Question for the Europeans: why choose the US over Europe?

[RandB 156]

Hi RandB, thanks for the contribution. I've never been to Norway but I can totally see how it's better than the US in a lot of ways. But since you're planning to do a Master, that's great that the US can offer you something you can't find in your home country.

Sounds like you've got both options open and that they US has something to offer as well. Hope your new life will bring success.

I'm really surprised to hear this about the drug addicts in Norway. I'm a USC and my brother died from a dug overdose two years ago. If he had been born in Norway, things would've been really different it seems.

Thank you, millelfeur.

I'm so sorry about your brother. Stay strong.

[PriscaLS 1]

In my case we decided to first see if me moving (from Italy to US) would work as the economy in Italy isn't great, my husband does not speak Italian much and he has a good job that he loves in the US while I have a temporary job and my skills are easily transferrable to a different country. If that doesn't work out for us over the course of a few years, then we decided we'll then consider moving back to Europe and try there.

[Chris and ZhiJia 146]

11. Unchivalrous robots. Chivalry is dead in Denmark unless you loudly proclaim how dead it is and how American men would never be so rude. Then, maybe you get some politeness.

12. I hate bagging my own groceries and attempting to figure out how many bags I need to pay for before bagging them.

15. At least when we lived there, there was less television content on demand like we have in America. That might have changed.

During my time with the Wife in China, these 3 points really ring home.

1. Noone there will ever hold the door for a lady, and if you do, you get weird looks (I got them all the time). I once saw a man struggling to get his street cart over a curb, a good 30 people were standing around watching him struggle, some recording video on their phones. I picked up the back of his cart and move him to where he needed to go. Everyone stared like it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen.

2. I loathe having to bag my own groceries as well, the first time I went grocery shopping in China it really caught me off guard when I had to pay for a plastic bag to carry my stuff in, and bag it myself. Reminds me of when my Mother convinced the Wife and I to take a trip with her to Aldi. I swear I will never shop there again. Not only do you have to bag your own groceries, but you have to deposit $0.25 just to get a shopping cart.

3. There is almost zero on-demand content in China (atleast in the city my wife lives), if you want to choose a specific show to watch, you have to go online.

We are still contemplating moving to China, but there are so many things we take for granted here that I will miss.

[millefleur 5,047]

During my time with the Wife in China, these 3 points really ring home.

1. Noone there will ever hold the door for a lady, and if you do, you get weird looks (I got them all the time). I once saw a man struggling to get his street cart over a curb, a good 30 people were standing around watching him struggle, some recording video on their phones. I picked up the back of his cart and move him to where he needed to go. Everyone stared like it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen.

2. I loathe having to bag my own groceries as well, the first time I went grocery shopping in China it really caught me off guard when I had to pay for a plastic bag to carry my stuff in, and bag it myself. Reminds me of when my Mother convinced the Wife and I to take a trip with her to Aldi. I swear I will never shop there again. Not only do you have to bag your own groceries, but you have to deposit $0.25 just to get a shopping cart.

3. There is almost zero on-demand content in China (atleast in the city my wife lives), if you want to choose a specific show to watch, you have to go online.

We are still contemplating moving to China, but there are so many things we take for granted here that I will miss.

It is sad that chivalry has died in so many places! Haha, my first job as a kid was bagger at a supermarket....you're right, it is a luxury that you begin to appreciate once you don't have it!

Edited October 10, 2016 by millefleur

[Dutchster 1,107]

2. I loathe having to bag my own groceries as well, the first time I went grocery shopping in China it really caught me off guard when I had to pay for a plastic bag to carry my stuff in, and bag it myself. Reminds me of when my Mother convinced the Wife and I to take a trip with her to Aldi. I swear I will never shop there again. Not only do you have to bag your own groceries, but you have to deposit $0.25 just to get a shopping cart.

This is a well common thing in most of the countries, Europe etc. It's a law that companies//branches have to let the customers pay for the use of plastic bags to actually let people reuse more or prevending from continuously buying plastic bags. It might be unknown for Americans, but in a lot of countries, we're used to it. And like that, I'm not used to America handing out paper/plastic bags like candy.

Edited October 10, 2016 by stephadams

[Merrytooth 5,748]

During my time with the Wife in China, these 3 points really ring home.

1. Noone there will ever hold the door for a lady, and if you do, you get weird looks (I got them all the time). I once saw a man struggling to get his street cart over a curb, a good 30 people were standing around watching him struggle, some recording video on their phones. I picked up the back of his cart and move him to where he needed to go. Everyone stared like it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen.

