Americans (US) who have moved to europe, what is the biggest difference you have noticed in your new country?

1. Still trying to get used to my five weeks of vacation. The three weeks this summer with my family was incredible. Still having two weeks to spend with them at Christmas, is beyond belief. All vacation is paid vacation. And it is standard everywhere. Oh and the two hour lunch, and 32 hour work week. I think this is is literally going to add up to years more with my family. Since I think time with my family is the most important thing, this just makes the quality of life here so much higher. I don't know if I will ever get used to it. But I love it! Edit: Berlin!
   — 2abyssinians


2. My American family says everything is so much calmer here in the UK. Our TV isn't anywhere near as dramatic, our politicians aren't as extreme, advertising and salespeople aren't as aggressive. I think my MIL phrased is as "everything in America is for show, or an audience."
   — MiffysBirthday


3. I moved to the Netherlands in 2005 and I think the biggest difference between here and the USA is work. There's a minimum of 21 days paid vacation, you don't have only 3 sick days for the entire year, and if you're asked to work overtime you can say no without risk of being fired on the spot (DO NOT miss at will employment). It did take about 3 years to be able to call in sick without major guilt and about the same amount of time to learn to take vacation days vs. hoarding them.
   — Petra_Ann






4. I lived in Hengelo for a year for work purposes. Bike culture in the Netherlands is absolutely wonderful and I miss it. EDIT: Also it made me realize that as an American, I ask a lot of questions that I don't really want answers to. "How are you doing?" and then someone who I don't know well proceeds to tell me how they're *actually* doing. The first dozen times this happened I thought it was weird and it was annoying like, "Why does N~~D~~L have so many people who are so intrusive with their personal lives? Don't they realize I'm not giving them a license to stop me dead in my tracks for 5 minutes while they tell me about their kids or science or whatever?". But then I realized they were just answering the question that was asked.
   — AxJokes


5. After moving to Germany the first night in our hotel room we came across porn on regular television, between channels showing the news and cartoons. A few days later we came across some nude calendars (male and female) on a spin-turnstile thing in the book section of a store, next to the kid books (it was a full display, not one randomly placed item). Walking through our new town/city - "Oh look, a sex shop with full display of toys in the large front window right on a main street, next to a bicycle shop". Kids (up to tween-age) getting fully naked and running around in the fountains at parks and no one trying to cover them up, or accost the men just sitting there watching them. The first and biggest difference we noticed was the indifference/acceptance of sex/nudity. It was refreshing as fuck.
   — aveganliterary


6. From VA to Sweden 1. Everything is smaller. From the size of fruits to restaurant portions to roads to buildings. Everything is smaller. 2. People are colder. Being a Southerner, I have to force myself not to greet people walking by. 3. Pedestrian infastructure is kind of nice. It feels refreshing to walk places. 4. Public transportation is more abundant, though personally I think it's overrated. 5. It's slower paced. Stores close early, people LOVE their breaks (or fika as they call it).
   — Aquasaurus






7. Moved to Germany. There are a lot of little differences, but I think the biggest difference is the work-life balance. Not only do I get 31 days (essentially 6 weeks) of vacation, because I have a disability, I get 5 extra days of vacation because the idea is that I have to work harder to do the same amount of work so I should get more time off. A lot of the differences I've noticed here have to do with my disability, actually. (Visually impaired) And then of course, there's the whole "stores not being open super late or on Sundays or on holidays" thing. I also miss Cheetos, weirdly enough.
   — selling-seashells


8. A friend who moved to Germany was surprised how everything closed at night. After 5 PM or so there was nothing to be purchased in her town.
   — Scrappy_Larue


9. I'm an American, from New York who has moved to Paris. I've also lived in Austin Texas. The biggest difference between New York and Paris I've found is that despite Paris being a big city (for Europe) it is relatively slow paced compared to New York. Things close. Stuff can wait until later. People take leisurely lunches and dinners. I actually had a friend here complain about the check being brought too quickly. They were offended the restaurant didn't let us sit there leisurely drinking our wine (we had already been there for 2 hours). Biggest difference between Paris and Austin is that people don't casually smile at each other as an acknowledgment. Only Americans do that here it seems.
   — spilgrim16