Things that are OK in USA but not in ICELAND

[@walterl322]

“We don’t tip, we pay people” was that a intentional roast? Because if it was, lmaoo...

[@hakon_dlc]

Yeah she put that really well😂 It's a terrible thing to rely on the customers to pay your employees!

[@walterl322]

@@hakon_dlc that’s actually really sad, but it’s also very ironic... USA is the best? Think twice... workers shouldn’t rely on tips, it’s not a consistent source of income...

[@afcgeo882]

To be honest, the tipping culture wasn’t born in the United States. It was brought from Europe. It also usually works. Most servers in restaurants make a decent living, given the nature of the job. The restaurant workers that don’t make a good living are bussers, runners and line cooks, who all get paid minimum wage.

[@walterl322]

@@afcgeo882 most of American customs originate in European or Native American cultures, but most European countries don’t do that anymore, just like many other things, like the imperial system, imperialism, pointless wars for resources and draconian capitalism... (before you start typing, I’m not a socialist) The average waiter makes 21k a year, the median income for a household is 61k, take that how you wish...

[@walterl322]

@@afcgeo882 also, I’m not saying that USA is completely shit, I can think of at least 10 things where USA is better than my country, but there are things to improve on and the best country in the world mentality annoys me...

[@FrostyFreya]

All the differences you have mentioned apply to other European countries as well, meaning they are similar to Iceland and don’t understand the US standards. I would add a 12h vs 24h clock. In most of the Europe we operate on a 24 hrs clock so 4 pm in the US is 16 in Europe as an example.

[@RaquelSantos-hj1mq]

In the US, we call that military time for some reason. 😂

[@LacyMarieo7]

Yes your so rite I'm in Scotland and everything she said is the same as in my country xxxxxx

[@mrrandomdude4291]

One heck of a timing.

[@gary7846]

yes

[@Grek1574]

?why so

[@DSteinman]

We say how are you, and everyone just lies and says they're fine no matter what! Yeah, it's pretty weird!

[@jonnajosefina]

As a Finn this always gets on my nerves. 😂 Every time my American friend (living in Finland) calls me and says Hi, how are you, and doesn't even give me time to answer and just goes on with what she was calling me about. 😂 And each time I'm like GIRLLLL DON'T ASK THEN!

[@mikey6214]

Same in Canada

[@jeremiahking2858]

The Comedian Tom Segura had a bit on this 😅 apparently, the only acceptable answers' are good for a normal day, and fine for a bad one

[@DSteinman]

Oh you know what, I forgot one - if things are really shitty, we say "Oh, hanging in there!" Which we all say now, because of the damn pandemic! Had one of those on a work phone call today...

[@nameperson9441]

@@jonnajosefina who cares? Don't answer her then. Are Nordic people this clueless?

[@carolineoconnor7239]

In Ireland we say hi how are you and the response is I'm good, how are you no matter how your really feeling

[@afcgeo882]

No way! According to ignorant people only Americans do that!

[@Cristian-Akuma]

Still weird haha

[@eagle1de227]

the concept of "sweet little lies" does not exist in non-anglo-saxon countries (perhaps somehow in asian countries?). So this would generally be seen as offense or at least as indifference and feeds the prejudice of americans (or other anglo-saxons - or irish) being superficial, indifferent or even snobbish

[@Oleg19948]

Yeah i think thats true i hang around from time to time with a friend from Ireland who used to live here for a couple of years. Lol from the netherlands btw.

[@afcgeo882]

@@eagle1de227 Not true. In Russia, “Привет, как дела?” translated to, “Hi, how are things” is extremely common. That’s a slavic group of languages. Romance languages also use the saying normally. “Como estas”, “come stai”, or “ça va” are normal ways to greet someone. No hai or 你好 is the common Mandarin greeting, but literally translates to, “You good?”

[@willileo2373]

Hrafna: I haven’t seen a country put their flag everywhere like U.S.A Turkey: umm...Ok

[@thomassenbart]

France also has a lot of flags about.

[@sucram1015]

Well she only looked up the USA mainly so the ignorance makes sense.

[@jaguar_8344]

William Matosh that’s the thing, turkey actually has something to be proud of, America does not.

[@Eirik36]

@@jaguar_8344 yeah okay bud

[@thomassenbart]

@@jaguar_8344 what an idiotic and ignorant statement

[@m98de]

carpets absorbing noise, that sometimes a big advatage. Themal isolation as well. Happy new year from Germany

[@FatManJackson]

I think she means the whole floor being carpeted. In some spots its good, but some Americans have carpets in the kitchen and bathroom, which is crazy.

[@oskargudjonsson4534]

We use heated floors in iceland

[@hakon_dlc]

@@oskargudjonsson4534 Heated floors in Iceland are a lot cheaper due to geothermal heat, aren't they? I think she mentioned this in another video

[@afcgeo882]

Icelanders used to have carpets on floors until floor heating was invented. Also, despite its name and stereotype, Iceland has a very moderate climate. MANY places in North America is much colder in the winters.

[@hakon_dlc]

@@afcgeo882 Yeah the gulf stream heats up Iceland in the winter which prevents temperatures to drop as low as those of other regions at this latitude. It's just generally a cold land, considerably less extremes though with an average range of -10°C to 20°C, rarely hotter or colder.

[@aesthetix3398]

"Hi how are you" is kind of like saying good day to people, most people just respond with "good” even if they are feeling upset.

[@OliviaKennard]

In the UK we also say like " hi, how're you?" or "alright?" especially in a taxi or something. Also in the UK only a doctor can prescribe prescription drugs. We can buy certain things over the counter at a pharmacy but not things that are strictly prescription only. I cannot understand their healthcare system either, I feel very lucky that we have the National Health Service in the UK. Retail in the UK you get A LOT of customers who are rude and disrespectful, I could never work in retail again after my experiences. This was a very interesting video though!

[@jaim5817]

In US only a doctor can prescribe prescription drugs. The adds seen online are just so consumers know that some drug exists and can ask their doctor if they would be a good fit for that medication. As far as the healthcare system I personally feel like is made to be a bigger issue than it actually is. A lot of states offer state wide free healthcare (though many states still don't). People in middle/upper class all use the healthcare offered by their employer as it often is better than the ones offered by the states (better rates). For lower class induvial there are federal healthcare options for them. Everyone is covered. There is no "national healthcare" but I doesn't mean people don't have healthcare but instead are offered it by insurance companies through there employers free of charge.