2. I loathe having to bag my own groceries as well, the first time I went grocery shopping in China it really caught me off guard when I had to pay for a plastic bag to carry my stuff in, and bag it myself. Reminds me of when my Mother convinced the Wife and I to take a trip with her to Aldi. I swear I will never shop there again. Not only do you have to bag your own groceries, but you have to deposit $0.25 just to get a shopping cart.

1) It is called Bystander Apathy.

There are some highly publicized cases where injured people have supposedly accused 'Good Samaritans' who stopped by to help them as actually responsible for the accident in order to force them to continue paying for all the medical bills.

2) I have never shopped in grocery stores in USA where there are people helping shoppers bag groceries. Must be some high class thing.

I see nothing wrong with deposit 25 cents for a shopping cart, so that it will make shoppers return the carts in the correct proper area, instead of leaving carts all over the parking lots haphazardly.

[Chris and ZhiJia 146]

1) It is called Bystander Apathy.

There are some highly publicized cases where injured people have supposedly accused 'Good Samaritans' who stopped by to help them as actually responsible for the accident in order to force them to continue paying for all the medical bills.

2) I have never shopped in grocery stores in USA where there are people helping shoppers bag groceries. Must be some high class thing.

I see nothing wrong with deposit 25 cents for a shopping cart, so that it will make shoppers return the carts in the correct proper area, instead of leaving carts all over the parking lots haphazardly.

2. Any Publix, Kroger, Whole Foods, Sprouts, even Wal-mart bag's your items for you.

[Umka36 781]

I've always had someone bag my grocery, and the only time I've had to do it myself is if I went to a self service kiosk. If you need assistance with putting the grocery in your car, they do that as well but you have to ask. I guess it must be different at various location in the US?

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

During my time with the Wife in China, these 3 points really ring home.

1. Noone there will ever hold the door for a lady, and if you do, you get weird looks (I got them all the time). I once saw a man struggling to get his street cart over a curb, a good 30 people were standing around watching him struggle, some recording video on their phones. I picked up the back of his cart and move him to where he needed to go. Everyone stared like it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen.

2. I loathe having to bag my own groceries as well, the first time I went grocery shopping in China it really caught me off guard when I had to pay for a plastic bag to carry my stuff in, and bag it myself. Reminds me of when my Mother convinced the Wife and I to take a trip with her to Aldi. I swear I will never shop there again. Not only do you have to bag your own groceries, but you have to deposit $0.25 just to get a shopping cart.

3. There is almost zero on-demand content in China (atleast in the city my wife lives), if you want to choose a specific show to watch, you have to go online.

We are still contemplating moving to China, but there are so many things we take for granted here that I will miss.

Aldi is like everything wrong with a European grocery store all rolled in to one. The Aldis in Denmark are almost exact models for the ones in the US.

They are just those little things that make you grumble living in another country and sometimes it starts to snowball, but if on the whole another country is the better option, then it probably won't bother you so much.

2) I have never shopped in grocery stores in USA where there are people helping shoppers bag groceries. Must be some high class thing.

I see nothing wrong with deposit 25 cents for a shopping cart, so that it will make shoppers return the carts in the correct proper area, instead of leaving carts all over the parking lots haphazardly.

Aldi is the only place where I've had to bag my own groceries. The cashier at all the places I shop at here in MN bag my groceries, from the tiniest market to Target, Walmart, any supermarket, etc. I totally won't shop somewhere if I have to use a coin in the shopping cart. It is irritating.

[Merrytooth 5,748]

Aldi is like everything wrong with a European grocery store all rolled in to one. The Aldis in Denmark are almost exact models for the ones in the US.

They are just those little things that make you grumble living in another country and sometimes it starts to snowball, but if on the whole another country is the better option, then it probably won't bother you so much.

Aldi is the only place where I've had to bag my own groceries. The cashier at all the places I shop at here in MN bag my groceries, from the tiniest market to Target, Walmart, any supermarket, etc. I totally won't shop somewhere if I have to use a coin in the shopping cart. It is irritating.

I bring my own reusable grocery bags (being environmental friendly) and I don't find it a nuisance to bag my own stuff.

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

I bring my own reusable grocery bags (being environmental friendly) and I don't find it a nuisance to bag my own stuff.

Having a grumpy 7 year old and a toddler that continually tries to launch himself out of the cart makes it challenging. I can imagine this is also difficult for those who are injured or elderly.

