States at least every other year (with the exception of the Corona-lockdown years), and I always get the reverse culture shock. I think what shocks me most is the huge increase in homelessness and drug addiction, as well as the political polarization. Back in the 80s, you could discuss politics with others, even if you didn't agree, and in the end you stayed friends.
They're preparing the population for ww3. I'm italian and just can't help realize what's happening in eastern Europe
people are deluded into thinking they can do something about "huge increase in homelessness and drug addiction" etc..., that's where the political tension comes from
I totally agree about the politics. My parents are very conservative but we could have productive conversations about politics. Since about 2015 we haven't been able to discuss anything. It is sad.
@@josephyoung6749 I believe the basis of the problem is we have an extremist right wing party that is holding onto an awful lot of power.
@@kennedy7955You ask people on the right and they tell you the exact same thing about the left lol
I left the U.S. in 2013. Last time I visited was 2018 daughters wedding. The entire environment seemed like a police state. There are so many cops just driving around “hunting” for next victim. The road rage, the feeling of angst in public. I felt so relieved boarding my flight to leave
In Germany the only time I see Polizei is at the airport.
I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice police behavior in the US. Some places are worse than others, of course.
I had the misfortune to live in a neighborhood in Wyoming where I had to cross I-80 everyday to get to work. The police agencies are convinced that busting drug couriers is a winning budget strategy, so they pull over a huge percentage of cars on I-80 and near the I-80 interchanges, checking paperwork, and conducting unwarranted searches, looking for signs of drugs, or even better, drug money.
I got so tired of being pulled over regularly for no reason, that I left the state. Freedom in the US is a sick mythology.
@@tedpreston4155 amen brother!
@@Kyle-sr6jmOf course you don't see them because they are only driving around in their cars. I live in Berlin and I certainly would love to have patrol officers on the streets again like there used to be. But that maybe just a very personal thing.
Well, with that b******* you don't have to worry about the police unless you're a criminal
I have lived in Japan for over 9 years now... I went back to visit the US last summer... I can't believe how bad things have gotten.
We live in Japan. Overall "Gurreat!!" 1 problem is: it is hard for a non-Japanese to buy a home. Even renting requires a co-signer. That IS a real bummer. Medical System is light-years better than the US of Astronomical Medical bills. People and public safety are vastly different. So SAFE here. You can send a 5 year old child to the store by himself. He will return home with his purchase and correct change. Try THAT in the US...😮
Try that in the US and you will lose that money and that kid. 😂
It isn’t that much worse. You just didn’t know how bad it was before. It does suck.
I would like to comment on the weight gain issue. Most of the food in the US is laced with high fructose corn syrup. This product has 2 properties that most people are not aware of. It is 20 times sweeter than sugar so it feeds the sugar addiction. The other thing that it does is it blocks your sense of being full so you tend to eat more food than necessary. I hope this helps.
It is amazing that people do not know anything about their food. I eat organic and never eat at a restaurant. I was in Target the other day. I had on nice shorts and summer top with sandals. An older woman dressed rather sloppy was starting at me. I thought she might need help so I asked her if she needed help. She looked a little embarrassed and said no. I have this happen to me alot in grocery stores. I think my appearance confuses people and they are trying to decide whether or not I am a senior citizen. I do not look good in grey hair so I keep it my natural color and long. It is healthy and full so it looks good. I take care of myself so I have some muscle and my face has a nice healthy glow to it. I am 70. I want to tell the people with kids in the grocery stores to please think about what you are buying. Their carts are full of Lay's potato chips, coke, processed food, and just junk. The healthy items are more expensive but in the long run it is cheaper because you will not need to visit the doctor or be on medication for diabetes.
That and all the hidden fats. Most fast food is deep fried and not good for you at all.
@@bluewaters3100 I'm 71. These days the bulk of my diet consists of fresh (sometimes frozen) fruits and veggies. Alas, I can't often afford organic, and at any rate notice that when I can it usually tasts just as flavorless as most non-organic produce. I too have taken to noticing shopping carts at grogery stores. Where I live, it's not just the younger crowd whose carts are piled high with junk. Part of the problem is, as you state, that healthy foods tend to more expensive that junk foods. Too, junk foods are often addictive and hard to abandon once hooked. I've been hooked on them a few times in my life. Thankfully, I've been on the straight and narrow for over two decades now. Or rather, as straight and narrow as my somewhat limited funds allow.
It also hinders the conversion of Vitamin D into Calcifediol for proper immune system function
Nasty stuff, I read every ingredient label and if it contains that crap it goes back on the shelf.
I left Denver in 2006, now in Ireland. When I went back for vacation I experienced most of what you mentioned. The commercials for prescription drugs are so pervasive I can't watch U.S. TV anymore. And I resent being expected to tip for take out food. But the worst is the constant concern for physical safety. I cannot see any return to the U.S. the way things are going.
Don't blame you. Working on leaving the USA, take my cats 🐈 😻 and go.
I just went to Calf. and booked my return for 6 months later...within 3 weeks I rebooked my flight...I lasted 5 weeks total and was so happy to be on the plane out!
I live in upstate NY and we never worry about physical safety when out unless it is late at night in some nearby larger city. We were scammed several times in South America, so you have to be vigilant wherever you go. Isn't the cost of living really high in Ireland?
You tip for good service and pleasant service. Little or no tip when you don't get that. There is no guilt about not tipping.
@@amywalker7515 Interesting comment. I heard an American girl who studied in Scotland for a year talking about how she felt about her return to the USA. One thing she mentioned was anxiety about safety. But interestingly she said it was caused by people saying 'don't go there, don't do this, don't speak to that person' etc and a general sensitivity to the potential of danger. In reality, she lived in a fairly small town where the crime rate was no higher than it was in Scotland where people just didn't think about these things much and just got on with life. So in places like hers it was the fear of crime rather than crime itself.
Not having to drive and being within walking distance for shopping and entertainment is my #1 why I like living outside the US.
The US starting to copy this idea of having everything in one place. US gets most of their ideas from the outside world.
i have that in the US, i live in NJ
I have that here in NYC. Find a city with walking neighborhoods.
@@sct4040 theyll say "NYC is way too expensive!! muhhh!!!", which its not if you live outside manhattan, especially in NJ
You don't have to leave the U.S. for that. You just have to live in a area that the West and East coast makes fun of. The laugh is on them.
As an American still living in the US, this was a very depressing video for me!
Depressing but true.
Of your life circumstances permit but, I would urge you to go overseas to a good country for awhile and see the differences for yourself. The U.S. has become a corporate pit.
Take heart, that's the reason people are going back to real farming and living off grid. They too are sick of living sick!
It is only when you go outside the US that you realise what you are missing and how bad America has become.
You are a lucky guy who can call himself American. The USA is even better than some developed countries in Europe. I think only 10-12 countries have a higher standard of living than the US, the US is an amazing place to be and call home.
We moved to Spain 5 years ago. I have no doubt my jaw would be on the floor were I to go back to the US. Thankfully I have no intention of doing that and no family to lead to an emergency need to go back.
BTW as for weight gain, almost all food in the US includes sugar. Bread, lunch meats, hot dogs, canned goods, heck even Lowry's Seasoned Salt includes sugar! My husband commented when we moved that it was so amazing to eat food that tastes like actual food instead of sugar and fat.
