“Coming from America, I found this to be such a refreshing change.”
One wonderful thing about traveling is how eye-opening the experience can be.
Every new place comes with new traditions, customs, cultural norms, flavors, and more.
Here’s what people said.
“When I went to Canada I was amazed that there were recycling and compost binseverywhere.
I almost didn’t throw anything in the actual garbage the entire trip.
Time to step up your game, America.”
“A more vegetarian-friendly food culture.
In Scandinavia, I noticed every restaurant, snack bar, convenience store, highway stop, etc.
They had both vegetarian and vegan options.”
“Big European plazas.
I love grabbing a coffee and sitting on a bench in a plaza on a pleasant evening.
We just dont have that where I am from.”
“High speed rail like the one I saw in China.
Not to mention, they rotate all the seats to forward-facing before the start of every journey.
Why do we still have those awful backward-facing seats that make you feel sick?”
“Restaurants in Japan often have this little button on the table for requesting service.
“Amazing bread everywhere you look.
You find high-quality bread in the US, but it’s certainly not the default.”
“Street markets like the ones I ate at in Vietnam.
I love wandering the streets and finding great eats at different stalls.
Some of the best food I had in Vietnam was from these markets.”
“Long, leisurely meals, like how they are enjoyed in much of Europe.
“Quality wine thats cheap.
“Bidets/high-tech toilet seats like the ones in Japan.
Going home and wiping with dry paper is caveman-style.”
I would pay for a monthly sauna pass in a heartbeat, especially if it were on the waterfront.
Stinky YMCA saunas here in the States just dont compare.”
“Affordable health care.
I got sick in Taiwan, and my wife called an ambulance.
I spent about eight hours in the hospital.
All in, the cost for everything (including medicine) was about $250.
It would have cost even less if I was a resident.”
“Italian coffee bars.
The Italians figured out coffee culture decades ago.”
“A boulangerie or patisserie located every few blocks as they exist in Paris.
It’s lovely to never be far from a fresh baguette or pain au chocolate.”
“The Italian happy hour.
When I was in Italy, I enjoyed this every afternoon around 5 p.m. after sightseeing.
A little wine, cheese, cold cuts.
Then, I would relax for a few hours before going out for a proper dinner.
I would love for this to be the norm at home.”
They pulled up chairs and sat together and chatted.
Some people brought instruments and played music.
It was so amazing.
There was just such a strong feeling of community.”
“German Christmas Markets.
I was in Germany during December, and each town had Christmas Markets that ran the holiday season.
There was food, shopping, activities, and more.
These markets were places where everyone gathered to hang out in the evenings.
Christmas Markets seem like they would be perfect for the US, but there are very few here.”
“Korean convenience stores.
Every day for lunch, I would just grab a roll of kimbap for a dollar.
I miss that so much.”
“Group dining in China.
When you eat out in China, everyone shares the meal family style.
I love this style of dining.”
Bathing culture has huge mental health benefits, and I wish it were more popular back home.”
