Constant worry. I worry if I have an accident & it’s costing me hundreds of thousands in medical bills. I’m worried about getting a job that will allow me to have some kind of health benefits in the first place, which will still cost a lot of money. I worry about getting through the day and not being shot because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I worry about the cost of living of any job I get because everyone seems to have two jobs as standard. I worry about being raped, being pregnant and then having to raise the child because the men in power have more rights over my body than I do. Also worry about being able to afford to take care of said child, because the same men who deny me an abortion will not allow me to help feed/take care of him. So yeah, I can’t imagine life in America being relaxing at all.
So yeah, I can’t imagine life in America being relaxing at all.
StarGirlLen, MART PRODUCTION Report
General statements about a place or group of people are rarely accurate, so it’s important to note that anyone trying to generalize about the whole of the United States is likely to be a little off in their assumptions. Having lived in Sweden, England, and Lithuania, as well as traveling to many other countries, I’ve heard just about every stereotype and misconception in the book. No, I have never seen guns in the grocery store, and I have never personally seen or handled one. (And I don’t want to.) I’m from Texas, but I don’t own a horse, I don’t live on a ranch, and I don’t eat meat. And I know, I don’t “sound” like I’m from Texas, much to a lot of people’s disappointment. But I can’t really blame people for assuming some of these things about the United States. From Europe it seems so far away, and most of the USA media we get here doesn’t portray it in the best light. Every country has its own problems, but I understand that some people can only hear about guns, health care, Donald Trump, obesity rates and lack of public transportation and assume that the whole of the United States is a cesspool.
General statements about a place or group of people are rarely accurate, so it’s important to note that anyone trying to generalize about the whole of the United States is likely to be a little off in their assumptions. Having lived in Sweden, England, and Lithuania, as well as traveling to many other countries, I’ve heard just about every stereotype and misconception in the book. No, I have never seen guns in the grocery store, and I have never personally seen or handled one. (And I don’t want to.) I’m from Texas, but I don’t own a horse, I don’t live on a ranch, and I don’t eat meat. And I know, I don’t “sound” like I’m from Texas, much to a lot of people’s disappointment.
But I can’t really blame people for assuming some of these things about the United States. From Europe it seems so far away, and most of the USA media we get here doesn’t portray it in the best light. Every country has its own problems, but I understand that some people can only hear about guns, health care, Donald Trump, obesity rates and lack of public transportation and assume that the whole of the United States is a cesspool.
I spent six months there in the 90s and loved it. However, when I read about labor rights/health care/abortion issues, it seems like it’s backing off quickly. I suspect the United States is like most countries, great if you’re rich, pretty shit if you’re poor.
However, when I read about job rights, health care, and abortion, I feel like it’s backsliding fast.
I suspect the United States is like most countries, great if you’re rich, pretty shitty if you’re poor.
Villa-Restal, Marcel Heil Report
To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit user DerpDerp3001. “I was inspired because I’m curious about how people interpret things and stereotypes,” they shared. They told us they were Americans, so we were curious to know what they think of the United States and if they like living there. “I would say USA could be better, but it’s not bad in every way. If I had the chance, I would stay in the United States in my home state of Tennessee, although I would move to Ecuador if given the chance. its negative reputation. “I think the United States is unfairly stereotyped, even though many of them are gross exaggerations of real issues,” they noted. “The best thing about America is the diversity because it’s a melting pot. The worst thing is probably the voting system they use.
To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit user DerpDerp3001. “I was inspired because I’m curious about how people interpret things and stereotypes,” they shared. They told us they were Americans, so we were curious to know what they think of the United States and if they like living there. “I would say USA could be better, but it’s not bad in every way. If I had the chance, I would stay in the United States in my home state of Tennessee, although I would move to Ecuador if given the chance.
We also asked them if they felt the United States was unfairly stereotyped or deserved some of its negative reputation. “I think the United States is unfairly stereotyped, even though many of them are gross exaggerations of real issues,” they noted. “The best thing about America is the diversity because it’s a melting pot. The worst thing is probably the voting system they use.
