It’s not only customs that differ from one part of the world to the other; things people consider mundane often do, too. So it’s no secret that certain habits or items in the US might not be as common in Europe, for example; and vice versa.
That’s what netizens in the ‘No Stupid Questions’ subreddit recently discussed. User ‘meryse' addressed the American members asking what everyday things Europeans have they would consider a luxury in the States. Their answers covered everything, from food, to healthcare, hygiene habits, and even windows; so scroll down to find them on the list below and see how they compare to your own home.
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I'm just going to assume "Really good cheese" is a legitimate answer.
Fresh baked bread for reasonable prices that you can get in walking distance of your home, and aren't full of preservatives.
Also, affordable health care.
The healthcare in Holland is getting more and more non affordable..
Peace of mind that we won't receive a medical bill that might bankrupt us.
I broke my ankle 11 days ago. I was brought to the ER, had X-Rays, a cast, painkillers, crutches, and now have to get daily shots of blood thinners (the first few days it was administered at home by a nurse but now I do it myself, so I have a stock of syringes). So far the only thing I've paid is the disinfectant and the compresses for my self-administered shots, which was around 8€. I live in France...
Decent quality chocolate available in almost any random corner shop.
Part of my walk to school was through… yes through the Cadbury factory in bournville, my school was built by George Cadbury, this was back in the day when everything was black and white, I’m old
Schools that are not used as target practice
American tourists mistake Edinburgh Castle for a high school, because there's gunfire there every day.
Food that doesn’t have a ton of artificial additives and non-food ingredients that makes you sick. I never realized that was what was causing my stomach problems until I went on vacation in Europe and within a day had no problems at all. And it came back a day after I returned. They can make great food, even packaged junk food, with just real food ingredients. Why can’t we?
Profits. The US truly are a land of opportunities but mainly the opportunity to exploit people or make profit by all means.
Time. Time to eat in a restaurant without being shoved out. Time to sip coffee at a cafe. Time to spend with new children. Time to go on vacation. Seems like an unattainable luxury to this American.
Maternity leave and healthcare come to mind.
Affordable healthcare and maternity leave equally available to everyone. I know some people have healthcare and some companies offer paid maternity leave, but it's not the standard.
I know someone who works 50+ hours a week,, makes just enough to support his small family (child with special needs) and he can't afford to treat his hepatitis C because of the treatment (12 weeks of pills) costing more than he earns in 18 months. He can't afford to pay for health insurance.. (before a-holes start judging, he was born with it).
This just makes zero sense, it’s unimaginable people not getting the healthcare they need because it costs too much, it’s really sad that the land of the free is also subject to such draconian healthcare measures, I’m grateful for the NHS even if it is a bit slow at times
Can't speak for all of Europe, but workers rights. Wtf is "getting fired on the day"? Or quitting, for that matter? You get 3 months here
In some cases you can be fired even in Europe on the spot, but to do that you have to do something really serious, like punch your boss in the face or steal a lot from the company, maybe come to work really high (but in most places where I worked you would get one or two written warnings (three and you are out)).
No high fructose corn syrup in everything!!!!
Like you don't even need to check the label for it.
Unlimited sick days. Or just sick days, because it's just not a concept. If your are sick, you are sick and stay at home with full pay until you aren't anymore. Can't get fired for it too.
Just to add. If you've been sick for longer than 2 years, your employer does have the right to fire you. You will then have the right to apply for benefits.
That is actually country specific. In Poland you cannot be sick more than a year (there are more nuances here to that but a year it is), then you have to either get back to work, or if are unable to do your old work, find a work that you can do - a doctor need to determine if you can or cannot do the job, or if you are unable to work you get the disability pension. Now, if you are on timed contract, eg. hired for 1 year and your sickness extend beyond this 1 year your employment is extended by default to the end of your sickness, and with the last day of your sick leave become null and void. Your employer however may be willing to renew your employment.
Load More Replies...Same here, we have statutory sick pay (SSP) in the UK, you'll get a certain amount at full pay deepening on your time in service and then it drops to SSP after that time.
