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5 Ways Europeans Live Better than Americans
by Wendy Worrall Redal | July 10th, 2008 | Comments (94)
topic: Eco Travel, Green Living
Twice in the last year I’ve spent three weeks in Europe – last summer exploring several former Soviet bloc countries, most recently returning from a 2,000-mile driving trip through Italy and Switzerland’s Ticino region, the Italian-speaking corner that juts into the lakes district north of Milan.
Both times I’ve been struck, on “re-entry” (that’s always how it feels when I come back to the U.S. after a trip to another country), at how BIG everything is here at home. We drive big cars, especially in Colorado where I live, where every other vehicle seems to be an SUV. Our cars have big cup holders for our venti Frappucinos and Big Gulp sodas. We live in big houses that we furnish with big amounts of stuff we buy at big-box stores. Our big refrigerators – and often an extra freezer – are crammed full of food we purchase at big supermarkets. And, alas, we are big: as a nation, anyway. According to current data, 63% of Americans are overweight, and nearly 1/3 are obese.
Europeans clearly do things differently from us. Yet their ‘smaller’ lives seem in many ways richer and fuller. I’ve begun to notice some of those differences that we might do well to consider. Here are five that really struck me:
• Europeans walk and bike more. Whether in crowded cities like Rome or Budapest, or centuries-old rural villages, people get around on their own power. It’s easier than negotiating jammed streets, finding scarce parking, and paying $10 a gallon for gas (yes, that’s what we shelled out in Italy in June). Age has nothing to do with it: you’re as likely to see a wrinkled grandmother toting a wheeled market cart or pedaling her cruiser, a bouquet of baguettes in the handlebar basket, as you are more youthful cyclists – and they may be wearing an Armani business suit and silk tie, or a leopard baby-doll top and platforms, like a couple of stylish Roman commuters I watched weave through a jam of Fiats and Peugeots on the via Nomentana.
• Europeans use more public transit, and drive economical cars. If they can get there by train or bus, they usually do. Granted, Europe has a far better rail network than the U.S., and the same is true for buses, especially in small towns and rural areas. But when one must drive, what’s considered acceptable, especially for families, is a drastic contrast to American expectations. The Subaru Outback I and every seventh driver in Boulder own is considered a modest, practical car here – but in Europe, it’s big. In fact, so are Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas. Those are spacious, family-sized cars in Europe. They dwarf the Toyota Yaris, or the Fiat Panda, or the 2-door Audi A2 hatchback that isn’t even sold in the U.S. While the toy-like Smart Car is a novelty here, they’re all over the streets of Europe. The Europeans are getting 40, 50, even 60 miles per gallon and aren’t feeling a bit deprived.
• Europeans eat well, but eat less. Just try ordering a non-fat latte in Italy. You’d be laughed at (and you couldn’t get one). The standard Italian breakfast is a flaky, butter-laden croissant and a rich, foamy whole-milk 6-oz. cappuccino. No one spares the olive oil on a salad or a plate of fresh pasta. It’s a basic essential of Italian life. But restaurants don’t serve a pound of pasta as a single portion, either. And since everyone walks, the calories are burned while the calves stay toned for the stylish heels in which Italian women negotiate the ancient cobblestone streets of Florence. Another observation: virtually all European women wear bikinis at the beach — all ages, all body shapes, women who may be trim but have telltale belly rolls that are hard to avoid after having children. Europeans are a lot more at home in their bodies than Americans are. They don’t obsess about diets, and they are more comfortable and more gratified in their own skins.
• Europeans choose community over convenience. Though Britain is becoming an exception, in Europe, you don’t see people dashing off with their coffee in a paper cup. Most fast-food stands, like the ubiquitous neighborhood bars in Italy that serve a quick panini, espresso or glass of wine, do not offer disposable plates or cutlery. When I asked last summer at a casual plaza café in Croatia if I could get an impulsive espresso to go, not wanting to hold up my fellow travelers, the barista made a studied appraisal of me and asked, “Madame, are you really in so much of a hurry?” I tried to explain about delaying my companions, and he said simply, ‘They will wait.” They would, in Croatia. They would sit down together, and chat, and not be in such a rush.
• Europeans are more relaxed. At times it was irritating to find so many businesses (outside the main tourist districts, anyway) shuttered between 1 and 4 p.m. And if you didn’t eat lunch by 2:00, you couldn’t find an open restaurant until 7:00 or 7:30. The always-on, always-open nature of American commercial culture is simply not the norm in Europe, even in the sophisticated cities. In the oppressive heat of Rome in late June, it was easy to see the practicality of the ‘siesta’ tradition. A sluggish, heat-induced pall hung over the whole city, and those who were smart retreated behind thick stone walls to rest and rejuvenate. On Sundays, nearly everything is shut. Europeans learn to plan ahead so they can enjoy their culturally mandated – and embraced — leisure time.
Here’s to living more, with less.
Thoughtful travels,
Wendy
Isn’t that funny that while there standard is50 miles to the gallon overseas, our auto manufactures maintain that this kind of millage is not a practical number.
This is not about right and wrong, we as Americans choose to live the lifestyle. We take the easy way and blame the suppliers of the things we use to deaden our minds, but in real reality we are the one’s supporting this. We choose to strongly identify with junk that makes us feel good, or more powerful than our mind leads us to believe.
We live the lifestyle that that we feel on the inside
Mark Babineaux
Fantastic article, Wendy! … And so true.
My family and I just returned from Ireland, and almost everything you noticed…
we noticed! It was an eye-opening experience for my 8 yr.old son and I. But
nothing new to my husband, who is from N. Ireland~~~
Standing on the “Giant’s Causeway”, I felt a connection to the sea, earth and sky that had been lacking at home. I felt more calm, relaxed and safe…
America has changed alot in my lifetime, and sadly not for the better. We could learn alot from other cultures and countries….the return of manners; healthy, relaxed eating habits; a sense of community; acceptance of self and others as they are; learning to relax again…spend time with your children…and not work 24/7 until you die young! (Well, let’s not look to Japan…).
Also, we need more greenspace, sidewalks, bike paths, playgrounds and safe places to exercise….It’s incredibly sad when women can’t walk, run or bike ride alone without their pepper-spray and attack-dog!
God bless…Peace & Love~~~ CC from NC
We’d be wise to stop and consider why the Europeans live the way they do. Their cultures have been developed for far, far longer than American culture and as a result is more efficient and human friendly than ours. Honestly, the first thing we Americans would have to do would be to get rid of corporate person-hood. Treating big corporations as people is silly and leads to real people being looked down upon.
Vacations!!?!??? What are you a communist? That refrain is heard all too often in the corporate cubes of this country.
Also, Europeans have dealt with a lot more tyrants than Americans and thus they are more on guard, pay attention to the news and demand proper respect from their governments. Here in the USA, we’re too brainwashed to realize the holes we’re digging ourselves into. It’s not that Europeans simply live better, it’s that they live while most Americans simply follow their school-home-work path without asking questions. Why are we one of the most productive nations but also waste tons of time being forced to go to our jobs and look busy? Why don’t we demand basic necessities from the government, we sure do give them enough tax money for health care, education and infrastructure.
Bonjour Wendy!
It’s funny, because an european who’s travelling in Africa or Asia, will say the same thing as you; but it’s normal we don’t have the same culture!
As” western peoples” (i mean european and american) we should not be so different.
Evrything is big in the US, but the country is big, ….or the us mals love big cars because……you know!!!
