While we all share the same planet, in some aspects, the contrast between America and Europe can be as clear as day and night. But whether these differences are good, bad, or anywhere in between, they’re always fun to educate yourself about.
One of the best places to learn about these comparisons, at least from the ordinary people’s online point of view, is Reddit. For example, in this thread, someone asked what American everyday things Europeans view as a luxury, and people filled it with responses. Scroll down to check them out!
More info: Reddit
#2
You can pretty much choose to live in any climate you like when you live in the USA and still be in the same country. You like 4 seasons: Move to the Northeast. You like humid ocean climate - move to Seattle. You like dry warm weather - move to Los Angeles. You like deserts, move to Arizona. You like warm and humid weather - move to the Southeast.
As a German who loves warm weather I am always jealous because of those options. If I wanted to try to move somewhere warm I would have to move to a new country and learn Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Greek or other southern European languages.
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77points
#3
Disability access everywhere. I can go to any place -- theatre, store, office, school, whatever -- with confidence that I'll be able to navigate fine in my wheelchair, they'll have ramps and/or elevators
55points
#5
Real Mexican food. We have Mexican restaurants in my home country but the owners are usually not Mexican and it’s just not the same. Now, I’m living in Japan and it’s the same problem… Mexican food is so delicious.
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52points
#6
The size of your homes in places like Utah and Texas.
There's a dedicated room for everything. Kids play room that isn't the living room or the kid's bedroom, walk in pantry room, a laundry room.
There's a dedicated room for everything. Kids play room that isn't the living room or the kid's bedroom, walk in pantry room, a laundry room.
45points
#7
American here visiting Germany right now. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say fuel cost. The station down the road here sell petrol for 1.75 Euro/Liter, that's about $7.20/gallon if my math is correct. For comparison, I'm from Phoenix Arizona and just paid $2.85 per gallon last week, which is about 0.75 Euro/Liter. Gas is even cheaper than that in the Midwest US.
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37points
#9
One thing I really noticed is the lack of escapism in Europe. You wanna go on a long drive to clear your mind? Well, there’s nowhere really to go - you’re always going to find yourself in pretty well developed areas. It’s hard to find true serenity or wilderness.
On a related note, yes there’s traffic in America, but once you’re out of the cities and on open road, good lord… nothing even remotely compares in Europe. Driving is just way more pleasant in the US. There’s a reason Americans would prefer a long drive over a long train trip, but vice versa in Europe. In Europe they also have TONS of speed cameras, so you’re constantly on edge looking down at your speedo to make sure you’re compliant. Americans are anything but compliant 😉.
31points
#10
Big kitchens and big refrigerators/ freezers. Even in my student apartment we had a pretty good sized kitchen. I was dating a Czech girl and her parents came to visit. When they went to my apartment for a dinner, the mom was just amazed at the size of my fridge. They were amused when I dumped the scraps in the sink and turned on the garbage disposal. They’d heard about it but had never seen one.
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28points
#17
Wawa.
My American husband always went on about it how he'd love to just drive to Wawa. I never got it until we spent thanksgiving with his parents.
Bring Wawa to the UK please.
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15points
#18
24/7 hot water. Lots of older places especially have hot water on timers to limit energy use. Instead of sealed insulated cylinders they used open air cisterns in the attic.
Garages. Closets. Really storage space of any kind. Home hobbies are much rarer for it as there's nowhere to have a workshop. Even Christmas decorations are comparatively rarer for want of places to store them.
Outlets in the bathroom. Can't dry your hair in there.
Edit for clarity: this is Ireland, similar to UK. Storage and outlet issues are true even in new builds, hot water cisterns haven't been a thing in decades, but the housing stock is old and many places haven't yet been upgraded. Even where they have, timers are ingrained and electricity expensive so they're still common.
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10points
#19
I’m Australian but I will say the College culture. Idk if what we see in American shows and movies is true but here in Australia, if you want to further your education, you go to a University after highschool, you go to your classes and leave. There’s barely any Universities that are even sport oriented despite us being one of the greatest sporting nations. In America, it seems like they have so much pride and culture surrounding their colleges, with big bands and such.
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9points
#20
Winter fresh chewing gum. Haven't found a gum as good anywhere else.
Houses and lawn space are ridiculously big. Like pointlessly big. I actually have a theory that that's why they all speak so loud, it's because they have to shout across 2 or 3 rooms by default.
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6points