The difference between European flats and American apartments
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Flats versus Apartments
There's an American Dream and a European one. They seem to be growing more and more alike, while remaining distinctly different at times. I've always lived in the American bubble, however, always captivated by the European realm. I was lucky enough to gain an extra European Union passport and took off immediately.
The America/Euro debate is a big one. I'm still contemplating the pros and cons of both bubbles. For this hub I'm strictly sticking with the differences of the physical 'HOME' in each world.
For those that don't know, a British/Euro 'flat' is synonymous with the word, 'apartment' as we use in the States. If I say I'm looking for a 'flat' in the States, people think I'm trying to be too Euro and sounding snotty. If I say 'apartment' in England, people right away know I'm American and think I'm an idiot. Basically, you need to always be on your A game and know where you are and to WHOM you're speaking to.
- Top Ten Differences between the Flat and Apartment -
1) SPACE
In general, you can get a much BIGGER apartment in the States than anywhere in Europe. (I'm speaking in general terms. Yes - technically you could probably get a huge flat on some farm in Romania than in a city in the States) Generally though, we have more space in America and therefore, produce larger living arrangements for cheaper.
2) A simple thing called a 'closet'!!!
Europe has no closets. They seriously do NOT have closets. What do they do in order to store (ehem, CRAM) their belongings and clothes? IKEA is their God. They've invented every kind of wardrobe in the world - for shoes, pants, special socks/underwear one I randomly found, hats, suits, pullovers, etc. When you buy an apartment in States, a closet is naturally a part of the deal. Why? Because it makes sense to create a special place for one's clothes. In Germany my parents had their clothes hanging on racks (the ones Americans generally use for old clothes in their attics or basements). However, they had the racks in their bedrooms practically on top of one another. Aesthetically speaking - it looks awful, but also think about the amount of dust, lint, and crap floating around in the air landing on your squished clothing.
3) No bathroom Cabinets
In my experiences living in numerous different European countries, there were no cabinets. You know, like the ones you have under your bathroom sink. Nothing. Everyone's toiletry kit is either on top of the toilet seat, on some ledge you happen to find, or you're trying to keep everything under your right armpit while proceeding to brush your teeth. In America, bathroom cabinets are a given. Why? Because it makes sense again.
4) Germans take it to a whole new level and take sinks, curtain rods and light bulbs.
Yeah, I don't get it. When looking for a flat in Germany, many times, and I mean MANY times, you'll walk inside of an apartment and there is nothing there. The people who lived there before you took the kitchen cabinets, sinks, bathroom toilets, bathtub, curtains, curtain rods, mirrors, and even the freakin' light bulbs! I'm not exaggerating this story. I know many families, including my own, that would apartment search and find this scenario on many occasions. When we asked what happened to the kitchen sink, the response would be, "what do you mean? the previous occupants took it. just like they took their TV and couch." Yeah...... Little different in America. We don't walk out with the A/C unit or counter tops on our back. Then again, you can argue that we take the washer/dryer and refrigerators. Guess Europeans take that idea to a whole new level.
5) No garbage disposal in the sink
I guess depending on which state you're in will determine the legality of using the most excellent invention called the garbage disposal or 'garborator' as I always called it. Europe - no way. Cutting the insides out of that chicken? Well, be prepared to take out all of those guts by hand and place them into the trashcan. In Europe there is no way you'll press a button and grind everything inside the sink and into the sewage drains. Imagine washing dirty dishes every night.....
6) Dryers? Are you kidding me?
This one absolutely amazes me. Ready? There are NO driers in Europe! Have you been to England? Do you know what the weather is like in London, Paris, Milan, Tirane, Prague, and almost 80 percent of every other European capital? Cold, dark and rainy. Not every day of the year, but generally, the weather is pretty crappy. Now, the Europeans do this for many reasons. One - the cost of using that amount of energy used by a drier, two - it's not the most environmentally friendly, and three - probably back to my point number 1 which is space again.
So, you may wonder, what do people do in order to dry their clothes? Well, you can try getting the washer/dryer in one which is by no means a dryer. It's simply a device that spins the hell out of your clothes ultimately draining it of water. The main way people dry their clothes is simply the old fashioned way of close line. Now, that makes sense right? Think again. How will you DRY your clothes on a close line in a climate that is cold, dark and rainy? My point exactly. You don't. You somehow invent these crazy indoor clotheslines in your very small flat with no air circulation and attempt to rotate the clothing every 10 hours in order to help the water evaporate from the different ends. By the end of this 1 to 3 days process, you never want to wash your clothes again. You put on your uncomfortable, cardboard jeans and your stretched out, wrinkly shirt until months later when the germs and smell is so bad that you MUST attempt this ridiculous process all over again.
7) Carpet? More, like rugs everywhere
No carpet in Europe. Yeah, technically you can order a company to come in and add some carpet. Generally though, no one has it. You buy rugs and live off that smelly, disgusting rug for years. Then, if you're like some Eastern European folk, you beat the hell out of that rug outside on some iron-rod commi metal bar next to the bored adolescent smoker kids. I don't care what you say, the feeling of toe'ing your fluffy, white carpet after a long day of sweaty work is one of the best feelings on earth in America. Haven't you seen Die Hard 1 when Bruce Willis toes the carpet in his hotel room? I mean, "yipee ki yeah mother fu..." The amount of school projects I completed on carpet as a kid, wrestling with my puppy on a warm portion of my parents' carpet, or even laying down to read the Sunday paper are all carpet experiences I thoroughly enjoyed. Geez... I might have a carpet fetish.
8) Frigerator size no comparison
This one is easy. Frigerators in Europe are similar, if not identical to the ones we all had in college. Well, except that was college and not your adult life.... Almost every fridge (if I even had a fridge) in Europe sucked. Small, smelly and no auto defrost. Reminiscent of college or what? Europeans argue it's cause they buy food every day at the local market and eat it fresh. Americans buy everything in bulk, buy it big, and therefore, need space to hold everything. (Disclaimer - can you buy an American-sized fridge in Europe? Of course, but again, for the MOST part most people don't have one.)
9) A/C units? Ice machines?
No and no. In Europe, use a fan. Aside from flats, even most companies don't have air conditioning in their offices. It's bizarre. Sure the weather sucks for majority of the time, but summer can also be pretty damn hot. You can't walk into your flat and cool off. Buy a Pepsi or soda and for the most part it will be warm to cool - never American ICE cold. Even some automobiles don't have air conditioning, but that's a separate issue.
