USA Expectations that were WRONG! (Surprises in America, First Impression)

#expectationsvsreality #usa #firstimpressions
For the first time in my life, I went to America. I was spending the last 2.5 months on the East Coast and a lot of things were very different than what I expected.
Here are 6 things and my first impressions that turned out different in reality.
Please comment in English!
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[@potatophil8432]

I'm quite frankly surprised by the amount of hate I receive for this video. This is not how I perceived the people when I was in the country and it's unfortunate to see this side now. If you feel offended by my impressions of my first US trip and think I'm generalizing, please watch the entire video, especially the part at 10:30, where I clearly state that that's all it is....a first impression.

[@jswerve386]

i think people are just busting your balls a bit.. not too many downvotes, youre good man.

[@xoxxobob61]

@PhilTV I wouldn't worry about the hate comments. I grew up on the opposite side of Manhattan in New Jersey & seeing the rest of the country when moving to Florida was a real eye opener for me too ! Most of your observations were spot on especially the "big trucks" & the "language" . Anyways I think you will like Florida ( a lot of Europeans do for some reason ) & don't miss Miami ! It's nothing like the South.

[@hugocirello895]

Don't let it bother you. You're critique was spot on. Some people can't handle the truth. Good video.

[@atomsmash100]

All is good, Phil. Don't take the comments on social media (including KZbin) as being reflective of how people really feel. Comments on these sites always lean toward negative and confrontational. I watched your entire video and you said nothing wrong. Your observations, good and bad, are spot on.

[@LionsGateCorp]

@@atomsmash100 This.

[@cylientbob]

Yeah, I would recommend traveling to other parts of the US. Every area, every state has it's own unique culture. Think of the US as like the EU where every state is a country. You really want your mind blown, go to Alaska.

[@richiesd1]

David Hohbach, ha! The USA is not like the EU. I say this as an American.

[@dontreadmyprofilepicture8817]

@@richiesd1 That wasn't his point but okay.

[@richiesd1]

@ I DONT COMMENT UNLESS YOUR DUMB, each American state is not like a separate country in Europe. I would say there is flyover country that one does not need to visit.

[@Ace-xn5tu]

@@richiesd1 You must simply not go out and travel lmao, there are different vibes all around, along with plenty of different languages and culture all over. For example, in Wisconsin there’s a lot of bars, almost too many, while Michigan beside us is very peaceful with many activities to do, and then Minnesota, it’s very plain and not so fun. There are things like roundabouts that not people know of, along with normal things like grocery shopping, in the south they offer to help you with putting your bags in your car while here in the north that’s considered creepy, it’s all different, just like our accents, since I’m from Wisconsin I pronounce my A’s hard and find it funny when others from different parts of America come to Wisconsin and they pronounce things differently than I do.

[@richiesd1]

@@Ace-xn5tu , I have been many places in USA. There is nothing mind blowing about the diversity of culture in USA. I have never heard any of my non-American friends say such thing about the USA.

[@noahbawdy3395]

We say we live in a certain city because most people who have no idea about the area will have no idea where we are talking about. For example, I lived a large portion of my early life in Carmel, Indiana. Almost no one outside of the middle of Indiana would know what that meant. Carmel is just North of Indianapolis, so I just started saying Indianapolis.

[@loisavci3382]

Same here. When I'm not in Illinois it's easier to say I'm from Chicago than to explain which suburb 30 miles from downtown I call home.

[@Ilovemunchlax1]

I would know but I live in the Chicago area.

[@stevenmatthews2278]

Yes, I wouldn’t say that I live in Murfreesboro. There are sometimes two or three cities by the same name, but everyone will understand Nashville, TN.

[@ManiacalBlueberry]

Same I say im from atlanta when Im just a drive away lol

[@aguy2162]

From Columbus. Have had to go work in Carmel quite a few times. Not a bad area

[@tonyyero7231]

Of course it is different. The SIZE of the USA is huge! Comparing the USA to a country in Europe is like comparing a watermelon to a grape! We have city life, NY,Boston,Chicago,etc. The North is different than the south.

[@salsh3737]

I mean u have a point

[@walkersandera7147]

I mean you could fit like all of Europe in alaska

[@rtelles1127]

And people that live in TV he rural areas . Say who needs city life . Small town life is relaxed and laid back. And country life takes a lot more self reliance.

[@blackpinkandbtsandtwiceand5868]

Germany is smaller than Alaska

[@Orxbane]

@@blackpinkandbtsandtwiceand5868 Alaska is 1,717,856 km2

[@whtyc]

I think when you say “subdivision” you mean “suburb.” These are two different things. A subdivision is an area of land divided into plots for sale. A suburb is residential outlying district of a city. You are right, I say I grew up in LA, but I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles.

[@jg1296]

Yep. I say I live in Los Angeles but really I live in. Suburb of LA about 20 minutes outside of downtown Los Angeles. But we have everything we need close by large supermarkets. Fortunately for me there a lot of small ethnic markets and small bakeries within 5-10 minutes of my house I can walk or drive to. Here where I live we have excellent public transportation if you don’t have a car.

[@sunshine2bright]

Exactly. I say I'm from Boston, but I'm actually 15 minutes outside of Boston. If I told people I live in Lynnfield, people would have no idea where I'm talking about (even people from Massachusetts don't know where Lynnfield is cause it's so small)

[@MrXyzasdf]

You are correct, we broadly identify instead with the culture of a particular area rather than where we actually live. For example, is the culture of Santa Monica really different to that of West LA? Instead we say I'm from LA or I'm from San Francisco then you'll have a better understanding.

[@carolyng5133]

I'm from Maine and we used call them "bedroom communities."

[@hughjassol2072]

Unless your address had the words Los Angeles CA on it, you did not grow up in LA. Idk why people who live 60 miles from the City of LA, say they “live in LA”

[@arcosiancosine1065]

You need to keep in mind your experience in America really depends what part of the country you're in. We're a few countries within a country because America is huge.

[@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay]

Actually if you wanna get a good taste of America, you need to visit as many National Parks and Forests as you can. The cities are nice, but our National Parks are second to none in the world. There's a bunch of cool ones in the Southwest, where a lot of Western movies were filmed. There's a big tour you can take on your own in a car called the Grand Circle that includes the Grand Canyon. Look that up and you will be amazed at what we have to offer in the States. It's stuff like that why most Americans never leave the country.

