Americans Explain Which Things Europeans Do That Make No Sense To Them
Reddit user a_m42_ asked: 'Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?'
Those who have traveled to Europe or interacted with Europeans may very well know they do things very differently and vice versa.
The differences between our different cultures can include idiosyncratic behavior, preferences, or attitudes.
And while we can very much appreciate these differences, there are certain customs that can be major head-scratchers.
Curious to hear examples of what those can be, Redditor a_m42_ asked:
"Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?"
Getting from point A to B can vastly different.
It's A Driving Thing
"I'm Canadian, but it's always baffled me that some Europeans consider a half hour's worth of driving a long time. That wouldn't even get me out of the area I'd consider local."
– TwoFingersWhiskey
The Size Of A Country Matters
"Lol, I moved from Germany to the Netherlands. The Netherlads are so small that the longest you could actually drive from one point to another is 4 hours, otherwise you would cross a border."
"When I was a child I used to go to my grandparents' house every weekend. They only lived an hour away so the way was short to me."
"My boyfriend is Dutch and he told me be barely ever saw his grandma growing up because she lived so far away and they never visited her because of the long way. She lived 1 1/2 hours away."
– finilain
Concerned Swiss
"My coworkers from Switzerland came out to Denver and I took them over to Glenwood Springs, which is about a 3.5 hour drive and after about half an hour they’re like 'are you okay to drive? Do you want one of us to drive for a bit so you can rest?' I drive two to ten hours to go camping with my husband and two dogs at least two or three weeks a month, so this was just a normal weekend to me, but they were acting like I was some kind of crazy person lol."
– Beautiful_Jacket6358
Things at home aren't always what they seem as they are in the US.
Magic Windows
"It's not that it doesn't 'make sense,' but the first time I saw those windows that can be moved a bunch of different ways, you would have thought I was seeing a rabbit being pulled out of a hat, that's how amazed I looked."
"Tilt and Turn Windows."
https://youtu.be/LT8eBjlcT8s?si=AiDUT2KXLvkD3l8L
– Weird-Traditional
Temperature Control
"I don't know if you know this, but many European windows also have a winter mode. When the handle is 45 degrees up, they open up just a tiny bit (1-2mm), to provide some small amount of air circulation, but not too much to not lose warm air inside."
– Plukh1
Breathing Space
"us Germans are obsessed with ventilation. even in the middle of winter, we'll periodically slam our fancy tilt windows open. problem with the tilting or slight opening is it can lead to condensation with low temps and thus lead to mold. and we are obsessed with preventing mold."
"anyways, make sure the air in your room stays good, it makes all the difference."
– dispo030
Just A Place To Sleep
"In Germany, apartments don't normally come with a kitchen. It's purchased/installed by the Tennant. Sometimes you luck out but not usually."
"Edit.. Because this comment blew up, here is an article talking about it."
https://alisajordanwrites.com/2018/08/06/apartments-dont-come-with-kitchens-in-germany/
– Widegina
The Kitchen Stays
"When we sold our house recently, a german woman viewed it and said "this is lovely kitchen. Will be shame to see it go" i was like go where?"
"She was so excited when i said we werent taking the kitchen anywhere. Me and my husband were so confused.. she thought the house was a real catch because of it and was really shocked when the estate agent said that nobody takes their kitchens with them! Odd."
– Big_Strength7344
We all act a certain way, but these types of behavior can be jarring to Americans.
Now, See Here
"Idk if its all Europeans but Germans have a real big problem with staring like I owe them money. Also paying to use the bathroom in public spaces."
– Neat_Serve730
You Got That Look
"Lol we do stare a lot. When I went to study in the uk one of my professors asked me during a tutorial whether he was saying wrong things because apparently I kept staring at him, I didn’t even notice it haha"
"Edit since apparently it’s causing a bit of confusion: a tutorial is not the same as a lecture, in a tutorial you’re around 15 people in a small room, it’s much more intimate and easier to notice if somebody’s staring at you (which evidently was not just looking at him to show you’re paying attention but much more unnerving)"
– BatmanButDepressed
We Can't Handle The Truth
"I’m from the Midwest and my family is from the Netherlands. So the society that wouldn’t dare offend you in any way and the society that has no problem dropping truth bombs on you. It’s rough."
