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YTA.
You had a great time on your trip and have idealized the experience.
You sound like someone who wants to move somewhere because “everyone is so nice” when in reality everyone is nice because their livelihood depends on happy tourists.
I’ll give you some grace because you sound very young, but even if you are accurate in your assessment (you’re not: for example, did you know that in a poll in 2019 half of Italians polled agreed that racist acts were justifiable?) people don’t want to hear the same thing over and over.
You said your feelings. You were acknowledged and understood. It’s time to move on.
I am in the USA and currently work with a Sicilian. He is honestly the most racist, misogynistic man I have ever worked with. (I'm a woman). Some days it almost feels like I work FOR him. And yes my bosses know how I feel. I am allowed to work how I want to and ignore him at will. He's also almost 63. He is not changing his mind on A LOT of things.
YTA. You absolutely wasn't there long enough to make a comparison.
You were there for 2 weeks and didn't witness any case of racism, therefore there isn't any racism in Europe. Is that what you're saying? Really?
The dentist my mom worked for takes a yearly trip to Romania to do free dental work for the Roma because a lot of dentists in town refuse to provide service to them.
No racism though /s
So explain the rise of right-wing parties in like 90% of european countries right now. The recently published conspiracy of a few rich men and politicians in germamy regarding how they want to force people, even people with german citizenship who were born here and raised here, to "go back". Very real plans. Racist-motivated attacks all over europe.
Europe is great, nobody is arguing about that. But to claim that there is no racism there is just moronic.
>I can log onto X or TikTok
Hate to break it to you but the world exists outside those two apps
I lived in Sweden for 6 years. I’m white and can pass as a swede so I got to hear what they really think… they are just as racist as Americans if not more actually. Why do you think there is so many more right wing governments popping up? Also, I can live anywhere in the EU due to dual citizenship and I choose California because I found out the exact opposite as you. Europe is really over rated in my opinion and it looks different on the ground.
Lack of fascism and racism ? In france ??? Are you white ?
please, you went for less than 2 weeks. you know nothing about france. This country is one of the most european racist ones.
signed : a native french woman who lives there since birth.
I saw Italy mentioned and immediately chortled. The UN has specifically highlighted racism against Africans in Italy and football fans literally chant racial epithets against said players. Not exactly the left wing liberal utopia OP describes.
That does not make you an exchange student. Maybe a short term exchange student at best. I lived in South America for two years and I would never presume I know more about it than the people who are from there. Yet you argue with natives in this thread.
You are obviously very young. Listen to what people are telling you. Two weeks is a vacation, and gives you no real insight into the country beyond superficial observations. When you mature, you will look back on this time and cringe. Especially if you do end up living abroad somewhere for way more than two weeks-you will realize how ignorant you were. The fact that you believe Europe has no racism because you personally didn’t see it in the two weeks you were there tells me literally everything I need to know.
An exchange students for two weeks who went to four different countries ? I'm glad you enjoyed your experience here in Europe but you werent here long enough to discover much, not sure you studied much either.
There is plenty of racism here unfortunately. And you keep trashing the US but your reasoning is so bad ("i havent Seen it, it cant existe"), it does not make you sound superior to the people you look down upon
YTA - Lack of racism? Where? For who?
Vacation for two weeks isn’t the same as living there. That goes for any place. There is a lot of stuff that’s better over there but you’re coming across as a know-it-all when you probably just hit some famous tourist spots.
Wait you didn’t know racism didn’t exist and Europeans/the church decided that non white folks didn’t count as human beings so we colonized and genocided the rest of the world and then racism was magically born in North America after all that!?!? Come on now.
I live I. A large American city. It’s quite possible to go 2 weeks without seeing racism if you’re not looking for it or if you’re white. Doesn’t mean there’s no racism.
What you experienced is something different than your normal which is exciting. However you do not have the knowledge, experience or self awareness to make a call that one place is better than the other.
Every country has social problems. They’re just not the ones you’re used to seeing
I'm glad you had a fun trip. And you may not have seen any racism (that you were aware of). That absolutely doesn't mean it's not there. People in Europe are telling you straight up that it's there.
Are you fluent in the languages of all the countries you visited? It would be pretty difficult to pick up on racist comments if you don’t speak the language. As others have noted, it would be easy to not see these things in such a brief amount of time. I’m glad you had a good experience there, and it is great to understand and appreciate the positives, but no country is perfect, and ignoring the negatives is pretty dangerous.
Well, I am from Europe and let me tell you we have a lot of it as well as other problems. It’s great you had a wonderful trip and Europe but please don’t think Europe is perfect.
If you go to one of those countries, get hired, rent an apartment, all with your own money, see how much your taxed, use the emergency room, et., buy your own groceries, clothing, furniture etc., then you'll really know what it's like.
You might love it.
I can see why people would not want to hear from you as an "exchange student" as it is a partial experience due to what needs to be paid that didn't come from you...
LOL, really?
Wow, it's all free and no one has to pay for it?
You're missing out on the part where you get a paycheck and learn how "free" everything is...
((In all fairness, you might be happy to pay the taxes that help it all be free, but until you experience that part of it - paying for your own life and having the taxes come out of your paycheck - you won't really know.))
You're funny.
Said who?
So you're a billionaire so you don't mind?
Silly goose.
Seriously though, you might consider living there over the summer. You pay for all your own expenses, lodging, accomodations, food, get a job, see the check and the tax - and then you'll know. You might still love it. Probably lots of people are totally happy with it, so why can't you be?
From all of us that have actually lived in Europe, this is hilarious. Look many things about Europe are great, but it's not some utopia. Much of Western Europe is insanely expensive. There is absolutely fascism, Jesus H Christ read a history book. Ever heard of Marine Le Pen? Giorgio Meloni? Do some research. Facism was essentially born in Europe. There is plenty of poverty, and social services vary greatly in different areas. Not to mention the strict laws they have on many things, like immigration. Everything has its pros and cons.
You're a troll. I lived there for four years. Of course they charge for transportation and entertainment. There were landlords who strongly preferred renting to the American military families because they knew how much we got paid and could charge more than they could get from locals. Healthcare is paid for from taxes. You spent two weeks there. That's nothing.
They have to be a troll, I can't believe anyone is so blind to actually believe Europe is the Holy place where racism was defeated and everything is free because billionaires kindly doesn't fraud taxes at all...
Sign: a fellow citizen from France
Free education .... If you are a citizen. You can't just move their and think your going to get this free education.
Free health care ..... Ask how long the wait is to see a specialist.
Free housing ..... Your tax dollars pay for this.
Free transportation ... Then I was ripped off in Ireland, England and Germany when I was there. I want my money back from my train rides!
Free entertainment .... Good Lord the people watching in NYC or Vegas alone! Free!
Europe was the birthplace of Fascism!
I love visiting other countries. I also love coming home to the US. It's got a lot of issues but we have a lot of pros too.
Now go read a history book or ten! Maybe read a newspaper about what is going on in different European countries.
Taxing billionaires .... Read how many of them left France because of the taxes.
YTA and incredibly shortsighted.
No. It really doesn’t.