[@kevinl8440]

You went to the US expecting Europe. Why??? US likes cars instead of trains. We like personal space instead of living on top of each other. We like privacy instead of everyone being in our business. We like individuality instead of everyone adopting the same thing. If you don't like these things then just stay in Europe instead of complain.... And I lived in Italy for 2 years and driving in Naples is FAR FAR FAR FAR crazier than driving anywhere in the US. I have been on 6 lane highways in Naples that didn't even have lane lines! It was just a free for all!

[@AW-uh2ux]

100% correct about driving here. People are out of control.

[@lancefry7299]

Bs come to tge midwest in small towns big citys are messed up

[@ManiacalBlueberry]

Especially when it rains

[@davidcalhoun4081]

@@lancefry7299 I think that's generally right. With big cities, things become even more depersonalized and hectic, it seems to breed bad behavior.

[@reaperthemad8731]

Especially if your experience is in New England. My first time in New England was 2 years ago. Now I'm not a stickler for things like speed limits, but when I was driving there it was 85-90mph in bumper to bumper traffic and signals were optional. I dunno what it's like all over the world, but in the Midwest and some other parts of the US, speed limits are often optional, as everybody knows it takes a long time to get places. In the city I live in (or thr suburb close to it), you have to know which streets/highways you can speed on and which you can't. Mostly in the US there are no speed cameras, so it's up to the police if they want to stop you or not. There are some roads into town where the speed limit is 30, but police won't stop you unless you go over 50. I got pulled over in a 35 because I was doing 54, but the cop gave me a warning and said he liked my car. In my experience, driving is way worse in urban areas. The farther out you get, the more understanding the police are and the more considerate drivers usually are. Of course, if you get too far out, watch out for farm equipment or Amish buggies in some places. Oh, and outside of big cities we hate cyclists. It's not personal. We just do.

[@Thaispla]

You'de be surprised about how hard is to be approved for a drive license in Brazil. Especially at south

[@HarveyTalksPrison]

By the way Phil, you have a good command of English. More so than my relatives and friends in Germany

[@potatophil8432]

Thanks a lot! I think nothing beats living in English speaking environments/traveling when it comes to learning a language.

[@WhatDayIsItTrumpDay]

Hey Phil, love your opinion on things, but I wish to clarify a few things. 1) Driving Infrastructure Yes, in some places it's pretty bad. But there's a reason for this. The weather. Because we have hot and cold extremes in the US, we get a lot of freezing and thawing cycles throughout the year and there's nothing harsher on road and bridge structures than that freeze-thaw cycle. We get potholes galore because of that. 2) Suburbs vs City Life Well, you're right, America doesn't have the same kind of city life that Europe has. Even in self-contained cities like New York. Our idea of entertainment is a bit different than Europe. There's too many to name here, so I'll just leave it vague. But piggybacking off of the driving thing, in America, we have a strong car culture, right? There are whole community groups that entertain themselves by having car (or truck) gatherings. From classics to modern exotics, and big 4-wheel drive truck and Jeep groups. Europe has their Raves, America loves its cars. But regarding suburbs, that's where most of the people who work.in the city live. Each suburb is usually self contained as well with shops, restaurants, and movie theaters. The cities are where the culture centers are. Museums and stuff like that.

[@Haylla2008]

You can't blame the weather on the bad roads... at least not completely. In the south the weather does not change temperature much or drastically but the roads are still shitty. If the roads are bad, and they always are, its probably more to do with mismanagement of tax money than with the weather.

[@itsianman]

cause living IN the city isnt that great and isnt that cheap lol and people in the usa like having property and a yard.

[@qjtvaddict]

@@itsianman brainwashing

[@evn.9382]

Why do you want to look into a car? WOW is it really that bad in our Country? But I have heard Germans are always nagging.

[@paultardspambot]

@@itsianman depends on what city and people's preferences

[@kt9aq]

The midwest has a lot of German immigrants, so there are many german breweries, restaurants, and festivals in the St Louis area. There are towns in Illinois with German names, like Millstadt, and Darmstadt which is where my family settled. Be sure to check it out.

[@MomOnAWalk]

Holy moly! Small world. Millstadt is very close to where I live. Hannibal, MO is also a place that has a lot of German heritage.

[@kt9aq]

I recently traveled to Wisconsin and found out it has an even larger German heritage, they serve smoked sausages and bratwursts everywhere and has great beer, and so many businesses and roads with German surnames..I had no idea!

[@jacktheman3468]

There Frankenmuth in Michigan so it must be a midwest thing

[@jacobjones4766]

Come to Pennsylvania we still speak german

[@juice8431]

The midwest is a combination of Southern hospitality and Canadian politeness. The people are very nice.

[@narlycat]

when you drive in US that is the time to jam out to good music or listen to talk radio. I couldn't drive without satellite radio. America is too big for public transportation. You wouldn't build a public tram to a town with 6 houses in it would you? We're all spread out. The city in Europe is where all the action takes place whereas in America the city is just a community center, a hub of population.

[@ScottKnitter]

There are metropolitan areas, though, like Detroit, that needed public transit years ago (and used to have it...streetcars, interurbans, lots of buses) and opted for a car culture. Now some of them are trying to catch up. Phil, come to Chicago, definitely...much more of a city culture than many US cities. And extensive public transport. Not perfect, but we love it as far as it goes. I don't own a car, and I hope to stay that way.

[@braylenfab6523]

The Atlanta example was spot on. I live abt 45 mins outside of Atlanta and if I’m talking to someone who isn’t from Georgia, I just say I’m from Atlanta

[@randygar1]

I'm from the suburbs of Los Angeles and you are so right, I like your videos!!!!

[@potatophil8432]

Thanks a lot! I would love to check out California. :)

[@randygar1]

@@potatophil8432 you should I have a feeling you will enjoy it.

[@acslater017]

PhilTV Don’t worry about the negative comments; I’m American and I completely agree with your impressions! I wish our cities were more like Europe or Asia, with walkable streets, shops, plazas, etc. and more sense of vibrancy and community. Much of the country is pickup trucks and Walmarts, sadly. You should come visit my hometown of San Francisco. It’s far from perfect but in some ways it’s a mix between American and European styles. Many British and French have moved here!

[@ronaldtyrl714]

Phil, please go to our beautiful national parks next time in the USA. Yellowstone, Glacier, Everglades, Yosemite or Badlands would be interesting to hear your opinions on our national parks. Also enjoy Deana’s American perspective on your impressions; she’s a joy and makes the trips fun for you both.

