American Reacts To: 18 Cultural Differences between the US & Europe

1. Paying to use bathrooms is usually only in private businesses, there are also public bathrooms that, for the most part, are free to use. Of course there are exceptions in both cases where private businesses offer their facilities for free while some public bathrooms cost money to use. Personally I find it quite weird to bring this up in a comparison video, but hey, to each his own I guess. 2. Water is generally free, I'm not sure what he's on about here. I've traveled to most European nations and only rarely had to pay for water, usually only in upscale/high-end restaurants. Sounds more like he repeatedly fell for various tourist schemes. 3. Older buildings are commonplace in Europe, my office is situated in a building from 1721, when I look out my window I see a church built in the early 1100's, and when I take a walk I often pass by the local castle which was built in the mid 15th century. 4. Gas is expensive, as of today the average gas price in Sweden is 17,90 SEK per Liter. That is $7.40 USD per Gallon. 5. Yes we say Football, or some variation thereof, depending on the local language. 6. That is NOT a standard Coke can, that is like Airplane size. And Ketschup is free 99% of the time (except for expensive high-end restaurants), and it comes in all manner of packages, glass bottles are rare. 7. Smoking is NOT considered cool in Europe, although we do indeed have a higher percentage of smokers. Most young people actually consider it gross, according to the European health interview survey. The proportion of daily smokers in the EU in 2014 ranged from 8.7 % in Sweden to 27 % in Greece and Bulgaria. 8. "Always dress to impress" might be taking it a step too far, but no, in general people don't leave the house in sweatpants. 9. In 2016, more than 80 % of the adult working-age population of the EU with a tertiary level of education knew at least one foreign language. 10. The EU has set a goal of a circular economy where everything gets recycled, as of 2018 about 66% of packaging waste is recycled, but only 39% of Electronic waste gets properly recycled. 11. A Euro-coin can range in value from 1 ¢, 2 ¢, 5 ¢, 10 ¢, 20 ¢, 50 ¢, 1 € up to 2 €. 12. Most toilets that I've seen in Europe has this function. It saves a lot of water over the course of a year. And sinks can vary greatly in size, it mostly depends on how big or small the bathroom is. 13. Electric cars are becoming more and more popular in Europe, in 2020, 11.4% of all cars sold were electric vehicles, still as of december 2020, only 1% of all cars in Europe are fully electric. 14. Again, this can vary greatly depending on the area, most cities and built up area has at least one trash can every 200-300 feet or so. And they generally don't look like the ones he showed in the video, that type of trash can usually belongs to a building nearby and was most likely put out there on that specific day in order for the trash collectors to be able to come pick it up with their garbage truck. 15. Yeah, I don't have much to add to this one. Signs are usually on the corner of buildings in urban areas. 16. Enjoying the meal and the company for a while should not be a strange thing when you "GO OUT TO EAT WITH FRIENDS" 🤔 17. When half the continent snows over for like 4 months out of the year you tend to appreciate good weather more. I'm not sure what phones have to do with anything? 18. Yeah, when you don't see socialism as "the work of the devil" as America seem to do, you get to have nice things like strong unions, good work benefits and decent labor laws.

[@pasi4118]

Pretty much the same wiew, as a Finn. We will soon have petrol 2€/L

[@musefan12345]

Very nicely summed up and well put together comment. The guy on the video is definitely not giving out correct information.

[@Onnarashi]

"7. Smoking is NOT considered cool in Europe, although we do indeed have a higher percentage of smokers." Actually, most European countries have a lower percentage of smokers than the USA. The figures I saw showed only Greece and neighbouring Balkan countries having a higher percentage of smokers.

@@Onnarashi interesting. I'm sure I read somewhere that only around 10% of the US population were smokers. But I might be mistaken.

[@johnwellbelove148]

In Portsmouth there is a network of businesses that have signed up to allowing anyone, not just customers, to use their toilet facilities for free.

[@brianfallon2607]

When I was being transferred to my company's Brussels office (from the US), the HR department called me in to tell me about the new conditions I would have in Europe. Midway through the presentation, I broke out laughing. I couldn't believe the differences. The idea that I could take two consecutive weeks off and spend it in another country was completely new to me. Anyway, after about 3 months, I decided I didn't want to go back to the US. Btw, the guy speaking in the video is totally wrong about smoking, at least about northern Europe.

[@peterang6912]

I think it's a old video

[@andrecostermans7109]

you are right, smoking is not in any way cool in W- Europe now , but it is more accepted in E-Europe , anyhow tobacco sails are dropping fast

[@bambina5604]

@@andrecostermans7109 smoking is more accepted in France than E-Europe, especially among women

[@andrecostermans7109]

@@bambina5604 won't argue about that , in Belgium as I see young people smoking about 70% are young women ! but it is not quite accepted , the total numbers of smokers is decreasing

[@Kivas_Fajo]

@@andrecostermans7109 Yep, if there is no wind you need no sails.

[@ruthietube]

I live in a village in the UK, our local church is over 800 years old , it's still in use .the first vicar was in 1258... That's normal here .

[@nuriabosqued7868]

My town was founded officially by the Romans more than 2000 years ago. I think that’s pretty normal all across Europe, to know and cherish the past and its remains.

[@peterscott9137]

Yeh, in Edinburgh i live in "The New Town"... It's Georgian

[@darthrevan6171]

i live in a smal town in sweden. our church was built right after the viking age and we still use it. Also the door has some holes after being shoot by the danes

[@Mugtree]

Yeap here too. My village is 900 years old 👍

[@Someloke8895]

He's not still going is he?

[@anettedanielsson3405]

It’s impossible to compare all European countries like this, there are too many differences between them all. But I agree that there in general are huge differences between Europe and the States. In Sweden we have 6 weeks vacation, great public transportations everywhere (you don’t need a car) and it’s very clean. We recycle a lot, enviromental thinking is very common and we even pick up poop from our dogs (we must according to our law)!!

[@lotus460]

No, we have 5 weeks (25 days) by law in Sweden. If you get one week more you’re just lucky

[@anettedanielsson3405]

@@lotus460 You’re right. I’m one of the lucky ones.

[@stephanweinberger]

@@anettedanielsson3405 But to add some more nuance: in the US sick leave is usually taken from your vacation days, whereas in Europe sick days are strictly separate from vacation (and usually unlimited). Also public holidays are not counted as vacation days in Europe, so even if you only get 5 weeks of vacation, you usually end up with 6 weeks worth of free days per year. Also vacation in Europe is 100% payed, whereas free days in the US are often not payed.

[@anettedanielsson3405]

@@stephanweinberger Another thing to remember is parental leave. In Sweden we get 480 days. Don’t know about the rest of Europe and USA.

[@larsgadell5016]

@@stephanweinberger In Sweden those 5 weeks are at 110% pay, just to rub some salt in those US sores.

[@chrisellis3797]

Hi Tysheen. The important but missing part about the 6 weeks annual leave is that it is also PAID leave. You are also expected to take it and in a lot of cases in the UK they will force you to do so if you haven't taken it yet.

[@kinga_a0227]

This is soooo true, same here in the Netherlands.

[@johnsimmons5951]

In my last company you had to have at least one vacation of 10 working days and use all of your 30 day allowance by the end of the year, otherwise you could face disciplinary action. The requirement to take at least 10 days off was an anti fraud thing.

