CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The 2026 World Cup has returned to the United States for the first time since 1994, and social media is capturing every moment — including the reactions of international visitors experiencing American culture for the first time.
Alyce Oblad, who is from England and has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, says those viral reaction videos are the real deal.
"I went to music college out in Utah and that is where I met my husband and we went to grad school at Texas Tech and I just ended up staying," Oblad said.
Oblad says her own first experiences in America mirrored what people are now watching online.
"I remember walking around the dorms asking for a plaster at one point and people were like plaster cast — bandaid," Oblad said.
She says several staples of American life still catch visitors off guard.
"Things that haven't changed like ranch, that is a huge one. Peanut butter in England is not a thing — if you said PB and J unless someone saw an American sitcom they wouldn't know what you were talking about. If you ask for ice in a restaurant they think you are crazy — they will be like you weirdo," Oblad said.
Even family visits come with a sense of wonder.
"And of course every time my mom comes to visit the first thing she wants to do is go to HEB and take pictures with fruit — because the fruit is so big she will take a picture with a watermelon and take a picture of me holding this," Oblad said.
As an England fan, Oblad also made sure to take in a 2026 World Cup match.
"It kind of felt like I was back home in a way it was amazing," Oblad said.
The World Cup final is scheduled for Saturday, July 19.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