[@potatophil8432]

thanks a lot! These parks would be a dream to visit! Hope we can do it in the future. :)

[@JadedBurnout]

So I'm Canadian but most of this rings true for us too, especially the driving/car culture. Though because we have 1/10 the population of the USA, I'd say our infrastructure is even worse haha If you don't live in a major city, you pretty much have to own a car. For me, the closest major city is about 1 hour 30 minutes by car, but if you take public transportation that trip turns into about a 6 hour journey, because you literally have to wait an hour between buses. And you can only take the train up until about 7:30am because they are 'commuter' trains and only run in one direction for certain times. Once you actually get to the city, there isn't even really a city centre, and again the public transportation system is... not great haha Any time I have friends or family visit from Europe they are amazed by how inconvenient it all is haha

[@potatophil8432]

hey, that's very interesting. Nice to hear from a canadian point of view. I would assume it's overall less stressful to drive around in Canada, though?!

[@problem_man]

JadedBurnout long and boring

[@MomOnAWalk]

@@potatophil8432 I'm from a rural part of the US. It's generally not stressful to drive around here. I try to avoid cities because people are always in a rush and inconsiderate while driving. It really depends on where you are how rude the other drivers are. Although, my husband, being a city person, finds driving in the rural area stressful and boring because there's lots of space between places. Lol. We have a trip planned for July and we'll be driving the whole way. It's going to be about 2000 miles round trip. I love the drive, my husband and kids do not. Should be interesting.

[@qjtvaddict]

They come from civilized countries they feel like they stepped into a shithole once they realize the inconvenience of North America

[@qjtvaddict]

@@MomOnAWalk imagine a great road and rail system modern one.

[@dkoz8321]

When he says subdivision, he means 'suburb'. Russian word is 'pri-gorod'. So yes people work in cities, but live in suburbs, and in expensive downtowns, or residential districts called neighborhoods. City centers are for office space, vertical malls, recreation areas, night clubs. Suburbs and neighborhoods are for living. American suburbia is a product of post-WWII development of American society.

[@BranDenhauer]

The douchy driving is so true. I think the main reason so many drivers here try to stop other cars from merging is because of another douchy thing drivers do here...intentionally cut in line. Instead of merging when they're supposed to, they wait until the last second and try to cut in. We hate that and it instills this natural instinct in us to try and stop it whenever we can

[@Ap_twsh]

or they try to merge along the side of the freeway where your not supposed to drive on outer edge of the road. yeah that happens a lot too.

[@bravesdoug]

I agree with almost all of this. I will say, ya'll in Europe are far crazier drivers than anyone in the US. Maybe Germany's different, but the roads and drivers in Paris, Rome, Barcelona are absolute chaos. People and their tiny scooters weaving in an out everywhere are far scarier than any giant pickup truck in the US.

[@potatophil8432]

yeah, the three cities you mentioned are definitely crazy traffic-wise! The southern countries are known for it. I guess the further you go up north, the better the driving. I haven't been but I would assume Scandinavia is super chill. :)

[@apexone5502]

You’re not lying. I’m from metro Atlanta and I’ve been to all 3 European cities you named. My biggest memories of chaotic drivers was in Rome. As bad as the drivers are here, Atlanta has nothing on those drivers at all.

[@jeromemckenna7102]

Southern English can be difficult to understand. I've had particular problem with 2 friends from Arkansas both swallow their words.

[@potatophil8432]

It's always the South... :D

[@JeanRain17]

My mom is from there and yeah there is a hell of a accent to deal with sometimes

[@johnbattle7518]

IF you can understand East Scottish accents then Arkansas is easy.

[@ManiacalBlueberry]

As someone who speaks it I guess it doesn't bother me but I've learnt to "fix up" my accent when I need to speak to people outside of my circles. Although Im tired of being made fun of for it :c

[@benseac]

I have a number of relatives that live in West Virginia and it always takes me about an hour or so of talking/listening to them for me to understand them properly. Their accent is quite a bit different from my boring Michigan one.

[@pogfee]

The entire southeast of the US says "y'all"

[@travishardaway6348]

I from Texas and we get pissed when people say that. Most people around here dont actually fit the stereotypes.

[@thefallenlettuce2797]

Most of us in Virginia say that but im not sure what the rest of them states say.

[@sbond7510]

From Virginia and moved to Maryland and they made fun of my use of “y’all”

[@thefallenlettuce2797]

@@sbond7510 Them northern shits ain't got no sense of manners. It's our way of saying things and I'd keep it like that.

[@thefallenlettuce2797]

@@travishardaway6348 Yall dont actually say that? In Virginia it's common.

[@hiko73]

I easily know 6 guys who drive trucks & only 1 of them uses it as a truck (and I live in LA). You are not wrong, sir! lol

[@getoveritlaughing3509]

As a guy in Virginia everyone I know uses them as trucks..If you live in LA what exactly do you do with a truck if you're not in construction?..there is plenty of places in America you need trucks...LA isn't one..

[@hiko73]

@@getoveritlaughing3509 Right? The one who actually used his was an editor who stayed in LA for the week to work, then went home to an area near Temecula where he had a ranch. But the others?? Nope! We all worked in entertainment.....BUT I can tell you, 4-5 of them now have cars or bought other cars. IDGI :)

[@getoveritlaughing3509]

@@hiko73 Musk should give one to someone who really uses a truck to see how it really does.. going up mountain roads cutting wood and using and abusing it like trucks get used..The way the batteries is blowing up in crashes is kinda scary to me..I still would like to know what the electric bills go up using the home chargers..

[@hiko73]

@@getoveritlaughing3509 I would honestly love to see that. See how it really works & costs.

[@rbfoster]

I love videos like these. I watch Joel & Lia as well. I like hearing how foreigners view our everyday life. Maybe after seeing how spread out we live you understand why we drive bigger cars. Lots of Europeans comments on our big cars but with long drives we like more comfortable vehicles to spread out in.

[@shadowtrooper3032]

you are spot on, yea weather is nice in the South lol (from a German living in US for last 19 years )

[@potatophil8432]

I wish I was there right now :D

[@golfr-kg9ss]

Depends on where you live in the US, the west coast and the south things are pretty mild. Get into the northern states and things become variable and can be quite extreme. Maybe check out "Lost in the Pond" a KZbin website by a guy who immigrated to the US from England and ended up in the upper Midwest, states of Indiana and Illinois. He does some videos about the differences in weather between England and the US.

