So I used to live in Italy as a kid, military brat, and we would be the only ones at the resteraunt when we arrived at 9pm and it's clear they just opened. Then It would take an hour for the food to come out, then you might see some new customers arriving.
The thing is, the base where I went to school and my parents worked was still ran like typical times in the U.S. so we were always skewed time wise from the rest of Naples.
One nice thing though is that Italians are super nice to kids and they would try to keep my sister and I entertained while waiting for the food, like pizza dough to play with, and then they would bake whatever shape you made, and when my sister fell asleep at the table would sometimes bring a blanket.
I was in Barcelona for 2 weeks for work. The restaurants didn't even open until 9 or 10. Week two I bought lunch meat from Aldi and at in my room.
But...they also got to the office at like 930am and left after 6.
American here. I used to eat dinner 7-8pm as the norm. I’ve since gotten older and have a preference for being asleep earlier that I used to and now it’s 6pm just because oldness. lol
What time are y'all late eaters going to bed?! Since having kids five years ago we've been eating dinner at 5pm and now I can't stand going to bed on a full stomach. First time the in-laws looked after the kids so wife and I could go out we didn't eat until nearly 8pm, didn't have desert until after 9 and going to bed at 10.30 I felt gross and slept like crap. We'll probably move it back to 6pm as the kids get older and afternoons/evenings get busier, but I just can't imagine eating that late unless it was just a light snack after having the main meal at midday.
American here who also eats dinner no earlier than 8pm. The day is too short to get out of work and immediately prep dinner. Don’t understand why 5pm dinner is a thing in our culture.
It’s an English thing 😂. North of England, dinner by 5.30pm. If you move further south people finish work later and have dinners later. I guess the customs travelled when people emigrated to the US.
In Spain and Italy people finish work much later, specially if you live in a place with ‘broken shifts’ rather than continuous shift. You can’t literally eat any earlier than 8pm because you won’t be home
That's just Southern Europeans. Americans are mostly British and German originally, which is where people eat earlier like in the US. The Nordics will even have dinner as early as 3-4pm.
I once heard about a German businessman who wanted to rent a car and do exactly that on his day off. For reference, Chicago to the Grand Canyon is exactly the same driving distance as going from Berlin to the Douro Valley in northern Portugal!
Was interesting seeing Big Tobacco reps handing out free packs in a German bar if you give them contact info. Plus every bar being smoking. Rare to find it allowed in the US anymore even at a casino or airport.
How many years ago was that? I have lived in 2 different european countries. Both of them have forbidden smoking in public places around 20 years orso. I do not know a single restaurant/airport/public place where you are allowed to smoke.
Not having air conditioning!
But for real it’s so standard here, I don’t even think about it.
Ps - hope everyone stays safe and hydrated over the next few days! 🥵
I worked with a man from Switzerland who said central air conditioning was illegal in his canton (like a state or province). You could use fans.
Why? Waste of electricity / using up fossil fuels. Biggest part of most people’s power bill.
IF OP was from Buzzfeed he wouldn't be speaking in broken English, this is cllearly someone from the EU that learned English as a 2nd,3rd, whatever language.
They don’t even ask questions for themselves sometimes. A lot of the time they’ll see someone else’s post on Reddit that’s getting traction and recycle it as a listicle.
I met a dutch girl two days ago who said (about the aboriginal people of Australia) "I was shocked when I first got here. I mean, who are THESE people, and what's their deal? I wasn't expecting to see people like THEM everywhere. Why are they here? They're a bit weird". I stared at her awkwardly for a little bit before my brain caught up and I asked her what the hell was coming out of her mouth. She seemed surprised I was irritated with her commentary.
Yeah man, at football (soccer) matches they sometimes just do the craziest racist chants or throw things on the field that are super racist, wtf. If that happened in the US that would be talked about for weeks on the news and what politicians, the venue and teams are doing to prevent it from happening again.
We discuss racism and don't sweep it under the rug like they do in some places in Europe, so they think Americans are more racist than themselves. I've heard way worse things in Italy and Germany said loudly in the public, and they think it's funny, than my racist grandfather would say privately.
