Do you prefer pancakes or crepes? Say “football” or “soccer”? Drive to work or pedal your way on a bicycle? These simple choices often spark entire debates about the differences between life in Europe and the U.S.
People never seem to tire of comparing the two, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where the internet’s wittiest minds share hilarious observations about each other’s cultures. We’ve combed through their posts and rounded up some of their most amusing takes for you below. Scroll down to check them out and remember to upvote your favorites!
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"God bless america!"? by now it should be "God help america"
Honestly i think the "god bless america" was a cry for help—they want god to help them by giving them a blessing.
Load More Replies...This is why I shake my head when people say America is the best country in the world.
Well the USA big fast-food entrepreneurs want money not an equal system for theirs workers, they couldn't care less. How to make a country great again when it never was? Mass murders, racism, American Indians still living on reserves, older people obligated to work until their death since they have so little retirements pensions, children having one meal a day, health insurance that cost a kidney and a heart and this goes on forever. God bless the ones who are at the bottom of the ladder.
It’s well known that Americans and Europeans often argue about whose way of living is better. But to truly understand the differences, it’s helpful to hear from someone who has lived in both places.
Elizabeth Yuko, a journalist and professor of ethics at Fordham University, spent nearly a decade in Ireland before returning to the U.S. Reflecting on her experience, she says, “I knew that moving back to the United States after eight years in Europe would mean some sort of reverse culture shock. While I anticipated the big changes—like less paid time off and different attitudes toward food—it was the little things that really stuck out.”
I have a spoon on my kitchen wall that is dated before the declaration of independence...
Nicholas Cage: "I'm gonna steal Spidercat's spoon."
Load More Replies...To be fair! Many Americans that visit Europe, absolutely love the architecture from all over Europe. That's when so many realise their country is "young" I'm British, just in case anyone thought differently.
Yeah. Architecture is a huge part of why we visit, or me anyway :)
Load More Replies...Be glad for your newer buildings America!!! Think of them as though they're your car... The older they get? The more expensive maintenance they need! 👍🙂
New cars look like c**p, bring back the old chrome
Load More Replies...C'mon Europeans, stop gatekeeping wonderment. How does that benefit anyone?
Living in a nice environment is good for your mental health.
Load More Replies...The America's, Canada, USA, Mexico, Central America, South America already had a vast range of people living in these countries before the invasion of Europeans who stole, killed, destroyed the land and nature, also the Spanish conquistadors robbed the gold of the Aztecs so on!
Poor, amateurish Canadians, try English measurements; I'm 6'2", weigh 19 stone, i take my milk and beer in pints and any other liquid in litres, my burgers are in lbs and my chicken in kg, I'll slow down from 70mph for the last 300m of the motorway before a junction. Oh, and if I had a horse it would weigh in imperial tons whilst trotting its chains and furlongs. If needed though you can still find things in hogsheads and hundredweight by the bakers dozen!
Just gonna say that Southern USA measures distance in time as well. I can't tell you how many miles it is to anywhere but I know the closest large city is about two hours and my husband's parents are at least six hours but it depends on how many breaks he takes
In the North, we can't do that as much. Newark to Manhattan could be 20 minutes or it could be three hours
Load More Replies...My brain uses measurements like these because science + growing up in the US
American here: In 1976, we seventh-graders were told by a teacher that the U.S. was “about to convert to the metric system, so we had better be ready!” And 48 years later, I’m still waiting for it to happen.🙄☺️
And in britain they drive on the left but you can buy left and right hand drive cars. That may have km or miles on the dashboard
Never seen a right-hand drive car for sale in the UK on a forecourt. All our cars have both Mph and KPH on the speedometer.
Load More Replies...The UK uses Stones and Pounds for weight... But as a born Canuck? I will stick up for measuring anything I need to in any which way I have to or need to!!! 😜
Ah yes, but how many Tims do you get to the Horton?
Load More Replies...I'm so tired the overused "Americans don't understand metric" theme. Me - American - been using metric since the 70s and these days it is all around us on almost every package we purchase. With the exception of road signs, we are constantly exposed to both metric and imperial. Food packages, weather sites, etc. It is probably fair to say most Americans are "bilingual" when it comes to measurements.
Good on you! I remember a story from an English plumber who moved to the south of France many years ago and was trying to get a pipe with a 12.5mm diameter and after a lengthy and confused discussion the gentleman in the French hardware shop exclaimed "ah! Le half-inch!" I can never wrap my head around cubic inches and foot/lb of torque though...
Load More Replies...Sometimes, grams and ounces are even in the same recipe. Dry stuff more in grams. Liquid is generally ounces (not even speaking of fl.oz. in this case). And then sometimes a liquid will be in grams, as well. Wt? What do I know?
One of the things Yuko had to readjust to was the culture and habits surrounding grocery shopping. In Dublin, she typically shopped at modest-sized local stores near her house. “I had the option of getting my fruits and vegetables from the green grocer, my meat from a butcher, and my bread from a bakery. For everything else, I’d stock up at small grocery stores,” she explains. Large supermarkets were available but less accessible without a car, so she seldom visited them.
“When I moved back to the United States, I was overwhelmed by the sheer variety of foods in supermarkets—especially cereals, for some reason. The whole shopping process took longer because I had so many more choices.”