10) Funny windows with no screens
Ok, Europeans want to have funny windows that open in many different directions. No problem. That's cool. I can dig that. I used to be able to flip my window in Germany in almost 360 degrees. Only one part of the window was locked in and the rest was completely movable. Now, what about screens? It's a very simple invention but a genius one. In America, it's a cool day and you want some cool air, then open up the window. However, no bugs or mosquitoes will enter because of the lovely screen. I used to play evil tricks on my dog and run from the outside to the indoors of my house and close the screen really fast and watch my dog crash into it. No no, he didn't get hurt. Point being, in Europe if you tried that, insects and other animals would enter. A little screen can go far.
Alright, my brain hurts from this list. Again, there are always outliers with generalizations like this, but I do believe for the most part that these distinctions hold true.
Now, should my list stop you from living in Europe? No way. Living in a small coffin, next to your IKEA dresser, with toiletry bag under your armpit, wearing cardboard jeans and ruffled collared shirt, on your rug, with a maximum of 4 beers in your college-sized fridge, sweating away from the heat and fighting off mosquitoes could all be worth it.
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So I guess I should be happy to live in a U.S. apartment :) Interesting idea for a Hub, and a great read!
Glad you guys enjoyed. I'm going to write more and more on this issue. Lots of interesting changes happening abroad.
Funny - though I can't see AC being required anywhere except maybe sothern Spain and there the buidling are usually constructed to not really require AC. The ice machine is definitly a US obsession - even in Australia they are rare - and we have a lot htter weather than most of the US - we just make ice in a tray - or buy a bag from a service station!
Summary - "Europeans don't waste enough electricity for my liking....?"
Seriously, a lot of your points relate to less consumption than in the US, which seems like a good thing to me.
Amaaing information. I'd never find it anyplace else!
Very interesting. I have never seen a rubbish disposal on a sink sounds a bit like a horror movie where I would loose my fingers searching for my rings LOL.
As for the carpets, I am glad we do not use them in France, I find that the most anti- hygienic item of American homes. Nothing can be better than a freshly washed floor!
You made me laugh about Europeans taking even the kitchen sink when they move, it is true. When searching for houses in France, Italy and Spain I have visited many houses where the owners had taken even the toilet seats and all electricity connections with them LOL
Great hub, I enjoyed reading it.
What a fun hub to read. Who would have guessed from a title like this that one could laugh soo much. Hmmmm, let's see, would I rather be a snot or an idiot? Ummmm, do I have another choice? LOL
Wow. So many different comments. Thanks for the compliments! Everyone keeps writing about the economy and relationships. I chose the Europe/USA debate because it's a big one and will continue to intensify in 2009.
Hi KrisC, this is interesting information. Now you are making me think twice about living in England. LOL Guess I just feel blessed to have a home with space and closets and all.
Also...Congratulations! Your hub has been chosen as one of the hubnuggets. Check funride's hub and cast your vote. :-)
Here is the link: http://hubpages.com/hub/hubnuggets-jan12-2009
I actually lived in London for all of last year. An amazing experience. You just have to get used to a different standard of living...... Thanks again for all the support!
Seems like both sides could learn from each other. for one thing, those tiny electric water heaters that heat on an 'as needed' basis in Europe, seem like a much better idea than our humongous American water heater tanks.
Great hub.
Kris C, I laughed right through your hub whilst simultaneously being out-raged that you can badmouth our lovely flats so readily! You're right that we don't have so much space here and that does limit our choices somewhat, but to be fair London is probably is not typical of the rest of the UK. You'd probably find something far more palatial for your money in say, Cardiff or Sheffield, or even Brighton. Don't let this hub put you off coming to Britain Ripplemaker. We have other great things that America does not, like Universal Health Care for starters!
Have you been watching the film, National Lampoon's European Vacation?
Again, I'm going to continue writing about this subject matter more often. I did not receive too much debate over this hub initially. Since I've made it to the nugget competition everyone has taken more interest in the Euro/USA debate.
I'll definitely write another hub on the contentious issue of universal health care versus privatized.
As for National Lampoon's European Vacation - of course I've seen it! Hilarious. Chevy Chase is the perfect American.
Thanks again everyone!!!
This is hilarious. I lived in Europe for 4 years and what you wrote is true. I happen to *love* dryers, and while they are rare in Europe, they can be found (most actually condense the resulting steam and require dumping of the water, instead of outputting hot, moist air).
Yes, ice is an American obsession. We apparently like our drinks very cold. :-)
Our lifestyles are generally more energy-intensive than they are in Europe, but not completely, and the answer is in technology and regulations. I read that California, uniquely, has not seen its energy usage per capita grow significantly since the 1970s, while the rest of the US has more than doubled. (In fact, Californians use less electricity per capita than "green" Denmark) California just forces manufacturers to make efficient products, and they comply.
One oddity in the UK, by the way: carpeted floors. I found that, um, unhygienic, esp near the tub and the *toilet*, but I guess your feet stay warm on cold days. Oh, and the pull-string switch for the electricity! Apparently, regular wall switches are not allowed in the bathrooms there.
"Oh, and the pull-string switch for the electricity! Apparently, regular wall switches are not allowed in the bathrooms there."
That's right - you either have a cord to pull to switch the light on, or the ligh switch is outside the bathroom. For the same reason, you aren't allowed plug sockets in bathrooms, apart from the special shaver sockets.
Hi Kris,
Thanks for becoming a fan. You certainly seem to have excited the interest of all the hubbers either from Europe or with experience of living in Europe. The comparisons are interesting, and I'm sure they don't stop at apartments v. flats!
Wow.... i thought this was going to be fun but it was actually a big long rant :(
Also:
Very good hub KrisC, I've never been to Europe, had an idea what it was like, but now I know. Very eye opening.
Jery
great, makes us sound absolutely terrible!
I keep editing this for new things:
No carpet? What? My entire house is carpeted...! So are my friends and families. Including my dutch family.
Almost every home built since 1999 has a dryer included. Houses older than this have them easily inserted. I have lived almost my entire life with a dryer (I am 21)
Closests.... I have "built in wardrobes". it's basically the same thing. My grandmas house does too, built in 1939....
I'm gonna stop here....
PS: If any of this was meant in jest, call my bluff and tell me to lighten up, but to be honest I think this is unrealistic when it comes to describing "Europe" Which is, by the way, 48 countries. Compare Spain to UK to Holland... totally different!
Kris, you hub is hilarious! I really enjoyed reading it. What’s interesting, I lived in Europe, in Middle East and in America, so I can relate to all you’ve wrote about. But for me all the differences were kind of natural and I didn’t give much thought to them, just excepting them without any criticism or comparison. Like, you know, OK, it’s different here, so what, it’s another place and I’ll except it as it is. You showed me that it was really interesting to give this a thought. My little observation (my 2 cents so to say) about how people are used to different things- they use blankets in America as they are or with a flat sheet. In Europe they have special cotton blanket cases (like pillow case, but a huge one), and they put blankets inside them. Also they take their shoes off at the entrance and change for house slippers (I actually like this way). And about change in their pockets- if Americans pay cash, they use bills and put change (coins) in a jar and later turn into paper bills, but Europeans carry coins in their wallets and try to give an exact sum to a cashier in the super market.
