I know l can not compare a city (New York) or a country (United States) with a continent (Europe) where are a lot of countries with so many different cultures and languages. But l think New York assimilated people from every and each country in the world so l can just describe the differences l noticed on my own. Of course l haven’ t traveled all over Europe , but still l can have an idea based on my experience after visiting a few cities in Europe and also l spent most of my life there.
10. Breakfast
Huge difference! New Yorkers don’t play with their breakfast! The expression “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is probably taken literally, because their breakfast is very rich : eggs, bacon, sausages, cheese, bread, pancakes, waffles or french toast, muffins, or other pastries, cream cheese, peanut butter, jam etc….and on top of that restaurants are serving breakfast pretty much the entire day.
While in Europe, breakfast is more like a translation of the French “petit dejeuner” (respectively “mic dejun” in Romanian) and should be consist of one croissant and a cup of coffee only or just one small cup of yoghurt with fuits and nuts or maybe you can have an omlette with one slice of toasted bread. And if you are not an early bird, after 11 o clock is almost impossible to find a place that serve breakfast anymore.
9. Eating on the go
While in New York ( and all over the U.S. in general ) this is becoming a more socially acceptable thing, in Europe you will not see too often people eating or drinking on the go. And almost never you will see people eating while they walk. Food is to be savored, which I totally appreciate, but over here people “don’t have time” for that and they prefer to grab something “to go” and basically eating that on their ways. I think is about discipline. We can be more organized in all aspects of our lives (including the management of our time) and don’t treat a meal like is something that can be done while rushing.
8. Workaholics
It looks like in New York people never stop! It is a constant move and action, everybody being extremely preocupied to make a living. People have 2-3 jobs running from one place to another- day and night! Almost everything is open 24 hours! I know, New York is the city that never sleeps! And this is soooo true!
In Europe people know how to take their time for everything and how to appreciate their lives better! it is hard -even in big cities- to find anything open during the night or to see many people on the streets during the night-time. Traffic does not exist either! The nights are quiet and peaceful- made for sleep and rest! In New York people retire but they continue to go to work. Isn’t this sad???
7. Business owners
Another huge, tremendous difference! In New York ( and all over the United States) people who own a business (big or small) are working waaaay more than their employees….They are involved 100% and most of them rarely take a day off or a vacation. I have seen business owners working extremely hard and struggling but they never give up or complaint. You will never distinguish who is the employee and who is the owner judging by the amount of work they put in their jobs. Now, thinking about European business owners, it is a little funny to describe their profiles. Like, they are never present at their own establishments?? And they use to hire managers to basically do their jobs??? Or how do they prefer to spend their time in an office wearing suits and doing nothing??? (even though their business don’t do very well, they still don’t roll up their sleeves to work on for their own sake???). They are bossy, have an attitude and they use to look down on their employees.
6. Walking on the right side
It is an unwritten law that in New York (U.S.) people walk on the right side whether it’s the right side of the sidewalk or up (down) the right side of the stairs. It lessens the amount of awkward bumping into people and it provides you safety without even knowing or being aware of.
Well, in a lot of big European cities, this is not a thing. Nobody will move out of the way to allow somebody else to pass….so you better watch out! LOL
5. Smiley faces
People in U.S. seem usually very friendly, they are not afraid of making eye contact or smiling to a stranger. However, N.Y. city is the rudest compare with any other part of the U.S., but still very open and friendly compare with any part of Europe where nobody smiles while they walk. People in Europe seem cold and very reluctant to exchange words with people they do not know.
4. The Bureaucracy
Even though bureaucracy does exist in New York as well, it is nothing like in Europe !!! Want something official done quickly? GOOD LUCK. It won’t happen quickly. Or maybe even at all. Think you’ve filled out the endless forms correctly? You probably smudged it a tiny bit and have to start all over. And when you finally finish to fill up a ton of papers, they can give you another one but for that one, you have to come back the next day because their business hours are done for the day. And so on….feeling stressed out in N.Y. about any form of bureacracy you have to deal with…? Just think twice….it can be worse!
3. Long lines at the restaurants
In a city where apparently it is one food establishment next door to another one ( I know: different cuisines, different styles, different cultures etc…but still !!! ) staying in a long line to get a table in a certain restaurant , no matter how the weather is (too hot, too cold, rainy, snowy etc) waiting on the sidewalk just to get in….it does not make any sense to me! No matter how good the food is or what a deal of happy hour they have….you will never find me in that line waiting ! I didn’t see such thing anywhere in Europe. They don’t have a table for me when I get there, good bye, I will find another spot even though I need to walk/drive further. It is not a big deal. People are not lining up for food like that! What about the appetite?? Are you still hungry after one hour waiting? Or you are hungry even more and you will eat more for no reason?
2. Distances and dimensions
In the U.S. streets and sidewalks are large. Period. The dimensions of the country are big and particularly New York is a big city. What in New York is about one hour away it is considered to be very close….something like that in Europe could be 5-10 minutes away. The distances are not comparable at all!
1. The constant noise and vibrations
New York is so vast, so dynamic. It pulses with some wierd, crazy energy that I’ve never really found anywhere else, and it kind of make you addicted to it. I think it’s just that- it’s inexhaustible and totally invigorating, depending on what stage of your life you are in.
I am not sure if I will live here forever, but I am definitely not tired of it yet.
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