I had to laugh at the idea of somebody going to CH to buy something.
Load More Replies...Awww...Texans are so cute on their 'Big State' stance. North to south in Western Australia is around 2,222 road miles by the most direct route
And the ocean is further away from Canberra than space is
Load More Replies...Europeans: I'm visiting New York so I'll just take a quick drive down to Florida to check it out then head back before dinner. (true story... I had to explain to multiple people, mostly Germans, over multiple years they can't do that)
I'm American and generally have a good idea of distances here, but years ago I drove from New York to West Palm Beach, FL with my then fiancee. When we crossed the Georgia-Florida line I said "great, almost there!" She said "um, nope"
Load More Replies...I just went across Canada. I drove 20 hours and I was still just in Ontario. My grand made a joke that you could drive to Ukraine from France with those distance. Turns out he was right!!
Americans: No, roundabouts confuse the vast majority of us (It's seriously a pet peeve each time I go and visit my parents that people don't know how to drive a circle)
Load More Replies...I'm in California. I left at 5 in the morning and drove north. Got to San Francisco around 11, kept driving. Finally stopped for nap around midnight. I was still in California (Eureka).
Canadians - I'm in Vancouver, I drive North for 20 hours, I'm still in BC. At least it's not the big province.
You can do it in lake Konstanz (Bodensee)
Load More Replies...As far as the Americans part of the comment is concerned, since they've not mentioned vehicle speed, that means nothing. You can be driving for hours in the UK without leaving the county, all you need is hold up on the motorway.
The only thing a ten minute walk will get me is in a corn field or in the woods
I have one store after a bunch of woods. If I go the other way, I fall into the Atlantic
Load More Replies...I've just been looking at some towns in the Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas area. The buildings in the main streets of those towns were practicing social distancing from the moment they were built! I know the USA is a large place, but you could go for clusters of shops rather than stringing them out like this. An example of this is Texline, Texas. It's a whole load of nothing dotted with a few buildings.
Where I live now? 10 min walk = numerous shops, supermarkets etc ........ Canada? Where I used to live? A 10 minute walk out into the vast wilderness woods? Would = lost forever, eaten by a bear if you didn't know exactly what you were doing... Yups not quite America obviously but some parts overlap for this 🙂
A 2 hour drive for me is going to Seattle - which I rarely ever do and not for coffee. It's true I can't easily walk to the nearest coffee stand. It's about a 10 minute drive. It's also true that I could walk for 10 minutes and still be in my own woods. So I can make my coffee at home and enjoy the deer / ducks / crows / squirrels / owls etc that hang out on my property. I know not all Americans have property. I also know not all Europeans are a 10 minute walk from a coffee shop.
I've seen it all...as a kid, I had one neighbor in a half mile radius, and nothing else but corn and apples. I also lived for three years on a block that had about ten restaurants and two grocery stores. Both places are in New York State
In 2 hours I can drive 450km *laughs in german* (the autobahn roadworks are just an illusion you know
Load More Replies...I live in America and I don't think anything two hours away is nearby. That's absurd.
Year-month-day for anyone using alphabetical sorting on computer!
The weirdest thing about the USA is there is only one day in the entire year that they actually use the correct dating system. 4th of July all the rest is month, day year.
YEAR. MONTH. DAY. 2024-07-25. How hard is that, everyone? No confusion, most reasonable way to organize files electronically...
The American way is fine when spoken aloud. The European way works both written and spoken.
I work in the US for a travel and tourism company and the countries I deal with are in Europe. I've gotten so used to their date format (and time!) that I have started using it in my everyday life. I think I actually prefer the European way - at least for the date. The time I'm still ehh about.
I got in trouble for writing dates day/month/year in elementary school. I forgot the way they wanted and that way makes so much more sense
To stand up for "Day, Month, Year" here? It makes more sense because you're going from the smaller to the bigger, not numbers but as in - a day is smaller than a month and a month is smaller than a year.
This is one of the differences I always thought was dumb to point out because in America we typically say it's June 17th, so it makes sense that we write it that way.
I'm American and no, it doesn't. It's idiotic the way people here write dates. I only use international format now.
Load More Replies...Americans write it, they way you say it. You would say June first 2024. You rarely hear some say The First of June 2024.
outside of America we say "the first of June 2024"
Load More Replies...Yuko was also struck by the constant presence of prescription-drug commercials when she returned to the U.S. There, it’s typical to see ads for everything from antidepressants to asthma medication. However, after so many years living in Ireland, she realized just how unusual they are.
“The European Union has strict guidelines on TV ads for prescription drugs, so they’re not part of the advertising landscape,” she says. “And when you think about it, rewriting the lyrics to pop songs to try and sell diabetes medication to potential customer-patients is a pretty odd premise.”
I’ve lived in Thailand for nearly a decade. The capital city of Bangkok decided to ‘just stack it’. It does not work, trust me
Load More Replies...Not sure what they are thinking, States will take away an entire lane of traffic so they can charge you to drive on it to force people to ride with strangers.
I don't own a gun but if you break in I've got a hatchet, a 14 inch bowie knife and if its at night, I'm probably going to be naked.
