ADVERTISEMENT

You read about the way the US and Europe treat areas like education and health care, and start to understand that even though both sides of the Atlantic belong to the Western world, life can look pretty different depending on which one you're on.

It's evident without diving into difficult social policies, too. Last week, Redditor Jrusj asked other users: "Americans that visited Europe, what was the biggest shock for you?" and the answers immediately started pouring in.

As of this article, there are already over 14,000 comments under Jrusj's post, many of which reveal that the Old Continent can surprise even its descendants. Below, you will find the most popular answers, so continue scrolling and enjoy.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

I went to Europe I drank all the booze, ate all the food Stayed 2 months and lost 20 pounds

Americans aren't overweight because we're lazy or gluttons or anything else we're overweight because we are being fed s***

BoozeAndTheBlues Report

Final score:
497points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

The amount of casual nudity on TV. I had to chuckle at all the naked breasts frequently visible. Europeans are just healthier in their views of sexuality and nudity. We Americans are ridiculous prudes by comparison.

Oh and Belgian chocolate is better than sex. Often.

Ragtimedude77 Report

Final score:
386points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced The age of all the buildings. Walked into a pub in the UK with a plaque that read something like “This building was constructed in the year 2 and was used by monks to fend off dinosaurs”. Maybe not the exact words, but you get it.

OmniscientSushi , iMattSmart Report

Final score:
379points
Add photo comments
POST
andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Ozacoter
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, i love that. I live in a small village in belgium and in the nearest town my favourite cafe is from the 1500s. Its beautiful

Vote comment up
126
126points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#4

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I was surprised at how much walking I did. I did it because it was easy, not because I had to.

maryjgilbert , Frank Busch Report

Final score:
340points
Add photo comments
POST
nachtfalter407 avatar
Baleygr
Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My experience with the US is that it's not exactly pedestrian friendly...^^'

Vote comment up
187
187points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced Apparently you can get hurt and not go into debt

Imaginary-Fudge-3657 , Towfiqu barbhuiya Report

Final score:
338points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

Cashiers in grocery stores sat in chairs as they rang up my yummy non-gmo cheese and bread. They also didn’t feel any job pressure to chat or smile or act like your best friend. They just worked and DGAF. It was amazing!

iheartstjohns Report

Final score:
336points
Add photo comments
POST
nachtfalter407 avatar
Baleygr
Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's so depressing that US cashiers have to stand. I was shocked when I first learnt that. :-/

Vote comment up
208
208points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#7

How much better all the food was. Everything was fresh, made from minimal ingredients, and most of it was grown locally. (Going from US to France) I also lost about 15 pounds even though I stopped exercising in a gym. Also my skin and hair looked better than ever. I think preservatives and high fructose corn syrup might actually be bad for you.

dreameRevolution Report

Final score:
328points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#8

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced Holidays. Europeans get so much paid time off. I've gotten into arguments with some of my American friends because they legitimately believe tons of Europeans opt out of taking their PTO because there's so much work to do. I don't buy that. People would riot. Anywhere I went in late July-August, there were tons of shops closed cause people were spending the month with their families enjoying their time off.

That and public bathroom stalls going all the way down to the floor. Y'all understand privacy.

Jack_E_Lope , Rui Silvestre Report

Final score:
275points
Add photo comments
POST
nesakysiukurtaueiti avatar
MagicalUnicorn
MagicalUnicorn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

well duh, that's called personal life :D also if you don't book some of your 5 weeks off by april, your boss will remind you about it

Vote comment up
110
110points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced That tax was included on the price tag.

