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It’s no secret that when Americans hop across the pond to Europe, they are greeted by a countless amount of cultural differences, depending on the country they visit.

Having said that, visiting France for the Eiffel Tower or Rome for the Colosseum is an entirely different thing than spending more time in the old continent. Whether it’s the Americans starting a new job over there or moving into a new apartment, some things stand out more for them than others.

So this recent thread from Ask Reddit with someone asking “Americans, what do you think is the weirdest thing about Europe?” has turned into one hell of a read, shedding light on how insanely different the two cultures and their people can be.

Read on below through the most interesting responses, and after you’re done, be sure to check out Bored Panda’s previous features on things about Europe that Americans find weird and things common in America that Europeans find very weird.

#1

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread The sheer grasp of language I've seen from some Europeans is wild.

Back in the early days of minecraft I used to play on a server with an English kid and a German Kid. The English kid would randomly speak Welsh and the German could jump between German, French, and English all the time and I was there like "Guys, I can barely English, can we dumb it down for the yankee."

CYNIC_Torgon , Tim Green Report

#2

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread It seems that European countries try to make life easier for their citizens? That's f*****g crazy to us in America.

In Spain and I think other European countries, there is a thing called a Siesta. Shops and businesses shut down in the middle of the day and people can relax and destress from work. In America, work culture is so toxic, people skip breakfast and only get 30 minutes at work to rush through a fast food meal. Crazy.

Public transportation is another one. I noticed how drastically better it is in Europe. People in northern European countries ride bikes, trains, etc. to work. And it all flows smoothly, on time for the most part, and is much more calming to sit in read in what would be considered a luxury train car in America, versus sitting for 40 minutes to an hour in bumper to bumper car traffic, with uglier views, mostly of concrete. It's just better in Europe because it's less car-centric. No traffic jams. People just walk to get groceries calmly in a few minutes. In America, you have to carve out time, and a separate day, because going to run errands is so stressful, from fighting through traffic to crowded spaces, etc. It's just not designed to be a pleasant experience. It's all just consumerism and how to squeeze more money out of people.

Education is another that should go without speaking. I will leave it alone because I could go on forever as a teacher in America, but I believe our citizens still rank near last across all subjects.

Healthcare is another. U.S.A. is the only developed country that does not provide healthcare to its citizens without some wealthy company making a profit first.

Everything about America makes life miserable. No wonder people are suicidal and we have a lot of suicide mass shootings. Most Americans would be shocked if they traveled to Europe and paid attention to how things worked there and how much better life can be by doing things that way.

Idiots will probably comment that America is great because we have freedom. Dumbasses don't realize that people have that in other places too and Americans are being scammed into living suboptimal lives.

Enlightened_Ghost_ , Krisztina Papp Report

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Daniel Yamada
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The US government can't afford to pay for healthcare. It is spending trillions of dollars to lose wars all over the world.

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#3

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread "Americans don't know what old is, Europeans don't know what big means"

Haunting_Clue9316 , Andreas Pajuvirta Report

There are a lot of cultural differences between countries which make us all unique and interesting. For example, in the United States, people tend to be more individualistic, while in collectivist cultures like China, people are more likely to think of themselves as part of a group. This can lead to different expectations and behaviors in different cultures.

For example, in the United States, it is common to see people working long hours and taking work home with them. This individualistic work ethic can lead to a lot of stress and burnout. In collectivist cultures, however, people are more likely to work together and take breaks together. This can lead to a more relaxed and enjoyable work environment.

Of course, these are just generalizations and there are many exceptions to the rule. But understanding these cultural differences can help you to be more understanding and tolerant of people from other cultures.

#4

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread That you use the metric system.

That it totally makes sense and we don't.

We probably don't use it for spite.

Forward-Shower-3250 , Colin Howley Report

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Jrog
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who lived in France for a while, in 1794 pushed to have the metric system implemented in the USA. He commissioned his friend and fellow scientist Joseph Dombey to bring over to the USA a "standard weight" from France, the exact measure of 1 kilogram. Dombey's ship run into a storm and had to rush to the closest port in the Caribbean, but was assaulted by pirates on the way. Dombey was captured and held from ransom, and died in captivity. The original Standard Weight was sold, and came to the possession of the National Institute of Standards and Technology only in the '50s, after it was donated by the heirs of Andrew Ellicott, American Surveyor General and teacher of Lewis and Clarke, who bought it at auction in the early 1800s.

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#5

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread That some stone roads that were built like 600 years ago are holding themselves together better than the paved roads.

CBKritter , Félix Besombes Report

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Bernd Herbert
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The oldest road can be found in Italy. The Via Appia was built around 2300 years ago

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#6

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread Labor rights and public services.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it. I wish we had all that here. But it's deeply unfamiliar. I have European coworkers who *expect* vacation. We've got a British manager who *expects employees* to take vacation.

S**t is wild.