I’m kidding, anyway your county can change fast; you image too, that is not exactly the case in my beautiful France!
Ich country, or culture have is good part, let’s lurn from ich other.
PS: in french barak mean “a house” in slang, so I wich you a new house in the White on
Awesome blog post. Less is really more. I wish A LOT of things here were more simple than they are.
Yes…this is as well in Australia.
I stumbled upon this blog, and I’m glad I did. Just today, I was telling a European Twitter friend that Americans tend to be so USA-centric, as if no one else lives “right” besides us. I envy Europeans sense of community, something I feel we have lost over the past 40 years.
Thank you for this post. It’s excellent.
Buz
Thanks for the comments! I love the chance to hear from readers and share conversation. And I agree with our French poster, Guillaume: there are good things we can find and learn from in any culture — as well as those we might not wish to emulate. I am also finding, as I’m spending a week in Washington’s San Juan Islands right now, that the more ‘European’ way of life I resonated so strongly with is prevalent here as well! Look for my next post from Orcas Island, coming up soon.
A mistake Americans make is that they think everyone lives in Los Angeles or New York. Thankfully, this is not the case. I have lived in rural, small town America, and smaller cities all of my life. We do have a sense of community, and we are more relaxed. The geography of the land is the excuse for the transportation, I think. As for the rest of it….You’re right.
I don’t agree with what you are saying.. I’m Italian and I don’t feel completely comfortable in my body. We can’t eat too much pasta..It’s true, we are not as big as Americans..but we go on diet once a year and we don’t touch pasta, oil, bread, and cappuccino!!! :(
In any case..80% of your considerations are true..the only problem is that with American colonization (Macdonalds spread in all the peninsula) we are become more and more similar to Americans. :/
Guillaume is right..we shpould look at Africans or Asian to learn something we tend to forget..
I live in a little town near Venice. After reading your experience in europe I thought: the differences she found between USA style and European style is the same I feel when I compare my life with the life of always busy, city-leisures addicted people who lve in big cities, like Milan.
I wonder, but I’m really ready to experience, what will be of me if move to a city like New York (to live and work here, not as a tourist…)
These same sentiments I feel when I return from anywhere overseas, especially Europe though. We live in an age and a country where speed, efficiency, and “practicality” are the norm, but are also self imposed tortures. I just got back from 2 weeks in Germany, and it was a true culture shock that there was air conditioning everywhere here in the USA, and in Germany, people loitered into the late, cool evenings over a drink and a small meal at a cafe. We made a habit of it, wish we could maintain that habit back in the US!
I had to laugh when you mentioned the Outback. I live in Colorado as well, and I’ve often joked that it is the State car.
Something else I’ve noticed about Americans versus Europeans is we seem to have more variety in our products, and I’m not so sure that is a good thing. Where they have one or two choices we have ten or twenty for the same item. The cereal aisle in the store actually disgusts me. We aren’t citizens, we are consumers.
I’m an American living in Europe and I am with you for the most part, all up until the last point of the post. Sure things are closed at these times, but living and working with the people this usually means more time to get stuff done like chores or left over work. Also, as far as food, in Germany they LOVE their sausage and beer. I can’t escape it, theres beer everywhere, everyone drinks it and the portions aren’t tiny food wise without eating fast food more than once a month I’ve put on 30 pounds, compared to always grabbing a sandwich back home and staying on the go. I come from Texas where I grew up in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and after living in Germany I can’t wait to get back to a slow happy life.
All that said, Europe is a great place…to visit, but don’t toss aside the US. The grass always looks greener on the other side.
lived there three years and could not wait to Home
Nice to know that Europe is still pretty much the same place it was 35 years ago, when I was living there — more mass transit and bikes, less reliance on cars. I wish to heaven we had more mass transit in this country!!
The unfortunate thing about the North American situation is that the corporations that run our lives won’t allow us to live leisurely. Everyone seems to ignore the root of the issue.
How about doing an article titled “5 Ways Americans Live Better than Europeans” as well?
“How about doing an article titled .5 Ways Americans Live Better than Europeans. as well?”
Why?
Hi, I also noticed in Belgium, Amsterdam, Puerto Rico even in India, th women look female. There are dresse and long flowing skirts.
Meals in Belgium were long and gourmet to me. In India, if there was room left in your booth, someoe would ‘fill in’.
I never felt as if the food was old or overly suced or spiced or preserved.
Try something new1
Insightful observations I concur with to a one. I hail from New Jersey but spent 4 years in Europe. This post reminds me of the main things I miss….
As an American living in Germany for over five years now, it’s nice to see this discussion about improving American “more is better” ideology. I agree with Lori, that Europe is slowly being “colonized” by corporations that bring with them drive-throughs (what happened to the slower “drive-ins” of yore?), plastic shopping bags, huge parking lots and the need to drive to their huge stores, which must be built outside of the small centers of towns. It won’t be long before these town centers start dying out, just like they did in my hometown in Wisconsin, and we’ll all be buying items shipped in from overseas (which we’re doing already) from branded stores and franchises that are not locally owned. Sigh. Is there any way to stop this in Europe? Is there any way to turn it around in the US? Fact is, in the States only very few people can walk or bike to all of the places they need to go to shop, work and do whatever else is required in their lives. Maybe gas prices will change things.
What you describe is pretty much the way it was in the 1940’s and even 50’s in this country. I miss it and the extra time we had when stores, banks and post offices were closed by 5:00 and on weekends. (Yet we had what we needed) More time for family and friends. More time for comtemplation and renewal. Less divorce and violence. We came here from those European countries but how soon we forgot the good that we brought with us. My grandmother used to say, “the faster we go…. the behinder we get.” She was from the old country.
Gretchen McCormack
I agree that we need to look to another way of living. What puzzles me is that we look only to europe, which is mostly available to those of us who can afford to travel leisurely, as you obviously did. American tourists on a whirlwind tour won’t get the message, especially if they are only going through the “capitals” of europe.
In this country, many of us who were precursors to the Green movement and “slow food” were advocating localism, natural and organic foods, communal and collective living (precursors to co-housing) and community-building, along with small, cooperatively run and collectively (worker) owned businesses as early as the 70’s. America was not interested. We were accused of “hippie-ism, idealism, even Communism!
Now we see the results in obesity, degenerative disease, corporate culture, consumerism, and Big everything. We only need to revive (or-better- support ) the alternatives right here. Your food co-ops, local farmers (especially organic), your own family and friends in community. We can turn off the TV’s and computer games for awhile, grow a garden, take a walk, dust off the bike, walk the dog and meet our neighbors. And if we start talking and acting locally, we can become more politically aware (as are many in Europe) and less sheeplike and mesmerized. Good social thinking just might ensue!
I agree for the most part. We are conditioned from an early age to operate in this lifestyle without questioning the reasoning behind the motive. it is very difficult to go against the grain in the US.
I don’t really agree with you. First of all – you can’t see Europe as a whole country. Europe consists of lots of countries with different languages and different conventions. So people in the South (like in Spain) maybe more relaxed, not so Germans. And even within Germany you’ll find differences. Second it also depends where you live. Germans love there car and use it a lot in rural parts. Cities like NYC or Chicago have much better public transport than any German city I know. And people use it a lot in the US, more than the public transportation system in Cologne for example. Also sad to see, but the “coffee to go” is getting more and more fancy here in Germany.
