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When Americans make the trek across the pond and visit Europe for the first time, there are plenty of differences they might notice: a wide variety of languages, new foods, accessible public transit, paying to use a public restroom, and being made fun of for using the word ‘restroom’ in the first place.

One Reddit user was curious about what people from the US have observed in Europe, so they recently asked Americans to share the hot takes they think Europeans aren’t ready to hear. Readers did not hold back in the replies, from concerns about smoking to pointing out racist behavior, so we’ve gathered some of the most thought-provoking answers below. Enjoy reading what Americans have to say about Europe, and be sure to upvote the points you agree with, whether you’re from the US, Europe or anywhere else in the world!

#1

When I lived in Germany:

German Girl: “I’ve read that Mexicans in Los Angeles experience a lot of racism.”

Me: “Yes, Mexican people in Los Angeles do experience racism. Probably similar to the Turks here in Germany.”

German Girl: “That’s different. The Turks aren’t suitable here. They don’t fit in.”

Bisterwhip Report

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ColorEd
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, you found the one girl whose opinion represents the opinions of every German person. Well done!

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#2

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans You’re gonna need air conditioners in your homes pretty soon.

Ambitious-Kiwi-1079 , Chromatograph Report

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censorshipsucks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Given that USA is the biggest or second biggest carbon emitter, can we say "thanks for nothing" to that?

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#3

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Stop trading insults with us by saying "school shootings" and then dropping the mic. Many of us are also horrified by the gun violence in this country, but using dead children to win an argument about who has better food does you no credit.

Devi1_May_Cry , Zachary Keimig Report

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Ivan Stojnov
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Horrified by the gun violence in the country, but doing nothing about it - is not an insult.

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#4

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Americans have big portion sizes in restaurants because we have a big leftovers culture. While some people will eat their whole meal, it’s completely normal if you don’t and you’ll be offered a to-go box to take it home. There isn’t really a big expectation to finish your meal at restaurants.

ctortan , Matthew Moloney Report

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#5

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans We are actually pretty smart as a nation. The stupid ones are just the loudest and the most annoying

sielnt_assassin , Edmond Dantès Report

#6

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Biscuits and gravy is delicious

BVoLatte Report

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Sara Cros
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What you guys call biscuits are known as scones in other English speaking countries. Biscuits to us are cookies.

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#7

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans The KFC Double Down will both disgust and delight you.

animeyescrazyno , wikimedia.commons Report

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whatever
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every time you eat one of these, a vegan's kale-smoothie gets spilled.

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#8

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans When people say "Americans are ______" I feel like they don't realize how huge America is. We span 6 timezones which makes it hard to be consistent in anything and it's really impossible to lump us ALL into a single group.

cassato , Pixabay Report

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ColorEd
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The same goes for Europe. It's not that big, but there are many different cultures and 44 counties.

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#9

**A lot** of you are doing the same work and getting a lot less for it than you would in the US.

Not if you're poor or close to it, then you're probably equivalent or better off in Europe. But if you are even moderately successful in your profession then your going to have a significantly lower standard of living in practical terms.

When I lived in Frankfurt my roommate had a computer science degree and a successful consulting firm but still had to share an apartment with me and take the S-Bahn everywhere.

I moved back to the states to make more money, he finally moved to Texas (the scourge of many Europeans ideas of America) and now has a house. Still has everything he had in Europe, just now has more money, space, and independence. Everyone knows the US isn't perfect in this regard, but working hard in Europe doesn't really get you that much. I'm glad I was there when I was young but as I've gotten older I've lost the desire to move back.

MajorMustard Report

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Pattie B
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to work at a company that worked a lot with the UK, Germany, and Belgium, and while this is technically true it's offset by things like public healthcare and a massive amount of vacation days. I actually had an in depth conversation with a British guy about how he could make a better salary in America but still preferred the financial incentives and overall work culture of being in the UK.

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#11

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Air conditioning, ice, and free potable water are all nice things to have

hwy61trvlr , anurag upadhyay Report

#12

A very large mixed race country that has guns written into its constitution is a lot harder to govern that any country in Europe. A lot.

SmellmyfingerTodd Report

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censorshipsucks
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, you could also just ban guns. I mean they are called "constitutional amendments" meaning "Changes", not cast in stone dude.

