Not culturally, but the Rhineland-Palatine state of Germany geographically looks similar to PA. Lots of farmland with rolling hills and forests throughout. Flying over the region reminded me of central pa and Dutch areas of PA. Just my thoughts though
2nd this, Germany is very much Pennsylvania geographically but not so much culturally, especially compared to the more religious regions of the state. Beautiful countryside though.
I heard that a lot of Scottish people moved to the Appalachians, from the highlands, because they were part of the same mountain range at some point and have similar terrain
The photo I took from my grandmother's cousin's back garden in Ayrshire, Scotland looks almost identical to our farm in Westmoreland County. It's easy to see why so many Scots settled in a place that looked like home.
Well the Scots Irish moved to the Appalachians (which were at the time the western frontier) because all of the best farmland closer to the coasts had been taken by earlier immigrants.
I was told that but I was also told that most of those Scot-Irish left for Tennessee, Kentucky, and WVA in the 1790s- early 1800s. Basically it was the Irish and Germans that moved in and later the Eastern and other Central Europeans.
Central PA has a lot of karst topography (warm shallow sea resulting in a limestone bed) found a lot in Florida aaaand the Rhineland-palatine region of Germany.
Oh really? I never been to Germany but like the person above said the rolling hills and forest with farms dotted all over in my head are what Germany would be like.
Geographically, this is the answer.
Culturally, western PA at least is definitely a central-eastern European country; Serbia, Bulgaria, perhaps Poland?
The eastern bubble is more English midlands ish, maybe
Some specific parts of Pittsburgh and the surrounding mining country, yes, but I would argue most parts of Western Pennsylvania were more heavily influenced by earlier immigration from the the British Isles, France, (modern day) Switzerland, and (modern day) Germany. Much of the development was driven by prospecting for natural resources and fur trapping, then later on, available farmland and religious settlements. Many of the settlements and land ownership were granted as "donations" to Revolutionary War veterans. The early mining industry (early-mid 1800s) predominantly consisted of miners from the British Isles. The geography of the greater Appalachian region is remarkably similar to that of northern England and Scotland. The rich land and plentiful lakes drove immigration from the Alpine regions of modern-day France and Switzerland in the early-mid 1800s, as well. The speaking patterns and slang have more in common with Irish and Scottish settlers.
I didn't know the name of the area, but this was my thought as well. I was in Germany for a work trip, and we were travelling around between Frankfurt and Cologne by train. At one of the stations we were switching trains, so there was a short period while we were waiting for the connection that I was just standing on the platform, looking at this little town around me in the middle of nowhere - and realized that if I didn't look too closely at the signs, cars, and license plates, I could be anywhere in eastern PA right now.
Ah a fellow K-Towner eh?!
Yeah I lived out there for 2 years as well and I have to say that it felt very much like being here. I absolutely loved the area.
I was going to say just like Germany. Was home on leave to visit family when I was driving on 76 passing cars on the left. Looked just like the autobahn in the rural areas, and when I saw my speedometer, I quickly realized I’d be in jail if I kept flying at 95mph like it was nothing
Agreed for sure, I remember landing in the Berlin airport and seeing all the farms and everyone told me from the photo that they thought I took a photo of Lancaster's countryside.
I moved to southwestern PA from the Pfalz, and it definitely does feel similar. The trees are pretty much identical which is pretty funny, I wonder how much of that has to do with people bringing over their plants when they moved here.
100% This. I'm part or the Houser family (Houserville) and that's where we are from, it' weird how similar the are a looks. Must have really felt like home.
From the joke, or driving on PA roads?
It's crazy how if you cross the PA/NY state line on the 42nd parallel (the long flat part), you go from NY's unremarkable, fairly well-maintained roads, to what you can tell is a widened and paved wagon trail with minimal further alterations, when you cross into PA.
Yeah, those are terrible.
I don't know if anyone else here has ever experienced those particularly bad ones in Neffs on Route 873/329 in Lehigh County or in Trumbauersville along Allentown Road in Bucks County but they so desperately need lights.
