those "what??" moments (food, slang, etc.)

[rhabdoviridae]

We're both American but I'm in Canada for school. I had a huge, amazing poutine for dinner last night and texted him a picture. His response, "Yuck!" They're one of my favorite things about Canada though :P

[silvermoonfairy3]

Next big difference i noticed between american and french culture is patriotism, his at least. He keeps proudly shouting USA, USA, USA out of nowhere (like when he's in the toilets or buying groceries)

...huh.
I can honestly I don't know any Americans who do that, lol. :P

[differentcountries]

The lack of salty licqurice. I usually always eat that on weekends, but nobody here eats that. I can get sweet candy, nothing salty or sour.

The interesting combination of people bathing fully clothed or with a special longsleeved, longlegged Muslim swimsuit, while others swim with small bikinis or even take soft porn pictures by the waterside.

How they shop just what they need for the same day. In Norway I always think like a week menu and shop maybe twice a week. Here we shop for dinner every day.

[autumn1790]

I was trying to find a thread about things that are common sense for you but not for your SO of another background, and this thread popped up. Had a bit of a blast reading through probably more pages than I should've. Not sure my story really fits in with the whole theme, but anyways...

My SO and I went river canoeing last weekend with my family. I assumed it was common knowledge that everyone understood you canoe down the river, and then the rental company picks you up at an agreed spot. My SO was getting restless, and finally said, "I don't see anyone coming back. When do we turn around?" I was laughing so hard that I didn't even realize he wouldn't know how it works...just a little nugget of how things aren't always as common knowledge as they might seem.

Sure glad we didn't have to paddle upstream, too. With all the rain the Midwest has been getting, the river was crazy high and deep. I jumped in to pull it to shore at the end and couldn't even stand still in the water, it was so strong.

[Atlantic Crossroads]

Me and my SO have had a good few conversations to date about food. I remember him asking me one time if mushy peas were a real thing!
I assured him that they are, and that I find them gross.

I find it strange that he calls pasta noodles...cos they are not the same thing in my book. He seems to have a lot of umbrella terms for things, which I am still adjusting to.

When I talk about him moving to England, he always mentions driving on the wrong side of the road.

I vividly recall me telling him that I had sultanas on my cereal (small dried white grapes-like raisins but juicier). He thought I was talking about saltines which we don't even have! That made me laugh for a long time.
I'm looking forward to taking him to the supermarket here and/or in England.

When he first told me about Reese's cups, I was just like 'Urgh. Peanut butter and chocolate do not go together!' He assured me I was wrong, and that they were 'bloody good'. I was wrong, and he was right!

On our first visit, he made the mistake of bringing me a bar of Hershey's chocolate. I still haven't quite forgiven him for that, and I certainly won't let him forget it.

[LeoJ]

Ahhh, yes the mushy peas lol. I am good with English food. I have known English people for quite a while so I am well versed in food. I just can't eat the "pies" and any type of meats but I know about them when I hear them. Which means I can't enjoy a good pastie and stuff like that. I tried a cheese and onion one once and the amount of salt was terrible! Anyway, my sweetie knows I am a vegetarian but sometimes forgets when he is at home. When he was here he was good about it. Last night he asked me for a cheese toasty...I was so sad that I couldn't be there to make him one. We do have tea together and he sends me Glengettie welsh tea before I run out. Turns out we like the same chocolates and biscuits too