16 Things Many Europeans Find Totally Normal But Americans Definitely Do Not
This week, Reddit user u/Rapadapadoom asked, "What's considered normal in Europe but horrific in America?" It led to people sharing some super-interesting examples of cultural differences.
FOX
Here are some of the most eye-opening responses:
Note: A lot of these vary by region and may not be common in every part of Europe!
1."Underage drinking seems [like] more of a crime in the US — in most cases if a kid is caught with alcohol in the UK, it's just confiscated and poured away. The age you can drink alcohol [in the UK] is really low as well, so long as you're home with a parent."
E4
2."In Germany, looking for an apartment doesn't automatically mean it will come with a kitchen. Ninety percent [of the time], they don't have them."
3."Paying for bathrooms."
4."Almost every car having a manual transmission. When I visited Ukraine, I only saw rich people with automatic cars."
5."[This] doesn't apply to every European country, but prison sentences are a lot shorter. Life in prison without parole is extremely rare, and many countries do not have such sentences."
6."At least in Germany, nudity. No one cares if you're naked, no one thinks it's even sexual to be naked unless you're actively having sex, and no one makes it weird. In general, it's just not an issue."
Nickelodeon
7."Where I live in Europe (Luxembourg), voting is mandatory, and you can get fined for not voting in an election."
8."Kissing greetings."
9."Leaving your baby to sleep in a stroller outside. Be it at home on the balcony/garden or outside a restaurant."
10."The amount of people who still smoke, especially in restaurants. Nothing like sitting in a beautiful café and having someone at the table next to you light up just as your food arrives."
Note: Smoking in indoor public places is banned in certain European countries, like the UK.
11."Not tipping your server [at] a restaurant."
"There are lots of regional differences. In some places, it is definitely considered very rude to not tip, whereas in others, tipping is actually considered to be rude."
12."Songs with swear words being broadcasted on the radio or swear words not being covered with a beeping tone on TV."
13."In France, every beach has naked people, and no one cares. It’s just normal."
14."As a Czech person, my American wife was blown away that we let kids in pubs or bars."
15."Some countries in Europe have church taxes (the state collects money through the taxation system and hands a slice of it over to the national church) and/or state-paid clergy."
16.And finally: "Charging for water at a restaurant."