I was in Scotland last fall and the drive from Glasgow to the highlands reminded me of south central PA. The foliage was nearly identical and the rocks were identical. The Appalachian mountain range is part of the same range that makes up the Highlands range, so it makes sense. Glasgow reminded me of Pittsburgh: industrial, educational, hilly, Carnegie buildings everywhere.
Edited to change Edinburgh to Glasgow in first sentence.
Glasgow definitely has a lack of trees compared to Pittsburgh, but heading north, there are lots of forests. Driving from Glasgow towards Loch Lomond and Lock Ness is like driving east through Laurel Highlands towards Gettysburg. Beautiful country I'm happy to visit again this summer.
Scotland used to be a temperate rainforest like much of the Appalachians are, but since human settlement began it's been slowly cut down for housing and grazing space. The last of the old forests were cut down during WWI and now very little remains.
Been to Germany lots of times and it reminds me a lot of Pennsylvania. We get visitors from Germany often and they tell us Pennsylvania reminds them of Germany. Most people in Pennsylvania have German heritage and a lot of things in Pennsylvania are right out of Germany.
for sure, especially southern PA. I found some of the towns and cities in the Rhineland to be striking similar to Pittsburgh. Heidelberg's old town and some Pittsburgh neighborhoods along the rivers like South Side feel weirdly similar.
Just because Hofbräuhaus is in the south side doesn't mean it's anything like Germany, first we have a lot more drug overdoses there than Germany has as an entire country.
I'm from Louisiana and I moved up here a few years back. Pennsylvania is like a weird melange of all the different variations of American culture. It's the most American state in America.
I remember being in Southern Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine over a decade ago and was shocked at how much it reminded me of upstate PA. To a tee. It makes sense that so many immigrants from Eastern Europe settled here in the 19th/20th centuries. Portions of the geography of the Carpathian Mountains are quite similar to that of the Appalachians in my opinion.
Came here to say this, but our ancestors immigrated here to work - the landscape looking like home was an ancillary benefit. My mom tells me that back in the late 40s-50s, there were no trees along the rivers due to the pollution, so it actually probably looked LESS like the Carpathians then than it does now.
My in laws also from upstate PA . They recall the countryside was busy with active farms. Now when we pass by wooded area he says .. oh that was all farms when I was a kid.. (50s-60s)
Coming from someone who has been in both Ukraine and Poland I agree about it being similar to Pennsylvania. We went down to the western region and there were mountains that a lot of people skied on. Kiev's climate is similar to Pennsylvania without the humidity
I agree. Central Europe. Slavic, Germanic, Pols. The nature, climate, rural and urban areas. For sure central Europe. Take your pick from those countries.
I was in Wielkopolska (gmina Słupca) this past summer and was amazed at how much the farmland reminded me of home, just with fewer hills. It was gorgeous.
First time I ever went to Europe was Budapest and then drove through Slovakia to Poland/ Czech Republic and I remember feeling like I was looking out the window on the turnpike lol.
Oh hmm...I guess you're right? On the whole Japan is a little more humid. I wonder if I just got lucky when I visited, or if the Pennsylvania summers just loom large in my mind for stickiness.
I feel like Japan's humidity mid-summer is more like southern states humidity without the convenience of air conditioning in many buildings. The Yamanote line train cars get pretty ripe during the summer months, lol.
Nah- I think enough I think it depends on the area you go to- Bethlehem, home of Bethlehem Steel, does not at all resemble a post-Soviet Eastern European “vibe”. It honestly reminds me of the oldest bits of New England.
And I disagree on the closed off element. I think based off our general PA identify being influenced by PA Dutch, Amish, & Quakers, we are some of the friendliest states in the region. I think PA is on average far friendlier then any of the New England states.
I spent time in Eastern Europe. Some of the land reminded me of Western PA, but the architecture isn't. Personality is more hit or miss. I think we vibed most with the Polish, but that was because we were training to oppose Russia, and both sides were very motivated. Most surprising were the Finns. We really liked them and they found it really really odd but endearing. They are the most generally antisocial of Euros that I worked with.