Hey, where are you (roughly), and what's your age group? I'm 49, still working (for 20 years no less), and I'm looking for a quiet place to Live and WORK
@@LMB222 Hi, Spanish here, 53 y.o., was married to an American and lived in the US when a little kid. That to say that perhaps my opinion could be relevant. In Spain I lived in Andalusia, in Seville and also in a small town/city not too far from Córdoba. My mum's side is from Galicia, and I also lived in Madrid. All of Spain is really very GREAT to move in and make it your home. We of course speak Spanish, so you really need to start taking Spanish lessons to be +/- conversant when you arrive. Now, depending on your line of work, you may be considering exciting international places like Barcelona. Word of caution about that: they also speak their own language there (Catalan) and they'll expect you to learn it over time, on top of Spanish too. Spain has several regions with their own distinctive languages, they're all very close to Spanish bc all descended from Latin, common linguistic heritage and stuff. Except for Basque, which is so different that it cannot be connected to any other language, much like Finnish and Hungarian. Now, OF COURSE we Spaniards we'll give you a free pass bc of you being a foreigner learning Spanish, you'll be allowed your mistakes and won't be harassed to learn an additional regional language, we're not like that. Except that, after say 10 years, your friends and neighbors and usual shop sellers will start asking questions why aren't you bothered to say please and thank you and good morning in their own regional language (which from our point of view makes total sense, but to each their own). Bureaucracy is usually quite speedy in Spain, average 3 weeks. Everywhere is superhot in the summer, so many shops close down for siesta times (at least in Andalusia) so usually you end up your lunch at say 1400, go home have your siesta (your clients and employers will do the same) and then resurface to work not before 1700 (since there's no one in the streets between 1400 and 1700 except tourists, it makes total sense for us). Of course if you work in an office with AC (like most of Spain, we have AC everywhere) then there's absolutely NO siesta, I repeat, NO siesta. So in theory you'd work your regular 0900-1800, EXCEPT we have this thing of casually going down to have another breakfast anytime between 0900-1000, then probably another snack between 1100-1200, then of course 1 hr lunch, maybe 1.5 hours, then another snack at 1500, so that in the end you usually end the day between 1800-1900. You go home, shower, watch tv, phone your friends and make plans for the night, and it'll usually be beers for start around 2000 before you finally sit down for dinner NOT before 2100 (is too hot and still too sunny, and obviously you have dinner at night, right?) and then more walking around from bar to bar, hot spot to hot spot, and ice creams around 2300 (plenty of children still playing around you even if school starts at 0730, just suck it and enjoy your night around with parents and family and friends, kiddo!). Be prepared to feel under constant CIA survelliance if you choose a nice little town to live in, bc elderly people really LOVE spying on other people and are very nosy, so it may well happen that you just cross the street to have a café at the bar and the owner will tell you that you've been watched 5 minutes ago getting your newspaper 3 blocks away and how's the newspapers lady and yourself and your family in the States and the dog and don't you like bullfights and which one is better in your opinion, Real Madrid or Barcelona, and they KNOW for a fact you last went to the toilet at exactly 0813 and does it mean you don't really like last night dinner at Loli's? Whodunnit, all that info?? Literally ALL of the elderly ppl spying behind courtains and patrolling around the streets, but you can play games with them too and enjoy giving everyone a completely different and totally made up story and enjoy your coffee watching and listening to them bicker about bitterly on whether or not you teach English or are a retired writer or are a diplomat or are a secret agent or a bullfight student, the list is endless. But in big cities of course we're all transparent and everyone goes about their business. You won't make many friends if you cut the fun to go to bed before 0000 "bEcAuSe I hAvE tO gEt uP eArLy tOmOrRoW", we Spaniards KNOW for a fact that you only sleep really well ONLY IF you've been having fun at least until 0200 and so can go to bed with a clear conscience, no matter you get up at 0600, period, signed and sealed in blood. If there's only one rule you should remember is this: only VERY elderly ppl stay home, anybody from 4 y.o. to 70 y.o. MUST, by law, be out socializing in the streets 0800-0200 (except in weekends, of course, when you really do back-to-backs).
Yeah if you buy food made in a factory it's going to have added junk, who knew 🤯
@@runswithraptors You clearly don't understand just how bad even "organic" food is in the US. Perhaps you should do some research, if you are able to read big words.
@@x2y3a1j5 You seem like a very proud Spanish person! I am Dutch, but I have visited your country many times. I must say, though, that my favorite Spanish place is the Canary Islands.
Grew tomatoes in the back yard this summer. The difference in flavor from the supermarket tomatoes was astounding. Grow your own food if you can. You won't regret it.
We tried growing tomatoes. We had 12 beautiful plants. They produced 1 beautiful tomato. One morning I went out to inspect it and a bird pecked a big hole in it, ate all the insides and pooped on the top. I walked to the mercado and bought some beautiful tomatoes for 50 cents. That was the end of my gardening career 😂
One thing I like about Japan is the neighborhood vegetable gardens. There are little vegetable stands that operate on the honor system, drop a coin in a box to buy something. Some houses also set up a little stand by their front gate and sell produce. And this is in a suburb of Tokyo.
As a American growing up and seeing all this slowly get worse and effect your life and
everyone you know is truly heartbreaking. I see people getting meaner and more stressed and culture become more fast pace and commercialized. Makes me feel alittle helpless on how to stop things from going this way but I can’t even pin down a time when it started to get this bad.
Obama
I have lived out of the USA for a decade.
When I go back to the USA I'm freaked out by the prices at restaurants and meanness of the people.
It's a shame.
What's weird about your comment and some other similar ones on here is that I've been watching culture shock videos of people from Europe and the UK who have come here or moved here to the US, and one of the big things with them is how NICE everyone is.
@@MoonlightSonata214 Well everyone has diff experiences. Im portuguese,. was there back in 2010 an on average people are really friendly. But police, or people in certain restaurants etc were the opposite.
@@MoonlightSonata214 That depends. Everyone knows their experience right.. but I can reach further. I've been in Ecuador Colombia Mexico Venezuela and now back in USA. Here's the gist of it. To be polite varies by culture/country. In venezuela they don't say hello or good morning its more like a "ah-huh" (meaning what do you want) Sorry but it's true. I'm sure a lot of caribbean countries are like this. I dated a VI girl her family was a bit like this too. That is just the way they are comfortable. Which is VERY NOT NORMAL in other countries like Ecuador or in states like Texas where you actually get a "good morning good afternoon" To be polite is to be friendly and that really depends which state you are in. NJ/NYC has a lot of that "venezuela" vibe. If you go to the DMV in NJ, it feels like you are bothering the employees. Here in Dallas they literally will help you fill out your application. That's how extremely different it is. So it depends. James point is valid. Some people here in USA are MEAN as hell. But that depends where you are. Most of that mean impolite behavior will be in the NYC area in my opinion. I haven't lived in Florida where a lot of caribbeans reside from Cuba for example... but I'm sure a lot of people are generally angry in that state as well. If someone can confirm please lol.
I am English and visit the US often. On the contrary, i find friendliness and kindness everywhere .. I was in Savannah GA last week . You should go there !
@@MoonlightSonata214they don't live here
The biggest shock I’ve experienced after living in Germany for 7 years is how run down the US is. Everything looks like it’s falling apart or is super run down. Especially government buildings in DC which used to be meticulously maintained. Pretty sad to see my home in such a sad state.
Germany is a very clean country. The people really do take pride in their surroundings. I loved my stay over there .
Americans have fucked up priorities. The truth is it is a democracy. The will of the people is course of the nation. Blacks are the most powerful and smartest. When they don't get their way, they riot and destroy. And they Win. They then become the Voice of the country. White Americans have no love of life. Or they would have stopped them. White Americans love labor. Work is their true God. Not Justice, not Family, not even Money. Whites comprehend only Work.
That’s very sad. I remember Washington from the 70’s to the 90’s and how impressed I was with the quality and condition of the great public buildings. So pleased I was privileged to visit in far better times.
@@TheVaughan5 You should look at Pittsburgh. It is run down again. It is like people want the end of the world.
@@blue18404 When I was younger I would never have believed the U.S. would decline like it has in my lifetime. Even though I’m not a U.S. citizen it makes me very sad.
It’s funny when returning from Latin America to North America and realizing the US is actually the broken society. I’ve experienced it too.
What's funnier is that you had to go OUTSIDE of the US to realize that.
Most other citizens realize the wrongs of their society while still living inside it.
Guess it's true that Americans really are very efficiently brainwashed.
Cope.
@@ernst91individuals shouldn't have to just cope with a rubbish society.
@@ernst91 except reality that some things in society will get worse if it doesn’t get better and some things will need to be fixed including, yes, many many things in America. Actually going to other countries or listening to others who have may help you realize that.
Great observations. My wife and I are looking forward to an expat life in a few years.
For those who haven’t traveled abroad, please do so. It’s an eye opening experience that makes you realize that we don’t have it as good as you think you do here in the states.
At least you can leave your country. Not everyone can due to restrictions like in Canada.
@@MW-nr3lg It also costs money.
We have been told that there is a criminal behind every lamppost in every other country on earth. Then you visit those countries and notice this isn't true at all. Most people go about their daily lives without fear and seem a lot like you and me, only they are kinder and less anxious than we are.
@@360decrees2 That's a big difference from it costing your life. Try defecting from someplace like N Korea, USSR, Cuba, E Germany, etc.
"It costs money."
BWAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA!
Modern Westerners are spoiled and soft. A Western passport and a plane ticket are nothing, comparatively speaking.
I was only in Zambia for 2 weeks on a missions trip and I can relate to every one of your points especially the flavorful produce. My training is in Agriculture and I was shocked about the flavor of produce. I have never eaten so much amazing produce! The US is losing its mind.
That’s hat happens when the city folk don’t understand the true value chain.
Those cooking food shows are just insult to injury
Agree with you
Losing??? You mean "lost"
Oh no, they aren't exaggerating as you found out! I was only out of the US for three months. The biggest reverse shock I had coming back, was the prices for everything, specially food. The one story I always tell everybody. The french baguettes I was paying 57 cents for a baguette, and with ham and cheese it was about 2-3 bucks. For the same thing, I'd easily pay $8-$14 here.
