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One big difference I found between American culture and some parts of Europe is that in the US, people do 1 big grocery shopping trip per week, and load up the car. Especially if they have a family. In some parts of Europe, people drop in more regularly to specialty shops for fresh produce, bread, and dairy. Even if they go to a co-op or supermarket, they go more often. And the result of that is that they have a friendly relationship with the shopowners. Maybe that's old-fashioned, and is dying out in Europe, but it hasn't existed in the US for over 100 years, except in rural areas.
Kind of one of those trivial things that can make a big difference in the quality of life. In some ways, life in the US is a lot more impersonal.
Only in USA, are college and university sports emphasized extremely. Universities recruit star athletes, and give them costly scholarships. Wealthy alumni donate more money to universities that have winning teams which give their State pride and prestige. College athletes tend to have their poor grades/ academic performance forgiven, in the interest of retaining them on the team. For example, the tycoon T. Boone Pickens gave $165 million to build deluxe sports facilities at Oklahoma State University.
The emphasis and following of university sports by millions of fans, seems unique to the USA.
Only in USA, are college and university sports emphasized extremely. Universities recruit star athletes, and give them costly scholarships. Wealthy alumni donate more money to universities that have winning teams which give their State pride and prestige. College athletes tend to have their poor grades/ academic performance forgiven, in the interest of retaining them on the team. For example, the tycoon T. Boone Pickens gave $165 million to build deluxe sports facilities at Oklahoma State University.
The emphasis and following of university sports by millions of fans, seems unique to the USA.
I know this sounds ridiculous, but I find the sports culture in America and Europe to be the most shocking difference between America and Europe. Especially if you are a man in American, sports take up a huge portion of your free time and social life. IN college you have college basketball and football which is your life every Saturday. You have professional sports like NBA, NFL, and baseball that are all huge and constantly being watched and discussed. Not to mention the aggressive physical nature of the NBA and NFL. One huge thing for me was going out to bars in Europe and not seeing sportscenter on TV. All there is is soccer and rugby being shown on a boring news program. I can't imagine not having all these sports a part of my life and not going out to bars with my friends to watch football.
Actually that's one of the most annoying things I've noticed about Americans. But most Americans abroad aren't like that though.
However, I've noticed Brits are so extremely sports-obsessed (about sports that interest them - rugby, soccer (football), etc.). Even when living abroad, they are still obsessed about finding their games on tv's around the world.
The shows with the highest weekly ratings are usually football every week. Everyone I know watches football.
That doesn't mean those spectators are college students. College sports are big with the general public and alums, in addition to a minority of college students, most of whom are in the fraternity and sorority scene. The viewership statistics, or stats about who attends the games, don't break the numbers down between students and non-students.
Actually that's one of the most annoying things I've noticed about Americans. But most Americans abroad aren't like that though.
However, I've noticed Brits are so extremely sports-obsessed (about sports that interest them - rugby, soccer (football), etc.). Even when living abroad, they are still obsessed about finding their games on tv's around the world.
I hope not! I once ran into a couple from Seattle out in the jungle in Guatemala, at an archaeology site, who had been on vacation 2 or 3 weeks, and were about to go home. They latched onto me desperately, asking who had one the latest game back home. I didn't even know which sport the team they were talking about was associated with, lol! That just seemed strangely narcissistic, to assume that everyone and anyone from your home town would share your same interests. I didn't know anyone in Seattle who was interested in team sports. For that matter, I don't know anyone anywhere in the US who's into that.
It is not the same way in Canada. We do not have the same relationship to university sports as the US does, not even close. Usually Canadian society tends be located somewhere between Europe and the US, but I suspect in this particular regard we are not at all similar to the US. University sports are not televised, there's not real outside money involved, and for the most part they're little talked about. I've gone to two prominent, large Canadian universities and unless you had a special interest in a sport, generally most people on campus would have no idea how any of the varsity sports teams were doing in their season, nor will most ever have watched a game or a competition. I get the impression that the US is different, and I know little about university level athletics in Europe.
It is not the same way in Canada. We do not have the same relationship to university sports as the US does, not even close. Usually Canadian society tends be located somewhere between Europe and the US, but I suspect in this particular regard we are not at all similar to the US. University sports are not televised, there's not real outside money involved, and for the most part they're little talked about. I've gone to two prominent, large Canadian universities and unless you had a special interest in a sport, generally most people on campus would have no idea how any of the varsity sports teams were doing in their season, nor will most ever have watched a game or a competition. I get the impression that the US is different, and I know little about university level athletics in Europe.
Well, this was my experience at university, too. My friends were all oblivious to all of that. I agree with NewbiPoster, that it's a minority of students who care about varsity sports. But they may create the impression that they're a majority, because they're very vocal and enthusiastic. It's its own subculture on campus, in a way. And it's supported by a lot of enthusiasm from alums, from city residents who view the team/s as representing their city, so they're proud of the team, and even some highschool students follow the football games. So the overall numbers are many times greater than the number of fans among students on campus.
All I can tell you is that when I lived on campus at Clemson University in South Carolina, the whole campus went just about crazy when there was a home game. It was like Mardi Gras every couple of weeks throughout football season!
It was fun though.
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