What are the big differences between North America and Europe according to you ?

[otch0z]

Hey y'all,
To begin, I hope this post is in the right thread ! I just figured out it could be fun to have a discussion about the differences people saw between two continents that might look the same from an external point of view. It's not to decide which one is best, but only because I like to see the tiny cultural differences that one notices traveling.

Coming from Europe and getting to the US, the most shocking thing was size, I think. Everything is bigger in the US : cars, roads, buildings, animals (I mean, grizzlies ? for real ?), STORES (Walmart was some kind of urban legend to me before I got to witness these stores opened 24/24, because you sure need to buy a new toaster at 3am).. And also distances, which is an interesting point : here in France, driving for 2 hours is a pain in the ass. I think it is the equivalent of driving like 4/6 hours in the states.

 

[Hillbilly Castro]

A big difference I notice, as an American who has not traveled to Europe, is that while many Europeans seem to visit the US, most Americans don't seem to leave their state, much less their country.

 

[Dameon]

Here in America, we think a building's old if it's been around for 100 years.

 

[BelleBottoms]

As an American who lived in England for several years, I was always trying to analyze this question as well. My "biggest difference theory" boils down to cultural/ social maturity.

Despite running around like spoiled brats demanding that our every desire be fulfilled NOW, Americans are still super-puritain (moraly speaking) and narrow-minded as compared to Europeans. I liken the comparison to 30-somethings in a righteous yuppy helicopter-parenting period of their lives (Americans), to retired folks that have figured out life is better when you lighten up (Europeans). This is a from very broad perspective, using observations of popular culture, not individuals per se. For example, in the 1960's, Brittish bands were singing songs about transvestism on the radio, while Americans were concerned about whites & blacks sharing the same entry door.


I totally agree with you on distances, @otch0z . We went sightseeing most weekends while in GB. After a trip to the coast we popped in to see the neighbors - who were in disbelief hearing that we voluntarily drove for 3 hours - one way - just to check out the beach that day. They thought we were insane.

 

[otch0z]

A big difference I notice, as an American who has not traveled to Europe, is that while many Europeans seem to visit the US, most Americans don't seem to leave their state, much less their country.

I'm not so sure about that... Once again I speak mostly for France but I feel like here, you don't see those people who haven't really moved. They don't really "go out" and rarely interact with strangers, especially if those strangers don't speak french. And I have to say, I don't know a lot of europeans who went to the US ! Most french people go to Québec and bitch about the accent. But the US is not like "THE" destination for frenchies. Australia's way more trendy these days !

 

[otch0z]

As an American who lived in England for several years, I was always trying to analyze this question as well. My "biggest difference theory" boils down to cultural/ social maturity.

Despite running around like spoiled brats demanding that our every desire be fulfilled NOW, Americans are still super-puritain (moraly speaking) and narrow-minded as compared to Europeans. I liken the comparison to 30-somethings in a righteous yuppy helicopter-parenting period of their lives (Americans), to retired folks that have figured out life is better when you lighten up (Europeans). This is a from very broad perspective, using observations of popular culture, not individuals per se. For example, in the 1960's, Brittish bands were singing songs about transvestism on the radio, while Americans were concerned about whites & blacks sharing the same entry door.


I totally agree with you on distances, @otch0z . We went sightseeing most weekends while in GB. After a trip to the coast we popped in to see the neighbors - who were in disbelief hearing that we voluntarily drove for 3 hours - one way - just to check out the beach that day. They thought we were insane.

I see what you mean about that cultural/social maturity, but I would say another difference would be the speed for change in both continents. I mean, how much years after "Americans were concerned about whites & blacks sharing the same entry door" did you guys literally had a black president ? We still hadn't had a woman here and don't even think about a non-white person, I think we'll have to wait another 200 years. Also, I feel like general change is faster in north america : you can find work very easily, in a week or so. Here, people won't hire you before the beginning of the month, etc.

 

[Hillbilly Castro]

Australia's way more trendy these days !

Which is crazy, I can't imagine the jet lag from Europe to Aus...

 

[Deleted member 2626]

As another who has never been to Europe, I think architecture? Historical buildings aren't as big deal here it seems. Seems some European countries still enjoy their old buildings? America is a lot of suburban prefab sprawl
General consensus for america is if you smell a little-not like soap whatever- aren't fully groomed or manicured etc. you are probably crazy or homeless. obviously not always the case but generally so. I'm sure Europe is like that too in a way, it seems the world populace considers success and "happiness" to be owning shit you don't need or use and having the debt associated with said shit-cars, excessive house.
I don't feel I'm bringing much to the table on this discussion but I tried.

 

[roughdraft]

having only spent a couple weeks in cities of Spain the first things that come to mind

police are more chill

see people peeing in public

people walking naked on the beach and noone tripping about it

 

[WanderLost Radical]

Most french people go to Québec and bitch about the accent.

They WHAT?!?!?!

 

[otch0z]

They WHAT?!?!?!

I know who would have known right ? not quebs I mean you certainly never had a frenchie making fun of your accent right ?