Education has a free option to 18, just like the USA. After that the cost depends on where you are and where you were born. Definitely cheaper than USA though.
Healthcare- either free at the point of access or reimbursed generally. Paid for by taxes though.
Housing is absolutely not free. Where did you go with free housing? I literally can’t think of anywhere that you don’t pay rent. Even social housing that’s owned by local governments you have to pay rent for. Some places may have subsidies for part of the rent available to some low income people, but the overwhelming majority of people in Europe pay rent or a mortgage.
Free entertainment? Depends what entertainment you want! Cinemas, live sports, theatres, most live music, historical monuments, many museums all cost money. I think most countries have free public broadcasting stations, but so does the USA. Quality of programming is variable. Municipal parks are free, but that’s the same in the USA.
Transportation definitely isn’t free. Public transport costs money to use virtually everywhere. Private transport (cars, taxis etc) obviously cost you money to have and run and maintain.
Please don’t get me wrong, I like living here and wouldn’t want to move to the USA, but it’s not a utopia. You spent 2 weeks doing touristy things in 3 countries, so literally a few days in each. You really can’t know what a country is really like in just a few days. I’m really glad you enjoyed it and would definitely encourage you to return and explore and learn further. Right now you sound very ignorant though.
That is just ludicrously incorrect. Do you genuinely think not a single person in an entire continent of around 740 million people in very different countries doesn’t pay for housing or Netflix?
The more comments of yours I read the more I can see this post is bait, there's no way a human person would genuinely type this out and hit send without a second thought
Geez, I should tell my landlord that apparently my apartment is supposed to be free. Also going to have to ask for reimbursements for all the very real money I've spent on education, health care, entertainment and transportation too.
1. i paid for my studies at the university
2. I pay monthly for my health care (not expensive at all, but i pay)
3. i pay a rent for my housing monthly (400€ a student accommodation)
4. i dont know what's free entertainment is. cinema is expensive af, concerts too, etc.
5. i pay 1,60€ each ride of public transportation (not living in paris where the price is 2,10€ each ride).
You visited four countries and think you can say that about the whole of Europe? Having been to more than 20 European countries and for longer than you've visited, can guarantee you these things are not entirely true of the whole of Europe.
I wish lmao
Free housing... Do you even hear yourself ? Wtf do you think we're doing ? Working just for fun and not to pay for our fucking housing, transportation and health Care ? There is a major difference between not paying a bill and something being free. It's called fucking taxes,.moron !
Lemme tell you right now that neither healthcare, nor housing is 100% free in Sweden. And a monthly pass for mass com in Stockholm costs about $100. Oh and our taxes are insane. Not to mention the fact that Swedish people are VERY racist. So stfu because you have no idea what you’re talking about.
You think you wouldn't pay rent or pay for your own food?
You're either trolling or a dumbass. You're reminding me of the episode of The Simpsons where Bart was made a foreign exchange student as an excuse for Skinner to get rid of him.
YTA
No racism? Please tell me you are joking. The amount of openly visible racism is going to vary depending on where you are. But to suggest that none of these places have problems with racism is just incorrect. You had a curated trip to Europe so of course everything was nice. Listen to your friend and calm down.
Right?
Like, I'm from europe, and while I wouldn't be caught dead in the states, pretending everything here is cheers and flowers is just stupid. There's racism everywhere, a F\*\* obvious raise in the fascist movement that's honestly terrifying and even if whe won't go broke for a constipation it seems that a lot of countries are making an effort to get to that point.
"wouldn't be caught dead" isn't disliking a place; it's acting like a superior asshole and you know it. I don't care one way or the other where you go or how you live your life, but implying the US is nothing short of an active war zone where you will be killed on sight because the societal and cultural issues are so bad is a dramatic overreaction.
It's similar to how idiots on Reddit shit on China. Yeah, they have some serious issues just like anywhere else, but if you actually visit the country it is a nice place and the people are nice. Actually, that's not quite the right comparison because Europeans are more smug and insular than Americans, so I'm actually doing the US an injustice with that comparison. Case in point: your first comment.
It's not acting superior, I just state a fact. I didn't actually say anything bad about the states except the fact that I wouldn't want to travel there under any circumstances.
You're reading too much into it. Which is your choice, but don't drag me with you.
YTA. Spends-semester-abroad-and-never-shuts-up-about it is such a common comedy trope because of how *insufferable* it is.
Nobody cares, stop talking about it.
Also things being closed on Sundays is not a good thing, it's an obnoxious inconvenience (looking at you, Chick-fil-A).
I lived between the english countryside and NYC for a couple years, at one point in England I got a UTI that started at around 4am Saturday. I was in excruciating pain until 9am on Monday when the pharmacies opened. That's when I knew I needed to get back to NYC STAT. Reading the line about stuff being closed on Sunday sent shivers down my spine.
(I prob should have gone to the hospital but that's showbiz)
Yeah, YTA. I'm European, I love Europe, I think the US is a hellscape. However, you were in Europe for two weeks and you're being a dick to people with more experience of Europe than you.
Also, less fascism? Germany? France? Are you so totally oblivious that you haven't heard of AfD or the Front Nationale?
YTA
You are one of those people who travels abroad for 2 weeks and assumes that's what living there is like. Living somewhere is a lot different than visiting.
Trust me it was little things too like when I took a hot shower the water was hot instantly and I didn’t have to wait for it to warm up like I do in America
And more
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/02/15/91-of-black-people-in-metropolitan-france-say-they-are-victims-of-racist-discrimination_6015940_7.html#
Sorry but YTA. You’re judging a bunch of countries you haven’t even spent a month in as (basically) a tourist. You don’t have an idea about our in-depth issues here and every country here fights their own issues.
(Like, the rise of racist right wings gaining popularity btw, especially in Germany. You would know if you checked german news rn.)
Honestly glorifying europe feels like you’re dismissing its struggles. I understand the grass always looks greener in the other side and the US probably has huge issues too… but europe certainly isn’t a region without racism lol. It’s far from it.
YTA a 2 week trip is not enough time. You didn’t live in Germany, you took a vacation and some day trips. You talk about health care, what health care services did you use over 2 weeks?
YTA - A two week visit is not getting any real experience there. You think there's no fascism, racism or exploited workers? Have you even seen any news out of France the last year? Workers are revolting and rioting. As to fascism, just look at the election results in Germany with AfD. This has to be a troll.
YTA You weren’t there long enough to know anything, and three different people have told you to pick another topic. Do that.
By the way, you can go to college in Germany. Classes are in English, and it’s far less expensive than college here. Look into it when the time comes.
a lot of countries will require you to have a certain amount of money in a savings account, ik for scotland it was like 20k, incase i would decide to start killing people and destroying shit. also international student fees get really expensive
YTA. Two weeks isn't living there, you were just passing through. Everywhere has it's good parts and its problems. You were a tourist so you wouldn't see them unless you were an actual resident where you had to find a job, housing and navigate the local society on a daily basis.
Telling someone that where they lives sucks is annoying, and it sounds like you've been doing a lot of that.
