What is a sign someone has assimilated into American culture?

48 comments

1. They are no longer tempted by the false god known as “soccer”.

2. they eat the burger

3. They complain about traffic and other drivers rather than how driving here is different or that there’s little/no public transportation.

4. They have a favorite college football team. My SIL married a guy from Manchester. He now knows the most minute detail about the Auburn Tigers.

5. A few things of the “Theys” as I like to call this list:

   1. They start tipping

   2. They Stop Smoking

   3. Optional, but they start getting into guns.

   4. They shop at H-E-B (at least in Texas)

   5. They go out more.

   6. They start feeling American

   7. They start waving the American Flag

   8. They start Barbecuing more often.

   9. They get into sports and pick a team

   10. They start watching more TV

   Edit:

   11. They start to enjoy driving more!

   If you have anything else to add to the list of “Theys”, Be sure to comment!

6. They start to think of themselves as an American, and not a foreigner among Americans.

7. When I started saying y’all unironically I knew it was all over for me

8. They dream in American.

9. They become uncomfortable when they are away from home and do not have a car

10. When they start complaining about how other groups are ruining the country.

11. When they stop believing the bad stereotypes that we are known for.

    Or they embrace the stereotypes. Both work.

12. There’s so many different cultures, I’m not sure there’s an official state when one is assimilated. Our cultures are similar enough that we’re one people, a Nation-State if you’re familiar with political science terms, but there’s still a stark difference between different places. I still haven’t assimilated into Utah culture in the 4 years I’ve been here and I don’t think I ever will.

    I like the other person’s response of once they self-describe as “American,” but I’d even argue “I’m Columbian-American” as opposed to “I’m Columbian” is still someone who is assimilated since they view America as part of their identity even if it’s not all of it.

    I was always taught diversity is part of the American culture, even that it’s a culture salad instead of a melting pot because even the very different parts of a salad still work well together without losing their clear differences like in a melting pot, so even if that’s a bit of wishful thinking, I’d like to make that our future even if it’s not our present. I don’t want to live in an America where one must deny their culture to become an American.

13. If they’ve adopted basic unwritten rules of American etiquette and are able to navigate American social settings without outing themselves as a foreigner (aside from a possible accent).

14. You start bitching about the roads.

15. They start trashing Europe.

16. When you aren’t noticeably different in social cues and behaviours. If you blend in youve assimilated. If you stand out fighting the system in meaningless ways because xxxxx does it better then you a clearly not assimilated. I clarified because saying they fight the system makes it sound antiprotest and while most Americans don’t use it and don’t use it right when they do the right to protest is literally constitutionally protected. If you do it right no one can stop you. Most people don’t do it right sadly. There is something to be said for the effectiveness of riots and other against the rules protest styles though in that they’re effective short term at the cost of reputation.

17. They smile more

18. They lean on stuff and small talk the weather?

19. Taking the oath during the naturalization ceremony. It’s amazing to watch.

    And NOTHING is more American than adding your own individual flavor from your culture to our melting pot of cultures.

20. They realize only one country could have created this ad.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JJmqCKtJnxM

21. Honestly?

    When they stop caring if they’re American enough and just start living their own unique life, taking advantage of all the opportunities the country offers, integrating their culture within the larger culture(s) of their region.

    There is no single “true American”. That’s what makes the USA great.

22. They start talking like us and using our local slangs

23. Your kids marry someone who isn’t from your home country and you don’t care.

24. They don’t add the “u” to “color” and they say “zee” instead of “zed”

25. Culture varies a lot by region, so maybe if they start taking on some regional specific habits/words and such. Like where I live, if I heard an ‘ope’ come out of an immigrants mouth, I’d be like, ope, they’ve been here a while

26. In middle school, my best friend of 8 years was Indian. I don’t know if he was born here or not, but even though his parents were fresh off the boat and still retained many aspects of their Hindu and Indian background, he had no accent. He talked like us, had fun like us, played the same games as us, lived like us.

    To assimilate doesn’t mean to forget your heritage, but rather adopting and incorporating the old into the new.

    And to answer the question, a sign of when someone has assimilated well is when you forget they weren’t always here.

27. When they care about the local sports teams

28. When you finally understand the humor in Elf and Southpark

29. They don’t wear socks with flip flops.

30. Not American (yet), but I spent a considerable amount of time living in US.

    When I move back home I did not realized it’s strange to strike up conversation with strangers on the streets, until a lady told me so, she must have thought I was about to rob her or something.

    Also, saying thank you to waiter/waitress, I still keep that habit today, it’s just a polite thing to do and I hope other people in my country would do the same.

31. They have pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast and a glass of orange juice

32. Costco membership

33. They offer to take your shooting on Saturday morning before tailgating at a football game.

34. They start using contractions.

35. When the go “Bro! Have a good one!”

36. They bought a Ford Fuckin Ranger.

37. If they migrated here legally, they sometimes get this superiority complex and complain about undocumented immigrants.

38. They turn anti-immigrant as soon as they gain citizenship

    Source: have met much too many like this

39. When I can only get off if I think about the American flag, tears streaming down my face as I bust because it’s so beautiful.

    Then I go clean my guns with a cheeseburger

40. My dad is a perfect example. He grew up in Bavaria Germany and as kids we would go to German culture events in Chicago, but my dad always has an American flag and today, there is not way you would know he’s German by speaking to him. My stepmom I full on American and he is extremely patriotic. My wife is Serbian and her family is less assimilated

41. “Bring a jacket, it’s 40 degrees out.”

42. Puns.

    Puns are a sign of mastery of a language an culture.

    When you can pull off a terrible pun and everyone near you groans you’re doing well.

    When they miss it entirely, you’re assimilated.

43. When they start to enjoy Kraft singles and Eazy Cheese

44. They have a favorite Girl Scout cookie.

45. When someone is no longer fixated on talking about how much *better* everything is in their home country. This food is so much better, this behavior is more widespread, this value is so much more important, etc. There’s a big difference between appreciating and missing your home country, and making everything a competition in order to put down America(ns).

46. Can describe something using feet, miles, and Fahrenheit without making any kind of editorial about how hard it is to convert or how it’s different everywhere else.

47. When they identify themselves as American and not where they originally came from.

    Had a teacher in high school that was born and raised in Canada. If you try to talk about his past when he used to be living and growing up in Canada, he’ll happily talk to you about it, but he talks about how he is proud to be an American. (Ever since he got his American Citizenship)

48. They want personal space. They show up on time. I am speaking from the perspective of an immigrant .