 

[NomadJ]

I don't paint all of Europe with the same brush. Attitudes change in different Nations as you travel about Europe. Hell, cultural differences are noticeable in Northern Germany to Southern Germany. Brittany in the north and Southern France have different. That rule tends to be true in America.

The Midwest has a different flow than the south or the West coast eyt..

Enjoy the journey learning about it.

 

[Matt Derrick]

not sure why this was posted in the travel stories section? moved to europe area.

 

[forestwitch]

ah, one of the things i like to ramble about when i'm drunk!

i feel like one of the major differences is how folks get around. europe doesn't really have as much of a freight hopping culture as the states as it's less convenient (more tracks + railway crossings literally everywhere which makes it harder to tell where trains are going to, plus more towns/less nature making it harder not to be spotted) and more dangerous (more electricity, more long tunnels, faster trains) which means most crusty travelers over here just hitchhike everywhere or sometimes jump passenger trains (going on them without having a ticket).

also from what i've heard, cops seem to be a lot more rough on people sleeping out in the states but i guess this also depends on where you are in the states and where in europe you compare it to. oh and there's sooo much more squatting culture in europe and so many more places that are openly squatted.

 

[roughdraft]

the plaza culture in Europe is a great benefit i haven't seen much of in the States

plaza mayor plaza de armas...hardly any places like these in USA

 

[Tadaa]

patio culture.. cause the drinking laws are more strict in the us.. that is something i always missed in the us. sitting on a patio, watching people and the city go by.


the greeting culture is the biggest difference in my opinion.

it might all be fake and most people dont give a fuck in the end but the " hello, how are you doing? " " i am doing good, how about yourself? "
i love it.. lifts me up on my shitty days. and on happy days its easier to start small talk (and i crave it when travelling alone)

been living in finland, iceland and estonia the last years where people dont say this. or barely look at eachother on the street.
for example. it took me 1month in MPLS last summer till somebody recognised me on the street, called my name and have a quick chat.
same in miami this winter. 3weeks i was there and i bumped into 3 people one day that recognised me

in estonia and finland people get anxiety if they run into somebody else in the forrest. they dont know if they should greet or walk passed eachother without talking. this gives me anxiety too.. so i keep walking past em haha
in finland only after 2 years i recognised a good friend i knew for 10 years. called her name. she looks anxies at me and by then i am crossing the street already. tells me she has to run for a train after work. saw her 3 months later again.

damn.. why do i always end up in the cold dark depressed places.. haha

can somebody marry me so i get a green card and spend my time riding trains around the us

 

[Whereamiwhatdoido]

Been viewing this thread quite some times since it was posted. Iam quite surprised that noone has metioned much about ít, there's some talk about the social maturity, I liked that comparison, there's just a thing missing from that view point in my eyes.
What I've noticed as the bigger difference is surety. Surety, - that you sence in a oerson when you first meet them, you meet and greet who they are. That's what I've experienced in USA, on the east coast atlest. Ive visited The NE and SE on two differnt occasions, on a template of about 5½ months total.

What I've met in Europe is a very cautious population, who are strangely shy to let you discover the person beneath the exterior, shy but maybe also a cultural shame, or even guilt. Build through the centuries of opression from Christianity in europe, there might be such a distinct inherited feature in people - that they're afraid, or seem afraid to actually stand up for who an what they are.

That's the biggest difference I've met in the Us, compared to different contries in Europe.

 

[BalancingBear]

Granted, I havent been to Europe (yet), so correct me if I'm wrong, but from photos and conversation I gather that the united states honestly has more wilderness. Europe seems to be much more developed, even if not with the same size of creations in the states. This is one aspect that has honestly stalled my interest in travelling to Europe. I will certainly make it eventually, but I enjoy the raw scenery I find here. I know I will struggle without that in the future.

 

[TheDesertMouse]

@BalancingBear

This is true unfortunerly... there is almost no wilderness left in europe. There is some in the east, and some parts of the alps, if you ignore the huts everywhere. We were very lucky in the U.S. that western civilization started to rediscover a respect for wild nature just as we were poised to destroy mich of it in the west. Alot of of natural treasures were saved in time. Not so across the pond.

However northern scandanavia is one big exception, it’s like europes alaska. Norway is particularly incredible.

 

[TheDesertMouse]

I echo alot of what people have said so far. One thing that stood out too me was the subculture elements are alot stronger and more robust in europe. Alot more slab-esque places, bastions for the misfits weirdo’s or altminders. And they fight alot harder for their right to exist. Here if a squat gets broken up everyone is like “awww ok police officers, it was fun while it lasted.” Over there? No no no, they will cobble togther a group of a few dozen to 1000 people and take that shit. Authorities be damned.
I suspect this illuminates a vein of heightened respect for alternative lifestyles that america lacks. There seemed to me, and this is very subjective, less judgement and disrespect and more tolerence. Odd concidering america is basically multi-cultural. But the differnce is slight.

This isnt true for all of europe though, I found some regions to be ridiculously provincialized and people would wildly overreact to anything outside the norm.