Article created by: Jurgita Dominauskaitė
People have different reactions to cultures they are not familiar with. They may judge it thinking it is wrong, they might accept it as it is or try to learn the logic behind it. The cultures people really like comparing is the general European culture and the culture in the United States that we colloquially call American. They are both considered The West but there are still small everyday things that we find weird about each other and this time Americans are pointing out the oddities of Europeans after someone asks “Americans, what do Europeans do that you find really weird?”
More info: Reddit
Not weird, but I'm always pretty impressed by their grasp of languages. Here's Ivan straight outta the mean streets of Moscow who speaks better English than I do and he also speaks Portuguese and Mandarin
The amount of time y’all have to vacation.
How most cities are walkable. You need a car everywhere in USA, no matter what.
In Paris, I was offered a seat on the metro when there was none every single time.( I'm a senior). Very seldom happens here.
You guys have hamburger flavored Cheetos in your "American Food" isle
Homie, we don't even have those.
I lived in Europe for two years. One thing that stands out is people were much more fashion-conscious. I view clothes as a fabric that I am mandated to wear so that I am not arrested.
I can't remember if this is Ireland specific or a thing in the rest of Europe, but the bathroom light switch being outside of the door. Pray tell, Ireland, just how many times a father or a sibling has flicked the switch on and off or just straight up turned it off while you were doing your business?
Unironically and openly discriminate against Romani people while looking down on the US for their race issues.
I lined in Germany 3 years, I loved everything about it, except one thing; personal space doesn't exist in lines. I'd be standing in line at a store and the next person behind me is breathing down my neck.
Step back man.
A lot of European cultures eat dinner so late at night. I can't image eating my dinner at 8 or 9 at night.
Specifically Germans (Berliners) in this case.
When you move, you take the kitchen with you. That is just mind boggling to me.
Make people pay to use public toilets
No one has screens on their windows in Europe. How do you open your window without getting a house full of bugs?
I do find it a bit odd that everyone sort of agrees nothing happens in August. Like, for a whole month, you better not need anything done - even doctors seem scarce.
EDIT: To be clear, August is the vacation month in many places in Europe. While August is a popular time to go away in the US, summer vacations seem more distributed through the school-less months. In Europe, however, it just seems understood no one will work in August (or at least a large part of it).
mayonnaise on fries
Leaving babies napping outside, alone, in cold weather.
(This is specifically aimed at the Scandinavians!)
I was in Denmark in November and it was a super windy, cold week (ranged from -6 degrees *to -9 degrees Celsius) and this honestly stunned me. I admire that people feel so safe that they can do it!
Edit: I know -6C isn’t super cold for Scandinavia, but I have low cold tolerance and it was also windy in Copenhagen
The fact that many can take two hours for lunch in the middle of a day and it is considered to be a norm
I’m going to Europe on my honeymoon, and it’s been crazy to me how other countries just have open borders. I’m taking the ICE from Germany to France and there’s no border checks? It’s really fascinating to me.
When you ask them “How are you doing?”. They think it’s a personal question instead of an american greeting.
No ice in the water
Keep eggs on the counter. I know they’re okay to eat, but it’s just so weird to me.
Accepting hot summers with no air conditioning? Do y’all like to suffer?
Edit: I am addressing southern Europe
I took German in high school and learned about their culture and just brushed it off but then I actually got to go!
First, having to specify I wanted tap water or non-sparkling water. I just ended up buying bottled water because it was easier.
Second, almost everyone would shut down for lunch. Even businesses besides restaurants or delis.
Two Germans will go into an office and shut the door as though they're taking about something important. Nope, just soccer.
Sneezes get no reaction. I have since come around to their point of view, but for a minute there I was like WHERE ARE MY BLESSINGS??!?