It’s living surrounded by people who believe in the myth of the exception and who have never questioned the why of their own society. I’ve been to the US (East Coast) a dozen times and in my experience the people are well educated and completely lack critical self-reflection. The middle and upper class in the United States sometimes pity the working class, but they don’t understand how their society has created the rampant inequality. When you go out and talk to working class people, the overriding feeling is fear and anxiety. Will I have a medical bill that I can’t afford to pay today? Will I be fired for no reason? If I am fired, will I have unemployment? You see it every day on Reddit. To me, as someone who believes in equality and egalitarianism, the United States is hell. It’s a snapshot of a world where greed rules, where all of society is structured around the wealth of a few, where the fascists weren’t confronted and got nearly half the vote, where race somehow matters to people on a fundamental level. level in a way that it just doesn’t have here.
I’ve been to the US (East Coast) about a dozen times and in my experience people are well educated and completely lacking in critical self-reflection.
The middle and upper class in the United States sometimes pity the working class, but they don’t understand how their society has created the rampant inequality.
When you go out and talk to working class people, the overriding feeling is fear and anxiety. Will I have a medical bill that I can’t afford to pay today? Will I be fired for no reason? If I am fired, will I have unemployment? You see it on Reddit every day.
To me, as someone who believes in equality and egalitarianism, the United States is hell. It’s a snapshot of a world where greed rules, where all of society is structured around the wealth of a few, where the fascists weren’t confronted and got nearly half the vote, where race somehow matters to people on a fundamental level. level in a way that it just doesn’t have here.
Recaffeinated, Anubhav Saxena Report
Unsure…the fact that you can get fired like this, the lack of paid sick leave or paid time off due to childbirth, the cost of health services…I don’t know how you do it , without having a panic attack every week.
StopIntegral, report by Anna Shvets
To find out more about this topic, we also reached out to travel writer, photographer and editor of Europe Up Close, Maria Haase. As someone who has lived in both Europe and the United States, Maria is the perfect person to talk about this topic. “I grew up in Germany, and my family traveled the United States every year in motorhomes. We went from San Francisco to New York, from Los Angeles to Florida, from San Diego to Seattle and many places in between. two,” she explained. “Although I’ve seen a lot of states, it was always through the tourist lens, and I wanted to experience the ‘real’ United States,” Maria told Bored Panda. “So I signed up for an exchange year in high school. I was placed with a host family in rural Louisiana, where my host dad was shooting squirrels for dinner, and the most big draw was going to Walmart on Saturday. Talk about culture shock! But I also met some of the nicest, friendliest people there who made this year such an amazing experience for me. And I certainly got what I was looking for: getting to know the “real America”.
To find out more about this topic, we also reached out to travel writer, photographer and editor of Europe Up Close, Maria Haase. As someone who has lived in both Europe and the United States, Maria is the perfect person to talk about this topic. “I grew up in Germany, and my family traveled the United States every year in motorhomes. We went from San Francisco to New York, from Los Angeles to Florida, from San Diego to Seattle and many places in between. two,” she explained.
“Although I’ve seen a lot of states, it was always through the tourist lens, and I wanted to experience the ‘real’ United States,” Maria told Bored Panda. “So I signed up for an exchange year in high school. I was placed with a host family in rural Louisiana, where my host dad was shooting squirrels for dinner, and the most big draw was going to Walmart on Saturday. Talk about culture shock! But I also met some of the nicest, friendliest people there who made this year such an amazing experience for me. And I certainly got what I was looking for: getting to know the “real America”.
Moved to the US from Europe 5 months ago. What struck me the most is that you have to drive everywhere and that everyone calls me soft-spoken… In Europe, I was perceived as noisy.
un-BowedBentBroken layer ratio
“After a short stay in Germany, I returned to the United States,” explained Maria. “This time I ended up at a small international college in San Diego, where I met my current husband. Because of him, I got ‘stuck’ in San Diego. There are definitely worse places to stay. stuck than San Diego.” We asked Maria what were the main differences she observed between the United States and Europe. “The culture clash between the United States and Germany is not so obvious, but it exists and surprises you,” she shared. “Americans are much more focused on the individual while Germans tend to focus on benefiting the whole community.” “One stereotype that I found very true was the different cliques in high school,” she added. “Before moving to the United States, I always thought it was a movie cliché, but it turned out to be a reality when I did my last year in the United States.”