Ciao Wendy,
As an American living here in Europe….I welcome and cheer your beautiful observations of our European way of life…..with a warm smile, a fresh expresso and an hour of catching up! Keep comming back! We will wait for you ;-)
Wendy, I couldn’t agree with you more about European vs. North America lifestyles. Although I live in Canada, my ancestry is Croatian and I visit there often. I’m struck by how much people enjoy life there! It’s not a crime to slow down and spend an entire afternoon sipping cappucino with your friends!
On a side note, since you write about eco-travel I wanted to let you know about my mountain bike adventure company, Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays (www.sacredrides.com). Since 1996, we have offered challenging mountain bike holidays around the world, with a strong focus on social and environmental respoonsibility. This year, we started our own non-profit, Bikes Without Borders (www.bikeswithoutborders.org) bringing bikes and bike-related solutions to marginalized communities.
I’ve always got room for media on my trips (I figure if you live in Boulder, there must be a good chance you mountain bike), and if you ever feel like doing a profile on us and our non-profit organization for your blog, please contact me. We have won numerous awards, including Top 40 Adventure Companies by National Geographic Adventure.
I hope you’ll join us one day!
Yours,
Mike Brcic, president,
Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays
http://www.sacredrides.com
and if we knew the symmetry rules
which merge vibration into dna…
we get..
sanskrit
I went to England and Ireland last March and fell in love with the way of living over there. I liked that when I wanted a soda, it was in a 20 oz bottle, and there were no soda fountains. I liked that the grocery store had recycling bins in the parking lot. I liked that you could get absolutely everywhere using public transportation, bicycles, and your own two feet. It really made me realize a lot of things about my lifestyle and I’ve really slimmed down how much I have in terms of possessions and what I’m doing in terms of transportation. I full support having a European lifestyle!
Travelling in Europe is very different from living and trying to do business there. I lived in Belgium for quite awhile and frankly, living in North America is *so* much better. People talk about the “closeness” of Europe, but that closeness also means that you hear your neighbours having sex at 4 AM, that few people bother to make space for one another (like on the sidewalk) , and that people are nosy beyond belief. Service in Europe is horrible – and I’m not even talking about in restaurants. Even if you’re polite, you nearly have to twist someone’s arm to get anything done. And to be honest, I got tired of dealing with people who were literally incapable of making a decision – even after hours (literally) of discussion. North Americans might come across as pushy, but there is value in efficiency.
I remember when I was young almost everything was closed on sundays and it seemed this great country we live in was a little more relaxed because there was a day of rest. In the winter I always hope for at least one blizzard that is bad enough to stop everything, I really can feel peace in the atmosphere then.
As a Brit I also despair at how life is lived at too fast a pace for health.
It’s not our choice, though I believe this could be changed. Having just returned from a short trip to Paris, I was heartened to see more people heading into the park to enjoy the summer weather, and play team sports. It is good to see, as so many look unwell, compared to the Parisiens. They look so atonal.
As a complementary therapist I like to look and see the world holisticaly. Whilst at the moment things are out of balance, we are still bound to our genetic programming. This indicator shows that the strong will survive, and that if we continue to harm our bodies with low quality, processed foods, we will breed ourselves out of the food chain.
If it follows that natural selection is innevitable, then it is up to healthy people to try to install a respect for the self, where people have such low self-esteem.
maybe it’s European culture to be free to express themselves that gives them the emotional capacity to see beyond physical needs, but we are strongly bound to our history. The U.S.A. is still a very young nation. I think that Americans will begin to value and not be scared of change. That will help them accept the frailties of being human and live within physical limitations, away from the bigness that is driving a naieve mentality.
Of course Europeans are more relaxed! Their employers allow them more vacation time than ours do. Europeans also have medical coverage and often education is covered as well. In the US we struggle with the basics of life, so we hurry faster and faster trying to get “the good life.” Our employers cut costs by cutting employee benefits, by holding us hostage with the fact that none of the benefits we do have are transferable if we leave the company, by inadequate staffing, so we work harder with longer hours than ever. Then they constantly threaten us by hinting our jobs could go overseas. Most Americans are brainwashed into thinking they are living the good life. Can you imagine a general strike here? I’ve heard so many people say they don’t like the idea of universal health care because they don’t want to foot the bill for others. It hasn’t occurred to them that do foot the bill for the very rich and very poor. I’d much rather pay half my salary in taxes for progressive benefits for all — benefits that I could use even though I’m employed. Instead the incredibly shrinking middle class allows themselves to pitted by the rich against the poor. Guess who wins that game?
Good post. I live in The Netherlands, I have experienced the “WTF” effect last year when visiting the States. I wanted to comment on some comments.
Ayngel, the diverseness in the products is not that big at all. You shouldn’t view Europe as a country. Every country has it’s own brands and it is very uncommon to see things like cereals, chips, drinks from other European countries in other ones. Every country has it’s own brands, we have more specialized shops here. Like “food-boutiques” , small shops that specializes in
products of other countries, other than there you don’t see that stuff in the bigger stores.
epapaluap, you are totally right, the infrastructure of the US doesn’t allow people to simple bike to their works. But this has never stopped me from biking 8 kilometers to school every morning in the past.
Some of the things I noticed in the States when visiting the house of some family friends. Is that people buy nearly everything in bulk. It might be cheaper, but if you bulk-buy that unhealthy soda, you will get fat. One thing that basically scared me is the expensiveness of fresh fruits and vegetables. So they bought frozed veggies and canned fruits with loads of sugars in it. Furnitures are huge just like the blogwrites states. I own a fridge that is what 5ft high maybe 2 ft wide and 2 ft deep. It barely consumes electricity. My house is decorated minimalistic á la Ikea. To keep things as efficient yet cozy as possible. I have a public transportation subscription, you pay a montly fee and you can travely freely with the bus/train/tram/metro in a specific zone and when I really have to drive I drive a small 3 doors of the BMW 1 series. It drives 75 miles on 1.5 gallon. Gas prices here are higher than in the states I pay 1.70 euro for a liter. That is 2.70$ . 1 Gallon is I recall 3.5 liters. That is almost $9 for a gallon. I’m glad I don’t own a SUV.
I totally agree! Isn’t Italy, and Europe in general, a wonderful way of life?! I’d love to live there (at least part time) someday!
I think the real lesson here is that it’s essential to travel, to get out of your own space, and see how life is on the other side of the pond.
I’m American, but have spent most of my life living in Europe and Latin America. I’ve learned that there are beautiful and negative things in every culture. While I’m painfully aware of some of the atrocious aspects of my own culture, the American culture still has beautiful things to offer. And whle I love my Italian espresso and my German beer, I do wish there wasn’t so much smoke floating around with it.
Traveling is an amazing way to learn to appreciate what you have at home and to identify things you can do to improve your life and maybe even your own community.
Happy travels to all!!
I’m Dutch, so I’m a European. European countries are very different to each other. The culture in the Netherlands is entirely different from the culture in say France or the UK.
Europe only exists as a economical unit, not as a cultural one.
I can imagine that culture in Florida will be very different from Arizona.
I have met a lot of Americans in my life, and what never ceases to amaze me is the rather naïve way of looking at the world of a lot US citizens. The average inhabitant of the USA (it that exists) doesn’t seem to have a clue about what is going on outside their borders.
In Europe we are often rather astonished about the culture in the US. You mentioned already that everything is big and the energy consumption of the USA is about the double per person compared to the Europe.
