People Share 30 Things That They Think Are Normal In Europe But Horrific In America

my house was built in 1677

Favorite metric system quote is by Josh Bazell. “In metric, one milliliter of water occupies one cubic centimeter, weighs one gram, and requires one calorie of energy to heat up by one degree centigrade—which is 1 percent of the difference between its freezing point and its boiling point. ... Whereas in the American system, the answer to ‘How much energy does it take to boil a room-temperature gallon of water?’ is ‘Go f**k yourself,’ because you can’t directly relate any of those quantities.”

This! When I was a nanny in the US, the family I worked for was always nagging me for using public transport. I never unederstood what the big deal was.

And then we have our beloved bored panda censure... s**t!

Rested and healthy employees = higher productivity. Who'd have thought?

What???

Or, at least partially in Germany, leaves it with a neighbour.

I'd rather not have muddy footprints/ dirt from outside around the house.

They should make this a European thing.

I think they meant: While it is normal for Europeans to speak at least one language other than their mother tongue, Americans are not expected to speak any other language than English.

At least where I live in Germany it’s NOT usual to be naked in parks or bathing naked in crowded places, except they’re designated as nude areas. Topless is tolerated in most urban parks, if you don’t Walk around. Otherwise it’s a "Public nuisance", which is an administrative offense and is punished by a penalty fee.

Seen as lazy, huh? So the management only have standing desks?

Of course not. I am on VACATION.

In the UK we normally describe properties as 1 bed, 2 bed etc. and give a separate count of other rooms. Studio is normally used to describe rooms of mixed use. So a 1 bed studio apartment will normally be a combined kitchen, living and sleeping space with a separate bath- or shower-room.

I remember one work trip where I was in Germany, just over the border from France. All the staff were French and commuted across the border daily. Hell, we even went back across the border for lunch each day!

I love being Scottish, I love living here, the people (mostly), the accepting and open culture, the sarcastic swearing humour, that we can take the piss out of ourselves - but I don't feel the need to fly a flag on my doorstep or cover myself in Scottish symbols and scream about my freedom and rights and chant some verse every morning - im sure there are plenty of Americans who also think that the stereotypical over the top patriotic American is as odd as outsiders do - but they do tend to be the loudest

Fun fact: These are all things that Unions achieved and next the government made them law. Some Americans would go bat shyte crazy over that. "The government has no right to force 25 mandatory vacation days on me!!!!"

Absolutely, what's acceptable in Spain wouldn't fly in Denmark and vice versa. All countries have their own cultures. The first time, years before the internet through reading American magazines, I came across 'Europe' being referred to as a homogeneous whole I was extremely confused. I was also highly entertained by all the adverts stating 'Everyone in Europe is using this product' for something I'd never seen in my life.

It prevents them from copying you card information and using them to commit fraud by buying stuff online with your creditcard information. In fact I think we ought to memorise the control numbers on the back of the card and then remove them for the card. Having them there is like writing the pin code on the card with a marker, it is just making abuse way too easy.

This is Rule 1 of the London Underground

True. Topless is normal.

You mean normal portions.

I am in the Netherlands and almost every kid I know does some kind of extracurricular sport. There are also special subsidies to make sure every kids even from low income families can participate. But we dont tend to get obsessive parents here.

Not smiling all the time, too.

what about mayonnaise AND ketchup??

Personally, I dislike automatics. It makes me feel like I'm driving a go kart. If you're going to drive a car...well...drive it!

In Norway you'll get tap water when you ask for water, and that's free.

The only really gay thing I know is falling in love with someone of the same gender as yourself. If cleaning your ass after you've been to the toilet is 'gay' to you, you have some real issues.

That's one of the most stupid things in Germany. The kitchen should belong to the apartment.

in germany you're allowed to drink beer/wine with 14 when you're parents are around, at 16 without them and everything else at 18

Has to do with the car culture over here. In the UK and the Continent, people rely more on public transportation, meaning they’re not getting behind the wheel of a car if they drink. Every American teenager can take driver training in school and get their Learner’s Permit when they’re 15 1/2, and pass the test for their license at 16. Those whose parents can afford it—-or who worked weekends and all summer to save up for it—-have their own car. Combine that with underage drinking, then add in normal teenage horsing around and other distractions (texting and selfies are a problem), and it’s a pretty potent recipe for life-altering, or life-ending, accidents. That’s why it’s an issue in the states.

Silly alcohol culture plus ridiculous age limits infantilizes many Americans well into their adulthood.

This doesn't apply to Norway. 18 years for beverages containing less than 22% alcohol (by volume), and above that it's 20 years.

Yeah but imagine combining drunk teenagers and AR-15s. Just saying.

I brought my daughter up the European way. When she was small, she got a stemmed liqueur glass with a tiny splash of wine diluted with water. As she got older, the water was reduced. By the time she was 14, she had a glass of wine with dinner like the rest of us.

when i was growing up nobody cared if we drank ourselves into oblivion

Revolting!

We had Prohibition, and it has left us with a lot of weird ideas and customs surrounding alcohol. Sorry, Europe. Anyway kids should not consume alcohol because their brains and other organs are not fully formed and it could be harmful. I’m a prime example🤪

In Wisconsin USA, you can drink at pretty much any age, as long as with a parent

There are some states in the U.S. where you can drink in a restaurant at 16 if you are with a parent. I think Michigan is one.

There is no drinking age in Denmark at all, you cant BUY alcohol unless you are 16, for Beers and low percentage drinks, and high percentage like vodka and rum, it is age 18, but if your mom and dad have bought it, and you are not in public, there is no rules, you just cant go into clubs and bars under the age of 18☺️

Canadian - I was drinking a glass of wine with family at special meals as early as I can remember...including in restaurants!