[@Kylesb]

The Midwest can be nice...but very entertaining. For some, a week can consist of a sunny 80 degree day and end with a below 40 snow day. Might sound a bit extreme but it’s possible in many places. 🤗

[@carolgage4569]

My favorite is when someone says “all y’all”! Kind of redundant, but very plural! 😅

[@arglbargl]

there's a difference between y'all and all y'all

[@PG-is9vr]

People are even starting to use that expression north of the Mason-Dixon line! I live in Cincinnati and have heard it often here. Along with "Bless Your Heart." LOL

[@dannyventure]

Y'all can be singular and plural, but all y'all is plural

[@mackr4765]

Most of the time I say "all y'all" I mean "all of you"

[@ManiacalBlueberry]

Y'all i use to a group of people in a room (like there is ten people in the room but im specifically talking about three) And you all y'all as in the whole room

[@PianistStefanBoetel]

4:34 Japanese big cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka or Fukuoka are the opposite of American cities: Almost nothing can be reached by car because the streets are often so narrow You have everything reachable by foot Public transport brings you everywhere

[@pogfee]

A lot of the big cities in the United States are like that. It's almost pointless to have a car in Manhattan because even if you want to drive somewhere there is nowhere to park. Big cities usually have halfway decent public transportation but smaller cities are where you are forced to have a car... although with the emergence of Uber/Lyft that's becoming easier to get away with too.

[@PianistStefanBoetel]

@@pogfee Yes, thank you for the point. I like to be exploring American cities like New York, Boston or Philadelphia some day.

[@pogfee]

@@PianistStefanBoetel Great choices, I lived in Philadelphia for several years and love it there. New York and Boston have decent public transportation, Philly really doesn't but you can walk just about everywhere depending on where you are staying.

[@wileycoyote9504]

When I was 17 we moved from Massachusetts to Florida. We stopped at a McDonald's in Georgia and I literally could not communicate with the clerk (we both spoke "english" only). I had to point to the buttons with the pictures of the food on them to get my order.

[@TheShootist]

ayah

[@19580822]

Same here. I moved from Massachusetts to Georgia when I was 15. After 45 years however, I now consider myself bilingual.

[@cjnoffz3351]

I totally get it, I went from Texas to Pennsylvania Dutch country and the only thing that I said for the first three months was What?"; for some reason awhile doesn't mean "in a little while later" it means "right now"; go figure. I shall never forget the first time my new supervisor said to me, "Make the light out awhile." That is when it dawned on me that the original German settlers broke the number one rule of translation and translated phrases word for word instead. In German one would say, "Machen die lichten aus" -literally make the light out. After 20 years every time someone says, "awhile" I still laugh.

[@danielgarrett979]

I grew up in Southern California and went to graduate school at University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). I had no trouble with understanding the southern accent (besides finding it charming and lyrical). Maybe Northeastern accents and Southern accents don't mix well (think mini-Civil War). Lol. Go Rebs!!

[@GottfriedWendehals]

Just a little correction from a fellow German: if you live in a big city in Europe it can also take you easily half an hour or hour to get to the city centre (Berlin, Munich, Hamburg). Let alone London: it typically takes an hour to get anywhere in London. Only difference is that you do it by public transport. And there are parts of the US that have quite good public transport: I saw more cycle racks on a Californian train from S.F. to Stanford than in any German or UK train. Washington / Arlington also has good public transport. But I have been told these places were rather exceptional in that sense. It just so happens that these were the places that I ended up visiting for work-related stuff. So I can proudly say that I managed to travel in the U.S without needing to rent a car.

[@greenmachine5600]

Yes, some places have more public transportation than others. Portland, Oregon/Seattle, Washington/ Boston, Massachusetts/ Washington D.C./ Charleston and Savannah, Georgia/ New York City and Saratoga Springs, New York/ Jersey City and Newark, New Jersey/ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/ etc. There are many places with decent public transportation and some walk-ability. Overall though the USA definitely needs more public transportation, more walk-ability, more density, and less zoning laws, and no parking minimums. Walk-ability needs to be improved.

[@stefanhaeufler7365]

living in south Africa my whole life having grown up with American television and all that you hear about it, I have always wanted to go over and see it for myself. thanks for sharing such an amazing insight into the country.

[@pogfee]

I enjoy the insight too and I've live in the United States my whole life. It's such a big country with so many different cultures and styles blended in that you can travel within the United States and feel like you are visiting many different places. Your experiences will vary greatly depending on where you choose to go.

[@athenakilgore2396]

If you go to america, we will welcome you

[@dannyventure]

Welcome, but just a heads-up - there are many places (or entire cities) that are just as dangerous as the worst in South Africa, + guns. Get as much info as possible about places you want to visit if you come over. But that being said, most Americans would be happy to show you around to places we love. South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and I hope I can explore it someday as I've learned much about it.

[@mroof523]

@@athenakilgore2396 that's liberias flag God DAMMIT

[@TheAkosombo]

Enjoyed your video. I am from Germany and my girlfriend is from the US, so we have been watching a bunch of videos like this and had some really nice discussion about the differences between the US and Germany. Since i am planning on moving to the US in the future, i will see if my experiences will be similar :D

[@potatophil8432]

Do you know which part you wanna move to?

[@TheAkosombo]

@@potatophil8432 Will be moving to Houston, TX

[@mbuck5044]

Phil, I live in the suburbs that is about a 50 minute drive outside New York city . You're right, you do need a car as mass transit is horrible unless you're in a big city like Manhattan, Chicago, or Los Angeles's to name a few. Great video.

[@potatophil8432]

Yeah, we were just in NYC. It's nice to get around :)

[@mr.balloffur]

I lived in Queens, I could drive but the public transport was great. So I used that mostly

[@christopherhancock1723]

I wish foreigners would explore more of our country than just our big cities like New York.

[@brandi_with_an_i]

Funny you mentioned Atlanta. Any time someone asks me where I am from, I always say "Atlanta." Most of the time, people are going to say "what part?" "Duluth." I think it's probably like that for most across the U.S like you said.

[@ManiacalBlueberry]

SAME. Even though its not duluth for me its griffin.

[@craigscott2862]

American here. There are many cities in the USA (mostly on the east coast) which do have a city-centered life besides NYC. It has been making a big comeback in many cities and particularly here in Miami where many Germans come to play in our sun.

[@IkeOzurumba]

6:28 as a motorcyclist, with nothing but paying attention, to do. I can tell you this is starting to scare me the most. EVERYONE uses their phones whole driving.