I have baseball bats, pepper spray, and zero f***s to give.
Load More Replies...Our burglars actually flee when they discover someone is at home. Burglary is all about easy stealing with little or no risk, and pissed owner is a tremendous risk.
Pfff. i'll have a nice queen Anne or any nice Victorian over that bling bling c**p in Versailles any day!
What a load of bull. Frank Lloyd Wright, Daniel Durham, Frank Gehry, I.M. Pei, Jean Gang, and others would love to have a word with this person.
There's tons of America architecture that I'd love to visit! Just because it isn't "old"? Doesn't mean it's not beautiful and /or worth visiting!
This is the correct response. You can find beauty in almost any location. I'm in awe of architecture all over the world, regardless of politics, culture, design type, period, or age.
Load More Replies...Next we will show you council housing in England and a mansion in the US and say how our housing is so superior.
Hm. Maybe America should have spent a few thousand years exploiting their working classes.
You do realise that these are tongue in cheek? Or do you just not like Europeans?
Load More Replies...One more surprising difference Yuko encountered was the style of local news in the U.S. “Dramatic music, flashy graphics, and glamorous newscasters—these are all parts of local news programs that I took for granted,” she says. In Ireland, with a population of 4.8 million, national and local news are combined into one “straightforward, no-nonsense” broadcast.
“Adding to the somber nature of the news was a one-minute segment immediately preceding one channel’s six o’clock news that used to feature the Catholic prayer ‘The Angelus,’ but has been toned down to tolling bells and different scenes of everyday life.”
“Though I didn’t expect a minute of quiet reflection before the American local news, it did take a while to get used to the high-energy, sensational local-news broadcasts in the United States again,” Yuko notes.
The most incredible thing I ever witnessed on the internet happened a few years back. Europe had a particular hot summer, and people were dying left and right, and some Americans commented that the temperatures are not even that high, and that in their state it gets way, WAY hotter. But they forgot that European buildings rarely have AC. So the next year was that year when half of the US turned into an ice cube, water pipes were freezing, heating stopped working and it was all around miserable. In the comments of a news video on YouTube Europeans and Canadians were giving advice on how to survive the cold. (dressing in layers, how to walk and drive on an icy road, how to keep pipes from bursting etc.) The Americans were so incredibly grateful, and admitted that they were making fun of Europeans complaining about the heat the year before. But now they understand what they meant when they were saying that the infrastructure was not made for specific temperatures. It was so wholesome.
I wish we could be like that all the time. Especially here on Bored Panda.
Load More Replies...Well, Europe is mostly at Canadian latitudes while the US goes as far south as the Sahara. That's why we don't need as much AC as you do.
It obviously depends upon where in Europe. Europe does actually extend up into the northern part of the world where AC is not needed. You'd freeze your posterior off!!! AC in Scotland is buying a cheap fan to run... For the few days that the - "Sun has got it's hat on, hip hip hooray!!! Are you coming out to play!"
Most American people don't realize that most of Europe like southern Spain is along the same line as Maryland and north. Most of the rest of it is along the same lines as Canada. Their weather is significantly different because of the oceans jet stream that bring cold but warmer water north to them. That's why its typically cloudy most of the time and is rainy. Just take a look at a world map. You'll also see the significant size differences. So yea windows work well there.
I know someone who trains those people and yes, it's true!
Load More Replies..."Hey, you, nasty freak Shake that nasty butt I said hey, you, nasty freak Shake that nasty butt Hey, you, a-freakety-freak Step up and jiggle your stuff If you a boy or a girl, do a jump and a twirl And then bounce that funky dump " Bash Brothers
Load More Replies...We might be on the verge of collapse but at least we have Hollywood and different music
Hollywood really is the epitome of cultural "achievements". Could you be more precise in what you mean with "different" music?
Load More Replies...My job in medical office: Patient - I sent you an email this weekend. It's 9am on Monday, Felicia, and I don't do out of hours or weekends, thanks.
My usual Monday morning is IT users asking if I read the email they sent on Saturday, and I'm like "I've not switched on my laptop yet".
yeah no. depends on the person. I had a client who called in every day to see if someone called for him. I know people who answer phonecalls while they're away. Also: im just back from holiday, noticed that my boss sent me a text and i refused to read it untill monday morning when i got up. I was like "IM ON HOLIDAY P**S OFF" but the text only said "hi P, the key you need on wednesday is waiting for you at X" :-D
I'm in the UK. I work in a school, the staff emails all have a note at the bottom reminding people of working hours, and that replies out side of this time is unlikely.
You may be amazed to learn that refrigerators in Europe and America aren’t the same size either. “The first house I rented in Ireland had three bedrooms, two bathrooms… and one tiny refrigerator,” Yuko recalls. She soon discovered this was standard in most homes, except for some larger families.
Yuko eventually came to love the smaller fridge because it reduced waste and encouraged more frequent shopping for fresh foods. “When I first moved back to the States, I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had my very own giant ‘American’ refrigerator all to myself in a small studio apartment.”
As an American, I can attest to this. Sometimes it's, "My last day was last Monday...the last time you saw me."