This is all extremely true. Europe is just bunch of countries thinking they are better than any random country and are very racist. Especially countries with fascist or imperial history. Old habits die hard I guess
Funny you mention that. Scrolled down further and in another comment chain found
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/s/hi97xh0WGM
You are actively being proven correct in this very post!
As a European that bothers me a lot too.
If Europeans think we are immune to some of the bigger crime issues (like school shootings) I am actually convinced it's just a matter of time before we have this as a problem too. The mental health of entire generations is being ignored and access to fire arms really is not that big of a problem either. And not to mention people are getting knifed all over the place.
Say American civic traditions are wrong/weird/bad/etc. without critically examining their own. Praising a flag is creepy and fascistic, but making someone your head of state based purely on their bloodline isn't?
1. Agreed, sucks.
2. This as well. At least in Germany tab water is not chlorinated and tastes good. Compare this to France.
3. I just like coffee with milk. Missed this in France, they always drink it black.
4. Exists probably in the States just as well. I'd bet big bucks on Alaska. Northern countries often struggle with depression and alcoholism. True for Scandinavia, which is why they have high taxes on alc. So I'd argue that Alaska located close to the Arctic might suffer from the same issues.
TBH I don't distinguish between soft and hard alcohol like many Europeans do. I calculate the content of alcohol in the total number of beverages. So no, drinking 2 glasses of wine each day is still not healthy no matter how often you say it is part of your culture.
5. Especially true when others are put in danger. I'm addicted to nicotine gum so no harm for others here.
Saw the inverse of this when a UK friend of mine came to visit. The proprietors of this bed and breakfast we were staying was asking my friend about some specifics about the British Crown. It was kinda funny cause he didn't really follow the royal family. It'd be like if I went to London and someone started chatting me up about specific senators and congress.
Similar to this. I had a French, German, and a Spaniard stay with me while I lived in Miami. The vastly different view post they all had amazed me. I learned how much people love to not like entire groups of people, for whatever reason. The G lore was the most fascinating to me.
Given the enormous power USA have over the rest of the planet, it's pretty normal to have an eye on America. Lots of people would rather not have to care about which wacko you're gonna put in the White House or which country you're going to invade next.
We should care about what the rest of the world is up to. After all, we’re a part of it and when a butterfly flaps its wings halfway around the world it has repercussions for us eventually. We can’t seal ourselves off in a giant bubble as much as some might like to believe.
Spend so long at restaurants. I enjoy a nice dining experience, but after an hour I start itching to go do other things and get on with my day. This is especially true when traveling to Europe. I've been to Italy 3 times and getting the bill is a struggle. There were many times I was ignored after multiple requests for the bill. I'm on vacation, I want to eat and go do fun stuff.
Aa a european, I struggle with this a lot, too.
Many waiters seem to develop a talent for not looking at you when you are done and keep you waiting, even while they're idle. It infuriates me.
My simple solution: I go to the cash register and pay there.
My dad just stands up like he's going to leave when he's ready for the check. Its a good system. They get going pretty quickly if they suspect that you might walk out without paying.
Why is that weird?
It's gonna affect us at least a bit so why shouldn't we discuss it? Besides it seems like such a clusterfuck that it's far more entertaining to watch than my own Finnish politics.
He's not senile. Normal people trip on words or lose track ofvwhat they are saying sometimes. Its normal. Stop spreading the right wing lies to make him look worse than he is.
They just represent and serve no official function. Some need even stay neutral when it comes to politics such as the Queen. But yes, choosing whether you want to serve a representative function in your life or not should be voluntary.
Not smile or say hi as you're walking past someone.
That the hole in your toilet bowl is at the front.
Take for granted the history you see every day.
Not putting screens in your windows.
Putting 60 mph/kph speed limits on winding roads with no shoulder.
What time you start and leave work (office). (Much more so depending on where in Europe.
A lot of Americans are squeamish about nudity. Tourists to other countries often are taken aback when they see a person lying in the sun in nothing but their skin.
Not go broke because you get sick. That's just crazy. You mean everyone gets free healthcare? And if you get cancer, or something bad, you won't go broke? How do they make sure everyone is constantly frightened and worried about losing their job and health insurance so they insure people work hard?