[@dubuque100]

Europe is compact, with cities having evolved long before America was around, and each country occupies a small land area compared with the U.S. America was settled from East to West in patterns, with population density concentrated in the East and Midwest. Each city has its distinct neighborhoods, which are like villages in a city, and the subdivisions you are referring to are actually the suburbs. As far as tinted windows are concerned, hardly anyone has them. By the way, I've been to Frankfurt and Berlin and found Germany to be a nice place.

[@TheEasyname23]

Population density is mainly on the coasts

[@dubuque100]

DOPEusername Check out a nighttime shot of the US from space. You are partly right but the light patterns bear me out.

[@johnbrooks3750]

Some spot on observations! Glad to see you are getting around and seeing more of the USA than many Americans do! Many towns in the northeast (especially New England) have very walkable towns. South and west, not so much.

[@KEVVIE37]

I can't relate to things being spread out i live in North Jersey.

[@chanelmone4721]

Same from New York

[@Orxbane]

But he was talking about America.

[@michellekelley9904]

City life in America is neighborhood related. America was created for and around cars. Some major car companies would even buy bus lines and trolly lines and tear them down or stop them from running so people would have to buy cars. It was not our choice as a society. It happened to us. So we had to deal with it.

[@L1623VP]

I think a lot of the misconceptions and culture shock of Europeans coming to the U.S. for the first time is because they just can't fathom how enormous the country is. Most of the 50 states are much larger in landmass and population than most European countries. With much more distance to cross, people need their cars, not public transportation. You won't be taking a subway between Houston and Dallas. The country is gigantic, and so there is far, FAR more space between things. European countries are small, so everything has to be tightly packed together. As such, Europeans have to take public transportation or walk everywhere in their daily lives. Because space is at a premium, everything is smaller. The U.S. is a vastly different landscape, and with far more space, everything from houses to cars is bigger. There is no "city life" because most Americans don't have to live in the city like Europeans because of limited space, and there is far more to do outside cities than in them, especially on the weekends. Because the weather is much better in the U.S., Americans have a much stronger outdoor culture than Europe, and so prefer to spend time in outdoor activities rather than inside the city on weekends. Most Americans also don't live in the cities because the quality of life is better outside them. Since a lot of Americans work in the cities, they prefer to separate their work and home life by living in the suburbs or even the countryside and commuting into the city for work. If you really want to experience fantastic weather, get to the southern California coast. I'm talking Santa Monica, Malibu, San Diego, Newport Beach, San Juan Capistrano, anywhere on the coast that's two miles or less from the ocean. It's mid 70's to mid 80's all year round with zero humidity, and it rains about five days per year. People say the Mediterranean has great weather. I've been to the Mediterranean, and it gets blazing hot depending on the time of year. I've traveled quite a bit, and the most consistent and pleasant weather in the world bar none is on the southern California coast. Even inland a bit will be mid to high 80's with some days in the low 90's, again with only five days of rain per year with zero humidity.

[@str82thepoint100]

There are douchy drivers everywhere, but in Milwaukee we generally don't close up the gap and allow cars and semi trucks to merge.

[@potatophil8432]

True. Drivers all around the world are a peculiar thing :)

[@Sunnyso24]

S.E Wisconsin in general is great! Illinois well that’s another story. They’re like kamakazi drivers

[@TheseYeahThese]

Man, I'm from a "suburb" of Los Angeles (where disneyland is) and EVERYTHING you said is EXTREMELY TRUE. Our big cities, even Los Angeles, don't have much character. Our people are not connected as much and I think is resulting in our divide. Although I've heard it is much different in the rural areas of the U.S., especially the South. The cars part is funny. Yes, when you drive here if is a "ME FIRST" mentality that also drives our separation. Also, the transportation is just strange here. On one hand, our country is MUCH too large to have a sustainable country wide train system. Despite our 300M population, there wouldn't be a sizeable enough customer base for it to run properly. As for the cities, it was just poor planning. And you have to remember, many of the cities here FLOURISHED at the turn of the century when cars were being manufactured. This caused the cities to be BUILT ARPUND THE AUTOMOBILE, Los Angeles is the most extreme case of this. Look up the history of it, it's very interesting and will explain why Los Angeles is sooo spread out. But overall, awesome video! But please try to visit as many different states/communities as you can. They are all vastly different

[@blowba]

Most of the cities and towns kept expanding unplanned willy-nilly outward and they sort of expanded into each other and ate each other.

[@krisiglehart3061]

What you have to realise is Germany is the size as the state of Montana. The distances are greater especially the more West you go, so cars/trucks are needed. Unless you live in the city center which is real expensive, you have to drive everywhere.

[@alexthomsen3874]

You are pretty much spot on! From a Dane living in the US

[@potatophil8432]

Thanks! Which one is your favorite state? =)

[@alexthomsen3874]

@@potatophil8432 Probably Florida, California, and Hawaii would be at the top of my list. Currently, I live in New York, NY which is awesome. But I think that has more to do with the city being awesome than the state.

[@kccgurl]

I mean a lot of public transportation in america isn't great but we do have buses in every city, gray hound buses in between cities, amtrak to travel across the country by train, and most major cities have some kind of train system. It's just that most people prefer to drive than to use public transportation.

[@livefreeandhappy4892]

I just retired after working 43 years and I drove to work everyday of my working life. I do not even know what the inside of our city’s bus looks like or how much is the ride.

[@justinbetland9792]

As an American who's been to Europe a few times and recently to Luxembourg and Trier Germany, I'm able to see my home country through a different set of eyes. I liked just about everything better back there except for the limited parking, and the feeling that I didn't quite belong. Also, like you mentioned, the weather is sunnier overall in the USA. There is a subtle feeling of lawlessness in the U.S. in general that works with my naturally disobedient personality. The parking garages in Luxembourg were so neat, clean, quiet and orderly that I almost couldn't believe they were real. I accidentally dropped a carton of milk that I had bought at an Aldi, and my conscience made me go get a t-shirt out of my backpack, wipe up the spill, and then use my drinking water to wipe away any stickiness that remained. And this was just the floor of the parking garage. Kind of impressive to me how well they maintain their spaces over there.

[@TheOrioles93]

You went to Boston and the South. 2 of the most different sounding English in the US. Not surprised you had a hard time understanding people. Pittsburgh is an area with its on sound that is hard to pick up as well.

[@potatophil8432]

Interestingly, I didn't think the Boston accent was too bad. :)

[@shootingjester2780]

American culture is very independently minded. We value our space, our privacy, our property, and out family. We are usually polite to others, but don't try and get too chummy. I hope that explains why we are the way we are, driving cars, living in our own separate homes, and keep to ourselves.

