I think one of the most identifiable aspects of American culture is the fast pace of life that many U.S. Citizens live; this often applies to multiple facets of one’s lifestyle including their work-life, eating/dining, traveling, communicating, etc. Americans value convenience, and often convenience comes with the expectation that things will be done for you in a timely manner. This aspect of American culture is omnipresent in our lives, and often hard to avoid. We tend to expect quick responses to inquiries, to get our food only minutes after the order is placed, find shortcuts to get to our destination on time, prioritize texting and online ordering over interacting in-person, and our jobs tend to expect turnarounds on projects or assignments in short windows in order to increase productivity. I think at times, the fast-paced lifestyle of the States is helpful due to its convenience. Usually, you can rely on the fact that you can get one point (whether literally or metaphorically) to another in a short time, especially by cutting out ‘unnecessary’ variables. For instance, most Americans rely on cars as their primary mode of travel, rather than public transportation, walking or biking. By using car, individuals can essentially control when they get from one point to another as long as they leave on-time, rather than depending on the irregularities of public transport which sometimes can prolong a trip’s length due to the number of travelers, or the stops the bus or train has to take along the way. Similarly, Americans also tend to prefer multitasking over doing one thing at a time in order to get tasks done quicker. In particular, many Americans may prefer to get lunch at a fast-food restaurant, and then eat as they are driving home or back to work, or, sometimes, during lunch breaks, some Americans will eat as they continue to work, not taking their given break. These examples are, of course, generalizations. However, I tend to notice these habits as normal as someone who grew up in the States, and there is a widely acknowledged pace of life that tends to move quicker than other countries, and its even woven into some of our cultural centers (e.g The City That Never Sleeps: New York City). I imagine that many cultures from outside the United States may view this cultural aspect in a negative light, especially for those who assume a slower, leisurely pace of life. For instance, Europe, even though many countries in the EU are a part of the ‘First World’ tend to prioritize a slower pace of life, including elongated meals, taking long holidays from work, establishing a stricter work-life balance which may not require 40+ hour work weeks or early days. Due to this difference in pace of life, outsiders to US culture likely perceive the rushed way of living to be detrimental to ones physical and emotional health, or that it encroaches on other important aspects of life (spending time with family, finding balance between work and leisure etc). I also assume, however, that some people outside of the US may view our pace of life to be more efficient, no matter the costs of such a way of living. Especially as I am preparing to live in Italy, where the pace of life is definitively slower (meals take longer and are not rushed, leisure is prioritized, clothes are dried in the sun rather than in electric dryers etc.) this reflection on this particular aspect of US culture was important. I think when I arrive in Italy I’ll be shocked in a way of the way that locals live their lives, and how they move through each day. I anticipate that I’ll also be frustrated at times that things do not move as quickly as I’m used to them doing so. I think this frustration will be most present (if I’m being honest) when I’m washing my clothes. My apartment will not have a dryer, so I will have to hang up my clothes outdoors in order for them to dry, which will take hours (even days) longer than I’m used to. Despite these changes, I am excited to be challenged in my new setting and to learn more about the lifestyle of Italy and the rest of Europe, and hopefully to bring some of the habits I pick up home with me to the US.