Now, get this. I could get an actual orange juice from the grocery store or at any cafe/bakery! They had a machine. You put full oranges inside this machine, the thing processes them and extracts the juice and you get some sweet healthy natural orange juice. None of this bottled tasteless franchise brand junk. I have gone to hundreds of coffee shops and bakeries in the US. None of them offers real orange juice. It's as if they don't want to go through the trouble. If it's liquid, it has to come in some "official" package. Same with food.
We're getting poisoned with the food here. We don't have real freedom to choose our food, unless you plant it yourself or buy from like-minded people, which is difficult to find sometimes.
I had to see a therapist due to reverse culture shock (which had nothing to do with weather) when I moved back to the States from South Korea. Now I live in Germany, and I cannot return to the States... maybe ever.
I left America in 2015 and haven't been back since. I see the culture via the internet and am often shocked. I'm so glad I don't have to be there any more.
I'm an American who's lived abroad for over two decades in both Argentina and Mexico. For two different reasons, i was forced back to the US. However, I'd also forgotten what it was like, what a strong car culture there is there, and on general, high fees for everything. Good grief! One day, I'd had enough and bought a one-way ticket for my kids and I back to México. Best decision ever!
Forced? That sucks!
I am leaving back to Mexico on wednesday. I've had it with America!
I am leaving for Mexico
Where is good down there? Its safe?
Thank God for Mexico💚❤️
You think the USA is modern? I came to the USA from the Netherlands and to me most things are 30 years behind…
I am curious what this means! LOL. I was born and raised in the USA.
This guy is coming from the Netherlands, probably one of the most progressive and modern countries in the world (I'm from Denmark) and like most of Europe our culture is wastly different from the american culture - mainly based on trust to our community rather then competition and distrust. If ýou can't comprehend the mindset, it is a complete waste of time to explain the difference. (Yes, they are at least 30 years behind, with regard to relationships they are more like 70 years behind)
The weight gain was the one thing I noticed when we went back to the States from Africa. I gained 7-8 lbs in 6 months. And everything has so much preservatives.
Why eat it then??
@@stevenhull5025Why does anyone eat?
Ha! 6 weeks, put on 6 kilos. But that was in 1996 and largely because of infinite soda and the portions were massive, tasty, and I was taught to clear my plate.
@stevenhull5025 preservatives are in nearly every food in the US, you honestly can't avoid them unless you're privledged enough to spend $500 on "organic" groceries.
I've been living abroad for 12 years and have only been back to the US 3 times to visit. Each time it's been worse for me. I'm having to return for the next several years because we're doing my husband's residency. All my friends tell me not to. Everything's expensive and dangerous. I'm not looking forward to it. It's an alien lifestyle. We never go out to eat or party etc. We visit our friends at home and have tea, I cook 3 meals per day from scratch, we have cars but hardly use them, our total monthly bills are about $40. There is virtually no crime. I can walk anywhere in this city very safely, any time day or night.
Lived overseas (mostly Asia) for 35 years. Came back just as covid started. Complete shock. I am just amazed at how little value there is in anything in this country. Air travel is a disaster. The airlines have horrible service, the airports are chaos, the travel to and from the airport is terrible. Credit cards and banking are horrible unless you are in the highest tier of private client. Elsewhere in the world you get personalised service at reasonable levels. Other than the super high end, hotels are terrible. In the rest of the world you can find nice hotels at many price points but in the US it’s only above $400 per night that you get a decent room and service. I could go on but I will close it out with the ignorance and provinciality of Americans. People outside the USA know about the world at large including the US, but Americans only know about the USA and not even very much about the USA at that.
Worked for an American corporation. They wanted to be 'world leaders' in their business. Shocked they were, astonished, that not everybody uses US law to do things. That you couldn't just do 'any number of things' like they did in the US. They want to be world leaders but have a very parochial view of the world because they've never been anywhere outside the US or seen more of it but only from a hotel room view.
I live in a neighborhood in the U.S. (Hammond, IN) where I'm lucky enough to be able to walk to a small Mexican grocery store and a good pizza place. But it's amazing that you feel so odd doing it. Walking anywhere in the U.S. is such a foreign idea and that's wrong.
Wow! Well said..."Walking anywhere in the U.S. is such a foreign idea and that's wrong." That is part of why Americans are the most unhealthiest people.
@@Hello-rl6lp I don't know if we're necessarily the unhealthiest. We have clean water, good doctors if you can afford them and FDA-regulated everything, so you probably won't get salmonella. But, you'd get some good cardio exercise and keep the diabetes away. Maybe someday we'll figure it out....
I live 10 miles from any grocery store and we have to walk on state roads to get there. MANY Americans live rurally and in the subs. It’s simply not possible for many Americans to walk every where, however I’ve visited quite a few cities where we did walk everywhere. You simply can’t compare the vastness of the US to many other countries. It would be great to get out from where you live and get a better understanding of the rest of the country.
@@channahnoyb4803 I've been to rural areas and they're very nice. Actually, a lot of the rural small towns are very walkable in southern Indiana. Nobody locks doors; very peaceful. Up here we spend a lot of time in traffic going to some stupid Walmart so we can wait in construction on the way home. But they don't usually allow a convenience store in the neighborhood unless it's zoned and approved by a politician, homeowners association, etc, etc. It's more or less the areas that JP and Amelia are talking about in video.
Being able to walk to the shops is the #1 reason we live in NYC. It’s loud, but convenient.
Came back to the USA in 2019 after roughly 10 years away. I can relate to your perspective. I cannot believe this is the same country I defended for 20+ years.
Most of these things were the exact same thing ten to twenty years ago
@@whatabouttheearth: except you stop noticing after a while.
@@eattherich9215 the frog in a pot of water on the stove
Defending the country was the right thing to do, so it is one of those things you should not be feeling bad about. Further, additional skillsets, personal discipline (in a good way), greater focus, and better physical form (bar any injuries) would all be pluses in my book.
I have lived in the United States and in England for quite a long time. And I visited a LOT of countries. So I do realize how the other half lives. What really seems to help is having a partner that shares the same feelings, thoughts, beliefs, concerns as you two do!
Very interesting observations. Especially about the foodstuffs. That is a very common observation by foreign visitors to the US. My wife and I like to favor farmer’s markets, where the product is more expensive but a lot more flavorful that store bought. But I also believe the general poor quality of our foodstuffs is also a factor in the poor nutrition so many Americans experience.
I really don't get it. The US is such a big country, it should be possible to grow fruits, vegetables appropriate quality with a appropriate price. At least seasonal and regional stuff. I can differentiate between organic (tastefull, but expensive), imported (tasteless and expensive) and regional, saisonal fruits and veggies.
A long time ago I spent 3 months traveling the States and I Remember good and affordable food . May Be not all the variety we have in Italy but I enjoied eating in all the States I visited . Now 30 years later Is worse ?
@@kilsestoffel3690
@@kilsestoffel3690 i think it’s a political issue, the government pay their farmers to not grow anything and keep their lands empty. The U.S buys the best food to other countries, and my guess is , just as they do with their oil, they buy from other countries and when that will be gone they will use theirs.
We lived in France for 9 months in 1985. The food tasted better, and not just the fresh produce either. The instant couscous and other prepared foods did, too. I think part of it is what people expect; the French (among others) expect their food to taste good, Americans will settle for Wonder Bread. I was just in Spain and I think I saw an ad on a bus shelter for a brand of olive oil. You know you're in a country that values home cooking when olive oil is advertised on bus shelters.
I'm from England and was married to an American living in KY for 21 years who died in 2010 and I have more than 21 reasons for never going back to the USA. Your video resonated with me so much. I have been living in Mexico where I live with my Mexican wife and two Mexican children and am getting ready to return to live in England where we want our children to go to school. I always felt too British to ever think of becoming a US Citizen. I remember how shocked my neighbours in KY were when I explained I was returning to England to take care of my mother and where I met my Mexican wife. People in the USA especially in KY are so closed-minded about how the rest of the world lives. The USA is slowly going down the drain!
The USA is Going Down the TOLIET,,ITS BEYOND REPAIR --- GET OUT
- SAVE YOUR SELVES -
+ Your Loved Ones..ASAP-- USA Ex_pat in Russia
A sad but true observation about much of Kentucky. It is reflected in the ideology and the corruption of that state's two U.S. Senators, both horrible mutations that represent, promote and embody the worst aspects of human nature.
I hope your return is successful. Everything is ludicrously expensive, but the NHS still exists and I and my family have received excellent care over the years. Remember you might not see the sun for 6 months, but Spain is not far away!
@@davidr7819 Plus Portugal and Italy, we are lucky to live so close to other beautiful countries.
Omg!! You’re going to be shocked by the UK then!
