Living In USA

There are many people who do not want to become deeply involved in American activities but who are still interested in learning about the country. If you are among this group, you are welcome to take tours of workplaces. It is easy to watch a nation work when you visit people at their jobs.

If you cannot find out about possibilities through your friends, just call the place of business that most interests you (factory, farm, store, etc.) and ask for the public relations department. They will be able to tell you whether they have tours (some factories schedule them regularly) or whether you can visit on your own. Tell them where you are from and why you are interested. In most cases you will find that people are friendly and pleased to have you visit as their guest, although they may first check with your office to make sure you are who you say you are. Your local Chamber of Commerce and city information center are also good sources.

Since 2001, many places that used to be open for public tours — power plants, water treatment facilities, and the like — are very reluctant to permit public access. In addition, we have in general become more cautious about unexpected visits by strangers, so be sure to make arrangements in advance. This way people know you are coming, and you can know that your visit will be convenient for them. Then, be on time. If you must be late, be sure to telephone. You generally do not tip or pay any fee (except for factories that have become tourist attractions), but a thank-you letter afterward will be much appreciated.

You can visit most kinds of factories and watch men and women working at heavy industry, precision manufacturing, or food processing. You can call on various kinds of schools, watch courts in progress, listen to hearings before government committees, and attend town meetings or meetings of school boards. Rarely are any of these private. Usually the public is admitted, although sometimes only by previous arrangement. Often there are tours for the public "behind the scenes" in such places as department stores, post offices, or newspaper plants. Again, contact the local Chamber of Commerce.

In this country you should not be shy or retiring. A little effort on your part will provide you with a great deal of insight into the American way of life. We welcome guests, we are flattered to have people interested in what we are doing, and we are proud to show them what we have.

Fortunately, there is a counter-trend to combat obesity. In the past decade, there has been a rise in the availability of healthier food in the form of organic (grown without pesticides or herbicides) produce and whole foods. Every city has at least one healthfood store, and there are even some supermarket chains (e.g., Freshfields, Wild Oats, Bread and Circus) that specialize in healthier, although costlier, food. Organic food is more widely available than ever before, often found at regular supermarkets as well as at specialty stores. There is also a "slow-food" movement to counter the prevalence of fast food. Begun in Italy in 1986, there about 80,000 members of Slow Food International worldwide (about half of them in Italy), a nonprofit organization designed to preserve and support the pleasures of the table. The international movement was founded in Paris in 1989, and Slow Food boasts more than 70 chapters throughout the United States. Consult www.slowfoodusa.org/ for information on a chapter near you.

The same Men's Fitness survey mentioned above also names the fittest cities in the U.S.: Honolulu, San Francisco, Virginia Beach, Denver, Colorado Springs, Seattle, Boston, Portland (Oregon), and Tucson topped the 2004 list in this category.

Although not yet technically considered a disease in its own right, obesity is nonetheless an epidemic in the United States. According to the American Obesity Association, the rate of obesity in the United States roughly doubled between 1970 and 2000, to over a third of all adults. Even more alarming is the rate of childhood obesity, although these increases are partly due to a 1998 change in the way obesity is calculated. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, in 2003 Americans ate an average of twenty-five pounds of candy each! Our love affair with the automobile, along with road construction that is decidedly bicycle/pedestrian-hostile, has made it difficult (and in some cases impossible) in many areas to walk from one place to another. Combined with the plethora of television programming and the rise of video games, the reality is that we get very little simple exercise. Amazingly, some people will go so far as to drive one or two miles to a gym in order to walk on a treadmill!

In addition, many foods are extraordinarily high in fat content, and our portions are quite large by almost any standard. Although some fast-food places have recently discontinued "super-size" from their menus, the "large" size is quite large enough. The fat content of many menu items is increased without noticeably increasing serving size. It is not just hamburgers, however, that should be viewed with caution. During that same period, one chain's small vanilla shake doubled its fat content. Another fast-food chain increased the saturated fat content of its french fries by 60 percent.

Fast-food giants gear their marketing toward children, hoping to develop loyal customers who will prefer the particular taste of their food items. According to Eric Schlosser in his book Fast Food Nation, McDonald's operates more playgrounds than any other private entity and is one of the largest distributors of toys in the United States. It uses a clown (who is depicted in advertisements as a child's one true friend) as its spokesman.

