10 WEIRD THINGS ABOUT the USA | What a shame Mary Jane
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- I list 10 things that I personally find weird about America.
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WHAT A FOREIGNER THINKS OF AMERICAN CULTURE
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What does a foreigner think of American culture? 🇺🇸
ruclips.net/video/qD1C2mJ4SXI/видео.html
My ex gf's name is Mary Jane and she have never smoked mary jane,,, you know what I mean,,😜
i know I'm kinda off topic but do anyone know of a good site to watch newly released series online ?
@Albert Jesiah I watch on Flixzone. Just search on google for it =)
@Ignacio Bentley yea, I have been watching on Flixzone for since april myself :D
@Ignacio Bentley thank you, I signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D I really appreciate it !!
When I first visited the U.S. I went into a restaurant and ordered a small Coca-Cola.Twenty-six years later, I’m still trying to finish it...
😂😂😂
@@WhatashameMaryJane You may have stumbled upon WHY are there free refills? As you point out, the formula for Coke (and virtually every other product that used sugar as an ingredient) has been changed over the years to substitute "high fructose corn sweeteners" for natural cane sugar. What researchers have found is that food products using HFCS do not give the feeling of being satiated. If you are drinking (or eating) a product containing real sugar, after consuming one or two of a product the body gives the brain signals that you do not need more,you are satiated i.e. full. With HFCS the body does not get satiated, so the brain still calls for more. We have a serious problem in the USA with obesity and soft drinks are a major contributor to that problem.
@@larrydaniels6532 - Also, in the US, there're price supports for sugarcane growers and there're restrictions on sugar imports. So HFCS is cheaper than sugar.
@@CharlesWT-TX The price supports for Cane Sugar are dwarfed by the subsidies that US corn growers have in place.There are more than 90 million acres of corn in the US, there are fewer than 1 million in cane sugar. Another factor is that HFCS are somewhat of a by-product of corn production vs. cane sugar is the primary product. True though, the attempt to manipulate sugar prices is all about a misguided effort to inflict economic pain on Cuba.
@@WhatashameMaryJanefoods from Jamaica and Indonesia I had a lot of Indonesia candies in Hawaii
My debit card can also be used as a credit card. It is very common in America, actually.
I agree with your list except about debit cards. Literally everyone I know has and uses a debit card. I personally don’t even own a credit card
Everyone I know here (Houston, TX) uses credit cards almost exclusively. We have debit cards but don't use them. The only exception is for places like Chinatown where a lot of shops only take cash.
I agree, i use debt whenever possible. thing is you can't tell a debt card from a credit card. they look alike and i had so many cashier ring up my debt card as a credit card. it still works and they get the money.
Ditto for me as well.
@@desiguy55 You mean you use debit, not debt.
yes, debit. thanks for correction.
In America our bank debit cards are also in most cases a credit card that actually takes the money directly from your bank account just like a debit card without having to enter a PIN. (It’s the quicker and easier way to go.)To someone who is from a country where the banks don’t offer this type of card, it looks like we are using credit cards.
Speaking of the free re-fill . I'm always amazed when people order a large soda at a place with free refills
Because they get a Bigger Re-fill to take away.
@@balancedactguy This man knows the hacks. I only ever buy them if I have a long car ride after wherever I'm eating so I have something for the road
@@karateman302 Do what ya gotta do Bro!
On that note, a hockey arena was selling short fat “Regular” beers for $5 And tall skinny “large“ beers for $8...turns out the short ones held more ounces!
Growing up in the immediate suburbs of NYC. I (we) are all shocked when we go to farther than ~60 miles outside of NYC. that they give free refills.
Here in the metropolitan New York City area, when you go to McDonald’s or fast food place, they fill up your soda behind the counter, but everywhere else in America they have the solar machines outside the counter. (even in upstate New York. It’s like that) our first time we went to McDonald’s about 100 miles north of New York City. We were were at McDonald’s, that was the first time we saw a self-serve soda fountain, and we thought that that there was a mistake that we actually were in the back room of the restaurant. So to my knowledge, you get free refills everywhere outside of NYC metropolitan area.
By the way, congratulations for the 4000 subscriber! 🎊🎉🎊🎉This channel is growing so fast! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you Matias!!!!
Love your point of views. You have a new subscriber.😁😁😁😁😁
Welcome to the channel! :)
I've never seen free sunscreen here in California. You'd think such a sunny place would have it rather than a place like New York.
