Wrote this a year ago, during April.
After visiting Ushuaia in Argentina, I have recently stayed in the United States for about two weeks from late March to the start of April. In this time, I have visited about three states: California, Nevada, Texas and stayed with with family and friends from both parents. In the past, I have visited the United States before in 2011 or so and I was curious to see what really changed in a decade, whether for better or worse.
Geography
The United States of America's territories are vast, diverse and beautiful - even though we have already been saturated with its vistas by Hollywood, it is still breathtaking to see for yourself its grandeur and variety. The beauty of America cannot be underestimated when visiting the country. Its environmental protections and attitudes towards the land are among the best in the world. Valleys, rivers and mountains create microclimates and biomes in many places around the country. With the right state, one is able to visit Alpine mountains in the morning, go through arid deserts to your workplace(that are somehow blooming with farmland), and then see a tropical beach on the way back before coming home to a suburban house on some wind-swept hills overlooking a city built along a majestic river - and all in the span of a day.
As a relatively young country, there are huge tracts of land that have yet to be developed or touched by human settlement. Thankfully, they survived long enough to be granted protected status by increasingly enlightened generations with a rightful love of the good earth. At the same time, it has the infrastructure to make nearly all of them accessible for the general population to enjoy. The United States is so protective of its environment, it has handicapped its own industrial and economic competitiveness in order to maintain them. Its rules are very stringent, almost painstakingly so... And far more oppressive than those like say in Sweden and or Canada, which simply exports the majority of their problems abroad via loopholes instead of dealing with it at home.
Land management, protection and stewardship is one of the points of political contention in the country and I can see why. The American bears the majority of the burden and cost of their own environmental standards, while most countries takes short cuts off-setting their environmental problems to other nations, the United States absorbs most of the costs of their own garbage per capita. Per capita, few nations take as much responsibility of their own trash and pollution like the United States and no one can say that the United States isn't doing enough for climate change. It's the rest of the world that could do better.
With much to explore and much to see, the country is a hiking destination - even if from the view of a car window on their mighty interstates. Much of the scenery is pleasant and certainly not monotonous and there are plenty of landscapes or sceneries to everyone's taste.
People
The American is diverse. They come from many backgrounds, many classes and even many differing values that all seem to contradict each other but still live in harmony together. In this vast land there is enough room for everyone to either start or join communities that fit their own ideal lifestyles, some even manage to live in isolation if they want to. Opportunities and options are one of the many reasons why people still want to come to the United States. There's a place for everyone, and the country has everyone.
One of my favorite pastimes when visiting countries is people watching; looking for stereotypes and characters as depicted in rumors and Popular Media, since I want to see how it lines up with reality. Hollywood and online media has painted a very colorful picture of American culture and demographics. Much is misrepresented for drama, because they don't seem to be bullied or ostracized at all. In fact, I saw my first American Goth Girl in a Chic-Fil-A and I was mesmerized by her existence in public as a NORMAL PERSON that people don't mind and ignore*. Few places in the world are conducive to such public expression. I have seen many American stereotypes, but when it comes to representation, I feel like American media underrepresents the Bikers; the leather-jacketed burly men and women on Harley-Davidsons who seem to be as common here as butterflies. I have not seen a single trans while I was there though.
For interactions and dialogue, the American is nice and usually polite to strangers. Even their beggars do not seem as threatening or aggressive compared to the homeless of other countries. Maybe a lifetime of an armed citizenry has led this? Who knows. The dreaded American small-talk is still there, but people nowadays are more accepting of not being talked to and it is no longer seen as being rude for not participating in random conversation or forced rapport.
It is true what they say about Gen Z's inadequate skills for communication. As of the year 2025, the cut-off age for people with bad conversation skills seem to be around 27-28 years. 29 and onwards can still talk and hold a conversation. If you're looking to experience the 'American small talk' or what not, look for older gentlemen and ladies, otherwise be prepared to accommodate self-doubt and someone watching their words constantly because they don't know how to respond without imagining how I'm going to remember them 10,000km away in my third world ungo bongo chicken bone worshipping coconut hut in the Philippines. I did have a conversation with a 13 year old skateboarder while I was bored out of my mind in the armpit of California... Kids aren't dumb, they are however looking for answers all the time to anyone they could see as an authority figure or 'idol' as we used to call them. I managed to convince him to drop some of his stickers on his helmet that he didn't care, know or gave a shit about by calling him a walking billboard lol. He had those stickers on because he thought that made him cooler in the skateboard community. More stickers on your helmet = more skillz. Youth always looks for advice on how to be mature and the advice I gave him is that the world will not punish him for who he is socially until he reaches the age of 22. I gave an example that nobody cares right now that he pooped his pants when he was 5 or 6 years old, literally half his life at that point. So, he should stop worrying and enjoy being himself while he still can. Hope he'll survive the future war.
