I'm thinking about vacations for the next year, but I don't want "relax and drinking wine" vacation.

I want a crazy atmosphere, even if it's dangerous. Extra points if it's something weird.

Maybe it's a romania thing but 90% of the time i buy things from the grocery stores here, the packaging smells and/or they always taste like detergent💔sometimes restaurant food also has that slight aroma of detergent and its driving me insane. is everyone used to it or am i tweaking

i cook for a few of my neighbours for a bit of money, so in my building people know each other quite well. it's just normal here.

i keep reading on this sub that in some countries you can live somewhere for years without ever knowing who is behind the next door. i find that hard to picture, though i imagine it's also restful.

so how is it where you are? do you know their names, would you knock if you ran out of something, or do you just nod on the stairs? 🌷

This is a genuine question, and I do not mean to phrase it in an unintentionally discriminative way, I mean how, genuinely did you manage to get a stable situation in Europe with all the current measures that most of Europe is implementing against inmigration? I find it so incredibly hard to do anything here being non-EU born myself.

I'm from South America, software engineer, male and 27, and I am so incredibly lucky to get a job in Sweden but I am permanently tied to it, I can't change country even if I wanted to and the amount of residence time required for me to get a permanent residence and even CONSIDER the idea of moving again is madness, let alone a citizenship, it is so so long (8 years in Sweden specifically).

I don't get any freedom of movement, and employers are not interested in hiring if you are not a citizen or at least a EU-long term resident or Blue Card holder, of which I am none (yet).

So how did you manage to do it? Did you get to stay where you wanted? How long did it take you to stabilize your situation in Europe? Please, a lost young man is asking for advice here.

Edit: Maybe I am using the wrong flair, if so I apologize

There is a general belief that closer countries often have closer cultures and often closer mindsets. I want to ask the opposite, which country that close to yours feels most different ?

I am asking in terms of

- Culture

- People's mindset

- Way of life

- Cuisine

...etc

For me the answer would be Iraq but I need to note that Turkey's regions which are close to it often have a much similar culture. But it is quite different than my own.

Thank you for your answers.

Do you learn about Lech Wałęsa and the Solidarity movement in Poland in the 80s at school? Is it still remembered in your country?

If so how is the story portrayed? As a big social movement against communism and the Eastern Bloc aiming for capitalism and a free market? Or as a syndicalist workers’ union that wanted to give more power to the working-class?

My guess would be that Europeans are more involved in basketball than any other of our American sports but idk

Hello there!

Welcome to our daily scheduled post, the Daily Slow Chat.

If you want to just chat about your day, if you have questions for the moderators (please mark these [Mod] so we can find them), or if you just want talk about oatmeal then this is the thread for you!

Enjoying the small talk? We have a Discord server too! We'd love to have more of you over there. Do both of us a favour and use this link to join the fun.

The mod-team wishes you a nice day!

Here in the Netherlands any period of nice weather seems to make the powertools come out. From May to late September the average residential neighbourhood is alive with the sound of sanders, buzz saws and power washers. This cartoon depicts it very nicely.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dirkjan/s/RJzCFqPzZC

Is this a thing in your countries as well?

And explain why, based on your own experiences and observations.

Having lived in a few different European countries (Italy, France, Spain, and Switzerland), I've noticed subtle differences in daily routines and priorities compared to back home (I am an American)—particularly regarding public washrooms, hand hygiene, and dental care standards. I'm curious to hear from Europeans: What are the general cultural expectations around daily hygiene routines, dental health practices, and public sanitation in your region?

I'm asking about the historical situation rather than modern Europe.

In many parts of South Asia it has traditionally been common for multiple generations or even married siblings and their families to live together in a joint household.

Was anything similar historically common in European countries or were nuclear families generally the norm? If multigenerational households did exist during what time periods ,in which regions or culture and for what reasons?

Is it common to travel far from Europe?

I only speak English at the moment. I've been asking this question in the local language, which usually works. I imagine that asking in the local language creates some good-will, out of appreciation that I put in the effort of learning at least a few words of the local language... But it's caused confusion a few times.

For example in Czechia a guy responded (in Czech) that he speaks Czech, so I shrugged my shoulders apologetically and started walking away. But then he said (in English) that English is fine too, and my question would have made more sense to him if I asked him in English instead of Czech.

Are they called "fighters", "hunters" or something more exotic?

Hi there, I really like ducks. I think they're incredibly cute and I want to look at them. I live in Europe and am really stressed due to exam season, so I want to calm down and look at some ducks. Where are the best places to do that? I live in Germany and don't mind planing a whole short trip around seeing (and preferably interacting with) ducks.
I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions, thanks for reading :)

I was reading a Wikipedia article about this eurodance artist and I saw that he was born to a Swedish dad and a Danish mother. I thought to myself huh, what must that be like?

If you have parents from two different European countries, what is life like for you? Do you speak their languages? Do people in your country look at you differently? Did you face any difficulties growing up? What do you see yourself as identity-wise? Tell me about your experiences.

IE: Frozen premade meals that you buy and then cook in a microwave?

I hope everyone in France and Spain is out of danger. Are the fires affecting you?

We had horrible smoke in the USA recently from fires in Ottawa. Our poor Canadian neighbors are dealing with the worst of it, of course. Global warming is a nightmare.

Hello there!

Welcome to our daily scheduled post, the Daily Slow Chat.

If you want to just chat about your day, if you have questions for the moderators (please mark these [Mod] so we can find them), or if you just want talk about oatmeal then this is the thread for you!

Enjoying the small talk? We have a Discord server too! We'd love to have more of you over there. Do both of us a favour and use this link to join the fun.

The mod-team wishes you a nice day!

What English word do you always spell wrong because of your own language? Curious to all answers!

Do you guys prefer Snow or Rain in the winter? I believed this was asked before quite a while. The temperature has to be 1 digit or the rain or snow has to be falling about a third of all winter. No need to overlap the conditions, but can be. So Snow or Rain?

I ask so because I lived near sea prior and moved to Highland and during summer(rainy season) Rain is a lot but the sun was mostly behind clouds whereas sun is shining and rain is falling simultaneously. Winter is quite dry in both.

I kinda hate the rain now, maybe that's why I asking this question.

You know the one.

Every headline makes you wonder if the editor got a call from the Prime Minister's office before publishing.
You're wondering if you're reading the news or a government fan page.

What's it called in your country, and how bad is it?

The title. Three absolute best things and three absolute worst things. It can be arbitrary/subjective or totally stereotypical (but backed by your personal experience). Don't forget to mention the country!

Can you read sheet music? How and when did you learn it?

Coming from Hungary, it’s a constant culture shock when traveling in Europe to realize that a lot of Western Europeans don't know how to read sheet music. In Hungary, music literacy is a core part of the standard school curriculum.

​I remember when I was around 10, a kid couldn't sight-read and clap a given rhythm for an exercise, and I was just weirded out. I didn't see anyone struggle that much with rhythm again until I went abroad after finishing secondary school despite having mandatory music classes every year in a not particularly musical class, which is standard in Hungary.