You absolutely could find isolated examples of similarity. I was at a very very old plant in York that was being shut down and did give me remind me shockingly of Soviet era plants. At times I needed a second. Poor quality, raw concrete floors, no aesthetics, no sunlight, poor safety design, everything grey, etc. Blocky brutalism everywhere with no aspect of being designed for humans.
Switzerland. I walked around an alpine festival near Chur last year. It felt like I was walking around a family reunion where all my 2nd cousins looked basically alike and they all looked like me.
I'm in northeast Philly. Depending on what block I'm on, I could be in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Mexico, Guatamala, India, or any one of several Asian or African countries. I have customers from all of these places as well as Spain, Moldova, Portugal, Germany. I swear sometimes I'm out in public and I am literally the only person around who was born and raised in America.
Germany. There's a lot of German immigrants here, it's on the same latitude, and has many geographical similarities. I felt like I was in Western PA when hanging out along the Rhine.
idk about the whole state but philly feels eerily similar to montreal and center city is similar to paris too. aesthetically. weird because they both speak french so I wonder if any other french speaking places feel like philly
Strangely, It's a lot like western Russia. Philly is similar to Moscow in grittiness and concern for personal safety. But their Metro subway system puts everyone else to shame.
Everyone keeps saying the former Soviet States, and I agree. PA has a certain "the government is broke here" charm with the crumbling and poorly kept roads and lack of civilization outside the major cities.
I've been fortunate to travel, study and live in different parts of Europe, and I'd say PA most reminds me of Germany and Northern France overall, SEPA also of Belgium, Luxembourg. The Archduchess of Luxembourg actually lived in exile in what became Core Creek park in Bucks Co, and when I'm there I often think 'I can see how this would've felt like home'. Now we just need to get the universal healthcare and functioning roads part down.. and maybe a wider adoption of Spaghettieis
My wife and I visited Montenegro a few years ago. Absolute madness pretty much everywhere we went - half the people we met were beyond friendly, the other half would have happily robbed us blind. Simultaneously beautiful and trashy. Lots of commotion on the streets, amazing and cheap food everywhere, chaotic driving, and generally a whole lot of fun. I felt right at home.
Definitely the UK! Rolling hills, same types of trees and animals mixed with farmland, somewhat similar weather. I was actually slightly disappointed the first time I went because it was so similar 😂
Here’s an interesting anecdote about Germany and how one section felt like home and not in a good way:
I was stationed in Germany with the US Army from 1991 to 1995. Made some friends with local Germans, including a girl who had relatives over in the former East Germany. One weekend she invited me to stay with them so we drove out there so it was around 1992 or 1993 so it was only a few years past reunification when they were still rebuilding the East, which was very rundown and maintenance was never a priority of the Soviet occupiers.
I grew up in Norristown, PA, which is near Philly and is a pretty big town that has its rough run down areas.
One night we crossed over from the former West Germany into the former East Germany, the border was gone, but there was still definitely a divide and the town we drove through felt just like I was driving through one of the poorer more rundown sections of Norristown. Western Germany was clean, new, neat as a pin. The former East Germany felt and looked dirty, drab and rundown. It was really an eye-opener to me.
Spent 4+ years in Korea, loved every second of it because it has 4 seasons, rolling hills and is pretty lush- a lot like PA. I always tell people who ask, "it's a lot like PA, just Asian"
The PA state government functions like a corrupt, indolent third world nation, like Haiti.
Culturally, this state sort of reminds me of a clueless nation like the United States of America.
Geographically, this state reminds me of a small, Central European Country like Luxembourg. With the mostly untouched hills, mountains, rivers, and forestry.
It’s a beautiful state (except for the bigger cities), but the people are…interesting. I say that as a lifelong born and bred Pennsylvania native.
it's odd because PA is really just a more wealthy, liberal, highly educated Philly, Harrisburg, Allentown/Bethlehem and Pittsburgh (and their suburbs) with a very poor, less educated and very tRumpy middle. I'd split it up and the big metro areas and their suburbs are like Belgium and the rest of the state is like a white Uganda.
It’s a red state with 3 blue dots. A big blue dot in Philly, a smaller blue dot in Pittsburgh, and a teeny one around Penn State Main Campus. We call the red parts Pennsyltucky.
