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That's how NYC / most big cities in the Northeast are. But in Portland (and I think a lot of the West Coast), they will stop for you if you look like you are waiting even if you don't put you're foot. A bunch cars stopped for me when I was just standing around.
Lol i know very well NYC, in two weeks i Could be dead ten times doing the same thing than in Paris.
This is very true. Yes, Americans never talk about sex or even think about sex.
I have to say also, I was really upset that when I was in Paris, I did not see a single Mime. Nor did I see a single Frenchman on a bike, wearing a beret and carry a baguette. My trip was ruined
I believe that the biggest 'culture shock' coming to Europe from the US is the pedestrianism. If you take similar sized towns and cities on both sides of the Atlantic, the European town is likely to be far more pedestrian oriented.
Pedestrianism affects all aspects of life. An example is travel: due to extensive pedestrianism, public transport isn't viewed with the same negative stigma that it is in the United States. Travelling within or between cities using public transport as the norm, as opposed to jumping in the car. Something that takes getting used to.
This is not a culture shock at all for people who grow up in the northeastern U.S. Pedestrianism and public transportation are the norm here.
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC are all very walkable and they are well-connected by public transport. Even many of the suburbs and smaller cities have walkable areas.
This is not a culture shock at all for people who grow up in the northeastern U.S. Pedestrianism and public transportation are the norm here.
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC are all very walkable and they are well-connected by public transport. Even many of the suburbs and smaller cities have walkable areas.
I agree. Pedestrianism, neighborhood shops and groceries, everything within walking distance, is common on parts of the West Coast as well.
For me, the "smaller sky" was the first thing that struck me. The air smelled different too -not worse, just different. The trees looked different, too, for that matter - different types of course.
All the signage being in a different language - wow, that was a shock to my system too at first (I got used to it quickly).
Dinner at most European restaurants is a longer affair than in the US, generally.
Paying to use the restroom was a different experience! I mean, on the rare occasion in the US, you may pay to use the restaurant (for instance, you may tip an attendant), but it's not common practice like it is in most of Europe.
I really like the cheeses and breads in many parts of Europe. That's not a culture SHOCK but it's a pleasant part of each trip.
No ice in drinks or having to ask for ice. Tepid beer. No free refills. No iced tea. NO ICED TEA! This southerner was bereft! I quickly learned that I love sparkling mineral water with a twist of lemon, so I was fine, but coming from the land of big glasses of iced tea, that was an adjustment. I wouldn't say it was a culture SHOCK, but I did miss iced tea!
Germany has the best pastries in the world, I'm convinced. I loved the little outdoor cafes where you could get a cup of very strong coffee with real cream in a little pitcher, and a wonderful dessert for a little snack. I also really loved the bratwursts you could buy, on those crusty buns, on so many street corners. Yum!
Christmas in Europe is fascinating because of the different traditions.
Great breakfasts in Germany and the UK. Not so great breakfasts in some other parts.
Customer service norms and expectations differ quite a bit, as do store hours in many parts of Europe. For instance, in Germany it's common for the shops to close for two hours during lunch. That's almost unheard of in the US. I haven't had many rude experiences with clerks in Europe (and in the UK I felt that they were about as friendly and helpful as in the US), but there's definitely a difference in the interactions many times - they seem more aloof or less interested in the customer. Since I don't generally "need help" shopping, I didn't care, but it was different.
I WANT things to be different when I travel to a foreign country, so none of this bothers me in the least. I really enjoy traveling and I relish the experiences that make each trip unique. Even traveling to different regions of the US brings this sort of experience and enjoyment. For instance, visiting Minnesota for the first time several years ago was VERY interesting. It is SO different from Texas - and the people are different too. Not so much so traveling to Arkansas, or Oklahoma, or New Mexico - but that far north, things were very different. I like that.
I've never paid for a bathroom in my life.
We do have ice tea, its made by Lipton and sold in most places. I hate not having refils, I do get ice though - I have an ice dispenser in my fridge.
In UK stores don't close at lunch at all! I hate it when we goto Europe and all the shops shut, on sunday its absolutely pathetic!
We were driving in Poland, on our way to Krakow. Beautiful sunny morning in a brand new highway. I was enjoy the view when suddenly, without any warning, any sign... The road came to an abrupt end. Lol, the highway was still in the works, but whoever was building it, didn't bother to post any signs about an alternate route. It was actually funny to see cars stranded on the side, with people looking at their phones and maps for any kind of way out.
I thought that was kind of shocking, and very funny.
Probably the fact that restaurants don't serve tap water for free like they do in the US and Canada, instead forcing customers to purchase bottled water. Since I can easily drink half a gallon (8 glasses) of water during a meal, this adds up to more than 10 euros in water alone. This is more common in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, not so common in France or Spain.
The "water issue" also exists in airports. Canadian airports have free water fountains in the secure area, so you can bring empty bottles through security and fill them up for the flight. I have seen only a few such fountains in European airports - most people end up purchasing overpriced bottled water from duty-free shops.
Apart from this, nothing really came as a culture shock.
We are offered free water and have a few water fountains mostly in schools. In America its over the top.. I walked by a new shop that was being built and already there were fountains installed.
In the UK they tell us that the store will be closing and will close the doors when it closes
But in most cases they will let you stay in there for about 10 minutes extra to buy a few last things. Most stores will then start kicking people out after half an hour.. My sisters worked in supermarkets and always arrived back about 45 minutes after it closed.
Never do stores kick you out before/at closing time.
This cultural difference may be normal in some rural market town but for the most part Europe is dominated by retail giants such as Tesco, Asda, Carrefour, Aldi, Lidl and these type of stores either open 24/7 with the exception of Sundays (10am - 4pm) or open very late indeed.
Its 10-8 here in the malls and then there is a tesco express opened from 8 to 11.
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