[@OliviaKennard]

@@jaim5817 thanks for the information! I don’t know much about the US but I’ve seen lots of complaints about healthcare etc. You can get private healthcare in the UK but I don’t think it’s much different than our national healthcare other than you might get seen quicker , a private room rather than a ward. That sort of thing.

[@SammyWoody7]

As a fellow British person I have always struggled with the "Alright?" Greeting. Do they want to know if I'm alright? Are they just saying hello? Do they actually care? Especially as I've asked this to people who use it alot and they've said, they don't actually want to know if you're alright 😆 so that makes me feel uncomfortable. Also, "Hey, How are you?" Sucks, its small talk and small talk sucks 😄

[@OliviaKennard]

@@SammyWoody7 the alright thing is more we sort of just say “alright” to each other but don’t actually respond to the question. So if someone says “alright” to me I say it back and then that’s that haha. It’s basically like saying hello 😂 it is very confusing. I never normally say how are you unless I’m dealing with someone for work or if I’m in a taxi etc. We say lots of pointless things here 😂

[@mfee2079]

In the UK the average wait for cataract surgery is 15 months. Being a truck (lorry) driver here with that wait would put me out of work for 15 months + recovery time. I average 8 to 10k a month so I would loose about 100-150k with gov healthcare waiting instead of paying the 1400 and having surgery in days. Please tell me again how great Nationalized healthcare is again. We have plenty of programs such as medicare n medicaid for those unable to afford their own healthcare so the idea we let ppl get sick n die in the gutter is bull$hit

[@BahKnee]

I teach ESL. "Hello, how are you?" "I'm fine, thank you, and you?" "I'm great, thanks for asking." It's one of those cultural things I can teach about. Not one single person is asking how you are really, and when they are beginners they are rather confused by the question.

[@ryanterrencegoliath506]

Also the traditional greeting for someone u meet for the first time is Hello, nice to meet you or a pleasure to make your acquaintance, however if you see the person on a regular bases it would be acceptable to make small talk

[@comom2055]

It’s so weird when you think about it. I never ask people how they’re doing because I feel like it’s intrusive lol. I’m awkward though

[@darklandprotection]

Most people who say "Hi, how are you?" are doing so to make you know they are their to make your experience there better. It is meant to help your day be better if you're having a bad day.

[@cynic7049]

@@hanikrummihundursvin It have the cultural very important factor to teach people that lying is not a big deal. You are supposed to answer "fine" regardless of how you feel and thus lowering you inhibition to lying.

[@czarownicatko]

I don't get how people can wear shoes inside. Wouldn't it get super messy?

[@afcgeo882]

In times and places when it’s messy outside you don’t wear them inside. You’d change them for slippers or walk in socks.

[@psyolytesaille]

I wear orthotics so I have a separate pair of shoes for inside.

[@debbiecaudill8799]

I don't know very many people, even in America, who wear shoes in their house. They may not take their shoes off at the door, as they should, but the shoes come off when they go inside. I have never worn shoes in my house. I do have carpets, and I vacuum twice a week. I wish I had hardwood floors, but I rent an apartment and I'm stuck with the floors they give me.

[@Cristian-Akuma]

Without shoes it gets messy as well so, same difference.

[@afcgeo882]

@@Cristian-Akuma It doesn’t though. Shoes drag outside mud, grass, dirt into your home. I agree. Most Americans don’t wear outside shoes indoors, but they do wear slippers/house shoes.

[@LacyMarieo7]

Wow every single thing u said rite up to number 15 u said is the same as in Scotland!!!! Maby as we are underneath you and also vikings settled near where I live in Scotland and every year we all do an amazing festival we all meet and a giant boat is placed on the water and we all put effogys n things we want burnt for the new year it's an amaing super fun event and sadly the last 2 years 2020 n 2021 it had been cancelled due to covid but this year we are all back in business as they say ! People come from all around. England to French n Spanish n Irish people come and watch the boat getting set on fire 🔥 and we all have the best time btw I adore ur videos 📹 ❤ xxxxx

[@JWhisp]

Can’t wait till corona is over so I can travel to Iceland!

[@EarlofCrawford]

Now I want a beer...mmm...Corona

[@zackryder5026]

Me too.

[@zackryder5026]

@@EarlofCrawford why don't you buy yourself one now?

[@jamesfry8983]

@@EarlofCrawford Yes everyone needs to drink more Corona since the covid outbreak Americans have been shunning the beer

[@EarlofCrawford]

@@zackryder5026 That's a plan

[@PatriotMagus]

When I’ve said “I’m going to Europe” it’s meant that I was going to several different places in Europe.

[@sykotikmommy]

The United States was supposed to already be phased out to metric by now, but they felt that too many wouldn't be able to learn it. I think they should have followed through with switching to metric. You're right, way too many complain and are extremely rude to people.

[@hakon_dlc]

Almost like they think their own citizens are too stupid or lazy to learn the strictly logical and easy-to-memorize system, very bizarre imo

[@dagonvaldez2878]

like complaints about metric vs standard? guess you don't know a car mechanic, engineer or fan of british sitcomes that knows both systems. save your ire for the govt schools that won't teach both.

[@afcgeo882]

It isn’t a power of the federal government except in context of interstate commerce. Read the 1972 Metric Conversion Act.

[@afcgeo882]

@@dagonvaldez2878 All public schools teach both as the metric system is used in science, even very basic science.

[@dagonvaldez2878]

@@afcgeo882 ACT not AMENDMENT

[@calpal9983]

Greetings from USA. Really enjoyed your video!

[@shagwellington]

There are some states without sales tax. I live in one, Oregon. Usually the price is the price marked unless there are extra bottle deposit charges or certain things like hotel rooms.

[@ESUSAMEX]

No sales tax in New Hampshire either.

[@markshah6213]

It is stupid. There must be higher sales tax but no income tax up to a threshold of income, like up to a million dollars annual income. We have all corrupted system.