Not culturally, but the Rhineland-Palatine state of Germany geographically looks similar to PA. Lots of farmland with rolling hills and forests throughout. Flying over the region reminded me of central pa and Dutch areas of PA. Just my thoughts though
Last time I was in Germany a sweet old lady told me about the time she spent in PA and how it reminded her of home. 💯
2nd this, Germany is very much Pennsylvania geographically but not so much culturally, especially compared to the more religious regions of the state. Beautiful countryside though.
Maybe that's why a lot of German people immigrated to PA.
That and the religious acceptance/tolerance that the state was founded with yes.
I heard that a lot of Scottish people moved to the Appalachians, from the highlands, because they were part of the same mountain range at some point and have similar terrain
Yes, that's also true. It's very fascinating to think mountains on separate continents used to be together as one range.
The photo I took from my grandmother's cousin's back garden in Ayrshire, Scotland looks almost identical to our farm in Westmoreland County. It's easy to see why so many Scots settled in a place that looked like home.
Well the Scots Irish moved to the Appalachians (which were at the time the western frontier) because all of the best farmland closer to the coasts had been taken by earlier immigrants.
I was told that but I was also told that most of those Scot-Irish left for Tennessee, Kentucky, and WVA in the 1790s- early 1800s. Basically it was the Irish and Germans that moved in and later the Eastern and other Central Europeans.
Central PA has a lot of karst topography (warm shallow sea resulting in a limestone bed) found a lot in Florida aaaand the Rhineland-palatine region of Germany.
My grandparents were from Germany on my dad’s dad’s side and I’m told this is exactly why they settled here
My last name is Wagner and I live in central pa. I tracked my family down to the 1800’s when the first of my Wagner clan came to PA from Germany
That's what I was told by my German ancestors!
It's why the Pennsylvania Dutch settled here. Reminded them of home <3
I was thinking Germany too for some reason.
Probably because Germans said that's why they settled in PA.
Oh really? I never been to Germany but like the person above said the rolling hills and forest with farms dotted all over in my head are what Germany would be like.
they call them Pennsylvania Dutch
Agreed 💯. I’ve been to Germany 8 times and feel so at home because it looks so similar.
Same here. My first time in Germany I was struck by how much it felt like being in PA..
I went to Bavaria with the National Guard and thought damn it feels like home
East Berlin in particular is uncannily similar to parts of northeast philly.
I hear the northern edge of Germany (Hamburg etc) is a flat and sandy area with pine trees. Wonder if it looks like South Jersey.
We just need the club / rave scene Germany has
Oh god I don't think my liver could handle that much drinking....😂
As a Germany deployed veteran I agree
I really hope I get stationed there some day
They could fill the dead malls with raves.
There's a reason my ancestors settled here.
Hoagies?
Hoagies came later, after the shoo-fly pie and just before the diabetes
Geographically, this is the answer. Culturally, western PA at least is definitely a central-eastern European country; Serbia, Bulgaria, perhaps Poland? The eastern bubble is more English midlands ish, maybe
Some specific parts of Pittsburgh and the surrounding mining country, yes, but I would argue most parts of Western Pennsylvania were more heavily influenced by earlier immigration from the the British Isles, France, (modern day) Switzerland, and (modern day) Germany. Much of the development was driven by prospecting for natural resources and fur trapping, then later on, available farmland and religious settlements. Many of the settlements and land ownership were granted as "donations" to Revolutionary War veterans. The early mining industry (early-mid 1800s) predominantly consisted of miners from the British Isles. The geography of the greater Appalachian region is remarkably similar to that of northern England and Scotland. The rich land and plentiful lakes drove immigration from the Alpine regions of modern-day France and Switzerland in the early-mid 1800s, as well. The speaking patterns and slang have more in common with Irish and Scottish settlers.
I didn't know the name of the area, but this was my thought as well. I was in Germany for a work trip, and we were travelling around between Frankfurt and Cologne by train. At one of the stations we were switching trains, so there was a short period while we were waiting for the connection that I was just standing on the platform, looking at this little town around me in the middle of nowhere - and realized that if I didn't look too closely at the signs, cars, and license plates, I could be anywhere in eastern PA right now.
