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For the worldly American, the summer Eurotrip is practically a rite of passage. While much connects the US and Europe, the two entities are different enough that American travelers often experience culture shock when they visit different European countries for the first time. One person on Reddit asked American travelers to share what struck them the most when they visited and got a ton of great responses.

The two continents’ histories, both separate and intertwined, make for an interesting opportunitY to compare and contrast how they’ve found different solutions to similar problems. While some of the comments shared were lighthearted and fun, others pointed to interesting differences in perspective.

#1

35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Restaurants paying employees a fair wage and not expecting the customer to make up for low wages.

deadevilmonkey , Brooke Cagle Report

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

Not in every country, I'm afraid. Ridiculous working hours and low wages in Spain.

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    #2

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Universal healthcare

    Feisty_Affect_7487 , Karolina Grabowska Report

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

    Can confirm. I have full healthcare and it's paid for automatically via the taxes I pay every paycheck. I never have to make a claim or argue with an insurance representative about coverage. I just go to the doctor/hospital/pharmacy and get what I need. Don't tell me the richest country in ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY cannot afford it too.

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    #3

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Good bread.

    thegreatgatsB70 , Pixabay Report

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

    A ban on high fructose corn syrup does wonders for both the food and health of your citizens!

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    Europe is a popular enough travel destination for Americans that there’s tons of info out there on the cultural differences. There are tons of travel sites out there that help American tourists understand some of the cultural and practical differences they can expect. Indeed, stats indicate that Europe was the top outbound US tourism destination by continent with 15.8 million visitors.

    #4

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Walkable towns

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

    We in Europe have mixed cities with businesses and housings being closer together, while US cities have more separated areas resulting in longer distances to travel

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

    In most cities and some towns in the US is "old town", "shopping district" the walkable part of the area. Very expensive to live in but usually the most picturesque part of the area

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

    If you are measuring time by the invention of the car you'll have to do a lot of math in Europe I'm afraid. I was born in a tiny town in Germany and the older one of our two churches is 1.000 years old. ...Edit: and now I feel like I totally missed your sarcasm and feel stupid

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

    To clarify, many cities are walkable, but often the real problem is the distances. For example, there are many cities and suburbs where you would have to walk 3 or more kilometers to get from your house to a grocery store. There are very few corner shops that sell groceries, and those that do exist charge easily 50% or more than a real grocery store. Yes, there are often buses, but it can take over 2 hours to get someplace that takes 30 minutes in a car.

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

    My wife and I both drive an hour 1 way to work, have to drive for groceries, eating out, any shopping, haircuts, etc. When we stayed a week in Brooklyn and could get everything we needed in a short walk, it was definitely an eye opener.

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

    You don't have no driving areas in a town/city in America just for people walking?

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

    I've read stories from some tourists - when they tryed to walk in some places, every american around assumed they had their car broken. Even offered help.

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

    UGH american suburb liver i am so jealousssss (liver as in one who lives...... not fava beans)

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

    Personally, I'd rather have the space and just use a car. I don't like being in a crowded environment. Space is severely limited there.

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

    Unless you live where I do. You can walk right through the centre of the town but there are no decent shops to draw your attention. Bargain and charity shops only. A real ghost town.

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

    Some countries have... I do think we are killing a lot of the big cities in denmark....

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

    You clearly haven't been in European cities. It's the poor European countries that have bad roads, but only in the countryside.

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    #5

    Americans think 100 years is a long time and Europeans think 100 miles is a long distance.

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    #6

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Bars older than the US

    ncopp , Victor Clime Report

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

    My uncle's cottage isn't just older than the the U.S.A - it's older than the discovery of America.

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    One major historical difference is that the USA was born out of a revolution. This gives it quite a distinct  cultural legacy and makes it quite young on a historical scale. Some of the answers to this question highlight as much, pointing out that they can visit historical buildings or even working pubs that are older than the entire United States as a political entity.

    #7

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans I think as a whole, it’s there attitude towards work.

    The vibe I get when visiting most European countries is most people seem to work only to live. While in the states, it feels we live to work. The most common thing out of an American’s mouth when meeting someone new is what do you do? I did not find this to be the case in Europe, and I am super jealous.

    hurtmore , Chahriar Hariri Report

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

    Sadly, this is changing. As with everything greed and profit are the king. Many companies are sucking the life out of most jobs in the UK by paying less, demanding more and no longer care about loyalty.

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    #8

    Getting sick without going bankrupt

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

    Man the one time I was hospitalised in the US and they sent me my bill by post, I thought it was some kind of statement of costs to the hospital, “actual value of goods supplied,” or some such thing. I made many guesses before realising it was *a BILL I had to PAY*. [Yes, I also did have to call to confirm—and you can imagine how weird that conversation went!]

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    #9

    Infrastructure built around walking, bicycles, and busses. Not just exclusively built around personal vehicles.

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

    Seeing that most of these streets were built before cars, that is more likely the reason.

