14 Things About Living In Europe No One Tells You As An American

Lessons I learned the hard (and hilarious) way.

Anthony J. Yeung
Be Yourself

Photo by Atikh Bana on Unsplash

After living in Europe for 19 months and counting and visiting for several months before, I’ve learned a lot about the various customs and quirks here.

And while every country is different in Europe, I’ve noticed some generalities throughout the continent that you can’t find in many guidebooks (or from tourists who just visited for a few days and left).

So if you’re planning a long-term trip or relocation and aren’t sure what to expect—or just want to see Europe from an American perspective—read on.

Carry cash

In the US, I never carried cash. As my travel hacking friend taught me: “You can’t get points on cash.”

In Europe? Carry some damn cash. Aside from a few exceptions (Poland, for example), every country has a lot of cafes, restaurants, and stores that are cash-only or have a very high minimum for credit cards (I’ve seen some as high as €12). Also, if they do accept credit card, many don’t accept gratuity via credit card.

Also, public restrooms — like at train stations or bus stations — often cost money. And no, you can’t cheat the machine by using other currencies. (I already tried.) Get local…

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Responses (4)

What are your thoughts?

Haha, I can't even tell you how many times I Lol'd while reading this. I remember the struggle of standing outside of a public restroom while my husband and I scrambled through our pockets looking for the correct change. Good times...😊

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Thanks for sharing this! I enjoyed it :)
I smiled while reading your piece because I live in Europe, but I'm Asian. There are plenty of cultural differences amongst European countries. Southern/Mediterranean Europeans are warmer or let's say they…...

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Thanks for sharing these tips.

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