Load More Replies...UK-public sector worker. If I'm unable to work, I get 6 months of full pay and then 6 months of half pay. Depending on circumstances, and at their discretion, my employer can then give me another 6 months of half pay, or I go onto statutory sick pay. My employer has to keep my job open for 2 years from the date of starting sick leave. If I take shorter periods of sick leave, then taking 3 separate periods of sick leave in one year will trigger a referral to occupational health, even if it's periods of only a couple of days, and if you take multiple days off here and there, it could lead to dismissal, so this is to prevent people abusing the system. And it's cumulative-you can't take 6 months at full pay, come back to work for a few weeks, and then go off again expecting another 6 months at full pay-its done over a 3 year period, so if you take 6 months at full pay in 2022, and need more sick leave later, any further leave up to 2025 would immediately be at half-pay only.
I only get 5 months now. Government chipping away bit by bit.
Load More Replies...I would say a majority of U.S. jobs have 0 paid sick days. They can't afford to stay home so they come in and make others sick too.
Not only that, but many US employers make being able to call in sick next to impossible. I had two different job where I was in authority to take sick calls and with both, I was basically given a script to follow, such as "are you SURE you are too sick to come in". Laughably (or not) one of these was for nurses -asking a NURSE if they know what defines sick 🙄. I tended to not follow the script and was often told they always hoped and prayed it was me who answered when they called (at both places).
Load More Replies...Not completelu true (at least in Finland) inthink you get like 30days paid sick leave/year, more then that you need to Ask money from social administratiom
So much better than someone coming to work sick and exposing everyone else. Especially food workers.
In the Netherlands you can be sick for a year with full pay. The second year your income will be 70%. After the second year your contract can be terminated
It's not that great in the UK. You can only claim a small amount of statutory sick pay. My employment contract states I get full pay while sick for up to 6 months in any 12. After that, I'd be taking a big pay cut. And after only two years my employer isn't obliged to keep my job open for me. Bceause it's regulated by job contracts a decent standard of living during long-term sickness in the UK can be a very variable experience.
After 6 weeks in Germany, your employer stops paying you. Instead, you get Krankengeld from your public health insurance. It’s 70% of your gross salary. If you have private health insurance, you do not get Krankengeld. You must get a separate Krankentagegeld insurance.
I work in UK. We have a sick day 'trigger' of 10 days (plus another 10 if you have a disability) if you go over, you may get a written warning to improve your attendance but it depends why you were absent. We get full pay for 6 months, then half pay for 6 months and then we revert to our pension rate of pay. People have been fired due to absence but only if there is no realistic prospect of return and they don't qualify for ill health retirement.
After the second consecutiv day you need a Doctors notice. After 6 Weeks you get about 60 % of your pay. You have to do all to get healthy again, but you don't have to stay at home
It depends on the country, but here is how it works here. You are not getting full pay, only 60%. You need doctor's note. You have to stay on one place (usually at home, but if you say to the doctor that you will be at your aunt and give the address, this is what will be as "place of stay" on the note). Your employer is allowed to check if you are really there. But it is true that you cannot be fired during this. And that you can get a note for burning out and then you have a free movement, but I think you must attend some therapy.
Not having to hand over your credit card to a server who then disappears with it. In Europe, the machine comes to you and you just tap it with your card/phone/watch.
No gaps in bathroom stall doors. Not the bottom gap, that’s fine, they could be lower for sure, but I mean the ones between the door.
Yeah this one is just weird, I was so self conscious when I went over the pond! Do not make eye contact!!!! Lol
Ability to not require a personal motorised vehicle for literally every single thing in ones life.
Work-Life balance. Paid time off. The ability to receive healthcare without going bankrupt. The ability to seek higher education if desired without going into life-altering debt. Public transportation. Maternal and paternal rights. Kindness.
A safety net. It is incredibly stressful to work in America as an American. You bust your a*s for decades and could still lose everything you’ve worked to maintain at the drop of a hat. One slip, one positive test result, one broken bone, one genetic disorder, one sudden chronic pain… that’s it. No more job. No more paycheck. Savings gone in under a year. House (if you could afford one at all) gone. Suddenly you’re homeless.