“After a short stay in Germany, I returned to the United States,” explained Maria. “This time I ended up at a small international college in San Diego, where I met my current husband. Because of him, I got ‘stuck’ in San Diego. There are definitely worse places to stay. stuck than San Diego.”
We asked Maria what were the main differences she observed between the United States and Europe. “The culture clash between the United States and Germany is not so obvious, but it exists and surprises you,” she shared. “Americans are much more focused on the individual while Germans tend to focus on benefiting the whole community.”
“One stereotype that I found very true was the different cliques in high school,” she added. “Before moving to the United States, I always thought it was a movie cliché, but it turned out to be a reality when I did my last year in the United States.”
I have been to the United States several times and I have never had a bad encounter. Lots of really nice people, really nice interactions. foreign.
As a foreigner watching, labor rights and health care are absolutely nonsense to me and a crying disgrace to some of the kindest and most generous people I have come in contact with as a foreigner .
Sylviabutler04, Sam Lion Report
As someone who has traveled to America many times and absolutely loves many aspects of the country, especially the scenery, national parks, and food. I can say that for me the United States is a beautiful country with lots of great places and lots of great people. But everything you need from a country to make life enjoyable when you live there is lacking, unless you’re rich.
We were also curious if there were any misconceptions about the United States that Maria wanted to dispel. “I think one of the biggest misconceptions about the United States is thinking of it as one culture,” she said. “Yeah, they’re all Americans, but someone from California versus someone from Louisiana probably has as much common culture as a Swede with someone from Italy. There are so many different cultures in the United States. that it is impossible to think of it as a common culture.”
We were also curious if there were any misconceptions about the United States that Maria wanted to dispel. “I think one of the biggest misconceptions about the United States is thinking of it as one culture,” she said. “Yeah, they’re all Americans, but someone from California versus someone from Louisiana probably has as much common culture as a Swede with someone from Italy. There are so many different cultures in the United States. that it is impossible to think of it as a common culture.”
Expensive health care. I who fought cancer for 2 years with free medical care in Norway, I would have been destroyed in the United States. I can rather say that I could not imagine a life in the United States, because I would have died there and lost my life.
Productive1990, Report by Karolina Grabowska
Big. Big country, big cars, big buildings, big voices, big personalities, big ambitions, the Big Apple, Big Sky Country, Big Sur. Big portions.
HoneyGlazedBadger, report by Charles Parker
Finally, we asked Maria if she preferred one country or continent over another. “When you’ve experienced multiple countries for long periods of time, you’ll get a unique perspective on the pros and cons of both,” she told Bored Panda. “As a small business owner, I am grateful for the ease with which the United States makes it easy for me to run my business. On the other hand, I wish the United States had more of a safety net social and more progressive politics. Each country has things they do extremely well, and other things they could learn from other countries. I love living in San Diego, but I also hope to spend more time in Germany in the next two years from Maria, be sure to check out Europe Up Close here.
Finally, we asked Maria if she preferred one country or continent over another. “When you’ve experienced multiple countries for long periods of time, you’ll get a unique perspective on the pros and cons of both,” she told Bored Panda. “As a small business owner, I am grateful for the ease with which the United States makes it easy for me to run my business. On the other hand, I wish the United States had more of a safety net social and more progressive politics. Each country has things they do extremely well, and other things they could learn from other countries. I love living in San Diego, but I also hope to spend more time in Germany in the next two years.
If you want information on Maria’s travels, be sure to check out Europe Up Close here.
Impossible to generalize. To the best of my knowledge, it varies enormously from place to place, between socio-political and economic backgrounds, and between different groups. He seems to have every good thing and every horrible thing imaginable. Overall I would say the standard of living is comparable, and in the grand scheme of things world class, but if things go wrong, life becomes hell, and when things are going well, they are going brilliantly. If it helps, I really found visiting America to be a lot of fun and I discovered that most Americans are nice people and you have this sense of optimism and hope, which I appreciate really.
He seems to have every good thing and every horrible thing imaginable.
Overall I would say the standard of living is comparable, and in the grand scheme of things world class, but if things go wrong, life becomes hell, and when things are going well, they are going brilliantly.
