But I do appreciate things now that I may not have before. And I’m open to the experience and going with the flow as much as possible.There are a few things that haven’t won me over though, and it’s very likely they never will…
*warm soda…what’s wrong with ice? How come I only get 1 cube if I ask for it? It is very rare that I ask for a diet coke, but when I do, I like it to be ice cold, not room temperature. Let's add to this the size of the drinks...everything is in shot size.
*small beds…I’m not even a big person, so I know this could be way worse, but I do move around a lot in my sleep and I prefer to sleep sideways on a bed. This may not work when I get a husband, but it also does not work in Europe as the beds are made for toddlers.
*no washcloths…hotels never have washcloths and this is bothersome to me as I don’t travel with my own, but definitely prefer to wash with one, especially after a day of jumping in sand.
*language barriers…of course I don’t expect everyone to speak English. I just don’t expect you to speed up and talk even faster when you know I don’t understand you. Becoming more animated and deliberate does not make your words any clearer, yet it seems whenever it is clear that we don’t understand each other, they think whole paragraphs said at rapid speed might help. It does not.
*the disregard for deodorant…no, this is not a continent wide problem, it just is very noticeable in certain parts. And as much as you must take public transportation, it can be unbearable at times.
*chain smokers…It has not yet made it across the pond that smoking is no longer the “cool” thing to do. Therefore, everyone from 8 years old to 80 seems to be smoking all.the.time…
*line cutters…this goes into a much bigger issue of the disregard for personal space, but just know you will get cut off in a hot second over here! Give an inch and you have given up your spot!
*Starbucks…y’all know I loooove me some Starbucks. But that’s only because it’s the most convenient and decent thing around in the states. Over here, most countries have a plethora of the cutest little cafes that serve the most amazing coffee. So I really can’t stand to see the big bully popping up everywhere you look.
*disappointing sandwiches…one thin slice of meet, a sliver of cheese, and some spread that’s neither mayo or mustard is the norm. And I still can’t figure out why they prefer the bread hard??!
Hopefully my list is not offensive to any of my lovely European readers. I plan to follow it up with all the things that make this place so wonderful! But I find that certain things will continue to baffle me no matter how much time I spend over here. For those of you that have visited Europe, are there any things I left off my list? And just to be fair, for you Europeans, what things would be on your list after visiting America?
12 comments:
Don't forget that to Europeans, EVERYTHING is "5 minutes away." Um, I'm from southern California and I drive to the market which is 5 minutes away. So please, be honest. How long is it really?
But no wash rags, warm sodas, and longs walks don't deter me from visiting the amazing scenery, insane fashion, and frommage to DIE for :)
I had to laugh at the Starbucks thing, because you've just gone and poked the economist. And it's even more funny since you're expecting Europeans to somehow think differently than you admit you do right there at the top of the post. You like the little cafes because it's quaint and different and part of your European adventure. But for the people who live there it's home, and people like things they know they like. You're telling me there aren't nice little coffee huts in San Diego? But every day Starbucks it is, since there's one close to you and you know there's something there you like. Not being critical, I'm just always amused when people say how nice it would be if other people didn't do the things they do themselves. If the people there eventually decide the cafes are better, Starbucks will run out of customers, and poof. So be happy that you might be helping the process along a bit while you're there.
I'm not European and I was offended by your "immobile midgets" observation. But you sent me a box of chocolates and a dress I love dearly, so I'm over it already. :) ox...
Let me take these one by one:
* Appreciate Europe - AGREE
* This wasn't always the case - AGREE, BUT I WAS YOUNG AND DUMB
* Lose weight, different food- YEP, MUCH HEALTHIER FOOD. BUT ONCE IN AWHILE YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A TOMMY'S DOUBLE CHILE CHEESE BURGER FROM THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY RESTAURANT. I THINK OFF OF ROSCOE..BEEN AWHILE SINCE AFTER GAMES AT CSUN.
* ...and then there is me. Order same thing at a certain restaurant over and over and never try anything else - HA! THATS ME! I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE! BALTAZAAR IN NYC, STEAK AU POIVRE, SAUTEED GARLIC SPINACH, 10 OYSTERS, 2 CLAMS, 3 KETTLE ONE DIRTY MARTINIES, WONDERFUL BREAD, EXTRA AU POIVRE SAUCE. NEVER ORDERED ANYTHING ELSE AND BEEN THERE HUNDREDS OF TIMES. ITS SUCH A TREAT! NOT SHARING! ALL MINE! THEN WALK A FEW BLOCKS CATCH A TAXI AND WALLOW IN BED WATCHING A MOVIE! PERFECT NIGHT!
* Open to the experience of new things - YES, BUT NOTHING LIKE THE FAMILIAR THAT WE HAVE MASTERED
* Warm Soda - EWWWWWW. ALTHOUGH I HAVE A GREAT PICTURE IN ITALY DRINKING ONE OF THOSE LITTLE 8oz COKES TALKING TO A VERY OLD MAN IN THE TOWN SQUARE, WHICH WAS A GIANT CHESSBOARD, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE GRANDFATHER OF THE GIRLS I WAS VISITING. SO I CAN NEVER KNOCK WARM SODA. GREAT THINGS HAPPEN.
* Small beds - Oh la la!
