Cultural Differences Between The United States And Europe

Even though both the United States of America and Europe are considered Western countries, there are some definitely distinctions between them. Western countries are general comprised of people who speak a natural-born European tongue and are of European descent. The differences between the two countries are many, however. If you are thinking of moving to Europe, the information below should be most interesting and helpful to you.

Europe has a different standard of measure than most Americans. The metric system is taught in American schools. However, most people in the United States use the old English Imperial system of measure which includes yards, feet, miles, pounds, and Fahrenheit. European countries, however, use the metric system which is meters, grams, liters, and Celsius.

Another culture difference is how the countries perceive time and space. For example, a house in the United States that is 200 years old would be considered ancient. This is probably because America is a fairly young country. However, in Europe, something would not be considered ancient unless it was at least 2,000 years old. Distance seems to be the opposite, however. While Europeans would consider 100 kilometers a long way to drive, Americans would not think twice. This is probably because Europe is more heavily populated and smaller. In fact, the United States is over twice the size of Europe. However, Europeans are known to do more traveling than Americans, both inside their own county and to other countries as well. This is probably due to the closeness of other countries to their own country, as opposed to the distance from the United States to other countries.

Cars are another factor that differ greatly between Europe and the United States. European cars almost always have manual gears while American cars have automatic transmissions. While American cars are generally more square-shaped and large, European cars are usually more round-shaped and smaller. Americans also enjoy driving trucks and using limousines. These vehicles are rarely seen or used in Europe, as they prefer much smaller cars due to traffic congestion and parking.

Differences in cultural ideas are particularly obvious in how the US and the European countries view education. In America, parents may save for many years and even go into debt to pay for their children to attend college. However, in Europe, most schools and universities are free. In fact, it is just expected for children to attend college there and not a privilege, as in the United States.

European countries tend to have a more liberal point of view in regards to controversial political issues. For example, prostitution, alcohol, abortion and soft drugs are not a big deal to them. In America, however, those things are regularly contended and debated. Americans are allowed to have firearms, however, while this is illegal in Europe. The average age for driving in Europe is eighteen years of age, but only sixteen years in the United States.

Food is another area where there are some big differences. European countries tend to be more cultural in their dishes, with specialties that are localized. Their meals are generally more balanced than Americans and they eat less fast food. They also enjoy eating more cheese, yogurt and wines than Americans. Religion is another major difference between the two countries. In America, going to church and worshiping God is the norm. In fact, many Americans think of church as a social event. Politicians in the United States often mention God and the Bible. In Europe, however, quite the opposite is true. It is not unusual for people to proclaim to be atheists and not attend church regularly. Politicians in Europe never mention religion, as there is a very strict separation between religion and politics.

An interesting difference between the two countries is their desire to be politically correct. In America, this has become a huge deal, as they want to alleviate friction with other countries. With everyone in America having the same nationality and language, it is the religions and ethnic groups that separate people. In Europe, however, people associate very closely with their birth place, ethnicity, language and culture. They place their biggest emphasis on cultures and languages, so those factors form separate groups of people. While it would cause trouble to make fun of someone's religion in America, this is not an issue in Europe. However, making fun of someone's cultural group in Europe is a big no-no.

All in all, things are much more clear and specific in America, with rules and understanding about most cultural and political issues. Dating, relationships, marriage and other areas of relationships are cut and dried in America, while in Europe, people are much more spontaneous and less likely to follow any standard. While Europeans sometimes envy Americans for the common understanding of things, they do enjoy the freedom to do things as they please, without being stereotypical or conventional.