An aspect of U.S. culture that I would like to focus on is the “to-go” concept. Very often in the U.S., we find ourselves grabbing food or drinks to go when we are on the run. For instance, if we are on the way to work we might stop by a fast food restaurant to eat on our way. Many people will grab to-go regularly instead of sitting down to dine.
This aspect of U.S. culture, I find a lot of people including myself save a lot of time when I am in a rush and cannot sit down to eat. Although it is useful to be able to grab food on the way, it also represents how much of a rush we are always in. Sometimes, it is nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a meal before going somewhere but I think a lot of people like to eat in their own homes as well. I believe this concept of to-go has changed since the pandemic because more people want to eat in their own homes than in a restaurant with others surrounding them. Take out/to-go food was very useful and popular during the pandemic.
Someone outside of U.S. culture would possibly view this aspect as annoying because we are always in a rush. However, they could also look at this aspect as efficient because we are doing two things at once. They could also find it interesting because maybe they are used to dining in at restaurants instead of taking food home to eat.
This exercise helps prepare me for my time abroad because I have looked at an aspect of U.S. culture that may seem odd or different to others. There will be many aspects of London culture that I will experience and have a different opinion on but I will learn to appreciate the differences. From this exercise, I have learned to not judge other cultures for what they are instead I will learn to appreciate them and their differences.