It doesn’t even take a medical issue. Anything that could get you fired (because employers can fire you for any reason without any waiting period) can ruin your life forever. Maybe you missed some court date and you went to jail for two days. Maybe your kid is sick and you had to stay home. Your car broke down. You went to the hospital. Your loved one died.
Fired. Now you have no healthcare. You dip into your savings (if you have them). You keep dipping until there is nothing left. The only place hiring is a grocery store that offers $7.5 an hour. You can’t even rent a 1bd apartment in your city. You rent outside the city. Now your commute is 1.5 hours. You can’t pick up your kids from school anymore so you have to hire a babysitter. How do you get ahead? How can you get out of this hole?
F**k the American system. It’s s**t. Most people never get a chance at a good life and those that have one could lose it all through no fault of their own.
And we are all too terrified to fight back because our survival is directly tied to employment.
And to make matters worse, capitalism had completely decimated our built in support systems, like family and community, but that’s a bigger conversation.
Good public transport outside of main cities. Germans in particular love to complain about Deutsche Bahn (and rightfully so) but compared to USA it's just so much more versatile.
This might seem a little weird, but I really liked the windows when I was in Germany. Turn the handle up and it tilted back, turn it to the side and it opened like a door, turn it down and it was locked. I've never seen windows like that installed in the US. I've googled and they're available but just not in common use it seems. At least not in the parts of the US I've been to.
Universal healthcare (in most countries). A family member in Italy needed an MRI of the brain. if she waited a few weeks it would be free. She didn’t want to wait so she paid out of pocket: $120. That would be a few thousand dollars in the US.
Practically free higher education. They pay fees, not tuition. Minor costs.
Health care costs in America are high but affordable if you have health insurance. If you don't have insurance it is unaffordable (half a million for routine sinus surgery). I swear it is designed this way to force Americans into employment for corporations and discourage independent business.
You might enjoy the documentary Where to Invade Next by Michael Moore. It's about how just as Europe has looked to America, America should look to Europe.
He covers these topics. Summarized with chat gpt.
Education system in Finland.
Workers' rights and work-life balance in Italy.
Healthcare system in France.
Drug policy in Portugal.
Prison reform in Norway.
Gender equality in Iceland.
School meals in Slovenia.
I would put environmental and consumer protection up there e.g. EU banned ingredients in food and consumer goods.
Another thing the French have that is a good idea - 6 weeks of political campaigning for high office. That's it. Rather than the YEARS of manure flinging we have to endure here in the US.
Chocolate that doesn't taste like splenda infused vomit.
Soft drinks that don't taste like windex with a drop of food colouring mixed in.
Legitimate castles that aren't mock ups built by people that missed having a history that goes back further than a middle aged greenland shark
Quieter cities because there are fewer cars. And along the same lines, smaller cars. And, continuing on those lines, obviously, better/more convenient public transportation - even non-major cities.
Mmmh... it's the first one on the list I kind of disagree with (about quieter cities with fewer cars). There's a few notable exceptions, and it depends from one country to the next. But big cities are still overcrowded with cars. I live in Brussels, and traffic jams are a daily occurence.
No tipping.
Can’t believe it’s not more prominent, but the right to privacy, and recently digital privacy.
GDPR was an excellent piece of legislation.
Funny that they show a camera. Pretty sure e.g. London has more cameras than anywhere in the US. It might be changing but the Brits (and others) are way ahead of the US with regard to cameras being everywhere run by a government entity. Ring and other cameras are everywhere here though.
A sense of community that isn’t based on the color of some old loser’s tie.
«A sense of community» is very very American in essence. Europeans do not refer to their «community», whatever that means, all the time.
Tomatoes that are actually red, flavorful and delicious.
It kinda depends on where you buy them from, I think. And what country you're in. Here in romania, if you buy from a bigger brand (kaufland, lidl) they're not all that good, but the ones from a local shop are way better. When I went to Austria for like a week or so,in Vienna, the tomatoes from a random grocery store(billa I think) were pretty damn awesome
The ability to travel to other countries without a lot of money. From Paris, France to Warsaw, Poland is the same distance from one side of Texas to the other side of Texas. I don't think Europeans understand that when they sneer and tell Americans they should travel. Americans can travel up to nearly 3000 miles and still be in the US (2906.2 miles.from San Fransisco to NYC) That's not cheap. Travel is expensive.