[@heidifarstadkvalheim4952]

It looks like that vacasion is almost the same in all Europa. Thats nice! Im from Norway and its the same here. And we MUST take vacation -he he

[@JacobBax]

@@kinga_a0227 I think 20 days is madatory. My employer gave 25 plus an extra 5 for my age. 1 vacation was by law minimum 2 weeks, but it was in most cases not enforced at my company. In The Netherlands that is. If you had hours left at the end of the year, it was transfered to the following year. In times there was not much work I heard some of my co workers were send home for 5 weeks some even more.

[@ThePixel1983]

Also, sick days are separate. In Germany, it's only after 6 weeks of sickness that your pay gets cut to two thirds. But those aux weeks aren't per year, but per case. I once had to stay home for 4 weeks because of a stomach bug. Full pay.

[@sandraback7809]

I was chatting with a retired American who had been enjoying a few weeks holiday here in the UK. The gentleman had just handed back his hire car as he was about to return home. One comment he made was that the fuel price was really not much different to what he paid ‘back home’. I asked if he was aware the price was per litre not gallons? His face was a picture as it dawned on him he had been paying over 3x the price. Bless!

[@kornaros96]

You should also reminded him that imperial gallons equal 4,5L roughly, instead of the 3,8 of the American one...

[@thedude9014]

Wtf is gallon!?!

[@alterego3590]

@@thedude9014 it is from outer space !

[@alexnavarro6941]

If a castle 500 years older than America sounds impressive for you, just wait: there is a lighthouse in Spain that has been working for 1800 years, and is still active today.

[@bjorreb7487]

And there is a company in Sweden that was written about 1288 AD and a hotel in Japan owned by the same family and on the same address since 705 AD

[@bobbyshaftowenttosea5410]

Imagine Tysheen saying gas is far far too expensive in NYC, then quoting a price that every European would think as unbelievably low!!

[@AlexEwan1]

Gas/Petrol is cheap in the USA compared to just about anywhere in Europe. She would go into shock if she saw the prices here in the UK.

[@kiliandjfilms]

This, in western europe, gasoline is double the average price of the usa. people would be ecstatic to pay for a tank of gas what they do in the usa. Filling up my honda civic costs me over 60€ (68usd)

[@Chivaltic]

Before the 1973 Oil Crisis gallon of gas cost 39 cents US. Everything after that is expensive...

[@jordi95]

French people cross the border to Spain to get "cheap gas" here in Spain , it's still 1.4€/l , which is double than the average in the US 🤣

[@ChiaraVet]

Cheap gasoline encourages using the car, therefore contributes to pollution. Plus, it's cheap because there are no taxes on it, but the car drivers should contribute via taxes in maintaining the streets and roads they use daily. In most European countries the prices are so high because of the taxes to cover road maintenance and to discourage people from using the car all the time. I live in a big city in Germany and I never need to use the car inside the city. Cycling and public transport is way cheaper and easier.

[@sonosoloio]

2:10 are you surprised that some buildings are older than 500 years? I live in Rome (Italy, for those who absurdly don't know where it is) and the city was founded about 2700 years ago and it's not even the oldest city in the world. 10:15 my annual holidays amount to 36 days and in a holiday period there are no Sundays or public holidays (yes, plural) but only working days are counted, so if I take 2 weeks of holidays from the total 36 days they only take away 10.

[@MrQ454]

in fact there were about 800 years old (500 years old than those of USA!)

[@GiwrgosCh1511]

And imagine that Athens (3400 years) is an older than Rome

[@JacobBax]

@sonosoloio that 36 day's is including ADV?

[@sonosoloio]

@@JacobBax I'm sorry but I don't know what ADVs are

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Dublin is 888 AD

[@JuhnuZ]

Yeah the vacations are longer here. The EU mandates that every country guarantees at least 4 weeks of vacation for everyone but many countries like France and the nordic countries have more. Note that this is the absolute minimum and your work place can give more. Apparently USA is the only industrialized country where the government does not mandate a single day of paid vacation. And if you think fuel is expensive in New York, you are in for a shock. Just checked it and fuel where I'm from is over 7 times more expensive. Gas prices are artificially driven up to discourage driving. You know to reduce CO2.

[@davidpelc]

Here in Czech Republic we have four weeks by law, but most of employers are giving 5 weeks of payed holidays as standard. And of course sick days are not counted as holiday, but they are extra and also payed, and then if you are sick for longer time its also payed by state. ;)

[@dirkspatz3692]

Currently (in my town in Germany) 1L regular (cheapest gas) costs 1.579€. a US-Gallon is 3.785L, Gas Price for one Gallon would be 5.98€ (or $6.77).

[@Onnarashi]

I'm in Norway, where some of these points don't apply. We don't use Euros, for one, although our currency has coins worth a little over $2 each. I've also never seen ketchup in those tiny glass bottles. We usually have them in small plastic packets or "cups". Paying for bathrooms is a thing, although moreso in bigger cities I think, where there are more people as well as tourists. You'll find the public toilets that cost money in smaller cities too, but I also think you can go to the bathroom for free in restaurants, bars and clubs. The biggest thing I disagree with is that smoking is seen as cool or fashionable. Simply not true, at least not in Norway, and I doubt it's seen as very cool or fashionable in most of Europe in 2022. We DO have anti-smoking campaigns, not just here in Norway, but in other European countries too. I saw a statistic on smoking internationally, and smoking was more popular in the USA than in almost every single European country, aside from Greece and neighbouring Balkan countries.

[@larsgadell5016]

All three of those are generally in the south and east of Europe. Think south of the Alps and East of Germany and you have a somewhat true divide.

[@andreehobrak1425]

Jeg have never paid for the bathroom either in Norway or in Denmark. You have to get down to Germany where you have to pay.

[@Drusille]

also paid toilet are extra clean ( usually in areas were lots of ppl use them , like train stations)

[@clastos]

My own city was created as a roman colony 2242 years ago, so my city is 2242 years old. There are in Spain many older tan mine. The oldest city that remains currently in Spain is Mahon in the Balearic Islands, it was created 3622 years ago. Sometimes we discover roman, fenician, arabic remainders when underground constructions are done by City Hall.

[@larsgadell5016]

In the US things are considered antique after about 40 years......

[@davidpelc]

We in Bohemia (today part of Czech Republic) weren´t part of anciet Roman empire, in those time we were part of so called Germania Libera, so our cities are relatively modern (just around 1000 year), there are some 2300 years old Celtic oppidums, but they were mre like huge fortresses than cities, but still even 1000 old cities are comparing to american ones extremely old ;)

[@clastos]

@@davidpelc My country oldest human settlement known as "Los Millares" near Almeria, was built 5.200 years ago, but it does not exist anymore. There are some archeological remainders left.

[@davidpelc]

@@clastos sure, there are also settlements old more than 5000 years, but of course they don't exist today. Actualy even in America are thousands years old settlements from pre Columbus era. 😉

[@clastos]

@@davidpelc Yes of course...The Incaic, mayan, aztec civilizations, etc...they were discovered it in XV century but they are very ancient...Were discovered some hundreds of years after Vikings discovered and settled in Greenland and North America. I think first inhabitants of America arrived from Siberia through the Bering Strait that it seems it was very shallow then. This is not a rivalry, I only said that as an historical reference.