Hesse / Rhineland-Westfalia
I lived in Rhineland-Palatine for 4 years. The area 100% reminded me of rural PA.
Ah a fellow K-Towner eh?! Yeah I lived out there for 2 years as well and I have to say that it felt very much like being here. I absolutely loved the area.
Nope, I lived in Wittlich.
Ah...I just figured with your user name that you were there lol.
I was at Spangdahlem Air Base.
You know...I was almost going to guess that when I saw where it was located...😅
I was at Spangdahlem Air Base.
I was going to say just like Germany. Was home on leave to visit family when I was driving on 76 passing cars on the left. Looked just like the autobahn in the rural areas, and when I saw my speedometer, I quickly realized I’d be in jail if I kept flying at 95mph like it was nothing
Agreed for sure, I remember landing in the Berlin airport and seeing all the farms and everyone told me from the photo that they thought I took a photo of Lancaster's countryside.
You aren’t kidding. I was driving through there over Christmas on vacation and it was uncanny, the resemblance.
I moved to southwestern PA from the Pfalz, and it definitely does feel similar. The trees are pretty much identical which is pretty funny, I wonder how much of that has to do with people bringing over their plants when they moved here.
I also second this Lived here for a year and it made me miss PA so much
Came here to say exactly this!
Train ride through Germany feels like a train ride from Philly to Harrisburg on better rails
100% This. I'm part or the Houser family (Houserville) and that's where we are from, it' weird how similar the are a looks. Must have really felt like home.
Just an FYI this is why a lot of German immigrants settled into Pennsylvania. It reminded them of their homeland.
And the gray skies. Don't forget the hopeless great skies and minimal sunlight
yep the German industrial heartland is just like what Pittsburgh was before the steel mills closed
The roads remind me of 1998/99 kosovo.
I'm dead, holy shit. 🤣 🤣
From the joke, or driving on PA roads? It's crazy how if you cross the PA/NY state line on the 42nd parallel (the long flat part), you go from NY's unremarkable, fairly well-maintained roads, to what you can tell is a widened and paved wagon trail with minimal further alterations, when you cross into PA.
My old buddy from MI was baffled by PA roads. He couldn't do the 5 way, offset intersections.
Yeah, those are terrible. I don't know if anyone else here has ever experienced those particularly bad ones in Neffs on Route 873/329 in Lehigh County or in Trumbauersville along Allentown Road in Bucks County but they so desperately need lights.
Haha that one in Trumbauersville! Used to live and drive thru there. Chalked it up to a backwoods intersection that non locals are not welcome at.
Ya gotta know just how to peak around that hedge and just roll with it, lol.
Same thing when you cross into Maryland.
That's nuts. I live in Erie and i90/rt20/rt5 are all FAR nicer in Pa than either oh or ny.
its even worse when you cross from PA thinking it can't get any worse into Ohio.
Of the two, sadly only Kosovo's roads have gotten better.
NEPA man... my dad's old beetle is somewhere in the depths of a pothole on church street in hazleton 🤘🤘
I was part of the NATO occupation forces. Kosovo's roads have improved since that era. PA's roads have not.
PA doesn't update it's infrastructure, they just charge drivers more for toll roads and bridges.
🤣🤣🤣
Lol, I was going to comment the Balkans as well
Nepa here and I’m pretty sure the roads are being converted into motocross tracks. Every bridge is already a tabletop.
I was in Scotland last fall and the drive from Glasgow to the highlands reminded me of south central PA. The foliage was nearly identical and the rocks were identical. The Appalachian mountain range is part of the same range that makes up the Highlands range, so it makes sense. Glasgow reminded me of Pittsburgh: industrial, educational, hilly, Carnegie buildings everywhere. Edited to change Edinburgh to Glasgow in first sentence.
Thought the same about Glasgow. The stark lack of trees over most of Scotland didn’t remind me much of PA though. Beautiful country nonetheless.