Practical-Bar8291 , Marcel Pirnay Report

Final score:
274points
Add photo comments
POST
popapach avatar
troufaki13
troufaki13
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is it so hard for Americans to include the tax on the price tag? I don't get it

Vote comment up
247
247points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#10

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced First time in Spain… 22:30… Sun still out… parents sitting, drinking, relaxing while kids run up n down… felt so completely safe and comfortable.

mapplejax , Victoriano Izquierdo Report

Final score:
265points
Add photo comments
POST
plutoniumlollie avatar
BakedKahuna
BakedKahuna
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the time of a year where many happy memories are created, especially when you are young. Mostly involving friends, family, campfire and guitar music. Looking forward to summer again

Vote comment up
69
69points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I was not ready for how many overwhelmingly beautiful ancient buildings and cities I saw in only two weeks. I actually couldn’t fathom what I was looking at. It was a surreal experience like I was really in touch with a completely different era of humanity. There is absolutely nothing like this in America. It blew me away and made me really care much more about European history, urban planning, and architecture!

Snowologist , Daniel Klaffke Report

Final score:
258points
Add photo comments
POST
earloflincoln avatar
Martha Meyer
Martha Meyer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This person seems to have had a good experience but those tours, where people are carted around half the continent within the space of only 2 weeks are really not a good invention. It's all so rushed, half the time, they barely know which country they are in at a time.

Vote comment up
59
59points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#12

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced When I ordered a small drink, it was actually small.

HutSutRawlson , Alexander Mils Report

Final score:
250points
Add photo comments
POST
nachtfalter407 avatar
Baleygr
Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean, yeah? You get what you order. Should be the norm. :P

Vote comment up
63
63points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I heard a story of a lady who was dumbfounded that there weren't going to be fire works celebrating the 4th of July. Couldn't conceive the idea that other countries don't celebrate America's independence day

THEICEMAN998 , Andreas Dress Report

Final score:
243points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced Young children were using public transportation (i.e., city bus, subway)—not escorted by adults—to get to and from school rather than a designated yellow bus. Where I am from, public transportation is barely useable by adults much less children.

Independent-Water610 , Viktor Forgacs Report

Final score:
240points
Add photo comments
POST
ivanakramaric avatar
Ivana Bašić
Ivana Bašić
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why so many of us don't have cars. We actually don't need them.

Vote comment up
21
21points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

History. I followed a tour of American tourists into the church in downtown. Question gets asked: Is this the oldest church in town? Heard reply:

(Chuckle) Oh no, the old church is on the North side of the river. This church was built in 1310.

Just a different perspective on history.

diogenes_shadow Report

Final score:
240points
Add photo comments
POST
ambroise-lescop-2 avatar
Shelp
Shelp
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of when I found out that "Naples" (city built around 600BC) literally means "new city" because it came long after other towns in the region

Vote comment up
78
78points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#16

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I went to Scotland. Ran across some German tourist who asked us to translate what the scot was saying. We were all three speaking English. They just couldn’t understand each other

ARgirlinaFLworld , john crozier Report

Final score:
234points
Add photo comments
POST
nadinebamberger avatar
Nadine Bamberger
Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They tend to only teach us Oxford English in school, you do pick up other accents and dialects through movies and stuff but Scottish is a whole different kind of beast lol.

Vote comment up
132
132points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

American living in Sweden:

Most people don’t respect Americans until they meet you and confirm that you’re not one of “those” Americans

People drink literally at any chance they get.

Every apartment has an electric bath towel warmer. It’s pretty standard apparently.

Boobs on TV.

The vegetables are exponentially smaller, bc theyre not genetically modified.

Fruit-flavored sodas are required to have fruit juice in it so the Fanta sodas here are more like a spicy Sunny D

They are hardcore about recycling out here.

Tipping culture doesn’t really exist.

The bank is never f*cking open.

Ground floor is not the first floor. Its the 0 floor.

Celcius

deadchickenonastick Report

Final score:
234points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I was in Switzerland for a few days. I felt like the fattest person in the country at 6’0”, 210 lb. It was also amazing to me that it felt like two different countries going from Geneva to Zurich. The language went from French to German with the architecture completely different between the two cities. Absolutely beautiful country.

PUFLY3R , Morgan Thompson Report

Final score:
228points
Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've taken the train from Geneva to Zurich, the scenery is spectacular

Vote comment up
49
49points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#19

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced How old a lot of the cities are. People still living in buildings older than the U.S. Walking down some of the old streets feels like you’re time traveling into a medieval fairytale.

