This was an interesting topic from the fodors.com bulletin board--people from Europe answering the question. I've summarized some of the responses--all these things we take for granted:
The large hotel rooms, air conditioning, price.
The big highways and interstates. The low cost of petrol. The size and price of rental cars.
The service. "Anywhere you go, shop, hotel, restaurant, the service is always good, and usually very friendly."
Inexpensiveness. "A weekend in New York including flights from London is not much more than a partying weekend in London."
Boston Lobster, FAO Schwartz, bras from K-Mart. Pizza, pancakes, 24-hour diners, cheap Levis, large appliances (more beer in the fridge), endless varieties of potato chips, Ranch dressing, bagels, breakfast chefs who know 3.5 million ways to cook an egg, crispy bacon, Caesar salad, American steaks.
Friends and The West Wing.
Grand Canyon, national parks, whales and sea otters and bears and moose (in the wild), large expanses of protected wilderness. The thousands of possibilities for outdoor activities, like swimming with dolphins.
Free coke refills in restaurants. Free coffee refills.
"Americans are very friendly and hospitable." " I like sitting in a bar and being able to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Everybody seems to have been to Germany, knows someone who lives there, etc."
The cleanliness of America. "The first time I saw a carry it in, carry it out sign in a park, I was amazed. And then I saw that Americans actually do carry out their rubbish."
From a park volunteer in a tourist-oriented community: "We are constantly amazed at European visitors' comments about things we take for granted. For instance, they are surprised at the concept and practice of volunteerism. Working for free? Working for fun? . . . Foreign visitors also comment about how helpful our police are. They marvel at the absence of "verboten" signs in our parks and forests."
Convenient shopping hours. Free parking. Drinking fountains with free drinking water.
It's okay to wear fanny packs and sneakers. Even Hawaiian shirts are okay.
Freedom of the press.
Size, cleanliness and modernity of your hospitals.
"People are less judgmental. I'm originally from Ireland, but live in the U.S. I can achieve success at work based on my knowledge and skills rather than what school I went to or my religion."
"Average houses are bigger than in Europe. We (Europeans) haven't quite figured out the concept of attached garages."
"I've made friends from all over the world while living here."
The large hotel rooms, air conditioning, price.
The big highways and interstates. The low cost of petrol. The size and price of rental cars.
The service. "Anywhere you go, shop, hotel, restaurant, the service is always good, and usually very friendly."
Inexpensiveness. "A weekend in New York including flights from London is not much more than a partying weekend in London."
Boston Lobster, FAO Schwartz, bras from K-Mart. Pizza, pancakes, 24-hour diners, cheap Levis, large appliances (more beer in the fridge), endless varieties of potato chips, Ranch dressing, bagels, breakfast chefs who know 3.5 million ways to cook an egg, crispy bacon, Caesar salad, American steaks.
Friends and The West Wing.
Grand Canyon, national parks, whales and sea otters and bears and moose (in the wild), large expanses of protected wilderness. The thousands of possibilities for outdoor activities, like swimming with dolphins.
Free coke refills in restaurants. Free coffee refills.
"Americans are very friendly and hospitable." " I like sitting in a bar and being able to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Everybody seems to have been to Germany, knows someone who lives there, etc."
The cleanliness of America. "The first time I saw a carry it in, carry it out sign in a park, I was amazed. And then I saw that Americans actually do carry out their rubbish."
From a park volunteer in a tourist-oriented community: "We are constantly amazed at European visitors' comments about things we take for granted. For instance, they are surprised at the concept and practice of volunteerism. Working for free? Working for fun? . . . Foreign visitors also comment about how helpful our police are. They marvel at the absence of "verboten" signs in our parks and forests."
Convenient shopping hours. Free parking. Drinking fountains with free drinking water.
It's okay to wear fanny packs and sneakers. Even Hawaiian shirts are okay.
Freedom of the press.
Size, cleanliness and modernity of your hospitals.
"People are less judgmental. I'm originally from Ireland, but live in the U.S. I can achieve success at work based on my knowledge and skills rather than what school I went to or my religion."
"Average houses are bigger than in Europe. We (Europeans) haven't quite figured out the concept of attached garages."
"I've made friends from all over the world while living here."
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