– philophilo
"The (in)famous Dutch straightforwardness or directness. We have been taught to tell it like it is. We will be polite and civil about it, but we have no time for beating around the bush when a problem has to be resolved. That being said, some of my countrymen use it as an excuse to be rude a**hats."
"Just say 'Ken jij het beter dan, pannekoek?' and be done with it."
– SmilingDutchman
I'm not sure if this is a thing but the first time I went to Paris, I found it very odd that my soft drink was served without ice.
This happened at three different establishments where I asked for a Coke and was presented with the soda can and an empty drinking glass.
When I asked for ice from the server, he scoffed, returned with one ice cube on a spoon and proceeded to pour the drink from the can onto the ice and into the glass.
Are you kidding me??
And he left with the spoon and the partially-melted ice cube. I didn't even get to keep that, so I was talking about leaving a lousy tip, to which my friend who was with me said the French don't tip.
It was definitely a culture shock day for me as a very young traveler.
Europeans Break Down Which Things Americans Aren't Ready To Hear Yet
"Reddit user Mamutu7 asked: 'Europeans, what is something us Americans aren’t ready to hear?'"
Even though the United States of America is largely viewed as the best country in the world to live in, many Americans dream of living abroad.
Particularly in Europe.
From their eyes, there are several things about one's way of life that simply seem unquestionably better in Europe, including health insurance, education, and food.
Of course, many of these things are just in their minds and aren't actually true, and they have to have the news broken to them rather gently.
Sometimes, however, the things they've grown to accept about Europe aren't worse than they imagined, but infinitely better.
"Europeans, what is something us Americans aren’t ready to hear?"
In Case You Didn't Know Just How Big "Big Pharma" Actually Was...
"EpiPens cost $69 in the UK compared to the US $600."
"And yes the Pharm companies are making a profit."- DevDudeZX81
Phonetics Ain't Gonna Help You With This One...
"Worcestershire."- TantrumZentrum
"Wash your sister sauce."- dbl1nk22
'I was making dinner at one point and asked my wife to get me the sibling cleaning sauce - once it clicked, she was hysterical laughing."- belsonc
And No, That Doesn't Stand For "Part Time Only"...
"27 days of PTO is absolutely normal."- Whole-Bank9820
Out Of Office Vacation GIF by StickerGiantGiphyAnyone From The UK Can Make That Clear...
"Europe and the European Union are not the same thing."- BradyvonAshe
Yes, They're Actually Efficient...
"Y’all need some trains."- CabbageMasher
Ironically, Church And State Are ACTUALLY Separated...
"Whats the deal with mega churches?"
"Why do you send them that much money?"- Jandolino
On My Way Church GIF by EMPIREGiphyBipartisanship? The Very Thought!
"Middle grounds exist."
"It doesn’t always have to be pro this anti that."- MySocksAreLost
"It's okay not to have an opinion about everything."- AlwaysCurious93
All Jobs Have Value
"Tipping is stupid."
"Just pay your staff a proper living wage!"- Coin-op77
"Tipping culture is placing the working class against the working class."
"And you lot are falling for it instead of striking."- Comander1SUV
"You should work to live not the opposite."- Realistic_Abrocoma61·
GiphyAt The Very Least, Not In Such Large Quantities
"Sugar does not belong in everything, esp."
"Not bread."- WrestlingWoman
Merely 2 out of 44
"Europe is more than England and Paris."- SloRules
Health And Education Are A Right, Not A Privilege
"It's neither normal nor okay to have to go bankrupt just to go to school or going to the hospital."- Roselily808
student loans burn GIF by Ethan BarnowskyGiphy...Um, Does Anyone Actually Need This?...
"You do not need a 5000-pound truck to haul your laptop and cellphone to the office."- It_is_Fries_No_Patat
Frustratingly, many Americans who will be told these facts by Europeans will look for anything and everything to argue about them.
As the most significant thing most Europeans aren't ready to hear, or at least don't want to hear, about Americans?
Most will look for literally anything to fight about, rather than actually taking a little time to enjoy the view...
Though it's often used as the butt of jokes, there's still a lot to appreciate in the United States, whether you live there or are visiting.
But there are also a lot of things that leave onlookers infinitely perplexed about what it's actually like to live in the United States and why they do things like that.
