The country will kill you quicker than the people. If you do come, remember this place is MASSIVE, the biggest mistake tourists make is going exploring natural spaces. If you aren't prepared, didn't bring a compass, and can't navigate by tree moss and the sun, then it is extremely easy to wander off, and never be found. If the road you are on suddenly switches from asphalt to gravel or dirt, you want to stop your car immediately, consult your navigation, and a damn atlas just in case, and turn back towards the nearest shreds of civilization. Exposure to the elements in this country can be, and frequently is, lethal. The less said about the wildlife the better, but if you're in a car you're mostly safe.

Depends where you go. Some places are nice and polite but not kind "oh I'm so sorry to hear about your flat tire that just be a struggle I hope you find a way through this" and where I live we aren't as polite nor nice but we are kind "ey your your is flat that fucking sucks let me fucking fix this fucking things for you damn piece of shit"

People in the US probably won't say what they mean directly the same way you would in Europe. The biggest thing I've noticed in the EU is that, to an American, most people are horrifically blunt to the point of being rude. So if you're used to that you should be fine.

Unless you are very fluent in English a lot of American rudeness tends to be very underhanded, so you might not really realize it anyways? It's either that or batshit crazy.

Its pretty easy if you want it to be. If you're nice and can take care of yourself you'll make friends. Friends are everything out here. Get jobs roommates, dates, you name it. Just be cool and carry your own weight

Don't go. It's a failed state. And it will get worse in the future.

It is so variable.

It is generally true that folks on this side of the pond are more direct and blunt than folks that I've met from Europe, or even from our lovely neighbors to the north. But I wouldn't say it's aggressively so. It's also the case that it's a matter of degrees.

I'm from the southern US, and we tend to be way less blunt, and more wordy than many other areas. Like, the New Yorkers I've known will just up and say something, in one sentence, and it's up to you to like it or lump it. A southerner is likely to edge around a subject a little more, and feel you out before deciding how to say something, and then say it with relatively careful wording.

I'm not even talking about harsh things, I'm talking about something like asking if you like hamburgers.

It isn't perfect, but we tend to be nice to visitors. Not everyone, and not as much as we should, but the places I've lived, or visited long enough over time to get to know people, you're more likely to run into people being curious and helpful as a tourist, or even immigrant, than they would be to someone from the next town over.

So, I don't think you'd have to "toughen up" to visit or live here.

The caveat to all of that is that there are assholes here. There are everywhere, but we're a big country, so even a 1% asshole group is a lot of people.

Don't move to New Jersey or the Philly area, and you'll probably be fine.

Depends on where, the midwest can be very indirect. To the point where it's often mocked. We're also very nice, and the thick accent Minnesota is known for is often played up and exagerated for comedic effect. You gotta go pretty far north in order to hear the accents you hear in Fargo.

What I do often hear is that Americans can be very curious, especially about foreigners. I think it's simply because America is massive... it's genuinely difficult to leave it. Most people don't have passports, most don't have the time or funds for a flight out of the country. You will be incredibly unique in a lot of America. Curiosity might get the better of a lot of people and that'll translate to being more direct.

Depending on the person you're talking to that can be good or bad.

I’ve lived in a few places. College towns tend to be the most lively, interesting, welcoming, and sensitive to people of different cultures. Unfortunately, being near a university can mean that rent is higher.

My parents came here from the Soviet Union in the early 70s, speaking not a word of English and with $50 in their pockets. They did fine. Our story is pretty common.

competitive and that the people are very direct/speak their mind.

I associate this attitude more with East Coast folks. Us in the Pacific Northwest are known for smiles, soft pedalling and strictly passive aggression only.

I'm soft like overproved dough. Deeply allergic to anything competitive and near pathologically conflict averse. I've felt very welcome since I moved here from Australia ~10 years ago.

PNW, SoCal, NorCal, Midwest, New England and the South are some of main culturally distinct areas. I think you're better off finding where you might like to move to and investigating a particular city, state or area. Subreddits and Nextdoor are (alas) probably better for detailed local info, but cast around widely as some forums can be surprisingly polarized - r/oregon was partly a refuge for trolls who'd been banned from r/portland, for example.

it’s fine, you’d be just fine. Honest.

No. The US is a huge and diverse country with many different regions and subcultures. While there is an element of performative male toughness that is common in many social circles, it’s easy enough to avoid if you associate with people who aren’t that way. Generally this will be much easier in large cities but may take a little time to find the people who are on your wavelength.

No Americans assimilate better than any other country. That’s kinda their thing. They’re overly friendly if anything.

Avoid the UK though we love tearing everyone including ourselves down.

America is huge and even cities can vary greatly in just a few miles.

We have the same size of Europe and about half the people. So think about how'd you react to an American generalizing all of Europe...