American was Shocked by The Things That Only European Knows!!
TLDRIn this engaging conversation, individuals from various European countries and the US share cultural insights and practices. Topics range from greetings and public restrooms to driving habits and tipping customs, with a focus on differences in lifestyle and social norms. The discussion highlights the European practice of kissing on the cheek as a greeting, the concept of paying for public restrooms, and the preference for manual cars in some regions. It also touches on the disparity in maternity leave policies and the American tendency to serve water with ice. The participants explore these topics with humor and curiosity, providing viewers with a fascinating glimpse into the nuances of daily life across different cultures.
Takeaways
- ๐ In France, greetings often involve kissing on the cheeks, with the number of kisses varying by region, such as four in Normandy and six in some areas.
- ๐ The American lifestyle is described as 'lazy' with a preference for driving over walking, which can be attributed to large distances and safety concerns due to the prevalence of guns.
- ๐ป Public restrooms in some European countries require payment, with the quality of the restroom often correlating with the fee, and some places offering discounts for purchases made in stores.
- ๐ธ In the US, maternity leave policies can vary greatly depending on the company, contrasting with European countries like Italy, where there is a standardized five months of paid leave.
- ๐ฝ Tipping practices differ significantly between the US and Europe, with Americans expected to tip generously based on service quality, while Europeans typically round up or give small change.
- ๐ Driving preferences vary by country, with manual transmission cars being more common and preferred in countries like France, while automatic cars are more prevalent in the US.
- ๐บ The cost of a meal in a casual restaurant is similar in France and the US, averaging around $25 for a main dish, dessert, and a drink.
- ๐น There are cultural differences in water preferences, with Americans often preferring water with ice, while Europeans tend to drink water at room temperature or without ice unless specified.
- ๐ Public nudity is more accepted in some European countries, especially among older generations, with designated areas for nudity at beaches.
- ๐ค Greetings and social customs, such as kissing or hugging, can vary greatly between European countries and are influenced by regional and class differences.
- ๐ถ Paid maternity and paternity leave policies in Europe are more standardized and generous compared to the US, where such policies are not uniformly mandated by the government and can depend on individual company benefits.
Q & A
What is the cultural practice of kissing on the cheek when greeting in France?
-In France, it is customary to greet by kissing on the cheek, with the number of kisses varying by region. For example, in Normandy, it's four kisses, while in Paris, it's only two.
How does the American lifestyle differ from European lifestyles as described in the script?
-The script suggests that the American lifestyle might be perceived as more 'lazy' with a greater reliance on cars for transportation, even for short distances, unlike in Europe where walking is more common.
What is the significance of the 'metro' in the context of the script?
-The 'metro' mentioned in the script is a term used to refer to public transportation systems, which are more commonly used in Europe compared to the United States.
Why might it be considered dangerous to walk in some parts of the United States according to the script?
-The script implies that walking can be dangerous in some parts of the United States due to the presence of guns, which are more prevalent and less restricted than in European countries.
What is the concept of paying for public restrooms in Europe?
-In some European countries, it is common to pay a small fee to use public restrooms. The quality of the restroom is often linked to the fee, with higher fees leading to cleaner facilities.
How does the script describe the experience of using public restrooms in Germany?
-The script describes a system in Germany where you pay to use a restroom and receive a coupon for a discount in a store, although the actual discount may not cover the full cost of the restroom use.
What is the practice of skinny dipping and how is it perceived in the script?
-Skinny dipping refers to swimming naked, which is mentioned in the script as something Americans are comfortable with and is more accepted in European cultures, with specific beaches designated for nudity.
How does maternity leave differ between European countries and the United States as discussed in the script?
-The script indicates that European countries, such as Italy, offer more structured and generous maternity leave policies, with several months of paid leave, whereas in the United States, maternity leave can vary greatly depending on the company and is not a government-mandated right.
What are 'strandkorbs' and how are they used on beaches in Germany?