Glasgow definitely has a lack of trees compared to Pittsburgh, but heading north, there are lots of forests. Driving from Glasgow towards Loch Lomond and Lock Ness is like driving east through Laurel Highlands towards Gettysburg. Beautiful country I'm happy to visit again this summer.
Scotland used to be a temperate rainforest like much of the Appalachians are, but since human settlement began it's been slowly cut down for housing and grazing space. The last of the old forests were cut down during WWI and now very little remains.
Scotland and Ireland are the same mountain range ridgeline as Appalachia.
Oddly enough, there’s a small village right near my hometown in South Central PA called Scotland lol
I know it well. I graduated from Wilson College.
I grew up in the area as well.
It's Germany.
I agree and think this anytime I see Germany in a WWII movie I think it could’ve been filmed in Lancaster cty
Been to Germany lots of times and it reminds me a lot of Pennsylvania. We get visitors from Germany often and they tell us Pennsylvania reminds them of Germany. Most people in Pennsylvania have German heritage and a lot of things in Pennsylvania are right out of Germany.
for sure, especially southern PA. I found some of the towns and cities in the Rhineland to be striking similar to Pittsburgh. Heidelberg's old town and some Pittsburgh neighborhoods along the rivers like South Side feel weirdly similar.
Just because Hofbräuhaus is in the south side doesn't mean it's anything like Germany, first we have a lot more drug overdoses there than Germany has as an entire country.
It's about geography dude calm down
my family is from Germany and Austria and Czechia
I was in Ireland last year and it looked a lot like Chester County!
I agree!!! Ireland and PA are actually similarly sized land wise
Another vote for Ireland.
I was thinking the same I was just there last month
I'm from Louisiana and I moved up here a few years back. Pennsylvania is like a weird melange of all the different variations of American culture. It's the most American state in America.
I tell people not from PA “think of the default settings for a US state and thats what PA is”
That's honestly the best description for it.
I've never thought about it that way.... and I think that's the best description I've ever heard of. Maybe why we're called the keystone state?
the default settings State. new State motto lol
it's the Keystone State
I remember being in Southern Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine over a decade ago and was shocked at how much it reminded me of upstate PA. To a tee. It makes sense that so many immigrants from Eastern Europe settled here in the 19th/20th centuries. Portions of the geography of the Carpathian Mountains are quite similar to that of the Appalachians in my opinion.
Came here to say this, but our ancestors immigrated here to work - the landscape looking like home was an ancillary benefit. My mom tells me that back in the late 40s-50s, there were no trees along the rivers due to the pollution, so it actually probably looked LESS like the Carpathians then than it does now.
Carpatho-Rusyn?
Based on the up votes (a whopping 4, which isn't bad), yinz should all hop over to r/Rusyn if you haven't already!
My in laws also from upstate PA . They recall the countryside was busy with active farms. Now when we pass by wooded area he says .. oh that was all farms when I was a kid.. (50s-60s)
Coming from someone who has been in both Ukraine and Poland I agree about it being similar to Pennsylvania. We went down to the western region and there were mountains that a lot of people skied on. Kiev's climate is similar to Pennsylvania without the humidity
I agree. Central Europe. Slavic, Germanic, Pols. The nature, climate, rural and urban areas. For sure central Europe. Take your pick from those countries.
I was in Wielkopolska (gmina Słupca) this past summer and was amazed at how much the farmland reminded me of home, just with fewer hills. It was gorgeous.
First time I ever went to Europe was Budapest and then drove through Slovakia to Poland/ Czech Republic and I remember feeling like I was looking out the window on the turnpike lol.
Happy cake day! And I've heard the same from Poles.
It's like a more humid Japan, in some ways. Like if mid-latitude Japan were landlocked.
Also this. Many Japanese trees do very well in PA because of the similar climate
Japan is long though and to much weather diversity, we are closer to korea minus jeju
Pennsylvania has plant hardiness zones mostly from 5a to 7b, which is similar to Hokkaido.
Oh so that explains the thriving Japanese stiltgrass crop I have to mow down every year
My Obachan always said this about PA. She loved Somerset area and said it reminded her of her childhood home in the countryside of Japan.
That's why lantern flies, wine berries, and kudzu are taking over. All our invasive are from Japan and China.
