What to do when visiting the US

[clickerish]

...just in case you were worried...

you are supposed to be punctual.

www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/welcome-to-america-please-be-on-time-what-guide-books-tell-foreign-visitors-to-the-us/257993/#.T86LvL_i12k.facebook

[clogged]

LOL @ leaving food on plate. I fell into the reverse over here and kept over-feeding my poor husband because he kept eating everything on his plate.

[ktkl09]

Amtrak is skeletal.

[cupcakes]

Jun 6, 2012 4:02:27 GMT -5 clogged said:

LOL @ leaving food on plate. I fell into the reverse over here and kept over-feeding my poor husband because he kept eating everything on his plate.

OMG I just figured out the Brits. At school/ work everyone finishes their lunch but me, everyday. I never finish. The lunch ladies give me too much, I ask for less and they never listen.
We have had several convos about how everyone else has had it drilled in that they just finish their plate no matter what. I said it's not good to finish if you are full. I now get why, I am getting American sized portions, I'm full I stop. They think they have to finish if they are served food.

Cultural breakthrough!

[Deleted]

I am one of the few who might not finish my food at a family dinner here. I am not going to continue eating if I am no longer hungry.

[mrsukyankee]

I was definitely part of the clean plate club...I think it screwed me for life. I never learned my hunger/full signals, and an ED didn't help.

[clogged]

My MIL said it was rude to leave food on the plate because it implies the food wasn't tasty. I told her it was good manners to leave at least a bite or two as it tells the cook you had your fill and they gave you enough. You aren't walking away wanting.

At her house, I try hard to finish everything for her, or apologize profusely if I really cannot (and feed it to my husband).

At mine, she finishes her plate, then right before we leave the table she reaches over and puts a tiny scoop of anything random on her plate- about 2 bites worth- so I know she had enough to eat. I think that is the sweetest gesture.

[Cheesecake]

Jun 6, 2012 8:58:14 GMT -5 clogged said:

My MIL said it was rude to leave food on the plate because it implies the food wasn't tasty. I told her it was good manners to leave at least a bite or two as it tells the cook you had your fill and they gave you enough. You aren't walking away wanting.

At her house, I try hard to finish everything for her, or apologize profusely if I really cannot (and feed it to my husband).

At mine, she finishes her plate, then right before we leave the table she reaches over and puts a tiny scoop of anything random on her plate- about 2 bites worth- so I know she had enough to eat. I think that is the sweetest gesture.

That really is super sweet!

[popcorn]

Jun 6, 2012 8:58:14 GMT -5 clogged said:

My MIL said it was rude to leave food on the plate because it implies the food wasn't tasty. I told her it was good manners to leave at least a bite or two as it tells the cook you had your fill and they gave you enough. You aren't walking away wanting.

At her house, I try hard to finish everything for her, or apologize profusely if I really cannot (and feed it to my husband).

At mine, she finishes her plate, then right before we leave the table she reaches over and puts a tiny scoop of anything random on her plate- about 2 bites worth- so I know she had enough to eat. I think that is the sweetest gesture.

That's very sweet!

My ILs have always been understanding and once I say I'm full (But it was delicious) MIL says not to finish. I didn't know the reasoning for leaving a small amount of food on the plate though so I never used that explanation. I'll have to tell her next time I see her.

[popcorn]

. Gifts of cash, prepared ready-to-serve foods, or very personal items (e.g. toiletries) are not appropriate.

Haha. I wouldn't say no to some cash! But I would be confused if someone brought that to dinner. I wonder where that is common. It must be somewhere if it's in the guidebook, right?

[GilliC]

I once looked up Indiana in the Lonely Planet USA guide.

The book is 1200 pages, and the entire state gets 5. And the intro includes:

As Chicago newspaperman Mike Royko once wrote: 'In Indiana, a real good time consists of putting on bib overalls and a cap bearing the name of a farm equipment company and sauntering to a gas station to sit around and gossip about how Elmer couldn't get his pickup truck started that morning.' Royko was exaggerating but, er, not terribly far off the mark in describing this farm-filled state.

Not that I'm a great lover of my home state, but defining us by what a Chicagoan said is kind of insulting and short-sighted, since Indiana is the butt of Chicago's jokes and the home to some of their dingiest suburbs.

...of course I know plenty of people who do fit that description exactly! But those tiny nowhere towns aren't the places I would direct tourists to visit!

[americaninoz]

hmmm so interesting! yea I never finish my meals when we eat out in the US - they are usually just too big to eat in 1 sitting!!

[allibally]

Jun 7, 2012 4:59:55 GMT -5 @publius said:

I bought a German language guidebook for the great lakes once when I was in Munich. I was fascinated by the places it recommended--like a semi-crappy BBQ joint as "the place to go to try chicken wings in the city that created them". Yeah, I lived in Buffalo for two years and didn't even know that place sold wings (and it was two blocks from my house). It's not even on the radar of decent wing producers in the city.

Okay I would find this fascinating.

[lolo]

It all seems like pretty good advice to me. Do you think they added a special section on travel documents for Arizona? >