As an American living in the UK I enjoyed your video and observations. BTW thank you for the video you did with the other RUclipsr on NY vs Italian pizza. That was very educational indeed :-)
Thank you and welcome to the channel :)
I love your channel!!!
Wrong about debit cards it looks like a credit card.
Great video.
Thanks!
Loved the honesty...
Hi there @What a shame Mary Jane... just got into your channel and enjoy it much. The debit vs credit card thing... literally everyone I know over the age of 16 has a debit card BUT you're right that a lot of us use credit more because (as in my case) points! If you pay off your monthly bill you get various amounts of points for different things (hotels, travel, food and drink etc). From my use of credit card last year, I got enough points for 2 round trip tickets (one I will use to London and the other I will go to Vietnam). Hope that clarifies our use of credit! Keep up the great work!
Hey Jason, welcome to the channel!
people in the US use debit cards they just use the credit opton so you don't need to enter a PIN to confirm the purchase.
In California we use debit cards more than credit cards or cash, unless you have a business or work for a company where you can legally write off a credit card charge on your taxes. I have noticed that people from the east coast of the USA do use credit cards... I usually have to replace my debit cards because of over use! 😀😂😅
I’m an Americans living on the East coast. I have a debit and credit card. (and my bank ATM debit card has the option to choose debit or credit ) I use a credit option 95% all the time, because I earn points and get cash back. Also and if something is fraudulent, you’re not liable, when using a credit card, versus a debit, I think you’re liable for the first $50 of a fraud fraudulent transaction.
But it comes out of your bank account immediately
With a credit card it doesn’t come out of your bank account so if you see it when you get your bill, you can dispute it
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The only time I use my debit card, is if I need actual cash and, the supermarket gives cash back.
And if I use my debit card because my credit card, magnetic strip is broken I use my debit card but push the “credit” option
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I don’t see why, if you’re living in California, what other advantage it is to use a debit versus credit?
As a foreigner in the US, when I used my Brazilian cards (by myself, I've inserted my card into the self-service terminal, not the cashier), the terminal most of the time showed me the content in Portuguese and asked me how I wanted to pay, using the Debit or Credit function (my cards were dual, they had both functions).
Hella dope
As an American I love these videos haha!
In my experience, most people in the US use debit cards. People don't use credit cards in daily life unless they're trying to get miles or something like that.
I was going to leave a comment about the use of debit cards in the US until i noticed that everyone else was saying the same thing. Anyways, i just discovered your channel and find it really interesting. Take care, Mary Jane!
Yep, exactly 😊 Hi, welcome to the channel!
P.S. Cool name ;)
We all use credit cards for one reason..."rewards miles". With my Capitol One Visa I get 2 points for every dollar spent, with these points my wife & I travel to her family in France each spring using these points for airline tickets instead of money !
You're ignoring the interest and fees.
Hi, I had been living 3 months in the US and I remember that the Coke was so different from the one we drink in Italy so I started preferring Pepsi whereas I hated it in Italy. I mean the US Pepsi was by far much better than the Italian version. That was totally unexpected to me. So, thanks for revealing the reason about it :-D
I use a debit card, everyone I know does. Sometimes it acts like a credit card though.
The "advantage" of the sales tax not being included in the price is, it reminds you how much the government is taxing you every time you buy something... It encourages you to pay attention to how they're SPENDING our taxes. Sure, it's annoying to have to do the math in your head, though.
So that's why Democrats always want more taxes :)
@@SGlitz Democrats don't want more taxes. They want Gov to spend those taxes on their people and not on their army.
As an American I have complained all my life that they don't just ad the tax into the price. If we can do it for gas why can't we do it on other items.
This is done to keep you aware of the taxes you pay. We are very tax conscious here in the US. By adding the taxes at the time you pay, you notice it more. Otherwise, governments can raise taxes with less accountability causing the merchants to take the heat for price increases.
Most countries in the world have a single tax rate throughout the whole country. So a 10 Euro item in one store in Germany is taxed the same amount as any other 10 Euro item in any store in the country. A national chain can advertise one price for a product, and it will make the same amount of revenue on that product everywhere in Germany.