If it helps, I really found it fun to visit America and found that most Americans are nice people, and you have that feeling of optimism and hope, which I really appreciate.
PayNoNoticeOfMe, MART PRODUCTION Report
One of the comments on this Reddit thread referred to the United States as “essentially 50 countries under a trench coat”, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Europeans often don’t want the whole continent of Europe generalized, and that’s understandable, as there is a huge variety of countries, cultures, languages and landscapes here. But if we try to think of the United States in the same way, it starts to make a little more sense. Depending on what state and city you live in, you might have a very different experience than someone else living thousands of miles away. I mean, Alaska and Hawaii are both the United States, and those certainly feel like different countries. Yes, some problems are prevalent everywhere. I’ll be the first to address issues of health, inequality, lack of public transit, guns and more. But I have to agree with one of the comments on this post that the US is probably “pretty ordinary”. I never spent my days worrying about getting shot in public or ending up in the hospital with a $100,000 bill. For the most part, life wasn’t that different there, and I have to admit, I was happy.
One of the comments on this Reddit thread referred to the United States as “essentially 50 countries under a trench coat”, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Europeans often don’t want the whole continent of Europe generalized, and that’s understandable, as there is a huge variety of countries, cultures, languages and landscapes here. But if we try to think of the United States in the same way, it starts to make a little more sense. Depending on what state and city you live in, you might have a very different experience than someone else living thousands of miles away. I mean, Alaska and Hawaii are both the United States, and those certainly feel like different countries.
Yes, some problems are prevalent everywhere. I’ll be the first to address issues of health, inequality, lack of public transit, guns and more. But I have to agree with one of the comments on this post that the US is probably “pretty ordinary”. I never spent my days worrying about getting shot in public or ending up in the hospital with a $100,000 bill. For the most part, life wasn’t that different there, and I have to admit, I was happy.
Seems like the social ladder is just stretched too far. It is better to be a cashier in Europe than in the United States, better to be a software developer in the United States than in Europe. I definitely prefer Europe in this regard, although I know for a fact that I would earn three times as much in the United States. imo It’s just part of the social contract that those at the bottom should be able to live their lives with dignity, even if it’s at the “expense” of those at the top. That’s not the only reason, among other things American work culture would overwhelm me, 8 hours work, 8 hours leisure, 8 hours sleep, that’s how it should be. And I’m not about to burn the midnight oil and burn out and have no life outside of my job just because “that’s how things work here” perspective too depressing for me. (at will the law is crazy by the way) That said, it’s on my bucketlist to visit it one day. It seems like a lovely country for sightseeing, but working and living there is not very appealing.
I definitely prefer Europe in this regard, although I know for a fact that I would earn three times as much in the United States. imo It’s just part of the social contract that those at the bottom should be able to live their lives with dignity, even if it’s at the “expense” of those at the top. That’s not the only reason, among other things American work culture would overwhelm me, 8 hours work, 8 hours leisure, 8 hours sleep, that’s how it should be. And I’m not about to burn the midnight oil and burn out and have no life outside of my job just because “that’s how things work here” perspective too depressing for me. (at will the law is crazy by the way)
That said, it’s on my bucket list to visit one day. It seems like a lovely country for sightseeing, but working and living there is not very appealing.
AndyBales Midnight Believer Report
On the other hand, I admit that my quality of life has certainly improved since I moved to Europe. I enjoyed my life in the United States a lot, and some things were of course easier, like making friends and feeling more comfortable wherever I went, knowing that I “fit in”. But living in cities where I can walk, cycle or take the bus wherever I need to go has changed my life. Not to mention it has made me so much healthier, and I’m spending so much more time outside enjoying a nice day on my commute to and from work. Many things are also simply simpler. After spending a week in the hospital incredibly sick with sepsis, I didn’t have to pay a penny. My insurance covered it with no problem. When I caught Covid, my employer gave me a paid week off with no questions asked or pressured to start work before I was healthy. I was definitely used to the toxic work culture, the hustle culture, and the idea that everyone having a car is just a necessary evil when I lived in the United States, but my perspective has definitely changed since I moved.