Museums and art everywhere.
Local food/wine
Healthcare paid for
Guaranteed vacations.
The "travel more" is more about "learning about different cultures". Otherwise I don't really understand the idea that "Europeans don't understand US distances". So far, all the Europeans I've met have been aware that there is an entire continent between the Atlantic and Pacific, that due to its size the US lies in several different climate zones, and that there are four time zones between the east and west coasts, plus time zones for Alaska and Hawaii...
Easy walking routes and biking routes. I bet I'm going to see a lot of healthcare it may not be affordable but it's probably the quickest healthcare there is.
Mandatory 4+ weeks vacation
It's kinda like those random 4-week long breaks that some year-round schools have off
A better environment for labor. More union protections and rights. I dream of having Norway's broad trade union system in the States. *Vastly* better consumer protections. The EU has been really good for the world in that regard by forcing changes to products.
Bum Guns. I want bidets to be widely accepted in the US
The right to cross the street. The right to drink beer outside. The right to drink alcohol before we're adults. Free at delivery medical care. Government mandated maternity leave. Vacation time.
Historic architecture and cultural heritage: Europe's rich history and cultural heritage provide unique opportunities to experience historic architecture, museums, and traditions that may be less prevalent in the United States.
The United States has amazing indigenous history that goes back thousands of years. Why do they not see that?
For the most part European countries value their history and preserve buildings that would be torn down and replaced by modern architecture in the US. I put Italy at the top of the ladder in this respect.
The downside is, that it can be a legal and financial hassle to remodel.
Drinkable tap water
Last time I visited Germany, nobody could believe that I was drinking tap water. Nobody in that city apparently did.
Ability to purchase good, unadultrated food at reasonable prices. You can get the same stuff in the USA if you are willing to pay 100% more than "regular" prices for it, but in Europe you can get it for even cheaper than the US price for HCFS laden c**p.
This is just so sad, serious question to any American panda, why is your food so laden with sugar/ additives/ whatever? We have this kind of food too but have the option to buy better for just a little more, don’t you get the same?
Paid parental leave and healthcare access that doesn't require you to be enslaved to corporate America. And they tend to accommodate bikers.
Affordable high-speed Internet. Like 1gigabyte/s (up and down!) for under €20 per month. With negligible installation fees. And it includes over a hundred cable channels.
Universal healthcare, eldercare and other social initiatives, election campaigns that don't last three years, gun control, an incredible variety of cheeses, sensible alternatives to automobile travel, religious secularism as the norm, schools that teach children how to learn and thirst for knowledge, rather than just how to pass a test and what to do in an active shooter situation. I know that those things might not seem like luxuries to many folks, but just imagine how great life in the US could be, but isn't.
Cheap internet. Cheap phone plans. Clean, delicious, healthier food, better diets in general. Worker protections. Healthcare instead of for profit insurance companies. Trains. Busses. Public transit in general. Language diversity.
BMW and Mercedes taxis
And nowadays there are a lot of Skoda/Volkswagen made taxis due to their longevity, reliability & spaciousness. German made = reliable
BOYCOTT these posts. At the very least downvote the whole article and then move on. I know I'm commenting, but I've not read anything (assume it's the same old, same old) and only come here to say this. Ignore these posts the next time (in about 36 hours) one comes up! BP knows these stir people up - don't let it.
To save time why doesn't Bored Panda just write F**K AMERICA! 3 times a week and we can all just get on with our lives...
How come, once again, this list is so redundant? The same elements appears three or four times. Can't you just keep less elements and make them more to the point?
better yet, can you stop regurgitating the same posts over and over
Load More Replies...Straight answer - because it creates a lot of clicks and comments (from justifiably outraged people) and BP use those to sell advertising. I read none of it but came here to say that we need to boycott these posts. Don't even click on the next one that comes up - just as someone else has suggested.
Load More Replies...Nobody criticises America for the things it deserves criticism for. A virtual monopoly on weapons of mass destruction. A bubble around the president so big that you have to just about evacuate every city he visits.