In most cases, we offer a two-week notice here in the US. In my line of work (IT), it's sometimes common for them to let you go the same day when you submit your resignation. Usually in an effort to prevent corporate sabotage should the resigning employee be disgruntled.
one month for me. My last job i left as soon as they found a replacer which was a few days.
Also...Europeans: I'm giving you a warning because you're not doing your job properly. Americans: you're one minute late - YOU'RE FIRED!
Any good employee gives plenty notice TO A GOOD EMPLOYER
Load More Replies...It's a healthy medium in Australia. Most jobs require 2 weeks notice
don't vs these 2. One is great and the other one makes better sandwiches. different uses
Yeah this is a bit off....you can buy the right bread at almost any bakery pretty easily. That stuff on the left is cheap bread.
We have both in America too, but BP depends on these dumb posts to get clicks and comments.
Load More Replies...If you like a wide variety of breads to sample come visit Germany! Google image "Bäckerei" (bakery) and enjoy a glimpse into the German contribution to the food gene pool - the standard breakfast bun ("Brötchen") alone has at least ~10 varieties that can be found in every bakery, plus dozens of local specialties.😄
Load More Replies...Yes, it's a bummer that we have only one kind of bread in the entire country.
Haha! Right? We have so many incredible bakeries, even the grocery stores have a bakery section.
Load More Replies...sure we only have ciabatta's everywhere in Europe. This list is getting dumber with the minute.
Agreed. The same with people insisting there's only that awful white bread in the US. So ridiculous, right?
Load More Replies..."Remember to dust your sugar bread in sugar before adding the corn syrup sugar Mayo".
White bread with miracle whip, baloney and cheese sandwich with lays potato chips inside.
What the actually f, don’t even know what miracle whip is but this combo sounds like something my kid would throw together and she’s 3. No offence…
Load More Replies...Really? You just try making a decent crisp butty out of right hand one and see where it gets you
What about the Russian or Chinese "elections"?
Load More Replies...Good luck to the Americans if trump is voted back in! And it's not really a democracy if you can only vote one of two. Especially when one was actually removing post boxes from some places where postal votes were permitted. I know there's way more to it, but to listen to the most misogynistic, abusive, corrupt, and a disgusting human being stand and give every reason why the vote was wrong, despicable human vile POS! I can't believe what his supporters are thinking? He doesn't give a s**t about you! There's no way you benefited from him being in power! Haters can hate me, but it's what most normal people think
Cheers. I agree. I really hope that 'Agent Orange', does not get in. I have no idea what the supporters are thinking. It bewilders me.
Load More Replies...Just when you think New Zealand has gotten it together, they elect a government who wants to delegitimize Maori language and culture. The common denominator is humans, who are generally terrible
Yeah this is pretty much universal. We just get more scrutiny because it's the US. And how can it be "a tale as old as time" when we're only 250 years old?
Yuko was also fascinated by how elections are handled in the U.S. and Ireland. Before moving to Europe, she had volunteered on several political campaigns and wanted to continue this work abroad, so she decided to intern with the Irish Labour Party.
“There are no paid political television commercials,” says Yuko. “Each party is permitted a short broadcast before a general election, but it’s typically focused on the party itself rather than specific candidates, apart from the party leader.”
“When I came back to the United States, the election season here seemed so long, and all the TV commercials served as a reminder of the importance of money in American politics.”
Oddly enough, I saw a girl in a ball gown and tiara at Walmart yesterday.
Load More Replies...You all need to watch those videos about THE PEOPLE OF WAL MART . Hon, that's mild if you're worried about us in our pj's. Besides if that's one of the rare occasions you go out, why do they dress up? I try to have my stuff delivered majority of the time. No worries that way
Wildly inaccurate. An american may wear jeans and a t shirt. An italian man will leave the house well styled with a jacket and linen shirt, bag and cologne and look elegant
I do not even live in one of the 'fasionable' countries in Europe, but I still had to tell myself it was okay to walk the dog in my pyjamas in the morning XD
Lotta "people of Walmart" in PJ's and house slippers. They look stupid, but they dgaf. Looks trashy to me, but whatever.
This isn't necessarily true! Where'd they get this one from? 😄.... Okay I live in very studenty city though! Some of the things I've seen man! Some of the things!!! 😭😄
Whenever I get a fast food meal here (not very often) I always request the drink 'No ice, please', you get twice the drink.
I haven't looked in a long time but many major fast food places used to have lines on the side of the cup to tell the workers how full to fill it with no ice. And some McDonalds (unsure about other chains) have preset buttons for small /med / large so the same amount of soda goes into the cup with or without ice. I actually prefer ice water so that's what I usually get.
Load More Replies...As an American, I really don't like a lot of ice in my drinks. So I'm okay with the way Europe does it
I was always taught 3-4 cubes when serving a drink, they can always ask for more
The border shown is that of the Schengen territory, nothing to do with the borders of the Schengen territory with the outside.
Sure, but even the border between Hungary and Romania (it 's not in Schengen, you have passport or ID control) is not looking like a freaking prison wall.
Load More Replies...Most USA border does not look like that. That would be a piece of the US-Mexico border where a lot of illegal immigration occurs. Some parts have nothing at all or a small barb wire fence. I live about 15 minutes from the Canadian border. No fence at all. You can literally step back and forth between USA and Canada. It is technically illegal but it's basically just the edge of people's cow pastures.