Different places different customs.
I agree - there are vast differences between different countries in Europe.
In the UK, people prefer houses in flats, and pretty much every single house has a washing machine and a dryer. We live in a flat (in the middle of London) and have a washer-dryer, which works perfectly well.
We also used duvets, rather than sheets and blankets for bed coverings.
Ice machines and air-con are very rare in the UK - I've never come across either in a home. But then neither are necessary in our climate! Central heating, we do have (-:
Built-in wardrobes aren't that common, but free-standing ones are fine.
Good read, Cris. Made me laugh :D
AC is essential in Greek cities, as are window screens, but there is little need for clothes driers.
Right about the completely emptying an apartment, though. Some people; if they could take the wallpaper, they would.
Living in Ireland when I was younger I remember all of the beautiful wardrobes...but, yes, no closets. Also, the lack of washers and dryers. My mother washed our clothes in the tub and hung them out to dry...which was great when it was windy, but less than great when it was raining and damp. But, when I went back recently, the new houses have more modern conveniences than we have here in the States. Every bedroom has a full bathroom! Built-in dressers galore! Stunning tile-work and oodles of space. But, then again, I've lived with three kids without a garbage disposal, dish-washer or clothes-washer and dryer in my apartments for the last five years and I live in the good old U.S. of A.
Europeans are more efficient than Americans. Hense smaller space, and possibly used more effectively.
I would choose cultural Europe and lack of space over spacious USA anyday.
To be honest your article was actually interesting, but I hate it that Americans always have to end with a conclusion that "after considering the options, I still prefer America".
I love Australia, as do most Australians, but you'll notice we dont try and force feed that to the rest of the world.
That's an interesting hub, and a good idea as we have such a multi-national audience here on Hub Pages.
Our attitudes towards these things of course depend on what we're used to, and so not having a garbage disposal, for instance, is not really a hardship. It's no problem at all to put food waste in the bin outside. In fact many of us have a special green bin specifically for food and garden waste. This gets composted and reduces household rubbish.
People have already mentioned that there are many differences between European countries, and this seems to be the case with clothes dryers. From living in France, I know that they are less common in some countries, but in the UK I think that most people own a clothes dryer. We don't use it all the time as it's quite wasteful, but it's also a simple thing to dry clothes on a clothes horse. If you have central heating then things dry quickly, so there's no need to walk around in damp clothes!
And we don't have AC units or ice machines because we don't need them. In the UK it's only hot for a small proportion of the year, and it seems silly to have AC for just a few months' use. And homes in the hotter countries of Europe are built especially to keep you cool in hot weather.
As for ice machines, well who wants freezing cold drinks when it's cold outside? Apart from this, I think that we just haven't developed the American tradition of needing our drinks to be ice-cold. Warm beer is fine for us!
LondonGirl, the reason why we are not allowed plug sockets in our bathrooms in the UK possibly has something to do with our electricity supply being more powerful (250V - potentially enough to kill you if you get a shock). While the US power (at 115V) it's less efficient, but much safer.
You may well be right about the electricity, I didn't know before I read your post.
Great Hub with useful information. I think the comments are especially interesting.
Half the people are saying Europeans are more frugal, use less space and energy, and have free health care. You argue that a less luxurious lifestyle is more efficient.
The other half are saying that not having much space or energy and having to make economies that pay for the "free health care" is inconvenient. A more "efficient" lifestyle is not as luxurious.
You're really all saying the same thing! The point of view may be different, but the facts are the same. It's no sin to be poor; it's also not a virtue.
Very hilarious! You made your point. If you are not used to having little space and driving on narrow roads, your may not be at all impressed on your first visit. Seriously, KrisC’s imaginative writing on this issue should not stop anyone from visiting UK or any part of Europe for that matter. Your experience may turn out to be amazingly wonderful. I think KrisC is actually enjoying this!
To compare America with Australia though, why don't you guys have lights in ceilings as a common way of lighting. Hotels, Motels, apartments, and many homes do not. In Australia, every room has everywhere has lights in the ceiling.
Also, in Australia we actually have a room set aside called a laundry. Notice I said room. Not closet or corner in a basement. Not garage, or in the bathroom or toilet.
Washing and folding clothes, and even ironing clothes needs a clean, large area with a stainless steel sink for cleaning with benches for folding, etc. etc.and a light in the ceiling.
Toilets are another one. You Americans have so much water in the bowl that splashing is inevitable. Yuk. On top of that, the noise of liquid being poured into liquid is way too loud for us Aussies. Silence is golden, and way more private.
That's all for now. Great post though. Easy to read.
i personaly find european style of building and houses much better than the one i live now in.. the medievial, wood stone works i like a lot i shall one day get a place like that to my self.
till i will live in the closed cabinets which some call american style ..
Re: "Toilets are another one. You Americans have so much water in the bowl that splashing is inevitable. Yuk. On top of that, the noise of liquid being poured into liquid is way too loud for us Aussies. Silence is golden, and way more private"
You Aussies and Europeans have so little water in the toilet that every poop guarntees lovely, smelly skid marks with every flush. But at least the water doesn't splash on your buttcheeks...
I'm sorry, but your whining and complaining is simply too much to endure without some kind of rebuttal.
1. SPACE. Yes, American apartments are generally bigger than European flats. Look at an atlas. Have you seen the size of the USA compared to even the largest of European countries? Space is far more scarce in Europe than it is in America. If you don't like it, stay in America!
2. "CLOSETS" What difference does it make whether your clothes are hanging in a built-in closet or a free-standing wardrobe? Either way, it constitutes floorspace taken up by clothes storage. Your miraculous closet is, in fact, a reduction in the size of your bedroom, you just haven't realised it yet.
3. BATHROOM CABINETS. We have these. We had these before America had them. It sounds like you're living in a shithole.
4. GERMANS. I can't comment on the German philosophy, but in the UK, if you rent a furnished flat, all the things on your list should be provided. If you rent unfurnished, then you take your chances. Check your lease.
5. GARBAGE DISPOSAL. Rubbish goes in the bin. Why do you need another disposal unit? Also, when you're on the 4th floor of an Edwardian terrace, how do you propose to facilitate the falling of chicken guts to ground level?
6. DRYERS. Again, most people have dryers. But, they use a huge amount of expensive energy (as you say), and are environmentally unfriendly (as you say). Drying clothes on airers is not rocket science. People have managed to do it for thousands of years. Fabric softener will ensure your clothes smell nice...available in shops.