And the biggest enigma is your max speed on your roads. You drive the biggest cars on the biggest roads and you drive on them at an incredibly slow speed. Very funny.
We sometimes really don’t understand the american outlook to life.
You are so very prudish about everything regarding the human body and sex. You are shocked by two gays kissing each other but at the same time you can buy guns everywhere and extreme violence seems to a normal thing in your big cities. In some parts of your country, you practise a very harsh and unforgiven kind of religion while at the same time, you preach democracy and open values.
The USA fights for democracy and international laws and at the same time, you arrest people and put them in prisons without a lawsuit. (Guantamo Bay).
Strange.
I loved reading this and being reminded about these things. The article brought up great memories of my own European travels and made me happy to see that in some ways, I do live that life style here. Thanks!
quit so true what you said Pieter!
My impression is the balance in europe is easier to get;
that’s the good side of being ” the old world”!
in USA you have the better as the worst we can find in this world! So it’s harder to get balanced…., no?
What hurt me the the most, is the mighty power of MONEY!
It’s something i never understood! It’s looks like evrything could be for sail!!!
I’m living in Ireland…..probably one of the least European countries in Europe!! But, yes, I agree with what Wendy has to say in her article.
I have always been fascinated with the United States, its a huge country with such diversity. The difference between the east and west coast is huge, and what,s in between is even more diversity.
However, I believe that there is too much of a ‘blurring of the lines’ that should separate areas such as business and government, media and business/government, health and business, education and business etc. Each should be very distinct entities and separate from one another.
I believe that everyone should think independently and for themselves, learn to question everything in daily life but be open to an alternative point of view. European people have this ability as Adam Pieniazek above points out.
To be honest, I think both Europe and the US could learn a hell of a lot from each other, however, we have to learn the right things from each other and learn from each others mistakes.
PS. Can’t wait to get back to the US to explore some more!!! Love it!
This is so true, its scary. My wife and I spent a month in Italy and Croatia on 07. They have so much less STUFF, but seem happier. It was the most wonderful trip I have ever experienced. We walked, road the bus or train everywhere.
I just watched the documentaries, Crude Impact, Crude Awakening and The End of Suburbia. This country wants more and bigger everything, we use up 25% of the worlds oil and we think this is possible, for ever? My wife and I car commute to work, in Sacramento, but we are going back to riding our bikes to work. When gas is $10 a gallon on the USA, the world might change for the better. We will soon have to live locally. Please stop supporting BIG BOX stores. Let’s keep the small neighborhood shops open. We will soon need them more than ever.
What a wonderful article Wendy… and so true.
Originally from Sri Lanka and now living in Northern California i must say that the people here in CA are more akin to the European lifestyle than in other places in the US. (I lived in NY for a few years and boy that was a different world all together) but i have to agree with you. It is so much more enriching to live more with less.
Of course travel and life is different in European countries. Their lifestyle is adjusted to their environment. They walk, bike or drive tiny cars because everything is a hop, skip or jump away. They don’t have large anything because they live right on top of each other. It is impractical to suggest that we model our entire country after Europe. The U.S. is BIG. Our country is spread out over miles and miles. Our lifestyle is adjusted to our environment.
Public transportation and tiny cars work well in New York and Chicago because everything is close together and people live right on top of each other. But who wants to drive one of those puny puddle jumpers on the open highway alongside semi trucks? It is very dangerous!
My husband is a corn and soybean farmer, so by necessity, we live in rural America. Also, by necessity, we drive everywhere we go (in our truck, Trail Blazer or mid-size hybrid car). We enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables from our garden in summer, but are grateful for grocery stores where we can buy those things in the middle of winter (transported by all those semi trucks).
When Americans visit other countries or they visit here, we and they only get a small sense of what life is really like. I appreciate the variety our country offers in its landscapes, communities and cultures. I do not appreciate all the petty criticism in some of the posts. Our country is not perfect, but then neither is any other. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could all live in Utopia! Until then, I am thrilled to live here.
Life is what you make of it. No matter where we live, we all make choices that affect our lives. If your lifestyle leaves you feeling stressed, don’t blame the U.S. culture. You are in charge of your own happiness. Take control of what you can and let go of the rest. Find peace where you are.
P.S. In case some of you are not aware, our country’s government is a representative republic, NOT socialist or communist. I personally do not wish the government to pay for everything. I would rather take care of most of it myself. The more handouts we get, the bigger, more powerful and more dangerous the government becomes.
I think the ‘Europeans are more relaxed’ bit is more Mediterranean than general European. Not true for The Netherlands I don’t think. But then I’m pretty sure most diners won’t have cups of coffee to go either – except near the high way or something. I mean, if you’re going somewhere, why stay to get the coffee? Sort of defeats the purpose of stopping at a diner anyhow, doesn’t it?
I’m reminded of the way I was stunned that my companions were harassing the waiter in an American restaurant because things weren’t going fast enough… that’s certainly a ‘not done’ in Dutch restaurants. When you go to a restaurant, you know it’s going to take time. That’s just how it is. Except, again, for places near the trains or the airports.
Thank you, Kay, for saying exactly what I wanted to say before I could say it. The United States is a very large country and the individuals inside should not be judged en masse. I am quite aware of what goes on outside of my country’s borders, even if I’ve never traveled abroad – thank you very much.
I don’t judge other people by the actions of their government, nor do I judge them by the actions of other people I’ve met from their country, it’s not fair of me to do so. Neither should I be judged by the actions of my government or by the actions of a few of the *billions* of people who live here.
I’m sure that life in European countries is very nice. I’ve heard quite a lot about it from various people who live in several European countries (I work at the ESL center in my university). I’d like to live overseas some day, not because the United States has a horrible way of life, but because I’d like to experience something different. And that’s what life overseas would be – different. Not better, not worse, different.
BTW, I walk everywhere I can. I always have. At first it was a financial necessity, then I figured it was just better that way. I’ve lived in several environments, from big cities to my current small town in Mississippi. There is no bus system here, so I have to have a car to get anything done, but if I can walk, I do. It’s just that way. I don’t buy in bulk, I don’t drink soda, and hardly ever eat fast food (in answer to one of the comments). I do, however, drink coffee in a paper cup because I am usually going somewhere else. Guess what? so do most of my friends from Europe. That’s what struck me as odd about that statement. They love the idea, and have embraced it readily. I rarely see them without the coffee in a paper cup. I guess we Americans do have a good idea now and again.
This country, like every country in the world, is made up of individuals. Most of us are just trying to make it from one day to the next. Don’t judge us as a mindless mass. That’s all I ask.
great artik.
great article!
But don’t forget that Europe is quite small when compared to the USA.
The whole continent of Europe could fit in the US about 4 times, and there would be room left to spare. A better comparison would be “China” or “Russia” even “India”
Wow, I’m really excited at the scope and range of conversation that this blog post has generated. I have to add that the title, ‘Five Ways Europeans Live Better Than Americans,”
was actually not mine — it was my editor’s — but it’s more provocative than what I’d originally suggested, which was something like “you have to leave home to see it differentl.” I didn’t intend to set up any sort of competition, and I agree with several posters who have argued for the diversity within both Europe and the U.S., and that we can learn and appreciate various practices from all cultures and settings. That said, however, I find that I am especially grateful during this current Colorado heat wave for a few characteristically American practices: ice in my drinks, free and fast refills on cold tap water at restaurants (I paid $8 for a liter bottle of water in Switzerland in June!), screens on windows for cross-ventilation without inviting a swam of mosquitoes in…and I probably shouldn’t admit this, but in my weather-induced weakness, I will: I’ve really appreciated air conditioning, too (as I think back on Rome a month ago). However, I DO think we use way too much of it, at too-chilly levels, in the U.S., and we would be well served at times to slow down and savor a rest in the shade with a cold drink — in a glass.