This issue is compounded in Denmark by sometimes the lack of full grocery carts at the supermarket and then if they have them, they don't come with seat belts. Child friendly my ###.

If I bring reusable bags to an American store, I hand them to the cashier and expect them to bag my groceries. That is what they are paid for.

[TBoneTX 45,663]

Re Aldi: I agree 100% with Merrytooth. For the prices, I drive for several miles, past 5 legacy supermarkets. I bring my own large, strong bags. I get to pack my purchases in my preferred way. I often profit by 25 cents by returning any carts that lazy people have failed to return. Even if I were to buy Aldi's bags, the large & strong plastic ones are only a dime, and the large paper bags are only 6 cents. I've bought their bags on their own merits, for other projects.

In regard to the legacy supermarkets, when there are baggers at all, they do an irritating, inefficient, uncaring job and never heed my (reasonable) requests. Half the time, I end up bagging the stuff myself, to save time and irritation.

The other day, I had to wait 18 minutes in a legacy supermarket's checkout line; they had 2 registers open (moving like molasses) and customers backed up halfway into the store. By comparison, Aldi cashiers must demonstrate their ability to scan 1,000 items in something like 10 minutes just to be hired.

Re chivalry: Unsure if this qualifies, but when Mrs. T-B. & Mini-B. went to Ecuador 2 years ago, I restocked the refrigerator right before they returned. Mrs. T-B. took fotos (Spanish spelling) to send to her family. Apparently, even when Ecu wives arrive home exhausted after long trips, Ecu husbands expect them to go shopping.

If someone needs assistance, I'll help -- bystander apathy be hanged.

Edited October 11, 2016 by TBoneTX

[NikLR 13,230]

During my time with the Wife in China, these 3 points really ring home.

1. Noone there will ever hold the door for a lady, and if you do, you get weird looks (I got them all the time). I once saw a man struggling to get his street cart over a curb, a good 30 people were standing around watching him struggle, some recording video on their phones. I picked up the back of his cart and move him to where he needed to go. Everyone stared like it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen.

2. I loathe having to bag my own groceries as well, the first time I went grocery shopping in China it really caught me off guard when I had to pay for a plastic bag to carry my stuff in, and bag it myself. Reminds me of when my Mother convinced the Wife and I to take a trip with her to Aldi. I swear I will never shop there again. Not only do you have to bag your own groceries, but you have to deposit $0.25 just to get a shopping cart.

3. There is almost zero on-demand content in China (atleast in the city my wife lives), if you want to choose a specific show to watch, you have to go online.

We are still contemplating moving to China, but there are so many things we take for granted here that I will miss.

2) don't shop in Canada. $1 coin for the carts, (you get it back obviously) and .05cents per bag so bring your own. Safeway bags groceries for you, places like Real Canadian Superstore or Costco does not. Coins for carts makes sure they don't go missing.

1) It is called Bystander Apathy.

There are some highly publicized cases where injured people have supposedly accused 'Good Samaritans' who stopped by to help them as actually responsible for the accident in order to force them to continue paying for all the medical bills.

2) I have never shopped in grocery stores in USA where there are people helping shoppers bag groceries. Must be some high class thing.

I see nothing wrong with deposit 25 cents for a shopping cart, so that it will make shoppers return the carts in the correct proper area, instead of leaving carts all over the parking lots haphazardly.

2) I hate when they do help. I agree, coins for carts = carts in the right places. I don't like my vehicles smashed by run away buggies!

I bring my own reusable grocery bags (being environmental friendly) and I don't find it a nuisance to bag my own stuff.

I miss my resuable bags. I will ask my mother to bring me some! I prefer to bag my own things. They end up in the order I want them in and nothing is squished or weird. No I don't want my meat with my vegetables. No I don't want my tomatoes with the cans! No I don't want the friggin milk in a bag?! No I don't want my bread squished under some other food. No I do not want my shampoo with the edible food!!! WHAT THE HECK?! NO I DONT WANT THE CLEANER WITH MY EGGS!!! yeesh..

[Boiler 45,770]

You can buy a big box of plastic bags in Sams Club that will keep you going for a very long time at a fraction of a cent each.

[NikLR 13,230]

To be honest I almost hate shopping at King Soopers/Kroger because they don't even have the belt to put my food on to make sure it's even remotely in the order I want it bagged in. Considering my mother worked for safeway for over 25 years as mostly a cashier (and always had line ups while others had empty tils) I know a thing or two about bagging groceries. I'd say my only downfall is too much stuff in a bag... they rip so easy. Oh i want reusable bags!!!