[@andrewsuave342]

Hi, my name is Andrew. I'm from Ukraine. I admire so much your videos on KZbin.... Especially your lcelandic language videos... With your parents very amusing... I love to learn foreign languages... My native language is Ukrainian but besides it, I speak English, German, Polish, Russian and a little bit of Spanish.... I am able to understand Czeck, Slovakian, Bolgarian, Serbian, Belorusian languages because they are quite similar to my native one. I wish You all the best and am looking forward for your new videos... Thank You very much

[@EmBaddieVlogs]

When someone say “hi how are you” I think the immediate response for most people is to say “good” even if your not

[@hakon_dlc]

Which seems superficial and disingenuine to everbody who isn't used to the greeting, weird custom imo

[@afcgeo882]

Yet in most languages, greetings come from that same phrase or wishes of well-being. Northern Europeans are infamously cold and not caring compared to most of the planet.

[@hakon_dlc]

@@afcgeo882 Now you might have noticed that there's a slight difference between observing customs of other cultures and thinking they're weird and blatant racism, maybe look up that difference again before posting the next time

[@innovativeatavist159]

Or if you wanna get spicy with it, let out a sigh and just say "Still breathin." Which is positive but also recognizes that you're not necessarily good. Also, a lot of people will chuckle.

[@afcgeo882]

@@innovativeatavist159 A lot of people appreciate honesty.

[@b.calvinsaul1909]

Regarding the 24 hour stores, you seem to think that the employee stays there 24 hours. The work day gets broken up into shifts, so no employee suffers. If truck stops did NOT run 24 hours, shipping expenses and times would increase.

[@Doedling]

I think it's just that she thinks it would be cruel to have people do night shifts for something that's not essential

[@npickard4218]

Amen brother, or sister (can't tell by the letter B. LOL)

[@techdog7227]

Our food portions are big but we don't waste any food. We eat it. Just look at the size of the average American.

[@arisowizard7178]

size? U mean the weight and girth lmao

[@aaronsanborn4291]

@@arisowizard7178 dude I'm 5'11" and weigh 205 pounds and I'm 43 years old. I've been within 10 pounds of 205 in either direction since I was in my late 20s...I eat like a horse but I also work a lot.

[@aaronsanborn4291]

@VFM #7634 yep left overs saves buying more groceries.

[@darinscotland2780]

Americans (and Canadians too) never seem to understand that everything costs something. If a restaurant has huge portions they sacrifice quality for quantity.(and they also cut costs by not paying the staff properly).

[@JudithCasEs]

That’s not always true

[@timinsandiego6979]

I recently discovered your channel and very much enjoy it. I hope you choose to continue. You do a great job and it's such a good business for you.

[@tommalina5110]

When people go to Europe they generally travel to many European countrys So they generalize it to just europe.

[@iceandale7621]

That’s dumb, Moscow is in Europe which is much different than say, Madrid of Paris

[@Swenthorian]

@@iceandale7621 I would say "Eastern Europe" for that. "Europe" is synonymous with "Western Europe" in the same way that "Asia" is synonymous with "East Asia" and not, for example, Turkey.

[@iceandale7621]

Miles Huff are you American

[@Swenthorian]

@@iceandale7621 Yes. Born and raised.

[@iceandale7621]

Miles Huff that’s the problem, without sounding rude but Americans and geography never go well together, what maybe synonymous in the US certainly isn’t anywhere else. It’s an Americanism and not an anywhere else “ism”. Europe is a continent. Turkey is a bad example though as it’s both in Asia and Europe

[@yeseniatorres41]

So I think we say “we’re going to europe” because most of the time you’re not going to just one country when you visit Europe so a normal response to saying that would be “where are you going in europe” and then you can list off every country you’re hitting

[@catherineek9995]

Ya, and Europeans say that they are going to the US, so what is the difference? I really don’t understand how you ca attempt to compare one European (or other) country with the US. You should really have to chose a state to compare with.

[@yeseniatorres41]

@@catherineek9995 I don’t really understand what you’re saying sorry, are you saying geographically bc europe is the size of the US the equivalent of a european country would be a US state in travel conversation?

[@nathanfay1490]

The difference is the USA is one country, and Europe is many.

[@inesita365]

Americans and europeans do the same with Africa lol

[@alexisinrealife]

@@catherineek9995 what’re you getting so triggered about? They’re just saying you would say you’re going to Europe so you don’t have to list off every country you’re going to.

[@danielwietchy1037]

Has anyone ever complimented you on your voice? It is unique Icelandic, very understandable, laced with character and absolutely perfect for the videos you produce. Great job.

[@mr.anderson3369]

Im in Michigan, and I tore the carpeting out of my house that ran through the entire house(except for the kitchen)not long after buying it, it was built in 1949, and when I did I was pretty happy to see that the flooring in the house was oak, and I was like, "why would someone carpet over oak floors?"

[@npickard4218]

Me too. Carpets just gather dirt and germs. LOL

[@empadalovers]

saying "I'm going to europe" just sounds fancy

[@BlackFlagHeathen]

I think it also has something to do with the fact that Europe is so small compared to the US. The entire continent is smaller than the entire country of the US, and our states are the same size as many European countries. Public transit is also much better in Europe and you can often travel between countries on a bus or train. Americans are used to driving very long distances just to get to another state. The entire continent of Europe is connected in a similar way to how the states in the US are. Another thing I’ve heard is that Europeans who visit the US are shocked and disappointed that it’s not a realistic expectation to be able to do a road trip from New York City to LA in a weekend lol. It seems many Europeans don’t quite grasp just how massive the US really is.

[@Cantetinza17]

I say the whole thing. I'm going to Barcelona Spain. Because if I say. I'm going to Spain then people ask "Oh what area"? By saying both I've killed 2 birds with one stone.

[@deejiilyomio]

@@BlackFlagHeathen I gotta partly agree on this. From what I've seen, often times Americans tend to visit many countries in mid-Europe once they get here. As I'm from the Nordic countries, as is Hrafna, travellers simply skip these countries and come specifically here if they want here. But sure, whenever I visit a country in mid-to-eastern Europe, I see Americans in the night life, and practically never do they visit just that country. It's really convenient when they small counties are stacked. My country (Finland) is so large compared, that you would cross a dozen countries in mid-Europe from it's length. I myself would still always tell the city/cities, state(s) or whatever before I mention country, if even needed. But never continent, unless I made an actual road trip through the whole continent. We generally do have very good knowledge on the geography. For example, a while ago, a colleague said she's going to Tucson see her family friend. She didn't say Arizona or even USA, she knew everyone would know where it is. Actually I've probably never heard anyone say they're going to USA or "America", rather than the city/state, unless they went on a road trip through the country. But I'm sure this happens too, why not.