If the European Union is a union, it makes more sense that there would be no border fence at all, the same way that there are no fences between states in the U.S.
There are many places in Europe where you won’t notice when you cross the border.
Load More Replies...U.S.A. and Canda share the longest undefended border in the world. Just sayin'
you should have shown the Dutch Belgian border with the difference in road surface :-D
I was thinking of the Dutch-Belgian border that is just in the middle of a town, has the few white stones to show it's the border and the rest is just cafe
Load More Replies...I can drive from Hungary to Portugal and never stopped by border control. The only thing changing is the language of the signs. There are no borders to cross.
I was staying in europe on a border. Drove back and forth and there was barely anything to indicate i crossed between germany and austrria. No signs. No changes. Same buses. Certainly no checks. But on train from austria to italy the police checked non white people with suspiscionand their bags were checked. We just showed a passport when asked.
The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland used to have British soldiers stationed at any major road. Now there's literally nothing. The way you can tell if you've moved from country to country is the road signs - if it's in km and there's Irish underneath the English, you're in the Republic. If it's only English and the distance is in miles, you're in NI.
Yuko sometimes misses the ease of travel she enjoyed in Europe. “I could pop over to France or Finland for a short trip without totally breaking the bank,” she shares. Thanks to budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet, traveling to other countries was very affordable, and having friends across the continent meant she often had a place to stay.
Amrica. Plastic staws, stirrer, cutley and 10 paper napkins and plastic sachets of sauces etc. Europe. No plastic. You must ask for anything else to limit waste. And its all recyclable with clearly marked waste bins. In the usa tgey may have one for bottles but it will also have food in it
Amen, I was living in the US when 9/11 happened - not saying it wasn't aboslutely horrible - and I kept thinking "But sadly terrorism happens everywhere!"
How about Africa, Mexico, Central America, the South America, the American Indians, the Philippines, Hawaii with the original natives, Vietnam the disaster of the war Orange Nepal that still effects the population, I could go on but there's to much to mention.
Load More Replies...Most of the one s "happening for decades" are fighting amongst themselves. Or religion has taken hold and thats the reason their fighting.
True, but I've noticed that organic Honeycrisps are smaller than the regular ones.
Load More Replies...I feel like the American apple is larger because of climate, soil, and just the general environment… but okay
If by general environment you mean less regulations around fertilizer - then yes
Load More Replies...Apples you find in shops are usually calibrated for ease of transport; when I go to an orchard, I can come back with 4 apples for a total of 2 kg...
Is no one gonna mention the giant gaping space under the stall door?
We’re just friendlier here in the US, like “HEY, EVERYONE, come watch me poop”
In contrast, air travel in the U.S. isn’t as straightforward. “While there are flight deals to be had in America, the budget options are limited, making air travel less accessible,” Yuko says. “With the exception of Canada, Mexico, and parts of Central America, most of my quick trips now are within the United States. Though staying in the same country is a change, it has been interesting getting to explore new states and regions.”
Ooohhh..... I am Danish, I was taught English in school from when I was 10yo, from I was 12 I had German added and when I was 16 I chose to have French for half the school year. In high school I had Latin and at the uni I had Old Norse. For fun I have looked into Arabic, Hungarian, and Italian. I just really love languages and I feel so lucky that I learned so many just by going to school. 🤘🤓🤘
Not all Europeans are polyglots. Some languages are in the same family so you can easily learn more easily like Slovak-czech. Native English speakers feel there is no need in learning another language since theirs is international. Ironically there are countries who deny speaking it even if they know it.
We don't really count the closely related ones. If you're Swedish, Norwegian and Danish doesn't count.
Load More Replies...American, and know three languages...and I have no idea what those acronyms are.
Right. Also, Americans (at least where I'm from in California) are required to take a foreign language in school.
Load More Replies...this only applies to Polish citizens. Nobody else is bothered to learn Polish. Our language is f****d up and not only we are aware of it - we are SMUG about it.
Not all Europeans are polygots. I've met a few that only knew their native language. Also, I have absolutely no idea with the American acronyms are referring to, but I'm sure that it is meant to be insulting in some way.
Americans....why dont the damned italians, fresnch etc speak or have sign in american !! And american dollar prices !
Works out roughly 1 out of 5 in the US can speak at least two languages. I'm one of them. Europe is more solely because the number of differing languages so close together. If I wanted to use either I know in a foreign country, its 800 to a thousand miles to either place.
Functionally, those are not the same type of vehicle. Obviously the larger truck is not a mini-pickup but if you remove the king cab and make it just a two door and you swap out the full sized bed for a shortbed, the two trucks would be about equal in length. If you have a work crew of four or five people and a load of 4x8 plywood or sheetrock - the "American" truck could do it, the little truck could not. Spoiler - most pickups around where I live are not crew cabs and we do also have some mini trucks driving about.
Think how many people could be swiftly transported using trains.
Load More Replies...I used the one on the left for a while and you must be REALLY suffering if you crave traveling in tiny, noisy, cramped vehicles smelling like (choose at least three) weed/garbage/old socks/cigarette smoke/various bodily fluids, with the occasional "rubbing" pervert, the obligatory bad musicians, the random breaks, the strikes, and several stations we use as pranks for tourists. I'm kidding, I still prefer it to cars.
