I can’t speak for the entire US, since the situation varies a lot from state to state. But here’s what I noticed in Las Vegas.

☑️ Tolerance. It feels like it was invented here. You can look however you want — have a mohawk, dreadlocks, tunnels in your ears, be a normie or a total alt, shaggy, sleep-deprived and in pajamas, humming or dancing on the street — no one will judge you.

At first, it feels weird to see so many diverse people. But once you accept that others can look however they want without judgment, you start to feel less pressure on yourself too. You stop worrying about what to wear, how it fits, or what others might think. I don’t know about you, but I like this way of coexisting much more.

☑️ Respect for others’ boundaries. It shows in little things. For example, it’s not customary to stare at someone. If you stare too long at an American, they might see it as rude or simply ask what you want.

☑️ They apologize a lot. I think this flows from the previous point. You accidentally bump into someone in a doorway, but don’t even touch them — they’ll still say sorry.

☑️ Fake smile? No, of course not. It’s a cultural feature and plain politeness. Like saying hello.

If you’ve noticed, in places with good service worldwide, people always smile at you. At one of my jobs, I had to smile even when talking to clients on the phone. Can you call that smile fake? No way. It’s the same here. And it’s much nicer than an “authentic” grumpy face.

By the way, that’s also why if you don’t smile, someone might ask if you’re okay. That happened to me a few times when I just had a relaxed or maybe a little tired expression.

☑️ Attentiveness to others. If Americans see you need help, they usually respond immediately. Doesn’t matter if it’s something serious or just a small thing.

I also noticed this when driving. If an American is on the highway in the right lane and you want to merge onto the same highway from a side road, they will always move to the left lane. So you can merge smoothly without slowing down. Small thing, but nice.

☑️ Compliments. Another cultural feature — Americans constantly give compliments to people around them, regardless of gender, age, or other details. They don’t flirt or try to sell you something, they just say something nice and move on.

At first, it feels strange — you expect a catch. Then you realize there’s none, and you start accepting compliments with a smile. Eventually, it fills you up so much that you want to give compliments to others too. And that’s awesome. You go around brightening each other’s day.

☑️ Small talk. Also a popular American thing — brief, casual conversations with strangers about nothing in particular. I’m a fan of small talk, so maybe I’m biased. Went out to the store, chatted a bit with a neighbor, then had a nice word with the cashier, exchanged a couple of sentences with a stranger in the parking lot. Came back home feeling like you’re part of the community, like you belong here, like you already know everyone.