[@christianjahn1501]

Happy New Year from Germany! We have carpets in every room of our flat because the floor is warmer and it´s softer and cozier than just a wooden or stone ground! And in Germany it´s common to give a tip to the waitress or the service staff in a restaurant, bar or cafe.

[@aoede6766]

Agreed. Carpet is cozy. I can’t stand hearing an echo if I’m in a home. No home should have an echo. You’ll just need to buy expensive rugs and furniture to absorb the sound.

[@xIrishGrlx]

I love hearing about the differences. Hope to go to Iceland some day

[@karlhannestad604]

"Hi, how are you?" does not require a real or detailed response. "I'm good, and you?" is the standard response and means absolutely nothing more than an acknowledgment.

[@gaiamarie254]

Hrfana: I don’t understand this- Americans: neither do we.

[@cutterdog655]

You are brilliant! I really enjoyed this video. Thank you

[@r2ddudsie]

i went to iceland last summer and the things that you guys do are very similar to the ones we do in portugal so i never once felt like an outsider. i'm finishing uni and then my bf and i will move to iceland!

[@Cityheart221]

Wow I agree with a lot that is done in Iceland. Thanks for sharing.

[@nathanberrigan9839]

Month-day-year Because when you're on a farm, the month is the only part of the date that really matters.

[@nicosimioni7363]

Or because when talking you say, for example "February 3rd, 2021", month, day, year. So it's natural for Americans to write it that way.

[@jennifermarshall8148]

Your Christmas tree is very pretty. I really like the bulbs. You are so fun to watch!

[@charlesgantz5865]

The problem with saying "Hi, How are you" is that some people will actually tell you how they feel, and tell you, and tell you, etc.

[@Cantetinza17]

I AM said person. If you ask I will tell. Thankfully I usually have Awesome days. =)

[@tillie6485]

The carpet thing here in America is a hold over from the 50-70's mostly... It was a sign of wealth for many families and just became tradition. But if you look at modern or recently renovated homes for younger families, most will have hard wood or LVF. It's a good thing if you ask me... And after raising 2 toddlers and several puppies and kittens in my house, I cannot wait to be rid of our carpet too!

[@MNCghost15]

I think the 24 hour stores benefits people like me who live in Louisiana. I work at a chemical plant, that has 12 hr rotating shift work. It makes it easy for people like us to get supplies, food, drinks, etc. when we are working at 2-3 am.

[@LaburnumAnagyroides]

Cause we don't have chemical plants in Europe, of course...we just have better workers treatment

[@paramisdundee3717]

Thank you! I hope to visit Iceland some day sooner befor later!

[@jmpiazza86]

I think I can answer the flag question. (I'll try to explain this the best way I can) I think there are 2 similar reasons. Speaking as an American, I believe the prominent display of flags just about everywhere you look became customary because many immigrants who came to this country were seeking a new life and a fresh start. It wasn't that they wanted to abandon their old country or heritage but they wanted to be identified as something/someone new. So a lot of the immigrant families who came here encouraged their families to adapt to American culture quickly and to display it whenever possible so they wouldn't stand out as being different. It was about doing things the American way. I also think the other reason was to be able to bond with others, whether its neighbors, friends, coworkers, etc. Being that many folks were from different backgrounds, finding that one common trait of "Hey, we're Americans now, you're my fellow citizen. I got your back" You wanted people to know that you were apart of this country and would contribute to it's success. It was customary to display your flag so that everyone knew what you were about. So because of all that, I believe generations of families simply carried on the tradition of displaying the flag wherever possible because it just became so common to see... I hope that made sense.

[@jsimes1]

While everything you say is true there is also a very large jingoistic flag waving contingency in America that is not made up of immigrants just trying to fit it. It's hard to rationalize. America has always been the new kid on the block as far as Nationhood is concerned and I feel as though the relatively newness of our country coupled with the exponential growth and strength of America has made us have to prove ourselves. And in that proving we have become the tough guy punk who can kick anyone's ass and being overly patriotic just goes along with that kind of mentality. We American's wear our flag the same way gangs wear their colors it is the Hell's Angels patch on the back of our leather jacket. I guess I've never really understood rampant nationalism or patriotism. It goes way beyond loving your country. I live close to the Canadian border and I don't really understand how we can be so much better when only 100 miles separates me from another country. My wife is Scottish and one of the first things she said to me when we met is "What's up with all the crazy flags everywhere?" Anyway it is an interesting topic and much like anything it has many laters and can't be answered in a simple KZbin comment. :)

[@npickard4218]

John, you are exactly correct. I am American originally from Michigan though I live in California now. My father was an immigrant from Canada and my mother and her family came here from Germany when my Mom was a child. My Dad came here when he was 22 so he was an adult. I was the annoying child that kept asking questions. I'd ask my Dad, "Dad, you're Canadian, why don't we fly a Canadian flag?" He said, "Son, if wanted to fly a Canadian flag, I would've stayed in Canada." That said, my Dad took us to Canada frequently to visit my aunts and uncles. My Dad seemed to love Canada but he just liked America better. When I asked my Mom's family about the German flag I got a similar answer. Both sides of my family were proud of their backgrounds, I can recount so many stories about Canada and Germany, however, both families flew the American flag in their front yard on a pole. I don't have a flag pole at my house but I have the American flag on my living room wall and I have an American flag bumper sticker on my truck. John, when I go to the U.K., I see British flags everywhere and it makes me feel comfortable because, as a patriot, I like the fact that the Brits are also patriotic. When I go to Denmark, more flags than in the U.S. In fact, in Denmark they wrap their birthday gifts in flag gift wrap, that shocked me. It's totally cool but I had never seen people love their flag so much that holiday gifts are wrapped in the flag. I also noticed that many Danes had their flag on their wall in their house just as I have my flag on my living room wall and I noticed a lot of Danes wearing flag socks and flag shorts. Maybe flags are rare in Iceland, as Hrafna seems to be saying, that's fine and I surely want to visit Iceland one day BUT if I were to leave America and relocate to a different country, I'd choose a country that loves its flag and flew it all over the place because I understand patriotism. Flags diminish our differences and create kinship and a nation is an extension of the family unit (families>clans>tribes>nation) I immediately like people who fly the flag even without knowing them. I also like the Brits who fly their flags and the Danes. It feels normal to me just like the rivers, hills, clouds, and the sunrise. Symbols are powerful and flags unite people and arouse positive feelings. I don't understand Hrafna's frustration with flags but, hey, we don't all have to think alike, right?

