(White House Salt & Pepper Shakers now on sale at the NeatoShop)
One of my co-workers is a Ukrainian-American. She grew up in the United States, but speaks Ukrainian fluently. She tells me that when she visits Ukraine, even when she's wearing clothing typical of that country, people instantly identify her as an American.
That's because, Ukrainians tell her, she walks like an American. That is, she moves like she "owns the ground" she's walking on. This is a mannerism apparently so distinctive that Ukrainians can spot Americans just by watching them walk.
Redditor ILoveTallWomen asks how Americans abroad can be identified as Americans in non-obvious ways. Here are some of the responses.
bushcat69 answers:
On campus in South Africa the female US exchange students uniform: tiny shorts (regardless of body shape) hidden socks and trainers, hoody (usually branded America college variety), back pack, hair tied up and a water bottle. Can be found frequenting coffee shops with free wifi.
hbombs68 responds:
We (Americans) describe distances in driving time, as apposed to miles or kilometers.
My European relatives always make fun of me for having no clue how far away the next town is, but knowing exactly how long it takes to get there.
Jonas_soe writes:
They will start a conversation about anything with anyone. This can be a good thing because it's easy to socialise with an American, but out in public (on the bus, in the mall etc.) I, as the archetypical Dane that I am, usually just want to keep to myself.
EDIT: I should add that I don't think this a bad thing at all. While the stranger you just met might not always be in a talkative mood, it really is kind of neat to be able to strike up a conversation with just about anyone :)
ars3nal comments on fashion choices:
When I was visiting Germany in college, a girl said to me, "Do you know how I know you're an American? You wear white socks." Needless to say, I haven't worn white socks since.
RegionFree adds another fashion note:
I asked my wife (Japanese) she said "In Japan I can spot Americans by the way they dress. Compared to Europeans, Americans tend to lack fashion sense."
I'm American, so I can't answer.
I can answer: meggings with crocs are the height of fashion. The rest of the world just hasn't caught up yet.
Non-Americans, how would you answer this question?
In South Africa I was told that all Americans wear sneakers ("trainers", above), wear a baseball cap, and carry a water bottle. I mentioned this to my sister. She asked "how else do you stay hydrated?".
In Sweden I talked about how I lived in Santa Fe, which is "an hour north of Albuquerque." Several commented about how I, like other Americans, use time instead of distance. Also, I told them about how when I first started coming to Sweden I had to wear my best clothes so I wouldn't feel out of place. I got confused looks. "But Sweden has a rather casual workplace dress style." I replied "in my previous jobs, the dress style was 'no holes in the T-shirts'" and that I only had a couple of button-down shirts.
Someone else commented about Americans wearing North Face jackets. Outdoor gear is a good predictor, though not perfect. Germans love their Jack Wolfskin. French wear Quechua or Mammut. Swedes wear Fjällräven or Haglöfs. And Americans wear North Face.
Part of the rationale for the differences I have observed could be down to economics - the Europeans who can afford to travel to the states probably can also afford the expensive shoes.
I am part Filipino. In the Philippines, young women wear their hair plainly: above-the-shoulder to just longer than shoulder-length, straight and most often hooked behind the ear. Clothes, while Westernized, are more conservative. Fil-Ams gals tie their hair in perky pony tails and dress sporty-sophisticated ("city"?). Backpacks, yes, especially the club type. There are fewer differences between Fil and Fil-Am boys/young men: look for U.S. university and pro sports team tee-shirts and baseball caps on Fil-Ams. Lakers gear (and whichever b-ball team is currently hot) may be misleading. Baseball and (Am.) football team apparel indicate American.