Country: USA (United States of America)
The great difficulty of describing America (or "The States") is that there is no single culture of Americans; you can describe the constitution, the courts, popular culture movements, the education system, but there will always be some other unexpected layer of America to explore.
America is a series of complex descriptors that vary from the geographical to the political, from the occupational to the musical. It's tough to know what the "normal" thing is in America (at least in the big cities) but that also makes it a little easier: with so many different cultures you're bound to find an interesting one.
Best pop culture to learn about American Culture?
King of the Hill (Texas), Office Space (Corporate Culture), Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
What's up with their system of measurements?
The United States uses a system of measurement based on the English Units used during the British Empire. United States customary system measures length using inches, feet, yards, and miles to name a few. For liquid volume you might find terms like dram, teaspoon, tablespoon, ounces, & gallon. For help making conversions, use this Unit Converter.
Most popular song?
What languages are spoken?
A good majority of people living in the Unites States speak English, with Spanish being the second most common language. However, it depends on where you are staying. In a city, you will hear many different languages spoken where as in a rural town, you may hear one to two different languages.
Overview
America is definitely not a mono-culture; it can be overwhelming to adjust to not just one culture, but potentially hundreds as you encounter many immigrants and even natives with wildly differing opinions on what is “normal”.
There are also 4 time zones in the contiguous United States, which can make cross-country collaboration tricky if you don’t account for it.
Households
It’s not a universal custom to remove shoes when visiting someone’s house in America; make sure to check in with your host, as removing shoes or keeping them on when entering can be equally as embarrassing.
Front lawns and grass are common in the US, especially in suburban areas. A common stereotype is an old guy yelling “get off my lawn!”
Child Supervision
It’s generally expected that anyone under the age of 16 (and definitely primary school-aged children) will be supervised; it is very uncommon to see children out by themselves without a parent unless waiting at a bus stop or near a house.
Electronics
The United States uses 110 -120 volt plugs. You might need an adapter!
Paying for Things
While cash is still used it is becoming less common; many electronic payment methods, however, come with extra charges to be wary of.
Many services have “hidden” fees or unexpected charges. If an itemized bill is available, check it over!
Most businesses do not include taxes on price tags or signs, and most states have a sales tax that is only applied once you’re at checkout.
Restaurants
America has a funny relationship with customer service; Americans generally expect above and beyond service from their wait staff, and it’s usually expected that customers tip (even if you considered the service “bad”).
Food portions are generally large, especially at diner-style restaurants.
Visitors often remark on the sugar content of American food; things that are sugary are more sugary, and some things that are not sugary in other countries are sweet (bread, for example).
American foods are often high in animal protein and carbohydrates (burgers are probably the most American food out there, and vegetables are often optional on a cheeseburger).
Getting around
Public transportation will vary widely in terms of availability and quality; large metropolitan areas will usually have good coverage, but this is not universal (Los Angeles, for example, is getting better but is not yet good in terms of its transportation network). Some areas are almost impossible to navigate without a car or some kind of ride-share.
Bicycles are possible, but with a pervasive car culture, it can be something of a gamble as far as safety is concerned. The availability of bike lanes and bike racks will vary across cities and businesses.
Police and Gun Culture
American Police almost universally carry guns; this can be shocking for people from the UK, for example, where armed police are a rarity.
There are parts of the United States where it’s legal to carry a rifle or handgun as long as it’s visible to the public; though rare, it’s not impossible to see armed civilians in shopping areas.
Subcultures and Tattoos
There are many subcultures in the US, and it’s not always clear to outsiders which ones are dangerous; tattoos, heavy facial piercings, and dyed/colored hair are not signs of criminality or delinquency by default. Punk, Goth, Cottagecore, Streetwear, or any number of other fashion/lifestyle trends are seen as “normal” or at least “non-threatening” (although some would disagree with that about “Cottagecore”).