-Strandkorbs are white, pillar-like structures used on German beaches. They function as a reservation for a seat, providing a bench to sit on, with a backrest, shade, and a small table for drinks.
How does the script contrast the attitudes towards nudity and public behavior in Europe and the United States?
-The script suggests that Europeans may be more open-minded towards public nudity, especially in older generations, and have designated areas for nudity on beaches. In contrast, the United States has more restrictions, but there is a cultural comfort with nudity and body positivity.
What is the cultural significance of the manual car stick in Italy and France as mentioned in the script?
-In Italy and France, driving manual cars is seen as a more enjoyable and even a stress-relieving experience. It is also mentioned that in France, manual cars are more common and there was a requirement in the past to pass the driver's test only with a manual car.
Outlines
๐ฝ American Lifestyle and Public Restrooms
The first paragraph discusses cultural differences between American and European lifestyles, focusing on the American tendency towards laziness in terms of walking and the prevalence of driving. It also touches on the dangers associated with walking in certain areas due to gun laws and the unique experience of paying for public restrooms. The conversation highlights the contrast between European and American attitudes towards nudity and public spaces, as well as the practice of tipping in restaurants, which is more common and expected in the US than in Europe.
๐ Beach Culture and Maternity Leave Policies
This paragraph explores various aspects of European beach culture, including public nudity and the concept of 'skinny dipping', which is more accepted in Europe than in the US. It also delves into maternity and paternity leave policies, showing a stark contrast between European countries, where paid leave is standardized and generous, and the US, where such policies are often dependent on individual companies and can be less protective of new mothers.
๐ Greetings and Driving Customs Across Countries
The third paragraph compares greeting customs, such as kissing on the cheek, in different European regions, highlighting the variations in the number of kisses and the sides on which they are given. It also discusses the cultural significance of manual versus automatic cars, with a particular emphasis on preferences in France and Italy. The conversation touches on the importance of driving tests and the prevalence of manual transmission in European countries.
๐ฝ๏ธ Dining Etiquette and Tipping Practices
This section delves into the topic of tipping in restaurants, with a focus on the differences between European and American practices. It explains that in Europe, tipping is not as customary or as high as in the US, where it is often a significant portion of a server's income. The discussion also covers the cost of meals in casual restaurants and the expectation of better service in return for tipping.
๐ฅค Cultural Preferences for Water and Temperature
The final paragraph discusses cultural preferences regarding water temperature, particularly in restaurants. It contrasts the American preference for ice-cold water, often served with a glass filled with ice, with European habits, where room temperature water is more common unless ice is specifically requested. The conversation also touches on the cost of water in German restaurants and the expectation of paying for it.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กNormandy
๐กAmerican lifestyle
๐กPublic restrooms
๐กGun control
๐กPaid maternity leave
๐กCultural greetings
๐กNudity on beaches
๐กManual cars
๐กTipping culture
๐กWater with ice
Highlights
Normandy's tradition of kissing on the cheek as a greeting varies from four to six times depending on the region.
American lifestyle is perceived as more laid-back compared to European countries like Italy and Spain.
In the US, walking is less common due to the preference for driving, even for short distances.
Gun ownership in the US contributes to a sense of danger in public spaces, unlike in many European countries.
Public restrooms in some European countries require payment, with quality correlating to the fee.
In Germany, a 50-cent coupon system is used for restrooms, offering a discount on a purchase.
Some modern restrooms in Europe allow payment via phone, not just cash.
In France, buying a small item at a bar can grant access to their restroom as a polite custom.
McDonald's in some European countries may still require payment for restroom use, even with a purchase.
Rest stop areas in the US are common for drivers to take breaks and use facilities.
Public nudity is more accepted in some European countries, especially among older generations.
Beach amenities like 'strandkorb' in Germany offer reserved seating and a resting station.
Topless sunbathing is common in France, with designated areas for those who prefer to be nude.
In Italy, five months of paid maternity leave is standard, with options for fathers as well.
Paid maternity leave in the US varies by company and is not a standardized government policy.
