30+ Behaviors That Are Only Acceptable in the U.S. According to Non-Americans

Ideas about what polite behavior means vary widely from place to place. In many places, making polite small talk with a stranger, perhaps while waiting for an elevator, feels invasive and annoying. In others, just ignoring someone who’s also waiting for the elevator feels rude and awkward.

Even within the USA, though, there are different ideas about what’s polite. In certain parts of the East Coast, people you meet are cordial but often not friendly. In certain parts of the South, every stranger you meet wants to chat like you’re best friends. And in LA, a stranger probably just wants to tell you all about the screenplay they’re writing.