I cashed out of America and moved abroad last year and am so thankful I finally made that move. I spent 6 months in a beach town in Costa Rica then flew to Medellin Colombia to check it our after hearing very positive reviews from some friends. The city is beautiful, very convenient to live in, extremely affordable, the whether is perfect and the locals have been awesome. Not sure if I will retire her but it's on the list and I have no plans of going anywhere else soon. I renewed my passport here it was surprisingly easy and only took 3 weeks, then applied for a one year student visa that was approved in 2 weeks. I have been watching you guys for years and your channel helped inspire me to seek a better life abroad and I found one. Thank you for that..
Dirk, do you speak Spanish? Is there enough to do there to keep you busy? I have thought about Medellin, as well.
@@worldobserver3515 No I didn't speak Spanish when I first left America other then knowing a handful basic words having grown up in Southern California. My visa is actually a student visa and I am enrolled with LCN langue school which is the most reasonably priced and studying it here. If you are not shy speaking Spanish won't be a problem and Colombians are very helpful and accepting people. As far as busy I guess that depends I met a local women I am in a relationship with. I joined a gym and started working out again. There are abundant entertainment and dinning options and it's all extremely cheap, Greek, Italian, steakhouse, vegan it's all here in abundance and they have a very efficient and easy to use public transit network.
@@overlandecuador4872 Fighting the system is a spot on observation. I am living now on what it use to cost me to own and operate the two vehicles I owned. I remember when I left it was strange because I didn't own any keys to anything anymore. I would instinctively check my pocket for my keys and I had none. Once I settled it was so liberating not to have a key, I had always had a set in my pocket since I was a teenager back in the 70's. They may sound strange but it ended up being symbol of liberating myself from the bonds of responsibility. Key will be in my pocket again soon but in the meantime I am enjoying the art of living without them.
Dirk, Next year, I am ready to pull the trigger. Either living in Colombia Medillen or Cartagena or Ecuador Cuenca or lojas. But theses are my main concerns
1. I need strong wifi?
2. Good hospital
3. Nice affordable rent in a nice area. Between 400 to 600 dollars.
Anyone who can provide me some good advice I would kindly appreciate it 👏💪🤙
@@christiancalderon3821 Can only speak about Costa Rica, as we lived there for 5 years and visit frequently. Houses (2 bedroom) rent for about $500-600/month, and apartments go for around 1/2 that amount. Keep in mind - typical CR rentals do NOT include furniture or appliances ! If they DO, they are more expensive.
My wife and I have not lived abroad but have been watching and commenting on these very points over the last 20 years. Food flavor is our topic now when you compare what we get out of our garden versus the store, it’s no contest. And worse, most of the fresh fruits and vegetables from the store tend to rot before they ripen.
Ice, you have to use ice! Sometimes I think I learned more from the jobs I had in college than college itself.
Worked in Italian veg / b fruit market.
Chipped ice continuously over every thing.
Keeping it close to 33F
No bacteria & they stay fresh.
Half a century later I still do it.
The next day much of the stuff is fresher in my homer fridge then was in the store.
They love ice!
Walmart produce is the rotting kind.
I had a tomato on my windowsill for over 2 months and it looked like it did the day we got it. Finally cut it open and the seeds were growing inside.
@@angelaatwood46 My local Kroger suffers from the same malady.
I'm from the UK, and have visited the USA 3 times. I recently told a friend of mine, who's been there many times (he loves it), that I could feel Anger hanging in the air when i was in the States - even when there's no-one around. Even he agreed with me.
Land of fear and hate
I am an American citizen and you are correct. A lot of people in the country is angry!
Give Blood Meridian a read if you haven't.
So sad.
I experienced reverse culture shock when I came home from Germany, but it wasn't like this. Americans don't realize this about themselves but we are CRAZY with many transgressive behaviors that are considered antisocial in other cultures. No respect for personal boundaries and aggressive personal interactions are two particular problems that make public spaces feel hostile in America. The car dependency you point out probably is a contributor- we are totally alienated from each other and don't feel a part of a community.
I called it fundamentally dysfunctional when I first encountered the reverse culture shock.
Well...the USA has a million cultures now....they love to call it multiculturalism... Goodbye first world, hello third world. But hey...we aint racist!!!! We destroyed our country and our kids future to prove it!
@@robfolks Exhibit A
@@robfolks
That's the dumbest thing I've read today.
Because of that type of mentality we were 3rd world long before this
A country has to be united to survive long term. Everyone and their momma knows the USA is divided due to too many different cultures intermingled. Different cultures, different beliefs. Tribal mentality. Hell, the blacks can't even get along with each other, muchless other races. The same with Hispanics.
The USA is done...stick a fork in it.
We bought in antigua Guatemala but don’t live there full time yet. But just got back from antigua and there for a month and down 15 pounds! As you said you can walk everywhere and I averaged 8 miles or so a day just walking -but with a purpose to go buy or do something. I hate walking in the neighborhood in the USA it’s specifically to exercise In antigua I’m not setting out to exercise. It’s just a natural part of daily life And losing the weight is a big healthy benefit !😊
I would love to hear more about Life in Antigua Guatela
@@sue3745 Antigua is the Cuenca of Ecuador/San Miguel de Allende of Mexico I would say. Lots of expats and lots of tourists. From many parts of the world. Europe, U.S., Israel---you will hear many languages being spoken in Antigua. It is a jumping off spot to hike volcanos, go to the most beautiful lake in the world (Atitlan) & there are over 30 Spanish language schools. So you have many individuals & non profits that go to study Spanish. Housing ini Antigua proper is EXPENSIVE--if you want to be in the walkable area where you dont need a car. RIght outside of Antigua, you can buy a nice retirement home for $100k (but you will need a car/uber/tuk tuk to get into Antigua, as it wont be within walking distance). World class restaurants--more than you can shake a stick at, as we say in Texas. Antigua is also famous for SEMANA SANTA (google it). Another difference from maybe Cuenca or San Miguel, is it's only about 45 minutes away from Guatemala City, so many from the city go to Antigua for the weekend & traffic can be horrible on the small cobblestone streets (that's why you want to get a place you can walk everywhere from!)
Lastly--it's only a 2 hour, 45 minute flight from Dallas & you're back in the USA. So if proximity is important to you for familial reasons, it's a great alternative. OH YES--it's also call the city of the Eternal Spring--it's about 72-74 degrees there all year long & around 59 at night. The best weather!
At one point in recent history only TWO countries in the entire world of ~200 countries allowed pharmaceutical companies to advertise on TV - U.S. and New Zealand. I don't know if that list has expanded. However recently, I'm seeing pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. aiming commercials at CHILDREN! This is new to me in 2022.
I'm often seeing Estonian-language pharma ads on the UA-cam app, if I feel like I'd have to use it for engagement.
Nah! We have the same annoying commercials in Spain too. 😉
@@JustYFriend On cable, satellite, or broadcast TV though? I'm not talking about other mediums.
@@Timithos Regular TV. I guess you would call that broadcast TV.
I moved to Ecuador over four years ago and I am so happy with my decision. Crime has increased in the time I've been here but I will take living in Ecuador over the United States any time. When I hear from my old friends and they tell me about skyrocketing prices in the United States and especially the crazy expensive rental and home prices it's just unbelievable. I moved here from Key West and housing has gotten so bad there that homeowners are listing renting out a spare bedroom in their home and charging $1,500 a month for that. Now the latest trend in the United States is paranoid and scared people shooting people who knock on their door or pull into their driveway because they are lost. It's sad to hear what is becoming of the United States. I'm glad to hear that you're both staying in Ecuador while checking out other possible options.
Pro tip don't let media narratives dictate your life
@@runswithraptors on that note.....The media in the US is so so bad. I feel like local news is alright, but those big corporation news channels are super bad.
Meanwhile Ecuadorians are talking about how much more expensive things are now that Americans are moving in.
I often say that the US seems to be a land of hate and fear.
@@bruhbutwhytho that sure is going to be a thing too, they should limit the influx.
My husband and I moved to Portugal from Denver 6 years ago and I been getting homesick, but after watching this video I am renewed on my gladness of leaving the states when we did =) Only thing different here that you mentioned is that gas is VERY expensive. All of Europe has a realistic price which runs around 2 euros a liter..... fuel in the Americans is severly underpriced when you take into account the resource supply. =) enjoyed this video
No. Gas is costly in Europe because of excessive taxation. In the US, gas taxes are almost only about road building and maintenance, and thus much cheaper. Canadians do most of their inter-Province driving…via the USA! Why? EXCESSIVE TAXATION is there, too.
@@Orson2u Canadians doing inter-province driving through United States is probably either due to toll roads on the way, or a straighter line from point A to point B. Many would skip such cross-border driving due to the potential of bad treatment on the U.S. side of the border.