Manual car transmission is popular in France, with driving tests traditionally conducted in manual cars.
Tipping in the US is expected and can be up to 30% for excellent service, unlike in Europe where it's less common.
In Europe, waitstaff are generally paid better than in the US, reducing the reliance on tips.
Water with ice is a common preference in the US, contrasting with European preferences for room temperature.
In Germany, water is often served at room temperature, and paying for water in restaurants is common.
Transcripts
I'm from Normandy we have to do four
kiss on a check and some the most is
six it takes so long one is very
romantic no isn't it hello yeah I think
that maybe American lifestyle is a
little bit more lazy maybe like well
you're talking to Italy and
Spain better I I I just shut
up I mean okay we don't really walk
anywhere just driving and even if you
like wanted to walk it's lowkey
dangerous but maybe is because the
distance are it was huge everything the
distance that's true but I did I also
went to America before and I was with my
American friends and we were in like an
outdoor like shopping center type thing
but then we wanted to go to another
shopping mall it was just across the
street and then they wanted to walk back
to the car and I was like just have to
cross the street they're like no it's
too far and I was like we're looking at
the
building yeah that sounds right and when
you live in like a more populated city
it's kind of more dangerous cuz we do
allow like guns in America too that's
crazy that's something I could never
even like imagine because we grow up
like without any guns it's something you
see in movies or that the police have
and even they need a special license to
carry it out in the public and stuff
like this because what if I don't get
home that's like that's crazy to
me oh yeah I know this can you guess
what is it metro metro no no it's the
bathroom yeah oh you have to pay to go
to the public restroom yes so yeah I
think if you don't pay it's really bad
bathroom and the kind of the more you
pay the better like the cleaner the
bathroom because they use the money for
keeping it clean and nice and this one
is from a German a stop at a highway and
then you get this like 50 cents coupon
and then when you buy something in the
store you actually get like 50 Cent off
so it would be free or no it's it's it's
always more expensive than 50 Cent okay
okay how much is like one bathroom break
it's like โฌ1 for this one it's โฌ1 and
you get like the 50 Cent these bathrooms
are amazing cuz they're clean they smell
nice you don't have to worry about
anything so it's actually okay to pay it
just gets annoying if you don't have any
cash or anything because you forgot it
in the car you're like oh no I have to
go back but that's these days you can
pay with your phone though oh really
some some of them you can pay with your
phone like apple that's cool in Fr we we
have it too but you don't have discount
like you just pay and you don't have
anything just clean bathroom and that's
it I think in my case it's more common
just to go to a bar if for example you
buy a water or a coffee something very
simple and you can use the bathroom that
is like the polite way I think yeah it's
it's quite similar to America same in
Italy but sometimes like in resting
areas I feel like most of the places are
free you can just go and like use the
bathroom for us in McDonald's you still
have to pay sometimes like even if you
bought food you still have to there's
like a little old lady who sits there in
front of the bathroom so you have to
give her like a few coins so you can use
the restroom okay so a situation is like
because there's so much driving uh there
are rest stop area for you just to use
the bathroom and whatnot cuz honestly I
don't think Americans are paid enough to
care but in general like it's also not
polite so you should buy something so
people will usually just buy like a soda
or coffee or something like that so it's
quite similar to like Spain I
think
N I think they cannot put the the naked
people in the picture that's what am I
looking at I'm so confused so for me as
a German it looks really really familiar
we used to always go to the Baltic Sea
like or to the North Sea in Germany for
a vacation it's cheap and it's great and
the beaches would look like this so
packed and what you don't see here
there's also a lot of public
nudity especially it's like more for the
older Generations because they grew up
you know just not caring
open they are more openminded than us in
a way yeah but it's it's just because
it's so normal for them they don't even
think about it it's like not in a bad
way it's just like that's just nature so
they just you know show everything they
have and go take a bath already accept
their bodies and yeah can I ask what are
the white pillar things are they like
blockers we call it strand Corb it's
like it's kind of you can reserve a seat
and then you have you can sit inside so
this is is from the backside but it's
