Good to know about United States of America
Table of contents
Food and drink
While you can find any cuisine you desire in the United States, there are some culinary highlights that are well worth mentioning.
In America's Southwest, the fusion between Mexican and American food has created Tex-Mex, hearty and spicy food full of sweetcorn, tortillas, barbecued meats, and traditional herbs such as cilantro.
In California, the trend has for a long time been a style called California fusion. This is a mix between cuisines from around the world, but centered on fresh and healthy ingredients. In this regard, it is somewhat similar to Modern European in that it often uses locally grown foods and takes its inspiration from traditional dishes.
Pizza. While this dish was born in Italy, it came of age in New York City and Chicago. The two cities created pizza pies as distinctive as themselves, with New York opting for a thin crust, which is quite crisp, and Chicago came up with a double-crust pizza with two layers of filling! There's no question that the NYC version is healthier, but both types have fervent devotees, making pizza a sensitive subject for inhabitants of these cities.
Southern cooking is flavorful and notoriously unhealthy, with corn dogs, chicken-fried steak, barbecue beans, and green beans a staple. You can eat this way, and keep your figure, just not for very long!
Luisiana, with its history of mixing French and Caribbean influences, has its Creole foods. These include delicious stews like jambalaya, gumbo, and of course the po' boy sandwiches.
Etiquette in USA
Americans are renowned for their openness and friendliness to visitors. The wide variety of national origins and the USA's relatively short history has resulted in numerous cultural and traditional customs living alongside each other. In large cities, people of the same ethnic background often live within defined communities.
Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. A relaxed and informal atmosphere is usually the norm. As long as the fundamental rules of courtesy are observed, there need be no fear of offending anyone of any background. Gifts are appreciated if one is invited to a private home. As a rule, dress is casual. High-end restaurants, hotels and clubs may require more formal attire.
Smoking is increasingly unpopular in the US; it is essential to ask permission before lighting up. Smoking is not allowed on city transport and restricted or forbidden in public buildings in most states. There will be a posted notice where no smoking is requested. An increasing number of states (including California and New York) have banned smoking altogether in bars, restaurants and many public places.
Dining etiquette
- Never arrive early to a dinner party
- If you are offered a second helping of food, feel free to take as much as you want. Americans like people to eat well.
General etiquette
- "See you later," is just a farewell expression; it doesn't mean anything. Same with "How are you?" ("Fine!" "Great!" "Doing well" are the only appropriate responses.)
- Smile. Americans like to smile and be smiled at.
- Try to avoid silence; it makes Americans uncomfortable.
Tipping in U.S.A.
Tipping in America is a confusing subject for foreigners, as it seems that everyone has their hand out for a dollar bill or two... or more.
Here are some simple rules of thumb:
- Tip your waiter or waitress 15% for service as expected, more for better service. Your tips are part of their wages, and they rely on them to eat themselves.
- Tip porters, cab drivers, etc a couple of dollars. More if it's a really upscale place.
Money and costs
The only common currency used is the U.S. dollar (USD), though some merchants near the Canadian border will take Canadian dollars. The US dollar is divided into 100 cents (¢). Coins come in denominations of 1¢ (penny), 5¢ (nickel), 10¢ (dime), 25¢ (quarter), the seldom-seen 50¢ (half-dollar) and the $1 coin. Bills come in $1, $2 (rare), $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations.
ATMs (cash machines) are available all day and night at banks, shopping centers, grocery stores, casinos, and airports. Normally, it will cost $1 to $3 to withdraw cash unless your home back is affiliated with the bank operating the ATM. The exchange rates using ATMs are as good as you'll get anywhere.
Credit cards are used everywhere. Often, you'll actually have to have one, for example when renting a car or booking flights. Bring at least one card with you when visiting the country. Keep a copy of your card separate from the card, so you can report the card stolen should it happen. Then call your credit card company right away:
American Express, 1-800-528-4800, www.americanexpress.com
Diners Club, 1-800-234-6377, www.dinersclub.com
Discover, 1-800-347-2683, www.discovercard.com
MasterCard, 1-800-622-7747, www.mastercard.com
Visa, 1-800-847-2911, www.visa.com
Sales tax varies by state and county, check out state sales taxes at Sales Tax Clearinghouse. Hotel taxes vary by city.
Costs
It's very easy to overspend on an American vacation, no matter what your original budget is. The way you travel and your destination is a deciding factor, as U.S. cities can strip your wallet in hours. You'll have to go to extremes to have a budget of less than $100 per day and most visitors should count on spending about $175 to $250 per day. That will cover you for a rental car, gas, food, a decent hotel, and some sights. Going over $300 is simple, just splash out a bit or stay in one of the major cities.
Hotels will cost from $80 for a midrange room. In some cities, count on spending $200 just to get a clean room (New York, we're looking at you), but in the rural areas $100 will get you a great room. Watch out for some motel's 'bargain' offers, $39 will be for single occupancy only and won't include taxes.
Camping or hostels are about $15 to $25 per night, and combined with self catering and travel by bus it's your best option for a real budget trip.
Car rental starts around $40 per day and if you're roadtripping, gas will be another $20 to $40 each day.
Tipping is standard practice across America and in city restaurants, 15% of the bill is expected. A bit less is fine if it's a very casual place, but higher end venues will expect at least 20%. Bartenders expect $1 per drink. Taxi drivers and hairdressers expect 10% to 15%. Skycaps at airports and porters at posh hotels expect $1 a bag or so. It’s polite to leave a few dollars for the hotel maid, especially if you spend several nights.
Visas
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart above; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy.
Visas are required by all visitors except citizens of countries taking part in the Visa Waiver Program. A visa costs $131. All travelers should apply at their local U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Visas can take a long time to be issued, so planning well in advance is highly recommended.
ESTA,The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.
In-depth explanation how ESTA works.
While travelers with HIV used to have a really hard time getting U.S. visas, the restrictions have been eased since January 2010. A decision still has to be made by a consular officer, but this is now at the discretion of the officer carrying our the visa interview, not the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which speeds things up.
Health and safety
Make sure that your travel insurance is current, as health care in the United States is both excellent and terribly expensive. Also make sure that you have a note of your insurance provider's phone number to call in the U.S. should you need to visit a hospital.
America is mostly safe for visitors, and your greatest risk is petty crime and car accidents. And like anywhere, bring your wits with you, and lock away your valuables in the hotel safe.
Emergency phone numbers
For most emergencies you'll come across as a visitor, call 911 as soon as you can and request the necessary services such as the police or fire department.
