If you’ve ever traveled internationally, you’ve probably had at least one moment where you stopped and thought, “Wait…they do WHAT here?”
Sometimes it’s something small, like paying to use a public restroom or discovering that ice in your drink is apparently optional.
Other times it’s something much bigger, like maternity leave, restaurant portion sizes or the fact that you can drive for 12 hours in the U.S. and still not leave the same state.
The funny thing is, those cultural differences work both ways. Americans visiting Europe are often just as baffled by some of their customs as Europeans are by ours.
A Reddit thread from a while back asked a simple question:
“What is usual in America, but isn’t in Europe?”
More than 6,000 people chimed in, and while the answers covered everything from toilets to television commercials, a few topics kept coming up over…and over…and over again.
Parental leave
One of the biggest differences people pointed to was maternity (and parental) leave, and several Europeans said they couldn’t believe how quickly many American parents return to work after having a baby.
Of course, not every difference was quite so serious.
Restaurant portions and long drives
Several Redditors couldn’t get over the size of restaurant portions in the United States.
Of course, one American immediately pointed out the obvious upside:
“More food to take home.”
This one comes up almost every time Americans and Europeans compare notes.
Many Europeans said they couldn’t wrap their heads around the idea of driving for hours and still being in the same country—sometimes even the same state.
Even the toilets are different
One of the funniest replies simply said:
“Amount of water in toilets.”
That comment prompted one European to reply:
“This SHOCKED me when I was in America. So much water, such a high water line. It made me feel…vulnerable.”
Meanwhile, Americans who’ve traveled to Europe were equally confused by the opposite problem—lower water levels and toilet flush buttons that seemed to require a small workout before anything actually happened.
(By the way, one Redditor suggested the difference is simply because the U.S. and Europe use different methods of waste evacuation.)
Prescription drug commercials
Several Europeans also mentioned something I’ve never understood myself, even though I’ve lived in the U.S. my entire life:
“Prescription drug commercials.”
Seriously…who thought it was a good idea to tell people to ask their doctor for a specific medication?
Most of us have absolutely no idea how those drugs work. I mean, that’s why we have doctors, y’know? I’d much rather my physician decide which medication is best for me than base it on whichever commercial had the catchiest jingle (OMG, that “Oh, Oh, Oh, Ozempic!” was an earworm for me for weeks!).
The funny thing about threads like this is that they remind you how “normal” is almost entirely a matter of perspective. What seems completely ordinary if you grew up in one country can seem downright bizarre to someone from somewhere else.
So whether it’s giant restaurant portions, sky-high toilet water, prescription drug commercials or driving all day without leaving the same country, one thing is clear: Americans and Europeans are never going to run out of things to find weird about each other.
And honestly…that’s half the fun of traveling. 😉
You can read the whole thread here.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