[@npickard4218]

@@jsimes1 Joe, I hope you can see my comment below. I hit reply to John's original comment. I am an American child of immigrants and I have a very different take on the issue than you do. Also, I think drawing an analogy between flags and gang symbols is really abrasive. I have American flags around me and so my 5 siblings and their children, many of my neighbors here in California ... none of us are gang members. I wonder why you would draw such an analogy, it's uncharitable. Also, Italy became a nation in 1861 and Germany in 1815, I could go on. It's easy to make a list. So, with respect, your comment that American is the new kid on the block "as far as Nationhood" is incorrect. There are nations that are older but also nations that are newer. Whether America is new or old doesn't seem terribly relevant to me. We can agree to disagree but I hope you realize how your comments about "jingoistic flag waving" offends about half the country. I live in California near the Mexican border and I can tell you that Mexican nationals and their children and grandchildren wave the Mexican flag far more than Americans not of Mexican descent. If would be extremely insulting for me to tell one of my Mexican-American friends, colleagues, or neighbors that they are being jingoistic. Many of them have Mexican flags flying from their pick up truck, out of their car windows, etc. I have no problem with it, to each his own. Would you frame Mexican-Americans who fly their flag as negatively as you have framed those of us who fly our American flag? They would label you a racist in California if you did that. To my mind, though it may not be "racist" framing flag-waving Americans so negatively is on par to insulting Mexican-Americans who seem to wave their flag even more. I have American flags on my property and my next door neighbor has Mexican flags all over his property ... he and I get along great and attend each others BBQs. Joe, flag wavers are good people. We're not gangs.

[@markshah6213]

Please remember that you all are walking every morning on the stolen land. You have robbed and murdered innocent indigenous people and taken their land. Now you place them on reserves. Israel is trying to do the same thing but their days are numbered.

[@DiegoTeixeira]

Hey love your videos! Quick tip to blow up your channel with a big broad new audience: Do a video trying to speak brazilian portuguese, or reacting to something related to Brazil, like videos of the most beatiful cities/places or something like that, with ''Brazil'' or ''Brazilian'' in the title and see the magic happens. Invocating Brazilians to your videos is no joke. Congratz and good luck!

[@brodypenn]

I’m so used to everyone saying “hi how are you” one time I was at a store and the cashier only said “hello” and I still said “good” I wanted to smack myself. Also the suing thing is really only a tv thing but I did see a crazy Karen yell about suing an airport after her daughter slipped and fell on some spilled water.

[@jhstudio1169]

Nice video ! Lots of flags on windows in Catalunya also.

[@joshuaanderson1369]

Here in America we always bottle up our feelings and tell people were having a great day no matter what... I don't know why. But we do. It's really annoying.

[@sylviagarcia1719]

Then just stop asking everyone how they are and problem solved!

[@valeriy8502]

@@sylviagarcia1719 I never had a habit of that, people tell me anyway 😅 The conversation goes: "Me: Hello" "Them: Fine thanks, how are you?" Of course, if I am talking yo a friend, I do ask because I actually do care.

[@npickard4218]

I wish that were my experience. I'm in California and I hear people complaining all the time. LOL it's exhausting

[@superman87jk]

So awesome, Hrafna you are amazing!

[@justcreed4024]

I want to visit Iceland one day 🥺😍

[@peterdawson2403]

I am loving this video! I agree with you!

[@douglasstrother6584]

Tipping is a big deal in the USA: it's a way of saying "Thank You". In restaurants, tips are shared typically out from the wait staff to the cooking staff. The kitchen staff were rewarded for cranking things out fast and right for the servers.

[@AFFoC]

Why thank them? It's their job. Be respectful to them, give them a proper wage and problem solved. They shouldn't force a smile on their faces all shift long, pretending to enjoy a low paying, tiring job for change basically.

[@RaquelSantos-hj1mq]

@@AFFoC They end up making more money with tips. It allows people with more money to tip more.

[@K8VKH]

Tipping is a big deal is the US because employers can pay workers in tipped positions less than minimum wage in some states. Your server might make $3/ hr

[@daviddaytona]

So many of the items on your list have me wondering why they are ok here in the US. This was a great topic, thanks for uploading.

[@tallflguy]

I’m a big time carpet fan here!

[@jamesprice8220]

Thanks for the 14 day free trial hrafna!! Love your videos by the way! I've been watching all your videos recently one after the other. I now consider my self an expert on Iceland despite never actually visiting🤣 keep it up👍

[@sucram1015]

Hrafna: "Don't take this video seriously." Me: I'm definitely taking this video seriously since I'm from the USA. 😂

[@putlerkaputt9201]

Shoutout to my fav usa youtuber Coach Greg Adams

[@johnmcelroy5804]

You should threaten to sue her, lol.

[@barbgtravels]

@@johnmcelroy5804 I did... but I just unsubscribed because she is being desperate to make a video. Pathetic. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you Hrafna. I have no respect for her now.

[@kirkz9317]

Are you offended and planning on suing Hrafna?

[@johnmcelroy5804]

@@barbgtravels Well that went a bit dark.

[@fivantvcs9055]

Happy new year 2021 +Hrafna ! / Gleðilegt nýtt ár !