Sure those Ruskies don't have nukes, actually more than thr u.s.
Load More Replies...All right. Can’t even finish this regurgitated screed. I’m sooooo sick of these repetitive incendiary lists of the same comparisons. We get it BP, the powers that be think America sucks and Europe is perfect. I love Europe. I also love where I live., and I’ve found that every place has something to commend it and something that’s terrible.
"Europe". Around 45% of Europeans are living in countries that are either dictatorships, failing economies, or an active war zone (f**k you, Putin). When we're talking about land mass, that rises to 60%. Russia alone takes up around 40% of all of Europe's land mass, and 15% of it's population, and there is also Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Greece, etc. Throughout recorded history, there has not been more than 20 years straight without brutal armed conflict in Europe. "Europe" has never had its s**t together. Only a small number of countries, which are wealthy from looting Africa, Latin America, and SE Asia, not to mention the the exploitation of their own people, as well as the murder of minorities and the theft of their property, who now have the luxury of having amazing social systems. All Western European countries, including Sweden, had extensive colonies across the world.
1. Many are incorrect (I've been to Europe, folks, I've been to Latin America, I've been to Canada, if you want crappy construction or weird people or bad food .or bigotry or or or ... they're everywhere people are!) 2. DO NOT FEED THE BP TROLLS. Downvote the article, don't comment on any individual bits of it, let BP get no clicks from this bait!
Commenting here does also add to BPs rates I'm afraid... Sorry to have added to it but we need to not comment or click on it at all.
Load More Replies...Can't we just get more positive posts? all these American bashing posts are getting tireing. And if not and board panda still posts these, can they at least share some ways to help fight against this?
This article is a bunch of c**p. I am so sick of snobby Europeans and American catastroporn addicts.
One not mentioned- the ability to take critiscm of our countries without raging about it. The ability to laugh at our own shortcomings with self-depreciating humour and wit.
It's probably a typo but depreciating means diminish in value over a period of time - I suspect that any humour in this subject absolutely has diminished! Of course they can't laugh at it anymore. If you hear the same criticisms day in, day out that can be psychologically damaging. Yeah, okay, you meant deprecating but you hit the nail on the head anyway.
Load More Replies...From this Bored Panda writer alone, she posted two articles bashing Americans in just last week. Last week, she posted 40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad and 30 Things Europeans Do That Leave Americans Raising Their Eyebrows. So, not even a full 2 weeks she already posted three recycled, reused articles bashing Americans. No wonder these are getting old very quickly.
Have to say. I do nothing where i live. And I still get money and have a home, I am born a lucky place. Still I don't like my country for other reasons. Why you people get so angry about other people don't like Us. I think this list is Silly. Cheese that's a minor thing and not really a problem. But really there is alot wrong in a modern country like USA. And I don't talk about people in general. There is a lot of lovely people there like every other country. But it is really not a good place to live if you have real problems no good back land and is poor. And what is this cult s**t mixed in whit politics. Pushing there religious beliefs down the throat of the people. That's just fuckd up.
Are you f*****g kidding us!??! Health care, full stop. Nothing else warrants mention in the grand scheme….
They don't have Donald Trump. That makes Europe instantly superior in all respects. Plus public transit, trains, healthcare, functioning governments, good social support networks, nobody is shooting 50 people a day with a handgun, I could go on...
I would add one more, freedom in your own home. No HOAs. If you want to grow tomatoes on your garden, you can. If you want to replace lawn with flowers, you can. It is YOUR garden, so nobody can tell you what to do with it.
If only you had some real information about the u.s.
Load More Replies...BOYCOTT these posts. At the very least downvote the whole article and then move on. I know I'm commenting, but I've not read anything (assume it's the same old, same old) and only come here to say this. Ignore these posts the next time (in about 36 hours) one comes up! BP knows these stir people up - don't let it.
To save time why doesn't Bored Panda just write F**K AMERICA! 3 times a week and we can all just get on with our lives...