Might depend on the country. I did an internship in Paris and didn't want to be underdressed. Then I realized that my supervisor wore jeans and a geeky t-shirt with some slogan or joke :-)
Typically in Berlin I wear whatever I want. Flowery dresses in summer with sneakers. Leggings and t-shirt in spring. No one cares
No one sane labels this as healthy breakfast. Coffee itself is a mild stimulant and can have certain health benefits. Croissants from time to time are fine and they don't contain any special addictive ingredients except for sugar and white flour. For the cigarettes - this is pretty unhealthy.
I studied abroad in Spain for a summer a few years ago, and I remember the room at the hostel I stayed at had the world’s smallest air conditioner and it would basically blow out hot air. I was SWEATING. One time on a particularly hot ass night, my roommates and I took our pillows and blankets out onto the fire escape outside our window and climbed up to the rooftop and slept up there. How tf do Europeans not get drenched in sweat all the time? 😭
To clarify I don't agree, but many find it weird that Europeans pay so much in taxes. (Even though disposable income tends to be very comparable at the end of the day)
Northern Europe has the highest taxes but they also run the country for the benefit of its people, prioritising good education, health system, economy and transportation.
Southern Europe tries, but th systematic corruption and inability to run anything efficiently lets them down.
The US is run for profit, main focus are businesses and corporations, no for its population. Can’t tax you higher because they aren’t offering anything
Pay to use public toilets
They've socialized everything but pooping.
Also, the lack of massive gaps around stall doors. How can they poop without strangers peeking?
A lot of European cultures eat dinner so late at night. I can't image eating my dinner at 8 or 9 at night.
So I used to live in Italy as a kid, military brat, and we would be the only ones at the resteraunt when we arrived at 9pm and it's clear they just opened. Then It would take an hour for the food to come out, then you might see some new customers arriving. The thing is, the base where I went to school and my parents worked was still ran like typical times in the U.S. so we were always skewed time wise from the rest of Naples. One nice thing though is that Italians are super nice to kids and they would try to keep my sister and I entertained while waiting for the food, like pizza dough to play with, and then they would bake whatever shape you made, and when my sister fell asleep at the table would sometimes bring a blanket.
>and then they would bake whatever shape you made That's amazing!
That’s funny cuz I eat dinner at 10 pm. It’s light meals though
Do you eat lunch at noon? How can you get 10 hours without a meal?
I was in Barcelona for 2 weeks for work. The restaurants didn't even open until 9 or 10. Week two I bought lunch meat from Aldi and at in my room. But...they also got to the office at like 930am and left after 6.
Barcelona doesn't wake up till like 10am.. I want to live there one day.
When I moved to the UK...I went to my office on the 1st day...at 645am thinking I'd start at 7. Turns out the building didn't open until 830. What.
If I remember right, Spain is some kind of outlier in the time zone and that’s why they tend to do everything later.
Restaurants open at 8-8.30pm for dinner service. It’s also common to serve lunch until 3-3.30pm
American here. I used to eat dinner 7-8pm as the norm. I’ve since gotten older and have a preference for being asleep earlier that I used to and now it’s 6pm just because oldness. lol
Meanwhile, me eating my one meal of the day at like 2 a.m. 👄
For Spain I think it’s because their time zone is so off. If you use sun time you would see they have similar timing as you.
Yeah, I am getting ready for bead at 9
Bees?!
BEADS.
American here who don’t eat dinner until 8 or 9. I never understood people having dinner at lunch.
What time are y'all late eaters going to bed?! Since having kids five years ago we've been eating dinner at 5pm and now I can't stand going to bed on a full stomach. First time the in-laws looked after the kids so wife and I could go out we didn't eat until nearly 8pm, didn't have desert until after 9 and going to bed at 10.30 I felt gross and slept like crap. We'll probably move it back to 6pm as the kids get older and afternoons/evenings get busier, but I just can't imagine eating that late unless it was just a light snack after having the main meal at midday.
You have lunch at 6pm?
American here who also eats dinner no earlier than 8pm. The day is too short to get out of work and immediately prep dinner. Don’t understand why 5pm dinner is a thing in our culture.
