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.

Well, even different regions of the same country can differ, culturally. What’s totally acceptable in a metropolitan area can be considered downright shocking in a more isolated rural area.

It's not free, you pay for it just the same.

Nothings FREE, someone is paying for it. If your government is paying then YOUR paying, one way or the other.

I remove my shoes too, SOME Americans actually care about the cleanliness of their home. The only reason my grandpa doesnt is because he only got one leg with a pulse. The other works of wires

Free in quotations? Is it not free? :) Could someone explain?

Being French , I get outraged when I hear “free” healthcare. Wake up . Nothing is free !!!!, Taxes pay for healthcare .

I never believe Advertising …

It's not free It's paid for by tax money

Scottish here. I tip approx 10% on every meal out. Not because service is great and not because the waiter needs the tip to survive. It's just something we automatically do. Personally, I want someone to make my dinner so that I don't have to. I don't really care if the food is thrown at me while the waiter goes through the A-Z of swear words, as long as it lands on the table and is edible.

The shoe thing is not happening over here (Netherlands)

And we eat healthier. Let the Americans waddle by, searching for a McDonalds.

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

I disagree with this as well. For small crimes (like dealing weed) their prison sentences should be short and focus on rehabilitation. But for major crimes they should be extremely long. Not “I gang raped a minor and got 13 years of prison and I will do 8”. You destroy a life, you should pay more than that.

This one comes up a lot on these lists. I use an electric kettle at home and at work. They are readily available at home goods stores in the US. I think they are not as foreign as it is imagined, they just aren’t a household staple, mostly because more people prefer coffee than tea in the US. I am an avid tea drinker myself, so I equipped my house accordingly.

Proper wages. What a novel idea.