Redditor DadIsMadAtMe asked:
"What’s the hardest thing for you to comprehend about the American culture?"
School Pride!
"School mascots. Where I live, we just have teams and just play matches against people."
"In America, it’s all like, 'GO, EASTTOWN EAGLES!!! OOGACHACKA!' and there would be some person in a cheapo eagle suit spinning a basketball on his fingers or something. You would have a full dramatic cheerleader dance-off before your match, we just shake hands and stare hard at each other."
- benderbrodriguez2
No Child Left Behind
"Canadian here on spring break in Florida."
"I can't get over the baseline... I don't know how to say it, the baseline education level? There are smart people, but there are also completely uneducated people. Like, the divide is massive."
- Spiffydude98
Little-To-No Paid Time Off
"Having two weeks vacation or no PTO (Personal Time Off) for most."
"In my current country, you have to take two weeks of mandatory leave in a row. Including public holidays, I get about seven weeks of vacation per year."
- poor_decision
Financial Debt Culture
"How casual debt is, how easy it is to take loans and credit cards out in other people's names without their knowledge, and how casual it is to rack up huge amounts of debt."
- StrangeDarkling
...Enough Said.
"College fraternities."
- Gorazde
Where's the Poutine?
"Americans love french fries, cheese, and gravy, but poutine never took off south of the border. Always found that odd."
- righhanddan
Zero-Tolerance Policies
"The zero-tolerance rule... Who came up with that s**t? The victim is the one who is f**ked. Either he gets bullied or he gets a penalty for defending himself."
- vomahaf244
Political Followers
"A lot of people follow and worship politicians like they’re gods with flags and all that s**t. In the UK, it’s universally acknowledged that we hate all politicians pretty much equally."
- Monkeytennis01
Tipping Culture
"Having to tip almost everywhere. It definitely makes sense at some places, but feel like we have to tip at the most random of places these days."
- Educational_Word_647
Cultural Appropriation
"I speak as a Latin American, just setting that down on the table."
"I don’t get why people think that using something from my culture or showing interest in Latin culture is 'cultural appropriation.' I’ve even spoken to a lot of people in my culture about this thing and we all think it’s alright."
- OG_sweaterguy
Healthcare
"Your healthcare system, it's so complicated and expensive. And people going bankrupt because they get sick, what bulls**ttery is this?"
- MrTempleDene
The Stereotypical American Eagle
"American here, fun fact! That stereotypical screech you commonly hear associated with the bald eagle is actually a red-tailed hawk. Bald eagles do not make that sound. They make more of a weird (way less cool) chirping sound."
"I was too old when I learned this for the first time."
- ay-aye-ron
Plus Tax... What?
"Why don't they include tax in the total price of something? Just include it and make life easier. I don't want to have to do maths every time I go there and buy something."
- Old_Understanding325
Not In That Exact Order
"You are allowed to drive a car at 16, own guns, and sign up for the military at 18. But alcohol, behold the devil's liquid!, is only for 21+. The math ain't mathin'."
- lover_of_wisdom_
Money Money Money Money
"Lobbying."
"Legal bribery, what the h**l."
"Also, why do you have to do your taxes? If the Government, in the end, knows if what you paid was what you actually owed, why not just tell you."
- Lolleos
People looking in on the United States definitely had some questions about the people who live there and the systems they have to observe. But the big secret is that many Americans are asking the same exact questions.
Whenever we visit a foreign country, we always want to try and blend in with the locals.
But be it our clothes, our accents, or just our scared, vacant expressions, sometimes, blending in is simply impossible.
Particularly for Americans.
Indeed, American tourists have several unfortunate stereotypes associated with them, which people all over the world can spot instantly.
No matter how hard Americans may, or may not, try to hide it.
"What’s an obvious sign someone’s American?"
It's All In The Greeting.
"In Salzburg I went to grab something from the drug store."
"As I was checking out I said hello to the cashier (thinking there was very little difference between how I said it and how Austrians say it)."
"She immediately started speaking to me in English and I asked her how she knew I spoke English."
"She deadpan stared me in the eye and goes 'hellloooo'."
"I just about died laughing since I'm a very stereotypical friendly American that says hello exactly like that."
"One of my favorite memories from that trip."- Ted_Dance_Son
"‘Hey, how are ya?'."- vorifo2709·
"Che Strano"!