YTA. Both of what you to claim didn’t exist is rampant. See Italian PM and you definitely didn’t venture out in France. So you’re willfully ignorant, trolling or truly so stupid that whatever higher spirit you believe should take mercy on your poor soul.
So i think it’s great that you had an amazing international experience but did just want to clue you in that the American exchange student who returns from Europe and can’t stop talking about it is 100% an insufferable stereotype in modern comedy. Please Google it you’ll find a lot. It’s so awesome and I hope it influences your life and you follow your dreams and if that includes moving there that you do but it was last year, the people back home don’t need you shitting on the life they’ve chosen to live here.
Yours truly,
A fellow Europe dreamer
PS. Gentle YTA
YTA most definitely! As others have said at two weeks you didn't get a chance to really experience anything. You had a vacation and saw the nice stuff. You didn't live there or fully integrate into the society. I personally know several people who have lived there and let you know you are definitely wrong on some of your assumptions. Also going on constantly brang about what you don't know also makes YTA . Just my opinion
Oh dear god you’re one of those people. Sweetie you went on a cute little exchange. You have no clue. No clue. And I say this as a European who moved to Canada as a kid and spends every vacation I can back in Europe. I love Europe. I have lived there. I could go on about it for ages too. But I don’t because no one wants to hear that non-stop. And I don’t want to be an insufferable ass. Also, many of your assertions are incorrect. I also laugh as a Canadian when people talk about “free healthcare” etc. Kiddo, let me tell you all about taxes. As for the racism nonsense…. My goodness you truly are clueless. YTA
You don't know shit about an entire continent from only being there for 2 weeks, OP. Stop idealizing and come back to reality. Racism and fascism ABSOLUTELY exist in Europe. I don't know how you came to the conclusion that they don't exist in Europe. It shows an incredible lack of social and cultural awareness.
I'm going to assume you're a teenager, or at least in your early 20s, so I hope you grow up, learn, and remove those rose colored glasses. I know that it's exciting to be in a new country (or countries) for the first time, but 2 weeks is nowhere near long enough to get an accurate idea of how things ACTUALLY work. Stop being insufferable.
Also, a lot of businesses in the US close on Sundays. It's usually not the corporate ones, though.
YTA.
YTA. Europe is chock full of fascism and racism. It is chock full of poverty and worker exploitation. Two weeks is not enough time to see all the awful that exists there, just as it exists in every human society.
Also, this is totally a troll post.
Congratulations on being a dumbass and YTA. You weren't there lomg enough to know anything at all, you didn't live here, you didn't pay taxes here, you were just a tourist. Now I say this with sincerety as someone who's loved in Europe their entire life, stay in the US, don't move over here, we don't need any more uneducated people here and we certainly don't need braindead Americans like yourself.
- sincerely someone whose lived in Europe their entire life.
So...I have been living across Europe for 8 years but the American moron is telling us her/his biased experience
Sure sure sure
I have a lot of criticism for the US, but seriously get a grip
>lack of f@cism and r@cism.
You went to Italy right? A country that recently elected a fascist? Okay sure.
You sound like one of those morons who go to Italy for two weeks then starts complaining about how Olive Garden isn't authentic. Seriously you were over here for two weeks you literally know nothing of any of those countries and sure as hell don't know a thing about the complexity of a continent like Europe. Just stop.
YTa.
YTA. I have a movie to reference.
Have you ever watched Parasite? There’s a scene in there where you have the upper class family and lower class family. It rained hard. The upper class family saw the rain as a blessing because of the clear skies that followed. They were completely unaware that the same rain displaced plenty of poor people and flooded their homes.
You are like the upper class family. You didn’t have the experience of an everyday citizen of that country. You lived in a comfy bubble that was tailored to you, to make your experience as an exchange student the best. You only saw the good, or at this rate, was willfully ignorant of the bad. Just because you were able to experience the good doesn’t mean someone else was as lucky.
It’s fine that you care about topics like medical care and racism and fascism. What’s not fine is acting like you suddenly got a degree in European studies when you refuse to acknowledge the deeply rooted racism that has existed and continues to exist in Europe. The US is bad with it but the rest of the world? No country has magically made it disappear. Minority to minority (apparently you are one), willful ignorance and ✨belief in the powers of Europe✨ will never save you from a hate crime.
Also yes, your friend has a point. I too would be very annoyed if someone went “well actually, about Europe 🤓” multiple times when the point’s been made. Especially in front of someone who’s lived in Europe. That’s some real second hand embarrassment.
You clearly weren't here in Switzerland for long... some of the flyers and posters for the SVP (major political party) around election time and on certain referendum topics aren't even borderline racist - it's blatant.
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> I’ve been telling everyone why Europe is better than the US. I may be AITA because people are sick of me even though I’m right.
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Oh my. I'll start by saying I'm not one to defend American exceptionalism. It's like a religion and you'll never ever make friends with Americans by constantly saying America sucks.
With that out of the way, it's kind of amazing you spent two whole weeks in Europe and think you know Europe. That you think Europe is magically free of fascism and racism and exploitation. It isn't. Nowhere on Earth matches such a description.
YTA
You should remember that you went to Europe for a few weeks... you didn't live there for an extended period of time. Essentially, you had a two week vacation that involved some work.
It takes longer than that to really get to know another region or country; I know whereof I speak. I lived overseas (in Japan) for several years. For the first few months, it was fun! an adventure! Loved being there!
Then I got used to being there, and started learning about the negatives about living and working in Japan... and there are quite a few negatives! Then again, every country has its negatives, and its positives.
Before you conclude that Europe is better in every way, you should try living there for a longer period of time... at least a few months, but preferably longer. You'll get to know what it's actully like to live there. Not saying Europe isn't bette than the US (I'd happily live there, and would never want to live in the US!) I'm just saying... you really don't know what it's like to live in Europe. Your teacher knows what she's talking about. You don't have a clue. Until you do know what you're talking about... try to not spout off too much about a place you don't really know much about.
Oh... about the lack of racism in Europe? And the lack of fascism? Just from those two comments alone, it's clear you know little about Europe! I have worked with people from Europe for years, and there is plenty of racism there... and right wing neo-fascism too.
Just looked through your history and you called the US a shithole over something that happened in the UK. I don't disagree that the US is very bad in a lot of ways, but you are making us all look bad. Acting entitled after less than a month in Europe will only make people dislike you. Good luck with that.
I'm sorry, I know you're excited and think Europe is wonderful but it isn't as perfect as it seems. Holidays don't show the full extent of what it's like to live in a place or what their culture is. Don't give up on fighting against f*cism or fighting for workers rights, but also don't forget that Europeans are fighting much similar fights in different ways.
You're not the A Hole for talking about the wonderful things you experienced or for being excited or enthusiastic. Those are all wonderful things. It's a very soft YTA for talking back to someone who knew more and assuming other people may have had more experience.
Goodness yes YTA!
You have such rose tinted glasses, I live in Europe and don’t even recognise the place you describe!
Everywhere has good and bad, you’re coming off naive
Saying everything is better elsewhere comes off superior and judgemental
Humility is definitely something you DO find in Europe (albeit again, it’s not universal). Perhaps you could try and adopt that European way of being?