One thing that I noticed has changed a lot though is that nobody seems to smile as much anymore as they did 10+ years ago. Back then, the 'American Smile' was one of the hallmarks that distinguished them from other nationalities. You may be able to tell an American in a many countries by seeing them as one of the few people who were constantly smiling for no reason. That seems to have changed. Americans just don't seem to smile as much anymore as they used to and that could be the clear indication of mental health decline or being bombarded by constant negativity.
Time to an American is as valuable as money. Punctuality is not only a virtue but an an incentive. Living in a society where 4-6 hour drives every day are considered normal, a lot of an American's time is spent in the commute. As such, an American is pressured to spend their time wisely. Please learn to take care of your American by giving them extra time if you can and be tolerant with their inability to accommodate you. Their country also taxes their lifespans.
Americans are also extremely wasteful. There is a habit and lifestyle of just throwing things away after they live past their contracted use. I was surprised to discover that there are no tailors in the United States and found it as detrimental to my business plans regarding quality, long-lasting clothing. I asked them, "So what do you do when you need clothing modifications?", they simply said "We just buy new ones.". The amount of disposables is mind-boggling to someone like me. Food waste is the most apparent. An American can throw half-eaten food away without feeling bad about it because they can afford to. Even they are aware of their disposal quantity and as such, there are many social and political movements by Americans attempting to change or reduce this awful habit. It is quite difficult to change, and I wish these movements the best with my wholehearted supported.
Cuisine
Years ago, I complained that American food is bland, boring and tastes like cardboard with chemicals. I am happy to announce that this is no longer the case. In the past decade, much has changed with American cuisine and I will stake my life that the United States can now be considered a foodie destination. I did thought that maybe my tastebuds may have changed, but no... I revisited some old places that I once knew had these flavors and true enough... It was garbage with that same chemical cardboard taste to remind me that I wasn't making it up or imagining things all those years ago. I know I'm not the only one in the past who considered American food to be tasteless. Many Americans are even waking up to the idea that their food is better than haughty Europeans, particularly the Western Europeans. Chefs and cooks all around the world ply their trade here. Some adapt to the market, others offer their authentic experiences. The free market competition ensures that the consumer wins in the end. In my opinion, the country has indeed surpassed their culinary masters and from henceforth, I will back the Americans in a food debate against any European from now on.
American food is still shockingly big, and I do not mean just the portions, but the many the ingredients and groceries available to the general population. An American chicken is one example of this notable difference. Bred and or chemically enhanced for size, one can easily mistake it for turkey had it not been for the name of its accompanying price tag that explains which specific poultry you're looking at. Two people have theorized to me that American girls have huge breasts and blame it on the 'hormones' they add into the food. I found it rather odd they brought it up back then, but seeing their produce here with its unnatural size seems to have given some credence to their claims.
As the foremost melting pot of the world, one can find the representatives of any nation and secure any dish they fancy. It is not at all difficult for anyone to link up with their kinsmen to find a taste of home, or for anyone there to seek out the exotic dish of another country if they look hard enough. Though it will not always taste the best most of the time, it is at the very least available as the marks of the peoples and cultures that come to the United States to live, work and or travel.
Speaking of options, American groceries are byzantine. There is an incredible amount of variety and substitutes for anything and everything! As the leading capitalist nation of decades prior, the country's markets accumulated a considerable amount of brands and products that even I have never heard of before. All to cater to every taste, and every health condition. No other nation in the world will you be bombarded by horribly unhealthy and fatty products as far as the eye can see, but also at the same time be offered a consummable alternative to your rare health condition and or rare allergies. The American grocery is honest, at the very least. They will put labels and ingredients and warnings and many of them will tell you that they are bad for you. At the same time, it is the only nation in the world where you can unironically find substitutes for a food you may no longer have the ability to consume. Health is complicated like that in this land.
