Abroad in America
As a non-US citizen living and working in the United States, you face many new challenges when it comes to learning and understanding a completely new financial and tax system. Pension plans, taxation of income (both here and abroad), and investments, along with retirement accounts and estate planning considerations, can seem overwhelming. This often leads to inaction and mistakes. The goal of this podcast is to help non-US citizens and cross-border families living and working in America implement effective strategies to take full advantage of the opportunities to create wealth offered to you in the United States, both while you are in America and even once you have left. Sit back and listen as you go behind the scenes with financial planner, author, and speaker Jimmy Miller to learn how to make your time in America as financially rewarding as possible. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on any future episodes. Visit https://www.BaobabWealthAbroad.com for more information and free resources.
Abroad in America
Why Are Americans Like That?
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If you’ve ever lived in the United States as an expat — or even just visited — you’ve probably had the same thought: Why are Americans like that?
In this episode, we step away from technical expat topics and explore the cultural side of living in the U.S. From enthusiastic greetings to oversized everything, American behavior can feel confusing, amusing, or even overwhelming when you first arrive. But once you understand the values behind these habits, things start to make a lot more sense.
We talk about the difference between friendliness and friendship in the U.S., why Americans ask “What do you do?” so quickly, and why enthusiasm is such a core part of communication. We also cover everyday cultural quirks like large portion sizes, the focus on work, frequent apologies, and the way space and scale shape American life.
This episode helps decode the behaviors that often surprise newcomers and puts them in cultural context. Rather than judging these differences, we explore how they reflect deeper American values like optimism, efficiency, openness, and social ease.
You’ll learn:
- Why Americans are so friendly — but not instantly “friends”
- The role of enthusiasm in everyday communication
- Why work is a common conversation starter
- How “bigger” shapes American lifestyles
- What American politeness really means
- How understanding culture reduces culture shock
If you’re new to the U.S. or hosting someone who is, this episode offers a light, relatable look at the habits that make America feel different — and often more enjoyable once you get used to them.