[@ssanti66]

I'm from Italy, and I get six weeks off each year, plus national holydays. Sick leave is unlimited, at least for the first 6 months each year. I've been watching this same kind of videos lately, and I really feel sorry for U.S. citizens. They are treated very poorly by their government.

[@toffeyfay6467]

I have to agree. Love the states, but wouldn't want to live there permanentely. The US doesn't really care of it's own citizens. Work-Live-Balance is so much better here in Europe and many other countries.

[@enowilson]

@eyes wide shut I agree down the line. US citizens get what they vote for. If they vote republican, it's each stick holds its candle. If they vote democrat, it's almost the same. US citizens need more politicians like Bernie Sanders to get some rights that are fundamental and out-of-the-question in Europe. Free (or very affordable) health care? Public transportation? Care for the environment? Healthy food? No fear of guns when walking around? Quality public education? Good and in shape infrastructures? You get all that in (most of) Europe (OK, we are not perfect) paying less taxes than in the States.

[@happyexpat3744]

Americans, as I am one and know, believe that any public healthcare program or free , is "COMMUNISM/SOCIALISM" and those words are vietate in the USA because so many Americans are rather naive about anything outside the USA. I also live in Italy in the house my grandfather was born in....though all 4 of my grandparents were born here...from Bolzano to Parma to Lerici to Salerno and I've been coming here since I was 3 and now, live here and am married, here. A presto!

[@suzannekeil3170]

Yes America is very backwards in their payment and treatment of workers. Australia gets a minimum of 4 weeks paid leave and 8 public holidays. 2 weeks is just awful!

[@kapsaline]

Estonia also atleast 4 weeks paid but many get more. Teachers for example get about 2 months

[@personalcheeses8073]

@@kapsaline That’s teachers everywhere isn’t it? Or if there is a scamdemic they can have year off

[@grahvis]

Other than a handful of small island countries, the USA is the only country in the world where workers do not have a legal right to paid annual leave.

[@ohauss]

I remember when I was in graduate school in the US. My grandma had died back in Germany and I asked for some extra vacation. The dean told me that it was their experience you can't do good science on more than three weeks of absence per year. I really had to bite my tongue not to ask him where the German Nobel laureates came from if that was the case.

[@andrecostermans7109]

@@ohauss omg 😮😮, you are so right , that dean must have been a nitwit !

[@ΑπόλλωνΘηρευτής]

No 19 - Don't mentioned the free for all education system No 20 - Don't mentioned the free for all health care system No 21 - Europe is not only Germany France or UK, there are also Poland, Croatia, Portugal, Chech R., Greece, Serbia, Spain, Ukrain, Russia, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and so many more beautiful countries with unique history and culture.

[@gabbe1978]

lol its not free we pay shit loads of taxes for it

[@RaduRadonys]

@@gabbe1978 Yet less than Americans, considering that in US there is an entire business around student loans. It's like 50.000 dollars to study in an university. And about the health care, the insurance in US is much bigger than our tax and yet they still have to pay out of pocket like 5.000 dollars for a broken leg. So that "shit loads of taxes" is really inaccurate and misleading.

[@romanvician9045]

Slovakia :)

[@kevanwillis4571]

Petrol/gasoline in Norway is three times the price of New York's. Restaurants in Europe don't normally charge for tap water.

[@georgeshaw6374]

If they sell alcohol they are legally required to provide tap water for free

[@ravanpee1325]

Restaurants in Germany always makes the money with the beverages and not with the food. So it's kinda cheap to expect free water

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Tap water isn’t free in Denmark.

[@atomictsarina4378]

I'm from Poland and we have here 26 vacation days so it basically gives you 5 weeks. You can combine it with public holidays and you will have 39 free-from-work days in a year. And as far as I know, there are countries in Europe that have more :)

[@GdzieJestNemo]

+unlimited sickdays, 2day blood donation and dozen of one offs like wedding, funreal, sick kid etc days

[@geordieboy8945]

I've just retired [UK] and can confirm that holiday/vacation allowances are much better in Europe. I used to get 6 weeks holiday not including bank/national holidays which I could lump together as an extra week. That still left extra Christmas and new year days off to add to the balance. Also, I had the option to buy an extra weeks holiday, with the cost being spread out over the year. So, in total, around 8+ weeks off. I doubt someone in retail, as I was, would get that in the U.S.

[@Simon-hb9rf]

most of this video is either incorrect or intentionally deceptive, as in the "standard size coke can" that is a novelty size sold only in some stores and mostly for children, whoever made this video would've be very aware of that and would've walked past normal cans to get the novelty size.

[@juneoconnor4503]

I'm a retired nurse here in England. I had 35 paid days holiday a year which went up to 37 days after 10 years. I worked for our national health service not a private hospital.

[@TysheenOrane]

Wow.

[@douglasmcclelland]

In most European countries it is the law that ALL full time employees get a MINIMUM of 4 weeks or more of paid holidays, no matter what job you do, and the government decides what is full time, not the employer. You also usually get all National holidays on top of your paid vacation. You also get unlimited sick days. If your sick your sick stay home until you are well. This has no effect on your paid vacation days.

[@gillycarpenter9280]

I'm from the UK and get 6 weeks holiday plus bank holidays (public holidays), which totals about 8 days. Christmas and Boxing Day (the day after Christmas Day), are bank holidays but because they fell on the weekend in 2021, the following Monday and Tuesday were bank holidays. The British are notoriously bad at learning languages but other Europeans make up for it by being excellent.

[@happybunny8704]

@@baylessnow Then make a choice and leave you don’t have to work that shift pattern. I worked for an American company and worked that shift pattern for years but I was well paid for it doesn’t matter if the owners are foreign they have to abide by local laws you are legally entitled to a minimum of four weeks holiday per year…

[@rickb.4168]

Which language should we learn as children? German, French, Spanish, Polish, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Czech……..come on tell us!

[@TheAxel65]

@@rickb.4168 Difficult question - as a german I choose english as my 1st foreign language and later on learned also french, spanish and some chunks of italian. This helps me to get quite well along in most northwest/southern europe. But in eastern europe I have to rely on english or german speaking natives, otherwise im lost.

[@marcuswardle3180]

@@baylessnow You can't get rid of Bank Holidays. They're mandated PUBLIC holidays. If a US firm tried to get rid of them they wouldn't have any employees at work that day. We still have the lwa which was carried over from the EU concerning working time.

[@RobertClaeson]

@@baylessnow Can't squeeze more than 48 hours per week out of people, by law in the UK (40 or less in most other countries).

[@SaturnusDK]

Btw, in many European countries when we say we have 5 or 6 weeks vacation, we actually mean we have a MANDATORY minimum of 5 or 6 weeks of PAYED vacation per year that you are REQUIRED to take. We don't mean it's time we are allowed to take off work each year but have to pay for yourself. If you try do not take the required vacation, or try to work during your vacation, you are likely to be fired from most companies. Also, if you get sick or have an accident that requires medical attention during vacation that you could not reasonably foresee it does not count against the paid vacation time. By reasonably foresee it means something like if you're having your first go at extreme down slope skiing at the age of 42 and then breaking a leg in the process then that's on you.

