r/IWantToAskAnAmerican

I know its probably very location dependent, but even in states like Texas are people casually wearing cowboy hats, or is that more of a TV cliché?

Got questions about America’s gun culture, history, advice, laws etc but never knew who to ask? Ask away.

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curious how actually goes for people day to day. is it waiting weeks to get an appointment, refills getting stuck between the pharmacy and the doctor's office, insurance stuff, something else? would love to hear real stories

I am curious to understand US workplace norms. I am European and from where l come from flirting is the norm.
So I sometimes flirt, but I don’t want to mistake friendliness for interest or make anyone uncomfortable. I’d like to understand what makes an interaction feel flirtatious rather than simply friendly?
If you flirt with coworkers, is it mostly verbal or nonverbal or both ? How do you tell whether it’s welcome?
How do you usually communicate that you’re not interested? Do you say it directly, or keep things polite and strictly professional?
What signals do you interpret as a “no” or a reason to back off, even if the person hasn’t explicitly said they’re not interested?
I know this varies by person and workplace, and that being polite doesn’t necessarily mean someone is interested. I’m curious about your experiences. Thanks!

Something I’ve always found interesting is how often American politicians get asked about Israel, whether they support it, what their stance on it is, or whether they would visit the country.

What confuses me even more is that this happens even when someone is running for a local position, like mayor or city council, where you’d think the focus would be on things like housing, schools, crime, and other local issues.

As someone looking at American politics from the outside, I’m curious about why Israel comes up so often, even in elections that have little to do with foreign policy.

Is there a particular reason for this? Is it about the influence of certain lobbying groups, voters caring deeply about the issue, or something else entirely?

I've been super depressed lately and I get the feeling you guys are too.

It can be an album, a book, a movie, a sports game, someone's birthday etc. it can literally be anything.

What is something that makes you think "you know what? I can't miss out on that, I have to keep going"

And why? Please be nice to each other.

I’m incredibly excited to announce that I am currently writing my book:
Somalian and the Promise Land 🇺🇸.

This project is a deeply personal exploration of resilience, the immigrant journey, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Putting these experiences into words has been a powerful process, and I cannot wait to share this story with all of you.
I’m writing this book because narratives about us—like the concerns raised by
@realDonaldTrump
about our community here in Minnesota—only tell a tiny fraction of a much larger story.
Mr. President, I want to show you, and everyone else, the true heart of the Somali-American experience. We are a community built on faith, tireless hard work, entrepreneurship, and a deep, genuine love for the American promise. We aren’t here to destroy; we came here fleeing chaos to help build, protect, and cherish this great nation as our own 'Promise Land.'
I hope this story can serve as a bridge—proving that the American Dream is still very much alive, and that we are proud to be a part of it.
Stay tuned for more updates as this vision comes to life! 📖✍️
#SomalianAndThePromiseLand #AmericanDream #Minnesota #WritingCommunity #BridgeTheDivide #AmWriting
📖✍️ #SomalianAndThePromiseLand🇺🇸#WritingCommunity #AmericanDream

German here with a very important question 😂 I've seen the whole “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” thing and various cowboy-hat rules in books/media, and I'm wondering how much of this actually exists in real life

If a woman wears a cowboy hat, is there actually any kind of flirtatious meaning attached to it? Or is that basically just country-music/Western-romance nonsense?

And if you're Texan and actually wear cowboy hats: what are some things about cowboy hats that outsiders completely get wrong?

edit:

Oh I'm so sorry 😭 I probably worded that question wrong the first time...you know how in books it's the whole "you wear someone else's hat → you like them" thing? I'm just curious to know if that's true or just straight up media bullshit

every time i walk into an american store or go through a checkout line, the worker immediately hits me with "hey how’s it going!" or "find everything alright today?"

i know it’s just friendly customer service, but whenever it happens my mind completely blanks. i try to reply with something casual, but i end up stumbling over my words, butchering my pronunciation, and freezing up because im so self conscious about my heavy accent.

do americans actually care what u say back, or do u all just say "good how are u" on autopilot and move on? also how do non native speakers build confidence to handle fast, random small talk in public without overthinking every single word?

Was he great? Was he horrible?

Ive seen multiple videos on YouTube that says he is proto-maga. Has his make America great again speech too.

For some reason I have always associated these cooking ingredients with New England. Someone suggested to me once that I am subconsciously associating these items with New England because New England is famous for Fall and these cooking items are also associated with Fall. But I also understand that Connecticut residents are called "Nutmeggers"? Some of my ancestors were from New England so maybe it's a heritage thing lol

Idk maybe I'm weird but I live in Pennsylvania and yesterday was the last "summer" weather and by next Saturday temps will be below 70 till next year. I just find it a little sad the summer is over and now the cold is coming even though I know I wouldn't survive in the extreme heat and humidity in the southern states. Just a bit melancholy. Does anybody else feel the same way.

Assuming the language barrier was a non-issue

hi how are you best friends