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    Though the US is considered by many to be the home of capitalism, one difference in some countries is that travelers can expect is to pay for certain services that are often considered to be gratuities in the US. According to TEFL Worldwide, for example, Americans may be surprised that they will have to pay for water at restaurants unless they ask for tap water and they may also have to pay for public restrooms. Many countries will make shoppers pay for plastic bags, but this is part of an EU-wide effort to move away from disposable plastic and towards reusable bags.

    #10

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans 900 year old universities

    Lazy-Ad-770 , Molnár Tamás Photography™ Report

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

    Well, over a thousand years for Oxford....but we won't be too pedantic!😁

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    #11

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Everyone is bilingual or multilingual.

    Royal_Acanthisitta51 , Diva Plavalaguna Report

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    Another significant cause of some significant differences is the European political structure. The European Union enforces certain differences across the entire union, but at the same time, member states have far more independence than the states making up the US. Some cultural differences stretch across the entire EU and others can vary from country to country.

    #14

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans The sirens that go BEEE booo BEEE booo BEEE booo BEEE booo

    TrueReplayJay , camilo jimenez Report

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

    Which turn out to be more effective, as they can be heard as twice as far as the US sirens and it's easier to determine their direction as well

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    #15

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Drinking cappuccino on a cobblestone street outside of a cafe, which is hundreds of years old.

    vetheros37 , Dustin Bowdige Report

    There are many differences in terms of money as well. Credit cards aren’t as popular in Europe as in the US, and most countries have moved away from paper checks entirely. Tipping for services is also usually considered to be optional, although very touristy spots that can spot American travelers may try to pressure them into tipping regardless.

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    #16

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Sitting at a restaurant for hours talking. Half an hour of conversation with anybody and I am done. For the month.

    svladcjelli2001 , ELEVATE Report

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    Wax0nWax0ff
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Conversation is a lost art. It’s so sad. I love to sit around and visit with people.

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    #17

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Eurovision.

    Neferknitti , alterna2 Report

    #18

    Paid time off.

    Transvaal_Kampioen Report

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    #22

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Functional transit, carrying a beer outside at night, and post dinner coffee is super common

    StabbyPants , Yannis Papanastasopoulos Report

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

    A few of my best days/nights as a teen/young adult were spent with a mix of punks, skaters, goths and uhm "preppies"(?) drinking beer on some not so beautiful plazas. Our inner circle was about 6 people but it felt like half of the youth of said town met there. (imagine ca. 100 14-20 year olds of every subculture partying peaceful and even helping the person collecting the bottles )

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    #23

    Going for a stroll in somewhere like Northumberland you can pass buildings castles and hill forts covering over three thousand years.

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

    On Yeavering bell (a hill in Northumberland) a circular stone wall is in need of repair. It was knocked down - by the Romans.

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    #24

    Roundabouts.

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

    Roundabouts are quite rare on main roads in the US. I live in Arizona, but after having driven all over in Scotland every day for 3 weeks, I have an appreciation for roundabouts I didn't have before: I rarely had to wait at stoplights. I watched youtube videos about roundabouts before I went and it was very much worthwhile (though it didn't prepare me for the Bannockburn Interchange when I had to reverse direction on the M9 - Edit for those confused by this: By 'reverse direction' I mean I was initially going east on the east-bound side and then I was going west on the west-bound side).

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    #25

    Thinking 100 miles is a long distance. I talked a brit once who said they hadn't seen their parents in two years because its a far trip... it was 2 hours away....

    hellotrrespie Report

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    KinTop14
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That person would not be visiting his parents because they were 2 hours away. There would have be other reasons, perhaps a toxic relationship with the parents.

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    #26

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Pay to use a restroom.

    birdsarntreal1 , Sung Jin Cho Report

    #27

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Men wearing speedos at the beach or in a pool. The ones you do see in the US are usually Europeans on vacation

    Ro7ard , Kindel Media Report

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

    Some pools it's actually forbidden to wear the larger swimming trunks.

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    #28

    No ac by choice

    greenwobbles Report

    #29

    €10 flights to nearby countries. The US could never.

    pastajewelry Report

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

    Ryanair. v underrated. yes there is barely any legroom but you get it cheap and arrive safely

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    #31

    35 Of The Most European Things, According To Americans Flying into Florida and thinking you can drive to Los Angeles, NYC, and Chicago easily.

    lazyhazyeye , Andre Tan Report

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    KinTop14
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Perhaps a few idiots but inaccurate for hundreds of millions of people.

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    #32

    Titles - Lord Humpty Dump or Countess Beaverhousen who are just related, distantly, to some ancestor who did some favor for a king somewhere.

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

    No, pretty much all of the European countries abolished privileges a long time ago. Only one, the uk, didn’t and is still a caste society with unequal rights, nobility and titles that refer to its empire. (NB: there are other monarchies in Europe but purely symbolic, without aristocrats or remnants from the feudalism).

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    #34

    The Euro

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    KinTop14
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    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are 44 countries in Europe, with 20 using the Euro.

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