Cultural Differences: Europe vs USA - Moving To Europe

olha lá caramelo, dá um toque da próxima vez que vieres ao Porto, se vieres ás compras ou ao shopping avisa...

Thanks Rafael for this summary. Agree 100-percent w/your commentary.👍 QUESTION: Like you, I'm not considering purchasing a car (at least initially) before moving to PT or IT. Have you converted your US driver's license to an IT or PT license? I understand one must convert to an EU license within a certain period time without retaking a driving test. 🚗 Cheers.

The way you're describing things it reminds me of where I grew up in the rural South. I'm looking forward to the slower pace of life.

Generally people are more judgmental in Europe, and more surprised if you don't follow their folkways. I also dread more bureaucracy, more negative attitudes in general, cigarette smoking everywhere, more rigidity of thought.

Great content as usual. As soon as I entered Portugal- still at the airport someone was sort of in my way. And I kindly said, "con licensa". It felt weird and good at the same time that I was now going to be able to practice my basic Portuguese.

Very much enjoyed your latest submission. My wife and I will be visiting Porto and Braga next month finally after several reschedules due to covid and the like. I am guessing that October would be a nice time to hang out there. Here is sort of an off the wall question: How much of a pain in the ass is it to move large objects in Braga if you don't have a car? I play double bass?

How’s the energy costs ?? Gas cost and what’s the projected winter cost this year I don’t think I want to be living anywhere in Europe right now.

Good points. I laugh at Americans when they ask for ice in their drinks in Europe. I’m American, dual citizen and never used ice. So no problem for me. Small refrigerator is fine with me. I’d rather shop for fresh ingredients everyday. Getty drunk here, especially in Florida where I live it is promoted. Air conditioning …oh in Florida I would die without it.

Another interesting and informative episode! Thank you, Rafael. I always enjoy watching and learning - keep them coming.

"Foreigners" hate on Americans for speaking one language and not being cultured but North America is a Contenant and our culture and language is everywhere around the world. Its forgivable. We should try more but Foreigners gonna hate. That being said went to England and everything, everything! shutdown by 4pm except pubs and gas stations. Culture shock.

In some coutries it's the country's law that on Sunday (and of course holidays) most businesses must close, the exception is the owner can work if they want, they just can't demand their workers to do so. So the big markets will be closed, but small shops might be open with the owner standing behind the counter.

I wouldn't say we don't care about underage kids drinking- it's for sure illegal to sell alcohol to under 18, so I'd think sellers would care to not get slapped with a fine if not anything else. Could test this I suppose, being 21 but looking, as I heard, 16 XD. But then idk what i'd do with that alcohol, I don't really drink

As with central heating... the only time I heard of people wearing jackets inside here is when someone literally can't afford to heat their rooms. This is one of those things that will HEAVILY depend on where you live, aka how hot vs cold that climate is. I hear you're living in Portugal, so I imagine that's quite hotter than here in Poland. I do not know of a house that does not have some sort of heating, be it electric or coal, and of any flat that doesn't have either central heating or a fireplace. You'd literally freeze. Double pane windows or not.
Air conditioning, yes, it is a very rare thing. But we don't heat with air conditioning. It's thought of a more "air cooling" thing here, so a fickle expense just for those extra hot summer days.

I guess it's hard to speak about a very large chunk of a continent (or a continent if you're not an Eurasia kind of guy) without some inaccuracies. If anybody with an intention to move to a foreign european country reads this.. be sure to look up that specific country's customs too, an overview of Europe as a whole will be really vague.

I think it's not worth going to Europe for an average American because you're not allowed to bring your guns, so how on earth would you be able to defend yourself?!

People walking slowly in the middle of the sidewalk, not letting you any space to pass. ALL THE TIME :D

Portuguese houses are probably the worst heated house in Europe. I am from the north of Portugal and, man let me tell you, winter can be a hard time. A lot of the houses have low quality insolation, the electricity bill is high and it always was and salaries are low, as you know. So people often have to wear their jackets at home and have only one room of the house hitted, while the rest of the house feels like a freezer. In some bad cases, you can see the cloud of your breathing.
I know it sounds like an exaggeration or over dramatic. But it is factual.
When the rest of the Europe talks about saving energy and lowering energy consumption makes me laugh a little. The portuguese people did that the whole life.
Thank you for your thoughts. Very accurate.

How about the table etiquette?

Us people eat with fork, or hands, Europeans, by the table with knife and fork...