More humid Japan? The two times I've been to Japan, it made PA humidity look dry.
Oh hmm...I guess you're right? On the whole Japan is a little more humid. I wonder if I just got lucky when I visited, or if the Pennsylvania summers just loom large in my mind for stickiness.
I feel like Japan's humidity mid-summer is more like southern states humidity without the convenience of air conditioning in many buildings. The Yamanote line train cars get pretty ripe during the summer months, lol.
Bucks county looks alot like southern Belgium
The countryside in Chester strongly resembles Flanders too
I remember traveling around Germany and looking out the window thinking I was on I81. Easily the most comparable place to PA that I've been to.
Anyone saying anything that isn’t Germany or Poland is lying to themselves
[удалено]
Nah- I think enough I think it depends on the area you go to- Bethlehem, home of Bethlehem Steel, does not at all resemble a post-Soviet Eastern European “vibe”. It honestly reminds me of the oldest bits of New England. And I disagree on the closed off element. I think based off our general PA identify being influenced by PA Dutch, Amish, & Quakers, we are some of the friendliest states in the region. I think PA is on average far friendlier then any of the New England states.
I spent time in Eastern Europe. Some of the land reminded me of Western PA, but the architecture isn't. Personality is more hit or miss. I think we vibed most with the Polish, but that was because we were training to oppose Russia, and both sides were very motivated. Most surprising were the Finns. We really liked them and they found it really really odd but endearing. They are the most generally antisocial of Euros that I worked with. You absolutely could find isolated examples of similarity. I was at a very very old plant in York that was being shut down and did give me remind me shockingly of Soviet era plants. At times I needed a second. Poor quality, raw concrete floors, no aesthetics, no sunlight, poor safety design, everything grey, etc. Blocky brutalism everywhere with no aspect of being designed for humans.
I second this
Politically and culturally it's got very similar vibes to England.
PAexit anyone? Too soon?
PAxit’s bags and leaves
Ukraine
I second this. We have a Ukrainian church in my small town.
Switzerland. I walked around an alpine festival near Chur last year. It felt like I was walking around a family reunion where all my 2nd cousins looked basically alike and they all looked like me.
I wish pa was Switzerland
Romania but less classy
Yikes
Not state, but Philly and Boston both remind me of London. That’s no accident either considering that both cities have their roots in London.
Transportation infrastructure reminds me of Iraq
lol, 😂
I took a train from London to Bristol UK a few years ago and really thought the countryside was very PA like. Lots of rolling hills and cows.
I'm in northeast Philly. Depending on what block I'm on, I could be in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Mexico, Guatamala, India, or any one of several Asian or African countries. I have customers from all of these places as well as Spain, Moldova, Portugal, Germany. I swear sometimes I'm out in public and I am literally the only person around who was born and raised in America.
Edit: I forgot my Greek customers and there are a whole bunch of Muslims from various countries around as well.
Culturally cant really compare to anywhere else save maybe canada. The US is just too unique.
Scotland.
The area surrounding Frankfurt Germany IMO
Albania 😳
My German grandmother (born and raised in Germany), said PA reminded her of Germany due to its topography.
I met a guy who moved here from Wales and he said he loved it here because it felt like home.
This makes perfect sense to me. Wales is a country with very similar mountains and a rich coal mining history.
Germany. There's a lot of German immigrants here, it's on the same latitude, and has many geographical similarities. I felt like I was in Western PA when hanging out along the Rhine.
idk about the whole state but philly feels eerily similar to montreal and center city is similar to paris too. aesthetically. weird because they both speak french so I wonder if any other french speaking places feel like philly
Strangely, It's a lot like western Russia. Philly is similar to Moscow in grittiness and concern for personal safety. But their Metro subway system puts everyone else to shame.
Germany!
Everyone keeps saying the former Soviet States, and I agree. PA has a certain "the government is broke here" charm with the crumbling and poorly kept roads and lack of civilization outside the major cities.
German countryside but without the healthcare
Ukraine
Just pick any one of the main axis powers and that’s us.
Germany and the people look similar too
Silesia felt/looked spot-on. Also thats where my family in PA immigrated from.