On the other hand, I admit that my quality of life has certainly improved since I moved to Europe. I enjoyed my life in the United States a lot, and some things were of course easier, like making friends and feeling more comfortable wherever I went, knowing that I “fit in”. But living in cities where I can walk, cycle or take the bus wherever I need to go has changed my life. Not to mention it has made me so much healthier, and I’m spending so much more time outside enjoying a nice day on my commute to and from work.
Many things are also simply simpler. After spending a week in the hospital incredibly sick with sepsis, I didn’t have to pay a penny. My insurance covered it with no problem. When I caught Covid, my employer gave me a paid week off with no questions asked or pressured to start work before I was healthy. I was definitely used to the toxic work culture, the hustle culture, and the idea that everyone having a car is just a necessary evil when I lived in the United States, but my perspective has definitely changed since I moved.
I don’t understand how you let Roe v Wade be overruled. “Yes, we want to force women to have illegal abortions or carry pregnancies to term, whatever harm that will cause. Because once you’re pregnant, you don’t matter.’Edit: I know Roe v Wade mandates access to safe medical abortion. You know that not everyone living in states that decides to remove this right has the ability or desire to pack their bags and move to another place where pregnant women are not discriminated against.
“Yes, we want to force women to have unsafe illegal abortions or carry pregnancies to term, whatever harm that will cause. Because once you’re pregnant, you don’t matter.
Edit: I know Roe v Wade mandates access to safe medical abortion. You know that not everyone living in states that decides to remove this right has the ability or desire to pack their bags and move to another place where pregnant women are not discriminated against.
Honestly, I’ve always been very grateful that I don’t live in the United States, it’s because of the things I see in the media. (Health costs, politics) I know there are also so many reasons why people love it, but for me it would be how you can go from a beach to the mountains to big cities and even to tropical, desert and winter climates without leaving the country. It’s pretty cool.
Artesian Optimism, Spencer Davis Report
There are pros and cons to living anywhere, and I sometimes miss certain aspects of the United States. For example, in the cities where I have lived, people are so friendly and kind. I sometimes miss chatting with a cashier at Trader Joe’s about all the new products I have to try and my enthusiasm for seasonal items. (Okay, on my list of things I miss, Trader Joe’s has to be at the top. Coffee creamer is in the second box.) But the Europeans have it pretty good too. So no matter where you come from, I ask that you approach this list with an open mind. No nation or continent is a monolith, and we have no way of knowing what everyone around us is experiencing. Keep voting for answers you agree with, and we look forward to reading your own thoughts in the comments. Is the grass greener on the other side?
There are pros and cons to living anywhere, and I sometimes miss certain aspects of the United States. For example, in the cities where I have lived, people are so friendly and kind. I sometimes miss chatting with a cashier at Trader Joe’s about all the new products I have to try and my enthusiasm for seasonal items. (Okay, on my list of things I miss, Trader Joe’s has to be at the top. Coffee creamer is in the second box.) But the Europeans have it pretty good too. So no matter where you come from, I ask that you approach this list with an open mind. No nation or continent is a monolith, and we have no way of knowing what everyone around us is experiencing. Keep voting for answers you agree with, and we look forward to reading your own thoughts in the comments. Is the grass greener on the other side?
I am Norwegian. I have many American friends. Most are musicians. They usually don’t have health care and instead work hand to mouth. No savings. Conversely, most of these people have toured and seen things, so they’re progressive and awesome. They are not the norm, however. I imagine that life in the United States is more difficult, dangerous and a little more chaotic than in the euro. But there is also an entrepreneurial spirit that I admire. You are all very positive.
DarkPasta, report by Nicola Barts
Dangerous. Dangerous to send a child to school, dangerous for said child to walk to school alone or use public transport. Dangerous to walk or ride a bike anywhere you want – car without curb, car will hit you while crossing the street or riding a bike random attacks, trespass by mistake and attack, it doesn’t matter. Dangerous to leave the front door unlocked. Dangerous to speak openly; someone will be offended by the pronouns you use, the ideas you express, the way you look at them, look at them, don’t look at them…something; you will be harassed, sued, attacked, canceled, something. Dangerous to be black. Dangerous to go to college if your parents can’t afford it; you could enslave yourself for life. Dangerous of getting hurt or getting sick, or even getting pregnant. You could lose your job, go into debt, be unable to afford proper care, and die from entirely preventable things that don’t kill anyone in the developed world. It is dangerous to drink tap water. Just… dangerous.
