Not smoking everywhere. I don’t understand how smoking is still so mainstream in Europe. They're sucking on cancer sticks everywhere.

Southern_Name_9119 , Darya Sannikova / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Disability access.

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Put screens on the windows! Many apartments and houses don't have AC, so you have to open the windows. The bugs get EVERYWHERE!! Why is such a simple thing like window screens not a standard thing in Europe??

thesk1geek , Chris Thornton / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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I'm too tired for serious answers so I'm going to go with: how to make BBQ. I don't mean grilling, I mean proper BBQ. Texas and KC and both Carolinas and whatever else. All the BBQ. With sides.
SheenPSU:
Add Tex-Mex to the list. They’d benefit immensely from some good ass Tex-Mex.

NotHisRealName , Francesco Paggiaro / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Just got back from the EU, they need more public toilets. It's impossible to find a place to go.

Jmc_da_boss , Renan Almeida / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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European countries should actually call out their own racism instead of excusing it as part of their European culture. When I bring up racism in Norway (where I lived), I get a bunch of angry Norwegians yelling me because they don't think their racism counts as racism.

Sturmgeschut , Daniel Torobekov / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Being friendly to strangers.

LilithXCX:
Brit here, now living in the US. I was just chatting to a lovely stranger on the train and discussing how much more friendly people are here.

JMe-L , Tim Douglas / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Jan Rosier

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No thanks. I'll take the honest European 'unfriendliness' over the fake US ear-to-ear-colgate smile avery day.

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Szzone aka Rottyintós Batman

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And I would take the Americans' friendliness to strangers over sour-faced coldness.

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Michael Largey

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So what you’re saying is that neither group is actually glad to see you.

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Adrian

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In my experience, Americans are genuinely interested in talking to people from other cultures.

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Michael Largey

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America is a country which was formed by people from different cultures, so that's only natural.

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Lil Miss Hobbit

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Okay but a lot of Americans legit are friendly and don't mind striking up a conversation. It's not fake, we just are super curious.

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CrunChewy McSandybutt

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I don't understand why y'all think we are fake for being nice. We are genuinely happy to meet new people. Well, not all of us, of course.

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Angela Jester

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If I'm smiling at you, I mean it. I say say hello to you, I'm genuinely happy to meet you.

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ZuriLovesYou

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Fake? What do you mean fake? Some people are genuinely nice people.

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axle f

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So being an a*****e to folks is your go-to? Hunh..

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Alexandra

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I have to concur. When I was in the States I was asked 'how are you doing today?' and before I could answer the person asking was doing anything but waiting to hear my anwer. It's just an empty phrase.

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Ash

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That's because "How are you?/How are you doing today" in the US is equivalent to "How do you do?" in Britain. It literally is part of a formulaic greeting. If a US-American really wants to know the answer, they'll phrase it differently, like, "How have you been?" Just because the phrase "How are you" has taken on a new cultural role doesn't mean that the rest of Americans' friendliness is fake. I use 'how are you?' as part of a greeting, but I also strike up pleasant conversations with strangers while we're waiting in checkout lines. It's two different things.

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R Graham

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It depends on what part of the country you are in. Not all Americans are nice & friendly. So yeah, the clerk at the convenience store maybe doesn't care how you answer.

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Old Wardog

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When I ask someone how they are doing I genuinely want to know, so how ate y'all today?

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Magicrat

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And you know its fake because? Also the insult of Americans having good teeth is just a slam on yourself.

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dollh h

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Nothing fake about it. We truly are welcoming. Try it sometime.

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Lee Henderson

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I wouldn't call it "fake". Then again, I am from the South and we have a tradition of being sociable.

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Robert van Deventer

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Just be polite. Don't make me feel like I'm your best friend. Had someone on a plane once hand me his card and said to pop by when I was in the neighbourhood. Decided to take him up on it and the look on his face was sheer horror.

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René Sauer

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Nah, I pass. Politeness is all you need for strangers. The chances for you two seeing each other again are miniscule anyway.

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Jack Burton

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Oh you mean the fake nice small talk americans always do ? Naaah it's ok i choose the stranger way and maybe we could become real friends later.

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Roan The Demon Kitty

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depends, southern Europe is certainly more exroverted than Northern or Eastern Europe. but I prefer introverts, being one myself.

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Pittsburgh rare

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I think this is largely dependent on where in Europe? Not naming names, but as European l was a bit taken aback at how unpleasant people where in...a country.

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Stephanie Did It

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I worked with a nice Romanian lady for a while and asked her how she enjoyed her time in the US. We lived in California at the time. She said at first, Americans accused her of being rude because she was very blunt and often made offensive comments. After her first year in America, she went home to visit family in Romania. "And you know," she said, "We Romanians ARE rude compared to Americans. We're just used to saying whatever we're thinking." She said she is much more considerate of others now. Please note these were her words, not mine, about her own comparison of the two cultures.