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#13

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Tanning to that extent looks horrible stop doing that to yourselves (mainly for the UK)

nightly11111 , Karolina Grabowska Report

#14

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Public toilets being free should be a standard

JeremyMo88 , Yena Kwon Report

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Winnie the Moo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But this is to have clean toilets. Our public restrooms never look like yours…

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#15

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans The boring chit chat y’all hate is actually pretty great. Just because someone says hi doesn’t mean they want something from you.

WhodeyBrr , Zen Chung Report

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EMRS
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nop, I want to do my things in peace. Leave me alone. You are making me uncomfortable.

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#16

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans We know other countries do it differently. I am sick of how everytime an American explains their problems, someone pipes in with "well in my country we do it this way". We know. We know our healthcare, politics, and media are f****d, there are a lot complicated reasons for why and simply saying that your country doesn't do it that way isn't helping anything.

xtrakrispie , Steven Abraham Report

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XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You explain how your country does it, then gets annoyed when someone does the same.

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#18

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans There are actually more states than Texas, New York, and California.

Bladesman08 , John-Mark Smith Report

#19

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Our ideas of foreign cuisine are basically products of the immigrant experience.

KeysmashKhajiit , Samuel Regan-Asante Report

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Laura Lett
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I specifically try restaurants ,whom the owners are from the areas they claim. Moroccan,they are immigrants,from Morocco. That's an example..

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#20

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans We're not "uncultured" it's a 10 hour flight to a foreign country. We can't just drive over to another country for a weekend getaway.

SamAxolotl123 , Andrew Palmer Report

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Brittania Kelli
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1 year ago

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#21

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans You have a drinking problem. It’s not a thing to brag about.

The level of alcoholism in some areas of Europe is troubling. I’m amazed at how often people miss work as a result. The levels of colorectal cancer are also twice the rest of the world in countries with the highest consumption.

m1sch13v0us , Kelsey Knighs Report

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Corvus
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's very, very exaggerated to talk about a "drinking problem", let alone "alcoholism" (which is a medical condition). Just because someone likes to have some wine or a beer with their meals doesn't automatically mean they are desperate alcoholics.

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#22

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Europe is more racist than the US in many ways, but it’s not politicized like it is in the USA. I have black American friends who have been told they can’t eat inside certain restaurants in Europe which would never happen in the US today. Not to mention the way the Roma/g*psies are discussed by Europeans. I was shocked to hear such casual racism there. Often while criticizing the racism in the USA.

quietlittlefreak , Life Matters Report

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Ivan Stojnov
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Really? When was the last time european police killed an unarmed black man in the middle of the day in front of countless witnesses?

Pattie B
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually highly recommend googling anti-Black racism in Europe, there's a long and disturbing history there that, yes, includes racially motivated murders by police. The good news is (some) European countries are just starting to acknowledge and discuss their racism, but.... there's a long way to go.

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Pattie B
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This will probably offend a lot of people, but I once did a deep dive on anti-Black racism in Norway for a school project and it literally made me sick to my stomach. Obviously that's just one place, but damn.... definitely a myth that all Europeans are automatically antiracist.

Marcia
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Europe is a continent. Where in Europe are you actually talking about? I lived in a few countries there and now live in the US. I suggest that you get to actually know POC and have a conversation with them since both overt and systemic racism is directed at them.

Bernd Herbert
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You will find systemic racism in Europe too. For example, studies proved that people in Germany with apparent foreign names are muss less likely to get invited to job interviews or to apartment viewings. That is a fact and I hate it.

Luna W.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's 100% true, even in supposedly "tolerant" cities like Berlin, Germany. I have coworkers who have experienced that. It's horrible and sickening, and I'm ashamed of my fellow Germans. Germany really shouldn't point fingers at the US when it comes to racism.

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Sireyensid
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

really curious to know wich country it was. never heard of such a thing.

Valter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Roma we have'nt KKK to burn g*psies, we have a lot to learn about that.

Anyone-for-tea?
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, that’s too wide a generalisation. In the UK, we never discriminated against any doctors or nurses for the colour of their skin, as I was reading about the American, Dr James McCune Smith, the first black doctor to graduate medical school in the UK in 1837, but he was never admitted to the American Medical Association because of his race.