I went to Austria for a month about 2 years ago and it was AWESOME!!! I loved it there, people there are definitely more relaxed (except for the homesickness, I was!) and everything (almost) closes by about 6 or 7…which means people go home to spend time with their families! And yes, everyone walked, biked or rode the bus. I, along with a couple other people in my group, lost weight while there because we ate a little better and walked everywhere! I rented a bike and it was the best thing ever! I will say this, however: Americans cannot do as much walking/biking or even bus riding because we don’t have the infrastructure. While I was in Austria (Salzburg, btw), everything was within walking distance (took a while, but definitely biking distance) and the city was set up for that. Here, in the US, it’s not quite like that in most places. Shame really.
Leon: “But don’t forget that Europe is quite small when compared to the USA.
The whole continent of Europe could fit in the US about 4 times, and there would be room left to spare. A better comparison would be “China” or “Russia” even “India”
China: appx. 1.3-1.5 inhabitans
India: appx. 1.000.000.000 inhabitans
Population:
China: 1,330,044,605
India: 1,132,446,000
EU: 499,021,851(27 states, actual europe would be higher)
U.S.: 304,798,000
Russia: 142,008,838
Square Miles:
Russia: 6,592,800 sq mi
U.S.: 3,794,066 sq mi
China: 3,700,000 sq mi
EU: 1,669,807 sq mi(27 states, actual europe would be bigger)
India: 1,269,346 sq mi
I found this stumbling and enjoyed it very much. We left a major metropolitan city to live in the middle of nowhere in a close knit rural community. I am often shocked when we go to the “town” for a big shopping trip. Everyone is always in such a hurry!
I have to agree that Europeans “get it” when it comes to the best ways to live and enjoy life, and also, to stay healthy.
I’ve been to Spain and Italy, among others, and both times I thought I’d come back packing a few extra pounds like you usually do on vacations. I came back a few pounds lighter after being in both places!
The smaller portions, the constant walking around, and also, those siestas where they close down the restaurants from around 3 to 7 surely didn’t hurt!
I was aghast to not be able to eat 24-7 like you can in the US!
But it leads to a healthier, more relaxed you. Not a bad way to live!
That’s an interesting comparison. I think the last three points only apply to continental/southern Europe, unfortunately…
The European’s way of life reflects a unique wisdom in living true freedom in life.
Knowing how to slow down and be less concerned about material acquisition is one of life’s great lesson. It’s probably a lifestyle wisdom that any fast-pace society should learn to appreciate.
I’m a canadian living in Munich for the past for years, and I have to say this article is spot on. I could add so many of things North Americans do to be “environmentally friendly” are just taken for granted here. Every employee sits near a window so they have natural light; lights are not turned on during the day unless it’s very dark out; common areas of office buildings & apartments have lights that are on timers; all toilets are low flow; no buildings are air conditioned, our modern office building is kept cool with air that is circulated over cold water pipes in the ceiling; recycling is just part of daily life; people don’t rely on elevators, in most cases they are just tiny things tucked away behind the stairs somewhere; and I could go on.
And vacations! They are taken very seriously here. No employer will give an employee extra props for forgoing them; they just think you can’t get your life organized enough to take care of yourself.
I know I will eventually go home, but there are so many things I will miss about living here, especially not needing a car. I’m able to cycle everywhere safely, on dedicated bike paths. North America DEFINITELY can learn a lot from a European city like Munich.
Reminders:
European countries are much smaller than the US with work and home within bicycle distance. Europeans are more relaxed because we in the US put our lives on the line to keep the Russians out of their countries for 50 years. I spent two of my best years as an infantry draftee on the East German border and have never received the slightest thank you from any European I’ve met. Their reaction has been ,” I wasn’t even born then.”
When there is a disaster somewhere in the world not many Europeans respond the way we do. Unfortyunately we respond better to the world than to our own. cf. Katrina.
As ugly as our political scene has been in the last eight years I wouldn’t trade it for Italy’s or Spain’s or France’s. Count your blessings !
An interesting observation, and I’m sure in many ways true although as a Londoner and frequent European traveller over the past 15-20 years its well documented that the ‘American’ influence has been creeping in, especially in major cities.
Europe is still growing it would seem & we have so many languages and different indigenous cultures which is exciting but by no means a utopia, Europe has its problems too as I’m sure most of the world does. I don’t think its your country that has the problem I think its more down to individuals who can say no to supersize soda but don’t, who can buy a smaller car but don’t, who can cycle to work but don’t. From here in Europe it looks like Americans just do what comercials & media tell them to, which I’m sure its not true either but it can look that way.
Its hard for me as an American not to chime in here. I never been to Europe. But I do live in the greatest country in the world. We give more to other countries in food and aid then any other. Plus lets not forget who saved all of you (European) in WWI and WWII. Alot of us Americans died over there so before your too hard on us just keep that in mind. Jp from Ohio
JP – you did nothing until Pearl harbour…
If not for Pearl Harbour just WHEN would you have “saved all of you”?
You responded to a direct attack on your own.
Sorry – that line just does not work well. We remember the war a little differently
“”In terms of aid given per person, the U.S. is one of the least generous rich countries,” said David Roodman, a CGD Fellow.”
Hmmmm looks like that depends on how you count it doesn’t it?
I can honestly say that I love traveling to Europe and greatly respect all of the different cultures there. However, I wouldn’t even consider trading life in the US with living in Europe.
I have always described Europe as a very expensive camping trip.
1) When camping if you left something at home… you can’t just run down to the store and pick it up. Often times this is the case in Europe, too. Stores close and sometimes they just don’t carry what you need, nor care.
2) There’s no a/c when camping. As someone mentioned above the a/c is often not to be found. I remember paying $300/night for a hotel with no a/c during the summer. It was total waste of money. I would have been more comfortable on a park bench. Yes, its enviromentally friendly, but not for the 12,000 people who died in France during that heat wave a few years ago.
3) When camping there’s really no one to wait on you. Much like many of the places I have eaten in Europe. If you don’t need anything that is fine, but if you do you are out of luck.
4) It’s damp when camping. Much of W. Europe is damp, too.
I admit the food is often better, but it should be. You pay twice as much, even the you are only getting half the amount.
Gas is the same way, pay twice as much and get half the gas.
In general that is how I sum up living in Europe. It’s twice the price at half the value.
Having said that there are so many things to love about Europe. They are more relaxed and that’s great. They do enjoy life, but they also pay a price for that. For example, I paid it one time when I needed to catch a train at the last minute, but the dry cleaner was out for a few minutes. The sign said be back in a few minutes… it was about 30. I can’t fathom that happening in the US.
Or if a place says it closes at sundown. Guess what? Anytime after 12pm the sun is going down. That’s burned me twice in Europe.
Having said that, nothing would make me happier for every American to get to visit Europe. So they can appreciate Europe, but even more so appreciate the US.
You get less food, but you pay twice the price. Same logic applies to hotels, cars and just about every else.
First of all, I am so glad i found this page-
Such an interesting read!