7. CARPET. No carpet in Europe. This is true, carpet is actually illegal in Europe, and you can get arrested for owning one. Wooden floors are much nicer anyway.
8. REFRIGERATOR SIZE. What are you moaning about? Buy a bigger fridge. Or stop eating so much.
9. AIR CON. Why would anyone in northern Europe possibly want air conditioning? In the south, people have it.
10. Something about screens? I got bored by this point.
The point is that if you are from America and you go to live in Europe, why do you expect everything to be exactly the same as at home? Things are going to be different, and if you don't like them, feel free to go home.
The number of criticisms a European person could level at the American way of life are practically endless. The history of Europe extends back thousands of years; in America, if a building is 150 years old it's made into a historical monument. Most of the buildings that make Europe so beautiful and so magnificent are hundreds of years old, I'm sure you can forgive them not having garbage disposals.
i am sitting here in my british flat, sweating my balls off. although the place came with a sink, light bulbs, and sink, it is definitely not what i am used to. i had lived in various parts of the u.s. rich and poor. back in the states, i used to rent this apartment for $350 and it had air conditioning, proper laundry, and parking. here i have no screen, or air conditioning. there is a dryer here, but it doesnt work very well, and i end up having to put all my clothes on the floor to dry. i have found it be be quite ghetto here in those aspects, and many many other aspects. there are just so many things that are better in the states. it seems like they just try to make things difficult here. i dont know if anyone here has tried getting a european driving licence, but they make them as difficult to get as possible, with required lessons in many countries costing thousands of dollars. the funny thing is, people arent really that good of drivers. ive seen drivers pull some crazy stunts, such as back into a side street from a main road in the middle of a big city. they also make uturns in the middle of the road where most americans wouldnt attempt. ive also seen people back into a large main road from a side street. its pretty crazy if you ask me. if america wasnt so authoritarian, i would move back there in a second. the only reason why i like it here better is because it is more liberal. in terms of material stuff, and luxuries, i definitely feel that i took a step down from the usa. everything here seems to be of a lower quality. everything from hospitals to airports, to schools. things look like theyre about to fall apart, and a lot of things dont get fixed when theyre broken for a long time. theres an atm machine i use and it seems to always be broken. in most ways things are substandard to the usa, but i have noticed that some of their profesionals can be very profesional, for example, a dentist, physiotherapist, optometrist. i have found these people in britain to be very educated, informing, and careful with what they do, much better than in the usa.
i have to also say this. i remember sitting in a burger king in britain in the middle of the winter, and i dont think they had the heating on. they are real stingy with their heating and air conditioning. i was in one fast food restraunt that had heating in the eating area, but no heating in the toilets. a gym that i use has air conditioning in the work out room, but not in the changing room, and stairs. the subways and most trains, buses dont have ac either, something you would expect them to have. none of the museums or art galleries i visited had ac either. it seems like they try to preserve every last penny that can be spent on utilities. i also noticed that a few other countries are stingy, such as canada. even though they are the 51st state, i noticed that many places there are also not air conditioned. vancouver and seattl have very similar weather, yet when it came to air conditioning, most places in seattle had ac, whereas no house did in vancouver.
going back to difficulty in living in europe. has anyone ever tried opening a bank account? it is not quite the same as in america, and they definitely try to make things as humanly difficult for you, asking for proof of address and all your personal details including your job, how much money you make, where you work and a whole bunch of other questions. i have never been questioned so thoroughly in my life.
@ 888...youve obviously not tried opening an account in California...at one point, I was almost certain they would enquire about my shoe size.
Perhaps the European flats havent all the 'modern conveniences' that the american flats have, however, there is no doubt which ones have better engineering. However, one thing I am very curious about...why do you glorify carpeting? America being a germ-phobic society, I am surprised that these are so popular in America or are the carpetings being washed with anti-bacterial soap?
I really think you should take into account that in Europe there are probably bigger differences among different countries than you think. You have to consider climate - Italy or Spain have much less isolation, you do not have double glazing in every house and people live more connected with their neighours. You would not see anything like that in Norway or Sweden. The size of house of flat depends on density of population in country, whether the house is in country or city, affluence as well as the usual size of the family. I have travelled extensively, I have spent most of my life in the Czech republic and now I live in Britain. Britain has majority of population living in urban areas and size of flats is notoriously small with microscopic bedrooms and people wearing their shoes inside of the house where they allow their pets as well. The house is usually not so clean becuase the focus is more on living without too much hassle - eating out, not too much cooking or cleaning. Family does not keep too much toghether because people are moving a lot and they keep more in touch with their friends and often works long hours. People often regard their house as an investment and property market is very developed with a lot of people working in the real estate sector.
On the other hand in the Czech republic less people live in the urban areas although this is changing now as well. The size of flats in the urban setting is small and the quality of construction of block of flats from comunist era is usually poor, however, a lot of people have their cottages, which is legacy from comunist regime, when the air in cities was really poor, people could not travel and everybody was trying to get out of the cities on Friday afternoon. People are probably not going so much out, they are cooking at home and flats are kept cleaner and people are more likely to invite their friends or relatives to their place than to eat out. Important factor is that people are hardly ever moving and usually stay near the place of their parents and friends. Houses in the country are usualy larger because the families are larger and three generations can live together.
So much comparison of British and Czech conditions.
God! Why do you whine so much...
I could write a whole essay to counterpoint your statements, but i saw that others have already done it (especially Proper Person did it well).
People like you make all americans sound like spoiled whining children.
I mean where's the point with people like you?
You leave the USA and travel to a different country, but the second that something isn't american fashioned you bitch about it.
'God, they don't have this and that!'
You leave the states, travel for hours to a different country and then demand the same comfort you're used to at home.
Almost the whole article offended me, but the worst thing was (and i'm quoting): ?Then, if you're like some Eastern European folk, you beat the hell out of that rug outside on some iron-rod commi metal bar next to the bored adolescent smoker kids.?
I personally am from a central european country named Slovenia, but how can you dare to talk about countries like Serbia and Bosnia like only savage barbarians live there.
Beating the hell of a bloody rug on some commi metal bar next to bored pot (or cigarete) smoking teens.
Also, i don't know in which country you were.
But if it was Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia... you have to learn the difference between communism and socialism (of course all these countries are democratic today).
You're basically saying that the american youth is not at all bored and therefore experimenting with various things.
Nobody smokes marijuana there, nobody drinks, nobody is curious about new things.
Just stay in the USA!
I personally would like to visit the USA, because i think it would really apeall to me, but i wouldn't bitch about every little difference.
Instead study it.