Not all overweight people are obese. In order to be considered obese, a person must exceed a body mass index (BMI) of 30, which is a ratio of body fat to height. This ratio, however, fails to distinguish between fat and muscle, differences in bone density, and other factors when determining whether a person is overwieght. Nonetheless, the social costs of obesity are high — lost productivity, increased healthcare costs, and shorter life spans can all be attributed to obesity. Each year, Men's Fitness magazine publishes an index of the fattest cities in the United States. While Detroit came in first in 2004, five of the top eight — Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Arlington — are in Texas.

Smoking is now prohibited in restaurants in much of the country. No doubt the days of a cigarette between courses or at the end of a meal will someday be gone forever, which you may find refreshing or stifling depending on your feelings about smoking. The original rationale for these bans was health concerns about second-hand smoke, which is supported by some research studies but refuted by others. In reality, public support for these restrictions is high because fewer people smoke, and nonsmokers have become accustomed to (some would say self-righteous about) their right to cleaner air.

In the 1970s, restaurants were required to provide nonsmoking sections, which were typically small rooms or even just a few tables. Gradually, the non-smoking areas became larger and the smokers were banished to smaller tables. In many restaurants, even in locales without legal bans, smoking is not permitted at all on the premises.

The terms used in ordering or buying food can lead to fulfilled expectations or surprises. Use the wrong words and your coffee may turn into liquid candy or your entrée burned beyond recognition.

Meat
If you order steaks, roast beef, hamburgers, prime rib, and so on, the waiter may say, "How would you like it?" meaning whether you want your meat rare, medium, or well done. If you order it rare, the meat will be red inside; if medium, it will be pink; if well done, it will be completely cooked (and sometimes dry).

"Rare" is likely to be cooked just a little; "well done" to be very well cooked. If you prefer, you can indicate something in the middle by saying "medium rare" or "medium well."

Coffee
If you order coffee or tea, the waiter will sometimes ask, "Would you like cream?" If you would not, answer "Just black, please," meaning no cream or sugar. Sugar is generally already on the table, and often milk or cream is also, and the waiter brings the coffee black. Many people now ask for "decaf," meaning decaffeinated coffee. In New York City, "regular" coffee means liberal amounts of both cream and sugar. Elsewhere, it merely refers to coffee that hasn't been decaffeinated.

Coffee is a popular American drink at all hours of the day. It varies enormously in quality; you will just have to experiment to find places that make it the way you like it. Espresso and other specialties are often available, but you have to ask for them. Coffee-house chain stores, such as Starbuck's, Peet's, and Seattle Coffee Roasters, have sprung up in nearly every American city. These offer heartier, darker coffee than traditional American coffee, and a dizzying array of "specialty" coffee drinks as well as pastries and other food. A variety of kinds of tea is also available in these shops.

Tea
Tea is much less popular than coffee in the United States. It is often quite tasteless; perhaps we make it poorly because we don't drink it as much as other nationalities do. In public places tea is usually a shock to the new - comer. A cup of hot water (no longer boiling if it ever was) is brought in with a tea bag in the saucer. You are supposed to put the bag into the water and leave it there until the tea is as strong as you like it. In private homes you will sometimes find it brewed. Herb teas have also become popular in the United States.

Other Drinks
Next after coffee, Americans are likely to drink Coke or other soft drinks, milk, or fruit juices. Iced tea is usually good and is very popular in summer, as is iced coffee. Both can be served either sweetened or unsweetened, although unfortunately not often at the same place. If you want to drink water, you may have to ask for it, except in the more expensive restaurants. Tap water is safe anywhere, but you can request bottled water if you prefer the taste.

Eggs
The waiter at a restaurant will ask you, "How do you want your eggs?" Your answer can include any one of a wide range of possibilities: boiled, fried, scrambled, or poached; with or without ham or bacon or sausage. You also indicate the number of eggs you want. Most Americans consider one or two eggs normal. Boiled eggs are emptied into a cup — rarely, if ever, eaten out of the shell. Fried eggs may be "sunny-side up," meaning fried on one side only (with the yellow face showing);"over," meaning well fried on both sides; or "over easy," meaning fried lightly on both sides.