@@Orson2u That's why the roads in the US look like that of 3rd world countries. No tax, no road maintenance.
America is so different now its inevitable to become miserable. Constantly needing money and the prices are ridiculous. Excellent video Amelia and J thanks for the truth👍
No life in usa no community no social life
I agree with so many of these. When we moved back after 4 years in Germany, I wasn’t used to the credit card usage, air conditioning blowing on me all the time, fast pace, consumerism, and I had totally forgotten about pay at the pump gas, which I thought was weird because we were only gone for a few years. We had also lived in Korea for a couple of years, and it was very hard to come back after that culture change. Also have to agree about the drug commercials. I’m glad I don’t watch TV.
I can certainly relate. I moved to Australia from Latvia (just after the 1991 collapse) and have lived in Australia ever since. At times still feeling like an outsider in some aspects. Then I finally went back to Latvia for the first time in 20+ years in 2018. I must say I experienced a feeling very similar to yours.
You realise that time has changed a lot of things. Not just you but your old home too are different now. You're suddenly looking at everything from a completely different perspective. It's almost like slowly rediscovering your old home as you explore your old stomping grounds. I'm actually quite enjoying it now, having just come back from a trip.
You do feel like a man with no country to an extent because you're not fully assimilated to either, your new or old home. But on the upside you are now also living in two worlds. A unique privilege that I would say more than makes up for any small level of disconnect with either of the countries which has inevitably happened. Anyway. Best of luck to you and yours. Hope your travels and joys are many and your troubles and obstacles few 👍🏻
Did you permanently move back to Latvia?
@@shaunmckenzie5509 I'm still living in Australia. But I do plan to go back every year...or at least as often as I can. It's also a great base of operations for further travel. You spend a few weeks in Latvia and a few more travelling to other countries.
You're extremely blessed to live in Australia! I would say you were very lucky to be accepted into Australia. It's not easy to get in. 🙏🙏🙏
@@8675-__ jeez Ann I don’t know about that, I’m in Sydney and it’s spot the Aussie in 70% of the place, jus saying as I know from the horses mouth that Aus immigration is riddled with agents only too willing to accept the old brown paper bag.
@@patricksweeney5308 Latvia is unrecognisable now, yes. Much better. It looks like most other European countries. Paris seems to be very different to how it looked too. And I guess whether it's better or worse depends on who you ask.
The taste of food... I'm still based in the US but I travel to Peru as often as possible. One time there we ordered strawberry shakes. The restaurant made them from fresh ingredients nearly as fast as you could get a shake from McDonalds back in the US. Wow! The explosion of flavor was like an intoxication. What an experience! With all of these same-looking shopping malls and instant food something is lost. We get used to everything tasting like cardboard.
The most glaring difference for me as a portuguese spending a few months there in the Dallas region back in 2010 was the ammount of franchise food chains etc.........good lord........no brick and mortar establishments.....a Starbucks or McDs at every corner........and also the HUGE parking lots and needing to use a car to get anywhere. It's totally impossible to get anything done by foot.
Obviously there are more densely populated regions in the US and with places within walking distance....but it was still a reality I never excperienced in Europe.
I used to visit San Francisco, CA; i have done a lot of legwork there! Great city to explore on foot or a bicycle!
I’ve lived in Europe for over 30 years now and just returned to Sweden after a two week trip to Northern Virginia. On past trips to the states I always brought back a suitcase of clothes, spices, etc. Not this time. Unbelievably, most things are now the same price in Stockholm.
Also, I just find everything in the US so plastic and fake… so corporate. Including the food. It’s difficult to find a small private owned store or market.
I'm with you on some things, but criticizing people because they don't speak another language is just stupid.
@@bjcee1108 It’s not just languages. Take the fact that most Americans can’t point to the US on a world map. Or don’t know anything about how their government works….
@@FortunateXpat I think you are making that up. Most? Most Americans can't point out America on a world map? Please point out concrete information, where a study was done, to prove it.
@@bjcee1108 No it’s not. Most people in foreign countries can speak more than one language. I’ve met Europeans, Africans, Latin Americans, etc. who can speak at least two, and sometimes as many as five or six, languages. And,as the OP said, you have Americans who can barely speak or write their own language. I should know, because I am an American who has watched the decline in the American educational system. It really is appalling. Kids are not even taught basic civics anymore. They aren’t even being taught cursive writing anymore. Many schools have abandoned music programs which have been shown to improve children’s ability to learn all other subjects. And, I don’t know what they’re being taught as far as spelling and basic grammar are concerned.
@@MsAppassionata Most people in foreign countries can speak more than one language. So what? Does that make them superior in some respect? Maybe a lot of Americans have different priorities or interests other than learning multiple languages.
What about all of the HOMELESSNESS ???!!!
Very few people seem to care - as in almost no one. Weird.
Add one more. Our family moved to the USA this year and we were shocked by the "fakeness" of some people. High pitched voice, ultra pumped to talk to you etc" BUT this comes from people we do not even know. My son calls them "mickey mouse people" . Foe eg: When making a dentist apppointment, the lady said "What's a good number for you?" in a high pitched fake voice. We guessed that she really wanted our phone number and not a good number. So we gave her our number and she replied "Awesome". We are shocked that she was so happy that our number was awesome. Weird!
And have you noticed that many in the USA now feel compelled to speak in a sing-song manner? Even television newscasters have fallen victim. Has anyone else noticed this? Where did this affectation originate? I find it baffling and irritating.
American people actually tend to be friendlier.
They require employees to do this in service and retail. The worst is having to have a fake smile plastered on your face all day, and if you falter for just a few minutes you get scolded or the customer complains about your "lack of friendliness". You have to sound and act like you are super happy all the time.
Aw c'mon, give us a break. She sounds fake to you and when she goes to Europe you sound sullen.
There is a tendency in the US to mimic characters on TV. There is a marked difference between how Americans speak now and how they spoke in the fifties. Now they sound like characters in a sitcom. Expressions are over the top. You're right, it used to be ab American thing for a cashier to send you off with a "have a nice day", then it became "have a great day", now you are expected to have an"awesome" day. 😂
Me and my hubby are going for vacation to the coast of Ecuador in a couple of weeks , we can’t wait to experience the magic of the minimalist simple life we going to enjoy for few days 👏👏👏👏
Have fun!
You will thoroughly enjoy the food, the architecture, the weather, and most of all, the "buenos dias" nature of the lovely Ecuadorians! Es muy tranquilo! Make time to see Cuenca!
@@RonPaulyGirlMaybe when we move to Ecuador in a couple of years we will travel around Ecuador , for now this is our exploration trip to the coast
@@AmeliaAndJP We are so exited !!! We are going to feel the vibes of that beautiful Ecuatorian coast y de ahí estaremos tomando la decisión y
@@Ladivinadonna you could try Oaxaca too? Nayarit?
I have lived outside the USA for about 13 years now. about 10 years ago, I had to return to USA for 3 months. It was cool for 2 months, meeting old friends and family, going to old hangouts, etc. But by month 3, I got really bored. I pretty much said " OK I did everything I wanted to do. Now what?" I moved back abroad and never did I go back to the US for any more than 4 weeks.
Lived in Mongolia for two years and had been in South Korea for a year before that. Came back to the US against my will and was depressed and have struggled with it on and off ever since. So many of these things are ones I can relate to and I have had the unfortunate luck of having to work in retail. Many shoppers are angry, impatient, and just generally buttheads that I'd rather not help.
I think another reason people gain whieght in the USA is the fruits and vegetables are depleted of natural minerals and vitamins due to the overused soil mass produced food on a large scale . In Ecuador it's natural soils deep and dark soils filled with nutrients and vitamins so many small farms everywhere growing food. In the USA it's all comercialized and the fruits and vegetables are tasteless as they sell genetically modified crap that can last forever in your fridge without rotting or changing . I remember seeing brocolli change from green to yellow within a few days during my first month in Ecuador but in the USA it stays green forever and it's hard and waxy. Since the food is void of minerals and nutrients your body craves more and more food because it's not getting what it needs to nurish itself properly thus you over eat. In Ecuador you feel full on much smaller portions because the food is so nutricious and your body gets what it needs from the food here.
That's part of it, but they were in the US for a short time and the biggest factor was the lack of walking would be my guess.
You got to either go to a local farmers market or a local farm stand in the US if you want to buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
Thank you so much for this education on food I HAD NO IDEA
I've definitely developed some really weird food allergies in the USA. My Romanian friend says that the food and the water is so bad here, he's noticed some changes as well.
@Phillip Banes So are most people in the US gluttons?
I moved to Thailand 4 years ago , my cell phone bill was 179 dollars in HawAii, over data charge, late charge. In Chiangmai I pay 7 dollars a month for unlimited data, no late fee. In Hawaii there are only a few cell phone providers in Thailand there is a full floor of providers.