Ody, In America you may get value for your hard earned dollar, but at what cost -
What use are all of the goods you are consuming when they have -clearly (above)- just made you dependent on them whilst distracting you from the moments you live. You said “When camping if you left something at home… you can’t just run down to the store and pick it up. ”
That’s the beauty of ‘camping’ Did you ever consider not running down to the store , and NOT picking it up. How about sitting back, and enjoying the free things in life. You aren’t going to die because you don’t have something, unless it is your health. Your comparing Europe to a camping trip reminded me of what I personally feel is wrong with America these days ;- ‘camping trips’ are about enjoying time with people you love in the elements -ie. without the distractions of the fast-paced ’spend spend spend’ ethic which seems to be consuming your country. If you get twice as much of everything in America for the same price as in Europe – you are going to buy more crap you don’t need – just because you can. Europeans live happier lives, with less. If you are worried about all of the things that would make the moment more like home, you are clinging on to what you have, wherever you go… This naturally lessens how much you can appreciate the beauty of simply living. Corporations have spent billions and billions of dollars to make you think products will lead to a happy life, when here you have proven that they have done nothing but made you so dependent on the comfort they give you, that you can only harbour mostly negative memories from your trip to Europe . Take a look at your complaints and they are no big deal ; so what – you didn’t have air conditioning in your hotel. I would happily go to America and complain about the price of food, but luckily i don’t need to. Instead I might have to complain about a shallowness that has been instilled and is evident in a many of its people.
I am just speaking my opinion, but I know where I would rather live.
They are probably going to shoot me for revealing this information, but there is a place in America that exemplifies exactly what you are speaking of. The pacific northwest was a discovery of mine a few years ago. It seems like once you cross over the cascade mountain range, everything comes to a crawl. A good crawl though, There is a sense of community instead of anonimity, which seems to be the goal elsewhere these days. Sadly, I’m sorry to say. But everything, and I mean everything in the Pacific northwest is geared towards being your brothers keeper. It isn’t that they have changed to make it that way, they just never changed to begin with. I wish I could show the rest of america the possiblities if you desire them.
I think it’s very naive to regard “Europe” as one. Different countries in Europe are totally different – There is a huge difference between north & south … As an American who grew up in London very few of your points are true of the U.K – Every 2nd car in London is a Range Rover or Bentley! [Not many smart acrs compared to Continental Europe!] It’s go go go all the time here & is totally unforgiving, public transport is good I guess but it’s also crazily congested with vehicles even though you need to pay $10 / day to drive into the center of town … Your points definitely are more towards Southern Europe.
The poster that said about American saving Europe. Americans came in at the end of the war! And the person that said about the US being the most generous with aid – I suggest you do some research because the E.U crushes the U.S when it comes to aid & as for the GDP – The European Union [which is classed as a single market] generates 3 TRILLION more annually than the USA – some people should do research before commenting. I’m proud to be American but it’s sad when Americans talk up the U.S when they aren’t even aware of the statistics regarding GDP/Aid etc…
[...] 5 Ways Europeans Live Better than Americans – This is something that has always fascinated me. I would love to spend more time in Europe (I spent a week in Spain in 2001 and have wanted to go back ever since) and learn their culture. Everything seems so much… better there, I guess. This article pinpoints a few good things about the lifestyle there! [...]
As a Brit I fear you would find us too much like you except for the oversized cars & meals
Yes! Quality is the key to true wealth, not quantity. As someone who was born here but is otherwise 100% Polish, I see myself exuding the let’s go, go, go attitude many times. It is especially apparent when I’m around my friends born in Poland and other European countries, as they are very chill and laid back while I worry and stress too often.
We need a public mandate here for more leisure time, our over-stressed, over-worked lifestyles are literally killing us!
[...] see their view over Europe… They have their own POV what they think and see different… 5 Ways Europeans Live Better than Americans ? Gaiam Experts Blog Rick Steves’ Europe: Ugly American Are You the Ugly American? – This Just In – Budget Travel [...]
Well, as a Norwegian I think our culture falls closer to the American way. It is pretty ignorant to speak about Europe as a place with a certain culture, I mean there are so many different countries and cultures.
Scandinavian countries are the most productive, in terms of work. Life is very stressful, and we prefer to drive SUVs because of the distances, and the climate. Coffee on the go is definitely very common. Portions are small and expensive though.
I love my own country, it has so many great aspects to it that are remarkable. But I would never claim that it is the best country in the world, like Americans do all the time. Best in terms of what exactly?? I would claim that living in Norway, you have a hell of a lot better opportunities, than being born in the USA.
I do love America in some senses, but I just think people ignores the outside world in a sad way.
i agree with this article. unfortunately, a lot of american cities aren’t set up in a way where this type of lifestyle is possible. i live in LA and it’s really hard to get around without a car. it’s tough when the city is so spread out and getting out of my immediate area is such an ordeal.
Europeans also use Homeopathic Medicine!
In Holland and Germany, homeopathy is the most popular form of Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM).
I love European life. In my travels, I would see and speak to many of the natives of the European life and lifestyle, and can see so much in their MENTALITY how much better they live than us.
The problem with many Americans is that we’ve taken the “I want more more MORE!” ideology to a degree that it’s destroyed our chances to really enjoy any “more” we obtain. I remember being in Europe, the average person isn’t out maxing out credit cards to own high end clothes or electronics. I don’t see many households that have big screen HD TVs. They don’t make work and their careers such a priority that they’ll spend every day and night in the office. They work, go home to lunch with the family, relax, then back to work, then out for a cup of coffee with friends. They’re not in the office early and staying late, then heading home to sleep a few hours or out to drink themselves into a stupor.
I agree with the “eating better, but less” aspect also. I didn’t see many Europeans who took their coffee “to go” or even run to a fast food restaurant at lunchtime because they had to run back to the office. Yes there are some who were busy and had to work all day and late, but even then they told me this is once in a while…not normal as many Americans do.
I think if Americans really want to live more like Europeans, then we need to SLOW DOWN. We need to stop thinking we’re “missing” something material and only realize we’re missing TIME in our lives. I live in Chicago, and I think about it. I have a grocery store and a drug store 2 blocks from my home. I have a bank 5 blocks from my home. Two cafes 2 blocks from my home, and a big station for buses and trains 2 blocks from my home. I chose my neighborhood because I wanted a more quiet life. I didn’t want to be stuck on the expressway to get downtown to pay money to park. I didn’t want to have that gigantic home that’s so far out in the middle of nowhere that I have to drive 30-45 minutes just to get groceries.
I also don’t have heavy needs at times for materialistic items…just a need to do more in my free time and not sit on the sofa. I don’t have a HD TV. I don’t even have cable TV. I don’t drive a flashy car, but a small Chevy Malibu. Only time I spend money is when I travel. I just like the idea of a simpler life. Being close to my family, rather than moving far to life a “swinging bachelor” lifestyle.
I think many Americans could find a happier life if they stop thinking life is all about a bigger paying position, a better car, a bigger home, etc. What good are all those things if you’re in the office 12-14 hours a day? How can you enjoy life if you’re constantly working, just to buy more “stuff”?
I´m a German and I know America only from reading in the internet and some
american friends.
I think that in America many aspects of the “more and bigger” are only a shining facade. American middle class houses are bigger and have (often unused) grass yards, but …
1. They buy it on stock share or credits and make themselve depend on the finance elite even more than here and when there´s a (i think planted) economy crisis, you experience hard times and aren´t prepared at all.
2. The quality of the house construction is worse than here. We use solid and stable material, not this plasitc and paper stuff.