In the US, each state sets it's own rate (some don't have any sales tax), and many states allow counties and cities to set their own additional tax rates, and sometimes special taxing districts are set up so even in the same city you might pay a different tax rate in different locations. If a chain were to advertise one national price for a product, what price should it set? No matter what, stores in low tax places would essentially be making more profit than stores in high tax places. Chains likely wouldn't even open in higher-tax areas.
Ok, why not just charge different prices at different stores then? That's fine for brick-and-mortar stores, but for online retailers that are required to charge sales tax in almost every state, like Amazon for example, that simply isn't an option.
Also, most countries use a VAT system rather than a true sales tax. A sales tax is where the entire tax is only paid at the final point of sale. Different sales tax rates would distort the vendor's profits even more than under a VAT.
Gasoline prices are never advertised nationally, or even locally as they fluctuate too much.
@@LiveFreeOrDieDH Dude we live in the computer age. Any store you go into can post the actual price. But thanks for the economic overkill answer though. It was so helpful.
@@fermisparadox01 Just re-read all that answer again as well as my original point. It was overkill. I was talking about walking into one store, he starts talking about the internet, and all this other crap. None of which has anything to do with stores as I walk into them. As a matter of fact as laws have changed here, the more you order from the internet the more they need to include the taxes in the price because leaving them out is actually more confusing, because I don't know of anyone that knows what the tax rate is in every place in america. So why don't you go back to him and say, "Dude 90% of what you said had nothing to do with his original statement or his actual point". But instead because you wanted to skim over it and not understand yourself the point that She made originally and that I agreed with about the price on the shelf at a store! You decide to say I don't understand him. Check yourself.
I think in NYC we say you're not drinking anything when it's water so that it's not added to the bill.
Yes exactly
Interesting 😊
Nice! I'll keep those things in mind for when I decide to go to the U.S. (not any time soon unfortunately...)
Thank you for another amazing video!
Thanks for the nice comment :)
this was a good video. as an american, i found your list of weird things interesting :) the toilet water was funny... . PS: i use a debit card all the time.
Many are commenting that they use mainly debit card actually. I'm wondering if it's a location depending thing or what!
We have debit cards with credit card logos on it (most debits cards here are used as like a debit/credit card), which can act like a credit or debit card (you can choose). So when you go to a shop, they ask you if you want to use credit or debit (on the same card).
As a European (Norwegian) i totally agree 😊
Have you travelled/lived in the US?
What a shame Mary Jane Hi! Yes, i lived in Michigan for a year, where i was.an exchange student 😊
right, especially the first one! 🤭sooo weird!
ignasb i know
Lol guys I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing these things!
Grazie for this very good video, Mary Jane! Very interesting. Here are my thoughts:
1. Water level in the toilet. When my friend and I saw the small amount of water in the European toilets, we thought THAT was weird. The turd just kinda sits there? Gross, and the toilet has to be cleaned more often because of that (at least that's what I noticed in friend's apartments/homes). Just different ways of looking at it, I guess.
2. Cigarette smoking. Yeah, we noticed Europeans smoke a lot more. I hate being around smokers. Joints? It is NOT common where I am to see someone walking down the street smoking pot. No, not normal. Yes, a lot of people smoke pot (I don't and never will) but not commonly and openly on the street corner. Not the usual thing from my perspective at least in my area (not NYC or even NY).
3. You're right about Coca-Cola. It's really any soda pop/soft drink, not just Cola. I personally purchase the Mexican sodas (easy to find in stores) just as you said. One of the reasons for the HF corn syrup is because it's cheaper. There are other reasons as well.
4. Most people where I am use a debit card for almost everything. VERY common. I think Americans are also crazy about credit cards because they want to buy things they can't afford. I almost never use my credit cards. I have them, but rarely use them and never allow myself to get out of control. I usually have a zero balance.
5. I agree with you about contact lenses. Prescription can only be used for up to one year, but often you can get glasses made from copying your old glasses (I think?) I don't use contacts anyway. There should be freedom to buy whatever lenses/prescriptions you want. It's just gatekeeping by the industry (they give excuses for safety).
6. Bike lanes. We have them here, but they're on the right side of two-way streets. I haven't noticed what they're like for one-way streets. Don't really have an opinion on that.
7. Free refills. Good one. "All you can eat" buffet places will offer that because it will fill you up and you eat less of the food. Also, the corn syrup kinda makes you not feel full, so you'll buy more food in other places. Also, it's less labor time for the workers to be refilling your drink if the customers do it themselves at the fountain in fast food places. It's actually cheaper for the restaurants that way.