Adam Jeff
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bollocks. Race discrimination might not have been codified in law in the way it was it the US, but there was and is still plenty of discrimination in the UK. Read up about the experiences of the first Windrush immigrants, about the Bristol bus boycott - not to mention how we treated people of different races in the Empire.

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Lama
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sadly, there is racism everywhere. In all countries, in all cultures. It's the most visible form of xenophobia (the fear of anyone that seems different from yourself), and fear leads to hate. It's part of a very old survival mechanism meant to strengthen bonds within social groups. But as we grow more connected, and unification has big benefits, this mechanism doesn't serve us anymore, but causes only hurt. If we would all understand this, we can start correcting ourselves more effectively. We are all creatures of planet earth, deserving the same love and respect.

BewilderedBanana
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a bit difficult (and wrong) to generalise about these things. Racism is down to the individual. I think it would be safer to say that there are more racist people in certain states in the US than in others, and in certain European countries than in others. But comparing the US to all of Europe makes no sense.

Monica Lopez King (Moni)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am Mexican , from a very small city, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz which coincidentally Salma Hayek is too, my family and I would come and visit and shop in the United States, Houston, Chicago, and we're always treated like c**p but. As Mexicans when we go to Europe, Russia, everyone is so accommodating. Once I was invited to a Radio station in Estonia, I was 19, this was 1994, nobody spoke Spanish or English they still had me interacting and having fun.

Fabian Bernard
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can't eat inside certain restaurants? I don't think so. Nothing is like Alabama in Europe, quit your b......t

Josie Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When Americans think a couple of countries means all of Europe. The biggest difference is in the US race dominates nearly every aspect of life. I rarely hear black Europeans go on about race, not the degree in the US.

Lara M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try being a Jewish European. They can go on and on about antisemitism. Except for the ones who died in the concentration camps in a particular European country.

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David Marchisotto
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Clearly you've never tried to go with African American friends to a Denny's.

Ines Olabarria-Smith
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it’s more Aporophobia or classism than racism which of course, exists.

Ima Manimal
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Gypsies really are notorious for robbing people blind. We all know it here. It’s a real thing. Hilarious to watch Americans’ response when interacting with them and then realizing they’ve been robbed.

Amy Burke
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We aren't discussing Romany Gypsies but in the UK we have a large proportion of 'gypsies' that are actually big gangs .. they don't live in caravans but literally terrorise estates .. that's where the disrespect and judgement comes from

Nya Crea
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gypsies are a culture not a race... there is a huge difference.. people don't have a problem with their race but with certain aspects of certain groups of gypsies habits which actually affect others

Yeeters
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh yeaaaah, we totally shoot black people on the streets here! We totally have a whole a*s movement about it and we totally have police that is stereotyped to only aim at black people. Totally... Edit: I am Czech. I am being sarcastic about how Americans are way more vocal about their racism and should sort themselves out before pointing anywhere else)

RafCo (he/him/ele)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a latino living in the USA, I have been refused service at restaurants in the United States for not being white. My ex-wife is Black, and she has been denied service MANY times in the United States for not being white. In my experience, this is a very regional problem in the US. Places like San Fransisco, Boston, and Chicago have been the worst for this in my experience. It's better in places like New Orleans, Atlanta, and New York (although I did once get kicked out of a NYC restaurant for not being Korean, or I assume that's why because they were yelling in Korean and shooing me away). BUT, I will argue that yes, Europeans are also very racist, and more xenophobic than Americans are. Look at Brexit. They chose to tank their whole economy because they were terrified that Bulgarians wanted to move there. (oversimplification, I know)

Gin
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Research has shown (over half give this as the main reason) that it was mostly sovereignty. Though what that meant and looked like in reality (then and now) was and is woefully misunderstood. The problem with referendums on very complicated subjects is that everyone gets a vote, whether or not they understand some, all or nothing. Tell people that they'll 'get back control' and Brexit is what you end up with. In fairness, there are issues with the EU due to it's size and complexity but I'd still vote to remain. Immigration is a concern for many (not me) but again that's not understanding how little impact that has on each UK resident. The Daily Mail does an amazing job of convincing people that they're being harmed by it but then they also make out that everyone on benefits is a lazy lying cheat... what the hell can you do when you have that rag churning out such rubbish and being believed? 😢

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jmdirks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If its not allowed to be publicized by the government then there is no way to prove it happens.

harurand
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ehhhmm never heard of the restaurant thing.. but I would much rather be denied entry in a restaurant that being shot dead just going to the groceries...