In which ways it's better and in which ways worse.
I also met some americans in my life and they were very kind and friendly people.
Only ONE of them was matching to the american stereotype and also bitched about Europe all the time.
I don't insult americans, because i met some of them.
But people who never met an american just have a bad picture mostly.
And people like you don't make it any better.
Besides, if you ask me Europeans are tougher and more independent.
BTW: You only said what we don't have here.
You forgot to say what we have and you don't have.
I also saw that now other americans have had 'they're eyes opened', that everybody in Europe is a poor commi bastard.
Nice job.
Since you hate the living conditions in Europe why the hell do you choose to live there? I think this article is revolting and untrue. The interior design of many homes and apartments in Europe are far more renovated. They have style, fashion and are cleaner than majority of homes in America. For starters, most homes in America smell because the wood is soooo rotten.
Let’s not speak about the filthy apartments across this county. Not only do you hear your neighbors having conversations on daily basis but the bugs that lie everywhere in the apartment not even bleach gets rid of them.
Don’t believe this article. Every country has good and bad living standards.
I am truly insulted!!!
Since you hate the living conditions in Europe why the hell do you choose to live there? I think this article is revolting and untrue. The interior design of many homes and apartments in Europe are far more renovated. They have style, fashion and are cleaner than majority of homes in America. For starters, most homes in America smell because the wood is soooo rotten.
Let’s not speak about the filthy apartments across this county. Not only do you hear your neighbors having conversations on daily basis but the bugs that lie everywhere in the apartment not even bleach gets rid of them.
Don’t believe this article. Every country has good and bad living standards.
I am truly insulted!!!
I've seen more than a few comments from self-righteous Europeans insulting the writer for "complaining".
Everyone notices and comments about things they don't like in foreign countries. It doesn't mean the person is demanding that the foreign country change or that the person has an arrogant attitude towards the country they are visiting / living in for a while.
We had a German visit us (southern USA) for a few weeks and he would not stop commenting about how this or that was better in Germany. I've been to Europe several times, and there were things I liked about it and things I didn't. I had schoolmates from countries all over the world when I was at a language school in Europe and they ALL had negative things to say about our host country. So what? Every foreigner will have both positive and negative comments about the country they are visiting.
When people express a viewpoint that I don't agree with, or that I don't like, or that offends me, i don't assume they are trying to force their ideas on me. It's called free speech and a different perspective, and the comments about the "arrogance" in this post make me think that maybe Europeans really don't know what tolerance of diversity is after all. Oh wait, I choose to judge each European based upon each person's behavior and beliefs instead of making ignorant assumptions about entire nations of people at one time.
What's really surprising is the arrogance of people who expect foreigners to NOT have any negative reactions to their country or who expect foreigners to immediately be comfortable in a foreign country and immediately see the supposed "superiority" of the foreign country when it comes to the differences. Please, get over yourselves.
A contra - comment.
1. Stores and fitting rooms
In Europe, when you're byuing clothes and want to fit some, you just grab the clothes and go to the fitting-room, which is *open* for all. In USA you have to go to the assistent lady, take the key (or she will open it), then fit, and then return the key. What if you want to fit more clothes ? .. Guess - go to the lady, open the door, fit and return the key. That has sense to you?
2. Supermarkers and cars
When you are going to the supermarket in USA, park a car in their parking and finish shopping - you can't go to your car with a supermarket car. They have this barriers that block you from stealing supermarket car. That sounds very comfortable :D
3. Public fields (for basketball etc).
You can use it - yes.. but not in later evening. They are closing it at 22.00 (it may vary in different States), but generally you can't play later.
4. Alkohol only above 21 .. LMAO
5. Going home drunk (by foot) - watch out! Police can catch you and you are going to jail. American Freeedom huh?
6. LAck of AC? Dude - most of Europe doesnt have any humid in the entire year. I've never seen a cockroach in my entire life before I went the USA. People dont have AC here cause they dont need it!
7. Drivers.
USA driving culture is awful. If you have like a 2 sec delay on the green light, you hear "hey! move your car motherfucker, WTF".. In Europe you never hear such stuff.
Now, I'm not bashing America. I like many thing in US. I just wanted to show that many things from the authors list is not true (like this Frigerators - you can buy any size you want) - people just dont need it!
Freakin' hilarious! Glad I live in the good 'ole U S of A!
I stumbled upon this by "googling accident", thought it would be an entertaining read, but...ech. Whining about closets and garbage disposals?
Look, no offence, but you obviously have NOT seen much of Europe, or your "article" would be much more informative and realistic. You make Europe seem like a primitive place (nevermind it's an entire continent - not "only" EU) to live in, at least for an American. It sounds a tad offensive, you know?
For example, I live in Croatia.
We have carpets and/or rugs in whatever size and color and texture you want; and yes, if you have a rug which you can remove easily from the room, then you take it outside and hit it into submission until all the dust is gone).
We have driers, but they're not very common (for lack of space, price, or we simply don't need them - why waste space?).
We have refrigirators of different sizes, colors and shapes - waist high or the size of a wardrobe; whatever you need and can pay for.
Most of the houses and flats have air-conditioning because it gets really hot in summers, but I don't know why a house in, say, Scotland, would need an AC unit? Unless its used to warm up the place...
I assume you mean a walk-in closet when you mention closets? Yes, we have them. Those of us who want them, anyway. It's an entire little room, eating up space unnecessarily. A wardrobe is much more sensible and you can move it around if you wish to reorganize the room. And yes, for shoes we have separate chest of drawers of sorts. Why would I want to keep shoes in the same space as clothes? Ewww.
What else? Ummm... oh, yes. Garbage disposal in a sink? Why? Is garbage bin no enough? I think only super-new pricey flats have them here. I don't see the point, though.
Bathroom cabinets - we have them. We've had them for centuries, me thinks. Check your history books.
As for space... it's nice that you have enough space in the US to have huge floor plans. But really, I don't think a family of 3 or 4 realistically needs more than 100 m2. Most families here live in much less space than that, some live in larger homes. But if the floor plan is functional, used up completely, it's enough. Besides, larger the space, the more you have to clean, vacuum, furnish, heat, etc...more work and more expenses in the long run.
You may think you've been funny here, but unfortunately you're giving a very wrong picture of Europe, especially to those who know nothing about it in the first place.
