Any Europeans moving to the United States should be prepared to deal with a host of new experiences because, despite some shared cultural roots, daily life is quite different across the pond! We have a uniquely American way of doing things, including our dining habits & social norms, that confuse most Europeans. Here are twelve culture shocks that catch Europeans by surprise when they make the move to the U.S.—you’ll be surprised to see how many things they don’t understand.
Featured Image Credit: trismegist@yandex.ru /Depositphotos.com.
Dependence on Cars
In many parts of America, especially outside major cities, public transportation isn’t widely available or efficient—so we usually rely on cars to get around. The distance between places is often quite significant and for Europeans used to walking, cycling & using extensive public transit systems, adapting to this car-centric lifestyle is a huge change. Their cities are nowhere near as car-focused as ours are.
Limited Vacation Time
The majority of American workers typically have less vacation time compared to European standards and it’s common for employees to have only about two weeks of paid leave per year. But many Europeans enjoy four to six weeks of vacation which makes adjusting to fewer days off quite a shock to the system. They wish they could take more vacation time over here & they don’t understand why ours is so limited.
24-Hour Services
Many stores, supermarkets & even some restaurants in the U.S. operate 24 hours a day, which gives us around-the-clock availability of goods & services—that’s not very common in Europe. Over there, most stores have strict hours and are usually closed before midnight, so being able to shop for groceries or grab a meal at any hour is quite unexpected for Europeans. Even so, they’re unable to deny how much more convenient it is adapting to American life.
Unlimited Free Refills
Ordering a soft drink in numerous American restaurants, especially fast-food places, gives you access to unlimited free refills that allow customers to refill their cups multiple times without extra cost. Most Europeans find such a practice unusual because they usually sell beverages per serving back home—any refills would require an additional purchase. They’re surprised that we get ours for completely free.
An Abundance of Choices
American stores have such a vast selection of products, including countless cereal brands & a huge mix of coffee options, which is enough to shock most Europeans. In fact, our supermarkets carry dozens of versions of the same item and that gets quite overwhelming for newcomers—Europeans often suffer from decision fatigue. The sheer number of choices available for everyday shopping in the U.S is too much for them & they never know what to get.
Importance of Credit Scores
In the U.S., your credit score affects a lot including whether you’re able to rent an apartment or get a loan—even signing up for a cellphone plan depends on your score. As such, building & maintaining good credit is rather important because the system rewards responsible use of credit over time. Europeans might be surprised at how much stress we put on this number & its influence on everyday life because, over there, your credit score isn’t valued as highly.
The Practice of Taking Your Credit Card Out of Sight
Speaking of credit, it’s common for servers to take your credit card away to process payment here and they’ll swipe it at a central register before bringing back the receipt for you to sign. That’s quite different from Europe where people are used to chip-and-PIN machines brought to the table—keeping their card in sight at all times. Some of them get quite concerned about security because they’re unfamiliar with the process here, meaning it’s quite a big change.
Right Turn on Red Lights
In most U.S. states, drivers are able to make a right turn at a red traffic light after coming to a complete stop and such a traffic rule is uncommon in Europe—even in places that also drive on the right-hand side, too. Any Europeans who are driving or walking should be aware of this law to stay safe on the roads. It’s much too easy to misjudge the flow of traffic & cause an accident because of this.
Early Dinner Times
Americans tend to eat dinner earlier than many Europeans with most restaurants often getting busy around 5 or 6 p.m.—by 9 p.m., kitchens usually close for the night. But most Europeans are used to dining later in the evening, like 8 or 9 p.m. and need to adjust their schedules to deal with our meal times. They have to completely rethink their typical meal times when they want to eat with their American friends.
Restroom Stall Designs
The majority of public restrooms in the U.S. have stalls with massive gaps around the doors & partitions—there’s usually a significant space at the sides, too. For many Europeans, it feels like a lack of privacy because they’re much more accustomed to more enclosed restroom stalls! They see this side of American facilities as rather unsettling and it takes quite a bit of getting used to.
The Pledge of Allegiance in Schools
The vast majority of students in American schools begin the day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while facing the flag—but it’s not a daily ritual that really exists in Europe. Such expressions of national loyalty aren’t common in classrooms nor as much in the streets, so adjusting to this practice feels rather unusual. They really don’t understand our love for our country and how we encourage it in American education from a young age.
Variation in Laws Between States
Traveling from one state to another in the U.S. involves a lot more than just a change in scenery because laws & regulations usually change quite a bit too. It affects everything from traffic rules to alcohol sales and smoking restrictions—that’s not the case so much in Europe. Their laws are mostly uniform nationwide, so it’s hard for them to keep up with these differences in America.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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