[@sanderjansen5187]

I am from the Netherlands, I get 5 weeks paid vacation and I can convert a maximum of 74 hours overtime to my vacation, for a 10 days of extra paid vacation. So 7 weeks a year. A 3weeks continued vacation is mandatory at my work every year. You get used to it and it is never enough 😊

[@Widdekuu91]

As a child, you have one day of Newyearsday Then you have Pinksteren 1 and 2 Then you have Pasen Then you have Goede Vrijdag Then you have Bevrijdingsdag/Liberationday Then you have 6 weeks of summer-holiday Then you have 2 weeks of autumn Then you have Sinterklaas (half a day off, I'd say, on average) Then you have 1 and 2 Kerstmis (Christmasdays) And then you have Oudjaarsdag, that might be a holiday and maybe not. On average, a child will have 10 weeks of holiday with 3 extra free days, not including any sick days or (if you have a nice teacher and a very hot/cold day) ice, snow and sun-leave. But that didn't happen often, only of the kids can't focus anymore. We'd then get ice cream together and after the ice-cream, we'd be allowed to leave early.

[@francislaverty9262]

Good day Tysheen, I'm from the UK and work as a nurse. I get 33 days paid annual leave and 8 paid bank holidays per year (41 days in total). Some of the points don't apply across Europe as stated - smoking in the UK is restricted to specific places, you cannot smoke in a bar or restaurant (or even outdoors at some establishments), water in restaurants and cafes is free if you ask for tap water (and they're obliged to provide it). Love the channel, great presenting

[@helfgott1]

Dear Lady i am an old german (bavaria) and i am a simple man. I get 30days (working days which adds up to six weeks) a year paid. Now since i was in need to get a surgery (almost totally paid by universal health care) i was not able to take my annually leave in 2021. Now for 2022 i got 60 days (so 12 weeks) of annually leave fully paid. Happy new year from bavaria 😍

[@jespernielsen7646]

From Denmark. They changed the vacation law in Denmark in 2020. So now we save up 2.5 payed vacation days a month. Totaling at 6 weeks a year. I think it is getting more and more common for employers to request that 3 of those weeks are spend during the summer. And none of them doubles as sickdays.

[@MrSpikeMilligan]

Add to the list? Around a year's paid maternity leave, plus paternity leave, decent public healthcare which is paid for in your taxes so that no one goes bankrupt just because they get ill, shorter working week. Also in the 27-nation European Union you are allowed to live and work in any other EU country (for example a Spaniard can go and live in Germany, Ireland, Sweden or wherever if they want to).

[@OttosAudio]

I liked the "Ohh?? 500 years old??" Nope ma'am, 500 years older than the United States :)

[@AlexEwan1]

I live in the UK and a lot of these fact are incorrect. Not all public toilets require payment and even when they do it is less than a Euro, more like 50 Euro Cents or 30/40 pence. We don't pay extra for condiments in restaurants, we don't get money for returning empty bottles although some coffee shops will give a small discount if you bring your own re-usable cup, many toilets just have one button although the toilets in my flat have 2 buttons, we don't take 3 hours for dinner that's more a thing in central Europe. That being said some things are true. Ours streets are clean as councils pay people to go round and clean them, in the UK by law a full time employee must be given 20 days plus 8/9 bank holidays off each year but 25 days + bank holidays is quite common. We value work life balance a lot more than they do in the USA. Also sports aren't such a big deal as in the UK unless it is a really big occasion such as the Euros which is a European football tournament held every 4 years. Overall you really can't lump all of Europe under one banner. For example Western Europe is vastly different to Eastern Europe. Things are done differently in individual European countries although there are several similarities.

[@ladykaycey]

I'm in the UK too and I'm in agreement with you. Plus you can ask for tap water in restaurants which you don't pay for. Where I live we have water rates included in our council tax but that's it. Where my brother lives they have water meters.

[@arnodobler1096]

US vs Europe, not US vs UK

[@gillianrimmer7733]

The UK is in Europe.

[@arnodobler1096]

@@gillianrimmer7733 Video Title

[@masumi1990x]

@@arnodobler1096 Europe is not a country.

[@ajt22]

I have never EVER seen ketchup in a glass bottle of that size (I thought it was a small jam jar at first). Also, toilets, I believe they should be free to use (paid for in taxes in UK) but some are, some aren't. Generally when you do pay in the UK it's up to 30 pence. My experience in France suggests everyone (women as well) just go behind a tree.

[@georgejob2156]

Smoking isn't fashionable at all,it's illegal to smoke indoors or on public transport in the UK. It's also banned to smoke in a car with a child.

[@combatduckie]

And the reason we speak several languages here in Germany is because in all regular German colleges ("Gymnasium") you are forced to learn 2 foreign languages (at least that was the case when i went to college here decades ago...), I chose English, French and Latin in College....English was mandatory, and then in addition you had to choose between French and Spanish and as 3rd language between Latin or Greek....

[@karelpetr]

I am from the Czech Republic. 4 weeks of paid vacation is mandatory. Many companies offer 5 weeks as a standard and some even more as a seniority bonus.

[@JimbalayaJones]

You are very welcome in 🇩🇪. In Germany, holidays of at least 24 days (Monday - Saturday) are required by law. But in many jobs you get more days. It depends, for example, on how long you work in the profession. In addition, with us, a vacation is actually a vacation. Nobody calls you or expects you to be available. Warm greetings from 🇩🇪

[@stephenveldhoen]

Tysheen you need to learn about European History. There is more History in Europe than in Canada and the USA because these countries are a lot younger. South America has a lot of history as well including Mexico to Panama. North America goes from Canada to Panama.

[@karlstanc4444]

Whilst living in the UK for 11yrs, I was employed full time: I worked 12 hours shift pattern: 4x day shifts, 4x days off, 4x night shifts, 4 days off. In UK we had 28 days of paid holiday per year. So, when I used only four days off of the 28 days - I already had 12 days off! With this system I literally worked 182 days per year plus I had 28 days off for holiday. So I really worked 154 days per year ( 5 months per year!) being full time employed! So I literally had 7 months off per year!! Oh, I loved this system!!!

[@JennLeeYT]

That’s like 100 more hours than a 9-5 job. Brutal 😩

[@UldAses]

@@JennLeeYT It's 8 hours more per week, 416 hours more per year, 35 hours more per month. Unless I've miscalculated?

[@markusschenkl7943]

German here. The legal minimum is 20 days vacation per year. However, most companies offer at least 25 days. The most common is probably 30 days.

[@siam9551]

500 years old is really not that old for a monument : in my city, in Italy or in Greece you find some that are around 2300 years old (in Greece mostly) or 1800 years old, from the Romans

[@58andyr]

No. Not 500 years old. 500 years older than America became a country.

[@danieled.4582]

I'm italian. The castles (the real, medieval ones) are also a thousand years old and in Rome, but not only, there are buildings of two thousand years ... Come and see them for yourself! 😎 ... and yes, we have six weeks of paid vacation and, another very important thing, if you are hospitalized you pay nothing!

[@steveweidig5373]

Public bathrooms are sometimes free, but most of the time, yes, you need to pay. However, after having seen public bathrooms in the US, the difference is night and day. Public bathrooms in Europe are generally clean and the stalls are often separate rooms and don't come with huge gaps. Most Europeans wouldn't use those public bathrooms in the US unless it's really a last resort or at gunpoint.