[@rondoflicflac]

After this video I think I'd be very comfortable around Icelanders❤

[@richardrose7382]

“Tips” used to stand for “ to insure prompt service” and used to be a small jar at the concierge desk to encourage the staff to give more privileges. Now it happens after the service as an appreciation for good service

[@goranmiljus2664]

When people ask me "how are you"? I say " Terrible! my haemaroids are playing up"

[@rogerhuggettjr.7675]

Shoes on is not typical in Minnesota where I am from. Like Iceland, we have very cold winters where salt from the streets would be bad and of course mud after rainy days. When I bought my house 31 years ago the whole main floor was hardwood, but raising kids they have taken some abuse and now only my office has exposed wood. I have thick black carpeting in my living room with corn silk woven in that helps cleaning and hides most spills (and puppy accidents) while keeping us from needing slippers on constantly when drafts on -20F days (-29C).

[@johncliffalvarez6513]

Oh, so what you’re saying is that practical common sensing is a thing in Iceland. Got it!

[@jessipeculiar]

Sounds like my kind of country 😅

[@comom2055]

Lol right!

[@isildurelendurion1822]

You are 100 percent right about themetric system. We need to get onboard with thay!

[@zapper4945]

Saying ‘Hi how are you?’ is common in the UK, Spain and France as well. It’s perfectly acceptable to not answer the ‘how are you?’ part. It’s just a way to come across more friendly

[@skyehigh3442]

Good video & a well done research!

[@asgard1913]

"how are you doing?" "LIVIN THE DREAM! HA...HA...HA...I want to die"

[@amstergal]

Welcome to America! You hit on some very painful and true observations.

[@AnaSande]

I'm Spanish and i've lived in Spain for almost my entire life. Here in Spain is so common to ask "Hello, how are you?" to everyone, regardless of how well you know that person. And I still never know what to answer 🤨

[@penginhaloguru]

Hello Hrapna, I'm Andrew. I've only recently found your channel and I enjoy your content so far. for this video i'm commenting on I wanted to share my perspective on the things you have mentioned. in the same fashion as you intended i'm not offended or trying to offend just sharing my views even if they may be misinformed or incorrect. -sweet breakfast: while I did have either cereal or something equivalent for breakfast most of my life, most everyone else I've ever known won't eat breakfast or any sort of meal before lunch. for me i preferred this because growing up i hated school lunch. so i tried to eat so that i could manage to go until i got home again without food. whereas the people that i know of that didn't eat before school mostly did so because they were grateful for the school lunch being better than what they had available in their home life. so you could say i've been plenty privileged to be picky as i am. -tipping: I've not understood tipping very well myself i think it would be better to just pay our workers. -sales tax: I agree that it would be nicer to pay exactly what the price tag says but it probably won't happen soon. -carpets: i personally prefer carpets. i dont know if locale is a factor but it would seem that uncarpeted floors here get really cold here in America for multiple reasons. and it would seem like you would have to sweep the uncarpeted floors more often. especially with pets and hair and dust. whereas we would just vacuum a few times a week. and there are many solutions to cleaning up spills from carpet first and foremost is simply not to spill. -greetings: as a lifelong introvert i've preferred not to greet people. but as my worldview has grown and i've become more empathetic to those i come across in my life I can say that when i come across someone and ask "what's up? or how are you?" it gives them a chance to get things off their chest they might be letting build up that don't really matter (an example "this customer was such a pain earlier and i'm really irritated" i might respond with yeah that sucks man but at least (insert much worse situation) didn't happen. I've noticed this seems toss aside whatever was bugging them. we have a tendency to let things build up and hold on to negative things here and if i can help someone by convincing them to toss an irrelevant issue aside i find it helps. or they just as well could respond really quickly positively or negatively just to be informative. -suing: this does happen all the time. in my narrow understanding of it I would say on the lower end of the spectrum people have a desire to do this because they hear stories of it and fantasize it as a get rich quick scheme as if money could solve their problems. while on the high end of it all it attempts to keep companies from completely taking advantage of peoples health and or wellbeing. i believe all companies here only care about making money and any appearance otherwise is merely a façade in an attempt to make more money. -month day year: yeah idk why we do it this way. but it seems odd to do it any other way. granted while i was in the military on the daily inspection forms we had to write year month day. why? because someone said so. -prescription ads: well you know how i was just talking about companies trying to make money without any other concern? this why this is a thing. I think it would be terrific if health could be something seen as necessary and not something to profit from. -imperial vs metric: while i agree it would make sense to convert to metric i not only don't want to myself, but also don't see it happening. part of the issue is trying to get 390million people to agree to it. as well as we just don't have any was off associating these things. most people have a semi accurate awareness of how much 1 pound weighs or how far 1 mile is or how much a gallon is or how cold 50'F is. but any of those in metric most people can't picture it or wrap their head around it. -going to Europe: the few people i've know that have gone Europe usually say it that way because they are going to a different country every day so if they are being quick about it would make sense to just say i went to Europe. then if the person talking to them cared about them going to Europe then they might ask for details. -universal health care: again i refer to the parts about suing and prescription ads. it's all for money and would be great if it weren't. -complaining to get free stuff: i don't like that anyone does this. but it can suck when something you order doesn't go right. while i have had to complain to correct certain things i've done so kindly and feel as if i made their day for being kind about it and may have been more likely to get things corrected. but it seems people with go to any length to get things for free. - 24/7 business: this again to me seems to be part of the "any means necessary to make money" but as someone who works a night shift many of the other businesses are a support to those like myself who work a night job. because there are just things can't get done during the daytime. alsoeconomically there is a kind thing that says if you own a business you don't stop paying for the business because it's night time so why not make your business make money also at night time. -flag and allegiance: these i believe are intended to unite and bring us together. especially because we are 50 states things can get heated between one another or neighboring states but the flag is a constant reminder that we ARE 1 country 1 people united or at least we should be. -giant food portions: as i mentioned earlier i am a picky eater and i also don't eat in quite large portions like many people. but at the same time i've heard that part of what can make our soldiers better that SOME countries soldiers is that they are well fed, which already avoids potentially many problems that other might not have. that being said their is a terrible tendency to just overconsume and i'm not a fan of it. i think part of it somehow circles back to making money off peoples bad health. again thank you for your content. I enjoy it. lastly thank you if you did read this massive comment.