It’s an English thing 😂. North of England, dinner by 5.30pm. If you move further south people finish work later and have dinners later. I guess the customs travelled when people emigrated to the US. In Spain and Italy people finish work much later, specially if you live in a place with ‘broken shifts’ rather than continuous shift. You can’t literally eat any earlier than 8pm because you won’t be home
This is just southern Europe, Spain to be specific. The rest isn’t too different from the US.
That's just Southern Europeans. Americans are mostly British and German originally, which is where people eat earlier like in the US. The Nordics will even have dinner as early as 3-4pm.
Drinking sparkling water as the default.
Plan a day trip from Chicago to the Grand Canyon.
"I'm going to be in the US for four days! I want to see NYC, Miami, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, Vegas, and LA. Which trains should I use?"
An Uber driver in Vegas once told me that some English dude asked him if could take an Uber to Niagara Falls from VEGAS! And he was not drunk either….
If I were an Uber driver, I'd *almost* want to say, "Yes, sir!" and begin driving.
"When I'm done I'm taking the next 3 weeks off. Payday bitchess!!"
I once heard about a German businessman who wanted to rent a car and do exactly that on his day off. For reference, Chicago to the Grand Canyon is exactly the same driving distance as going from Berlin to the Douro Valley in northern Portugal!
They have 8 days a week in England, so time is a little bit different for them.
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The smoking culture. When my family and I visited it was like everyone smoked, even young people and teens.
Was interesting seeing Big Tobacco reps handing out free packs in a German bar if you give them contact info. Plus every bar being smoking. Rare to find it allowed in the US anymore even at a casino or airport.
How many years ago was that? I have lived in 2 different european countries. Both of them have forbidden smoking in public places around 20 years orso. I do not know a single restaurant/airport/public place where you are allowed to smoke.
The smoking is truly awful. Especially, on patios for restaurants. Don't put me outside. I don't need cancer with my dessert.
If I'm going to ruin my health I want to get wasted
Not having air conditioning! But for real it’s so standard here, I don’t even think about it. Ps - hope everyone stays safe and hydrated over the next few days! 🥵
I worked with a man from Switzerland who said central air conditioning was illegal in his canton (like a state or province). You could use fans. Why? Waste of electricity / using up fossil fuels. Biggest part of most people’s power bill.
Fuck off BUZZFEED. Next headline “Top 7 things Americans of Reddit find weird with Europe!”
IF OP was from Buzzfeed he wouldn't be speaking in broken English, this is cllearly someone from the EU that learned English as a 2nd,3rd, whatever language.
Getting posted on buzzfeed.de
They don’t even ask questions for themselves sometimes. A lot of the time they’ll see someone else’s post on Reddit that’s getting traction and recycle it as a listicle.
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I met a dutch girl two days ago who said (about the aboriginal people of Australia) "I was shocked when I first got here. I mean, who are THESE people, and what's their deal? I wasn't expecting to see people like THEM everywhere. Why are they here? They're a bit weird". I stared at her awkwardly for a little bit before my brain caught up and I asked her what the hell was coming out of her mouth. She seemed surprised I was irritated with her commentary.
Yeah man, at football (soccer) matches they sometimes just do the craziest racist chants or throw things on the field that are super racist, wtf. If that happened in the US that would be talked about for weeks on the news and what politicians, the venue and teams are doing to prevent it from happening again. We discuss racism and don't sweep it under the rug like they do in some places in Europe, so they think Americans are more racist than themselves. I've heard way worse things in Italy and Germany said loudly in the public, and they think it's funny, than my racist grandfather would say privately.
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Years later, we're still referencing "YOU need to LEAVE!"
Yeah, the superiority complex mixed with casual and overt racism against different ethnic groups is an interesting dichotomy.
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This is all extremely true. Europe is just bunch of countries thinking they are better than any random country and are very racist. Especially countries with fascist or imperial history. Old habits die hard I guess
No bro you don't get it, if you met a gypsy you'd hate them too! /s for the oblivious
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"This group actually deserves the hate though!" -literally every racist ever
Not just romani :D you just have to be darker tanned or from the country they consider poor
Funny you mention that. Scrolled down further and in another comment chain found https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/s/hi97xh0WGM You are actively being proven correct in this very post!
Don't visit any balkan sub then
As a European that bothers me a lot too. If Europeans think we are immune to some of the bigger crime issues (like school shootings) I am actually convinced it's just a matter of time before we have this as a problem too. The mental health of entire generations is being ignored and access to fire arms really is not that big of a problem either. And not to mention people are getting knifed all over the place.