Adventurous-Canary78 , Fineas Anton Report

Final score:
213points
Add photo comments
POST
jerrylaon avatar
julien
julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

buildings ? entire towns are ! this one on the picture is in France and was built in 1285 !! there are hundreds of them in Europe ! just get off the beaten paths, see the real things ! monpazier-...b91f8b.jpg monpazier-terrasses-640x360-6244153b91f8b.jpg

Vote comment up
50
50points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced The only thing that really surprised me was how much pedestrians trusted cars to not hit them

MrGoalden , Surprising_Shots Report

Final score:
213points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

For me, it was how well I was taken care of as an artist. In America, a musician is treated like help at the bar. You’re paid whatever the minimum amount they can possibly give you is. You might get 2-4 drink tickets. In Europe they respected you, fed you, found you places to sleep. Free drinks. Enough said.

Snake_Tut Report

Final score:
212points
Add photo comments
POST
jhchambers_uk avatar
Jill Chambers
Jill Chambers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We're just so happy to have someone from far away. We aren't that nice to people from the same country.

Vote comment up
56
56points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

This may sound weird, but how much they ate. Americans are the fat ones who eat too much so the stereotype goes but I took a semester in rural Germany in middle school— breakfast, morning break snack, lunch, afternoon break snack, snacks in town after school let out, dinner when you got home and occasionally this late night meal when my host parents got home, etc. Don’t get me wrong, all of it was more fresh and 10x better than the literal plastic Americans think is OK to eat on a normal basis, but I was constantly full for like the first week because I was too awkward not to eat the snacks my host mom had packed. Eventually ended up refusing things, and my host sister thought I was sick because I wasn’t eating every time the group was or something. Ironically I actually lost weight during the trip, probably because the food is just generally better for you. We did live on a farm too so it was insanely fresh.

ThatNoNameWriter Report

Final score:
208points
Add photo comments
POST
nachtfalter407 avatar
Baleygr
Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is NOT the everyday norm though. xD You just got lucky. ;)

Vote comment up
67
67points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#23

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced You hear about how big the Roman empire was and all the advanced building tech they had. But it doesn't really sink in until you see it with your own eyes.

blippityblop , Özcan ADIYAMAN Report

Final score:
207points
Add photo comments
POST
dslepenk avatar
DS
DS
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This still blows my mind. I lived in France, next to an old Roman amphitheatre. Moved to Germany, where Roman artefacts kept getting uncovered in the castle grounds in our town. Then moved to London, where I can be walking through the middle of the city and run into a piece of the old Roman wall. Basically have lived in three countries in Europe, which were culturally SO distinct, and have never left the boundaries of the ancient Roman empire.

Vote comment up
101
101points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

Cats. Cats everywhere.

marcvanh Report

Final score:
192points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced In France people get two hour lunches. Like some stores will have two separate open and close times cause they’ll just shut down for two hours a day to enjoy themselves. Most people seemed much happier and relaxed as a whole.

supermariobruhh , Rodrigo Kugnharski Report

Final score:
187points
Add photo comments
POST
andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Ozacoter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair I dont really like that. It was nice when you worked near home and you could eat there. But nowadays most people work too far away. Having a 1-2h break when you are at the office just makes me more tired.

Vote comment up
60
60points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I’m Dutch, but I’ll never forget my American girlfriend’s reaction to seeing rows and rows of parked bicycles in front of the train station when she came to visit the Netherlands. “Oh my God look at all those bikes!!”

Jockelson , Waldemar Brandt Report

Final score:
187points
Add photo comments
POST
carolyngerbrands avatar
Caro Caro
Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The bike "parking" under the central station in Amsterdam can hold 8800 bikes.

