AMERICANS vs EUROPEANS: Biggest Cultural Differences You Didn’t Know

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• Having lived in Portugal do you feel Portuguese people don’t speak to strangers? My experience in Portugal is that we always speak to strangers. Heck I was in Prague and heard Portuguese and immediately talked to the two ladies who told me if I needed something from back home, like as if Portugal had 50 people on the whole country! Also coming to the USA random Portuguese people just offered me Portuguese pastries, God forbid I missed Portuguese pastries! Then every time I meet a half Portuguese person or a person of Portuguese ancestry I make sure to go above and beyond to hock them up with anything I can, I always feel I am treated the same way! Every time I go I also have to go meet a Portuguese person who is the child of a friend of a friend of my mom! So I have all these “blind” dates! Fun!!! (This really happened at least four times for me: USA, Germany, Austria, within Portugal itself!)

• One thing is cultural norms of “you can do it”, another is actually be able to do it, which involves means, resources, income, family history etc. so, given that not everyone can actually do it, but the cultural norm is that you can if you want, you have quite a number of frustrated and/or stressed out people on the States.

• Im traveling through europe very heavily. Its definitely a challenge many times. For example, I was at a latin dance club in paris, by myself. Being from the united states, being by yourself and dancing quite heavily and intensely, means nothing. it doesnt matter if people are with you. I was jamming and realized all the parisiens energy changed because I was off the group, dancing very well, showing people up - we are not supposed to do that. It was a subtle energy shift. Right now, I am navigating how to be myself and shine, in a place that only wants you to shine in a certain way in the parameters they believe socially acceptable. Its very interesting. On another hand, I do a social dance where the women wait on the sides to be "chosen" by a man. Well, in France, the men make sure all the women get a chance to dance and i felt absolutely sure it would be a fun night and i would be asked to dance. And thats what happens, even i dont know anyone. They are very gentlemanly and inclusive and have concern for those in the place. I went to the same dance in america - so much social anxiety induced because of being ignored, people just stick with their friends, there is no consciousness of looking around to see if everyone is okay because they barely made it through the shark infested waters. Same dance, just an individualistic culture vs community culture. Socially, I prefer the european (in this case french) more inclusive culture for social life. I prefer money and business individualism of america. Just my personal opinion, i fly to europe just about monthly now for about 2 weeks at a time. Nice video :-)

  • ​@@NoctLightCloudyou can't read, can you?

  • @@NoctLightCloud its not being special. Its being normal. And being a performer or exceptional dancer, and better than anyone else, is par for the course. Not special. Its natural. We have some of the best dancers in the world in certain genres, its as natural as breathing. Its normal. You think its exceptional, but we are simply existing, but to a self effacing culture where you are not supposed to stand out in comparison to others, sure, they might think its exceptional. Its really just our standard operating procedure.

  • @@LisaSoulLevelHealing I do, but do consider that different folks, different strokes😆 Some people might even laugh at you if you feel like a princess and demand attention.

  • @NoctLightCloud  American culture is naturally a commanding one, where being exceptional and showing it, is central. So, I don't do it for others, I do it for me. However, I noticed that was not the thing to do, to draw attention to yourself at the expense of others. I thought I wrote it very clearly, do you understand now?

    We shine, stand our wherever we go. We have a very commanding energy and attract attention, and are used to doing that in the states.

  • "how to shine", why do you need to shine on another continent?😅 do sth else while you're here. No one is waiting for your arrival and for you to "shine"😂

• New York is very direct and to the point. NYC and eastern Upstate was a Dutch colony before it became British. The business culture is definitely derivative of the Dutch direct way. It permeated into the social structure; however, being a city that has had so much immigration, every little subculture has left its mark. THe city is also impacted by the sheer population density; it is definitely not like the rest of America.

  • @@AmericanDreamer I know a lot about the Dutch roots and influences in America because I grew up in the Hudson Valley and have lived most of my life in NYC. There is evidence of it all up and down the eastern part of the state, from town and street names to architecture and culture. Albany, formerly Fort Orange, even has a Tulip Festival. Amsterdam is a lovely city and if you like it there, you’d probably enjoy a visit to NYC!

  • that is very well noted. There are even video series on youtube about how much Americans know about their Dutch roots, especially New Amsterdam that we all know today was - New York city. I personally have never been in New York city or New York state, but I can highly suggest Amsterdam as someone''s holiday destination. Awesome city with lots to see and do in ALL seasons plus Dutch people, even the elderly, are the most fluent in English from all non native English countries/people. So - easy to get around, ask for directions, have a random talks and so.The city and the whole country, I would say, is very picturesque.

• As usual great job !

• 7:50 as a Southern Italian living in the UK (Northern Ireland), this is something that confuses me very much.
  If someone started talking to me in a pub or similar, I would expect this small talk to turn out into more stable relationships. I was disappointed when I found out that it was often not the case. And I agree, small talk with strangers is often about complaining.

• I am a Canadian and the reason we all try to be nice and get along is we have this thing in Canada called WINTER, with extreme cold and miserable conditions. What does this have to do with being nice, well its hard enough to try to survive and make a living in this environment where you can be hours away from any civilization, so it becomes easier if we all help each other hence the niceness!

  • ​@ghostid544 Canadian winters are colder and longer. I'm European and live in Canada (unfortunately), and temperatures can go down to -30°C here.

  • Winters in Canada are significantly more harsh.@@ghostid544

  • Because none of the European countries have winter themselves?

• Wonderful video. Congrats Marina❤😊 As a Brazilian, I can also understand why we're so loud and talk so much to each other. We're not only Latin but a country formed by lots of immigrants

  • Yes interesting point!

• Two consistent things that always struck me on American MTV dating show „Next“ back in the Noughties, and which have been confirmed in real life as well: When a candidate said that he or she was still a virgin, the other contestants always praised them and were extremely respectful. But when someone mentioned that they were still getting money from their parents and were not able to support themselves financially, that was always the biggest red flag. Of course it was only a game show, where candidates tend to be acting (then again, real dating can involve a heavy amount of acting as well), but it revealed something about how sexuality and financial independence are treated among young Americans and Europeans. I reckoned that in Europe those things would be handled very differently. There is nothing shameful over here about receiving financial aid from your parents when you‘re in your twenties (in many Southern European countries it is actually preferred to getting money from the state). But being, say, 27 and still a virgin would not be something Europeans would confess proudly on a date, not even in the more traditional countries.

• Wow. That’s an amazing “summary”, Marina! Finally I’ve got a perfect video I can share with friends who ask me why I initially wanted to live in Canada, but then ended up “finding my crowd” in the (supposedly) not-so-friendly Germany.

  • nice that you chose Germany! you're also welcome in Austria btw :)

  • @@paulotaviorod Bitte schön, gerne.

  • @@arnodobler1096 Dankeschön! 😊

  • Welcome to Germany 🇩🇪🙋‍♂️🍻

  • Hehe thanks and yes, I get it. I struggle with Canada as well 😂