"An Italian told me that Americans walk confidently in the wrong direction."- MagazineOk6401
kevin hart running GIF by ADWEEKGiphyCan't Deny This One...
"They want ice in their water."- gianna_in_hell_as·
Just A Turn Of Phrase
"'How's your day going?;" or 'how are you doing?' in completely random circumstances."- KanyeWest_Official
"Incredibly loud but incredibly friendly."- Caozpox
Captain America Lol GIF by mtvGiphySometimes They Do Actually Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is
"I worked as a cashier in a touristic place in Paris."
" I always recognized Americans because they were kinda friendly to me and they always left tips."- Aterakel
Asking Questions They Don't Want The Answer To
"Retail worker here, not living in the US."
"I can generally spot an American because they greet me with 'hey how are you?"
"And since I usually have the standard 'tired from life' retail worker expression at first I thought they were mocking me so I didn't know how to react."
"Took me a while to realize they weren't really expecting an answer lmao"
"Mind you, might just be my personal experience but it's happened too many times for it to be a coincidence."- 8Eriade8
"When I lived in Spain, the barista at Starbucks immediately knew I was American because how polite I was."
"I asked him how he knew I was American and he told me, 'In Spain, we don’t usually respond with ‘Good, and you.’ Americans are so polite whereas Spaniards will just say ‘Give me my coffee'."
"So, I stopped responding nicely and baristas wouldn’t speak to me in English anymore."
"Culture clash!"
"I just want to clarify and say that my story only really applies to a niche people in Spain."
"This does not represent the whole country."
"Just a few rude bad apples."
"For the most part, people in the country are nice and people in the city too."
"The barista was simply remarking on Americans and our penchant to be overly polite."
"Customer service have to deal with a lot of rude and unkind people, same in America."- Agitated-Coyote768
Adventure Time Coffee GIF by hoppipGiphyWhat Are You Smiling At?...
"The gentle grins you give to strangers if you make eye contact with them as you pass by, at least in the Midwest."
"Was not well received in Germany."- Vkazioa
...And What Are You Looking At?
"Eye contact."
"Maybe a smile and a 'how’s it goin?'"- A_Man_Who_Writes
Keep Your Distance
"How much personal space they give themselves."
"Americans like at LEAST an arm's length."- Zonerdrone
Get Away No GIF by Kathryn DeanGiphy"When You're Not Strong, I'll Be Your Friend..."
"According to the cia- when training to be a spy- you have to unlearn how to lean."
"Americans tend to lean on things when standing still."- chonesmcskidds
It's All About The Volume
"To quote a Latvian woman I met at a hostel: you hear them coming like the thunder."
"More often than not, if they’re talking and laughing louder than everyone else, they’re American."- MCRN_Lopez
The Truth Behind The Grin
"One American I've met was a bit stereotypical in some regards."
"He was on a biking tour from Sweden to Palestine, had an unusual beard, huge white teeth, was extremely friendly and a bit loud, and he literally carried a bucket of peanut butter with him because he said that was the most efficient way to carry energy for his travel."
"I was an intern at a software company that just got bought by a huge American company (Warner I think) and one time some executives were visiting, walked through our office complimenting all the developers loudly and then disappeared again."
"My general impression of Americans I've met in person is that it's difficult to see what you guys really think and feel, because you seem to hide it behind a layer of aggressive cheerfulness."
"So when I see someone radiating that, I expect them to be from the US."- Netcob
Snl Smile GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphyOf course, not everyone is ashamed of being an American, and will make no trouble hiding it.
Then again, even if they did, they most likely wouldn't have been able to fool anybody...
Things That Seem Normal For Americans But Weird To The Rest Of The World
Americans, we sure are an eclectic bunch.
We don't realize just how eclectic until we're outside of the country looking in.
Some of our traditions, several of our rules and TONS of our laws are kinda all over the place.
That's why people love to visit from all over.
Who doesn't want to see the zoo animals from inside the cage?
Redditor Specialist-Anybody3 wanted to discuss the aspects of life Americans found ordinary that others don't. So they broached the question:
"What things are normal for Americans but weird for non-Americans?"
We Americans have some funny ways to live.
And everybody notices.
Privacy First
toilet creeping GIFGiphy"Large gaps above, below and between the bathroom stalls..."