Wish we had those trains. Don't even have a subway except the restaurant lol. Busses are a pain and unreliable. Yes some areas definitely look like the one with the cars
Looks like my old drive to downtown Austin, Tx. Now I work from home. Much easier.
Oddly enough, there are few places in the US like that. In SF, most commuting is on the train.
Getting back to the east bay during rush hour is a nightmare, though.
Load More Replies...This is such an old and debunked argument. Please try again.
Load More Replies...Yuko’s experiences reveal some of the many ways life varies between Europe and the U.S. However, instead of focusing on which is better, let’s appreciate the unique qualities each place has to offer. After all, it’s these differences that make our world such an interesting place.
Not the water thing again. Ask for tap water in restaurants as it's free. Most major train stations and airports now have water stations.
Watched a video on this a few days ago. European drinks contain less sugar, so they are more hydrating, and European food contains less salt, so you get less thirsty. And it's not a European thing to drink very little, it is actually a very America thing to drink huge amounts, nowhere on the planet do people drink as much as Americans do.
In Germany tap water is about the most strictly regulated food/dring item you can find. Usually without chlorine, too (no more than 0.3 mg/litre allowed).
Load More Replies...yet in france they'll give you all the free water you'll need. You might be thinking about the Netherlands.
In many cities there is free water fountains to drink from and refill. And on trains. Its also often impolite to eat and drink when wandering around. But strangely you can take a picnic and wine on euro trains.
The 8 glasses water per day has been debunked years ago. If you have a balanced diet with enough fruit and vegetables you don't need to drink that much water.
The Austrian invitation to compete was delivered to Australia by a dyslectic postman.
Load More Replies...Nothing confusing about Eurovision voting. It does confuse me how democrats get to vote for the republican nominee though - surely they would vote for the least appealing one so that their candidate has a better chance in the final election? Is that how Trump, W, Reagan etc get elected?
I am an independent voter. I have to choose one way or the other for the primary though.
Load More Replies...Just look at our last election in France if you wanna be confused. No one won, no one lost, and there is disputes even on the sames party
Come to Belgium, the size of a handkerchief and elections on 4 different governemental levels (not counting European level) and it takes a year, give or take a few months, to form a federal government. Yes Ireland, we want our record back!
Eurovision is more political than European elections. UK should have won hands down in 23 but the public sympathy vote for Ukraine swung it completely. Bit like Biden leading in the polls by a huge margin then Trump being shot at and winning easily!
I wish elections could be like eurovision. Trump would be removed esrly by thinkers and young people seeking change. But the winner would be a cute young guy the girls think is cute
The European one, the original, has real orange juice (although not in high percentage), while the North American one has 100% natural flavors, whatever it is.
Eurpoean versions dont have artificial coloring either.
Load More Replies...I could not agree more. Orangina is vastly superior and so refreshing.
Load More Replies...European Fanta gets its color from carrots, pumpkins, and orange fruit, while the US version gets it from dyes (red 40 and yellow 6). Also about 3 times as much sugar in the US version versus the European version, and the US Fanta has high fructose corn syrup while the European version has sugar. Also there's no orange juice in American Fanta. And holy c**p the European Fanta tastes SOOOO much better! (Although an Orangina still beats 'em both IMO.)
Pictures of the average sized person in each case is not unlike the drinks
Not all Europeans. Europe has many different countries. Because one is awful doesn't mean all are.
I'll also say that Scandinavia has the best work benefits, but we aren't far behind
Load More Replies...Americans work to pay for all the c**p they want. An enormous F150 truck with all the bells n whistles, three jet skies, Jayleigh, Kayleigh, Bayleigh all get brand new vehicles at sixteen, a Cancun cruise three times a year ECT.
Nope. Whoever told you that's an example of the average American was lying. We work to pay for medical debt, car and health insurance, gas, utilities, ever-increasing taxes, mortgages and rent, used cars, college tuition, prescriptions, doctor visits, the list goes on.
Load More Replies...The majority of American make a fraction of what they should doing jobs they have to rather than one they want to. The number of people I know with Master's degrees doing basic office jobs just so they can afford to live is rediculous.
I think this is a sweeping generalization. Yes, we Americans tend to work more hours and have less leave, but believe it or not, we DO cherish our free and personal time. Work/life balance is becoming more important, and that's a good thing. But we have a long way to go.
Another joke!!!! You don't get any benefits at all! You have an accident, your job isn't guaranteed and neither is time off. On top of this, it will cost a fortune to be poorly, and god help you if you need an op that one percent of the American population can afford to pay off. Look at how much people are paid in the service industry? This post is absolutely hilarious! Good luck mate! You don't have a union, pension or a hope if you're sacked for apparently no reason. Yeah great choice
I nod knowingly as I sit here with my 44 oz (1.3 L) stainless steel tumbler of ice water.
These water ones have been funny, but uh, do you guys not carry water bottles with you? I have my 1L I take with me everywhere. When I finish it, I just refill it.
About 35% of America is classified as arid, while barely any of Europe is (I didn't forget about you, Spain). So, Americans need to consume a minimum amount of water daily to prevent dehydration. Of course, you can over do it. No one needs to be carrying around a gallon jug of water.