[@adamsmidkiff1]

This is the most accurate take on life in US v Europe that I've seen. Forget about crime, we both have it. Forget about guns, US has them, Europe doesn't, but try to find someone in the US who's seen a gunfight in person(TV doesn't count), except for military veterans, good luck, no one has. The main difference is the US is built around cars, Europe is built around walking, and the result is radically different lifestyles.

[@superbadgeethan8335]

Lol, your impression is right...lived here all my life.

[@buffalosoldier19d42]

We are definitely not a walking society. Very good video. One thing about the weather in FL. It doesn't cool down at night in the summer, much like Texas. SC nights tend to be cooler. By cooler I mean it'll get into the 70's. I've watched a few of your videos and the passing on the right thing is not supposed to be allowed. Police keep saying that they are going to start enforcing this but never get around to it. Most people will get on the highway and immediately get in the middle or left lane, even when there's no one around them. It's so much easier to get in the right lane and pass than to try and pass on the left.

[@rattata30]

It’s true we don’t have adult stores next to churches or schools like Europe

[@DRLBOSTON]

You should visit Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia (those cities Also have City life like NYC)

[@LarryHatch]

You got the subdivisions right. We used to call then "bedroom communities". The US is getting more European with so-called "Mixed Use Developments" where you live, shop, work, and get entertained in the same square mile. This cut downs on pollution and commute times. Still these residents will be tempted to go "off campus" and explore new stores.

[@potatophil8432]

I like "Bedroom communities". I'll use that from now on! :D

[@ScottKnitter]

I think I'd say "suburb" (Vorort?) instead of "subdivision." A suburb is usually filled with subdivisions. A developer comes in and builds roads and houses in one part of the suburb, and that's a subdivision.

[@AlbertMeza]

Phil, I think you meant "Suburbs" not Subdivisions. A subdivision, is a "sector" within a city whereas, a suburb, is a smaller city which is adjacent to a larger city. Blackout windows or, window tint is designed to protect car interiors (and occupants) from dangerous, cancer-causing UV rays. They are not for used for privacy. With respect to your impressions or expectations about the US, they are based on popular culture and not on fact. If you want to know "America", forget about the east and west coasts, visit the Heartland and find out how small town Americans live, think and what they believe. If you do that, you will see there is more to us than the lies Hollywood tells you.

[@jgarland3581]

Well said.

[@sylviajustice5013]

Subdivision for neighborhoods is a southern word. Usually it implies a whole neighborhood built by one builder, with one entrance and exit. They are all over here in the south, from the last twenty years, built up in former countryside. Not so much of them in the older denser north.

[@rich_t]

I came to the comment section specifically to tell him the same thing.😉

[@betsyduane3461]

USA loves it's small towns.

[@thefallenlettuce2797]

Wait WAIT did u say no BUSES!?!? my city has to many! its a infestaion of BUSES and we even have a train that ges through our city its called the tide my city is Norfolk VA visit us so u can see your buses and trains

[@ManiacalBlueberry]

We have buses in our main city but once you leave there its impossible to even find a taxi. You just have to get a car or walk for miles.

[@thefallenlettuce2797]

@@ManiacalBlueberry Mhm Same here. It would be helpful if they used their brains and made it easier for people on the out skirts of the city to get around.

[@Jon651]

You have a lot of valid points about how things are in the US, but I am only going to address one: Large pickup trucks. Yes, it is certainly true that the majority of truck owners very seldom use their full capacity, but that brings us to this choice: Does it make more sense to A) Have one vehicle that can do everything from carrying or towing the largest loads (even if only infrequently) to making short local trips; B) Have one vehicle that does all of the smaller tasks and then have to borrow or rent something when you have a large job to do; or C) Have two vehicles, one that does the small things and one that does the large. For me, and apparently a whole lot of other Americans, it makes much more sense to own a single vehicle that does everything than to either have to borrow or rent something when I need to do a "big" job or own two vehicles to cover a separate range of tasks each.

[@dmknight08]

Lol “worse” is just in reference of your perspective. We love our cars. We would argue that it’s better because we don’t have to worry about bus or train schedules, and we appreciate the privacy of traveling in our own spaces (our vehicles). Public transportation just isn’t that popular here. It’s not something we aspire to make as prominent as it is in Europe. And we don’t really appreciate people staring at us inside our cars. It’s like an invasion of our privacy. If you want to see people then you can just go to a public space, but other people’s vehicles are not a public place. And regional dialect and accents change depending on where you go. Think about it, Montana alone is bigger than Germany and you said that people have different accents in just that smaller region.

[@honkhonk8009]

I take public transit for everything, and even I agree with that.

[@brianfrance6283]

All southern states need tinted windows to cool off the car.

[@bryantwhittaker3576]

The main reason why people drive around with tinted windows is it saves energyas far as having the car air conditioning on it doesn't have to work as hard as compared to cars without windows

[@honkhonk8009]

also another reason is the fact you dont wanna look at people, and want privacy. Privacy isnt something thats a big deal in europe from what iv seen. its a factor, but they dont really care as much.

[@tmondrag99]

I disagree. I live in Chicago, proper. And it is in Chicago. Not the suburbs (Subdivision). what you are describing is called a Downtown area. And yes, people live in the downtown areas as well. But 5 million people live in the city of Chicago. Not the Burbs.

[@ScottKnitter]

2.716 million (2017). But I agree. I live in Edgewater (far north side neighborhood, *in* Chicago).

[@tay9087]

As an American, Baltimore Maryland native, the city life is more for younger crowd, every once in awhile going to the city to hang out is cool, you have your local bars, clubs restaurants, but mostly traveling into the city is because maybe you have a dr appt, going to court, work, or some type of government assistance, and the city life is a bit dangerous depending on where you going. A true experience of the US is our natural parks, beaches, country side living and local restaurants, and neighborhoods festivals.

[@jasonwilliams1370]

I was born in Fayetteville NC my dad was stationed at Ft.Bragg. Later he was stationed in Hohenfells Germany. I loved Germany. Great people great food.

[@alexcia4126]

I understand what you mean by lifestyle. College towns are good for interacting and most places are in walking distance, I wish America would adopt to that infrastructure more, it would definitely give us a sense of community

[@dudoklasovity2093]

All 6 points very valid and totally agree. Here in USA we drive like there’s no tomorrow. The lifelessness of the cities is why so many Americans deal with depression. No real sense of community here.

