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LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES
Units
The United States still clings onto its own set of units, so you will need to keep (at least) the following conversion factors in mind:
Length / Distance
1 mile = 1.609 kilometers
1 mile = 5280 feet
1 foot = 12 inches
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
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Mass
1 pound = 0.4536 kilogram
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Volume
1 gallon = 3.786 liters
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 Legalities
In the United States you must be 21 years-old to buy or drink alcohol.
Currency
The US form of currency is the dollar, which is also known (in slang) as "a buck". It is available in the following denominations:
$1, you can buy a large chocolate bar (shown at right)
$5, you can buy a meal at McDonalds (shown at right)
$10, you can get a cheap haircut (shown at right)
$20, you can buy a really nice T-shirt (shown at right)
$50, you can buy a decent pair of shoes
$100, you can buy an inexpensive stereo
The US coins may be harder to memorize:
$0.01 = 1 Cents = A penny (top left)
$0.05 = 5 Cents = A nickel (bottom left)
$0.10 = 10 Cents = A dime (top right)
$0.25 = 25 Cents = A quarter (bottom right)
Tipping
It is custom to tip (add gratuity) in the following situations:
| Restaurant, the waiter, waitress, or bartender |
15% - 20% of the price of the meal |
| Airport/Hotel, the porter |
$1 - $2 per bag |
| Taxi |
10%-15% of the fare |
DO NOT tip any officials, such as the police or any other government employees. You also do not have to tip bus drivers, sales people, or receptionists.
Groceries
You can expect food at the local grocery store to be priced as following:
| Milk, one gallon |
$2-$3 |
| Eggs, one dozen |
$1 |
| Meat (per pound), Chicken |
$1-$3 |
| Meat (per pound), Pork |
$2-$4 |
| Meat (per pound), Beef |
$2-$4+ |
| Produce (per pound) |
$1-$2 |
Greeting People
American names are written and spoken with the given name first and the family name last. So John Smith’s family name is Smith, not John.
In a formal setting, address men as “mister”, married women as “Misses”, and unmarried women as “Miss”. Many women prefer to be addressed as “Miss”. If the person has an M.D. or Ph. D., they will often be addressed as “Doctor”.
In America, we typically say “Hi” or “Hello” as well as a short greeting such as “How are you?” when someone greets you. This is a just a greeting question, so the person asking the question is generally not expecting specifics into your health. When being introduced to someone it is appropriate to shake hands with both men and women.
Additional Information:
The Army's International Student Guide
IAESTE Survival Guide
This is a very comprehensive survival guide put together by another LC in the USA, UW-IAESTE. The site covers important topics such as culture, transportation, finance, communications, and health. Some of the information is specific to their area (Wisconsin) so it won't apply to you here.
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