I wasn’t aware of the practice, honestly. :)
But I am more than aware of it now.
It’s one of those things that you don’t really notice until ya notice it... LOL
Sorry, I didn’t realize you were originally from another country. Where? (just curious, none of my business really).
I currently live on a British base and work on a NATO base. Everyday I learn new idioms, cultural traits, and to appreciate context. Listening to Czechs and Poles who learned English from Brits can lead to some very funny situations. Many times, I can understand the Czechs and Poles more easily than some from English speaking countries.