Relax! No one is forcing you to carry a water bottle.
Load More Replies...We do have ugly water towers in Europe, but they tend to be the exception rather than the rule.
Load More Replies..."The Wrocław Water Tower is a historic water tower situated in the Borek neighbourhood of Wrocław, Poland"- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wroc%C5%82aw_Water_Tower
Load More Replies...American water tower tower serves a purpose and didn't require massive amounts of taxation to build.
I feel the same way about Farenheit as OP does about Celsius. How difficult is it. O° = freezing 100° = boiling
0c = water freezing point; 100c= water boiling point; body temp = 37c - which part's tricky?
No need to fight, meet me outside shirtless at 35 degrees and we'll either be too hot or too cold to argue.
It's all water... 0° to 100°C = Freezing to Boiling 1ml water = 1mm³ = 1gram Quantity = Volume = Weight Even Specific Gravity is based on water, 1liter of water = 1kg; where 1liter of petrol = 0,75kg thus the SG of petrol is 0,75
Fahrenheit offers a much finer degree of distinction without using decimal fractions (which confuse way too many Americans).
The one on the left is a much less natural gesture and requires an unusual amount of strength in the last two fingers to keep them down. The one on the right requires no strength in the pinky finger because the thumb holds it down. Also, the middle and ring fingers share a tendon that makes it difficult to put one up and keep the other down without something holding the down one down.
I am a European and count like an American. I've never been to America though.
I'm American and count like a European. I've never been to Europe though. Ha.
Load More Replies...I don't know about anyone else, but I physically can't hold up my ring finger with my pinky down. It's one of those genetic things like tongue curling.
If you drink six glasses of water at lunch, you may have a serious hydration problem or you may need water because you are not able to generate enough saliva to swallow.
Not necessarily, how small are those glasses? 4 oz? 200 ml? 100 ml?
Load More Replies...Huh? You're sitting at lunch, you see that people around you haven't finished their water yet and all of a sudden you think ALL Europeans don't drink enough water? Have you been lunching in every European country then? You do realise Europe is not a country, do you?
Everyone here reads 25 identical BP posts and assume they know everything about America. That's what these dumb posts are for. Dumb comments like this.
Load More Replies...I rarely drink water but I do drink at least 6 cups of tea - no milk or sugar and a glass of coconut water. Not at all dehydrated. Besides I'm sure there was a recent article saying there's no need to drink 2 litres of water a day unless you're in a job where you'd sweat a lot.
I drink mostly not with my meals. If we are eating out 1-2 0.4l glasses but at home mostly inbetween meals.
Is this supposed to be irony? I mean, it is Starbucks for gosh darn sakes. Besides Starbucks being in Europe, I think there would be better choices.
In Paris, if you go to Starbucks and ask just for a coffee, you'll get asked "what kind of coffee?". If you answer "a good coffee", then the result is usually "you are in the wrong place"...
Load More Replies...Someone tell this chap his large coffee is the little one with added water and milk, like you'd do for little children.
If you gave them coffee. Which would be terrifying to behold...they already have so much energy...
Load More Replies...im the only one in my friend/family/work environment that drinks espresso. Im not saying it is rare in Europe, but Europe is bigger than Italy and Portugal
Starbuck in Europe is equivalent of going for lunch to McD's in Italy or France.
watch my european bum drink 0.5l of latte macchiatto... it's my breakfast
European iced coffee is superior to the American one. In the US it is just cold coffee, in Europe it's made with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream on top.
As far as I'm concerned, an "Iced Coffee" is a cold milky coffee with ice cream and cream, served in a tall glass with a straw and a parfait spoon. Anything with ice cubes in it is an abomination and an affront to human decency. So there.
Iced coffee originated in Greece, didn't it? The Frappé, invented in Greece in 1957...
This is how I make my iced coffee at home!! (US born and raised but had a Greek coffee once and became obsessed!) Whipped espresso, essentially. I do put ice cubes in it but I also use a stainless steel tumbler so it stays cold. The ice doesn't melt enough to water it down by the time I'm done. I want to move to Greece someday and lord help the coffee shop I live closest to, they're gonna stay in business just from me alone 😂
Load More Replies...try a Caffe Leccese , Caffe Affogato or Granita di Caffe and get back to us on that
Affogato for the win! It's like a little dessert, not too heavy, not too expensive... Just perfect 👌
Load More Replies...iced coffee in the US is just normal coffee with ice in it. What´s so special about it? As many already wrote here in europe ice Coffe is made with Ice cream.
Droppings. Maybe a "content creator's" TikTok/Instagram garbage?
Load More Replies...Working yourself to death at the expense of family and a decent balanced life is not the flex you think it is.
No, but it’s also a necessity forced on many Americans by our broken form of capitalism. Trust me, only the lunatics do it by choice.
Load More Replies...Why would you want or even need to be productive all the time? Why not just enjoy your life with the people you love? You do what you need to do and when that's taken care of, your time is your own to spend the way you like it. Perhaps that's the problem: the inability to just enjoy your ife.