[@seagantaylor7470]

The point of oversized meals is to have plenty to fill you up plus leftovers for another meal that you can reheat later

[@seandesmond5560]

Great video lovely Hrafna!!! 😊👍 For most of those things in Australia it's the same as Iceland we use the metric system, we don't tip. We would say I'm going to Europe we because we would go to multiple cities and countries across Europe over a number of weeks trying to see as many places as possible given the time in takes us in Australia to get to anywhere in Europe!

[@marytreaty9357]

Usually we say we're going to Europe because you'd go to multiple countries. With how big the US is and traveling distances Europe is smaller and easier to go to a couple countries. I'll never understand carpet either or why some people wear shoes inside

[@RossMKF1]

Carpet is weird? I thought most houses have carpet and mix of wood lol

[@stubby4000]

its also the cost, because that initial flight to europe is expensive but travelling europe is cheap

[@marytreaty9357]

@@RossMKF1 my friends house is completely carpeted even bathroom and kitchen. I'll only understand carpet in bedrooms or living rooms lol

[@marytreaty9357]

@@stubby4000 yeah absolutely

[@RossMKF1]

@@marytreaty9357 ok that’s weird to me as well is it just an older style? My house has wood flooring for kitchen, tile for the bathroom. Having carpet in the bathroom sounds nasty.

[@jantelogin9754]

your videos are wonderful!!!!

[@emdegn1904]

That's it. I'm moving to Iceland- land where workers are paid, healthcare is a human right, and Karens aren't a thing.

[@ThatOneBlacksmithGuy]

Same, get me tf outta here lol

[@ThePhantom712]

Do u know how expensive iceland is? lol U will find out when u get there she has a video about how expensive it is.

[@jaguar_8344]

ThePhantom712 it’s actually cheaper than living in California though. Higher taxes, but the government isn’t constantly trying to screw you.

[@sv5813]

... Having served in the US military for 25 yrs and lived (10 different countries) all around the world, I’ve always been respectful of other cultures. I do find it rather odd that the same deference is rarely shown to my culture, but then again, I could really give a flying “fig” what others think. I’ve been to Iceland and all other Scandinavian Countries except Finland. Lots of strange things, but my Viking DNA is good with that!

[@bobrob7407]

Don’t call yourself a Viking if you don’t live in Scandinavia

[@Natalie_Explores]

I'm canadian and we are always saying "hi how are you" as a greeting. Even when we are passing each other in a hallway! But the funny thing is that we don't stop walking to wait for their response. So when the other person responds by saying say "hi, I'm good! What about you?" The other person is long gone if they're a fast walker hahah 😂😂

[@Perisemiotics]

hahah that's true but personally I feel more like an Icelander and can't really relate so I usually answer back with "how are you" without a "hi" in the hopes they'll get I'm not interested in how they actually are haha

[@Natalie_Explores]

@@Perisemiotics HAHA I love it, I may start doing that too!!! I have a coworker who sometimes says things like "horrible!" Just to see how people react LOL 😂

[@Perisemiotics]

@@Natalie_Explores hahah that's awesome too :p you're not from Quebec are you?

[@Natalie_Explores]

@@Perisemiotics lol no, I'm from Nova Scotia! :)

[@thevoid2406]

That usually happens in Brazil too, but sometimes people just say something like " hey, are you good ? " and the other one also says " hey, are you good ? " and nothing more, I'll never understand that 😂😂😂😂

[@Swenthorian]

4:00 The correct answer to "Hi, how are you?" is always "Good, thanks! You?". Few people actually want to know how you're doing, lol. It's just a nice way to feign interest in people. It's just a completely default greeting in the US. It's similar to how one Aboriginal group in Australia traditionally greets people with "Hi, where are you going?", and you're just expected to answer with "North", "South", "East", or "West", and probably not with a long description of your destination.

[@LIFEDEATH65]

Honestly I have no idea why we don’t use the metric system, once you learn it it’s super easy. Have a better year!

[@afcgeo882]

Look it up. It’s not a mystery.

[@debbiecaudill8799]

If we all used the metric system, then we wouldn't have to spend so much time teaching kids how to convert to empirical to metric.

[@afcgeo882]

@@debbiecaudill8799 We don’t really teach kids how to convert. We teach them to use metric in science and the customary system elsewhere.

[@debbiecaudill8799]

@@afcgeo882 I'm old, Lol, we had to learn it 50 years ago.

[@LaughingOwlKiller]

Like most of the difference between Europe and the US...its because we all did the same thing at one time and Europe decided to change and the US didn't want to re do everything.

[@ryanknapp4964]

Our flag is everywhere because America was the first country founded not on geographic or ethic boundaries, but on an ideal. The flag represents that idea and the liberties and stands for where as in many European nations flags are rooted in an ethic heritage. (Americans display Irish and Italian flags for those reasons.)

[@DavidTheSkeptic]

When people say "Hi, how are you?" I say "Do you care?"

[@Swenthorian]

Lmao. That's hilarious and savage, but probably stops everyone in their tracks.

[@Stemma3]

You must be fun at parties.

[@jenniferfesperman3577]

I live in the US, but don't understand or agree to half of the things going on. Health care, tipping, suing, carpets, awkward greetings, random prescriptions, temperature rating, complaining or being rude, food portions or not defining your European travel. I have never been to Iceland, but love it and it is at the top of my list for travel. Love your channel and thanks for taking the time to talk about these topics!

[@MelinaImmonen]

Watching with your necklace on my neck🥰✨

[@-LaGavulin-]

same :)

[@kristinaray7]

I TOTALLY agree about saying “Hi, How are you?” That’s so weird. I never say it unless it’s a close friend. I don’t care how strangers are doing 😂 I try to say “How’s your day going?” instead.

[@fabrizio2960]

I was born, raised and currently live in Argentina, and we say "hi, how are you?" to everyone. I lived with this my whole life and i still dont understand why! 😂 After all you said, i would probably be comfortable with icelandic people

[@yoo571]

The saddest socially accepted response is: "y, ahí vamos" or something in those lines

[@mikerouse6004]

I’m Canadian and we use both Metric and Imperial units to measure things every day. I’m not sure if all of Canada is this way but it is on the east coast depending on what you’re talking about. For speeds for instance with motor cars on the roads we use kms per hour but for boats, snowmobiles and ATV we use miles per hour because they are manufactured that way from USA. My boat holds 29 gallons of gas but I pump litres of fuel at the pump. We constantly convert.