I would like to add the huge political divide in the U.S. where people would practically get into a fist fight over politics, especially on Facebook. Heaven forbid if you posted an opinion on Facebook that people don't agree with. You could get responses ranging from mild reprimand to insults, name calling, vulgar comments and language and even threats. It has created ALOT of tension. It is one thing I won't miss if I became an expat.
Yeah avoid drama book at all costs. I deleted my account years ago and haven't looked back. Everyone is ALWAYS best and right and God forbid you do even one step different... Yeesh I agree 100.
I just got back from visiting the States after being away for almost 2 years with my kids. The reverse culture shock was very real! I had to ask myself how I managed to live there for so long. My kids were ready to leave after only a couple of weeks!
CHICAGO resident here!
Couple observations. 1.) Had you been here a month ago, you'd have been paying about $7/gallon for gas here. so you got off cheap with the $5/gallon.
2) As for using public transportation here in Chicago, I would't recommend it.
CRIME is out of control everywhere. Especially on the CTA. Assaults, Robberies and Murders happen regularly.
Even bus drivers are regularly being assaulted.
Loved the contrast you provided. Saddly our country is falling apart. Stay in Ecuador!!
I have always lived here in the US but I agree with you. People are dressing more sloppy and just looking crazy . Sometimes, I'm surprised by how little the amount of clothing they wear. They just don't care anymore about appearances or social graces.
😂 social graces? People can wear whatever they want, this isn't the early 60s anymore. What are you a 65 years old conservative?
Yes, and you should hope that you make it to 65 and I'm very much conservative.
The problem is the amount of apathy rampant in society. If everybody says "I don't give a crap" and are narcissists, society will crumble.
@@gary9933 it isn’t necessarily narcissism. It is also what you see when the social contract collapses. It used to be that if you worked hard and were respectful you could be successful in life. That is no longer true. People are working three jobs and still on the poverty line, they are expected to work hard but treated like disposable robots by their bosses. Of course people become apathetic. Why bother trying if all it gets you is more work and no benefits?
@@whatabouttheearth What young people like you don't realize is that social graces are small acts of kindness that makes both the doer and the receiver just that small bit happier while many smaller selfish acts are small doses of toxic that lead to an unhappier more selfish overall population.
Yeah.. the US is racing to complete Idiocracy like it’s a glorious goal
Too late. It's been here for years.
Having lived in Japan for 14 years, I can understand your situation, maybe more! You must have a lot of fun with the people who say, "America, love it or leave it!" and "America is the best country in the world!"
The Us is the most depressing place I have been to. It shokes me how happier I feel when I go somewhere else.
I love your Chanel and I have to say that you guys and others put Ecuador on everyone's map. That been said,I believe that when the people is not making $400a month to live there sure things are great. As an Ecuadorian who is living in the USA for over 30 years I can tell you that I get shocked when I visit Ecuador. Yes, it is beautiful and people are great for the most part but at the end of the day you alway have to watch yourself for any trouble. I served in the Ecuadorian army and I love the country but the governments and the corruption doesn't help . We live thru many episodes of trouble on those days. Military governments and unrest for quiet sometime and when we left that was the best thing we did and never look back. But things change, as I see and you and your wife are enjoying and that makes a lots of people see their options. But you have to agree that if you have income coming from outside of Ecuador sure things are pretty cheap,but for the regular folks is not the same. Maybe one day I will be back, who knows but for now I just keep my family here. So,enjoy yourselves and keep up the good work,it is refreshing to see that you have a great experience down there. We'll keep watching your videos and the best of luck to all expatas. 🍷🍷🍷
I just a Canadian still living in Canada but I love that you point out the disparity between the locals who have very low income and the expats from the North who even with bad pensions often have three time the revenue of a local person. In a way they live in a country but their well being depends entirely on the country they left. It's a privilege for sure.
@@suzannahmontreal1051 that is for sure. Many countries are changing their minimum income and assets for retirement,they no longer want the small incomes. So as I can see in these changes they want the whales with big money to spend. It's going to be interesting how this pans out in many of this countries. As for now everybody down there just enjoy and keep healthy.
By the way I love Canada we used to live in Downsview,Ontario back in mid 70's. Sure has change a lot since then ,but we still visit when we can. I usually stay in Kitchener.🍷🍷
Hello from the mid Hudson valley.
Thanks for bringing some honesty to the discussion. The implication that THEIR experience, coming from a position of financial security and bringing American levels of fincnacial resources into a country where average people earn far less, is representative of what life is like necessarily for the population at large, is disingenuous. And unfortunately obesity is a growing problem everywhere. Even 27% of Ecuadorian women are obese (much more than for men for some reason) - so that's not just an American thing. And obesity rates in the UK, Canada, Aus, and NZ are all hovering near 30%. I think the western world as a whole is declining in many ways.
Well, I haven't seen all the things you saw, but our country has really gone down the tubes. I went out with friends to a nice restaurant last weekend. Some were dressed like they were at an amusement park. 😳
Yeah I can’t understand dressing casual to exercise or of going to amusement park which is a long day but to a nice restaurant that’s different.
I think I need to edit my comment. I meant to write I can understand dressing casual to exercise but to a nice restaurant it seems like you would want to look and feel nice for the people you’re going with and the atmosphere of the restaurant.
@@enjoyslearningandtravel7957 I felt the same way when I moved to Vancouver, Canada. I was used to LA where people dress up (and NYC). It's all yoga wear and casual clothes except for the very wealthy. Same situation at events and nice restaurants. I was surprised and felt strange dressing up to go out since everyone was not. This is over 50% international city so it's not just Canadians but foreigners too.
Oh that is interesting.
Some people dress like Clowns; like they went blind when chosing their clothing. LoL !
I've been living here for decades and the last 10yrs has been a culture shock.
My wife and I try to travel regularly into Mexico. If we're gone for over a week, when I get home to Phoenix, I deal with the exact same observations/emotions! I thought I was the only person that dealt with that! I do love living in Phoenix, but it's amazing how we except things as 'normal'. I think that Americans that don't travel to 3rd world countries miss out of so much of life.
Ya I miss out on paying off the cartels in Mexico 😂 I'll pass.
God I have cost the nhs thousands including cochlear implants I believe I might be wrong that cochlear implants are not covered by .health insurance .in america
@@thetapheonixAnd yet, which country has more mass shootings 🤔?
Maybe it's just Texas. My 28 year old daughter grew up in New Hampshire and lives in Texas with her Air Force pilot husband. She is continually telling us of how strange life is there.
I'm still stuck here in the US for 6 more months, planning my escape back to Europe in April 2023. I try to keep to myself and go about my business. The only thing I do enjoy is quick Amazon deliveries, but everything else is ridiculous (and I don't even drive or eat out). Most of the time, I just shake my head and mutter "I'm too old for this s**t!"
Back to europe!? Are you nuts? Back to left wing dystopia? Why?
@@PolishBehemoth Curious. Have you lived in Europe before?
@@Edmlady92 yes i have. England 2010. Im very aware od the debauchery ans idiocy im european culture. Anynother judgements and false assumptions? Im waiting...
@@PolishBehemoth @Rainbow Lion Okay. You're putting words in mouth. You need to calm down and stop getting overly emotional. I was just asking a question! England in 2010. How about other European countries? Every country has it's own thing, right? I'm an American and I find a lot of you other Americans insufferable and always assume things about other people. You always act like that. That's why I'm planning to travel abroad more. I always need break from here. Again, I was asking a question but oh well. 🤷🏾♀️
I hear ya! I think the USA has gone crazy lately. Tired of politics and all the hate. Born and raised in mid-west, lived in Turkey for 13 months back in the 80’s. Want to visit again for possible retirement location. But Ecuador sounds really good to me. Closer. Will be easier to get my wife to go along for a “test run” in Ecuador.
I've been trying my best to buy as much produce as possible at my local farmers market and buying local products and it has massively improved my health and food related life. It just sucks that it isn't the typical food at the grocery
Omg I feel the same way about just about everything. The US is definitely a strange anomaly amongst the world. All the new 'innovations' seem exhausting and unnecessary. And yes to driving literally everywhere! There aren't sidewalks and if there are, you don't see many people using them. Everything is SO far away; I live in a small city (49k pop) and have to drive 4 miles to a grocery store, a mile to a gas station and parks are few and far between, and almost always located next to a cemetery. (?!?) No one talks to anyone, maybe you'll get a head nod or a hey from a passerby, but it's only cordial. The food really does suck; I got used to getting farm fresh organic produce from a CSA in Michigan and here in Texas, I struggle to find even organic produce, let alone biodynamically grown local produce. It's the only stuff that actually has flavor and nutrition. I try to eat as healthy as possible, but Texas loves eating out and the stores reflect that imo.