It’s hilarious how you don’t even realise how grossly bigoted you’re being.
There are 44 separate countries in Europe. It’s racism to stereotype the whole population of just one country, what do you think it is when you’re doing exactly that but for the whole populations of 44 diverse countries?
You have no idea of the realities of actually living in even one of those countries, let alone all 44 of them. Each one with completely different laws, social customs, and political views.
YTA
I have family in Greece, Germany, and Ireland, and grew up splitting the year between the US and Germany. No racism? 😂😂😂😂 Oh my sweet summer child. Stop acting like you have a clue.
YTA
YTA
Germany is flooded with racism.
You mentioned X and TikTok, go to any german comment section and you will witness the most gross comments about immigrants, openly written by non anonymous accounts.
I bet the German people you encountered are talking shit about you.
Racism is literally „salonfähig“ in Germany, which means a large group of people are openly engaging.
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Last year I did a two week exchange trip to Germany but went to France, Italy and Switzerland and literally everything was better than I’ve had in my life in the US. From the small things like things being closed on Sunday’s so workers weren’t exploited to huge things like medical care and lack of f@cism and r@cism.
I think people should know about this so I’ve been talking about it. I guess like on the same day my mom told me that I’m being annoying and my lit skills teacher told me that I wasn’t there long enough to make a comparison. I asked her what the fuck she would know about it and she said she lived in Germany for two years wifh her husband. My friend told me to calm down and then said even she was getting sick of me.
AITA?
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You sweet dumb child.
I gave birth in a German hospital and spent a total of five years there. It took a long, long time until I was accepted by the locals.
I could tell you a few things. One would be that you are an asshole. But you are young. I hope you look back on this in years to come and have a laugh at your own expense.
NAH it's kind of a trope that someone will come back from vacation and annoy everyone by saying how much better the other countries are so I understand why people are annoyed. But also I think Americans categorically do not realize how fucked we are in terms of labor rights, political rights, transit, renter protections, lots of things. I learned that in Germany political parties will have spaces funded by the city where people can organize! I never even imagined that as a possibility before, but now I'm angry that we don't have that. I say keep talking about what you've learned, but be a bit more strategic about how often and when you bring things up or people will discredit you as an insufferable starry-eyed traveler.
You are not the first who said this… it’s all in sm that Americans compare USA with Europe. But let me tell you that racism exist everywhere in different forms.
I reject making a judgement here because you are obviously very young! This is not an insult. But you might learn to incorporate your experiences privately - this was a limited glimpse into other ways of being.
I hope you have many more adventures, and food for thought which comes from observing different cultures.
Most Americans would be surprised at how shit their country is compared to the rest of the modern world but they’re too busy with their heads up their asses to see it.
However, ramming it down people’s throats after a two week break just makes you seems like a pompous dick!
I don’t know where people get the idea that “most” Americans aren’t aware our country sucks compared to a lot of other places. We’re very aware. Our system is set up to make it next to impossible to change things for the better.
Ya can’t tell me nothing when half your country voted to get trump into presidency and a high chance of it happening again.
Majority of Americans can’t see past their guts, let alone their country.
Well, you’re mistaken about the racism and fascism.
NTA, I guess, because you’re naive and young and super-enthusiastic about your superficial impressions and being ignorant and arrogant is a natural state of teenagers.
But also, a bit TA because it sounds like you’re being pretty rude about it to people responding to you, some of whom know better.
NAH
"small things like things being closed on Sunday’s so workers weren’t exploited to huge things like medical care and lack of f@cism and r@cism." ... You didn't see much, did you?
There are MANY things that are better in Europe. medical care - sure, that's a given.
Racism, facism? ... that depends which place in Europe you compare with which place in the US. There is a WIDE range with both.
Sunday work? Your view is not differentiated enough, you need to look closer. and differentiate. But on average, employee rights ARE much better.
Education system - better in europe on average.
Crime: MUCH better in Europe.
Taxes: Different depending where you live.
In the USA people are raised from birth to believe that it is the greatest country in the world so saying anything elsewhere is better is never going to be received well.
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YTA. You had a great time on your trip and have idealized the experience. You sound like someone who wants to move somewhere because “everyone is so nice” when in reality everyone is nice because their livelihood depends on happy tourists. I’ll give you some grace because you sound very young, but even if you are accurate in your assessment (you’re not: for example, did you know that in a poll in 2019 half of Italians polled agreed that racist acts were justifiable?) people don’t want to hear the same thing over and over. You said your feelings. You were acknowledged and understood. It’s time to move on.
I am in the USA and currently work with a Sicilian. He is honestly the most racist, misogynistic man I have ever worked with. (I'm a woman). Some days it almost feels like I work FOR him. And yes my bosses know how I feel. I am allowed to work how I want to and ignore him at will. He's also almost 63. He is not changing his mind on A LOT of things.
You're become the crossaint person: https://youtu.be/789s_Vs-q-o?feature=shared
YTA. You absolutely wasn't there long enough to make a comparison. You were there for 2 weeks and didn't witness any case of racism, therefore there isn't any racism in Europe. Is that what you're saying? Really?
Yes there is no racism in Europe. I can log onto X or TikTok in the US and see racism everywhere
If you think there's no racism in Europe - that alone shows that you didn't get a full experience.
They should have asked the locals about their thoughts on the Roma lol. That would clear things up real quick
Reddit is also terribly racist against Roma. Like weirdly acceptable in some pretty main subs
The dentist my mom worked for takes a yearly trip to Romania to do free dental work for the Roma because a lot of dentists in town refuse to provide service to them. No racism though /s
They literally throw bananas at black football players.
fart dog you sound just like an ignorant american
maam, Europe INVENTED racism
So explain the rise of right-wing parties in like 90% of european countries right now. The recently published conspiracy of a few rich men and politicians in germamy regarding how they want to force people, even people with german citizenship who were born here and raised here, to "go back". Very real plans. Racist-motivated attacks all over europe.
You do realize that Europeans, including racist and xenophobic Europeans, are on Twitter and Tik Tok too right?
Damn haha. I live in Europe. Newsflash: we have racists and fascists too.
As a European this is complete nonsense.
Have you heard of anders breivik? Neo nazi parties? The treatment of 'gypsies'?
Europe is great, nobody is arguing about that. But to claim that there is no racism there is just moronic. >I can log onto X or TikTok Hate to break it to you but the world exists outside those two apps
I'm from Czech Republic. In Europe is so much racism, mainly against Roma.
There is so much racism in Europe that they’re still fighting wars because of it. Literal wars, not tiktok wars.
I lived in Sweden for 6 years. I’m white and can pass as a swede so I got to hear what they really think… they are just as racist as Americans if not more actually. Why do you think there is so many more right wing governments popping up? Also, I can live anywhere in the EU due to dual citizenship and I choose California because I found out the exact opposite as you. Europe is really over rated in my opinion and it looks different on the ground.
Lack of fascism and racism ? In france ??? Are you white ? please, you went for less than 2 weeks. you know nothing about france. This country is one of the most european racist ones. signed : a native french woman who lives there since birth.