[@tomam6534]

I’m from Lithuania, and we write the date day-month-year

[@markloch8193]

I live in the US and growing up, we did not wear shoes in the house. Same for me now as an adult. My wife and I remove our shoes at the door. This is what we expected of our children. Our house has wood floors in the kitchen where spills are likely. In the carpeted areas, we do not eat or drink. We vacuum the carpets regularly and have them professionally cleaned once a year or more. In the US, saying "Hi, How are you". is really just a greeting. People don't really expect you to reply with anything more than "Hello", or maybe just " H!, I'm good".

[@mickles1975]

LOL. The answer to "how are you?" is usually always "I'm fine, thanks" even if you're not.

[@RJ-Isaac-TSOML]

At my job I have people threaten that they will get their lawyer involved all of the time. It usually tell them that it would be great if I could talk with their attorney. So far, I have never spoken with someone's lawyer. I think what happens is that they do this at a retail location and the shop just gives them free stuff just to avoid the headache.

[@xaemyl]

Imperial vs Metric in the USA: We use both, but due to entrenched business interests ... well you can imagine. lol

[@brossmart]

Hey Hrafna, like your videos, they are very informativ, entertaining, and very interesting !!👍😍 Ok for my part, I'm French canadian living in the province of Québec, I'd like to know what Icelandic people think of Canada. You metionned USA but what about canada ??

[@Swenthorian]

8:30 I think a lot of it has to do with urban vs rural. Most of Iceland is sparsely populated, and even your largest cities would only count as large towns in the US. When you have a million people in a metro area, the mentality is just so, so different. Everything is so much less personal. There's also the fact that most of the big stores are owned by or franchises of major corporations, which further dehumanizes them. This just creates kind of an unhealthy environment, and I think it creates an atmosphere where bad behavior is much more likely.

[@crashboat01]

Fun video. Trust me,we can't understand a lot of the things you mentioned either! 😁 Others are just simply cultural differences which in the end are what make travelling so much Interesting and fun!

[@jeredikiah8914]

We like to be different in the USA. And here in Texas we’re way different.

[@SoLiTaRyBoNe]

Not really. Texans just like to think that lol overload of pride

[@NH-mr6px]

I enjoy how different the states in the US are. Like Texas is massively different from where I live in Seattle. And both are nothing like Hawaii. I just wish the United States were more United. Have a good day Mr. Texan Sir.

[@dalebuck7168]

Iceland's entire population isn't even the size of a medium sized city in the US. If you look at the US as a grouping of 50 totally different countries, trying to work together, with different histories, language in some cases, belief systems, etc., then things like universal health care becomes a major issue. It even looks crazy from within, especially right now, but even in more normal circumstances. I live in Kansas. I think people in California and New York are insane. No way would I live in those two states. I think you get the idea. The US is a Republic of 50 individual countries trying to exist as one.

[@greenspectre2281]

Tipping, hidden taxes, and the imperial system; as an American I still don’t understand why it’s being done it’s so ridiculous

[@peterpike]

Actually, it makes it so the taxes are NOT hidden. When everything's included in the price, you don't know how much you're paying in taxes. When something says it costs $9.99 and you have to pay $10.78, then you know you payed $0.79 in taxes. That's the purpose of it not being included. As for tipping and the imperial system, yeah. It's crazy.

[@camillasaltoftpedersen8763]

@@peterpike it’s not hidden, you can see what you have paid in taxes on the receipt😉

[@peterpike]

@@camillasaltoftpedersen8763 -- Thanks for that info. But how many people look at the receipt? I know I never do unless I have a problem with something and need to return it. But if it's on the receipt, that's better than not having it anywhere for sure.

[@catherinebeaudoin311]

Hello here from Canada! I have very briefly visited a bit of Iceland on a 2-nights layover about 2 years ago and I really wanna see more and will definitely come back to visit.

[@Swenthorian]

7:30 If you were going to the US, would you tell your Icelandic friends "I'm going to the US", or "I'm going to Iowa"? Probably more-likely the former, and it's the same thing here -- Europe is a region, and its countries are the sizes of our states. And we often visit multiple countries at once, just as you might visit multiple states at once. So it's a lot easier to say "I'm going to Europe" than "I'm spending a week in Italy, Switzerland, and France" (which I did in Winter 2019, and it was a blast). As for the geography bit, I too like to lament my countrymen's knowledge in that area; but think about it from the other view. You probably don't know where Idaho, Utah, and Nebraska are, and that's because you'd have no reason to. Likewise, most Americans wouldn't know where Slovenia, Montenegro, or Moldova are. It just depends where you live and what's geographically relevant to you. Also, half of Iceland (including both Reykjavik and Akureyri) is technically in the Americas -- not Europe. ;)

[@Delivery_Boy_Roy]

Could you not be so presumptuous

[@flameofmage1099]

It's okay Hrafna. We don't know why people sue over nothing either.

[@ustymgrygoriev4581]

Storming of Capitol is OK in USA, but not in Iceland

[@jaredmessenger6487]

Fuck ya beat me to it

[@zayneytem]

You can literally chill with the Prime Minister in Iceland. The politicians in the US just makes everyone's blood boil directly inverse to Iceland's temperatures on Winter.

[@sarabjarnveig87]

@@zayneytem oh no,, Icelandic politicians make the average Icelandic person blood boil.. BOIL (Except the president of Iceland, he is cool)

[@zayneytem]

@@sarabjarnveig87 that might be the case in every country- But the past election and current law suits regarding it would even make foreigners lose their minds type of boil.

[@ustymgrygoriev4581]

@Eddard Tyrsson which country are you from?

[@vansf3433]

Attractive and interesting. Icelandic way of life can be wrapped up in 2 words: simplicity & authenticity

[@cleopeng5643]

LOL it’s insane how I’m Chinese and my culture has all the same the norm as Iceland in all of her points. Even the no “hi how are u” part.

[@epeli239]

I think the 24h stores and restaurants have to do with the fact that there’s a lot more people in the USA than in Iceland, which means there are a lot of people working shifts and don’t necessarily have the time to go grocery shopping etc during the ”normal” 8-21 hours