[@djwestbrook36]

One thing I do want to clarify , is that a lot of people do live in the city. The people who say “I’m from DC” even though they live in Virginia are often scowled by people who ACTUALLY live in DC. It’s very common for them to be corrected and say “you live in Virginia!” Not DC. I think you must’ve hung out with someone that lives in the suburb

[@binyominsilverman1592]

Weather being better than Germany. Wisconsin laughs in Blizzards and -40° during a polar vortex. Gulf States laugh in Hurricanes. Great Plains laugh in Tornadoes. Guam laughs in Typhoons. Lake Superior laughs in the Witch of November... Arizona laughs in 110° ...

[@blowba]

The United States is so huge that you really shouldn't think of it as a country, it's almost more of a whole continent. Each region, each state, even parts of states or cities vs suburbs varies so greatly in geography, music, politics, thoughts and beliefs, housing, food,, weather and climate, culture, racial and ethnic distribution, and language and slang are so different that it's hard to really accurately describe what is American.

[@1234debp]

Cities in the north east especially are more like European cities, they tend to have pretty good public transportation and are more dense and compact because they are older cities and were built before the car became popular. NYC, DC, Boston & Philly are good examples of this

[@ST-ov8cm]

Most populations in the world are used to having large portions of their lives controlled by their governors. This was not (originally) the case in America. For instance, the populace here for a long time resisted public transportation and opted for personal responsibility instead. When I was growing up there were also big discussions about not allowing politicians to “hide” taxes and tax increases within the prices of goods. For this reason most Americans insisted that sales taxes be calculated separately at the cash register. Americans, at least traditionally, did not want government getting more and more areas of control over private lives and were always wary of the kinds of corruption that comes with more centralized control.

[@cynthiahaller8579]

As an American I agree with all of these. Especially driving! It drives me crazy when I put my blinker on to move into a lane and the car speeds up and refuses me to get in front of them. Phil don’t let the haters get to you!

[@manxkin]

Hi Phil, as someone else noted I think you mean "suburb" not "subdivision". The subdivisions are areas within the town (suburb) where you live. I do agree that American towns are not like European towns. In Europe there is a real city center usually built around the church/cathedral with a bustling environment. Here, the business districts have become a series of poorly laid out strip malls. As the smaller towns in America have grown they have lost the city center. When I was a kid my home town was very compact now it's a jumbled mess. Yes, regional accents vary a lot. Walk ability is a problem as is transportation. When I was in the Netherlands you could get anywhere by train. England too. Germany too for that matter. America is a great country to explore due to its varied geography, climate, culture. Right now the weather sucks. Winter in northern Illinois. Cold, cold, cold. Summer's are hot and humid. Did a road trip to Utah this past September. 1400 miles in two days to get there. Saw parts of my own country that I've never seen before. Awesome. I love to travel in Europe as well. Anyway, have fun, keep exploring.

[@Hrrjkf821]

The only difference imo between Europe and USA is literally public transport everywhere in Europe (this is not to say America doesn’t have public transport in towns from the east coast to Midwest)

[@piedmontatl]

I live in Atlanta. (LOL Actually, an hour from the center city.) When one travels to other parts of the state, it does become difficult to understand what some people are saying. True.

[@potatophil8432]

I hope I can stop by Georgia in summer. I'm curious how it is =)

[@tinah8833]

@@potatophil8432 If you love your weather to be hotter than hell, then you will love Georgia in the Summertime. Otherwise, I'd recommend waiting until after September. I was born in Georgia and lived there until I was 20.

[@brandi_with_an_i]

Guess it's only "difficult" if you're not from the area...or the southeast.

[@piedmontatl]

@@brandi_with_an_i That is true. I am a Yankee. But, if you travel to Middle and South Georgia the dialects become more difficult to understand in some places.

[@piedmontatl]

@@tinah8833 Yes, some times it is so hot that it becomes somewhat hard to breath. Air quality.

[@svenmacfadyen5860]

I think, for the most part, many Americans want land. The large house, with a big yard, and a white picket fence life. I think most definitely don't want to be entrenched upon with businesses. We're so used to getting in a car and driving for few mins to do what we got to do. Plus, the U.S is HUGE. Nice video.

[@noahgray543]

I dont see how you could get hate for this video, it describes the US perfectly. I guess I would just point out that the infrastructure being mediocre is directly related to the size of the United States. The United States is roughly the size of *all of Europe* but has under half the population and that population is far more spread out. This means that infrastructure costs balloon quickly and something is always failing somewhere.

[@lorig7077]

In general it's pretty correct. America is very diverse though in that you can live by the ocean, mountains, dessert, lake, city or county. Accents do vary

[@pogfee]

I feel like a lot of people who visit the United States are surprised about how big the country is. Germany is smaller than California for example... which is the 3rd biggest state in the United States.

[@steveeliscu1254]

So much here to comment on. But I'll just mention two things: 1. Many of us Americans are brought up to be very competitive and sometimes develop an attitude of "No you don't! You won't get the best of me!" Then they take that attitude and make it part of their driving. 2. The people in American media and travelling the world are better educated and often even trained in how to speak English. Your local yokels/ common folk are not. In general, the thicker the regional accent, the less educated the person.

[@romeoalphafoxtrot9517]

You are comparing drivers in the areas you visited into the way the majority drives in the US. It's a big place Dude. Just saying.

[@hiddenname9809]

America has residential and commercial zones. So, you cannot conduct business in a residential zone. For example, you cannot set-up a hair salon or dentist office from your house. This is why you will have to drive to commercial area.

[@blaire7253]

You thing the south east has hard to understand accents, you should listen to people from Massachusetts.

[@anthonylong9067]

Believe it or not, but i have a good understanding of natives of MA. However, Rhode Island....oh god they got a strong accent

[@davidcalhoun4081]

A lot of this resonates, and I'm an American! The roads are definitely in disrepair. Bad combination with distracted drivers. I used to lived in Santa Cruz and commute to Silicon Valley via highway 17 through the mountains - a somewhat dangerous route. There were many rough patches of road and outright potholes, and despite that, of course many of the drivers were on their cellphones. When I was commuting via a company bus, I could usually count about 10 drivers fiddling with their cell phones while driving along that route (about a 30 minute commute). Plenty of regions with pretty aggressive drivers here unfortunately. I grew up and learned how to drive in LA (Los Angeles, not Louisiana), which feels insane every time I go back - there is outright recklessness there. Also drove between LA and SF many times and I do not miss the insane drivers and trucks on the I-5. I lived in the Charleston area in South Carolina for about a year, the drivers there are mostly tame compared to LA, which was super nice - people there are way more courteous in general. In other ways unfortunately South Carolina felt decades behind the rest of the US. Sticking to the topic of roads - the merging lanes end so abruptly and without warning, which is super annoying and dangerous.