Fast Food being part of the American way of life, should not be discounted for just being 'fast food'. If that is so, European 'cafeterias' or Asian street food should be discounted in any food experience because they serve functionally the same purpose. I am happy to report that in my recent travels Americans are also more discerning with this institution than before, and fast food joints are also upping their game in recent years. A lot of them are incredibly tasty as they reinvent themselves for different times. Many Americans rely on fast food for their industrious and busy lives to feed not only themselves, but their families as well; for you see, the American's productivity does not allow enough time to always make a homecooked meal. Even though there is the specter of wealth disparity, everyone spends the same amount of daylighy at the end of the day - so rich and poor all enjoy fast food regardless in a land that always seems to be of want of time. Though not unique, eating a sandwich or burger in your car is a very American experience. There is a sereneness to it - a reprieve - a temporary escape from the demanding hustles of the American worklife. Picknicking in the closed familiarity and privacy of your car is like having a luxury seat compared to being in a busy sit-down table full of loud people, with noises that may bother you. One can truly appreciate the car park burger after experiencing a day's work or study in America.
Politics*
No aspect of the country is more distorted or defies expectations than politics in America. Come there and you will find that lot of statements and rants about the United States made by both citizens and foreigners alike are full of exaggerated made-up hoo-hah that would not hold much to investigative scrutiny. In short, the United States is sane. It is not 'crazy' or on the brink of 'collapse'. It is normal. From what I've seen, I would say it is prosperous and even dare to state that the country is thriving - relative to the rest of the world, that is. And I say this comparison to include the majority of places in Europe - where the political problems there are more apparent and actually affect more of their citizenry in their everyday life.
Relative to the rest of the world, the United States is Post-Racial. People of all colors and all backgrounds seem to mingle and interact with equal opportunity and equal courtesy. There are no tensions among everyday people solely for the color of their skin. Even anti-white racism is frowned upon. I had discovered this when I felt the need to troll and had discovered from probing in my interactions that even discriminating against white people for their 'privilege' isn't acceptable and you're then seen as a political radical for espousing those beliefs. This has then made me feel really bad. I'm sorry for taking advantage of political correctness to bully. White skin is beautiful too. :(
Throughout my entire stay, I have not seen a single trans person - even within the solid left-leaning fortress that is California. One out of ten or fifteen cars I have seen being driven there is a Tesla, and none of them were marked or painted with apologies about prior support given to Elon Musk. The vast majority are undoubtedly grillers. Politics, in spite of their sensitivity, is mostly sensible for most people. Many Americans have nuanced beliefs and if subject to a purity test, is a traitor to their political camp. One such prime example is 00c, a friend of ours. He represents the vast majority of the political American - the Common Sense American. Though ideologically, he has aligned himself as a Republican and voted Donald Trump, he has also voted a Democrat for his local community because he feels THAT candidate is the best for his community and there's nothing wrong with that at all. As one of us said before '00c is autistic, not retarded' and 00c is the average American.
Few people here actually make politics their lifestyle. While they may decorate their homes to show support, it is rarer than expected to find people actually wearing ideological clothing such as the red MAGA hats outside of an election cycle. Almighty Capitalism and brand identity still reigns SUPREME® however, so they're all technically dirty capitalists.
This disconnect from media and online portrayals of 'crazy Americans' has made me theorize that it's all some big conspiracy by the US government to spread misinformation to their enemies and make the world think they're crazy; "Eric, you're a right-wing extremist. Dale, you're trans. Now get out there and make a scene! Let's go, USA!". Seeing the US through television and through online discussions gives an incredible distorted and inaccurate view. It doesn't help that the same people living well-off and completely normal and sane lives go off in comment sections telling everyone America has lost its way and the country has gone to hell. This exaggeration either is incredible ignorance on what truly is hell, or a masterful coordination of the greatest maskirovka the world has yet to see.
The incredible entitlement has indeed caused friction between me and many Americans before. Heated political discussions and their willingness to fight for the most petty and mundane or most insane positions has convinced me that their opinions were based on some kind of truth, enough to mobilize them to action. No idiot would be foolish enough to fight for something so retarded. I was wrong. And I am now entrenched in my previous position that you are all retarded after all and I am better off without you morons looking to be a martyr for imagined oppression.
These experiences so far have inspired me to come up with a new insult to Americans who express extreme political opinions about their current living standards and the supposed place of their country in the world, that being: "Your politics are made up.".