NoMoreMonkeyBrain , abi ismail Report

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Iifa A.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an employee you agreed to give up certain hours per day for agreed payment and benefits. Also the law states the minimum legal holidays. If you or your employer don't take holidays it can cause huge issues legally for the company and the manager of you don't use them by set time and are losing. Employers must ensure that you get 21 days of holidays plus legal bank holidays. And every week only five holiday days can be spent as legally you have two days off. So 21 days is actually 29 days with four weekends and then all public holidays on top. Because of this we are known to use the days to get long weekends to take city trips away 3-4 days. Absolutely love it, I went on holidays every five six weeks and employees are not responsible for covering their shifts. It's a paying job, if it doesn't suit quit, and no work isnt even in top 10 priority list. In USA the title of work and career level is highly valued and therefore you look down on less unfortunate. In EU human is valued

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The one and only best way to learn about those cultures and broaden your perspective of things is to visit foreign places and get to know their people. When you travel, you're not just looking at the world from your own eyes, but from the eyes of the people you meet and the places you visit. This makes you an onlooker of a whole different kind; you’re both an active participant and passive viewer who realizes that there exist different ways of doing things.

#7

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread High quality food at low prices. You can eat great, healthy food for cheap in many European countries. In the US, the healthier, higher quality food is often the most expensive.

adam4little , Brooke Lark Report

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Sara Rosen
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is true for southern Europe. However, I live in northern Europe where dining out is VERY expensive. The only affordable food you can get is hot dogs, fried fish, and fast-food kebabs. The produce at the grocery stores is fine quality but not any cheaper or better than in the States.

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#8

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread Trains go to every major city

CoolIceCreamCone , Rob Dammers Report

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Ban-One
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...and to most small cities and even villages as well (here in Switzerland)

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#9

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread It’s crazy that everyone doesn’t drive a huge empty truck 1 mile down the road, instead they walk. Crazy.

Babbles-82 , Dave Collier Report

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Jrog
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say doing the opposite is crazy, but I guess OP's post was irony.

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While traveling, you also learn to understand different points of view. When you're in your own country, you do not normally think about how other people live, but when you travel, you're exposed to different lifestyles with little choice. This will help you to be more understanding and tolerant of others.

Learning about other cultures is also a unique way to learn more about yourself. You find out how you react in a certain situation, how you behave with people you've never met, and how well you can adapt to different surroundings. While in a new culture, you’re much more likely to be pushed out of your comfort zone, which is the most important aspect of your personal growth.

#10

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread How few fat people there are. It's awesome, but your food culture is different enough to lead to a significant difference in obesity in the general populace

GandalfTheBored , ELEVATE Report

#11

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread that health care thing. i want that

anotherorphan Report

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Caroline Nagel
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As long as far right religious fanatics keep their grip on the Republican party and government nothing will change in the USA.

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#12

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread The fact that you cross international borders like we cross state lines. The fact that you can wake up in Germany, drive all day, and go to sleep in Spain.

Wonderful_Soup4873 , vonMitzscha Report

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Bernd Herbert
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What I liked growing up directly at the border of another country: you learn that borders of countries are pretty arbitrary. That those people across the border are basically the same as you. It’s a pretty continuous transition and you also learn, that you have much more in common with the folk directly next to you, yet in another country, than you have with your fellow countrymen who live hundreds of kilometres away

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#13

When I went to Bad Kissingen, Germany I almost fell over. If you get diagnosed with certain aliments your doctor can write a prescription for you to go to the spas—FOR SIX WEEKS. Then once you are there you drink water from the ground that helps you heal! And you bathe in pools that look like Versailles and take leisurely strolls around the grounds to soothe your stomach. And here’s the best part—your employer has to keep paying you while you are there! What the hell kind of a deal is this?!

In America they throw some Robitussin on you, take your pay and tell you to get your a*s back to work!

Germany was the f****n coolest place!

FabulousPossession73 Report

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JuJu
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But we usually have to convince our health insurance company to pay fully for the spa

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#14

It’s so weird how civilized y’all are over there (minus that whole Russia-Ukraine thing as of late, but that’s not the Europe I know and have visited.)

But yeah generally you guys have these *crazy ideas* about what constitutes the “good life.”

Jobs that don’t treat you like slaves and work you into an early death; subsidized, single-payer heath care so that you could hypothetically lose your job and not your *health* or *life*; 6 weeks of mandatory paid vacation a year whether you want to go someplace or not; decent, healthy, affordable food; subsidized housing that doesn’t look like a war zone; clean, modern public transportation that alleviates the need to own a vehicle in a lot of places; high-quality education instead of schools that increasing resemble more of those war zones we seem to love (we know better in the US, where the mantra is that violence belongs everywhere); clean water; freedom *from* religion in public policy; public toilets; functional democracy…

Yeah y’all are some *WEIRD* people…

DepartureSpace Report

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Valter
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Freedom *from* religion? Not everywhere. Not in Italy, for instance, neither in Poland.

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#15

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread I'm surprised nobody has said 'the price you see in the shop is actually the price you pay', because as a Brit the idea of taxes not being included in the displayed price is absolutely mind-boggling to me.

