Masha
The United States is a country that everyone, including Americans, love to take cheap shots at. We’ve earned a lot of our reputation for being brash, annoying, and self-centered, as well as going hard when it comes to capitalism and hitting the brakes immediately when it comes to social programs that actually benefit society.
Europeans in particular love to point out the ways in which the U.S. falls short compared to some of the best their countries have to offer. And that’s fair. They’ve been around forever, they’ve earned the right.
But there are some things the U.S. has that aren’t so common in European countries that are actually kind of cool. To balance the scale out a bit, Redditors decided to chat about these discrepancies — most positive, but it wouldn’t be a conversation about Americans if there weren’t a few jabs thrown into the mix.
1.
Florida Man.
2.
We have a high drinking age at 21.
3.
Good Mexican food.
4.
At home or somewhere else, they have screens on their windows.
5.
Garbage disposal units are installed beneath the kitchen sink.
6.
“Refrigerators the size of my flat.” – every European who has seen my moderately-sized refrigerator.
7.
Mourning doves. They’re cute and chubby, and their boo-hoo-hoo songs sound like wooden flutes.
8.
We don’t have air conditioning in northern Europe, which is a requirement in America, according to what I’ve heard.
9.
College (American) football is so much more entertaining and high stakes than pro. College sports are incredible in many ways.
10.
Bigger portions/sizes. As an example I think a small or regular pb jar is probably considered large in European countries.
11.
Legal right turn on red, I don’t always agree with Jeremy Clarkson but in this instance he’s correct that’s it’s one of the US’s greatest contributions to society.
12.
As a middle (or east?) European who was in the US 16 years ago, amazing sweets selection! Please send Twizzlers to Slovakia!
13.
Automatic ice dispensers in your fridges. It’s such an American thing you only find it on fridges that are labelled “American style.”
14.
I always find myself finding everything cheaper in america online stores than in european stores. Especially with hardware, woodworking, light machinery.
15.
Our currency has bill for the the one dollar. Makes it easier to tip strippers. I have no idea how Europeans tip strippers with Euro coins.
16.
Space. I love spending time in Europe, but man, it is amazing to come home and have hundreds of thousands of square miles of just open country to explore, hike, ride, camp, etc… A lot of it isn’t even in national or state parks (which are also amazing).
17.
I worked for a US firm (I’m From the UK). There are many differences, but the one that used to cause so many problems was the term “Fortnight” – not commonly used in that part of the US, so they used “Bi Weekly” for the same thing. Except in the UK that means twice a week.
18.
Outlets with 110 volts
19.
A million choices in the cereal aisle