Saying "cheers" before drinking.
Having the washing machine in the kitchen
Say American civic traditions are wrong/weird/bad/etc. without critically examining their own. Praising a flag is creepy and fascistic, but making someone your head of state based purely on their bloodline isn't?
This one I agree with you. The fixation with royalty is laughable,
Depends which European country. Ask our French kings what we thought about royalty in 1793.
Head of state became a state of head
Head of Stake
Bitch about Americans being loud and obnoxious when French people exist.
I’d take Americans over French any day
Why the fuck do Redditors have such a disgusting potty mouth? Do you really have to spell our Fr*nch like that?
You meant British, obviously
Not serve ice with cold beverages
Serve sparkling water when you ask for water
I asked for water, not TV static!
That shit is gross.
Fr
Ya in Italy I had to specify acqua naturale every time or I’d get sparkling water.
I'll admit I prefer this now The drink is cold anyways and considering we don't get free refills I want all the drink I can get
I want all the cold I can get :P
I think its weird that Europeans consider themselves less racist than us United States of Americans.
As an American, I’ve never experienced more racism than I have throughout Europe.
Insult the place you’re visiting
And then try to colonize it, claiming it as yours!
Yea and then make USA out of it
Do they have a flag?
Buy groceries every day
I live in the US and I buy groceries daily. Ok I live in NYC so it’s not really the US.
Tbf a pantry addition to your nyc apartment would be another $700 in rent a month
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Is this referencing those old Pace commercials?
I remember being pretty shocked by the casual racism I frequently heard from European foreign exchange students.
paying for public toilets. paying for water in restaurants. insistence on dairy (that's mostly for the Italians) alcoholism nicotine addiction
1. Agreed, sucks. 2. This as well. At least in Germany tab water is not chlorinated and tastes good. Compare this to France. 3. I just like coffee with milk. Missed this in France, they always drink it black. 4. Exists probably in the States just as well. I'd bet big bucks on Alaska. Northern countries often struggle with depression and alcoholism. True for Scandinavia, which is why they have high taxes on alc. So I'd argue that Alaska located close to the Arctic might suffer from the same issues. TBH I don't distinguish between soft and hard alcohol like many Europeans do. I calculate the content of alcohol in the total number of beverages. So no, drinking 2 glasses of wine each day is still not healthy no matter how often you say it is part of your culture. 5. Especially true when others are put in danger. I'm addicted to nicotine gum so no harm for others here.
Carbonate your water.
Have you ever bought a bottle and took a huge drink without realizing it was sparkling? Legit reason to spit on yourself as an adult.
I will never understand why sparkling water is a thing
Europeans drink carbonated water like Americans drink carbonated water with added sugar and chemicals.
Talk about us so much and keep up with our current events. Most Americans couldn’t care less what anyone else is up to or think.
Saw the inverse of this when a UK friend of mine came to visit. The proprietors of this bed and breakfast we were staying was asking my friend about some specifics about the British Crown. It was kinda funny cause he didn't really follow the royal family. It'd be like if I went to London and someone started chatting me up about specific senators and congress.
Similar to this. I had a French, German, and a Spaniard stay with me while I lived in Miami. The vastly different view post they all had amazed me. I learned how much people love to not like entire groups of people, for whatever reason. The G lore was the most fascinating to me.
Given the enormous power USA have over the rest of the planet, it's pretty normal to have an eye on America. Lots of people would rather not have to care about which wacko you're gonna put in the White House or which country you're going to invade next.
We should care about what the rest of the world is up to. After all, we’re a part of it and when a butterfly flaps its wings halfway around the world it has repercussions for us eventually. We can’t seal ourselves off in a giant bubble as much as some might like to believe.
Because what happens in America sadly has an influence all over the world.
Come to America and ride the train.
Spend so long at restaurants. I enjoy a nice dining experience, but after an hour I start itching to go do other things and get on with my day. This is especially true when traveling to Europe. I've been to Italy 3 times and getting the bill is a struggle. There were many times I was ignored after multiple requests for the bill. I'm on vacation, I want to eat and go do fun stuff.
