this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2025
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Do you need to be "tough" to live in America? (self.AskUSA)
submitted 2 weeks ago by Badge to c/[email protected]
55 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Hi European here.

I always heard America is pretty competitive and that the people are very direct/speak their mind.

I'm quite the sensitive person, so I was wondering if it could be hard for me if I would ever go to America and if I needed to become more "tough".

And would someone like me even be welcomed or would I be rejected?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

I suppose this depends on where you're coming from. My Eastern European relatives thought that Americans were oddly friendly. I remember my mother saying "Why did the cashier smile at me? She doesn't know me!"

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

A French coworker of mine back in Australia was talking about how much cashiers smile, and I was like "oh yeah, people are real friendly, great right?" To which she replied "I just want to tell them stop it, you're not my friend!"

[–] Badge 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm from Germany specifically.

[–] cybersandwich 6 points 2 weeks ago

As an American who has lived in Germany and visited on a dozen occasions I can confidently say you’ll be fine.

You’ll think Americans are too nice. As soon as they hear your accent they will get pumped and ask you all sorts of questions about where you are from.

[–] Badge 3 points 2 weeks ago

Lol I'm like the exact opposite, if someone isn't smiling at me I'm thinking "Did I do something wrong?" but of course I know that not everyone is smiling at you unfortunately