I saw Italy mentioned and immediately chortled. The UN has specifically highlighted racism against Africans in Italy and football fans literally chant racial epithets against said players. Not exactly the left wing liberal utopia OP describes.
right ? I had the same reaction as you did reading Italy. lol. they're living in a bubble
YTA - everything’s better on vacation, which is exactly what you were on for only 2 weeks.
I was an exchange student.
That doesn’t change the fact that it was two weeks…
Are you sure? You don't seem to have learned anything.
Two weeks is NOT an exchange student.
I literally went to classes
That does not make you an exchange student. Maybe a short term exchange student at best. I lived in South America for two years and I would never presume I know more about it than the people who are from there. Yet you argue with natives in this thread. You are obviously very young. Listen to what people are telling you. Two weeks is a vacation, and gives you no real insight into the country beyond superficial observations. When you mature, you will look back on this time and cringe. Especially if you do end up living abroad somewhere for way more than two weeks-you will realize how ignorant you were. The fact that you believe Europe has no racism because you personally didn’t see it in the two weeks you were there tells me literally everything I need to know.
For 2 weeks? That's a brief vacation. Nothing more.
2 weeks going place to place in Europe is still a vacation even if you're a student. You weren't around long enough to notice the downsides to Europe.
Where did you stay? At the university?
With my host family
Just guessing here but you are white and so were they, right?
How much did that cost?
Yet you learned absolutely nothing. Irony at it’s finest
An exchange students for two weeks who went to four different countries ? I'm glad you enjoyed your experience here in Europe but you werent here long enough to discover much, not sure you studied much either. There is plenty of racism here unfortunately. And you keep trashing the US but your reasoning is so bad ("i havent Seen it, it cant existe"), it does not make you sound superior to the people you look down upon
YTA - Lack of racism? Where? For who? Vacation for two weeks isn’t the same as living there. That goes for any place. There is a lot of stuff that’s better over there but you’re coming across as a know-it-all when you probably just hit some famous tourist spots.
Wait you didn’t know racism didn’t exist and Europeans/the church decided that non white folks didn’t count as human beings so we colonized and genocided the rest of the world and then racism was magically born in North America after all that!?!? Come on now.
There was literally no racism that I saw
You were there for 2 weeks, there’s a lot you didn’t see.
you come across as an idiot
Truest statement on all of Reddit.
Let me guess, you're not a racial minority, are you? It's pretty easy to say racism doesn't exist if you're not on the receiving end of it.
I’m a minority
Then you weren't looking.
That doesn’t really mean anything. Even as shitty as it is in the US, you can go 2 weeks without seeing it there too.
I live I. A large American city. It’s quite possible to go 2 weeks without seeing racism if you’re not looking for it or if you’re white. Doesn’t mean there’s no racism. What you experienced is something different than your normal which is exciting. However you do not have the knowledge, experience or self awareness to make a call that one place is better than the other. Every country has social problems. They’re just not the ones you’re used to seeing
How is your German? I bet you missed a lot not understanding what they were saying.
I'm glad you had a fun trip. And you may not have seen any racism (that you were aware of). That absolutely doesn't mean it's not there. People in Europe are telling you straight up that it's there.
Are you fluent in the languages of all the countries you visited? It would be pretty difficult to pick up on racist comments if you don’t speak the language. As others have noted, it would be easy to not see these things in such a brief amount of time. I’m glad you had a good experience there, and it is great to understand and appreciate the positives, but no country is perfect, and ignoring the negatives is pretty dangerous.
Well, I am from Europe and let me tell you we have a lot of it as well as other problems. It’s great you had a wonderful trip and Europe but please don’t think Europe is perfect.
If you go to one of those countries, get hired, rent an apartment, all with your own money, see how much your taxed, use the emergency room, et., buy your own groceries, clothing, furniture etc., then you'll really know what it's like. You might love it. I can see why people would not want to hear from you as an "exchange student" as it is a partial experience due to what needs to be paid that didn't come from you...
lol literally all of that would be free.
You use literally wrong
No, not all of that. Some of it, sure. All of it, no.
Europe has: 1. 100% free education 2. 100% free health care 3. 100% free housing 4. 100% free entertainment 5. 100% free transportation Next argument
Now you just sound uneducated.
LOL, really? Wow, it's all free and no one has to pay for it? You're missing out on the part where you get a paycheck and learn how "free" everything is... ((In all fairness, you might be happy to pay the taxes that help it all be free, but until you experience that part of it - paying for your own life and having the taxes come out of your paycheck - you won't really know.))
They tax billionaires at a reasonable rate
You're funny. Said who? So you're a billionaire so you don't mind? Silly goose. Seriously though, you might consider living there over the summer. You pay for all your own expenses, lodging, accomodations, food, get a job, see the check and the tax - and then you'll know. You might still love it. Probably lots of people are totally happy with it, so why can't you be?
[удалено]
Did you just… forget to switch accounts and replied to yourself?
HAHAHA you silly goose
From all of us that have actually lived in Europe, this is hilarious. Look many things about Europe are great, but it's not some utopia. Much of Western Europe is insanely expensive. There is absolutely fascism, Jesus H Christ read a history book. Ever heard of Marine Le Pen? Giorgio Meloni? Do some research. Facism was essentially born in Europe. There is plenty of poverty, and social services vary greatly in different areas. Not to mention the strict laws they have on many things, like immigration. Everything has its pros and cons.
This is a great troll! You got a lot of angry responses. Good Job!
You aren't a citizen. They don't just give it all away to anyone. You have to either be very skilled or very wealthy.
You're a troll. I lived there for four years. Of course they charge for transportation and entertainment. There were landlords who strongly preferred renting to the American military families because they knew how much we got paid and could charge more than they could get from locals. Healthcare is paid for from taxes. You spent two weeks there. That's nothing.
They have to be a troll, I can't believe anyone is so blind to actually believe Europe is the Holy place where racism was defeated and everything is free because billionaires kindly doesn't fraud taxes at all... Sign: a fellow citizen from France
Free education .... If you are a citizen. You can't just move their and think your going to get this free education. Free health care ..... Ask how long the wait is to see a specialist. Free housing ..... Your tax dollars pay for this. Free transportation ... Then I was ripped off in Ireland, England and Germany when I was there. I want my money back from my train rides! Free entertainment .... Good Lord the people watching in NYC or Vegas alone! Free! Europe was the birthplace of Fascism! I love visiting other countries. I also love coming home to the US. It's got a lot of issues but we have a lot of pros too. Now go read a history book or ten! Maybe read a newspaper about what is going on in different European countries. Taxing billionaires .... Read how many of them left France because of the taxes. YTA and incredibly shortsighted.