[@shayde5345]

So, living in Phoenix, Arizona, there are entire smaller "cities" inside Phoenix because the city is just so huge. They all used to be separate places that you have to drive to, but stuff just kept getting built in between and now it all one thing. Downtown Phoenix is where the skyscraper buildings are and nobody actually lives there because it's mostly all businesses. Everything is designed with cars in mind. You could live in Laveen or Glendale and they are 40 minute car drives but still part of Phoenix, the city as a whole. There is Buckeye, Laveen, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, and even these spaces are big and can be split into smaller places. And you could drive past huge mansions and then drive 10 minutes and suddenly be by Metro, which is filled with drug addicts, and homeless people. It's crazy.

[@RobertMuldooJP]

I'm down in Tucson...Phoenix is too hot!

[@M4MED86]

Born and raised in the U.S.....I definitely agree w people closing the gap on purpose! That usually comes w big cities. Big cities= rude drivers.🙄 I,however,live in a smaller city,where people are more layed back,not in a huge rush to get to their destinations,and are more patient to let you merge. That's one of the reasons why I hate traveling to bigger cities

[@JeanRain17]

I had no idea no other countries tinted their windows. That's vital here in California the sun makes your car an oven. *edit* I actually laughed out loud when you explained you went to Boston and the south and had a hard time with their english. Those are like top tier American accents (accents i think most people think American's sound like but for other Americans can even be difficulty to understand)

[@potatophil8432]

yeah, I guess most people think Americans sound like clear Californian (not the cali girl one;), a neutral accent like in most Hollywood movies. I think many hot countries tint their windows, e.g. in Thailand they all have it.

[@jlpack62]

To be fair Phil, you spent most of your time in South Carolina. It's true that most of America lives in car dependent suburbia, but there are definitely more places that you can live in a city. It's just much more expensive to do so.

[@donovanfranklin7443]

I'm from Texas And I live Do United States This country is something else

[@hannah3250]

I think it’s what your personal priorities are. Some people love more distance from the city, some people live right in the city in apartments and lofts and do not have cars( not every state and city is the same). I prefer being further away from the city and more in touch with natural surroundings. My English husband thinks the roads are great and they are much wider than in England. I’ve been to Sweden, England, Italy, Costa Rica, and Mexico. I love our infrastructure. I agree… too many fast food restaurants!! Totally agree! I buy from local farmers and smaller grocery stores. I love each country’s unique touches! Please keep in mind that our country is MASSIVE… a 4 hour drive or 8 hour drive in one day is no big deal and you’re still in the same state. So, we aren’t a bunch of small countries, we are states that are big enough to fit several countries into which makes the subway situation more complex and expensive.

[@stevenmatthews2278]

Not everyone lives in a subdivision. I would say that I live on the Northside of town or the south side. Or I would give a landmark. For example, I live close to a well-known road in the city called Lascassas Pike. I would say that I live off Lascassas Pike close to the university. I would say I live in a part of a town/city rather than a subdivision. Subdivisions bring to mind a grouping of similar homes that are concentrated in a neighborhood with an elaborate gate or fence and they usually have a brick sign with a made-up name for their middle class subdivision.

[@HBC423]

Plenty of people live in the city centers here in America

[@mathewkeen2356]

America is extremely independent. Personal liberty is everything. Even to those on the far left. Whether they realize it or not. We want things set up for cars bc its our choice. We dont have to go on anyone elses schedule. We have trucks bc we want to be able to take care of things ourself. We dont want to ask a friend or rent a truck if we want to haul something. When trying to figure out America always ask "Does this give a person more personal Freedom?" If you do that you will start to realize that it all makes sense.

[@RobertMuldooJP]

Oh Boston and the south??? Lol man, no wonder you couldn't understand them...I'm a native that grew up in the southwest and I have to pay attention to close to certain accents. Everything else was pretty on point. You definitely need to visit the west (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon)...what you experienced is definitely more east coast

[@pixisasdad6722]

It really just depends where you go, (I’m American) honestly if your gonna travel here don’t go to the “popular areas” or coastal states because the layout and way of living of those areas is different from the majority of America, I would recommend visiting one of the Great Lakes or a city like traverse city ( which is next to Lake Michigan)

[@everythingmanny]

When you was talking about Suburbs “sub division” that’s not the city so if you already live in a city like Atlanta it won’t take you long to get anywhere and everything is near by in neighborhoods corner store on every corner. Other than New York you have Philly Chicago Baltimore Dc and ect..... maybe you just need to come back and link with the right people like me

[@break2048]

I think I agree with most things in this video with he exception of car culture and English. I live like 30 min outside of Atlanta. But I understand the generalization you have from where you went that that's where your thoughts are going to be based on. Everything in the US in my opinion depends on where you live. Like you said "subjective" everything in your thoughts are subject to change. I bet your impressions will change when you explore more and find more people and places. Hope you love staying even more next time! One thing I always say even when I was hosting a frenchie for 2 weeks was never judge the US by the movies lol. The states, cities, wherever always are subject to change. (Btw the hate is just the people who don't understand the generalization of the video like you said lol...they should watch with an open mind lol)

[@sylviajustice5013]

Yes walkability is poor here in US. I can only say to defend it, you get used to it. If you are working, with a family, most of your time is at work or home. When you do have a small amount of leisure time, you know the area well and you have your favorite places in town, or nearby city, and you just drive there, and spend time there. And then go home. Not super exciting I guess, but there are ways to adjust. The upside is you have a much larger more comfortable house. I myself prefer a more urban area, but I don’t mind the time in the suburbs when I visit my parents.

[@sylviajustice5013]

Which brings me to a point I often make to friends, - there is a big difference between visiting and living. For example, I used to live in NYC, and visitors I had often said to me, I could never live here, it’s too crazy, etc. But I told them, you know, once you live here and you have your own apartment and your job, most your time is spent at work or in your apartment, and it doesn’t really matter that it’s so crazy, you don’t notice it as much. And I can say the same about the suburbs. It might seem too quiet to people, but once you live there, and you have your job and your home, and your friends and family, and the places you like, it seems less quiet.