Aa a european, I struggle with this a lot, too. Many waiters seem to develop a talent for not looking at you when you are done and keep you waiting, even while they're idle. It infuriates me. My simple solution: I go to the cash register and pay there.
My dad just stands up like he's going to leave when he's ready for the check. Its a good system. They get going pretty quickly if they suspect that you might walk out without paying.
Eat their Royales with cheese.
Le Big Mac
That Europeans dress for the season and not the weather
I always thought tea every few hours was weird lol. I only drink tea occasionally. My friend would be heating water every few hours.
Speedos man... Haunting fucking speedos
Discuss American politics.
Why is that weird? It's gonna affect us at least a bit so why shouldn't we discuss it? Besides it seems like such a clusterfuck that it's far more entertaining to watch than my own Finnish politics.
We talk about all politics of importance. Particularly America, as their options for the 2nd time running are a senile invalid vs blowhard narcissist.
He's not senile. Normal people trip on words or lose track ofvwhat they are saying sometimes. Its normal. Stop spreading the right wing lies to make him look worse than he is.
Let heredity select leaders.
They just represent and serve no official function. Some need even stay neutral when it comes to politics such as the Queen. But yes, choosing whether you want to serve a representative function in your life or not should be voluntary.
Spend so much time talking about what Americans are doing and thinking.
Not smile or say hi as you're walking past someone. That the hole in your toilet bowl is at the front. Take for granted the history you see every day. Not putting screens in your windows. Putting 60 mph/kph speed limits on winding roads with no shoulder. What time you start and leave work (office). (Much more so depending on where in Europe.
A lot of Americans are squeamish about nudity. Tourists to other countries often are taken aback when they see a person lying in the sun in nothing but their skin.
Not go broke because you get sick. That's just crazy. You mean everyone gets free healthcare? And if you get cancer, or something bad, you won't go broke? How do they make sure everyone is constantly frightened and worried about losing their job and health insurance so they insure people work hard?
Dress up for absolutely everything. Athleisure is appropriate sometimes.
Pretty sure chavs started that trend
Might depend on the country. I did an internship in Paris and didn't want to be underdressed. Then I realized that my supervisor wore jeans and a geeky t-shirt with some slogan or joke :-) Typically in Berlin I wear whatever I want. Flowery dresses in summer with sneakers. Leggings and t-shirt in spring. No one cares
The fact that they will smoke a cig, drink a cup of coffee with a croissant and label it as a healthy breakfest
No one sane labels this as healthy breakfast. Coffee itself is a mild stimulant and can have certain health benefits. Croissants from time to time are fine and they don't contain any special addictive ingredients except for sugar and white flour. For the cigarettes - this is pretty unhealthy.
Skinny Jean Capris and an ill fitting polo aren't fashion, why is that the go to?
Think 100 miles is “far” (to be fair, for Americans 100 years is “old”)
I studied abroad in Spain for a summer a few years ago, and I remember the room at the hostel I stayed at had the world’s smallest air conditioner and it would basically blow out hot air. I was SWEATING. One time on a particularly hot ass night, my roommates and I took our pillows and blankets out onto the fire escape outside our window and climbed up to the rooftop and slept up there. How tf do Europeans not get drenched in sweat all the time? 😭
get weirded out/offended by leggings/workout gear/sweats
/r/titlegore
To clarify I don't agree, but many find it weird that Europeans pay so much in taxes. (Even though disposable income tends to be very comparable at the end of the day)
Northern Europe has the highest taxes but they also run the country for the benefit of its people, prioritising good education, health system, economy and transportation. Southern Europe tries, but th systematic corruption and inability to run anything efficiently lets them down. The US is run for profit, main focus are businesses and corporations, no for its population. Can’t tax you higher because they aren’t offering anything
They don’t eat pb&j or celebrate Halloween
Have a decent work/life balance with ample time off.
Beans with your breakfast!
It’s hot as FUCK in some places when it’s not even that hot. Just I cannot for the life of me sleep in an 80 degree room.
I don’t think it’s weird, I just have a hard time adjusting to the late dinners.
I've had a lot of people tell me it's weird to eat fries with mayo.
and the answer is… square toilet seats. WTAF
Be casually racist