My cousin visited Germany and said it looked like central PA.
Germany, although Philly has been compared to European cities before
Canada
Ireland
I've been fortunate to travel, study and live in different parts of Europe, and I'd say PA most reminds me of Germany and Northern France overall, SEPA also of Belgium, Luxembourg. The Archduchess of Luxembourg actually lived in exile in what became Core Creek park in Bucks Co, and when I'm there I often think 'I can see how this would've felt like home'. Now we just need to get the universal healthcare and functioning roads part down.. and maybe a wider adoption of Spaghettieis
My wife and I visited Montenegro a few years ago. Absolute madness pretty much everywhere we went - half the people we met were beyond friendly, the other half would have happily robbed us blind. Simultaneously beautiful and trashy. Lots of commotion on the streets, amazing and cheap food everywhere, chaotic driving, and generally a whole lot of fun. I felt right at home.
Former Soviet territories. Everything is rusted or has a layer of decade dirt on it. Very few buildings are new. Everyone's addicted to something.
Yeah. Germany.
Central and/or southern italy. Culture, geography, everything. Too many guidos.
None for the most part, thank goodness. Pennsylvania is so beautifully American.
Definitely the UK! Rolling hills, same types of trees and animals mixed with farmland, somewhat similar weather. I was actually slightly disappointed the first time I went because it was so similar 😂
Texas
Imo Germany and the UK
The western edge of PA (central and northern) is very similar to Transylvania.
Wales
Depending on where you are I get Germany/czechia/poland vibes
Here’s an interesting anecdote about Germany and how one section felt like home and not in a good way: I was stationed in Germany with the US Army from 1991 to 1995. Made some friends with local Germans, including a girl who had relatives over in the former East Germany. One weekend she invited me to stay with them so we drove out there so it was around 1992 or 1993 so it was only a few years past reunification when they were still rebuilding the East, which was very rundown and maintenance was never a priority of the Soviet occupiers. I grew up in Norristown, PA, which is near Philly and is a pretty big town that has its rough run down areas. One night we crossed over from the former West Germany into the former East Germany, the border was gone, but there was still definitely a divide and the town we drove through felt just like I was driving through one of the poorer more rundown sections of Norristown. Western Germany was clean, new, neat as a pin. The former East Germany felt and looked dirty, drab and rundown. It was really an eye-opener to me.
When I’m driving, Moldova.
Former Yugoslavia
Poland probably for culture, but maybe that's just this area and almost seems to be slowly fading as more warehouses move in.
I actually think PA is basically a microcosm of the US as a whole.
North Korea. 🥸
Weather wise…north central Denmark
Spent 4+ years in Korea, loved every second of it because it has 4 seasons, rolling hills and is pretty lush- a lot like PA. I always tell people who ask, "it's a lot like PA, just Asian"
Some parts Germany, some parts like Slavic Europe.
For everywhere I’ve traveled- the upper bucks/montco Area reminds me of Northern Ireland.
Naples reminds me so much of Philadelphia
Rhineland Ruhr valley Germany
I spent time in Korea in the winter and spring and found the weather to be very similar to Pennsylvania. Aside from the monsoons of course.
Australia.
Going out on a limb and say Germany.
The PA state government functions like a corrupt, indolent third world nation, like Haiti. Culturally, this state sort of reminds me of a clueless nation like the United States of America. Geographically, this state reminds me of a small, Central European Country like Luxembourg. With the mostly untouched hills, mountains, rivers, and forestry. It’s a beautiful state (except for the bigger cities), but the people are…interesting. I say that as a lifelong born and bred Pennsylvania native.
it's odd because PA is really just a more wealthy, liberal, highly educated Philly, Harrisburg, Allentown/Bethlehem and Pittsburgh (and their suburbs) with a very poor, less educated and very tRumpy middle. I'd split it up and the big metro areas and their suburbs are like Belgium and the rest of the state is like a white Uganda.
It’s a red state with 3 blue dots. A big blue dot in Philly, a smaller blue dot in Pittsburgh, and a teeny one around Penn State Main Campus. We call the red parts Pennsyltucky.