I thought a lot about productivity and I came to the conclusion that people working almost every waking hour are not more productive, but just busier. You need time to think, to relax, to reload your batteries and to learn to be more productive (work smarter, not harder). More hours doesn't equal a better outcome. I know I would be much worse in my job if I had to do major hours in a second job. Even studies suggest that more hours don't lead to better performance / results.
Load More Replies...There's a big difference between shopping in the most of the USA and most of Europe. In the most of the USA there are incredibly strict zoning laws that keep retail and residential accommodation separate. In most of Europe, you can leave your home, and within a 15 minute walk find a place to buy bread, milk, a newspaper, etc. I can literally get all of these things, and many, many more simply by crossing the road. Then nearest supermarket is a 7 minute walk. Europeans can shop daily because the shops are so close to our homes. We can safely walk there.
Thank you for using "most". Reading these lists is always crazy for. For example, I'm in the US and can safely walk to the store in less than 10 min.
Load More Replies...Or not being able to walk your commute while passing fresh produce and bakeries
Writing from my unproductive 2 weeks (paid) vacation while i'm doing fck all all day. I have 2 more weeks lined up end of december and 5 weeks of 4 working day weeks just before that. Please tell me how productive you are.
They work all hours for no RIGHTS, can't afford HEALTHCARE and cannot RELY ON THEIR JOB IF THEY HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR HAVE LONG TERM SICKNESS. I find this very naive and "what TF are you saying" post. Foolish
Load More Replies...The concept is not...the messenger usually is. I've read "the Book", how it's words can be twisted into what so many Americans believe borders on criminal.
Load More Replies...The image of European Christianity is from the Middle Ages. The image of American Christianity is from the 21st century.
Specifically, it's from Kingdom of Heaven, which takes place in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Figure it's happening at the same time as The Lion In Winter.
Load More Replies...Neither is a representative picture of the norm in their respective areas. That said, I've seen some pretty comical videos of Russian priests blessing tanks and such with holy water. In one video they are in an airplane spraying out holy water from above with chemical sprayers. "Sorry about inadequate armor and expired K rations but here's some holy water mist" LOL
Maybe stay the hell out of Europe, I'm sure the locals would appreciate your absence.
We stopped lighting the wood-powered oven around the beginning of july (yeah, this year was extraoridinarily cold). The last time we had almost freezing temperatures was the 10th of june (snow fell almost to our doorstep). Believe me, AC for hot weather is the least concern on my mind 🥶
It amazes me we (US) no longer try to suffer through hot days. I have mocked my kids, who both have central AC, that 72 degrees year round is not healthy, the body does not adapt to nature. We have a portable that runs for a couple hours(unless they are visiting) during late afternoon just to knock the humidity out.
There are plenty of buildings in Europe with A/C. We even have them in Scotland for the 1 sunny day we get each year.
Load More Replies...Where I'm from (mountains!) fitness has almost taken the importance that the catholic church (🤮) once had. This results in a never stopping array of dead mountaineers and climbers and daredevils.
That's a wrong word! And the uk has high obesity rates (I'm from the uk). If you look at statistics, apparently turkey is worse than America! I'm shocked. But it's a problem all around the world tbf
This was per capita BTW I do believe the huge portions and soda refills don't help in America.
Load More Replies...•
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BoredPanda: Americans are slack-jawed hillbillies wallowing around in their own filth while Europeans are erudite scholars preserving a rich cultural heritage. Honestly though, stop pitting people against each other. This site has become such a hate filled place anymore. You're ruining your site and losing reader with nasty threads like this.
I thought we were getting a rest from it, but no, here we are again. Thing is, it could be made amusing, but you know it's just going to spark rudeness
Load More Replies...Oh wow a new America bashing post on Boredpanda from Europeans! Most of this is utter c**p. I don't know anyone in America that thinks driving two hours is nearby. That's f*****g absurd. And complaining about the size of our states is also f*****g stupid. It's not our fault your countries are the size of peanuts.
I actually do. I know several who don't think anything about driving hundreds of miles. And often for little or no reason.
Load More Replies...I never realized that the amount of water I drink would be so polarizing…🙄
It's not. No one really cares how much water other people are drinking.
Load More Replies...S**t on the Americans, then wipe your a*s with a Syrian. That’s some lifestyle
BoredPanda: Americans are slack-jawed hillbillies wallowing around in their own filth while Europeans are erudite scholars preserving a rich cultural heritage. Honestly though, stop pitting people against each other. This site has become such a hate filled place anymore. You're ruining your site and losing reader with nasty threads like this.
I thought we were getting a rest from it, but no, here we are again. Thing is, it could be made amusing, but you know it's just going to spark rudeness
Load More Replies...Oh wow a new America bashing post on Boredpanda from Europeans! Most of this is utter c**p. I don't know anyone in America that thinks driving two hours is nearby. That's f*****g absurd. And complaining about the size of our states is also f*****g stupid. It's not our fault your countries are the size of peanuts.
I actually do. I know several who don't think anything about driving hundreds of miles. And often for little or no reason.
Load More Replies...I never realized that the amount of water I drink would be so polarizing…🙄
It's not. No one really cares how much water other people are drinking.
Load More Replies...S**t on the Americans, then wipe your a*s with a Syrian. That’s some lifestyle