8. I've never seen free sunscreen here (and it's very hot/sunny here most of the year). Interesting.
9. Price of products. I think it's good because it doesn't hide the taxes. It's more transparent so you know exactly how much money is being taken from you by the state and city in which the purchase is made. This is good so the citizens can fight to keep the taxes from increasing. An exception is at gas stations. The price on the sign/pump actually includes the taxes, but there is a sticker on the pump showing the breakdown of price for gas and any state and federal taxes.
10. Water. The restaurants want to sell you drinks because they make a LOT of money with beverages. We don't get tap water by default usually here (used to be like that years ago). They ask you what drink you want and you can say "water". It's tap water and is free. I noticed in Europe that I had to specifically ask for tap water, otherwise they would charge me for bottled water if I asked for water. A lot of people don't want to pay for a beverage because it's just more money to spend and also water doesn't interfere with tasting the food. A flavored beverage sometimes contradicts the flavor I'm trying to appreciate from the meal, so water is neutral and free if you get tap water.
Well answered John, thanks I appreciated it!
But tap water in America is not free. Maybe at a restaurant but they still have to pay a water bill. Public toilets still get charged for water consumption. Maybe this needs changed
4. Credit Cards affords certain benefits over debit cards.
5. Contact prescriptions don't expire, you just have to present a prescription from your previous exam.
Visa and Mastercard were originally credit card companies but bank cards (both Visa and Mastercard- as long as you have both kinds of accounts active at that bank) can generally be used either as credit or debit cards. This is a result of the consolidation of the banking industry and acquisition of the regional and national ATM networks by the credit card companies.
Debit cards? We use them daily.
Actually, I am an American and the only time I used my debit card in the last year, I was in Mexico!
@@navy_flyer2331 you need a pin and an otp for a transaction
@@navy_flyer2331 Without a PIN, there is not that much one can do with the card. Plus if you find out, you can (and should) block the card immediately.
Yup, me too, I'm an American and I use my debit card for everything. And, Contrary to popular belief, both times that my debit card number was hacked/stolen, my bank refunded every penny.
Credit cards have more consumer protections in the US than debit cards. You are probably seeing debit cards but they can be ran as credit if they have the Visa or MasterCard symbol. Like the merchant wants you to put your pin in, so he won't get charged the fee from Visa or MasterCard but you can hit credit and you don't have to put your pin in.
Come to Colorado we have bike lanes on the right and bike trails in our parks and some mountain foothill paths
And some restaurants have free refills on soda or iced tea it’s common
Our debit cards act like credit cards they even have a Visa or MasterCard logo on them.
A debit card is the only card I have and I'm in Georgia (the state). Also, wouldn't there be a mess in the toilet bowl if there's not plenty of water to keep it from smearing?
Interesting video! Have any idea why in Europe it's so hard to get ice in your soda? Thanks
There is a lot of water in American toilets because it helps to lessen the smell of your doo-doo if it is UNDERWATER.
That's the theory. I am not sure if it is the case in reality. A lot of time stuff, you know... floats?
nsbioy - even if it floats, most of the floating matter remains underwater. Only a small amount of the total surface area is exposed to the air.
first of all, you're awesome. Keep it that way! Second, I have to correct you on No7. Last week I was visiting Berlin and they do have free soda refills at KFC. I've also seen those free refills in some fast food restaurants (only in some, not the entire chain countrywide) in Poland, Czechia, the UK, Spain. So basically you get the best chances for those refills if visiting KFCs, BurgerKings, Ikea. In any case, those soda drinks are pure poison, better just to drink water!
Hey thanks so much! Are you new to the channel?
@@WhatashameMaryJane ;) yes, I'm from Lithuania and I'm a new subscriber of Yours. I found Your channel when researching for places to visit in Norway (a trip which is still to be done, hopefully, soon). Really beautiful and useful content You have on the channel! 👌👌👌Keep it up!
Thank you very much for the support!! I'm glad to have you as a new member of the community :)
Hey. In Belgium also free refills in some places like Pizza Hut. Not a common thing, but it starts I think.
What a shame Mary Jane Hey. Love your channel. I’m planning a trip to New York in April, your channel is very helpful. Thanks.
The prescription from your eye doctor is good for a year.
You just keep the paper until your next appointment.
Speaking of the contacts thing, dm is a life saver. Always
We have plenty of water, and I smoke.