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Julie S

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If you're in London don't expect to strike up a friendly conversation on the train/ tube it won't happen Londoners like to keep to themselves but people in other parts of the country are a lot more friendly.

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Squiffle Noses

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If you were happily chatting away then YOU were being friendly - So you have done what's know as 'stepping on your own point' there!

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Yu Pan

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I visited a friend in Germany. We were on the bus to somewhere. I don't recall what I was doing, but I must have either smile at someone or said hello to some passenger as I sat down. My friend told me to stop. "You are scaring them".

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Sabrina Bowen

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As an American, I'll take the British way everyday. I avoid public places at this point mostly bc I don't want strangers talking to me - it's creepy!

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R Graham

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Not everyone is fake in the U.S.

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Ilikemybooksshakennotstirred

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Which is so funny because I hear about other countries that take great offense to the fact that we say 'Hi, how are ya?" "Good, you?" "Good, thanks. Have a nice day!" "You too!" And then part ways. XD

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Atom Bohr

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I've never had to call a person, let alone a friend's parents, sir or ma'm. People from European countries are really friendly, they just aren't fake about it

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Nikki Martinez

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Maybe it's different bc of Brexit but I found most of the people I met in London were nice

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Susan

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When you smile at people they smile back. When you smile it releases endorphins which actually make you happier which is healthy for you heart and your mental health so you're welcome for the smiles.

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John Mosley

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Where you at, pep Ito, I was looking for your comment about how super friendly people are in Madrid. /s

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I'd say they could learn to air their dirty laundry better. There always seems to be a simmering problem that they just don't talk about unless they get drunk. Maybe they need to get drunk more often.

FellafromPrague:
My man, if we were any more drunk, we'd all be dead.

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The Americans with Disabilities Act or the ADA. The United States is one of the most accessible nations for those with disabilities. When I went abroad I was shocked as to how impossible it would be to get around if you weren’t fully able. And weed legalization of course.

DeadSharkEyes:
Every time I go to Paris, I wonder how the hell people with disabilities get around. All the buildings are old as shit and have steep steps and sharp edges.

KazahanaPikachu:
They don’t get around. Especially in Paris, it’s rare for me to see someone in a wheelchair, on crutches, etc. I always wondered why, and it’s probably because they don’t go out much in the first place...because it’s too difficult!

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Free water at restaurants and smoking less tobacco are the first things that come to mind.

MiketheTzar:
And free soda refills!

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Thinking outside of the box. I work for an American company that collabs with a European one every now and then. They are completely unwilling to even challenge conventional wisdom on a topic. For example, here is a scenario that has happened.


European Company: Conventional wisdom tells us that the best way to do this process is with method X. Compounding factors A, B, and C make this so difficult that it is almost unfeasible to do this. However to go against conventional wisdom would be ridiculous, so we will just charge more.


American Company: Conventional wisdom tells us that the best way to do this process is with method X. However compounding factors A, B, and C would make this unfeasible. This is a situation that conventional wisdom was not really meant to address. We are going to try something completely different, and we are going to test it thoroughly to make sure it works. As it turns out, this new method Y works better than method X, so now we have a more viable way of producing this product without having to deal with the complicating factors of A, B, and C.


And then when we inform the European company about this, they freak the hell out because we went against conventional wisdom.

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Ice is life. Give me alllll the ice.

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A A/C won’t kill you specially on summer.

TrillyMike:
I get that most of the time they don’t need AC, but one place that absolutely needs it is the Tube in London. It's hot as hell on those damn trains!

Bear_necessities96 , Max Vakhtbovycn / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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I am an American who has been to Europe for vacation a bunch of times. At this point I’ve been fortunate to visit most European countries. I have 3 major complaints:

1. Smoking - just why?

2. More free water please. Public water fountains would be be great and also, dear restaurants, the tap water IS safe to drink.

3. Everywhere in Europe (well at least most private residences and hotels, public bathrooms are getting better about touch less) has these knobby faucets that you have to put your whole a*s hand on to operate even if you just got done taking a s**t or chopping up raw chicken or whatever. Please embrace the type of faucets you can operate with the back of your hand or your wrist!

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Right turn on red. I discovered it's not a thing in Europe while watching Top Gear.

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I have a lot of family and friends in Europe and have been fortunate to have traveled to a majority of European countries. One of the biggest complaints I have is there seems to be more pressure to conform and not stand out as much. The USA accepts individualism so much more.

liberated-dremora:
I have recently befriended a French woman who moved to my city. Taking her out with my friends for Halloween was a real trip. She was SO STRESSED about being in a costume in public. She wouldn't take public transit by herself, wore a big coat to cover up what she was wearing while outside, and talked a bunch about not wanting her doorman to see her dressed up. The real kicker is that her costume was just a '60s hippie dress. Like, she could have worn it any day of the week, and nobody would have batted an eyelash.