[@CMDRRustyDog]

First in. :) For 'smaller food portions', read 'normal food portions. :) That tin of Coke was tiny and not the normal size. Normal can is 330ml. Ketchup in a UK cafe is free. Also I don't cigarettes have been 'cool' in Europe for the last decade. Not counting the North of England who are still to catch up :) Vacation, yes. Europe has 30 days or more. UK is at least 28 days per year. Italy gives out the most. And.. France is best for free healthcare. After having a baby, they provide you with blankets etc and a free nanny to look after your baby if you need to return to work.

[@lifeissad9864]

I'm a swede in high-school. I don't know how it is in the states, but we student's get at least 9 weeks summer vacation (and we have more holidays when we're free). I'm not completely sure how long our vacation is at the moment, but when I was younger it was 10 weeks. All together we get around 16 weeks without school, a year🤷🏼‍♀️

[@octavianpopescu4776]

In Romania, we have a legal minimum of 21 days of paid vacation (out of which 10 must be consecutive... this is optional in practice, but the law does mention this) + other public holidays (14 days, but some might be on weekends, so in any year, it's unlikely you'd get all 14, but still... they do exist). Companies may give employees more than the legal minimum and yes, managers may approve or not, but overall... law is law, so you maybe you'd have to delay your holiday, but you'll still be able to take it, maybe a few days later. And in general, labor law is protective of employees. I have a double health insurance (one public + one private) so I can just choose whichever I want to use. The public one isn't conditioned by my current workplace, so if I lose my job, I still have that, since I did pay into it. The private one is from my employer. Another difference in philosophy: we don't see the employer as having any control over you outside of working hours. After those 8 hours, you can do/say whatever, it's not your employer's business and you can't be fired for it. So your political views, social media posts, etc. are not the business of the employer unless they're done during working hours. Or another thing: they're not allowed to just fire you. In practice they can go around this, if they really, really want you gone, but there are precise legal requirements to firing someone. I've seen court rulings and again, the courts tend to favor the employees... sometimes unfairly so.

[@richt71]

From the UK 28 days holiday are mandated for full workers ( 38 hour work week) plus national holidays are normal. That means you get 5 weeks paid holiday in the UK.

[@cantabilewoman]

I'm in Iceland and some of these things apply others don't. We don't have to pay for water when we go to restaurants, we do have to pay for sparkling water. Majority of us don't smoke, it's not fashionable and we grown upon seeing people smoking in the outside areas of cafe's and restaurants. There is no smoking inside public buildings, seeing people smoking outside in a storm is ridiculous. I once sang with my choir in a church in Italy that was built 990ad, the acoustics were incredible! I speak 2 languages fluently, Icelandic and English, Swedish is getting there but my reading and writing comprehension is almost fluent and I've been learning Spanish on Duolingo since COVID-19 began. We only have buses and taxi here, no trains or Uber, but they are talking about putting in a 'City line' or a type of train, which makes no sense because the area they're putting it on is relatively small. Maybe it would make sense if the tracks were underground like in New York. Usually we love to sit around after eating and talk but we are aware that if the restaurant is full and people are waiting and we get up and go pay the check, we don't pay at the table, we pay at the cash register up front so we don't have to wait for the check, some fancy and expensive restaurant offer to pay at the table but they bring the card reader with them. Tipping isn't a thing here because waiters get paid normal wages and also the 'tip' is a part of the cost of the meal if that makes sense.

[@fabioasterix750]

Hallo Iceland. Been there when I was 17. The place is wonderful, otherworldly, I remember Reykjavik, Akureyry and Vik, Volcanoes, Wild rivers, enormous Gaysers, waterfalls, the fact that there were no trees at all in the northern part, freezing ghasts of wind in summer. Wonderful. I also remember one of the worse foods I've ever tasted. It's possible the name was Graflax. I'd like to come again.. who knows? From Milan

[@ooOraindropOoo]

Hi Tysheen! I love your videos! I am from Estonia and we usually have 28 paid vacation days when you work in a private sector and 35 when you work in public sector. I work in a public sector, but at my workplace there is a motivational packet and this includes 7 more paid vacation days. So it is 42 for me. Plus where I work, we have 3 paid sick days and you don´t have to take them out when you are sick - you can use it whenever and for whatever - it is your own business. But it is recommended that you do use it when you get ill suddenly. Then you can just contact your workplace and say "I can't come in today".

[@Arcanesse]

I live in France and almost all the countries of Europe whether it is holidays (paid holidays), medical expenses, education, we are far ahead of the USA..

[@johnwilson5743]

Your USA govt subsidises your gas/petrol price. That's why the US gas prices are the cheapest in the Western world!

[@ellies3768]

Hey, I'm Italian and I have 7 weeks of holiday. I MUST take them all otherwise they'll force you to do so 🤷 I have never seen ketchup in a tiny jar like that of the video though. In all honesty, ketchup is just not a thing here except in fast foods maybe.

[@stella81t]

I just came across your channel and I can't stop watching! You are such a positive person, and I love the way you do your makeup! Such a overall beautiful person!

[@Niki91-HR]

Right from the beginning I have to say that you cant compare a country (US) with a whole continent (Europe). We do have some stuff that can be seen as the same or similar but we also have major differences when it comes to culture, customs etc. If you are a member in the EU certain stuff will eventually be the same, but those are more political and economical stuff. Some countries, due to history, can relate to each other more than others, with some countries you cant relate much at all. So certain stuff these videos about US vs Europe show wont apply to every single of 40 something countries in Europe. Paying for a restroom in my opinion doesnt suck.... with this money you also maintain the cleanliness of these places. Tap water in my country is free but if you order water be it still or sparkle , ofc you have to pay it. The place where I live in has a palace from the Roman Empire which is over 1700 years old. Although it aint anymore 100% in its original state you still have a good amount where you can see the original remains. What we can generalize though is that Europe knows how to balance the work life and private life...our work-life balance is much better than yours in the States.

[@debelix]

Da nisi možda iz Splita?

[@Niki91-HR]

@@debelix nisan rodom iz Splita al živin zadnjih 15g tu u splitskoj regiji. 😅 bit ce je odalo onih 1700g 🙈😂

[@debelix]

@@Niki91-HR Kao i izjava da nije više u 100% stanju. 😂

[@Niki91-HR]

@@debelix 😂😂😂😂 a kad i nije 🙈😅

[@marmar8604]

In Greece u don’t need to pay for the bathroom and water is free

[@bensteel3944]

OMG.. In the Uk, we have an Inn that has been serving alcohol since 560AD and is still open.

[@Steffelchen1980]

I’m from Germany and 6 weeks of paid vacation is true. You have to plan 5 weeks ahead and can hold one week back for when you spontaneously want to take time off. If you don’t have any vacation time left you can always take overtime. You are way more effective if you can catch a break every once in a while.

[@krisa990]

Yes,they missed to point out that the health care system is MUCH much cheaper and better then it is in the US...more or less free in comparison....a BIG difference!