actually a bench inside so you have a
little bit of like a resting station and
Shadow and you have a little table so
you can put your drinks there in France
actually we go to th of friends to go to
the beach and you see the guy with a
shirt and the woman with like underwear
swimsuit but you don't have to be
surprised if you see a woman without the
top because we like to take the S so
they want to just hear T skin but hear
like
yeah so many women do that but also we
have some special uh place for people
that like to be all naked but yeah naked
beaches we have that too yeah yeah yeah
Italy is the same in Belgium and I think
in Germany too not separate like they
are not woman and men part it's together
and we are all naked too or we can have
to but it's like heav forbidden to take
some SE I think in America actually I
have I have no idea uh do you guys know
what skinny dipping is yeah yeah so they
just do that wildly I don't know I mean
in terms of like beaches I of course
knew that existed it's always talked
about in media and stuff like it's just
kind of there hovering as a concept in
like movies and TV shows like that but
also I think Americans are really
comfortable with just wearing proudly
about their body I think they're more
okay with like nudity but it's just
about the law whether or not it allows
it
what is paid maternity leave like in
your countries for example in case of
Italy we have five months where you can
stay home and like take care of your
newborn and while you're home your
company is still going to pay you you
can choose whether you want to get like
two months before the baby's born and
then 3 months after or 5 months like
after the baby's born these days also
dads can get a paternity okay that's
cool cool you get the same salary but
you're not going to work I'm not sure
about in Spain the mon and exactly but I
think it's all the like the same salary
of the previous month for the USA I
think it depends on the company it's I
don't think it's decided really by the
government to me that's so weird cuz I
feel that usually like Americans like
the US they always try to like protect
somehow the human rights in a way like
I'm talking about my job I'm an actress
and I know that there's like uh some
kind of Association there in the US
where they protect actors right but then
when it comes to these things which are
more natural like having a baby there
are no actually rights They Don't Really
protect the mothers so to me that that's
weird like to to know about this it's
like well the thing about America is I
think they're really based off of making
money so when a company like they try to
push their benefits onto people
but it's more like making the employee
more loyal to the company so that
they'll work harder for it uh so the
benefits are really just there as an
incentive but it's not really seen as
like a better for the people themselves
I know that Germany also has paid
maternity leave it's a few weeks before
and after I think maybe in total like
three or four months I could be wrong
but 100% more than 4 weeks before and
more than 4 weeks after um yeah and I
used to work in a German company and we
had someone leave and it was just a
no-brainer it was like there was no
discussion just okay yeah sure go ahead
take your time and um everyday life I
also know it's really um that's what
I've heard for it to be really expensive
to have in America like um my cousin
just recently had her first child she
was visiting one of the Dutch islands
and then her water broke and she was
transferred by helicopter to go to the
hospital I asked my mom like oh my God
gosh like was it expensive cuzz like
helicopter my mom was like no government
paid everything oh that's so nice in the
US you have the baby on on the island
probably they're going to leave you
there like okay you know
after water is good for pregnant
mothers people kissing kissing to greet
it's not really that normal to be honest
it kind of depends on what class you're
in so if you're like the uh upper class
like more Elite it might be more common
just because those be the people that
are more well-traveled and pick up those
Customs along the way if you're like
higher class maybe but it's definitely
not normal by any means yeah actually in
France France is really famous for that
because we always create by a kiss or if
it's two men they handshakes but if it's
two wom or woman and a man we kiss but
also there is a rule in France like it
depends on the region and it's different
numbers of kids like I'm from Normandy
and there we have to do four kiss on a
check some are only two like Paris is
only two and some the most is
six that takes so long yeah it's really
long you know that there are some people
that when they kiss you they leave some
saliva on your cheeks think about six
six kisses about that it's like having a
llama but we have to do it just
for example in Belgium it's only one
case and usually on the right side and
so sometimes we when I meet like French
people it's like they start different