I’m in love😍
Perv
Discovered Mary Jane by typing a statement on google. "New York pizza that doesn't taste good should feel shame." I'm glad I was motivated enough to type this.
XD
Yes High Fructose Corn Syrup, also in the Ketchup. It sucks too.
Man the debit card one was confusing for me, I use mine multiple times a day.
Prescriptions are good for a year. You get a copy of the prescription and you can get as many as you want.
The higher water levels in toilets has always been that way. In fact, when it's low (in a regular tank filled toilet) that usually means there's something wrong with the internal mechanism.
Cheers！
You are so right about american colas! (Yes we have debit cards!)
I just saw you with Actionkid eating spaghetti and meatballs. You forgot to try it with parmesan cheese. Anyways that's how I just got to this video. Great list. For a real budget trip, you should visit South Texas. Book a trip to Corpus Christi Texas, your money will go a long way. You need to try Tex Mex food. Plus watch The Texas Bucket List channel, for some ideas on where to eat. Cheers.🍻🍺🍻🍺👍🤠👌
I'll keep your tips in mind, thanks and welcome to the channel Armando!!
@@WhatashameMaryJane great channel. Love it. 👍🤠👌
As I'm here drinking my coke cola,flushing my toilet and using my debit card paying for my sun tan lotion. I enjoyed your video...and just subscribed.
Ahaha!
LOL. Do not mix up the two liquids. That's really easy to do.
Window screens.
I lived in Paris for 18 months and with no air-conditioning in most apartments, there are no window screens either to keep the mosquitoes out.
Right
I use debit in stores and in person business but online always credit.
I love your Italian accent ❤️🇮🇹😍
A couple of decades ago the American tobacco companies were under pressure to change their marketing strategies and to pay huge settlements to individuals and states for medical costs, etc. So they became more focused on expanding their European markets. This has been changing too as tobacco sales are now more regulated and taxed. States took the money and did other things with it leaving the original intent of the settlements to go bust.
In the US, debit cards usually work like credit cards. In a store you have to use a PIN, but in a restaurant or bar the debit and credit cards are processed the same way.
Free filtered tap water in restaurants. Yes, that's generally how nice sit down restaurants work, but I have noticed in recent years that not all restaurants do this. They will just quickly come around after you have been seated and ask you for your drive order. But say like if you order an alcoholic beverage, they will automatically bring you a water as well. Not so if you order a soda.
With the debit card situation I know it all depends on your bank. I have a credit union which is a very small bank so when I travel internationally and try to swipe, the bank assumes someone stole my card from the foreign transactions. I usually use my AMEX when I travel because I don't have to deal with my debit card not working abroad.
Love watching your videos! I'm from Iowa originally and now live in Washington State. I hope you get a chance to visit more of America and see the many different and beautiful areas we have. I've never been to Europe but would love to go. I think what your doing is pretty amazing and fun. I love hearing your views on the normal things we just do everyday here (the free refills, the taxes, toilet water levels LOL) and it's fascinating to hear perspective from a totally different viewpoint.
Regarding Coca-Cola; while I have never liked Coke (I'm a Pepsi fan), you should try finding a Pepsi-Cola made with real sugar. It's fantastic. Pepsi (with Real Sugar) tastes just it did when I was a kid in the 1970's. It's much sweeter than Coke - and, that's probably why. Gotta have that sugar! ;-)
Anyway - thanks for the videos, I'm a subscriber of course and enjoy them and your walks with ActionKid too.
Hey thanks Mark! I appreciate your comment :) Hope to keep making interesting videos.
High fructose corn syrup
We DO use debit cards, especially at grocery stores
I like the soda here then from Mexico. Big argument with my older sis once about that
Love your accent
I always use a debit card as a matter of fact I don't own a credit card I don't want a credit card. A credit cards can get you in trouble, my motto is if you can't afford it don't buy it.
I love your page.
I'm of Sicilian descent. My grandmother was from Massena.
I'm very interested to hear about a broader comparison of Europe and America in terms of societal norms or ways in which society is designed that you really prefer or enjoy or think is a good idea. Examples would be maybe how transportation is designed/ public transport, or differences in the expense of things.
Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I actually enjoy making these videos very much and I'd like to keep making more of them. But as you can see viewers from the US tend to be very sensitive about these topics, which as a result has that I get very much discouraged and afraid of making more.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Hey Mary Jane, please go on doing what you're doing. Don't get discouraged because you're doing a terrific job and you're being yourself. I am an American expat who'se been living in Italy for over 25 years. I personally love and appreciate what you do. Bravissima.
In many restaurants in the USA, if you request "water" the waiter will ask if you want "sparkling or flat?" Flat water = free water. Sparkling water is San Pellegrino, which will be very expensive.
Drinking San Pellegrino is almost a status quo in the US, am I right?
Victor R. In Italy sparkling water has the same price as still water. Also, in Italy Sanpellegrino is mainly known as an average quality brand of sodas. Anyway I find it ridiculous that so much resources are used to transport something so unnecessary to the other side of the Ocean. It’s a real shame.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Actually, the next time you are at a restaurant in the U.S., ask for club soda. This is sparkly (fizzy) water, and its free.
btw, contact lens prescriptions in the US expire after only one year, so if you use up your supply after one year from the last eye exam, you have to pay $100+ for another exam
My exams are free and 2 boxes of contacts are also covered, I guess it depends on insurance
Actually in France some fast-foods have this kind of system: like you pay your soda once and then you can refill as many times as you want... I haven't seen this in a lot of places but I know it exists here !
In reality I think there are also a few places in Italy like that (so some people told me), but they are all American chains 🙄
@@WhatashameMaryJane I hadn't thought about that but now that you're mentioning it, it looks like it's the case... I remember seeing it in places like Subway... Sadly we don't have any french franchise that can compete with the big american names so I don't know about them... I should probably look it up lmao
American debit cards can also be used as credit cards and look the same; they have Visa or Mastercard logos on them. We use them all the time but they look the same as credit cards and you can run them as credit cards for convenience if debit won't work.
As an Australian, I have to agree with you on the toilet bowl (soo much water), smoking: not many smoke in Australia, I hate the taste of Coke, agree on debit card, we need a prescription here too but many get around by ordering from an Asian country (Singapore) where its also 1/5th the price, agree on bikes, agree on carbonated drinks - but you can refill (once) at some American fast food outlets, agree on sunscreen, agree on tax (it is annoying in America), water: take care when ordering water in Australia as if you do not want to pay you may have to specify tap water.
Is it considered rude to order tap water or it's fine?
@@WhatashameMaryJane its usually ok. Most Australian states, by law, require restaurants to provide free tap water when asked. They can sell bottled water too but still most provide tap for free, especially if they also serve alcohol. If they are BYO alcohol or a small cafe you may run into issues depending on the state. But many will first try and sell you water and not say you can get tap water.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Sometimes they may also charge a corkage fee if they provided you free water. It is a fee to serve you water so ask also if there is corkage.
@@playlisttarmac Got it. Thanks for the info Tamrika!
@@WhatashameMaryJane Australia has been delivering water to the table or have a help yourself stall in the corner. By law in hotels where there is alchol served there must water provided to encourage patrons to hydrate with water and not consume too much alchol. Drunks in pubs is not cool!
my local grocery store in Wisconsin only accepts cash and debit cards, no credit cards, I usually only use credit cards when I buy gasoline, they put $300 holds on your account that can last over a week if you use a debit card
The beach in South Beach (Miami Beach) has free sunscreen dispensers. It's sponsored by a local hospital.
Ikea in Zagreb, Croatia has free refills! :)
Yes I think Ikea has free refills everywhere. It's the only place I've seen them in Italy
A big reason why I stopped using my debit card as much is because of the rewards programs that credit cards give. I enjoy flying and it helps me accumulate mileage. Also easier to dispute a charge with someone else's credit (CC co) than if it were with your own $ I find.
Ciao Mary Jane, I really like your channel. I'm an Italian living in the USA for almost 16 years. I just want to let you know that there are debit cards in the USA too and people use it all the time. Every time you open a bank account you get a debit card. For tourists might be hard to use a debit card because maybe is not an international debit card or for other reasons that your bank can address. But believe me, we have debit cards and some people, especially the elderly still pay with checks. Another thing is the sale tax. When you buy a bunch of items like for example the groceries, the sale tax is added on the total amount of your purchase. For example, if your total amount is $36 then you get charged the sale tax on the $36. And then it varies from state to state and locally too. Hope I explained right. Maybe one day we will meet here in the USA :)
Hey thank you very much for your kind comment and for your explanations :)
@@WhatashameMaryJane I really liked your video walking around the Bronx and Little Italy with ActionKid. I had the same reaction when I tried spaghetti meatballs for the first time and see all the "Italian" food is not actually Italian. Glad to see an Italian making travel video. Wish you the best for you and your channel :)
Anny OneDog Comics Thanks a lot Anny!
