It’s a tale as old as time. People travel abroad and realize that life works a little differently elsewhere. Who would’ve thought, right?
Still, even knowing that doesn’t always prepare you for the surprise of actually seeing it in action. Kind of like being amazed by how bright it stays in summer, then shocked when it’s pitch dark by 4 p.m. in winter. It just catches you off guard.
That’s exactly what happened when these Americans visited Europe. What seemed totally normal to the locals left them scratching their heads. Here’s what stood out to them—do any of these seem odd to you too?
#1
You guys just,, have doctors
I fell incredibly ill in Germany and walked into a pharmacy. Was immediately met by a doctor who prescribed me medication and did not bill me for the 'appointment' and the meds were super cheap and 100x better than anything available in the US.
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#2
You want to know what's weird? Americans referring to Europe as one country.
Image credits: -airwrecka-
#3
How well connected and on-time train system is.
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#4
The number of people who sit outside eating or having a coffee in France and Germany, even if the weather wasn’t the greatest. I’ve been the only person indoors plenty of times.
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#5
Turbo-charged cashiers at Aldi.
Image credits: anon
#6
Not necessarily weird, but I was in Switzerland for my senior trip and the gas stations we stopped at are the highest quality facilities I've ever been in for gas. I would eat off the floor.
Image credits: toastedkeratin
#7
I lived in Europe for several years (specifically The Netherlands) and there was only one thing that literally made me stop in my tracks, and it was a Sesame Street Live poster. Turns out Big Bird is blue there!
When I told all my Dutch friends of my surprise they were all like yeah that’s Pino, why wouldn’t he be blue? They say he’s Big Bird’s cousin but I was never fooled. It was obviously Big Bird who left America to move to Holland seeking an alternative lifestyle.
Image credits: Andromeda321
#8
How little space there is. Everything is close together. Quite the culture shock to me, from rural Pennsylvania.
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#9
Sitting down at a restaurant and not getting any service for 15 minutes, then waiting half an hour for the check to come at the end. I get that it's more relaxed, but don't people ever have somewhere to be?
Image credits: RealKenny
#10
I went to a small town in Italy a few years ago and stayed with a host family. They slept with their huge windows wide open and the windows didn't have screens. I found this weird because 1. People could literally just climb through the windows in to their house and 2. Random street cats would be walking around their house. This would never happen in my neighborhood in Pennsylvania because people would get robbed left and right.
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#11
Beer is cheaper than water in Germany
not complaining; just saying.
Image credits: anon
#12
There is a plastic electric tea pot in every hotel/motel room in England.
Image credits: dirtymoney
#13
I'm from Spain. Groceries in Switzerland are 5x as expensive as they're here.
Image credits: disissaimon
#14
Just moved to Germany and the biggest thing about my house here is the windows are so weird and different.
I'll definitely be installing them when I buy a new house back stateside.
Image credits: anon
#15
Paying to use a public bathroom. We were traveling in Germany, stopped at a roadside gas station/restaurant area, ran inside to use the facilities and had to fumble around looking for money just to go to the bathroom.
Image credits: KnockinDaBoots
#16
Mayonaise with French Fries...
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#17
Not an American (Canadian) but I’m so used to asking for a Pepsi when I go to a restaurant that I just ask for one to speed up the Social interaction instead of listening to the “is Pepsi ok?”. So I asked for one and the waitress said “is Coke ok?”.
Image credits: Doomdriver1468
#18
Ice in your drink. Went to Ireland last year, surprised to see them look at you weird if you ask for ice.
Image credits: FatherBronson
#19
In some parts of Europe, club soda (carbonated water) in place of regular tap water as the default drink at restaurants.
Image credits: anon
#20
"Hitzefrei" in Germany. I'm a teacher in California, and even if the AC is broken, school still happens in the heat. The only modifications I've seen for extreme heat related to physical education activities.
Image credits: anon
#21
Not tipping your waiter is normal/ expected. i always felt so guilty for not leaving a good tip.
Image credits: mandypsychosis
#22
Did a foreign exchange program in Spain last year, I’d say the weirdest thing for me was all the physical contact people would have with each other because in America, that would’ve been considered sexual harassment.
Also, many would call convenience stores, chinos (aka: Chinese), which I lowkey found to be strange and racist (almost like calling a 7-11 an Indian).
Image credits: tumbleweed_lesbo
#23
They don’t bat at an eye at 16 year olds drinking but when it comes to 16 year olds driving in America, suddenly they question if any human can possibly be mature enough to do it responsibly.
Image credits: anon
#24
Cars and driving. Cars are a luxury item instead of a necessity. There're generally well maintained and need to undergo a technical inspection every couple of years.
There's a very different concept of the "right of way". Generally in America, if you continue straight on a road and you're not stopped by a stop sign, traffic light, or yield sign, you can assume that you have the right of way, and all other cars must give priority to you if they want to turn onto/cross your road (the car turning onto your road would have a stop sign, traffic light, or yield sign to inform them)
However in Europe, they have "priority from the right" which means that if you're driving along on most streets, you must always be cautious when approaching any intersection and make sure there's no car coming from your right side. Cars to your left must give priority to you, even if you're turning in front of them. It's like there's an invisible "yield to right" sign at all of these unmarked intersections.
However the rules change if you're on something designated with a yellow diamond sign as a "main road". People on the main road have priority in whichever direction as long as they continue to follow the main road.
Also, Europeans are more restrictive about the word "highway" and the term only applies to specific roads. In America we are generally liberal with the word highway. I take it to mean any large, marked road with at least 2 lanes.
Image credits: mega_cancer
#25
Paying for a public bathroom. Also, I went to Italy and was shocked that pedestrians don't have the right of way when crossing the road and drivers will not hesitate hitting you.
Image credits: Kaitlin33101
#26
Parents and teenagers getting wasted together. I don’t mean having a glass of wine with dinner. I mean slurring words.
Image credits: Boredeidanmark
#27
How the women are generally nice looking, healthy, friendly and cool.
Image credits: IvoTailefer
#28
I went to Paris this last summer. The general lack of AC was alarming.
Image credits: ipunchcats22
#29
I'm sure someone is bringing this up, but it's super weird to me that I have to ask for tap water, or else I will get charged for sparkling water, which is absolutely disgusting imo.
AND that drinks are so small and cost so much, at least the places I went. I would ask for a drink, and if it's not tap water, they bring over a $3-4 glass bottle of water that's like 0.25L. That's like one gulp for me, guys. If I wasn't that thirsty, I wouldn't be spending $4 for a drink. I need liquid refreshment. I have thirst. I need it quenched. It takes more than a fistful of water to do that, and they make it cost way too much. This is EUROPE, there's basically nowhere more than 300 miles from water.
Image credits: isayboyisay
#30
Having to pay for water.
In the US they just bring you endless water without asking at restaurants. In Europe you ask for water and they look at you like the people in the movie Idiocracy (Water? Like out the toilet?) Then they’ll go find one in the back and come back like 15 minutes later with a 100 ml bottle of Perrier that costs €3.50. Honestly the whole continent is dehydrated.
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