Vote comment up
83
83points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#27

The distinct lack of "people of walmart"

snukebox_hero Report

Final score:
182points
Add photo comments
POST
carolyngerbrands avatar
Caro Caro
Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meh, have you been to "Action"? It's a cheap retail store and I once went in late Saturday (curious) and noped outta there. What a mess, what a crowd, what a crappy shop.

Vote comment up
40
40points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

Not a shock per se, but something of an immediate reorienting of perspective in terms of history and how young the US really is. We have cool historical sites and artifacts, but it’s weird to suddenly be confronted with the reality that for as historical as Ben Franklin and the liberty bell were/are, they’re borderline infantile on a global historical scale.

I especially remember being at a church in Italy, reading about its history and initially felt a bit deflated when a sentence began “this is not the original church, the original burned down and was rebuilt on the same site…” and thinking ah bummer, so this is the knockoff replica, not the real thing— and then getting to the end of the sentence “…in the 12th century.” The “knockoff replica” is 600 years older than the Liberty Bell.

Mersentryce Report

Final score:
171points
Add photo comments
POST
nachtfalter407 avatar
Baleygr
Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my favourite beers is from a brewery that exists since 1050. ^^

Vote comment up
60
60points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

I've lived in Europe for most of the last 20 years...when I first moved here the main things were:

the quality and efficiency of public transportation. Where I am from (Oklahoma City) there is almost no public transportation.

The fact that sometimes when you go to the doctor they basically just tell you, "yeah, you're sick. You need to go home, drink lots of fluids, and rest." In the US it seemed like regardless of what the ailment was you were gonna get a prescription for something.

In my experience, people here communicate much more directly and if you are not used to it, it might seem rude.

The lack of a copay for things like doctor's visits, physical therapy, etc. along with a price cap on prescription drugs.

The attitude toward customer service. "back home" in the US I was a customer service manager at a retail chain in college. The standard practice was that if someone complained, regardless of how ridiculous the complaint was, we just gave them a coupon for 10% off or something. Here, if you are unhappy with the service at a store and ask to speak to the manager, the manager is probably just going to tell you to "go shop somewhere else if you don't like it here."

mejok Report

Final score:
170points
Add photo comments
POST
kaoconno avatar
kathoco
kathoco
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Funny, I’ve lived in France for 20 years and my doctor experience is the opposite. Doctors always load you up with tons of prescriptions, even if it’s just a cold. And people go to the doctor for EVERYTHING. I don’t see the point of going for a cold or stomach virus - just rest and liquids but loads of people will see a doctor for a minor virus that can’t really be treated.

Vote comment up
36
36points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

Finally, I can walk to a store

MonsieurAppleSauce Report

Final score:
167points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

Complete privacy when taking a dump in a public restroom. It was hard to come back home just from that.

Cincybone07 Report

Final score:
150points
Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Come for the history, culture, architecture....stay for the public toilets :)

Vote comment up
109
109points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#32

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced The amount of public transportation and in many places people not driving or not even knowing how to drive.

MeesterChicken , Hari Menon Report

Final score:
147points
Add photo comments
POST
nadinebamberger avatar
Nadine Bamberger
Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unfortunately that only works in larger cities, but there's at least a way for our students to get to or from school with public transportation pretty much everywhere.

Vote comment up
39
39points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced How small things were like appliances, paper towels, toilet paper. I really wanted to take that idea home with me. It makes so much sense.

Also, how conveniently close shops were so we only drove when visiting other cities. I love it and I want it!

get-in-the-box , Konstantin Volke Report

Final score:
128points
Add photo comments
POST
nadinebamberger avatar
Nadine Bamberger
Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think our cities are planned differently, we don't have those huge suburbian living areas, there's always at least a supermarket and a small business area sprinkled in between lol.

Vote comment up
42
42points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced In Italy the shower at one of my hotels had no barriers to keep the water in one general area. It was just a drain in the floor. Luckily it was just that one and it was definitely an older hotel.

Also I was really surprised that the price was exactly what the price tag said. I love that the tax is rolled in, especially while I learned the currency.

