Americans Are Sharing Things They've Seen Abroad That Don't Exist Back In The States
If you're an American who has traveled abroad, you've probably noticed a few things that don't really exist back home. So redditor u/Lil-Wan asked, "Americans (USA), what is something in other parts of the world that you wish was in America?" Here are some of the responses.
1."High-speed bullet trains would be badass to have in the US. Road trips are fun, but I’d rather not spend half my vacation in a car, and airports are a real pain."
Searchlight Pictures
2."Public toilet stalls with walls and a door that reach all the way to the floor."
3."Bike-friendly cities. The city I live in is supposedly one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, but it still pales in comparison to many European cities."
Plan B Entertainment
"Portland, Oregon is a top contender for most bike-friendly city, but people on bikes are getting hit all the time." u/bdbr
4."Taxes that are already included in the advertised price of an item."
5."Fair living wages for restaurant workers so that tipping isn't required. I just got back from Europe, and if something on the menu cost €10, that's what you paid. No tax, no tip, and it was brilliant."
Walt Disney Pictures
6."More modern subway systems. I would love to have Seoul’s subway system here in the States. It was incredibly convenient. In two weeks there, I only needed to take a bus once to get exactly where I needed to go."
7."More restaurants (like kebab shops) open late for nighttime cravings. Europe has a way better culture of late-night eats."
Comedy Central
8."Better public transportation overall. I lived in Germany for three years, and I was blown away by how easy it was to get around without a vehicle. We took trains all over Europe, and there were easy-to-use subways in every major city. I miss it so much."
9."Mandatory vacation laws. Many countries in Europe require 20 days of vacation per year."
Universal Pictures
10."Afternoon siesta time, like in Spain."
11."Universally standard paid maternity and paternity leave."
NBC
12."Public drinking/open container laws. They have them in Japan and Korea, and I loved it. In Seoul, people would hang out until the early morning drinking, eating fried chicken, and playing music in public outdoors."
13."A multiparty government. Too many Americans have been conditioned to accepting the two-party system as the way democracy works."
Disney +
14."Stricter gun laws. I've lost more than a handful of family members to gun violence, and that should not be the reality for anyone."
15."Military time. You only need to sleep through your alarm once to realize that standard time, with 2 intervals of 12 hours, has some disadvantages."
NBC
16."Heated Japanese toilet seats. They are absolutely awesome."
17."Kinder Surprise milk chocolate eggs. Here in the US we have fake ones, but there's no toy to be found on the inside."
Universal Studios
18."Old architecture and history. I wish I could find a thousand-year-old castle or ruins from ancient civilizations in the States."
19."Universal healthcare. As an insulin-dependent diabetic, the thought of possibly losing my job and, therefore, health insurance always lingers in the back of my mind. No one deserves to die because they can't afford lifesaving medical supplies, but that's a reality for many people who live in the United States."
ABC
20."I wish we would get rid of daylight savings time."
21."Smaller portion sizes. At first I scoffed at the 'puny' portion sizes you're served at restaurants abroad, but I came to like them so much more because I felt so much healthier."
HBO
22."Street food like it exists in Southeast Asia, where you can eat delicious, quality food for cheap."
Netflix
23."No shoes on in the house. I wish it were common courtesy here like it is in other countries."
24."Those traffic lights that warn you with an amber light when red is about to change to green."
25."Highly subsidized high education."
Paramount Pictures Studios
26."Assisted suicide should be an option for people, and it should be federal law, not dictated by different states."
27."Walkable cities that are specifically built for pedestrians."
Netflix