[@ydela1961]

As many said below: 500 y for a castle is not much. That's a recent one. Count 800 as standard and it's not unusual for more. Other buildings can be much older than that. 6 weeks paid vacation, that's for the lucky ones. 4 weeks is the standard. I think the guy adds the mandatory official holidays in the balance (like 11-14 depending on the country). So, yeah, 4 weeks, that's 20 days plus 12 official holidays would count as 6 weeks or more. But nobody counts like that.

[@lavolpe7070]

In Germany nearly everyone has 30 free days in a year. that means we are counting 5 working days per week. so its 6 weeks too. the next thing is the health insurance in Germany . Here are a lot of vids from people who are living in Germany for many years and have a nice channel too. It would be nice if you react to some from them . Maybe blackforest family or James Brady. You will be surprised about all the differences and what people are used too. Lovely greetings from Germany

[@vmaxgr]

I live in Greece so i will say what applies here : #1 and #2 absolutely NOT true. Public restrooms are free to use and only few fancy restaurants will serve bottled water up front, but u can always send it back and ask for tap water which in Athens where i live its even better than the bottled one. Also it's too generic to say that Europeans love sprankling water. I don't # 3 is right, common sense. Acropolis was builty around 500BC which makes it 2000 years older than USA itself. #4 applies for some countries, unfortunately not for Greece. #5 true. In some countries going to watch a football (and NOT soccer) game is like going to war. And u don't take your children to war. #6 Total BS !!!! That guy must have visited all the wrong places. #7 Again not absolutely true. It's a fact that smokers are not targeted the way they are in USA but at most countries there are restrictions about smoking in public or private places. It's true tho that in some countries - Greece is one of them - there is a big percentage of the population that still practise that nasty habit (sadly myself included). #8 That's true. But that's a matter of taste and nowdays who cares anyway? #9 Also true especially for Northern Europeans. #10 Not true for Greece, i can't talk about other countries as i haven't lived anywhere else besides Greece and USA. #11 True and the biggest mistake they made when they made Euro our common currency. I believe people don't respect coins the way they respect banknotes. #12 True # 13 Not here. Electric cars are very expensive and the supporting network still almost non existing. #14 It's not about how many trash bins there are, it's about how well the cleaning department operates #15 There are signs on the buildings but there also sign poles everywhere. #16 In Greece meals are a way to celebrate life, u take your time.Noone will ever ask u to leave because u r taking too much time to finish your meal. #17 True #18 True. PS. Come live in Europe then u will understand what living a good life means!!!! 🙂

[@anttijarvio8790]

this is Finland. We have normally four weeks holidays in summer and one week in winter plus all religious free days off and that makes about 15 to 20 days a year. And yes, it is all on full pay. Maybe the biggest difference between Europe and the USA is that we don't measure everything in money and that health is actually more important than wealth. We even have laws about work-life balance in Europe. In most countries in Europe your boss is not allowed to call you after working hours and if he tries to e-mail you, the mails are blocked. In Europe we can afford all these things (free medical care, free education, generous vacations, wages that actually you can live on, pension pay et.c.) because taxes are not spent on an industrial military complex like in the States. If you look at what the Americans pay in fees like medical care, insurance, et.c. it comes quite near to what Europeans pay in taxes.

[@tazzz1783]

Being from Bulgaria myself I can asure you we have some of the oldest still inhabited cityes in the world, im talking about 6-7-8000 years...old. For example our capital Sofia is around 6000, Plovdiv around 8000...Varna-same.

[@JobHuntingAbroad]

I love Bulgaria, great country and especially loved Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo

[@tazzz1783]

@@JobHuntingAbroad You are welcome to revisit us :)

[@CitroTeam]

Portugal: 22 working days of vacation, paid in advance. It's the vacation allowance. Sometimes referred to as 13th month. In December you have the Christmas allowance, or 14th month. We have national and regional holidays that can vary between 12 or 15 depending on the day of the week.

[@jerrihadding2534]

Tysheen, my Swedish husband and I were married in a church over 900 years old. Our ceremony was entirely lit by candles on a blustery November day. It is NOT true that you don’t need a car in Sweden! That is true ONLY in the four large cities of Sweden. My husband and I have to drive ONE HOUR to buy groceries. Also, it is ILLEGAL to smoke in any building in Sweden and it is only permitted outside buildings in designated areas. Most parents NEVER smoke in the presence of their children - or any child and they also almost never smoke in their cars. Plus health care is paid through our taxes. I once spent 10 days in the hospital with all sorts of specialized treatments. I paid approximately $150 and that was for the price of my meals! I am originally from San Diego, California and have lived in Europe for over 30 years. As youmay guess, I am “no spring chicken” as my mother would have said. I’m 72 right now.

[@Garbox80]

Umm, I think you mean in any PUBLIC building? Of course you can smoke in your house if you want to ruin the value. But not in apartments maybe? Although I don't think we have restrictions by law on that one here in Finland (apartments, public buildings yes). The apartment complex might have forbidden smoking inside or even on your own balcony, as the smoke tend to get to your neighbors apartment too.

[@mariaberg442]

In Norway we have 5 weeks PAID vacation!We also have free education/healthcare and when you have a baby you get 1 year fully maternity leave.You can also stay home for another year (with a smeller sum)and still keep your job.Family time is prioritized and most people work 7,5 hours days.(including a 30 min.lunch break)Move to Norway!😊🇳🇴

[@bobbyshaftowenttosea5410]

Tysheen "" I only know one language ! "" ( regretfully ) 95% of the British "" I only know one language " ( proudly)

[@musefan12345]

True, but pretty much everyone outside the U.K. can speak at least 2 languages, one fluently and another at least reasonably well.

[@EnglishLad]

There is a joke British people tell themselves about Europeans: "If a European can't understand what you are saying in English, speak louder and start waving your arms around. They will magically understand." It's not true, obviously, but it exemplifies the blasé attitudes of many British holidaymakers.

[@musefan12345]

@@EnglishLad I have to laugh at those British tourists you see on holiday in Spain or Italy, complaining along the lines of “does no one speak English round ‘ere?”

[@markwtal9453]

You get at least 4 weeks of payed vacation in the EU country's. I'm from Germany and most people I know have 6 weeks, as do I. Plus the state holidays. Idk, about another 7 days or so. There aren't sick days as you have them. If you are ill, you stay at home and get payed. You don't lose your vacation days. Sure, you'll need a doctors note. But not always. At my work I call in sick, or leave work when I'm sick. Usually I am not sick often and I work hard. So my boss doesn't question me when I call in sick.

[@neilpowis7488]

" smoking is cool" Bollocks, not in the Uk it isnt.

[@musefan12345]

On mainland Europe smoking is far more popular. Although I think considering it to be “cool” is a bit of a stretch.

[@francoismartini5148]

Yes, Miss. (I'm French) In most EU countries, you get five or six weeks of paid holidays. Actually, State agents, in France get up to ten weeks each year of *paid* holidays. I just don't agree with Drew on a point : you rarely find Europeans who speak five languages. But three languages is not rare (I speak French, my mother tongue, plus English and German). À propos, yours "reactions" are a pleasure to hear.

[@timojurvelin9576]

Hi. Found your channel today. Like it a lot. Found it funny over your reaction to the castle that was old. I live in a city in Sweden that is over 800 years old and there has been settlement way waaay longer than that. And we don't find this old at all. Southern Europe though...they have some really exiting and old buildings. And no, smoking is not cool, definetly not in scandinavia. Perhaps in a few regions in mideuropeans places.