Daniela Zápotočná
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Minorities are better off in our country. I'm not entitled to any state benefits, even though I've been working since I was 15, but if I were a gypsy, I'd be entitled. The gypsies in our town are behaving badly. They have no manners, destroy everything, threaten citizens. And what can I do about it? Nothing, because if I do anything about it, it's racism. And so I continue to toil away in my low-paid job so that the gypsies can have tax money and my benefit money. That's the racism, isn't it?

Mathieu Brouwers
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just ask how someone from Nigeria is discussed all over Africa. Even refugees do not want to travel with Nigerians.

Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
1 year ago

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The old colonialists are the worst racists, but shy away from admitting it.

Little L
Community Member
1 year ago

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Yes I think that many people are negative (not racist, that means something totally different!) towards Romani but that's because they only come to our countries to get money. They don't want to live here or anything. They sit outside of stores, begging. They can be very aggressive if you don't give them money. Also they commit robberies. They stay here for six months, then they go back to Rumania with their savings. And come back six months later.

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#23

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans There is genuine isolationist vibe happening in the US which only being held at bay by people who feel we should still stay engaged with the world and of course our military industrial complex. Anti European sentiment is seeping into both sides of the political spectrum and even the center.

The question "why should we get involved in yet another European war?" Is being asked a lot right now.

If the US goes isolationist and leaves the EU to deal with the RU China alliance on their own you won't just have some retirement age issues to worry about.

somedoofyouwontlike , David Everett Strickler mktgmantra Report

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#24

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans The way people drive in Italy makes me understand why they're so religious.

DividesbyZ3RO , Lachlan Gowen Report

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Akiba1907
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a Test Driver for different Manufacturers. Italy, France and Portugal teached me to tell my wife "I love you" every time I get the chance. Because I was genuinely scared it could be the last time.

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#25

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Most every European I've met who hasn't been here before has been totally unprepared for the massive size of the US

jacobydave , Enric Cruz López Report

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Valter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most american I've met in my town has been totally unprepared for the massive story about Europe.

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#26

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Racism isn’t just an American thing.

hwy61trvlr , Clay Banks Report

#27

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans British people mock us for using Imperial measurements and then still order pints at the pub and use “stones” as a measurement of weight.

Isthisworking2000 , Josh Olalde Report

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Ivan Stojnov
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But still, UK switched to metric system. Only USA and Libera are using outdated imerial system now.

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#28

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans In the USA there's a ton of people that actually wear pajamas in public.

Internal_Security_44 , Kristina Petrick Report

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#29

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Depending on the European country: your healthcare system sucks, too. I was shocked to find out that friends of mine were just paying for private insurance on top of the government healthcare they had already paid for, and that some of them were coming to the US for medical procedures because they couldn't get them scheduled because the government had decided that they weren't important enough.

Part of the reason you have access to some of the drugs and procedures that were really expensive to develop is that the US taxpayers and patients are paying high prices. Then, after the company recoups the cost, they also sell them to countries with single-payer healthcare.

Please note: I said "too." Our system is awful. I hate it. Most Americans hate it. Crony capitalism.

Extreme-Nuance , Online Marketing Report

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#31

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans Your population is getting older on average and there aren't enough young people to keep your economies as large. There will be a long period where the quality of life will be stagnant at best.

sephirothFFVII , Pixabay Report

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XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a worldwide hope. Population is too high, we need few generations of very low childbirth. Education for women is the best way to achieve this,

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#32

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans As a country of immigrants, people will talk about what ethnicity they are. Don’t get mad at me for saying I am of Irish, polish, French and Italian ancestry because I am not ethnically native to this country, unlike a whole other group of people who are. Also yes, native folks do still exist. It’s not like European Americans are the new natives now.

renigadegatorade , AussieActive Report

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XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Irish ancestry yep perfect description. But born in Kentucky, never been to Ireland, grandfather moved to US in 1910, but you say "I'm Irish".... well we appreciate the love for our country, but you'll get raised eyebrows.

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#33

30 Things Europeans Are Just Not Ready To Hear, According To Americans We don’t actually think about you as much you (apparently) think about us.

TaiKorczak , Raúl Nájera Report