The addition of one or two slices of bacon, ham, or sausage may be quite expensive. Take a look at the price on the menu before ordering. Usually a listed breakfast is less expensive than ordering side dishes.

French Fries and Coleslaw
French fries are fried potatoes — usually sliced thinly like Belgian fritte, but sometimes they are sliced into wedges more like British "chips." You often get them with a meal whether you order them or not. The same is true of coleslaw — sliced cabbage and mayonnaise. If these are served with the meal, there is no extra charge for them.

Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
Usually hot dogs (frankfurters) are eaten in a long bread roll. The meat can be either beef or pork. You have your choice of adding tomato ketchup (spiced tomato sauce), mustard, pickle, relish, or onion (chopped and raw). Some people put all of these on at once! There is no charge for such condiments.

Hamburgers are one of the few purely American dishes. They are the staple of the fast-food chains (McDonald's, for example) and vary significantly in quality from restaurant to restaurant. They are supposed to be made of pure beef, with varying percentages of fat, though sometimes soybeans are mixed in with the meat. In both restaurants and fast-food places, unless you specify what you don't want, your burger usually comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and a mayonnaise-type sauce.

Generally speaking, American food is considered rather bland by those accustomed to hot or spicy cuisines. Salads are very popular and are served all year round. Many people in this country have become weight and calorie conscious and are trying to keep down their weight. This is evident in menus offering low calorie (or in many cases, low carbohydrate) or "weight watchers" meals. Grocery stores now offer a huge array of low-fat, "light," no-fat, or "low-carb" foods, from ice cream to soup to snack foods. "Diet" drinks (meaning without sugar but full of artificial sweeteners) such as ginger ale or cola are also popular. If you do not want low-calorie items, read the labels carefully to avoid disappointing choices.

Waiters in restaurants tend to assume that everyone drinks coffee, especially at breakfast and after dinner, but you do not have to do so! Some people drink coffee (regular or decaffeinated) or tea with their meal; others drink wine or just water. When dining out, you can ask for tea, milk, soda, beer, wine, or water if you prefer these to coffee. Restaurants cannot serve beer, wine, or liquor unless they are licensed to do so. Normally, when eating in a home, it is considered polite to drink whatever is being served and not to ask for something different — unless the host gives you a choice or unless you prefer water.

The main course in American meals is usually meat, fowl, or fish, but rarely is more than one of these served at the same meal (except that sea - food can be used as an appetizer — shrimp cocktail, steamed clams, pickled herring, or smoked oysters, for example).

Most Americans eat quickly during the day — that is, breakfast and lunch — unless it is a social, business, or family occasion. Racing through daytime meals is part of the fast pace described earlier. Lunch breaks at work are limited to a half hour or an hour. There is also another reason for eating fast — others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so they too can be served and get back to work on time. Each one hurries to make room for the next person. The evening meal, however, is usually leisurely and a family time — unless, of course, there are children (especially teenagers) involved in sports or other late-afternoon activities.

There is a real difference in leisure and timing here between a meal that is "social," meaning shared and enjoyed, and one that is "just a meal."

Some people from other countries — and also some in the United States — are opposed to tipping, considering it undemocratic and demeaning. Furthermore, it is illogical — waiters, porters, and hairdressers are tipped, while airline attendants, store clerks, and insurance agents are not. Many feel that people should receive an adequate salary rather than tips.

However you feel about this, the fact is that in the United States many people do depend to a large extent on tips for their livelihood. In some fields of work, wages are simply not adequate. The theory is that by compensating people through tips rather than on a straight salary, you encourage good service. Although that is debatable, the system prevails.

You do not have to tip. If you are dissatisfied with service, you can show it by reducing or withholding a tip. But generally speaking, tipping is expected in the United States. It is a way of saying thank you to people who provide services for you. One exception to this is in a restaurant when your party is a large one. Very often a flat 15 percent gratuity is added to your bill. Check carefully in order to avoid tipping twice.

People You Tip in the United States
Waiters, taxi drivers, porters, doormen, hat-and-coat-check attendants, and delivery people should all be tipped. You also tip for personal services from barbers, shoe shiners, hair stylists (or beauticians), and so on. Parking lot attendants should be tipped only if they have parked your car or brought it for you.

Unfortunately, many employers of these workers underpay, considering tips to be part of the wages. If you do not tip, therefore, you are depriving the worker of needed income.