It's just so weird here in the US, especially in the past few years as it's gotten even weirder. And I've lived here my whole life! I recently moved from Michigan to Texas and experienced massive culture shock, so I can only imagine what it's like coming back from a less crazy place.
Great video, thanks so much for sharing!
Corporate America pumping us to spend spend spend on stuff we don't need that breaks almost immediately.
So you are in Texs? I thought Texans are friendly people
@@andyusfca They are surface level friendly. Texas is not quite the South, and not quite the West, so the southern hospitality is few and far between, unfortunately. If you really KNOW the people, they're kinder and more hospitable. Here, you'll meet a nice little old lady who will then get behind the wheel and cut you off and flip you off. That's Texas. 🤷♀️
The first thing I noticed about you guys is how healthy you look.I'm sure the food you eat down there is not mass produced and full of chemicals. And you also mentioned how everything looks the same here now with all these big box stores and franchises. Not to mention housing developments. They are conditioning us to be mindless robots in this country.
Yes
In the UK bread is made from flour, yeast water and a little salt.
In the USA, you often have over 20 ingredients.
This is reflected in the taste.
As others have said this also applies to many other foods.
I agree with all of your assessments, and I'm sure most Americans would too! We've gotten green beans, tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden this season, and they taste so much better than store produce. Scotty, beam me to Ecuador!! Love you two! Stay well!
You will be disappointed in the taste of tomatoes here. I was but the potatoes are awsome. I do not eat them in the US. I just adjusted my diet to what is good here. Mangoes, bananas, papayas, beef, fish, fresh coconuts are all better.
Food in America is not real food its all genetically produced food from seeds formed in a lab not in the soil. This is why there is so much food and little nutrition in them, food can be produced in quantity genetically for sale not for health. Furthermore, Americans never step outside of themselves to see their real condition and the media never reports on the world unless its a tourist story or a story of poverty, war, or natural disaster. Corporate culture is the best life can offer and all they know is uniformity and conformity that is present in every social institution in the US. America is a society that represses individual will and it is not even a democratic one; its presidents are selected by two minority parties. I think millions of Americans would disagree with you and the observations in this video. They do not see it or are in denial of their social condition.
@@MrDXRamirez I have to disagree some. I've been collecting non GMO seeds for years and only buy organic fruits and vegetables for the most part, along with flour, snacks like corn and potato chips from an online source. It costs a little more, but well worth it. Organic gets more popular by the day here. Just say no, to GMO.
@@grafixnut You re describing to me not choice in food but segregated food markets. One set of mass produced food and another set of specialty marketable foods that you can afford are a minority.
Both sets are still commodities and therein is the basis of the segregation between markets...a tale of two cities.
30 yrs ago I set foot in NYC as a nurse from the Philippines. The first week I burst into tears and wanted to go home . New Yorkers are rude, loud, mean and RACISTS.
At work , I was assigned to the AIDS UNIT, mandatory 6 months , NO MASK OR GLOVES , NO UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION. I knew as foreigners we were exploited, SEXUALLY HARRASSED.
I realized majority of Americans are crude and hardly educated at all. Co workers/ RNs came to me for SPELLING of words or calculations.
30 years later , the youth including my nephews tho college graduates are dumb and clueless. I take pride in my son who has advance degrees with whom I could talk for hours on any topic . He listens to me intently for my wisdom , things I could teach him about the world I've experienced , what I witnessed , the changes for the worse and fear for his infant daughter. His wife is also a scientist with PhD. If only we have resources, we want to live elsewhere than USA . Portugal is promising.
There are an exodus of Intellectuals or Academics finding and creating their Utopia in less developed countries . They call it FOOD or EDIBLE FOREST FARMING , ecologically sound and natural.
When I go back to the US I am shocked how aggressive and rude people are… everything, every action is an offense and gets a excessive response… people aren’t happy nor smile… this applies to the Urban areas and suburbs… small towns and country folk are still great!
Very true! And the founders of the USA fully understood what you have observed and they warned us about what happens when people are packed together like in old Europe. That historical FACT is the reason behind the Electoral College to minimize the influence of high crime rate areas on our elections.
I totally get most of your observations. Even within the USA, there's some reverse culture shock from state to state or city to city. I'm a New Yorker and recently spent some time in California visiting family. Upon returning to my hometown, I had mixed feelings, especially after enjoying all that sunshine too. In California everywhere we went, even the seedier downtown areas, were much more spacious, less congested, and generally speaking, cleaner... in stark contrast to my much older and grayer hometown. California's traffic is nothing compared to NYC, no matter how much they complain about their freeways. Gas, though, is ridiculously expensive there...I'll give them that!
That said, though, regarding your specific experience, if Ecuador is so wonderful, I wonder, then, how come so many Ecuadorians are living in my city? The influx of Ecuadorian migrants (and other central Americans) during the last 20+ years was like nothing I had ever witnessed before, although I will say it has died down significantly in very recent years. And...the ones who migrated here are generally poor, leading me to believe that the Ecuador you described is possibly not the Ecuador these immigrants left or experienced.
We have a video coming out in a couple weeks explaining why some Ecuadorians leave Ecuador. It’s the same reasons some Americans leave the US. People are the same everywhere.
@@AmeliaAndJP yes, but respectfully, Ecuadorians leaving their country is not a recent phenomenon. Your posts and that of other ex-pats belies the fact that people still come here (USA) in droves. If the USA is so seemingly undesirable, why are they still coming here? Why not improve their own countries or go to places deemed more desirable than the USA?
Basically it comes down to economic opportunity and marketing. In developing countries, if you're poor, you're probably screwed. Zero chance for a better life unless through luck, drug trade, or marriage. So you leave for better opportunities. The US used to offer those opportunities to unskilled workers, so Latinos went north, not across an ocean to where no one else had immigrated to. It was just much.much easier to get in the country, as opposed to Europe or Asia. Plus, the US has the greatest PR machine in the world. For almost two centuries it has cranked out words, images and stories of success. Just bring your Can Do attitude and you'll be fine. Well, this lie has gotten thinner and thinner, esp in the last 40 years. The U.S. was always a difficult place to live and "make it" and many failed or moved back. It has also generally been backwards and unsophisticated (and shockingly & vurulently racist to non-whites) comparatively, esp with Europe. It is way behind now and it's nowhere near as pleasant and affordable and....quite frankly, it's doomed. Compared to basically every other country in the world, the U.S. is nuts. It's so dysfunctional and crumbling and all its institutions are broken and so are the communities and families, as well as many people. And class warfare is real, and the bottom 80% are getting butchered. And the 1% really don't care. Not an ounce of effort or care. Probably a fair amount of laughing and "Loo-sers!" Buncha parasitic children. Anyeay, if you study History, you know what's coming next, and it's gonna be a disaster. Epic.
But most people don't know anything so they keep coming to the U.S. in droves, hoping to "make it."
I wish they all knew the truth:
"America is a plantation. Morphing into a madhouse."
Next stop, Dystopia Station 😢
Who has money search for quality of life. Who has no money, search for a job. It's a different type of immigration. In the USA you can find money, but lacks freedom, peace, good food, etc. Priorities are different.
@@silviamunoz6863 Exactly.... and we should also watch for the trends: less Ecuadorians arriving to US and more Americans arriving to Ecuador.... a loud and clear message....
Life in the US has deteriorated quite a bit, but so has elsewhere. The world is constantly changing, and not for the better.
It is because of the influenced of the US in the world media.
Great video! Entertaining and as an American who has spent 14 years of his life in China I can relate to much of this. I experience many of the same changes every time I go back to the US to visit. Although I can say with confidence I would like to change my environment at some point, I have very mixed feelings about returning to the US. Once you've been out for several years I think it's not the easiest place to relocate back to, for my anyway. Great job on the video :)
Thanks for sharing!
I went to London in Apr and immediately felt safer due to the absence of guns. How sad is that!
Has nothing to do with guns Miss. Has to do with culture. And if you believe London is safe you are mistaken.
@@flower2289
I’m dual national UK/ US and believe me London is still a hell of a lot safer than the majority of US cities.
Again. This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH GUNS.
Has NOTHING to do with guns at all. COMPLETELY different and unrelated issues as to why this is the case.
@@devox3291
Maybe maybe not but making sure guns are not put in the hands of criminals here in the UK, Europe definitely plays a part in it being safer.