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The USA has generally better toilets and showers. Sorry, it's true.

sjogerst:
And charging money to use a public bathroom is an inhuman, undignified concept.

austinrebel , Vecislavas Popa / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Ditch the aristocracy. They are no different than anyone else. Bow to no one.

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Free appetizers or side dish. Idk how many times I’ll find out the basket of bread or olives was extra charge in Europe.

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From a social perspective As a European id say learn how to be more free spirited, say what you want about Americans stupid or blah blah blah but they know how to live life to the fullest alot of us here in Europe have a giant stick up our asses we're trying to be so perfect like with everything we're to careful. When u go to the states you see so many different types of characters it's like a movie set, then you go back to Europe and everything and everyone is just the same...I know it depends what country in europe you're in is well but most are like that except for southern countries like Italy, Spain or Ireland and UK they're fun.

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Cannabis legalization.

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To accept the fact that people in America do things differently, and be totally fine with it. Also accept the fact that we don't do things their way, because our country is different.

And to not try to act like experts about the country, because they don't understand the nuances of the country, because they have the mindset of person from a country with a much different history, culture, and dialect than one here.

I'm in a current flame war with someone, because Of that misunderstood nuance.

BMXTKD , Martii Tolentino / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Ice! When I return from northern Europe to the US, the first thing I get at the airport is a gigantic cup of ice water.

devilbunny , Andrew Neel / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Wood is a great material for houses. Put screens on the windows. Nacho cheese.

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Not charging for water at restaurants.

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Small talk.

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How to be ok with people doing things differently.

I’ve worked with Europeans for years and while they’re generally nice folks, they could use a better understanding that the way they know isn’t necessarily THE way. Stone house phenomenon is a great example of this.

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Europeans don’t know how to make brownies.

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Economic independence from Russia and China. It's ok to utilize them, it's not ok to rely on them.

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> our grid system.

Grids are easy to navigate, but don't necessarily create the most pedestrian friendly spaces. Having cute alleyways and winding roads can give a city a lot of character. Plus Google Maps makes navigation pretty easy these days. I also say this as someone living in one of the few gridless-American cities.

Anyways, many European countries charge for public restrooms. I think that's quite cruel, especially since most of them requires coins in an age where everyone has CCs and ApplePay for everything else. Sure, our bathroom doors might not go all the way down to the floor - but they're always free.

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How to interact with people who wear hijabs and other religious clothing without s******g the bed.

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Competition through innovation, not protectionism. I meet with dozens of business leaders in Europe every year, and the consistent feedback that I hear is “we’re not the US,” “we don’t know how to innovate like American firms,” and “we are at least two years behind the Us in X.”

It’s not a lack of smart people. I think it’s cultural. They expect others to do it, or they think they can put regulations in place to limit the success of companies from other countries. That may have worked when they had colonies around the world and we were in slower industrial ages, but knowledge is liquid. Unlike a manufacturing plant, I can replicate digital success immediately anywhere.

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Not thinking anyone who cracks a small smile at them in public is a crazy person.

Making free tap water the default and not nearly impossible to get.

And multiculturalism, if that's the right word. It seems like too many people in Europe don't feel like a part of their country, even if they were born there and lived their whole life there. An immigrant can become an American and be embraced here easily, but not everyone will be considered, for example, Swedish, even if they're from there.

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Freedom of speech: see JK Rowling silencing her critics with UK libel laws. Since the US doesn't recognize foreign defamations of judgement unless they meet US freedom of speech standards, any threat she gives to an American is an empty one.

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Im european and i think americans have a degree of economic awareness that europeans lack. Americans are ultra aware of economic policy problems, inflation, etc, but i barely seen any europeans talk about the rampant money creation by the Central European Bank (Even bigger than the US) thats making prices spike over here. I think the value of individual freedom and personal responsability is also a huge moral that americans have and few europeans support.

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American living in Europe. How to fry food. How to BBQ. How to make hot sauce and ranch dressing.

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Some Europeans could learn more about Americas role in their nations’ foreign policy decisions. I hate how bloated the US military is, and how much we spend on it- many Europeans share this belief.

The issue is that European leaders have seeded defense to the United States. That means they do not have to spend as much on their own defense, while also making their nations dependent on US for defense.

Essentially, if you want to see actual change in America’s foreign policy, then you have to change your nations’ relationship with the US.

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For the love of all things good, establish a paper version of a “one” Euro. The amount of coins I ended up carrying was obnoxious.

Y’all walk around with pockets jingling full of high value coins - NO WONDER there are hella pickpockets hanging about. 😤


OH AND TAMPONS. YALL DONT PRODUCE THEM WITH APPLICATORS SO I HAD TO FINGER MYSELF TO INSERT AND IT WAS COMING OUT HALF THE TIME.
I get maybe bc that’s for the environment but for f***s sake, you can make recycled cardboard applicators. That was so miserable for me studying abroad.

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How to welcome immigrants from non-European countries. Y'all freaked out over a million Africans and we take in that many people every single year.

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