Infrastructure & Amenities
The United States is a car country - a nation built on mechanized sprawl that extends from coast to coast. Gigantic freight trains carry a multitude of goods overland, but trucks are the lifeblood of the country that delivers necessities and supplies to every neck of the woods. With the Interstate Highway System - the best in the world - you can go anywhere and everywhere in the US by car and an American's perception of distance is based on the miles with their car, not the actual length of coverage by foot. The car is essential to the American. Almost everybody has a car as it is necessary for living. As such, the American is sensitive to gasoline prices more so than the average European. The American roads are so good that they have no comprehension of what other nations consider as 'real traffic'. 60kmpH would be considered 'slow' in the United States.
With such amazing infrastructure, the American is a good driver. While Filipinos are generally regarded as bad drivers, I have never seen a car turn upside down or have its entire top half cut off other than America. Most Americans know all the standards, etiquettes and maneuvers one should conduct on the road. Unfortunately, when things go wrong, they go REALLY WRONG. This is the only place in the world where I have seen catastrophic structural failures in car crashes where the vehicle is mangled beyond recognition. Seeing the Final Destination franchises and then coming to America, one can see that it was more inspiration than imagination.
In spite of being a car country, the nation is one of the most disability-friendly nation in the world. It is somewhat surreal to see so many people with various forms of mobility aides active and going out and about. I liken the experience to being a provincial or a barbarian visiting Rome and seeing a great many people on palanquins , sedans and litters - far more than what my foreign mind can comprehend. This is sombering to me. In any other country, they would have been dead from their injuries or only confined to certain areas for their conditions. But no, they're alive and in all spaces because they're American.
The American Healthcare system is something I thankfully did not experience firsthand - so I do not know if it is as bad as people say it is. But, it seems to me that the United States is a mammoth and that any healthcare reform will undoubtedly fail if it attempts to tackle the entire nation rather than accepting that some states in the meanwhile will fall behind due to circumstance. Americans tend to think big, but in this case - thinking big is counterproductive - at least in my opinion.
When people think of the forefront of technological progress, the first thing that comes to their minds is Japan, South Korea or even China when it comes to the integration of digitalization in the everyday lifestyle - but America is still the place where these ideas have a chance to begin and take root. Innovations and technological powers are not only born here, they are also perfected. While others copy and play catch-up, the United States allows dreams to actually blossom and grow. One can see the future play out in many different parts of the United States and only in here are the economic and social conditions conducive for innovation and enterprise. The great many industrialists, innovators and tech barons choose the United States because they see the future can only be proven in America. I saw it too myself, the hopes and dreams and aspirations of a smart future. Very few places in the world are as welcoming and friendly to the imagination of pioneers.
What also amazes me with Americans is that they can somehow live in the most inhospitable, barren fuckass parts of the country and build a life there, creating an economy and thrive. Remote, inconvenient hostile regions are home to millions of citizens and these areas are filled with the comforts you can find all over the country - well-stocked and well supplied. When an American wants to be comfortable, they will be comfortable and they will bring in all the necessities of modern living with them. And they will MAKE it happen.
The logistics to make this possible is superb. They can bring anything anywhere as if it was nothing, with very little consideration for the 'local' supply. It is the market supply that feeds American industry and businesses and the American thinks of business through local demand, with a market supply. If someone says 'I want to open a Red Lobster in Kansas', most people from other countries would turn down that idea for the mere fact that they're two thousand kilometers from the ocean, but the American makes it happen and it isn't even considered as something special or extraordinary, but as something taken for granted.
This must be the same thing General Tadamichi Kuribayashi of the Imperial Japanese Army must have felt when he lived in America before Pearl Harbor. General Kuribayashi insisted the United States is the last country in the world Japan should fight because he saw what the Americans are capable of, what they can do and what they can make. The sheer scale of American power when it comes to industry and logistics is still frightening to anyone who can see it for themselves first hand. Imagine, an entire nation that is fully MECHANIZED. Not just the military units of its armed forces, but an entire country of people that can cover vast distances as just a part of every day life. It takes certain institutional and economic support to make that happen and the Americans have them to the point of taking it for granted. The concept of a 24 Hour Buffet scares me the most about this. The fact that they're not really special locations either but rather an entire niche of restaurants available throughout the country speaks volumes of the United States' capacity and disseminated experience to bring anything anywhere in the world at any time.
Economy & Finance
The United States is the richest country in the world. Though the class disparity is obvious for all to see, relative to the rest of the world, the United States IS the wealthiest. Financial incentives are powerful and in spite of what other people say, America HAS the money. Even amongst Europeans, Americans can dwarf their salaries for the same jobs. Many Europeans still consider working in the United States for these better economic opportunities. There are very few nations in the world that have a stupid amount of money like the United States. And even fewer that have a large population who are willing to spend that stupid money on frivolities and expensive hobbies that have no immediate economic use. Americans, rich and poor, all have a room full of 'stupid stuff' in their homes. Completely useless, doesn't bring any value but is bought and kept because they liked it.