Generalisations are NOT good or fair.
i completely agree to what mariana said.
what i am about to say applies to romania and most of eastern europe. i don't know if things are the same in western europe.
garbage disposals in the sink. unpractical. we keep the waste-bin right next. when it fills we take it out to the dumpster dump the sack and replace it with a new one. plastic waste-bags are much cheaper than electricity.
we have removable bug-nets so we don't need screens. not many bugs around during winter. plus if you want to let some fresh air in you open the window vertically to about 100 degrees. the opening is big enough for the air to come in yet small enough for bugs to stay out. and if they do manage to come in once, well that means its bug net season.
we have carpets, but they are mostly reserved for the hall-way or the ante-chamber because unlike in america it is extremely rude to wear shoes in any chamber of the apartment other than the hall-way. that's whet slippers or socks are for. plus rugs are easier to clean and give more style to your room.
we have large fridges. but nobody uses them. they consume to much electricity and occupy to much space. most apartments have 2 fridges. a 2 meter one used as the main fridge and a small waist high fridge used for emergencies (like when preparing for christams an you need to store large quantities of meat for a couple of days)
we don't need air conditioner. we have central heating during winter and the facts that most apartment blocks have tilled roof tops and that almost every street is lined with trees prevent the apartments from overheating in summer.
ice-machines. come on. how snobbish can you get.
ok...about half of this is utter bollox. I live in a lower than middle class area in ireland, and i have a large fridge, with an ice unit, carpet(although we prefer floorboards) AC units and a dryer, these are all standard comodities. The reason we have less space is because all of our houses are made of concrete(yes every one of them) so if a hurricane came along my house would not end up in a different part of the country, concrete also makes them much more expensive, i have no idea what areas of europe you have went to, but in the major cities and in the british isles especially this is not the case
Europeans are snobs. America rocks!!!! Now excuse me I am going to get a glass of ice water.
my experience in US:
Bathrooms:
- no heating
- fixed shower sprayer
- toilet splashing and plugging
- bidet?
- no privacy in public toilets
Kitchens:
mainly used for preparing french toasts in the morning and keep beer freezing-cold to serve with domino's pizza
Laundry:
usually placed in a comfortable basement or in a cabinet in the middle of the apartment where the thumble drier can entertain you for half an hour or so
getting used to all of that, still thinking that there is some space for improvement...
this is the most narrow minded thing ive read in awhile, thanks!
One thing I love, despite the obvious inconvenience,is that somehow Europeans have avoided the energy consumption and wastefulness that we in the USA are responsible for.
When I look at the huge mowed lawns we have here, and our own fairly modest home with three bathrooms, I know it's too much.
It's always easier to not start with luxury, than to have to give it up..
U never been to Europe.
clothesline...
refrigerator
I am sorry but everything the author has said is TRUE. EVEN if it hurts, plase admit it. The author is not trashing Europe but merely stating the differences she saw. YOU HAVE NO CLOSETS, NO GARBAGE DISPOSALS, NO AC, AND NO ICE! I've read a couple comments stating that we do not need a garbage disposal if we have a trash can...WELL THATS STUPID! SEEMS like you don't wash your dishes too often. Once my marketing teacher told us in class that the teacher whom they were stayin with only rinsed the dishes with water. Yes you read right, NO SOAP! YUK! No wonder you don't need garbage disposals. We like big refrigerators to have lot of food. Do not feel bad or envious because she points out your lifestyle weaknesses. As a final note, I think that in the U.S. we are way above the crowd. Keep on conserving resources so we can use them! HA!
You forgot something else they don't have: AUTOMATIC CARS! :-S oh..and cheaper gas.
Liz, you have obviously never been to Europe. You may not want to say the things you say without having experienced it yourself. The U.S. is not way above the crowd and it really makes you sound a little ignorant if you say it is. Many many countries are at the same if not at a higher level than the USA. I myself am from the Netherlands and I have lived in the US for 3 years. If anything, the area in Indiana that I stayed had less "modern" households in general than the Netherlands. Of course there are differences and some of the differences mentioned in this article are true.
However, it is ridiculous to generalize all these things. Europe is huge and there are many different cultures. These things change a lot and 80% of the things mentioned in this hub are not right for my home country.
Jes, Europe has plenty of automatic cars. Gas here is expensive on purpose, our government taxes gas because it's not the best thing for the environment and they are trying to reduce unnecessary driving and increase use of public transport instead. The European Union is working a lot on improving the environment and attitude towards the environment and electric cars are a part of that. Maybe you should read up on it.
Liz,
You sound like a typical arrogant and ignorant American. I am not from the US nor Europe. But I have lived in the US for 11 eleven years and now in Europe for a 1 year. I am asking myself why I didn't come here sooner.
Many facts here are related to Europe's efforts in conserving energy. USA is of course the opposite. Gas/Petrol is almost $4 in the US and people are complaining, well, get used to it. May be one day you'll wake up and wonder what you are doing with those giants cars.
You can get your refrigerators, dryers and all that if you have room for it.
CARPET - It's not even an argument, it's so unhygienic, I don't know why one would want this in their apartment/flat. It's so contradicting especially when you see Americans running around with Antibacterial gel/soaps/wipes/sprays and now having a carpet is a big deal! Even worse because most US apartments/homes are wooden.
Well, I'm living rather poor European country called Poland.
I agree with almost everything, excepting:
- there is a bathroom cabinet in almost every flat (and every house),
- most of the new fridges have ice machines and water dispensers,
- carpets are used mostly by poor people, the rich ones have wooden floors, way nicer than the ones in the UK.
Also, as many folks above mentioned, there are much bigger differences between European countries than between States in the US.
For example American fridges are TINY compared to those in Norway (in fact, many Norwegian folks have 3-4 HUGE fridges next to each other - you know, it's useful when it's snowing heavily for 40 days and the closest market is 20 miles away).
I found driers very popular in Denmark. But you're still totally right, I am thinking about drier, but have not enough space in the bathroom.
BTW what about the quality of major appliances? In Poland 2-3 year old washing machine is often useless and needs repairs that cost more than the washing machine itself. The same rule applies to fridges (even the most expensive ones) etc.
Thought this was cool, but some of those things are not common in my part of the woods ether, and I live in the USA (well north west washington to be specific) while I don't know any one with out a dryer (kinda needed when its only sunny and warm for like 2months, and rainy damp and cold for the rest of the year) but I don't know any one with A/C, heck most business where I live don't ether about only ones that really do are the movie theaters, even the "big box store" I work in dose not have really A/C. Then again well even in the summer a fan is normally enough and you can also put one in one window in an apartment (or house) and open the bedroom windows and just pull the cool air threw at night (much cheaper then A/C) While most new windows come with screens many older places don't have them, and even many newer one they don't or people simply don't use them.(only reason my family dose is moms from the east coast and obsessed with using them)
I like carpet its nice on a cold day, but you have to have a good vacuum and rug shampooer so that you can keep it clean. wood laminate and vinyl are much easier to keep clean.