This probably completes the posts about “less can be more”
But I´m surprised, that nobody in this very interesting discussion have noticed the gap between the rich and the poor in the USA. People living in run down inner cities or trailer parks and more homeless people live in substandard housing and even sometime face hunger … anyway they must struggle with hard work to survive and to give their Chilren access to higher education, better job perspectives and so on.
And I think that the public service system is more developed here. Not only the transport system, health care and social aid is quite better, but also the town planning. In America abandoned quarters rot and gangs and illegals take posession of it, while the state for years is doing already nothing.
Public housing has a better reputation in Germany and people with the lowest income don´t have to live in trailers far from the services for the daily needs or even are endangered to live on the street.
It´s very stressing for a society, when the lower middle class always is experiencing pressure not to fall
But I don´t like it here, that you are forced to live like the state wants. Here in Germany this is very difficoult. You even aren´t allowed set aside the public infrastructure and services on your own responsibility. The bureaucracy tries to control almost everything. Living like the amish or mormons would be impossible in Germany!
I think Europeans walk and bike more, use public transit more and drive gas-efficient cars is directly related to the high cost of gas in europe as well as the fact that most of their cities are so old that it was built to be pedestrian friendly. That’s really not the case with a lot of our cities except for older cities like NY, San Francisco, Boston, Philly, for example, which are very pedestrian friendly. The fact that everything is bigger doesn’t mean that it’s bad; it’s a big country so there are longer distances between home and the stores and you need a car and you need to buy bulk in order to cut down on the shopping trips, hence the bigger fridges. We like big cars because they provide comfort. I’ve been to europe and seen those small cars and they look more like golf carts and look uncomfortable not only to sit in but to even drive in for more than ten minutes. As for our diets, yes we do have to cut down but we’re used to abundance and food being cheap hence the big meals; in europe food costs a lot more so they have smaller meals. As for Europe being more relaxed and communitarian, I think that we express these in different ways; we form and join and volunteer in many organizations and form bonds and friendships through the people we meet. It is true that I don’t like to dawdle over my coffee, but then again why dawdle over coffee when I can finish my work which gives me a sense of accomplishment and then go home or meet friends afterwards to relax and enjoy my time with them. Yes we do live with more but we enjoy it as well. Wendy, I think the way you write about our habits shortchanges us and gives people a false sense of how things are here. It sounds as if you have a case of the grass being greener on the other side. Just appreciate the differences.
Sorry Ellen, but your comment was full of the attitude that people around the world have come associate with Americans.
“Yes, we drive big cars because we like comfort, and European cars look like golf carts”
“Yeah, we eat a lot and we should cut back, but we’re used to having a lot of food”
The fact is that we suffer from an addiction to excess, and to the degree that we make excuses for it.
Well, I realize I am generalizing but if you want to live small in a European fashion go right ahead. It’s harder to live big in Europe than small in the US. And I’m sorry but those small Europeans cars do look like golf carts. I don’t think that we live in excess at all, this is how we live. You shouldn’t being so judgmental, riomx.
I’m not being judgmental – I simply pointed out the underlying attitude in your comments.
Also, how am I being judgmental when you are mocking the cars that Europeans drive? That’s a bit of the pot calling the kettle black.
Finally, that’s great that you don’t think we live in excess. Facts can tell you exactly the opposite. Here’s a fun one:
Though accounting for only 5 percent of the world’s population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world’s energy.
Want more? Go here: http://www.solarenergy.org/resources/energyfacts.html
I understand that it’s not easy to be on the receiving side of criticism, but the fact is that as Americans, we all have to start making changes and stop forgetting that we enjoy our comforts at the expense of the rest of the world.
Yes riomx, you are being judgmental. You don’t know anything about me except for what I wrote in that post and you made me and all americans out to be excessive…that is a judgment. And I’m not mocking europeans cars. They are small. They do look like golf carts. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings but that is how they look like to me. If americans do consume 26% of the world’s energy so what? We use that energy to be productive. Michael Phelps consumes 10,000 calories a day and he’s a top olympian swimmer, I don’t begrudge him the calories. Do you think if we consume less, that some other country would use more? That’s silly, if another country wants to consumer more energy and they could afford it they can go buy it. I’m sure the energy producers would be happy to sell to them. So we are not enjoying our comforts at other people’s expense.
“Do you think if we consume less, that some other country would use more? That’s silly, if another country wants to consumer more energy and they could afford it they can go buy it. I’m sure the energy producers would be happy to sell to them.”
I really honestly don’t know how to make sense of that. I’m not even going to try. In fact, I don’t have the “energy” to do so.
“If americans do consume 26% of the world’s energy so what?”
This attitude says it all.
It is not an attitude. It is a difference of opinion.
Good article, but let’s not forget fundamentals. The US has tons of open space and land. Europe is small and cramped so therefore having narrow roads with small cars makes sense. Let’s not bash Americans for living the way they want to live, afterall, that’s what freedom is about.
I love this article. I tell my boyfriend all the time how much simpler life would be if we all lived by those types of standards. He laughs at me over planning to buy a moped to commute with, but I say “if its good enough for the Italians, its good enough for me.”
Yes I completely agree with this article as I have been all over both Western and Eastern Europe. It is so refreshing not to have to always depend on your own vehicle and practically anyone can get around in cities and the country on either trains or buses. What I still want to know though is like in major cities like Budapest or Bratislava, Slovakia does one need a vehicle to get around in like what we call in the U.S. “suburbs”? I have been to a friend’s house in Bratislava Slovakia and also have been to Budapest and seem like obviously in some places one does need a vehicle. But yet at the same time it seems so walking and biker friendly that if one didn’t have a vehicle and lived in their “suburbs” you could still get around with a bike or easy public transportation. Plus it’s convenient to have a vehicle when one does not want to always depend on the trains or busses.
But on the other hand Europe has such good modes of public transportation that a person does not have to wait very long for the trains or busses. Where as in the U.S. reliability on public transportation sucks because the U.S. depends so much on people driving their own vehicles. I love Europe where almost all towns and cities are so much more accessible by foot, train or bus and almost everything is almost always within walking distance. The streets are narrow and much closer together than the U.S. I am just so sick of how the U.S. a person almost always has to drive to where they need to go it’s so pathetic that our public transportation is so poor. Even with our public transportation one mostly has to either hail a cab, or some kind of vehicle because the U.S. is not built for walking.
Also I have always wondered how construction people work in Europe vs. the U.S. Like here in the U.S. we have the big box stores of Lowes and Home Depot. Do Europeans have stores similar to ours? Obviously Europeans also have a lot smaller truck or pickups than the U.S. but was just curious as how European lumber yards work.
I find it also so fascinating where Europeans can go to the rural areas by train or busses even pretty remote areas and not depend so much on vehicles. One can go to farms by way of train or bus visit the farm, catch the train to a small town and such it’s so convenient.
I also really like how coffee shops/coffee houses, pubs and restaurants are so comunication friendly, relaxed and people actually talk and have conversations. Here in the U.S. it’s turned into just get your coffee, food, or even sometimes beer and go. Here in the U,S, we are so built on we must always be working and even after working hours in coffee shops, restaurants, bars people have their damn laptops, get their coffee, food, beer and continue to work. I think coffee shops/coffee houses should either put a limit time on how long a person can work on a computer in a coffee shop/coffee house, restaurant or bar or ban laptops for certain times in coffee shops/coffee, restaurants, bars so people here in the U.S. can turn into more a European relaxed feel and actually have conversations. In Europe it’s so relaxed that anyone that goes can start some kind of conversation, get to know someone, get to know about the area. Then when the coffee shops, stores are shut for their time away go visit places or stuff and then in the evening one goes back to the coffee shops/pubs and or restaurants and has a good decent conversation with the locals and travelers.