side and so we almost kiss on the mouse
because it's different because they
start like left and after right I think
and so we
are yeah also I have like meet some
American and they hug usually so they
come to me for for ug but I forget they
are American and not Belgian and French
so I just K like this and they are like
what are you doing is it normal for you
your country to like hug when you meet
of course it's not like big ug but maybe
it just takes their shoulder
like for us in France we never do it we
don't act to say hi if we don't know we
also kiss or if it's boss we handshake
or if it's friend just
and take like this yeah in Germany we we
tend to hug more it's more normal to hug
and we did the kissing only in high
school like with the other with our like
classmates so not with older people not
with strangers it's more yeah it's more
normal to hug people you're closer with
or it's a if it's a friend of a friend
and you're kind of introduced it's okay
to hug because you're on the same level
but to older people no no kissing and no
hugging just handshake but you don't you
think that in in in your case for
example you say it's just one kiss in my
case it's like okay if I do two or
better I don't do anything because with
just one kiss is like one one is very
romantic yeah right one is like
M no isn't it yeah I guess it's just
mostly for relatives I guess it's just
very old
tradition oh my God I like k I love it
it's the thing on the car right what do
I want to say joystick but I know that's
not right it's for um like manual cars
right okay that yeah I don't know it's
really 50/50 in America if somebody
knows how to drive like that or not so I
feel like we were used to like have this
manual stick in Italy until a few years
ago these days we also have many like
automatic ones but still I enjoy using
this more cuz every every time I drive I
feel like I'm relieving my stress I
don't know like doing this movement
every time first of all I feel the car
more and then I don't know I'm like yes
let's go feel like you're in Fast and
the fuy where it's like you're like yeah
and then like 20 kilm an hour but still
I I really enjoy like doing this as a
car lover I can only drive that one in
France is really popular yeah I was a
racer in France so for me it's an insult
to use automatic or electric car sorry
actually the automatic cars are really
expensive in France so you can get it
but manual car are really useful and
more usual for us so I'm not sure now
but we had to do the driver test only
with the manual we cannot do it with the
automatic oh you can I mean in Fr we can
you can maybe you can apply for it like
a preference no no no like you have the
choice like you get your license uh only
automatic but then you can't drive
manual if you do with the manual you can
drive aut I have that option it's same
in Belgium yeah in Germany too in
America you just take your test with
your own car so you have the car before
you actually have the license before you
can get your actual license of course
you have to get a permit and that allows
you to like practice on real roads but
somebody over 21 and with an actual
license actually no I think they just
have to be over 21 in the car with you
so once you have have your like permit
and stuff then you can take the actual
driver's test and when you take the test
it's in literally whatever car you show
up in that day there's no necessary
registra like you don't have to give
them anything it's just whatever you
show up in that day so it could be your
car it could be your mom's car it could
be stolen off the street and probably
they wouldn't know any different but
yeah so if your car is in Stick then
your driver's test is in Stick if not
then it's
automatic money coins
tiing I remember correctly like your tip
is based off of your bill and you should
pay like I don't know like 10% if it's
really bad service and 15% if it's like
good and 20 if it's great like that but
actually I think from what I heard these
days it's really different so if it's
bad you should pay 20% and if it's okay
25 and if it's good you pay 30 that's so
much okay is there tip in Europe I mean
there is but it's not a lot you usually
just like round up or you just give like
the extra change that you have it's not
it's not big amounts okay so in Italy we
we don't usually but if we really like
the the waiter or the waitress then in
that case we can like freely decide to
give some money it's usually not more
than like 5 or something yeah 5 years is
quite good and actually I mean in a
super meal with a very good service
maybe 10 and when you see the the 10
it's like yeah that's crazy is the
person expecting you to give the te no
yeah same they appreciate though how
much is like โฌ to like a US dollar it's
quite the same okay it's about the same
okay okay that makes sense how much is
like a normal meal like if you just went
to a casual restaurant for lunch $25 in
France for yeah same 22 usually when we
go restant Resturant we don't go often