[@DMSG1981]

@2:28 I don't think you understood that correctly. Of course prices vary by exact type, location, time etc. But to give you a general idea: about 7.75 US Dollars per gallon

[@laakeri84]

Yeah, petrol is costs nothing in the US.

[@gonzalosantos5262]

Four weeks paid here in Spain 🇪🇸 😊

[@Tyra94]

I'm from Germany. We have mandatory 20 vacation days. But many jobs will give between 26 to even 30 days. Even in my internship i got 1 day off a month. it's also recommended that you take at least 2 weeks off at once at least once a year, to really get a benefit out of the vacation. depending on the state in germany you get different amounts of public holidays on top of your normal vacation days. In Berlin were I'm from we have way less public holidays than for example Bavaria. I don't know how it is in the US but since one work week here entails 5 days and you take off 2 weeks that would amount to 10 vacation days. even if your workplace is open monday to sunday. also, If you amount to much overtime hours you get sent on "forced" payed vacation. At my part-time job I had to take a month off work (no vacation days used) because I had amounted to many extra hours. It's all part of work safety. Also you basically don't have a limit of sick days. If you are sick you stay home and get payed. Oftentimes you have to bring a doctors note after 3 days (hence the doctors visit is free that's not a problem). If you are sick longer than 3 Months consecutively then you get less money but don't nessesarily loose your job. Then the government pays you and not your employer, so h/her can pay someone else to fill your place. But if you are for example sick the whole of january come back for a week and are sick again for another two months you wouldn't fall into the three month category. Yes smoking is still quite popular in Germany but by far not as much as in the early 2000, i wouldn't say it's "cool". I would say its more common to be bilingual. In germany it's mandatory to learn at least 1-2 languages in school, those could also be latin sooo not that helpful while traveling. And depending on your ability and teacher it might stick after school or not. For me I learned english from grade 3/4 and french from year 7 to year 10. But sadly the frech that stuck with me is not helpful at all....

[@ad.ke.7224]

Here in Germany toilets are mostly free. At motorway service stations you have to pay but get a coupon for the shop in return. Smoking is not cool in Germany. There are a lot less people smoking since 2000. We do not dress to impress. I think we have higher standards when it comes to clothes in public.

[@chriswhamilton]

I'm in Ireland, I get about 50 days holidays a year, 10 weeks. My sister moved to the US about a decade ago and gets 2 weeks.

[@primalengland]

For some reason I’m late to this post. We love our Tysheen. Watching this with a breakfast brew and beans on toast.

[@daisiejensen4818]

I know he said that some the cultural differences might not be true in all european countries, but there is a lot here that is not true for Denmark and I think also for others of the nordic countries. 1. You do not have to pay for public toilets in Denmark, however when I was in Berlin we could only find one place where it did not cost money. 2. When we order water at restaurants, it often comes in a glass and sometimes including a jug. It depends on the order. It's more at fast food restaurants etc that it can occur in bottles. 6. I have never seen ketchup in a glass before. 7. Both in Denmark and I think also in several Nordic countries, the prices of cigarettes have been raised to lower people's consumption of smoking. Smoking has been problematic in Denmark because people start smoking at a young age, but by 2020, only 18% of the adult population smoked daily or occasionally. It is a big drop since the 1950s where over half of the Danish population smoked every day. 11. It is quite uncommon to always have cash on you here. We mostly use credit cards and payment apps via our phone. Cash are seen as a unnecessary method of payment that we try to go away from. 15. Street signs are very different among European countries. In Denmark, they are mostly on a poles. 18. In school, 6-7 weeks is the usual summer vacation period except for college, where it can be from 6-8 weeks. In addition, if you are in school, you also get 1 week of winter vacation (February), easter vacation (April), autumn vacation (October) and 2 weeks of Christmas vacation/holidays (December-January). Most adults also have Christmas vacation when it comes to the 24-26 of december. I'm in school, so I'm not sure about the rules and the length of summer vacation when your are under employment.

[@FanFictionneer]

I'm a teacher in Belgium and we get two months off because that's how long school summer break is. During the school year, there's also two mid-term breaks each lasting a week and two end of term breaks lasting two weeks. So in total that's about three months, other holidays not included. That's how it is in the Northern, Dutch-speaking half of Belgium. In the French-speaking half they're changing it starting this September, but the total number of days off is still the same. Of course, the number of days off you get in other professions is different though. There's 10 public holidays when people get off across all sectors, like Armistice Day (11th of November), our national holiday (21st of July) or Christmas. People are obligated by law to get at least 20 days off a year on top of that, but that's just the minimum.

[@sunnysidesofblue]

Sweden has a minimum of 5 weeks vacation mandated by law (and public holidays go on top of that, so most years you get around 30 days off), and on your second year of employment all of those days are quaranteed to be paid. There is also no such thing as a limited amount of sick days - if you're sick, you stay home, period, and it doesn't affect your vacation time. The first 14 sick days are paid for by the employer with 80% of your regular pay, then the state takes over.

[@bearofthunder]

There is some variation between European countries, but in genereal...3 weeks summer holiday, 1 week christmas holiday, 1 week easter holiday, plus some days spread out here and there. If you have to work on common holidays, you get 50% higher pay, and can save the holidays for a different time within the same year. For example save up for 4 weeks summer holiday.

[@Be-Es---___]

He missed that waiters get a proper salary, so they don't need tips to live on. And gas is around $8,- per gallon. (for real!)

[@grash4435]

Smoking is not cool in Europe, we do not pay for tap water, and we serve normal size of food that's way we are not fat.

[@izabelasiczek3547]

Well said

[@MartinIrma]

When I convert liters to gallons and Euros to Dollars the average European price for gas can be about 8 US Dollars a gallon. The length of vacancy is at least four weeks, but in some countries you get more. Above that those vacancies are mandatory. However, when you don't use it you lose it. The wages are fair. If you get sick, stay at home till you're healthy again. You still get paid and don't need to fear for getting fired. Healthcare costs are incredibly low compared to the USA. When you get a baby, you get parental leave for a time before and after birth.

[@ingmarhendriks8172]

Yes... I get 6 weeks every year and every 2 years I am allowed to take 3 to 6 months unpaid leave with job guarantee when I return. I work and live in the Netherlands

[@stephenveldhoen]

Here in Canada where I live and was born in Toronto. We have strict labour laws here in Canada under the Employment Standards Act and Canada Labour Act. It's very hard to get fired in Canada 🇨🇦. As soon as you get hired for a job your on probation for 3 months and you also start getting 4% vacation pay from your Gross Pay every 2 weeks from your Employer. It doesn't come off your paychecks the Employer pays that to you. From 1 year to 4 years you get 14 days paid vacation. 5 to 9 years with your Employer you go up to 6% vacation pay and 21 days paid vacation. 10 to 14 years with your Employer you get 8% vacation pay from your Gross Pay and 28 paid days vacation. 15 to 19 years with your Employer you go up to 10% of your vacation pay from your Gross Pay. You also get 35 paid vacation days. 20 years and up you get 12% vacation pay from your Gross Pay and you get 42 paid vacation days. The maximum allowed by law. Vacation time in Europe and Canada is your days of work not Your days off.