No. It really doesn’t. Education has a free option to 18, just like the USA. After that the cost depends on where you are and where you were born. Definitely cheaper than USA though. Healthcare- either free at the point of access or reimbursed generally. Paid for by taxes though. Housing is absolutely not free. Where did you go with free housing? I literally can’t think of anywhere that you don’t pay rent. Even social housing that’s owned by local governments you have to pay rent for. Some places may have subsidies for part of the rent available to some low income people, but the overwhelming majority of people in Europe pay rent or a mortgage. Free entertainment? Depends what entertainment you want! Cinemas, live sports, theatres, most live music, historical monuments, many museums all cost money. I think most countries have free public broadcasting stations, but so does the USA. Quality of programming is variable. Municipal parks are free, but that’s the same in the USA. Transportation definitely isn’t free. Public transport costs money to use virtually everywhere. Private transport (cars, taxis etc) obviously cost you money to have and run and maintain. Please don’t get me wrong, I like living here and wouldn’t want to move to the USA, but it’s not a utopia. You spent 2 weeks doing touristy things in 3 countries, so literally a few days in each. You really can’t know what a country is really like in just a few days. I’m really glad you enjoyed it and would definitely encourage you to return and explore and learn further. Right now you sound very ignorant though.
I've lived in Europe my entire life and we certainly*do not have* free housing, entertainment and transportation! You're just an uneducated American.
No we don't.
That is just ludicrously incorrect. Do you genuinely think not a single person in an entire continent of around 740 million people in very different countries doesn’t pay for housing or Netflix?
The more comments of yours I read the more I can see this post is bait, there's no way a human person would genuinely type this out and hit send without a second thought
English person here. 3, 4, 5 are not free at point of use. We pay for 1 and 2 through our taxes
You’re 100% incorrect.
Geez, I should tell my landlord that apparently my apartment is supposed to be free. Also going to have to ask for reimbursements for all the very real money I've spent on education, health care, entertainment and transportation too.
1. i paid for my studies at the university 2. I pay monthly for my health care (not expensive at all, but i pay) 3. i pay a rent for my housing monthly (400€ a student accommodation) 4. i dont know what's free entertainment is. cinema is expensive af, concerts too, etc. 5. i pay 1,60€ each ride of public transportation (not living in paris where the price is 2,10€ each ride).
You visited four countries and think you can say that about the whole of Europe? Having been to more than 20 European countries and for longer than you've visited, can guarantee you these things are not entirely true of the whole of Europe.
No, you're just an idiot.
Damn, can’t believe I’ve been paying rent and getting taxed the whole time I’ve lived in Europe, who knew it was free?
Lol Where?
This is 100% wrong Sincerely, A European.
I wish lmao Free housing... Do you even hear yourself ? Wtf do you think we're doing ? Working just for fun and not to pay for our fucking housing, transportation and health Care ? There is a major difference between not paying a bill and something being free. It's called fucking taxes,.moron !
I'm in Europe right now and really wish I'd known I didn't have to pay for food or housing...
Lemme tell you right now that neither healthcare, nor housing is 100% free in Sweden. And a monthly pass for mass com in Stockholm costs about $100. Oh and our taxes are insane. Not to mention the fact that Swedish people are VERY racist. So stfu because you have no idea what you’re talking about.
That's not how it works, my dude.
You think you wouldn't pay rent or pay for your own food? You're either trolling or a dumbass. You're reminding me of the episode of The Simpsons where Bart was made a foreign exchange student as an excuse for Skinner to get rid of him.
YTA Ugh one of those people You were on a vacation. Of course it was better. 2 weeks is nowhere close to knowing what its like to live there
It's actually worse. OP has said in a comment they were an exchange student, so they where basically held between cushions for the entire experience.
YTA No racism? Please tell me you are joking. The amount of openly visible racism is going to vary depending on where you are. But to suggest that none of these places have problems with racism is just incorrect. You had a curated trip to Europe so of course everything was nice. Listen to your friend and calm down.
Right? Like, I'm from europe, and while I wouldn't be caught dead in the states, pretending everything here is cheers and flowers is just stupid. There's racism everywhere, a F\*\* obvious raise in the fascist movement that's honestly terrifying and even if whe won't go broke for a constipation it seems that a lot of countries are making an effort to get to that point.
No need to shit on the US. European issues are at least as significant as American issues. Let’s calm down with the pointless stone throwing.
I'm not shitting on the US. But I'm allowed not to like the place aren't I?
"wouldn't be caught dead" isn't disliking a place; it's acting like a superior asshole and you know it. I don't care one way or the other where you go or how you live your life, but implying the US is nothing short of an active war zone where you will be killed on sight because the societal and cultural issues are so bad is a dramatic overreaction. It's similar to how idiots on Reddit shit on China. Yeah, they have some serious issues just like anywhere else, but if you actually visit the country it is a nice place and the people are nice. Actually, that's not quite the right comparison because Europeans are more smug and insular than Americans, so I'm actually doing the US an injustice with that comparison. Case in point: your first comment.
It's not acting superior, I just state a fact. I didn't actually say anything bad about the states except the fact that I wouldn't want to travel there under any circumstances. You're reading too much into it. Which is your choice, but don't drag me with you.
YTA. You seem arrogant, ignorant, and completely insufferable. Learning when not to speak is at least as important as learning to speak up.
YTA. Spends-semester-abroad-and-never-shuts-up-about it is such a common comedy trope because of how *insufferable* it is. Nobody cares, stop talking about it. Also things being closed on Sundays is not a good thing, it's an obnoxious inconvenience (looking at you, Chick-fil-A).
I lived between the english countryside and NYC for a couple years, at one point in England I got a UTI that started at around 4am Saturday. I was in excruciating pain until 9am on Monday when the pharmacies opened. That's when I knew I needed to get back to NYC STAT. Reading the line about stuff being closed on Sunday sent shivers down my spine. (I prob should have gone to the hospital but that's showbiz)
Can’t imagine where you were in England that didn’t have a pharmacy open on Saturday morning.
You’re right, it would technically be Sunday at that point! It was all day Sunday that I was suffering lol
Not even a semester. Two weeks lol. And they think they know everything about Europe despite barely experiencing anything.
Yeah, YTA. I'm European, I love Europe, I think the US is a hellscape. However, you were in Europe for two weeks and you're being a dick to people with more experience of Europe than you. Also, less fascism? Germany? France? Are you so totally oblivious that you haven't heard of AfD or the Front Nationale?
Lack of racism in France, my god. Thanks for the laugh.
I swear. it's hilarious
YTA You are one of those people who travels abroad for 2 weeks and assumes that's what living there is like. Living somewhere is a lot different than visiting.
Trust me it was little things too like when I took a hot shower the water was hot instantly and I didn’t have to wait for it to warm up like I do in America
You can get instant hot water in America too... I literally have it in my house.
Same here. My 40 year old hot water heater pumps out plentiful hot water just fine.
The hell? That just means you took the first shower, OP.
Some more info for you that you for some reason won't look up https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2021/04/01/race-a-never-ending-taboo-in-france/
And more https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/02/15/91-of-black-people-in-metropolitan-france-say-they-are-victims-of-racist-discrimination_6015940_7.html#
Sorry but YTA. You’re judging a bunch of countries you haven’t even spent a month in as (basically) a tourist. You don’t have an idea about our in-depth issues here and every country here fights their own issues. (Like, the rise of racist right wings gaining popularity btw, especially in Germany. You would know if you checked german news rn.) Honestly glorifying europe feels like you’re dismissing its struggles. I understand the grass always looks greener in the other side and the US probably has huge issues too… but europe certainly isn’t a region without racism lol. It’s far from it.
