35 Things You Appreciate About Europe After Living In America

In reaction to this 35 Things You Appreciate About America After Living In Europe

1. Size matters

In this case small is preferred.

2. Because major cities are easily reachable

Especially Paris (every American tourist's favourite), which is less than 3 hours on a plane from most places in Europe

3. Beautiful places in general

Italy's Amalfi Coast

4. Le Café

To hell with the drive-thru Starbucks.

5. The world's best chocolate bar

What's Hershey's?

6. Real beer

So much variety.

7. Non-extreme weather

8. Politicians with swag

Obama ain't got nothing

9. The Euro

It's stronger than the dollar, more colourful, and less confusing

10. Let's not forget the languages

11. European men

David Gandy

12. And European women

Mila Kunis - yep, born Ukrainian

13. Universal health care

C'mon America, this really lets you down. The majority of European countries provide some sort of health care to all its citizens and high quality state systems exist in the UK and Scandinavia.

14. Monarchies

Get your own America!

15. And hot princes!

Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland (Sweden)

16. Castles

Neuschwanstein

17. Beautiful old architecture in general

La Sagrada Família, Barcelona

18. Compacts that are actually cool

19. And you don't have to drive this monstrosity

20. Stick shift

Because they're way more fun than your auto-transmission

21. Speed limits that don't make driving a chore

Basically driving in Europe is just way better than in America

22. You don't have to tip

23. EU Passports

European citizens can travel to any other EU country they like, no questions asked! So no intimidating American style border controls are needed.

24. Legal drinking age

As low as 14 in some countries, but Europe has lower levels of marijuana usage

25. European Sports

Like handball

26. Not being sued

27. The European idea of fast food

Independent bakeries and delicatessens

28. European cheese

So much more delicious than that plastic American stuff

29. Not having to fear the local wildlife

30. European TV

They don't have excessively long seasons, drawn out stories and are far more engaging! Check out the Danish crime drama The Killing (Forbrydelsen).

31. In addition to the European film

Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno) from Spain

32. Fairytales

Europe is home to just about every fairytale you can name, not Disneyland

33. European interior design

Functional, simple and clean. You'll find examples of it in your local giant Swedish furniture store

34. There's no popular European equivalent of this

It's way more liberal in Europe

35. The Eurovision Song Contest

In the 20th century European arguments were settled in World Wars. Now countries battle it out in this.