Dangerous to send a child to school, dangerous to make him walk to school alone or use public transport.
Dangerous to walk or cycle anywhere you want – car without curbs, car will hit you while crossing the street or cycling sideways, random attacks, trespassing by mistake and getting attacked, whatever.
Dangerous to leave the front door unlocked.
Dangerous to speak openly; someone will be offended by the pronouns you use, the ideas you express, the way you look at them, look at them, don’t look at them…something; you will be harassed, sued, attacked, canceled, something.
Dangerous to go to university if your parents cannot afford it; you could enslave yourself for life.
Dangerous to hurt or get sick, or even to be pregnant. You could lose your job, go into debt, be unable to afford proper care, and die from entirely preventable things that don’t kill anyone in the developed world.
Shit. 99% like everywhere else but the extremes are more extreme. Extreme violence in nature and people. Extreme wealth and poverty. Extreme differences. It’s not really a country but a conglomeration of very different countries.
99% like everywhere else but the extremes are more extreme. Extreme violence in nature and people. Extreme wealth and poverty. Extreme differences. It’s not really a country but a conglomeration of very different countries.
British person here, I think the houses would be really nice and spacious for the price of a small British house. However, I also think artificial foods would be everywhere and unnecessary amounts of fat would be present in most foods. I feel like people would obsess over my accent or make fun of it by saying “bo ole of wo a” and their classic tea and crumpet joke. FYI: I don’t like crumpets and I don’t drink tea unruly
melon699, Horizon Content Report
Dangerous and strange beliefs and laws (lgbtq, guns, abortion), screwed up politicians, a country where Trump could become president and – this worries me the most – could become president again. A place I would never feel comfortable living in (I’ve been there many times and even have friends there).
it’s such a mixed bag of everything. The United States values libertarian thought to such a degree that you will find literally every cultural subset, political idea, food, and religion. Even legal codes vary incredibly from state to state. I could theoretically legally buy semi-automatic rifles and huge amounts of marijuana in one state, then cross an arbitrary open border and people will treat you like a terrorist there if caught. It’s just what the founding fathers wanted, mind you, just the perfect amount of nuts I guess. Honestly, this country is really f*****g stressful as f**k and you have to have a lot of context and reasoning and awareness not to piss people off and see the good in America. Living in a blue state is totally different from living in a red state. Definitely a lot to s**t about for sure.
Honestly, this country is really f*****g stressful as f**k and you have to have a lot of context and reasoning and awareness to not piss people off and see the good in America. Living in a blue state is totally different from living in a red state. Definitely a lot to s**t about for sure.
Artistic-Wolverine16, Life Matters Report
I imagine the distances are enormous, the life in the unpopulated areas extremely calm but not like what is called rural in Europe and all the rest, as well as the life in the cities, a bit artificial, as if devoid of tradition . It’s also very clear that your streets aren’t 400 years old and the suburbs were built very quickly to accommodate a lot of people. I have 2 very very close, almost relatives, living in Seattle and all I see of them is not like social media they just work to have a quiet comfortable life but the social media side of the United States is always excess, consumption and interaction- agriculture. Also, I try not to rely on these prejudices because the country has 330 million inhabitants, 1% is already 3.3 million inhabitants which means that everything is massively amplified even if it is not is only 0.5% of the population that does. I also think your country has the greatest potential to reward your hard work but the safety net is weak and I think few people have responsible financial education which neither do my people but our safety net seems a lot more solid
My worst nightmare, no health care, no gun control, no job security, no labor laws at least no properly functioning labor laws, Karens, irresponsibility everywhere but being irrationally about their children almost as if they were porcelain, overall just awful
All my American friends are highly educated and middle to upper class, they still have it as well. I know they’re far from the norm, but if you have skills that are in high demand, the opportunities are nearly endless, it seems.
D-Rez Report, Oladimeji Ajegbile
Not much different for the most part, just a few small differences with supermarkets and restaurants obviously, no more reliance on the bit sucky car, no ‘free’ college or healthcare. Everyday life would not change.
Note: This post originally contained 63 images. It was shortened to the top 29 images based on user votes.
