Oh boy, clear the way, Pandas, because I’m kind of an expert on this subject. I come from the far southernmost lands of America —the continent, not the country, but let’s not get into that discussion today— and I currently live in the exotic hills of Europe.
The question was simple: “Americans that moved to Europe, what shocked you the most?”. As a foreigner myself, I can tell you what was most shocking for me, and then we can move to the hilarious conversation that bursted on Reddit with more than 3k upvotes and 5.5k replies.
How on Earth can life end at 7pm? I’m a night owl, and you have no idea how much I suffer from this lack of options past “bed time”. We people from the west have much adapting to do when landing on the Old World.
For example, air conditioning is one of the most striking differences. According to the European Commission, A/C is still very uncommon compared with the United States, Japan and South Korea. Europe had around 57 million room air conditioners in 2020, but the Commission expects ownership to rise as hotter temperatures increase demand.
Indeed, Europe's limited use of air conditioning may not last forever. Reports show that EU household energy consumption for space cooling reached 80.4 thousand terajoules in 2024, up from 40.5 thousand in 2018. Maybe it won’t take long for Americans to find a similar A/C usage when they visit Europe.
#23
Health culture. Americans are fat, Europeans aren’t nearly as fat in general.
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15points
#24
I never gave much thought to health insurance in the US, when I moved to Europe (2016) I was amazed by the feeling of relief that came from not having to worry about accumulating debt, copays, deductibles. Just all the s**t I watch my family and friends in the States deal with as we all age.
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15points
Moving to another part of the world can change the way you see everyday things, from how you spend your money to how you get around and take care of your health. What feels completely normal at home can look very different somewhere else.
Have you ever moved abroad or spent enough time in another country to experience a major culture shock? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
#25
I (65F) moved from California to Greece 10 years ago. The quality and accessibility of healthcare here in Greece has been really eye opening. First off, there is a public clinic within 10 minutes. I’ve gone there with quasi-hubs when he had the flu with high fever (medication given/no charge). I’ve gone there with a house-guest who accidentally grabbed a sea urchin (needles removed/no charge). I went for a physical with a local private GP (appointment within 1 week/cost 100E). I had knee pain so I went to a private ortho knee specialist (appointment within 1 week/cost 100E). I’m contrasting this to going back to The US. I’m now on Medicare so I thought that I’d get a physical and have a US doctor. I called THREE medical centers to get a GP for a physical. Several months wait for an appointment. If I don’t use Medicare and I pay privately, a visit is $650. F That.
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15points
#26
How bizarrely formal everything is. If my kid's best friend's mom (who is also my friend now) wants to plan a play date, it's Good Morning Triknitter, I hope you are doing well. Child would like to play next Wednesday afternoon; is your child available? Kind regards, Friend. In the US that's a text saying Child is bouncing off the walls, want to get the kids together to burn off some energy at the playground?
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15points
#27
In Spain, the amount of stores that close on Sunday, including big corporate chains.
That would be unheard of in the US. Some stores are open 365 days a year.
Also the amount of stores that close for multiple weeks in August.
Also unheard of in the US.
That would be unheard of in the US. Some stores are open 365 days a year.
Also the amount of stores that close for multiple weeks in August.
Also unheard of in the US.
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15points
#28
How much more i walked without even thinking about it. I stopped driving everywhere an suddenly 10k steps a day was just normal.
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14points
#29
When I was pregnant and giving birth everything was free and no copay even if you have a c-section 🫄 they also give money monthly when baby is born until 18 years old 👶.
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13points
#30
Say bonjour/bonsoir to the shopkeeper when you walk in or they will talk trash about you right in front of your face. (Un?)fortunately even though I didn't know that rule at first, I DID still speak French 😅
Context: I was speaking English with my friend when we walked in. They assumed we were idiot Americans, which was even funnier bc my friend is actually Mexican.
Context: I was speaking English with my friend when we walked in. They assumed we were idiot Americans, which was even funnier bc my friend is actually Mexican.
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13points
#31
I lived in Spain. Not much shocked me but 1) Siesta is real if you live outside of Madrid or Barcelona. Everything closed from 2:00 - 5:00 in my city. 2) Getting paid once a month was an adjustment. 3) The sun rising and setting later than I was used to.
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13points
#33
I lived in what was then the Czech Republic for a couple years. Very little was shocking, but two images come to mind: 1.) Strangers getting off an elevator saying greeting each other and saying goodbye when they got off. 2.) Elementary school aged children carrying a large pitcher of beer from the local pub home to their family having been sent on that errand.
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12points
#35
Less shock and more slow boil surprise.
- the number of holidays and vacation days
- few people have dental insurance; the flat cost for most procedures is the same as the co-pay in the U.S.