I am from Philippines and Filipino culture have a lot of similarities with Ecuadorians. Especially, when it comes to transportation and using cash than credit cards. And the simplicity and convenience when doing things you really have to be patient everywhere u go. Those are the main ones too that shocked me when I moved to USA. I got so used to and got really spoiled that I know once I moved there in Ecuador I have to re adjust and go back to my old ways growing up. Fortunately, I've already experienced both worlds so I wouldn't be too shocked now but I have to definitely downgrade on certain things but upgrade on certain things too especially when it comes to the quality of food. I hope in a long run though Ecuador upgrade some of their systems when it comes to conveniences. A little convenience won't hurt in my opinion it helped me greatly when I moved here in USA. And yes, commercials nowadays are becoming more vulgar and they used comedy to advertised it not just on TV's but even on social medias.
I had a pinay wife. I miss her adobo and dinuguan. Ecuadorians prefer bland food so the native cuisine is uninspiring in spite of the ingredients being so good. My Ecuadorian wife makes great pata soup. Her cream of avocado soup is so good I tell her it is grounds for divorce if she makes it for another man. Bring as much cash as you can. Money tranfers are expensive. Ecuador uses US currency. All the Sacajawea dollars are here. You will be comforted by the heavy use of white rice.
yall racist
I moved back to Australia after 16 years abroad - reverse culture shock is a real thing. Some things I'm loving here in Australia other stuff not so much.
@Delia Wallace - Where did you live for 16 years, when you lived outside of Australia? I am Asian (born in Asia) but left my home country more than 3 decades ago. I studied and lived in America for many years. Then left America as things started to change and life became stressful. I live permanently in Germany for many years and I have always known Germany even as a teenager as I was always interested in the German culture. I am glad I left US. I spent a few months in Sydney about 26 years ago. I plan to visit Australia sometime next year. I am sure things have changed there too. Change is a normal thing in life no matter where we live. However, when some countries change for the worse, it should worry us. It is sad to see how corporations are controlling people's lives in America. Something to really worry about.😢😢😢
No disrespect to AU
I love the people love the land
However it has become a totalitarian slave state NZ as well
From the US.... quickly becoming a slave state too
Now I'm living small island nation in South Pacific
Amelia and JP. As a Canadian I think that I can laugh a bit more than people from the USA. Having said that we suffer from many of the negative points that you made about the USA. Having been to EC a few times I think that my experience fits with yours. We will be in EC for sure in Feb for several months as we start to cut ties here. I would say it’s the serenity of EC that wins out. Sure there are problems too but there are similar problems in big city USA and Canada (and the UK for that matter). Your video was fantastic and I am so glad that you are giving this type of info out for people to watch and consider. Thank you again!😊
I do agree with you entirely. Now in our late 50's, we are buying a condo in Cumbaya (outskirt of Quito) in preparation for our pre-retirement... as we'll spend more time there, working from a distance. Ecudaor nails it in terms of quality of life.
@@patrickperron792 o
As American living in Canada, I find the culture very similar. I don't think there is any escape difference between both countries. Going south has it's issues too. The difference is always personal wealth.
E u r o p e suckss and it keeeps getttng w o r s e. How's that energy cr1sis coming?
@@tommiddlefinger6188 Everyone thinks the grass in greener than their own country.
The most infuriating thing is going to Starbucks through the drive-through and having the cashier hand you a machine to input your tip which is now 15%, 18% & 20%, and even telling you that you need to tip. So, a medium coffee turns out to be almost $7 with only $1 tip.
Choose 'no tip'
Wow... That really isn't a 'tip' anymore then. It should be completely voluntarily.
I agree, it’s way to pushy imo.
Make your own coffee!
If people would stop going to Starbucks and paying outrageous sums for a cup of coffee, they would eventually lower their prices.
I had to drive a few hours upstate to Portland Oregon, it was so sad, utterly destroyed, poverty, homeless, graffiti, just a horrible place. Felt so good to go back home.
Hard to believe what happen to most of the West Coast Cities the last few years, especially Portland and San Fran ☹
Sadly it seems the USA has opted for a materialistic "winner take all" society instead of building a "great society" valuing all members of the culture....
OMG, we always complain about the lack of flavor, we travel 3 to 6 months out of the year. Mostly to Europe, Spain, but we stayed in Costa Rica and Panama, you don't have to eat as much because the quality outside of the U.S is so much better
This was funny. And you guys are a great couple. You listen to each other - and then share. There is a lot of love and ....it's good for us to see. 🎉
I knew it wasnt just me about the flavorless fruits and veggies. Its such a huge difference when I come back from Philippines.
Italy as well. You wonder why we don't want to eat them here in the USA
Food is still grown organically in still fertile soil. That's the difference.
Fruits and vegetables are picked green to survive transportation for hundreds or thousands of miles. Show me a locally grown bananna in the US.
you two are such a breath of fresh air. thanks for posting.
Left the USA nearly 25 years ago and haven't gone back -- not even for a visit. Growing up there I hated the throw-away culture, the shallowness, the trendiness and slang, the tasteless food and shabby dress. In fact, there's nothing I miss. And hearing from family who have travelled back there, it's more awful than I remember. I didn't like it when we lived there so I'm sure it wouldn't interest me now. Guns, endless materialism and competition, racism, lousy education system, authoritarian government, militaristic police, monotonously the same culture end-to-end, no public transport, and the rest. I thought at the time we lived there that in business and industry and in the family court system women were treated like sub-humans. No interest thanks. Not a jot.
Oh women’s rights have gotten much worse, unfortunately
My reverse culture shock
1. Tipping for EVERYTHING
2. Prices of basic things like phone and internet service, food, utilities and medicine.
3. I've been stopped by police on a few occasions just for walking. It's suspicious I guess because nobody walks anywhere and they think you're a criminal.
4. Anything other than basic cold or headache medicine you MUST have a prescription from a doctor. This way you can shell out even more money to see a doctor then pay 1000 percent on the prescriptions that other countries get for 10 dollars because we subsidize it.
5. Everything is about politics and opinions are strong. No matter what the topic, it always somehow manages to become political.
Not quite. I stocked up on antibiotic ointment, athlete's foot cream, and certain feminine products, all available over the counter in the US, but not in Hong Kong. Other than that, I'm dreading going back for an extended period.
God bless Ecuador, it's culture and people. God bless the U.S.A. that is quickly losing ours! Thanks for your videos.
Having lived overseas for several years at a time earlier in my life (South America in the late 1960s, Europe in the early 1980s) I can tell you that I think you were being amazingly diplomatic. Thanks for sharing! :-)
Here in Mexico I went to a furniture store for some terrace furniture. I paid for delivery/set up and it arrived at my house before I could get off the bus. I was amazed at that.
Tipping is not mandatory. Why everyone keep saying that?
If you don't want to leave a tip, then don't.
Great videos! It's funny that new expats see things about the US culture that have been well known to older expats and foreigners for decades. Don't get me wrong. I would recommend your video, and by the way the U.S. is a great country with generous people and a strong work ethic. No doubts there. Yet, this greatness does not mean there is no room for improvement. As you pointed out, certain things really stand out, like terrible eating and dressing habits, and an unbalanced focus on work over family and life. I believe this explains, in part, the difficulties filling positions. We also have a unique American tolerance for big commerce and the damaging influence they sometimes have on society and the resulting low quality of life. Think of a certain airplane firm in the north west. You have also given examples from the health insurance side. Advances (e.g. more ubiquitous EV's) have always been seen here before other parts, just in different shapes and forms. The misses you point out are well known to rest of the world. If there are any doubts, ask the Ecuadorians, young and old, what they really think about la cultura norte americana, and what their friends and family abroad think, or even where they would move to and why if given a chance. Your videos are very well done and informative. I can't wait for the next presentations. Astonishing to me is that the topic resonates so much....I guess because of the audience. If your audience were mostly Europeans, they would likely reply "and?...who doesn't know that?" Furthermore, concerning to me are the not-so-good habits and expectations expats take with them to Ecuador; recent example, "why don't more Ecuadorian doctors speak English?" REALLY? Why didn't you go to England instead, in that case? (It would be funny to hear what the Brits think about their English. I have to look into that.) Cheers!!
We deserve that... Americans are always saying the foreigners need to learn english... so you are right
Coming from Australia to the USA, it was the homeless people everywhere that shocked me.
One thing missing in South America are small town public libraries and a workable national interlibrary loan system. For example, I live in a small USA town, population 10,000. We have a small public library, and through interlibrary loan I can get books not in our little library (and the service is free of charge). For example, I got a novel by an Ecuadorian author that was published in 1940: En la paz del campo por Blanca Martinez Mera de Tinajero. Blanca Martinez was from Ambato, Ecuador and was the first woman to publish a novel in Ecuador. In the USA you cannot buy that book on Amazon, there is no Kindle edition either. But through my little public library I was able to get it at no cost.
is the book in english or just spanish? I agree, libraries. tks.
@@BPe-ie9je ... The book is in Spanish.
Andrew Carnegie got that ball rolling over a century ago when he endowed many libraries all over the US.
The only reversed culture shock I got was how expensive everything is regardless of where you live.