KimPTM
"Holy Jesus this! So nice to poop in private in Europe. I have no idea why the US does this!"
hhgfryhjkoo
Travel Tips
"If you drive for five hours in the United States, you’re pretty much still in the same place. If you drive for five hours in Europe, everyone’s talking funny and the cheese is different."
KaimeiJay
"In the US, 100 miles is nothing, 100 years is a lot. In Europe, 100 miles is a lot, 100 years is nothing."
"The stone retaining wall for the front of our property (here in Germany) is dated 1846, and it's nothing special. Many of the houses in the old part of our small town are 1300 and older."
insainodwayno
Dates...
"Writing the date format as mm-dd-yyyy instead of dd-mm-yyyy."
silkybow-
"This actually worked to my advantage. I’m a Brit and moved to the US when I was 20. I’m not a big drinker but was still mad I couldn’t get a beer. Then I realized that my DOB on my driving license would be read backwards making it appear I was a few months older and therefore 21. It never got turned down and I used it a lot."
UncleKodeia
"I work 911 dispatch. We have to write it at work as yyyy-mm-dd. Don't know why, but we do."
TheUnconfirmedk1ll
Mental Gymnastics
"Having to mentally add sales taxes on everything you buy. In Europe 9.95 means paying 9.95."
AaronBenne
"I thought we had this problem in Canada but I didn't realize just how much worse it was in the US until I moved here. In Canada, we have a VAT based tax so in Ontario, you just add 13% to the price to find the final price. Annoying, but not complicated."
"In the US, your sales tax changes based on your location increments smaller than a zip code because tax jurisdictions and zip codes were made separately. You have to basically use the exact address to figure out what tax jurisdiction you're actually in. It's practically impossible to know what actual tax you're gonna have to pay unless you've shopped there before or look it up."
BuccellatiExplainsIt
Nonsense
cbs wow GIF by Big BrotherGiphy"The fact that an 18 year old can drive and buy a gun while still being considered too young to drink alcohol."
Monika396
Some "rules" make no sense to many of us.
Years and Years
back to school college GIF by Rodney DangerfieldGiphy"Paying for college for 30 years after you graduated."
pingerlol
"That happens in England now, as well."
"But agree, for most developed countries, the idea of having an educated population is seen as a good thing that benefits everyone and should be affordable."
dannydevon
Attachments
"Attaching medical insurance to employment. One shouldn’t have anything to do with the other."
jimjamjimmerson
"Also, having a co-pay when you are covered, and a limit on what is paid. So, people are discouraged from seeking treatment early and for preventative care and can get financially ruined despite having coverage. It is a disgrace."
NameOfUserOfReddit
"I know, I've always thought that was odd. That is one thing I will never understand, America's healthcare system. How can your job be linked with your healthcare?"
BabySham8
Control
"HOAs like wtf. No other people who don't pay your mortgage telling you how to maintain your home."
throw_away_17381
"I've always thought this was the dumbest s**t. It's usually the fancier neighborhoods too. If I ever strike it rich, I'm buying a plot of land in the middle of nowhere and doing whatever the hell I want with my house. What's the point in having all that money and a house of your own if you decide to move somewhere where your property isn't under your control?"
Notthesharkfromjaws
'Hey, you need surgery'
"Seeing a possible serious medical problem with yourself and going 'ehh.'"
xx_Fiddler_xx
"I straight twisted a testicle. Since I didn't know this was possible, and I grew up on a farm so apparently my pain tolerance is pretty high, I thought it was no big deal."
"11 hours later is when I finally got off work and decided to go to urgent care."
"A total of 16 hours before I went in for surgery. I haven't gotten all the bills yet, but the one I did get has a doctor charging me $500 just to tell me I needed surgery. Not for the ultrasounds, or the surgery itself, or the follow-ups. Just to tell me 'hey, you need surgery.'"
"The worst part is, this is after the bill was run through 2 insurance programs."
StrayAI
Security
the mystery files of shelby woo nicksplat GIFGiphy"My friend attended his cousin's high school graduation in LA a while ago and he had to go through metal detectors and all that, as if he was going through airport security. So I guess metal detectors at school."
yeetgodmcnechass
We Americans are an interesting people.
Do you have anything to add? Let us know in the comments below.