I have to add to my commnet. I wanted to comment on some of the other responders that think it’s so nice and convenient the American way where everyone can go to the huge stores always get their stuff like groceries pack their fridge and then stay home for months on end. Where as Europeans to it the right way where they buy smaller items and portions such as in their grocery stores and Europe is more built on communication than just go get stuff and stay home. The U.S. has gotten so use to the idea that everything we need we need a lot of it and that way we can pack our houses full of crap and food and then don’t need to talk to anyone and stay in our own little worlds or our own houses. Where as Europeans use the grocery store, resuatrants, coffee shops/coffee houses and pubs to get out, meet people have conversations. In Europe it’s mostly always an “experience” where as here in the U.S. where not built on experiences where built on rushing where one just needs to get get stuff and then rush back to theri work or home. I absoltuely love the European way to get out have a great conversation meet people while you shop, eat and relax. The U.S. hustle and bustle way is so not the way to go. I wish the “big box” stores would go away and we would turn to smaller type shops and grocery stores. Also I hope with this economy that SUV’s, hummers and big pickups trucks go Bye Bye and people use their heads and go smaller. We don’t need big stuff. Go SMALLER GO EUROPEAN!!
Thank you Wendy for such a nice blog!!! I like and I really really love it. Now I have some idea about how the life is like in the US and one day i would like to come there but its so big I dont really know which place to visit I mean 50 states??? Yeah life is kind of easy here I mean everything is so cheap, in India for a bread it cost 10 Rupee compared to a One pound twenty nine pence and the traffic; its so smooth here.
They also have a better health care system than the US
this article is spot on, well done!
I lived in Belgium for a little over a year and a half and planned on living there longer but for various reasons had to return to the states.
Loved it but also loved that fact that the position – my status allowed me to avoid paying the 21% VAT on everything you buy over there.
I’m sure American’s wouldn’t be want to have to pay that in the US. I’d be happy to pay it, if I thought the money was going to something worthwhile. Like taking care of the elderly, I think about this more and more as I pass 50.
As for better healthcare – certainly an arguable point – not that I think the US’s is good. I just know, if you are a regular citizen – you have to wait or pay for it yourself.
I’m not talking hours or days but months. I have a friend whose father died before ever getting to his appointment – if he’d gone private – they could have seen him the next day. But that was the UK so maybe the continent is different.
There are good and bad reasons for living in US and in Europe.
During the cold war, the US had the job of protecting the free world.
I doubt the USSR would have been too frightened of Western Europe not to roll over it if they felt the need – the reason I believe the reason they didn’t is they didn’t want to face down the US. I’m sure we didn’t want to face them down either (USSR).
OK, you can all flame me now.
I’m in the US now, but would love to go back to Belgium and maybe spend the rest of my life there – at least the area where I was – Mon’s about 20 minutes from the French border.
Reading this really makes me want to visit Europe that much more…
I think this whole “more is better” attitude IS exactly what’s killing Americans. What’s even funnier is, I’m at a normal healthy weight, yet everyone constantly feels the need to tell me how “skinny” I am…..
…Folks, wake up, I’m not skinny, most of you are just overweight!
I am an American who has lived in Europe for the past 3.5 years. You have summed it up nicely. I still haven’t fully adjusted to the shops only being open from 10am to 5pm, but somehow I’m still alive! (that’s sarcasm, by the way. We don’t often NEED the things we think we need and can go very long without them!) I lived here for 2 years without a car at all. I biked everywhere, including to work in the rain. I have a huge culture shock when I come back to the states. But everywhere has their positive points. The space and nature in the US is fantastic (i’m from Seattle originally). Nature that is not planned by humans is hard to find over here. A lot of the beaches have sand shipped in. The mountains have streams that have been redirected or built up to protect the land. We have something special in the states…wilderness. Let’s protect it.
I also came across this blog by accident. I’m so glad I did. I now live and work in Dubai, after having lived in the US for a long time. As I grew up in the US I found its culture to be more and more immature and whiny. This coincided with the feminist/socialist takeover of the educational system in the late 70s. Radical feminists believe that the government should provide everything and that no one should have to do anything unpleasant, or be compared to others, or be judged in any way. So, for 30 years the US has been turning into a preschool culture in which teachers can’t talk about right and wrong, or about nutrition, or exercise, or attitude problems, or earning things through hard work. Teachers, unlike when I was a child, can’t discipline students–other than giving them a ‘time out’–and therefore don’t have any control over their students; just ask any inner city teacher in the US. Making money in the US has become paramount, even to the point of ignoring the well fare of its children. Since for 30 years children have been receiving a less and less rigorous education, devoid of not only sound fundamentals like reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic, but also life skills training, they now, as adults, lack not only the academic skills needed to compete effectively in the global market, but also the basic life skills that allow citizens to follow mentally and physically healthy lifestyles. In short, Americans are generally becoming fat and stupid. And there is no sign that this will end any time soon, primarily because socialism and feminism have effectively brainwashed Americans into a state of stupor, one in which they cannot even see what they indeed are doing to themselves and worse yet their children. Another way to look at it is that Americans now have their priorities completely in the reverse order. For Americans it’s material things, wealth, power, and vanity–and then a vacation once a year where they pay enormous amounts of money to enjoy a quiet moment or two. For Europeans it’s family, friends, balance, and enjoying the small moments that happen each day. Europe has a balanced culture and happier people because that’s the way they want it, which means, I’m sorry to say, that Americans have the rotting and festering culture that they stupidly allowed members of their own culture to foist
upon them. A quiet afternoon sipping coffee in an Italian cafe is worth much more than living in the rat race of New York City where a coffee costs you $5, it’s substandard, and you don’t have time to enjoy it. I know, I used to live there. When I moved to NYC in the early 80s it was dirty, but very livable. Now it is sanitized, very expensive, and very unhappy–just like many other places in the US. As the current American generation spawns an even more physically and mentally incapable progeny, it is almost impossible to imagine the US going on as a sovereign nation for more than about 50 more years. The Romans are a perfect example: After 1000 years of almost complete domination, they became fat,lazy, and drunk–thinking that they’d always be number ‘one’. Sound familiar?
It’s funny that now that I’m preparing for a long trip to Lisbon, I’m considering packing a bikini after reading this. I’ll be at my healthy goal weight by then and think my body looks great. I wouldn’t dare strut my stuff on a beach here but in Europe….
There are more smart cars in Europe and Europeans take the rail more than Americans? Care to break that down by class and income? How do the upper crust, elite travel? Do they usually take the rail or do they travel when then want to in a nice over sized vehicle? I doubt they travel in smart cars or not many do,anyway. How nice of them to decide how everyone should live. Here in American it is more egalitarian. We nearly always have our own vehicle. We travel the way we choose regardless of class. The rich don’t get to take private transportation while the rest take public transportation.
Europeans don’t mind taking hours to eat because there is nothing else to do. Going home to a cramped apartment in Europe is no fun either so one might as well dally over lunch.
[...] temperatures — I still managed to make it for a week with a carry-on. That was all I took to Europe the summer before, too — for 22 [...]