- the general feeling of safety.
- the number of holidays and vacation days
- few people have dental insurance; the flat cost for most procedures is the same as the co-pay in the U.S.
- the general feeling of safety.
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11points
#36
I lived in Sweden for 6 years and moved back to the U.S. two years ago. I’m visiting Stockholm right now and after paying for groceries I went to the end of the conveyor and looked for the bags. I completely forgot that you have to choose the grocery bags where they scan your items and pay for those bags, too.
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11points
#37
My kid’s first doctor’s appointment in Spain. Long post incoming:
My kid got an ear infection and that night she didn't sleep at all.
We woke up at 10 AM and I was debating about whether or not to go to the doctor and my friend said, "Just go. You don't have to pay anything and if she has an infection you can get it cleared up."
I went on my **insurance app** and looked for a clinic less than a mile away from our house. They had openings from 12 to 4. I picked the earliest one and our appointment was at 12.
We entered the clinic at noon, showed no identification, filled out no paperwork. We left the clinic by 12:15 and I had a prescription sent with a **QR code to my phone** that I could pick up in any nearby pharmacy. I had the antibiotic drops in hand and was in a coffee shop by 12:45.
In the US I probably wouldn’t have gotten an appointment for at least 24 hours and I would have been in our waiting room for at least an hour (based on past experience.) And they would charged me at least $50 for it, if not much more.
Anyways - healthcare in the US s***s. I knew it before going but I wanted to cry tears of rage after my first experience in Spain.
My kid got an ear infection and that night she didn't sleep at all.
We woke up at 10 AM and I was debating about whether or not to go to the doctor and my friend said, "Just go. You don't have to pay anything and if she has an infection you can get it cleared up."
I went on my **insurance app** and looked for a clinic less than a mile away from our house. They had openings from 12 to 4. I picked the earliest one and our appointment was at 12.
We entered the clinic at noon, showed no identification, filled out no paperwork. We left the clinic by 12:15 and I had a prescription sent with a **QR code to my phone** that I could pick up in any nearby pharmacy. I had the antibiotic drops in hand and was in a coffee shop by 12:45.
In the US I probably wouldn’t have gotten an appointment for at least 24 hours and I would have been in our waiting room for at least an hour (based on past experience.) And they would charged me at least $50 for it, if not much more.
Anyways - healthcare in the US s***s. I knew it before going but I wanted to cry tears of rage after my first experience in Spain.
10points
#38
(Studied in Amsterdam for a year)
“Shocked” is not quite the right word, but I think my two eyebrow raising discoveries were how chill it was to buy alcohol and how easy it was to get anywhere with some kind of public transit. Where I’ve lived and worked in the US you can get in a lot of trouble for not carding people, even if they're obviously of age; never got carded once in the Netherlands. And you can use one prepaid card to use bike, bus, tram, or train to just about any little village (important to me as I wanted to see the tiny towns where my grandparents were born). Also as a 6’7” (~2m) blond guy it was nice not being asked if I play basketball for a year.
A bigger shock was when I visited Antwerp and it happened to be I think Ascension Day. Belgium is predominantly secular but historically Catholic, and that city was *d**d*. I don’t recall everything being so closed down on religious holidays in the Netherlands, though maybe they take it more seriously south of the rivers. I couldn't find anywhere open to buy food and had to fast (so maybe I was involuntarily turned Catholic for an evening, haha).
“Shocked” is not quite the right word, but I think my two eyebrow raising discoveries were how chill it was to buy alcohol and how easy it was to get anywhere with some kind of public transit. Where I’ve lived and worked in the US you can get in a lot of trouble for not carding people, even if they're obviously of age; never got carded once in the Netherlands. And you can use one prepaid card to use bike, bus, tram, or train to just about any little village (important to me as I wanted to see the tiny towns where my grandparents were born). Also as a 6’7” (~2m) blond guy it was nice not being asked if I play basketball for a year.
A bigger shock was when I visited Antwerp and it happened to be I think Ascension Day. Belgium is predominantly secular but historically Catholic, and that city was *d**d*. I don’t recall everything being so closed down on religious holidays in the Netherlands, though maybe they take it more seriously south of the rivers. I couldn't find anywhere open to buy food and had to fast (so maybe I was involuntarily turned Catholic for an evening, haha).
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10points
#39
Having to bring your own refrigerator and sometimes HOB in a rented apartment.
And its true that Americans talk loud and fast in comparison.
And its true that Americans talk loud and fast in comparison.
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10points
#40
A small thing I remember from my homestay in Germany. My host family bought milk in bulk and kept it in a storage room. Room temperature, no refrigeration, for days and days. Still can't wrap my head around that one.
10points