The mainstream paints an idealistic picture of this Western country, which people in developing and under-developed nations romanticize.

In reality, the United States is quite different. Some things are good, others aren’t.

Here are some facts about the United States do foreigners not believe until they come to America:

• There’s poverty. Yes, you will find a lot of poor and homeless people in the USA, the richest nation in the world.

(Courtesy: UN Dispatch)

• The country has its share of religious fanaticism. Not everyone is an atheist. In fact, not everyone is laid back about religion. They believe in god. They pray. They are quite religious.

• Black people do encounter racism regularly. White supremacists still exist.

• It’s common for women to get cat-called. There are a few pockets in cities that are supposed to be avoided to avoid this.

(Courtesy: Bustle)

• There are many states where women aren’t as safe as it looks. There are risks roaming around at night. (Although, you would feel much, much safer there as compared to Indian cities.)

• Police patrol everywhere. This adds to security.

• Americans are very patriot. You will see American flags everywhere.

(Courtesy: All Star Flags)

• Trains are costlier vs. flights.

• The country is more diverse than you may imagine. Everywhere you will find people from different cultural backgrounds.

• Not every teenage girl is having sex and getting pregnant.

• You must give the tip everywhere. If not, you would look rude. (Much similar to how it is in European nations.)

• A lot of people are very health conscious. You will always find people running/jogging around.

(Courtesy: Framepool)

• Cabs are expensive. Like very expensive.

• You will encounter unfriendly experiences. But in large, Americans are quite friendly; like you see in the movies. They would be happy to help you.

• Everyone uses GPS. So, if you’re a tourist, you won’t be alone walking around, trying to figure out which is the right direction.

• You will discover street art in every corner of big cities.

• They waste A LOT of things – from foods to water to electricity.

• If you don’t have the insurance, the medical cost will burn your pockets.

• In general, unless you’ve encountered a drunk or lunatic, people are respectful to each other. No matter what the person’s job is, everyone will treat them well.

(Courtesy: Totstoo)

• Staring at someone is considered rude. (In India, staring is almost a default response.)

• Public transport isn’t as robust as you would think it would be.

• The tall buildings you see in movies that America has? Yes, they are only in select cities and not everywhere.

• You won’t find bikes/motorcycles on the road. Very few people ride bikes.

• Serving size of meals is huge. For example, one pizza there could make 2-3 pizzas in India.

(Courtesy: Pinterest)

Of course, there are plenty more facts about the United States do foreigners not believe until they come to America.

These are what I could come up with.

(Note: Things mentioned-above might vary among cities. Plus, some of them are quite subjective; meaning, different people might interpret them differently based on their experiences and understanding.)