I had to look twice before realizing there were cars in these towers right in Downtown Chicago and now I can’t stop looking at them.
How they‘ve managed to integrate a huge parking lot so well into the cityscape fascinates me. It‘s so aesthetically pleasing for some reason 😂
The Germans are revering Taco Bell.
The Swedes are dumbfounded by ranch.
The English have discovered the sun.
Just wait until the Europeans look up and see this ahead of Tunisia-Uzbekistan.
Imagine if we played the entire World Cup in SEC and BIG 10 stadiums instead of soulless NFL corporate slop stadiums.
THIS is the real America.
Not some parking lot in Arlington.
A few Germans like Freddy, went to the United States for the World Cup and have been travelling around the country. They ended up going viral because they were genuinely amazed by America and shared their enthusiasm online.
As someone who has been to the U.S. around twenty times and even lived there for a year, I can understand their reaction. In my experience, Americans are generally friendlier, more polite, and warmer than Germans, especially in smaller towns. And once you get away from the main tourist routes, there is an incredible amount of beautiful nature, unique experiences, and fascinating places to discover. If you know where to go, even the food can be outstanding.
I think the reason their videos went viral is that, for the past decade or so, most of the news coming to Europe about America has been negative. As a result, many people have developed a distorted image of the country. If you follow German news and media, you mostly see stories about school shootings, racism, police brutality, political conflicts, and similar issues. I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw a genuinely positive portrayal of America in the German media.
So when people actually visit the United States, they are often surprised by how different the reality feels from the image they had in their minds. In a way, I think America could use a rebranding. Growing up, I remember hearing stories about the "American Dream," and many of us in Germany dreamed of visiting or living in America. That sense of optimism and opportunity seems to have faded from the public conversation.
What is the most unique city you've been to?
I'll start: Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Incredible restaurant scene, right next to the Alps, amazing coffee culture, and a nightlife scene that feels like it was designed by artists.
Somehow still not overrun by tourists.
I am loving all the anonymous bots/trolls posting identical messages on this thread that say:
- “we are all real Americans” (it’s a classic performative contradiction - the fact you have to state that belies the assertion itself)
- “we all hate Indians even more and you should go back”
- memes containing p*%p, some variant of word j&&t, etc.
Only trolls or really d$mb people would copy-paste nearly identical posts. Most Americans are neither.
Thank you troll farm operators for proving the point many researchers have been making. It was a useful exercise for me, personally.