Fridges in the US have balloned in size over the years, my family literly had the refigerator sitting outside the kitchen space in the dinning area becuase on the one before it died we could not find one small enought to fit in the space made for the fridge in the early 70's! It took the kitchen being redune for the fridge to move back into it. although a big fridge is nice when you go shoping/for storing leftovers.
Although an Ice Maker is nice it's definitely not on my have to have at all cost list, ice cube trays work very well. But ice cold drinks are a must, from water to beer, I do want my drinks icy cold.
I am from the US and have lived in Germany for a couple of years. I never cared much for garbage disposals or carpeting, but I sure do miss having a closet! Look, I understand that this blog post came across as obnoxious, but I sort of have to agree with the sentiment echoed by the author: it sometimes feels (at least in Germany), that things are built without much thought to comfort or convenience. For example, I have lived in several German apartments and every single one of them had a kitchen which was unnecessarily small. What I mean by that, is that the space in the apartment could have been better utilized and thus made the kitchen a much more pleasant place to cook in. Technically, the kitchen had everything one "needs" but it really could have been just a bit bigger and bit better thought-out. (BTW, these were new apartments and the buildings were orinigally designed to be apartments. I am not complaining about 200 year old building that used to be a factory.) No builder in the US would ever build an apartment with a kitchen like that because they would have a very difficult time getting people to live there. No doubt Germans are used to having cramped kitchens, but I think everyone, no matter what their background, can appreciate more counterspace and room to move around. My current apartment, for example, just does not seem that very well thought-out. There is a TINY kitchen, a bathroom with a tub and a shower hose, but absolutely no way to hang a shower curtain (you just sort of crouch in the tub to shower). There are not cabinets in the bathroom either (fine, I just got some shelves). The place has two bedrooms. One of the bedrooms is MASSIVE and the other one in TINY. The tiny bedroom had two heating units and the massive bedroom has one heating unit. I guess this is something that maybe Europeans would not even think about, but my American eyes noticed it right away!
As to the fridges, I actually prefer the ones in Germany to the ones in the US. Their smaller size uses less energy and encourages buying groceries more often and thus reducing waste. I think large fridges are nice for big families, but for an apartment intended for only one or two people, the smaller fridge is better. However, I think people complaining about this from both sides simply do not understand the different cultures of grocery shopping in the US and Europe. Americans go once a week and "stock up," whereas Europeans go pretty much every day and only buy what they need for a 3 meals or so. I do not personally see how one system is "better" than the other; they're just different.
As to the A/C thing, you don't really need that in Germany. There is maybe about a month in the summer when having an AC would be nice, but it seems sort of stupid to install something that you are not going to use very often. And to you Europeans who think that A/C is wasteful/unnecessary: go spend one summer in south Texas and then get back to me. Same goes for ice machines.
I am totally used to living here now, and luckily I lived in Europe as a teenager too so I sort of knew what to expect, but I have no doubt many Americans are shocked by some of these differences. I think a lot of Europeans simply do not understand how much things in the US are centered around "convenience." I personally like things to be convenient, but I am sure many Americans take the level of convenience one sees in the US for granted and thus are a little put-off by many European customs. The bank account thing is a good example: in the US, opening a bank account is a very simple transaction and only takes a few minutes. In Germany I had to make an appointment, come back a week later, and spend about an hour in some guy's office just to open up a student checking account.
I sort of don't understand much of the hostility on this board. I like things about Europe and the United States and I dislike things about both places too. Although, I do gotta say, once you have had a walk-im closet complete with a make-up table and a folding table, it is pretty hard to make an argument in favor of the Ikea wardrobe ;)
One thing that is crap in the United States and not convenient at all is the power outlets. The metal flat connectors are shit and fall out all the time. At least in Europe they are nicely round and actually stay in the contact. Also even in expensive hotels in th US I had the feeling the floor was bouncing when I walked, must be because they are made of wood?
Americans indeed use a lot of ice, which is crap cause all drinks are watery soon. Also it is well know it is better to drink something a bit more warm in the summer to cool down.
It's funny this article is over three years old and people are still hammering away at this guy. I have lived in Finland and spent a lot of time in Russia and elsewhere in Europe and love it, but yes, it is different. The interior of flats and houses just aren't as nice as what is found in the States. But then again, Europeans live in real communities and so many Americans now live on a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood without sidewalks or alternative transportation. What we lack in the States, Europeans have and take for granted. I despise the amount of driving that I have to do in the States, as it is very expensive and much more dangerous and stressful than taking the tram, for instance.
So, our American living spaces are nicer on average by a long shot but they are built structurally as cheap as possible. I don't know why we Americans don't notice this. Our houses are too often built of cheap southern yellow pine and covered with plastic siding. I can assure you all, you would NEVER, NEVER find this shoddy shit in Europe, then again, most Americans live in a warmer climate and don't need to build homes with the same commercial standards as Europeans would.
Another ex-pat told me once in helsinki: "Once you've crossed the Atlantic once, you're always on the wrong side.... "
So, so true.
Lol i am reading this and i am thinking to myself isnt it any wonder that when i lived in the states people actually asked me if in Ireland/Britain did we have electricity,cars etc etc because they read this and believe every word.I dont know what parts of Europe you visited....but im writing this from my APARTMENT COMPLEX in Birmingham,UK...yeah thats what its called,from my big tv room with my clothes hanging in a closet that where dried in an erm tumble dryer.When i lived in the states i actually could not believe how backward it was with some things.A washer that said hot warm or cold with an old fashioned timer on it that said 5 10 or 20 minutes and your clothes came out as dirty as they went in,when in Britain we had nice digital,efficient front loaders 20 years before you guys.I remember saying to my roommate,dont you guys have electric showers over here and he just looked at me and said a what?Oh yeah in the states you had to heat a big old tank of water first.Still do i guess.And dont even get me started on the kettle that you actually had to put on the stove to heat the water UGH.When i did buy a kettle there you actually had to unplug it when it boiled and you would get that big old spark from the socket....same with the toaster.As for the weather....hey in Birmingham it rarely drops below 50 in winter and its usually in the 70s in the summer.Just right....not 20 below with four foot of snow then 100 in summer and you cant go outside.Then you have the television...commercials every 7 minutes(mind you thats just as bad here these days) and how much news is on.They all should just become news channels!!
I actually like the US....but my point is,its got its niggly flaws that i hated when i lived there.Just like when Americans come here the UK/Europe will have its flaws for them.
Oh and american chocolate....first time i tried that i just wanted to get on the first flight home UGH UGH UGH!!