How come, once again, this list is so redundant? The same elements appears three or four times. Can't you just keep less elements and make them more to the point?
better yet, can you stop regurgitating the same posts over and over
Load More Replies...Straight answer - because it creates a lot of clicks and comments (from justifiably outraged people) and BP use those to sell advertising. I read none of it but came here to say that we need to boycott these posts. Don't even click on the next one that comes up - just as someone else has suggested.
Load More Replies...Nobody criticises America for the things it deserves criticism for. A virtual monopoly on weapons of mass destruction. A bubble around the president so big that you have to just about evacuate every city he visits.
Sure those Ruskies don't have nukes, actually more than thr u.s.
Load More Replies...All right. Can’t even finish this regurgitated screed. I’m sooooo sick of these repetitive incendiary lists of the same comparisons. We get it BP, the powers that be think America sucks and Europe is perfect. I love Europe. I also love where I live., and I’ve found that every place has something to commend it and something that’s terrible.
"Europe". Around 45% of Europeans are living in countries that are either dictatorships, failing economies, or an active war zone (f**k you, Putin). When we're talking about land mass, that rises to 60%. Russia alone takes up around 40% of all of Europe's land mass, and 15% of it's population, and there is also Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Greece, etc. Throughout recorded history, there has not been more than 20 years straight without brutal armed conflict in Europe. "Europe" has never had its s**t together. Only a small number of countries, which are wealthy from looting Africa, Latin America, and SE Asia, not to mention the the exploitation of their own people, as well as the murder of minorities and the theft of their property, who now have the luxury of having amazing social systems. All Western European countries, including Sweden, had extensive colonies across the world.
1. Many are incorrect (I've been to Europe, folks, I've been to Latin America, I've been to Canada, if you want crappy construction or weird people or bad food .or bigotry or or or ... they're everywhere people are!) 2. DO NOT FEED THE BP TROLLS. Downvote the article, don't comment on any individual bits of it, let BP get no clicks from this bait!
Commenting here does also add to BPs rates I'm afraid... Sorry to have added to it but we need to not comment or click on it at all.
Load More Replies...Can't we just get more positive posts? all these American bashing posts are getting tireing. And if not and board panda still posts these, can they at least share some ways to help fight against this?
This article is a bunch of c**p. I am so sick of snobby Europeans and American catastroporn addicts.
One not mentioned- the ability to take critiscm of our countries without raging about it. The ability to laugh at our own shortcomings with self-depreciating humour and wit.
It's probably a typo but depreciating means diminish in value over a period of time - I suspect that any humour in this subject absolutely has diminished! Of course they can't laugh at it anymore. If you hear the same criticisms day in, day out that can be psychologically damaging. Yeah, okay, you meant deprecating but you hit the nail on the head anyway.
Load More Replies...From this Bored Panda writer alone, she posted two articles bashing Americans in just last week. Last week, she posted 40 Things Americans Weren’t Aware Were So Blatantly American Until They Traveled Abroad and 30 Things Europeans Do That Leave Americans Raising Their Eyebrows. So, not even a full 2 weeks she already posted three recycled, reused articles bashing Americans. No wonder these are getting old very quickly.
Have to say. I do nothing where i live. And I still get money and have a home, I am born a lucky place. Still I don't like my country for other reasons. Why you people get so angry about other people don't like Us. I think this list is Silly. Cheese that's a minor thing and not really a problem. But really there is alot wrong in a modern country like USA. And I don't talk about people in general. There is a lot of lovely people there like every other country. But it is really not a good place to live if you have real problems no good back land and is poor. And what is this cult s**t mixed in whit politics. Pushing there religious beliefs down the throat of the people. That's just fuckd up.
Are you f*****g kidding us!??! Health care, full stop. Nothing else warrants mention in the grand scheme….
They don't have Donald Trump. That makes Europe instantly superior in all respects. Plus public transit, trains, healthcare, functioning governments, good social support networks, nobody is shooting 50 people a day with a handgun, I could go on...
I would add one more, freedom in your own home. No HOAs. If you want to grow tomatoes on your garden, you can. If you want to replace lawn with flowers, you can. It is YOUR garden, so nobody can tell you what to do with it.
If only you had some real information about the u.s.
Load More Replies...