LadyAppleman , Jakayla Toney Report

Final score:
127points
Add photo comments
POST
jhchambers_uk avatar
Jill Chambers
Jill Chambers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mean a wet room. Useful for some disabilities and can be much more luxurious than a small shower.

Vote comment up
55
55points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#35

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced My grandma took me back to England at the end of my 8th grade year to see my nanna as well as where she grew up. I still remember quite vividly finding out that there's a very big difference between what's allowed on TV in England and what was allowed on TV in the United States regarding nudity. As a young boy this was a very exciting discovery.

Edit: I should also add that my entire experience with British culture had up until this point been through my grandma who was very formal and proper. I played soccer at an incredibly high level in the states so she managed to arrange a time for me to go play with a local academy team in Norwich for the afternoon. I'm still not sure how she managed to do this. I will never forget how foul mouthed everyone was - coaches included. This took me entirely by surprise. I will also never forget how humbling that experience was because I was nowhere near as good as I thought I was. I could hold my own, but my goodness I was certainly in the bottom half of the talent pool that day.

circa285 , Erik Mclean Report

Final score:
123points
Add photo comments
POST
nadinebamberger avatar
Nadine Bamberger
Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I will never understand how it's acceptable to walk around with a gun hanging on your belt and showing the most graphic violence on TV but they have to say "heck" and "freaking" on the same show where they've just decapitated a guy. That's such a weird double standard.

Vote comment up
198
198points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#36

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced How friendly everyone was. I was always told everyone hates Americans. Wasn’t my experience at all.

Hellfire2026 , Tani Eisenstein Report

Final score:
120points
Add photo comments
POST
seany_mc_donagh avatar
Seany
Seany
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only Americans I find annoying are the ones that come here to Ireland and bang on about being Irish . You're not Irish, you're American now go home . The rest of ye are grand

Vote comment up
125
125points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#37

How polite everyone was. How fresh the food was from restaurants. The simplicity of fruit stands/markets. How easy it was to get around by train (backpacked Europe for a month in 2017: england, France, Italy, Switzerland) edit- I live in South Florida. What is a train?

ITeachAll Report

Final score:
118points
Add photo comments
POST
moviefreak122 avatar
Karin Jansen
Karin Jansen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, wait, wait. Did this person just claim the French to be polite? I call b******t 😅

Vote comment up
66
66points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#38

I lived in Europe for 5 years (2011-2016), specifically in Amsterdam. There were a lot of interesting little cultural quirks, of course, but there was only one thing I saw while living there that literally made me slam on my bicycle breaks and go back to see if I saw it right, which was of all things a Sesame Street Live poster.

You see, turns out Big Bird (or his equivalent) in the Netherlands and several other countries is blue. The Dutch will insist that it's actually Big Bird's cousin, Pino, but I wasn't fooled. You know he just escaped to the Netherlands to seek an alternative lifestyle.

So yeah I'm sure OP wanted something more serious and profound, but that was the biggest shock for sure because who expects that?!

Andromeda321 Report

Final score:
117points
Add photo comments
POST
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#39

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced How young the U.S. truly is.

Strong_Ground_4410 , Caleb Fisher Report

Final score:
108points
Add photo comments
POST
nachtfalter407 avatar
Baleygr
Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Partially grew up in a house that is older than the US. Isn't even outstandingly old here. Also one of my favourite beer comes from a brewery that exists since the days when the Vikings discovered America (~1050).

Vote comment up
45
45points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu
#40

Americans Who Traveled To Europe Share 40 Culture Shocks That They Experienced I was surprised how many people still smoke cigarettes and how common it was to have people smoking in outdoor restaurants and bars. It has gotten to the point you almost never smell cigarette smoke in those places in most of the USA.

donedoneitonce , Aman Upadhyay Report

Final score:
102points
Add photo comments
POST
carolyngerbrands avatar
Caro Caro
Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which is a good thing. I'm glad the USA has less smokers. In Europe it's becoming less normal to smoke but we've got a long road ahead of us.

Vote comment up
110
110points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies... View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 67 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!