LOL too funny and toooooo true...living in a coffin next to Ikea.haha
The reason Americans do not have electric kettles is because we do not constantly drink tea. It is not because we do not like kitchen gadgets - we love them in fact. It is because drinking a "cuppa" three or four times a day is simply not done. I prefer the front loader washers too, but your clothes still get clean with the top-loaders. One advantage to the top loader is that you can stop it mid-cycle and take things out or add things in. And your "apartment complex" in Birmingham is most certainly a very new development in England. No doubt people are finally catching on that people prefer a closet to a wardrobe when given the choice. I also prefer the "bounce" of a wood floor. It is way better for your back. After spending one summer living in Sicily in a house with a poured concrete floor, my back was killing me!
And if you think America has too many news channels, then I dare you to come to Germany. Besides awful soap operas, their entire programming is news. Morning, noon and night, it all news talk shows.
Hi all,
I think these generalizations are hilarious, and people on each side of this debate are certainly making generalizations. There are a ton of places in the world that I'd love to visit,including various places in Europe, Australia, and South America. I'm an American, and I have no intention of bringing my assumptions about how someone should live with me when I come to visit. My grandmother uses an electic kettle all the time for coffee, which she drinks frequently throughout the day. When I lived in a damp basement apartment in Boone, N.C. I had no AC, no washer/dryer, and the breakers would flip if I plugged my hairdryer into the wrong outlet. I think that finding an apartment or a flat requires deciding what you can and cannot live without and how much money you are willing to spend to get what you want. I could have rented an apartment in any number of really nice apartment complexes in Boone. Some of them even had common areas with swimming pools and gyms, but I was satisfied with my apartment because a) I'm not really used to AC, b)the laundromat was really close to my apartment, and c) I had the cheapest apartment in Boone so I wasn't expecting a life of luxury.
I find discussions like this funny because of how much they reveal about cultural experiences and expectations. If you've enjoyed this debate, you should watch Househunters International. I'm often embarrassed by the expectations of Americans in these situations because I know that these representations are not reflective of how most of us feel, but I'm sure that every culture and society can say the same thing about its members. I know my boyfriend and I sit back and laugh when wealthy people say things like "I love this expensive home with the ocean view, the swimming pool, the vast amounts of space (including a walk-in closet); however, I wish that it was closer to the water." REALLY!? We keep expecting for someone to ask how much it will cost to move the ocean closer to the house. LOL.
Hah!,,,all true!
I live in NYC, also.....so space wise, more here in Germany........You have to talk about the lights also......I have 8 ~ 40 watt lampens, & still can't see in my one room.!! I don't know how to connect the ceiling light. (which previous tenant took) I have more lights in my one room than the whole place. & then there are the keys......& locks!!!!!....doors lock behind you ....& .....you HAve turn key around 4 times.....& bolt also on inside..........(who would steal me!) I live on the top floor of great old building....& you have to hit a light switch on the hall wall, each floor... to get to top to see.....& trying to get bike from courtyard parking lot.....@ night....I have to jump back & forth to the sensor light to see where the bike lock is........forget about delivery of anything! water is great here..but all the heavy soaps & fresh veggies to bring up 5 flights...!! whew!! just as dryers, ~microwaves, against the law sort of. fans be hard to find actually...no fire alarms. In these great old buildings there is not one squared off room!! So why are brooms square here?? & most use the hand broom/dust pan ..so you have to be on your hands & knees to sweep~ I brought from the states the standing "triangle" sort...same with the washing the floor mop things~ I prefer the old fashioned rag mop....to get in corners........vacuumes,,,,,,well I have had to add an American extension to get to the hi ceilings.........~ there be cobwebs here.....I know the germans have their ways....of doing things......~ but why more work???????&&&then I think I have to paint this room when I leave......Jeez....but a fun learning experience!
As others have said, neither set of customs is necessarily WRONG; we just have different cultural expectations based on what we're used to.
Also, some of the Europeans' comments about the U.S. must be based on their experiences in New York City, because I've never experienced what they apparently did.
Finally, it's clear that Europeans are generally MUCH more concerned about efficiency and waste than we Americans are. From my perspective, it's borderline obsessive, but that's just based on my upbringing. If we'd quit arguing about what's the most efficient or the least "wasteful," then many of these distinctions wouldn't be nearly such a big deal.
The dryers!!! I can handle everything but these worthless dryers! Why even have one when every time I put clothes in them they just heat up my entire house and leave me an hour later with wet clothes???? I miss dryers in the US. Not to mention the dryers in Europe leak water?! Its so irritating. I cant stand doing laundry in Europe - it is the hugest waste of time and so incredibly annoying. Bagh.
What a bunch of bull...
i live in the netherlands and been to almost all the european countries.
We do have dryers.
We do have closets
We do have airconditioning
We do not have carpets, we have wooden floors. the rugs are just a nice addition
We do have freezers large enough.
Looking at your description, I doubt you lived in Europe. Just recheck your passport.
Very Funny!!!
Oh please, give this guy a break. He is nostalgic for a more rural environment, so what?
If you want to live in an urban environment, such as Manhattan or Europe, you'd better prepare for space to be at a premium: your apartment will be smaller. No large closets or private swimming pools, unless you are seriosuly rich. And yes, carpets are socially unacceptable -- aspirational urbanities are too obsessed with cleanlines to tolerate them.
Neverthless, you may think that nobody in their right mind would actually CHOOSE Texas over Manhattan, or the USA over Europe.
But a lot of country folks miss their big houses, which really ARE much cheaper and more comfortable than your average city dwelling.
Sure, there is a price to pay for that. You cannot just take a 5 minute walk to the theatre/ opera and pop into a supermarket on your way back as you can do if you live in Manhattan or almost any city in Europe. If you live in rural Europe or anywhere in America outside Manhattan, you are foced to stock up -- which means you will need a large freezer.
To an extent, this guy is putting on a brave face, trying to present such disadvantages as achievements. :)
But I think the key advantage of country living -- having enough space and a comfortable house -- is still there.
It is only a question of whether for the sake of it you are really prepared to give up almost everything else.
So this whole discussion about the pros & cons of America vs Europe boils down to a simple question: do you want to live in the country or the city?
Hes right about almost every comment.
what about the washing machines in the bathrooms? I hate that!!
When you speak of ALL of Europe being like that NOT TRUE!!!! I was born in Malta, and it's definitely not dark and rainy there, neither is it in Italy. And they do too have dishwashers and the like. You make it sound like they live in the dark ages. They do not. I don't live in Europe now, but I'd rather live in Europe than the US anytime. And who cares if you don't have garbage disposals? omg, talk about spoilt, I don't have a garbage disposal and have never seen one. And Europe is also more environmentally conscious it seems than America, which would in itself deter me from going there!
Jery 3 years ago
Very good hub KrisC, I've never been to Europe, had an idea what it was like, but now I know. Very eye opening.
Jery