Recently, I had the honor of traveling about 10 hours by plane across the Atlantic from Detroit, Michigan to Vienna, Austria. It truly was the trip of a lifetime, and it opened me up to a new way of viewing this world and pursuing my future. If you are currently an American who has never left the country but always wondered what leaving the United States would truly be like, you've come to the right place. I have created here a list of differences you absolutely cannot miss if you go from the states to the Ringstrasse. (Ringstrasse: A grand, circular road that surrounds Vienna, Austria). So, let's get started travelers.
1. The bathrooms
The very first difference I noticed when I crossed into Austria was the public restrooms. Have you ever been out and about and needed to use the restroom but public restrooms in the states are just so gross? And there is no privacy? Well, in almost every single public restroom in Austria, each "stall" is like your own personal bathroom. Each individual toilet is blocked off by walls instead of thin stall doors. They are also clean, spacious, and have two flushers (one for number one and the other for number two).
2. The architecture
Not too much to be said about this. In Vienna, every building you see has a history, has a story, and has a place in the city. You can even distinguish which buildings were bombed out by the war compared to the ones that were not, which is super cool. You do not see anything like this in the United States. It's almost like Austria's version of New York, but all of the buildings in Vienna look similar to the ones in the picture above. Not to mention the detailed statues and sculptures scattered around Vienna are a unique sight for sore eyes.
3. The recycling
I've noticed that in Europe they have more recycle-type bins than trash cans for our damaged earth. I really appreciated seeing this, and it's something I think the United States needs even more of.
4. Portion sizes
Yes, I did go to a "Burger King" and a "Mcdonald's" in a different country. I had to get the experience! What I realized was that the portion sizes are much more controlled in Wien. Their small pop is comparable to a medium pop in the U.S. Also, their large fry was close to a small fry here!
5. The smoking
In Europe, it is easy to notice that lots of people smoke, and they smoke everywhere. Even inside restaurants. There is also no place for them to discard their cigarettes, so they throw them anywhere.
6. The language barrier
One of my most shocking discoveries was landing in Austria and feeling like I was still in Michigan in a sense. Why you might ask? Because Austria does an amazing job at communication, especially for people who do not speak any German. Almost every European we met spoke medium to expert English. There were no problems with communication or directions. Most of the signs in Austria have the English translation below the German. Even in souvenir shops, restaurants, and concert halls, English translations of Operas, plays, books, and menus are available.
7. The animals and the scenery
To briefly explain, dogs are everywhere in Vienna. They are allowed in some restaurants, shops, and venues (and they do not have to be service animals). Along with this, even the squirrels and the deer seem to look slightly different than Michigan forest creatures. I don't know how to explain it, but the animals and the scenery just seemed healthy, fresh, and even more green than most woodsy areas in the United States.
8. The clothes
When walking through crowds in Austria, most people dress very similarly to most Americans. Clothing differences are not distinct, but when shopping in stores you are more likely to notice the ins and the outs of clothing in the U.S. compared to Austria. Fabrics in most clothing stores in Austria are a type of quality that you just cannot find in the United States. Even in Austria's "Forever 21", you can easily identify the quality differences and the price differences. Some prices are similar to the United States for clothing, but if you are planning to buy traditional Austrian clothes, get ready to spend a good amount. (It's worth it though)! Austrians also wear their traditional dresses and lederhosen often for certain events. Can you imagine a wedding in the United States with tradition colonial wear?
9. The driving
In Vienna especially, the speed limit tends to be a little higher than in the U.S. Most people drive crazy, but you rarely see car accidents because it is an organized kind of crazy. (If that even makes sense). Also, if you are planning to travel out of the country and you will be driving, do not forget that the speed limits are in the metric system or Km/hr.
10. The music
Imagine a place where people go nuts for Opera singers like they would for Justin Bieber. Vienna, Austria is that place. Vienna is known for its classical music and its thriving musical audiences, performers, and culture. Walking in the footsteps of famous composers like Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Strauss, and Schubert is an experience like non-other. Listening to classical music in a place like this is unbelievable, and life-changing. But in case you were curious, most radio stations do play hits from Ed Sheeran. (Despite my dream of the radio stations only playing "Sound of Music").
I truly hope I will someday be able to return to Austria and find even more interesting similarities and differences between my home country and Europe. If you are a world traveler, or at least want to be, I highly recommend you add Vienna, Austria to your list of possible travels. Chow!