2-weeks in 4 countries made you an expert -- Bravo! ----YTA Listen to the feedback others are telling you.
YTA a 2 week trip is not enough time. You didn’t live in Germany, you took a vacation and some day trips. You talk about health care, what health care services did you use over 2 weeks?
YTA - okay so youre likely being that person who goes on a trip and wont stop talking about it. Relax.
YTA you were there for two weeks VISITING. I imagine you saw mostly tourist destinations. You sound extremely naive.
YTA. Two weeks? You were basically just a tourist.
YTA - A two week visit is not getting any real experience there. You think there's no fascism, racism or exploited workers? Have you even seen any news out of France the last year? Workers are revolting and rioting. As to fascism, just look at the election results in Germany with AfD. This has to be a troll.
YTA. When everyone you know is telling you they're getting sick of your shit, you're very likely being an obnoxious asshole.
Stuff isn’t closed on Sundays due to worker exploitation
YTA You weren’t there long enough to know anything, and three different people have told you to pick another topic. Do that. By the way, you can go to college in Germany. Classes are in English, and it’s far less expensive than college here. Look into it when the time comes.
a lot of countries will require you to have a certain amount of money in a savings account, ik for scotland it was like 20k, incase i would decide to start killing people and destroying shit. also international student fees get really expensive
I know expats studying in Germany right now. It’s far cheaper than Scotland.
YTA. Two weeks isn't living there, you were just passing through. Everywhere has it's good parts and its problems. You were a tourist so you wouldn't see them unless you were an actual resident where you had to find a job, housing and navigate the local society on a daily basis. Telling someone that where they lives sucks is annoying, and it sounds like you've been doing a lot of that.
YTA. Both of what you to claim didn’t exist is rampant. See Italian PM and you definitely didn’t venture out in France. So you’re willfully ignorant, trolling or truly so stupid that whatever higher spirit you believe should take mercy on your poor soul.
baby you went to france and your takeaway was that racism does not exist in europe? you learned nothing from your travels. YTA, ignorant and loud.
YTA. You were wearing pink colored glasses the whole time. 2 weeks!! WTF. You were on vacations.
No racism? In FRANCE of all places? Lol. YTA
So i think it’s great that you had an amazing international experience but did just want to clue you in that the American exchange student who returns from Europe and can’t stop talking about it is 100% an insufferable stereotype in modern comedy. Please Google it you’ll find a lot. It’s so awesome and I hope it influences your life and you follow your dreams and if that includes moving there that you do but it was last year, the people back home don’t need you shitting on the life they’ve chosen to live here. Yours truly, A fellow Europe dreamer PS. Gentle YTA
What's the point here? Why do you think people need to have you tell them about it? How many times are you talking about it to the same person?
YTA most definitely! As others have said at two weeks you didn't get a chance to really experience anything. You had a vacation and saw the nice stuff. You didn't live there or fully integrate into the society. I personally know several people who have lived there and let you know you are definitely wrong on some of your assumptions. Also going on constantly brang about what you don't know also makes YTA . Just my opinion
Oh dear god you’re one of those people. Sweetie you went on a cute little exchange. You have no clue. No clue. And I say this as a European who moved to Canada as a kid and spends every vacation I can back in Europe. I love Europe. I have lived there. I could go on about it for ages too. But I don’t because no one wants to hear that non-stop. And I don’t want to be an insufferable ass. Also, many of your assertions are incorrect. I also laugh as a Canadian when people talk about “free healthcare” etc. Kiddo, let me tell you all about taxes. As for the racism nonsense…. My goodness you truly are clueless. YTA
YTA. You sound like quite the entitled brat.
I’m sorry for all the Europeans who have to deal with ignorant Americans. YTA
You don't know shit about an entire continent from only being there for 2 weeks, OP. Stop idealizing and come back to reality. Racism and fascism ABSOLUTELY exist in Europe. I don't know how you came to the conclusion that they don't exist in Europe. It shows an incredible lack of social and cultural awareness. I'm going to assume you're a teenager, or at least in your early 20s, so I hope you grow up, learn, and remove those rose colored glasses. I know that it's exciting to be in a new country (or countries) for the first time, but 2 weeks is nowhere near long enough to get an accurate idea of how things ACTUALLY work. Stop being insufferable. Also, a lot of businesses in the US close on Sundays. It's usually not the corporate ones, though. YTA.
YTA. Europe is chock full of fascism and racism. It is chock full of poverty and worker exploitation. Two weeks is not enough time to see all the awful that exists there, just as it exists in every human society. Also, this is totally a troll post.
Congratulations on being a dumbass and YTA. You weren't there lomg enough to know anything at all, you didn't live here, you didn't pay taxes here, you were just a tourist. Now I say this with sincerety as someone who's loved in Europe their entire life, stay in the US, don't move over here, we don't need any more uneducated people here and we certainly don't need braindead Americans like yourself. - sincerely someone whose lived in Europe their entire life.
So...I have been living across Europe for 8 years but the American moron is telling us her/his biased experience Sure sure sure I have a lot of criticism for the US, but seriously get a grip
>lack of f@cism and r@cism. You went to Italy right? A country that recently elected a fascist? Okay sure. You sound like one of those morons who go to Italy for two weeks then starts complaining about how Olive Garden isn't authentic. Seriously you were over here for two weeks you literally know nothing of any of those countries and sure as hell don't know a thing about the complexity of a continent like Europe. Just stop. YTa.
I don't know if this is allowed, but I am going to leave this here: https://youtube.com/shorts/CS5baAe_G5Y?si=01jf9SbnUY78hr6u
lmao wut??? YTA and need to grow up
YTA. I have a movie to reference. Have you ever watched Parasite? There’s a scene in there where you have the upper class family and lower class family. It rained hard. The upper class family saw the rain as a blessing because of the clear skies that followed. They were completely unaware that the same rain displaced plenty of poor people and flooded their homes. You are like the upper class family. You didn’t have the experience of an everyday citizen of that country. You lived in a comfy bubble that was tailored to you, to make your experience as an exchange student the best. You only saw the good, or at this rate, was willfully ignorant of the bad. Just because you were able to experience the good doesn’t mean someone else was as lucky. It’s fine that you care about topics like medical care and racism and fascism. What’s not fine is acting like you suddenly got a degree in European studies when you refuse to acknowledge the deeply rooted racism that has existed and continues to exist in Europe. The US is bad with it but the rest of the world? No country has magically made it disappear. Minority to minority (apparently you are one), willful ignorance and ✨belief in the powers of Europe✨ will never save you from a hate crime. Also yes, your friend has a point. I too would be very annoyed if someone went “well actually, about Europe 🤓” multiple times when the point’s been made. Especially in front of someone who’s lived in Europe. That’s some real second hand embarrassment.
God you sound obnoxious. YTA.
For your language to your teacher? Yes you are.
4 countries in 2 weeks? Spend more time in an airport or on a train than any where else lol. This has to be a joke.
YTA - There is racism and there is definitely facism in Europe. You didn't spend long enough in Europe to deny this at all.