[@shamkand]

In my country, the minimum off for paid vacation is 20, from 20 days up depending on the company. If you don't take time off one year(because it is not mandatory) your days are added up to the next year. So I worked like 8 months in 2021 at my new job and I used only 18 paid days of vacation, so this year instead of having only 20 days I have 22. If I need more time than that I can ask for it for up to 3 months but those are unpaid. For sick live, you get unlimited time with a doctor's note but you are paid just 80%. And maternity-live is also paid for 2 years.

[@gregmullins6927]

In Australia we get 4 weeks annual paid leave with 17 1/2% of your 4 weeks pay added on (loading) it stimulates the economy,I've lived in San Francisco previously America is a very tough country to live in,I suggest that you stick to your plan and emigrate asap.

[@orsolyakolozsne5008]

Hi! I'm from Hungary. Here you have a maximum of 40-45 days off a year. It also depends on age. Young people have 20 days, and every 3-5 years there is an extra day. If you have a child, you get 2 extra days off per child, if you are permanently ill, then another two. Of course, you don't take it all at once, but you manage these days off for a year, if the child doesn't have school, you have to go to the doctor, or if either the child or the worker gets sick. Although there are paid days in case of illness certified by a doctor, which does not come from the annual leave frame, it is a maximum of 60% of the salary for those days, and that is very little. In general, everyone is on vacation for 2 weeks at a time, and especially in the summer.If you have a child, you can stay at home with the child until the child is 3 years old. In the first year, you get around 70% of your salary, the rest of the time it is regulated by the state, which is about $ 76 a month, but you can work for it.

[@ravinloon58]

In the UK, Smoking is definitely NOT cool, most toilets are free but public toilets (in train stations, bus stations) charge... usually less than a £1. Still (or tap) water is free but they charge for sparkling). And Yes 6 weeks holiday is common once you have worked for a few years. Oh and Healthcare is free, prescriptions (if you have to pay) are less than £10.

[@grahamsmith9541]

Network Rail stopped charging for using station toilets 30th March 2019

[@Cobalt-Jester]

In some cities we have trashcans that offer free birdfood to any bird that drops a cigarette butt in the trash. The city birds crows, pigeons, sometimes seagulls, fly around the cities and they have been trained so when they see cigarette butts on the floor they pick them up take it to a trashcan and when they drop it in they recieve a small amount of food. And because birds are social and learn behaviour from other birds you only need to train a small number and when untrain birds see the others getting food they copy. I will stress that this is quite new and is only being tested.

[@rumpelstilzchen2194]

Germany : I get 30 Day + 7 Day Public Hollidays. But most people get around 30 Days. + When i am sick i can take the day off, when i am longer sick then three days i need a doctors note = we do not have sick days in germany , if you get sick you stay at home ( the insurance pays the employer for your fall out, so nobody is hurt)! MOST IMPORTANT, Employers are not allowed ( by law) to bother their employ after working hours, after eight hours you go home and it's private time.

[@Naylte]

For the UK specifically. 1. It's more like 20p (about a quarter). 2. You can get water for free but you might have to stipulate that you mean tap water rather than mineral water. 3. Windsor Castle is still an official residence of the British Royal Family and dates back to the 11th century. 6. You can get ketchup for free in cafes and restaurants; oftentimes they're already on the table. 7. Not anymore; there's a strict policy against smoking indoors except in private residences where it's at discretion. 9. You'd be lucky to find someone of Anglo-Saxon extraction who can speak more than one language fluently. 13. Still having trouble providing sufficient charging points.

[@helloweener2007]

Germany: Vacation depends on the working week. 20 days for a 5 day week and 24 days for a 6 day week. You are entitled to 10 days / 12 days in a row once per year, also depeding if you have a 5 day or 6 day week. So you can take free from work for 2 weeks including the weekends / Sunday. This German law is from 1963.

[@Joliie]

The city I live in was founded about 800 years ago. Toilets do cost a small token some places, if you are at a restaurant they are still free for paying customers. In my city there are 2 places with public toilets that are free. Smoking is increasing among younger people, but overall its not really in fashion any more. I'd say its more common to know 1-2 a language that is not native. But because of our history the language in some areas are closely related, so people on the border will speak both. Denmark we have between 7-12 bank holidays (like 1 of july) besides the 5-6 week of vacation. maternity leave is around 52 weeks after birth (shared between the parents) The mother can have 4 weeks before birth.

[@Hfil66]

In the UK, one of the euphemisms for going to the toilet used to be to 'spend a penny' because it used to cost a penny to use public toilets (now you'd be hard put to find a public toilet, but most large department stores and restaurants will have public toilets and they will be free). Never had to pay for water in a restaurant in the UK, but you do have to make it clear you want tap water and not bottled water, as you will have to pay for bottled water. Smoking in public is now very rare in the UK, and in an indoor location other than your own home would mostly be illegal. Holidays in the UK are (like with so much else) somewhere between what is in most of mainland Europe and what is in the USA - we generally have about 4 weeks per year (excluding bank holidays - a.k.a. public holidays).

[@pinayladyoz8044]

In Australia if you are healthcare workers you will get 5 weeks paid vacation leave, on top of that additional 12.5% leave loading plus 10 pubic holidays. So you make more money when you are having vacation leave. Regular workers get 4 weeks vacation leave, some has leave loading but some don't specially those who works in private companies/corporations. In Australia, you don't need to pay to access toilets, there are plenty of public toilets. Also, in most towns you will see public toilets with bathrooms or shower rooms too. You can shower for free. There's also an apps and phone numbers you can call to locate the nearest public toilet available to your location. Public parks also have electric barbeque mahine/cooktop area where you can use for free, if you decides to have picnic in the park and you want to cook some sausages, bacons, eggs, and onions. All you have to do is switch on and clean after you use it. Not only, that most cities in Australia got free public swimming pool for people to use.

[@laakeri84]

4:07: Ketchup doesn't come in glass bottles in all European countries. And smoking is not equalled cool in Europe - at least not here in the Northern Europe. Mainly some old stubborn people do smoke here nowadays and most of the people being younger than 50 yrs old consider it just stupid, not cool.

[@AndersGetherSoerensen]

In Denmark we have 6 weeks paid holiday during a year. You MUST take 5 weeks holiday. The last week you can choose and get paid. 37 hour working week. 50% on top of the normal fee for weekend work and a weekend at work gives an extra day off. Extra on top of evening and night work and at evening work. If you are called to work on a day off, you will receive the equivalent of 100 dollars + 50% on top of what applies to the shift you have been called to. Free doctor and hospital. Support for medicine. The more medication you need the more support. Free school system from primary school to university. 1 year maternity leave for the mother; - paid. Just for and mention some of the things.

[@danobanano2505]

About the holidays. In the Netherlands we also get around 5-6 weeks holidays + national holidays as well(religious days such as easter, xmass, etc) And there is the paid parental leave on top of that, in case you get children(16 weeks)

[@arnauddussart1941]

About water cost in restaurants, an exception is France where it is illegal for restaurant to not offer free water. If you ask for a water bottle, the restaurant will sell you a bottle of water. But if you ask for a water pitcher, the restaurant will give the water you want for free. So if you don't to pay water, ask for a water pitcher and not for a water bottle.