* Sideways sleeping - Nothing that years of deep mental therapy can't solve. ha!
* No washcloths - BUT YOU DO HAVE A BODAY(sp?)! LOL. I'M SURE YOU SMELL JUST FINE AND THE SAND SHOULD STAY IN YOUR EARS, BE IN YOUR BED, AND IN YOUR SOCKS! YOUR ON A MISSION, NOT A VACATION!
* lack of deodorant- SAME WITH THE WOMEN IN THE METRO SEXUAL CATEGORY, ONE WORD - YOSEMITE!
* Starbucks - SO AGREE! WHY RUIN A PRETTY LITTLE STREET IN FLORENCE WITH YOUR DUMB ASS GREEN SIGN NEXT TO A 1,000 YEAR OLD CHURCH! SHAME!
* hard bread - AGREE, YEP!
Just don't try to order Mexican food Brianna, and expect to get our Southern California version of wonderful cheeses, mixed with all kinds of yummy flavors! LOL. Not going to happen. My friends in Italy thought they were taking me to a place I'd enjoy the food that they went too all the time, a so called Mexican restaurant. The guacamole was paste out of a jar from India, the taco's were like eating cardboard stuffed with dog food. Stick with the local flavor of things, and don't try to make things like the USA....go with the flow and try to go local without being a cocky American.
Goodluck on your next meet.
I just got a kick outta reading that list LMAO...you're too much girl :)
umm...i'm gonna go ahead and go with shower doors that don't extend to the end of the bath or shower, resulting in puddles of mayhem on slippery floors, mayonnaise in many places that mayonnaise should never be, and cold deli meats at hotel breakfast buffets, the smell of which can almost make my stomach turn (although, while ballin on a budget, can make for a nice little lunch sandwich to stash in the purse on the way out).
jade and i always say we're gonna come up with a compiled list of these things whenever we're in europe, and now that i have reason to share it, i'm blanking. the washcloth one was dead on though. that kills me every time.
i love that continent though...i can't wait for the next blog so i can sing the praises of heated towel racks, and bathroom floors and the bidet! yes, i said it, BIDET!
@bianca... "it tis 5 minuts only." haha. so true!
@jon...i suppose you're right! well I am being hypocritical just a tad but I could do without Starbucks if every corner in the US had an Italian cafe! Just yesterday some people that are staying in Germany with me ate Burger King for dinner, and then proceeded to tell me that there was also KFC! smh...
@lyra...yikes! I changed it. Yea, I wasn't sure when I wrote it if it was offensive or not. error on the side of caution next time.
@j...that's a good meal. I wouldn't change it either.
@mel...this is why I need your comments, because you have so much to add to the conversation! i co-sign on your whole list...even the bidets!!! :)
That is interesting to read for a European who feels more Bavarian than German: Europe is not Europe, and even Germany not Germany. We here in Bavaria don't stink, usually have "relatively" large beds (not being as big as Americans), light us some old-fashioned pipe while sitting infront of our Alpine hut, just don't like ice cubes in our one litre (!) glass of beer (="Maß"), that's true, and prefer our "Leberkässemmel" to any other type of sandwich ;-) Greetings again from Munich -- where are you staying the weaks before the WC in Berlin? Last weak Tyson Gay was in my town (I suppose to meet a doctor), Christopher
I've never been to the states, so I don't have any idea what I won't like, but I agree on many things on your Bad-Europe list.
Plus: There are just no gentlemen. If you walk through a door, don't expect the man in front of you to hold it for you...
Plus: If you walk down the road, don't expect anyone to look at you. Even if you may stumble and fall nobody will rescue you.
Plus: Every German will tell you that he or she speaks fluent English and when they start talking you think: Duh, no.
Plus: Sauerkraut!! Enough said.
But the bread is amazing! It must be black and crunchy. Yummy!
I can't wait for your Good-Europe list :-) Have a great day!
@christopher...hello! well it sounds like you can feel me then, even though you live here! I am in Cologne (koln) before World's. In fact, I'm here now!
@anne...you are so right! no chivalry. Once I was struggling to get my bags up some stairs and they were really heavy, (of course no lift) and every guy just whizzed past me and I was shocked!! I'm glad you enjoy the bread though...maybe it's an acquired taste. ;)
I can't get over them allowing dogs everywhere, at least that was the case in France. There were dogs in restaurants, dogs walking around in department stores. It was so strange it bordered on the surreal.
And I've heard of lots of non-Europeans getting killed in places where they drive on the "wrong" side of the street. Our brains just aren't wired to stay to the left, and when we cross a street in pedestrian mode we're locked into looking to our left first before stepping out, not our right! It's a conspiracy!
ms. b,this is an awsome blog--my mom is european my dad is african and my house that i grew up in, in rhode island was funny as shit especially when i went over to my americanized friends home and ralizing both of my parents customs and habits that til this day refuse any type of americanization-despite never have traveled to europe myself i see from my family alot of what you talk about--warm soda all the time--skipping and cutting off people alllll the time--lol-drink only european packaged coffe-watch european and african cable shows only---only speak english when they have to--and dont speak it that well but swear they understand everything--that is funny!==dude i cant wait to go sounds like ill have a blast just laughing about how much my family tries to hold onto there culture fom the country they are from.
while living in america!-joe p. dc/vegas
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