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.
#41
Lived in the UK for two years. Biggest ones for me:
Realized that public transit is like buying time because you can do many other things because you aren't driving.
Realized how cars are often a ball and chain and often good public transit is far more freeing while being dramatically cheaper and safer
Realized my British friends own hardly anything in contrast to even young Americans, but they didn't yearn for more s**t
Realized the background anxiety where everyone in the US feels not far from homeless and they must therefore grind is just not really there.
Not a utopia by any measure, but there was a lot I liked that I wish we would figure out here. .
Realized that public transit is like buying time because you can do many other things because you aren't driving.
Realized how cars are often a ball and chain and often good public transit is far more freeing while being dramatically cheaper and safer
Realized my British friends own hardly anything in contrast to even young Americans, but they didn't yearn for more s**t
Realized the background anxiety where everyone in the US feels not far from homeless and they must therefore grind is just not really there.
Not a utopia by any measure, but there was a lot I liked that I wish we would figure out here. .
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9points
#42
The lack of homelessness. I honestly thought for a second that there was some nefarious activity going on. After living there for a while, I realized they do have instances of homelessness but it is not an institution like it is in the States.
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9points
#43
Not only do people smoke way more in Europe but a lot of them roll their own cigs. Seeing child seats in the front seats of cars also surprised me.
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9points
#44
In certain parts of very rural western ireland, when you drive past another car, you slightly raise your index finger off the steering wheel to acknowledge them. It’d be like a head nod.
The practice has been d***g out over the years, but that hasn’t stopped me.
The practice has been d***g out over the years, but that hasn’t stopped me.
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8points
#45
How much smaller everything feels, but somehow life feels less rushed.
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8points
#46
How much useless mental baggage lifted off me. Turns out I don’t have to care if my neighbor’s car is nicer than mine, or worry about what might happen if I drop my kid at school today, or desperately hold on to my job because I need the healthcare.
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8points
#47
How good the beer and the food was. Also, how hospitable the local people were.
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8points
#48
Excellent public transport - coming from America it was surprising how well it can work (Prague).
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8points
#49
American in Switzerland: The quality of medical care is 5 orders of magnitude better than in the USA. I've gotten appointments with physicians within a few hours of referral. Physicians, including specialists, spend a relaxed 20-45 minutes with me and the meeting does not end until I have no further questions. I've been typically taken on time or early at appointments. I had a complete workup for a serious illness (several appointments with a specialist, a MRI, a CT scan, a biopsy) completed with 11 days from first contact. The insurance actually pays for the treatments and medications (after a deductible and co-pay). And the wine line in the hospital is several pages long.
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8points
#50
Switzerland:
(1) *Safety* I didn’t realize the background anxiety I carry in the US because of gun violence. First few times in a crowd in Zurich I had that slightly elevated caution, until I realized that no one shoots people here. Fireworks would go off and I eventually lost that moment where you wonder if it’s a gunshot.
(2) *Lack of Precarity* many people in the US are barely making it. The person driving the bus, the checkout person at the grocery, your kids teachers… they’re likely struggling. In Switzerland these people live good lives. Their kids have healthcare and get educated. Being around people who aren’t struggling to make it changes the feeling of everyday life.
(3) $$$$ - It’s crazy expensive in Switzerland.
(1) *Safety* I didn’t realize the background anxiety I carry in the US because of gun violence. First few times in a crowd in Zurich I had that slightly elevated caution, until I realized that no one shoots people here. Fireworks would go off and I eventually lost that moment where you wonder if it’s a gunshot.
(2) *Lack of Precarity* many people in the US are barely making it. The person driving the bus, the checkout person at the grocery, your kids teachers… they’re likely struggling. In Switzerland these people live good lives. Their kids have healthcare and get educated. Being around people who aren’t struggling to make it changes the feeling of everyday life.
(3) $$$$ - It’s crazy expensive in Switzerland.
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8points
#51
You make less but it goes further. The only loss is customer service. In Europe the customer is always wrong. To which you quickly adapt, the meal wasn’t bad. Your taste was.
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8points
#52
All the vacation days I get at work. I think this will be the first year out of the five I've been here I actually use them all in time.
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7points
#53
In Spain when I saw them smoke tobacco **inside** their houses.
I actually grew up with a smoker parent and he never smoked inside the house. I think in the US, it's generally considered very trashy to smoke inside the house.
I actually grew up with a smoker parent and he never smoked inside the house. I think in the US, it's generally considered very trashy to smoke inside the house.
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6points
#55
I cooked a meal for my host family in Sweden, and got a weird scolding for making a plate for the neighbor kid.
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6points
#56
Moved to England for a year - the biggest thing for me was how big a difference latitude makes. I'm from the middle of the US, so our days are much longer in the winter, comparatively. falling asleep at 3 pm meant waking up to a pitch black sky in November.
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6points
#57
When I woke up feeling sick, I could just stay home from work and go see my doctor without having to worry about money or losing my PTO for that day.
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6points
#59
Getting paid once a month
Edit: getting paid once a month and also 95 - 99 % of the population in my current country getting paid on the same day.
Edit: getting paid once a month and also 95 - 99 % of the population in my current country getting paid on the same day.
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5points
#60
How tiny your apartments are. Even in major cities in the US, its rare to find such small places to rent.
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5points