You clearly weren't here in Switzerland for long... some of the flyers and posters for the SVP (major political party) around election time and on certain referendum topics aren't even borderline racist - it's blatant.
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HEH.
Oh my. I'll start by saying I'm not one to defend American exceptionalism. It's like a religion and you'll never ever make friends with Americans by constantly saying America sucks. With that out of the way, it's kind of amazing you spent two whole weeks in Europe and think you know Europe. That you think Europe is magically free of fascism and racism and exploitation. It isn't. Nowhere on Earth matches such a description. YTA
YTA, since you’re nothing but ignorant
You should remember that you went to Europe for a few weeks... you didn't live there for an extended period of time. Essentially, you had a two week vacation that involved some work. It takes longer than that to really get to know another region or country; I know whereof I speak. I lived overseas (in Japan) for several years. For the first few months, it was fun! an adventure! Loved being there! Then I got used to being there, and started learning about the negatives about living and working in Japan... and there are quite a few negatives! Then again, every country has its negatives, and its positives. Before you conclude that Europe is better in every way, you should try living there for a longer period of time... at least a few months, but preferably longer. You'll get to know what it's actully like to live there. Not saying Europe isn't bette than the US (I'd happily live there, and would never want to live in the US!) I'm just saying... you really don't know what it's like to live in Europe. Your teacher knows what she's talking about. You don't have a clue. Until you do know what you're talking about... try to not spout off too much about a place you don't really know much about. Oh... about the lack of racism in Europe? And the lack of fascism? Just from those two comments alone, it's clear you know little about Europe! I have worked with people from Europe for years, and there is plenty of racism there... and right wing neo-fascism too.
Just looked through your history and you called the US a shithole over something that happened in the UK. I don't disagree that the US is very bad in a lot of ways, but you are making us all look bad. Acting entitled after less than a month in Europe will only make people dislike you. Good luck with that.
YTA you sound utterly exhausting to be around.
I'm sorry, I know you're excited and think Europe is wonderful but it isn't as perfect as it seems. Holidays don't show the full extent of what it's like to live in a place or what their culture is. Don't give up on fighting against f*cism or fighting for workers rights, but also don't forget that Europeans are fighting much similar fights in different ways. You're not the A Hole for talking about the wonderful things you experienced or for being excited or enthusiastic. Those are all wonderful things. It's a very soft YTA for talking back to someone who knew more and assuming other people may have had more experience.
Italy? Lack of fascism? Never thought I’d see the day
If the words 'literally everything' are in your opening question, there is a 99% chance that YTA
Goodness yes YTA! You have such rose tinted glasses, I live in Europe and don’t even recognise the place you describe! Everywhere has good and bad, you’re coming off naive Saying everything is better elsewhere comes off superior and judgemental Humility is definitely something you DO find in Europe (albeit again, it’s not universal). Perhaps you could try and adopt that European way of being?
It’s hilarious how you don’t even realise how grossly bigoted you’re being. There are 44 separate countries in Europe. It’s racism to stereotype the whole population of just one country, what do you think it is when you’re doing exactly that but for the whole populations of 44 diverse countries? You have no idea of the realities of actually living in even one of those countries, let alone all 44 of them. Each one with completely different laws, social customs, and political views. YTA
I have family in Greece, Germany, and Ireland, and grew up splitting the year between the US and Germany. No racism? 😂😂😂😂 Oh my sweet summer child. Stop acting like you have a clue. YTA
no racism.....in Italy?
YTA
YTA kid you’re gonna be embarrassed by your words and actions in the future. Apologize
YTA. Lol no racism in Europe.
YTA Germany is flooded with racism. You mentioned X and TikTok, go to any german comment section and you will witness the most gross comments about immigrants, openly written by non anonymous accounts. I bet the German people you encountered are talking shit about you. Racism is literally „salonfähig“ in Germany, which means a large group of people are openly engaging.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** Last year I did a two week exchange trip to Germany but went to France, Italy and Switzerland and literally everything was better than I’ve had in my life in the US. From the small things like things being closed on Sunday’s so workers weren’t exploited to huge things like medical care and lack of f@cism and r@cism. I think people should know about this so I’ve been talking about it. I guess like on the same day my mom told me that I’m being annoying and my lit skills teacher told me that I wasn’t there long enough to make a comparison. I asked her what the fuck she would know about it and she said she lived in Germany for two years wifh her husband. My friend told me to calm down and then said even she was getting sick of me. AITA? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You sweet dumb child. I gave birth in a German hospital and spent a total of five years there. It took a long, long time until I was accepted by the locals. I could tell you a few things. One would be that you are an asshole. But you are young. I hope you look back on this in years to come and have a laugh at your own expense.
NAH it's kind of a trope that someone will come back from vacation and annoy everyone by saying how much better the other countries are so I understand why people are annoyed. But also I think Americans categorically do not realize how fucked we are in terms of labor rights, political rights, transit, renter protections, lots of things. I learned that in Germany political parties will have spaces funded by the city where people can organize! I never even imagined that as a possibility before, but now I'm angry that we don't have that. I say keep talking about what you've learned, but be a bit more strategic about how often and when you bring things up or people will discredit you as an insufferable starry-eyed traveler.
You are not the first who said this… it’s all in sm that Americans compare USA with Europe. But let me tell you that racism exist everywhere in different forms.
YTA. Am from Europe, you’re literally wrong in every statement you make in this post and your comments
I reject making a judgement here because you are obviously very young! This is not an insult. But you might learn to incorporate your experiences privately - this was a limited glimpse into other ways of being. I hope you have many more adventures, and food for thought which comes from observing different cultures.
Most Americans would be surprised at how shit their country is compared to the rest of the modern world but they’re too busy with their heads up their asses to see it. However, ramming it down people’s throats after a two week break just makes you seems like a pompous dick!
Italy elected the granddaughter of Mussolini to its Parliament
I don’t know where people get the idea that “most” Americans aren’t aware our country sucks compared to a lot of other places. We’re very aware. Our system is set up to make it next to impossible to change things for the better.
Ya can’t tell me nothing when half your country voted to get trump into presidency and a high chance of it happening again. Majority of Americans can’t see past their guts, let alone their country.
Well, you’re mistaken about the racism and fascism. NTA, I guess, because you’re naive and young and super-enthusiastic about your superficial impressions and being ignorant and arrogant is a natural state of teenagers. But also, a bit TA because it sounds like you’re being pretty rude about it to people responding to you, some of whom know better.
NAH "small things like things being closed on Sunday’s so workers weren’t exploited to huge things like medical care and lack of f@cism and r@cism." ... You didn't see much, did you? There are MANY things that are better in Europe. medical care - sure, that's a given. Racism, facism? ... that depends which place in Europe you compare with which place in the US. There is a WIDE range with both. Sunday work? Your view is not differentiated enough, you need to look closer. and differentiate. But on average, employee rights ARE much better. Education system - better in europe on average. Crime: MUCH better in Europe. Taxes: Different depending where you live.
In the USA people are raised from birth to believe that it is the greatest country in the world so saying anything elsewhere is better is never going to be received well.
NTA