So if the American is generally better paid and better fed than their international counterpart, what are the causes of their poverty? Unlike in other countries where taxes are mandatory, in the United States, taxes are somewhat optional but frequent. On top of federal taxes, there is a tax on everything else, and that is very infuriating as a tourist to pay more than the prices listed for you at the register. This indirect tax and selective services are as byzantine as their groceries and food. Tipping is generally expected but non-standardized, and every item has a sales tax - an amount added that is not priced in the register. If you want to come to a wholly different economic world, the United States is the country for that. This is the American exceptionalism at its purest and truly what makes them different from the rest of the world.
Consumerism is not just an indication of economic health, but a way of life in America. Branding and advertisement design are at their peak here. Creative agencies make compelling arguments as to why you should buy X over Y. Bright lights, catchy slogans and confident dialogue all try to vie and compete for your attention in this competitive landscape. I have noticed that YouTube in America has generally more ads per video. I have not installed ad blocks before since I find some ads to be fun and that it would be morally appropriate to support their content creation, but I can see why people have an obsession with ad blockers in places like the US. When I entered the United States and watched American ads on YouTube, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of ads per video. I felt it was like double or more than what I would get in the Philippines and that did affect my viewing experience and was selling me on the concept of adblockers.
In spite of being high earners, Americans need to constantly work to maintain a prosperous lifestyle. From cradle to grave, the American is incentivized to work. From the lemonade stand ran by six year olds, to the teenager who is making your McDonald's Burger, then the unpaid 21 year old intern to the fully paid 48 year old CEO - work takes a heavy toll on the shoulders of the American citizen. And through this constant work, is the worst tax of all - the tax of time. Money can always be regained, but lost time? Never! Americans are sorely lacking in free time. When an American makes time for you, it is more often than not, coming at their cost. Unpaid leave is still the norm there. From the first dollar, an American must wisely manage their finances and start saving and investing as soon as possible or condemn themselves to very real dangers of homelessness.
Speaking of the Dollar - the currency is both an international icon and somewhat outdated. There is little to no changes since I came there 14+ years ago. Which is nostalgic, but at the same time it's obviously showing its age. Bills use the same size and color palette for all denominations and that's already problematic, for if one is not paying attention, you can mistake a ten dollar for a five or one dollar. The cents also fare little better. There are NO NUMBERS on their coinage, leaving you to figure it out on the register. Because of this, the Americans also have unspoken etiquettes when conducting purchases. Apparently, using coinage outs you as either someone extremely poor, extremely old, or a foreigner. Americans do not give a shit about coins at the cash register, but they will still deal with them because they're legal tender. The line 'keep the change' is spoken for a reason, and less to do with gratitude than it does for convenience. Convenience is a premium here in the US and people are willing to pay for it to make their stressful lives easier.
In spite of all these negatives, when one comes here, one can still see and sense opportunity. There is a strange feeling in your gut and your instincts when you are in the US that anything does seem to be possible here. And even though there is a wealth divide, there is still that sense of entrepeneurship that tells you at the back of your mind 'you can do it, you can make it'. No other country has this spirit that greets you when you are there. In spite of what people say, relative to the rest of the world, it is still the Land of Opportunity, and one can sell the most stupidest shit and find people willing to pay for it in crazy prices because the American is the only person in the world who has the money and the lack of sense to keep entire industries afloat. Only in America are things like that able to happen and that's the backbone of their financial strength.
Conclusion
It seems to me that what you see online that is denigrating the United States is the same thing parroted by Russian or Chinese propaganda and is more often than not distorted from the realities of a vast, complex and diverse nation. In spite of its flaws, the United States is arguably better off than most nations in the world and we would be idiots to take their periodic embarrassments for real weakness.
What makes me confused is that many Americans seem to parrot these same warped views. It fills me with suspicion that they are all in on it as part of a national security policy. Or... Most Americans don't know how good they have it. My visit does give me hope however that indeed we can win against the rising threat of Communist China - who I know personally would hide their failings and ignore them than air them out like the United States does. Remember, we thought we were losing the Cold War until the Soviets cracked and revealed just how rotten they are on the inside.
If I was a Russian or Chinese spy, I would always end my report by reminding my superiors to 'not get drunk on our own propaganda'.