Edit: after some good back and forth in several threads I've softened my stance on this - I can see how when the next town might have different tax rules, it would make it easier to tell when you're being ripped off etc. But it still feels weird after 30+ years of just seeing the price you pay.

Swimming_Marsupial , nrd Report

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Laura Ketteridge
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't care what the taxes are in the next town over. I want to know the actual cost of the items I am buying.

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#16

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread Otherwise healthy people smoking cigarettes

drilosphere , lilartsy Report

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Bored Retsuko
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Friendly reminder: downvotes are NOT dislike buttons. Downvoting a comment just because you don't agree = not cool. If a comment gets downvoted, its author will get banned from the site. So please downvote only in case of obvious spam ("how to make cash") or if someone is literally harassing a fellow panda

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#17

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread The history. Can't wrap my brain around that. I live in a farm house built in the 1920s and that is considered old.

Necessary_Sir_5079 , Cecilia Rodríguez Suárez Report

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Pernille.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My neighbour calls my house new. It was relooked in 1752, Theirs is still looking like it did when it was fortified in 1367.

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#18

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread All those damn trains, public transit, and walkable cities. I like being stuck in my gas guzzler and nearly dying anytime I use a sidewalk.

Arcinbiblo12 , ANTONI SHKRABA Report

#19

As a European, I can tell you that the cultures, customs, languages, weather, food, and everything else can vary as drastically from country to country as it does from America.

I live in Ireland, and pretty much any other EU country is pretty alien to me. And they probably think Ireland is weird af too.

SirTheadore Report

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Dani M
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think a lot of contintentals actually have a romantic view of Ireland. But the country is beautiful and the people friendly, so take us on as tourists ;)

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#20

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread alot of people use public transport, like the kids, teenagers, old people .etc use the bus and train so commonly, in america basically everyone has a car or gets driven by a car

smookyhead16 , Mitchell Johnson Report

#21

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread You have to pay to use public restrooms

jonathan92o , hiroo yamagata Report

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OneHappyPuppy
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The money goes for cleaning the place, yup I'd rather pay to go than go to a literal sh*thole

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#22

If you’re talking about a whole continent, there’s bound to be some weird things about it, and that also means that people from certain European countries will find other European countries weird in certain ways.

Like I’m British, and I find the French incredibly weird.

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#23

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread Well, you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer.

And in Paris, you can buy a beer at McDonald's. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
They got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the f**k a Quarter Pounder is. They call it a "Royale with Cheese."
A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le Big Mac". What do they call a Whopper? I dunno, I didn't go into Burger King.

But, you know what they put on French fries in Holland instead of ketchup? Mayonnaise. God damn! I seen them do it, man, they f*****g drown them in that s**t.

Ghostofbillhicks , Tavallai Report

#24

FUNCTIONING PUBLIC TRANSIT

I thought it would be horrible needing to wait and wait and wait only for a crowded and smelly bus or train to take me somewhere only for it to arrive on time, relatively sanitary, and in cities or towns of less then 8,000 people. In the U.S. a city will have well over a million people and lack any metro line, period. Just a bus that’s always late and comes one every hour and a half

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Mr Red
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Y'all should stop calling socialism communism and stop voting for republicans.

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#25

The beauty of their cities

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Pixie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That depends. I love my city, it has a lot of charme and character, but beautiful it is not.

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#26

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread Maybe things are different now, but everything is completely closed on Sundays if you’re not in a major city.

Natures-Umami , Zhanjiang Chen Report

#27

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread The oddest thing I found in Copenhagen was that when we tried to go get food around 9pm, nearly everywhere was closed. We were in a busy part of the city but it took us so incredibly long to find a place open late. I don't live in a huge city but I can throw a rock from my house and it will bounce off half a dozen places open until midnight or later.

Edit: This is not a complaint, just an observation. I loved Denmark.

Ginger_Chick , Tim Mossholder Report

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Pernille.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is definitely incorrect. Just last week I was visiting my sis and we had food at 2 o'clock. But you might have been looking for for something familiar you. Copenhagen is by American standard a small town, but McDo, and Burger King is open 24/7 and there are all night kebab shops here and there too.

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#28

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread I’m not sure if it’s wired but it’s fascinating how so many cultures and languages came to exist over such a (comparatively) small continent as Europe.

heardbutnotseen2 , Alexis Brown Report

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OneHappyPuppy
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This doesn't make sense. Don't americans know their own history? That they came to be from 2-3 colonizers from Europe? While there were a sh*tton of tribes in Europe who all had their own culture and language?

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#29

30 Things Americans Find Very Weird About Europe, According To This Viral Thread No ac. Our hotels had ac but it was just room temp air. That heatwave must have been brutal i hate sleeping when it’s hot

Slowmexicano , Ivan Radic Report

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Bernd Herbert
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The US could probasave a couple of power plants without their excessive use of ACs….and ice cubes

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#30

This question has taught me that Americans don't know anything about any country in Europe and think it's all the same place without any nuance.

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Cashme Outside
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is Europe that place with the pointy boot country or the big frozen area on the bottom of the map? /s

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