but when we go we eat we take entr like
main dish dessert drink so it's really
more okay that makesense but I think the
fact that we don't make tapes is because
the waiter is paid better than in
America so they don't really need it
sure they prefer we always prefer win
more money but I think most of the money
they win in America come from the tip
yeah and I think it's General in Europe
like in the restaurants if it's not fast
food people tend to do many things
handmade they serve you they go to the
Terrace and blah blah blah so I mean
it's worth it also if you give a tip for
that person because they put effort it's
not like you go to a restaurant you have
a machine you just put whatever you want
and you have like a fast meal so the
issue with America is they actually do
have stuff like that where you're
putting it into the computer or whatever
and they expect a tip after that and
there's a lot of things where you just
order let's say like we're going to go
order like PE T or something and
literally all the person at the register
is doing is taking your order and it
they like turn this little menu around
and it says leave a tip you can choose
15 20 or 25 or custom and it's just like
awkward cuz they're sitting and watching
you and
like but also I don't know if it's like
this in other countries as well um
depends on the restaurant but um if you
give a tip to the waitress doesn't mean
that the waitress can just take it for
themselves
like it gets distributed to everyone for
the team I was a waitress in France and
Bender and sometime like they give tips
and they split between the team or if
the customers say it's for her it will
come to me like only to me
that's not on the fridge not hot not
cold I think as far as America a lot of
Americans prefer their water with ice so
if you go to like a restaurant it's
going to be this big glass full of ice
and water inside I'm how how was that
for Europe um I feel like Italians don't
really like cold water so when we go to
restaurants actually they try to serve
us cold water but my family for example
and I know many other people that do
that we really ask for room temperature
water cuz I don't know I feel like it's
bad for our bodies especially if we eat
something hot with it we're going to
like go right right the outside
temperature is very different in in
France is same than ital but I think in
in Spain dur the summer there is people
so it's common to see cold or fresh
water or with ice but I think just
during summer mhm I think in Germany we
also have room temperature but we don't
even talk about it it's just so normal
if you want ice you ask for it at least
that's my experience but also in Germany
we always have to pay for water so in
restaurants there's no free water except
if you ask for tap water it's not on the
menu you just kind of have to know and
if you know you can ask and then
sometimes they will bring you tap water
or not they can refuse so if you buy
water I think it's most of the time it's
cold because they that's just where how
they keep it it's but it's not because
people like it yeah I think in our case
during summer the waiter should to ask
like you want cold water or in Belgium
maybe at home home we don't put in
fridge or put ice but in restaurant
usually the glass come with ice on it
and the the water is cold too because
they put it in the fridge and after they
give to use so we don't complaint about
it and just drink it cold but usually at
home we will drink like room temperature
drink water or drink yeah for us like
the bottle they give you is cold cuz it
comes from the fridge but um there's no
glass any ice like unless um ice in
glass unless you ask for it I think I
grew up actually knowing a lot about
European culture not everything I never
lived there um and but I have a lot of
friends from Europe and also like I grew
up learning German and my German teacher
was like she really loved Germany so she
would always talk about like we do this
in Germany and that in Germany so I had
an idea of everything you know better
than me it was really interesting to see
everybody's point of view on things I
was really surprised by the bathroom
though that that really took me by shock
so I I expected that there would have
been some differences between the US and
like Europe but to me it surprised me
about the maternity leave that was the
one that shocked me the most yeah the S
the question when like the answer she
said about the six cases that was too
much for me I feel like three is already
my limit so if it's like after six like
after three I'm like oh my gosh I would
lose count I think at some point and
then I'd start getting like social
anxiety like when do we
end or maybe look look at each other
like it's the fourth or the yeah
actually when it happened like it
happened yeah it happened to me so no
worry so today we talked about the
things that only Europeans know if you
like this video please like subscribe
and leave a comment we will see you soon
[Music]
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