People You do Not Tip
Customs officials or other government employees, such as police officers or firefighters. This is considered bribery.

Postal employees and other commercial delivery people. Although mail deliverers are not tipped, people often give them a gift around the winter holidays of five to ten dollars. The same goes for package delivery service drivers (such as United Parcel Service and Federal Express if you receive regular packages from them), as well as newspaper deliverers.

Airline flight attendants or ticket agents.

Room clerks or people at hotel desks (unlike the European concierge system).

Bus drivers. If, however, they also serve as guides on guided tours, then give them a few dollars and thank them as you leave.

Store clerks.

Gas station attendants.

Elevator operators, receptionists, or telephone operators.

Employees in private clubs.

Theater or movie ushers.

Normal Tips
Tipping customs and amounts vary considerably from one part of the United States to another, as well as from small towns to large cities. When you are settled in your area, you should ask about this locally.

To put newcomers at ease during their initial few days, the following guidelines are offered.

Porters. A dollar or two per bag is customary. Some people tip more if the bags are heavy and difficult to handle.

Taxi drivers. The driver will expect 15 to 20 percent. If there are several of you, or if you have a lot of luggage, give at least 20 percent. In some cities there is an extra charge for each passenger. Such variations are posted in the cab.

Waiters. Give at least 15 to 20 percent to the waiter. A service charge is generally not included in the bill. Give the waiter more if you are particularly satisfied with the service, have asked for extras, had a large group, or requested help in understanding the menu or in serving young children; in other words, if you have received more than normal service. If you are part of a group of six or more, a 15 percent gratuity is generally added to your bill. As in other countries, tips are naturally higher in finer restaurants. In such a place your tip for the waiter should not be less than 20 percent. If you order wine, the wine steward may expect a tip as well as the waiter. In a low-priced diner or cafe, the tip is about 10 percent, or at least a dollar per person or a quarter under your plate for just a cup of coffee or tea. If you order room service in a hotel, 15 to 20 percent of the bill is proper.

Doormen. For normal daily services, you do not tip except when they call a taxi for you. Then give them a couple of dollars. If they help with a great deal of luggage at any time, give them three to five dollars, depending on the amount of trouble taken. Most people give the doormen of their apartment houses occasional tips — ranging from one to five dollars — for any extra services they may perform, for special occasions, or for a good many small services done over a considerable length of time (that have gone untipped). This is not required, but it helps to keep service friendly and helpful.

Personal services. It is hard to give a rule of thumb as to how much to tip barbers, hairdressers, delivery people, parking lot attendants, the maid who looks after your hotel room, and other people who serve you. Rates vary, depending on the part of the country, how much service they have given, and other factors. The best advice is to ask locally, though if you ask four or five people in your office, at a party, or in your neighborhood about tipping, you will undoubtedly receive varied answers. If you cannot find anyone to ask easily, you can say directly to the person involved, "I would like to give you something extra for your service but I am a stranger here. What is the normal tip?" Almost surely you will get a big smile and an honest answer.

The holidays. The winter holidays are special — and expensive. Here are some suggestions. If you live in an apartment house where there are doormen, give each one of them a gift of ten dollars or more during the holidays. The amount will vary, depending on how long you have been living there, the size of your family, and how many other tips you have given throughout the year. Also, the superintendent of your apartment house should receive a gift of twenty dollars or more. If there are other service people such as trash collectors, porters, or telephone operators, you may also want to give them five dollars or so. Holiday tips are also sometimes given to the tradespeople one sees regularly — the laundry attendant, newspaper deliverer, parking lot attendant, hairdresser, or barber. These tips are flexible, depending on how often they have served you and on your financial situation. But if you feel friendly toward them, three to five dollars in a holiday card would be much appreciated by any of these people who have worked for you throughout the year.

There are several ways to send money to someone in another country. If time is important, you may make arrangements at your bank by asking them to send a "wire transfer" to a bank in another country. If there is no urgency, some banks will make less expensive transfers by letters to foreign banks. If you want the bank to notify the receiver of the funds, be sure to tell them that person's address. In order to receive transferred funds, the person will have to present himself or herself at the overseas bank with proper identification.

Money can also be sent abroad through the U.S. Postal Service