This week a Reddit thread asked non-Americans, "What is the craziest rumor you heard about America that turned out to be true?"
The thread quickly gained a lot of comments as people explained the absurd, but true things they had heard about America. Here are some of the best responses:
1. "Injured people try to avoid getting ambulances called for them."
2. "That it's illegal to cross the road whenever it's clear if the cross signal doesn't say 'walk.' 'Jaywalking' is the term I think.'"
3. "When I was younger I saw something on an American movie about cheese that came in some kind of spray can and I remember thinking it was a joke."
4. "That American kids eat straight sugar. I walked onto the playground and saw kids chugging these long thin sticks. I tried one and it was just colored sugar. They called them Pixy Stix."
5. "That some schools have metal detectors at the entrance and security guards stationed in the halls."
6. "That the prices on products are listed without tax included and you don't know the tax until you pay."
7. "I've had several German friends who were amazed that everyone actually drinks out of red Solo cups at house parties. They thought that was just a weird thing people did in movies."
8. "They have garbage disposals in their kitchens. That's just so wild to me."
9. "My dad heard this crazy rumor about everyone getting drunk and wearing green for one day a year. He obviously didn't know this was a holiday and was like 'WTF?' Then he came to the US and discovered St. Patrick's Day and he was amazed."
10. "That people will just suffer through an injury or illness because they can’t afford health insurance."
11. "All of the the car honking. I thought it was a movie stereotype and then I went to New York."
12. "That higher education can cost upwards of $50,000 per year."
13. "The small number of paid days off they get from work. A friend of mine from Wisconsin was very proud he got 20 days off per year, which is nothing in Germany."
14. "That Americans will talk to anyone. I went to a sports bar on my first visit to try it out. I ended up having a ton of really fun conversations."
15. "I always thought that the Olive Garden in The Simpsons was just code for ‘generic restaurant.'"
16. "The extent of the tipping culture is frankly shocking to me."
17. "That Dolly Parton has her own theme park in Tennessee. I thought it was a joke."
18. "That they actually do wear shoes indoors. I thought it was just a thing in movies."
19. "How big the drinks are. I once saw a dude who was drinking from what looked like an actual fucking bucket."
20. "That they clap at random times. I was watching a movie in the US, and people liked what happened, so they started clapping in the middle of the fucking movie."
21. "Literally anything about what goes on in Florida."
Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.