These are good, accurate observations. Especially important for Americans to understand is your point about contact lenses. The medical system is a racket.
Great point of views. Many of which I've observed myself as an American who spends a fair amount of time in Europe.
The credit vs. debit card situation is an interesting one. In general banks in Europe have tighter security regulations, so you almost always see a PIN required whether or not you use a debit or credit card. While in the US, the ability to purchase items with a debit card and not need a PIN make using one a little risky. If someone were to steal your card and go shopping at your expense, the money would come out of your bank account, and with a credit card that would not be the case. At least that is my reason for not using a debit card. Then there is also the fact that the US is very much a "charge it" and worry about it later society.... 🤷♂️🤦♂️
And corn syrup is nasty nasty stuff! While I usually stay away from soda, I never drink American Coke or Pepsi products.
In Spain it happens the same with ordering water in bars or restaurants. It's considered not been drinking anything too, yeah 😂
Interesting, I've never noticed! [Maybe because every time I visit Spain I never not drink wine or beer 😅]
@@WhatashameMaryJane Haha, yeah, 'funnily' it's that way in sooo many places. What do you usually drink or what do you recommend in Spain to drink? (sorry for the off-topic 😅)
@@afsev Wine and cerveza
Actually a lot of people just have water with their meals now in NYC. Also many eateries do not want to give you water , they want to to buy a bottled water and if you insist on just tap they will begrudgingly give it to you with no ice
Growing up in the immediate suburbs of NYC. (25 miles north of NYC
I (we) are all shocked when we go to farther than ~60 miles outside of NYC. that they give free refills.
Here in the metropolitan New York City area, when you go to McDonald’s or fast food place, they fill up your soda behind the counter, but everywhere else in America they have the solar machines outside the counter. (even in upstate New York. It’s like that) our first time we went to McDonald’s about 100 miles north of New York City. We were were at McDonald’s, that was the first time we saw a self-serve soda fountain, and we thought that that there was a mistake that we actually were in the back room of the restaurant. So to my knowledge, you get free refills everywhere outside of NYC metropolitan area.
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So I’m sure when you were in NYC, you did not get free refills.
another weird thing is that kinder surprise i mean the little chocolate egg is forbidden. how stupid is that?! ahahaahhah
Chocolate egg is forbidden?
Not to sound creepy, but the main thing I took away from this video is, that, I have to see you in glasses. I like the pretty librarian look!
Non sei Europea, sei Italiana!!! 🤣 Là sono tutti strani!
Great channel, loved your comments and attitude. Brava!!!
Ciaoooooo from the ITALIAN FOOD BOSS 💪💪🇮🇹🇮🇹
Sono entrambe caro boss :)
What a shame Mary Jane Va beh certo! Non siamo mica roba da Brexit qua!!
😂😂😂👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼
Mi raccomando, insegna bene come cucinare da quelle parti. All'altro emisfero ci penso io!
Prima volta che ho sentito la parola entrambe, Vol dire tutte due. Devevo leggere nel dizionario. Eh be, come volette.
That You Tube Algorithm At Work ! Congratulations Mary Jane , You Went Viral. Some Odd Folks In The Comments.
On another of your videos, I’ve heard you make a dinstinction between Italian and Sicilian ( when discussing various deserts). They seemed to be both considered as one entity in US.
How is Napoli and Napolitani looked upon by the rest of Italy?
Well, Italy is a very young country. We've been divided in many tiny states forever. Sicily in particular, because it's an island and it's a big island, has a very unique identity. Neaples is seen as a very joyful, chaotic, friendly, beautiful, historical, intense, chaotic, dangerous, glorious, chaotic, wonderful city.
Thank you for responding! Keep up the good work. Your videos are very informative. 👍
Even counties within states have different sales tax. As far as state sales tax, some states don't charge tax for clothes. Some states don't charge tax for unprepared foods like in California. Some states don't even have an income tax like Nevada or Florida.
BTW, Pepsi sells cola with corn syrup and cola with cane sugar here in the states with no difference in price.
Debit cards in the US are used mainly for getting cash from an ATM, buying gas, or buying groceries.
Many places like in California, you have to ask for tap water if you want it because of the drought. Many people drink just water with their meals here. The higher end restaurants ask if you want bottled water or tap when you ask for water, and ask if you want flat or sparkling if you choose the bottled water.
We use credit cards to build credit. Debit cards just take out cash from your bank. Simple.
@Michael Pagnotti... Thank you. You Sir get it. I know there are irresponsible people out there that have bad credit and have no access to get credit cards, but for those of us that are responsible.... it makes no sense to use debit cards over credit cards because Credit Cards BUILD CREDIT!
In Europe we don't need to "build credit". That is an unknown concept here. Greets from Germany.
@@alexanderlindner5808 Briefly, how the process of buying a house work in Europe?
@@Ayan-bp4dq I guess you mean how is the process in case you don't have the money to buy it. So here is how it works in Italy:
1. The bank sends a specialist to make an expertise for the real market value of the house
2. The bank creates an installment plan that covers the amount that you're asking for credit (usually this amount can be maximum 60-70% of the value in point 1 - rarely more)
3. The monthly installment amount can't be higher than one third of your salary/monthly income (rarely more)
4. If the bank approves, you get a mortgage loan, that obviously means that the house is the collateral of the loan and is not really yours until you finish paying the loan.
I guess the process is pretty similar in US. Being European, I actually don't know exactly what "building credit" means, but I think this concept is not applicable to mortgage loans.
@@superpindo Thank you for this detailed response. In Italy/Europe, is it common practice to pay cash/full value of the property at point of purchase?
I do have an issue with the toilets! It’s an hassle to keep my junk dry and not swimming in the bowl!
Prescription is not accurate. You can bring your prescription with you if you ran out. It just can't be a year older. Also online, you just input it.
Sales Tax is usually not applied only for food items. At least in Cali.
Water: they're upset you're not spending money. Lol in SF they have mineral water you can order in some places.
9:07 "half of your pie of pizza." I love that phrase.
😅 Why?
@@WhatashameMaryJane "Pie of pizza" sounds funny to American ears but "pizza pie" sounds fine. I suppose because compound nouns are more common in English than Italian. Lago di Garda sounds funny translated as Lake of Garda but fine as Lake Garda.
@@tyhg22 Oh that's interesting. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it to me Steve!
You remind me of a European girl I once knew. It is so difficult to follow along with you because when I hear you speak I just get kind of lost. You have good energy.
NYC buses use the right lane exclusively, therefore no bikes......State sales taxes AND sometimes local sales taxes added on top of that.......
That's because it's safer to use credit card, if something happens it's much easier to dispute unauthorized purchases and if the card info is stolen, it's not directly connected to your personal account.
Te Vi con Actionkid y sabía que tus vídeos me iban a encantar, vamos a ver si me entiendes por qué el Italiano y el español son bastante parecidos.
Te entiendo perfectamente! Hola Angie! :)
Re: free refills on sodas...I know a number of restaurant owners and they tell me their cost for a 12 Oz. soda is about 2-3 cents. And they charge the customer $$$. The profit margin is incredible! It's much high than a decent glass of wine.
Of course.
I agree with you on the sugar, the HFCS is awful. We do try and get the Mexican Coke when we can. As far as the debit cards, most Americans have used them since the 1980s. For most people, a debit card is their primary method of payment. There are people that will use credit cards with cash back and rewards for purchases and bills, and then pay the balance off on time, before any interest is charged. By doing that, they are making a profit from it.
Also, a lot of stores in the South and the Midwest have charge accounts, which they let you pay on every month, or pay off every month. Most of the ones that do that are small town stores now, where it used to be the most common form of credit. You simply walk in, and get what you want, and they ring it up, and then you sign for it. There's still a good bit of that in small towns.
I meant to add, that a debit card here can be run as debit, where you put your PIN in, or as credit, where you just sign the store copy of the receipt, and sometimes you don't need to sign. It is still processed at the bank the same way, and there is no interest as it still comes from your bank account. Most debit cards here are Mastercard or VISA, and are backed by their protection policies. I'm willing to bet, that 80% of the time you thought you were seeing folks use credit cards, they were actually using their debit cards, and are using it in the manner of a credit card. That way, nobody can steal their PIN number as they don't enter it. I do that whenever I am buying something is a store that is very busy.