Visiting Europe can be a shock to many Americans. For example it is almost impossible to find a "No Smoking" area in European restaurants where beer is usually less expensive than coffee. So here are a few tips for people visiting various countries in Europe to help you cope with new situations.

Things to watch out for in Britain

This is particularly true of Britain because as Sir Winston Churchill said we are “two peoples divided by one language.” The problem is one thinks everything is the same when often it is not which can be really frustrating at times. In particular the British stand in lines, known as quays, when waiting for something like a bus, theater tickets or when shopping. Moving to the front, known as jumping the quay, is something that makes people very mad and can lead to angry comments. A surprising number of Brits also harbor a grudge against Americans whom they see as uncultured know-alls. Usually this isn’t a problem and most people are very friendly and nice, but one needs to be sensitive to the fact that the British still haven’t got over loosing their Empire and still feel an innate superiority to the rest of the world that can be quite off putting.

Despite frequent denials the class system is alive and well in Britain to a degree that shocks other Europeans and Americans who spend any time in the country. How people speak, in terms of their accent, how they eat, and their general behavior are all very important indicators of class and social origins which the British still take far too seriously. Fortunately, they don’t expect North Americans, or even people from Commonwealth countries like Australia to fit into their system so it doesn’t really affect the visitor. Nevertheless class is a reality you need to be aware of.

Unlike most other Europeans, if the British really are European at all, which is a question many French, Italians, Germans and other Continental Europeans often ask, the British tend to share American attitudes towards nudity and appropriate public behavior. So unlike some Europeans they don’t urinate in the streets. Nor do you find unisex saunas where everyone is nude. On the other hand Britain tends to be Europe’s Third World so you may be lucky finding a sauna at all.

British TV is, of course a delight with some excellent programs and extensive coverage of world news. The newspapers are also very good although there is a strict distinction between the “quality” papers like The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The Independent, and the tabloids like The Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror and The News of the World which thankfully only appears on Sundays. The serious newspapers are excellent, but in many ways the tabloids rival The National Enquirer except that they put a far greater emphasis on sex and have no qualms about showing nudes.

Things to watch out for in Germany

As a result of two world wars, Nazi crimes, and Hollywood movies, most English speaking people have a distorted view of Germans and Germany. First of all it comes as a shock to find that while Germans are well organized they are often not very efficient. Then there is the matter of cleanliness. While it is true that German homes, lodgings, and hotels are usually spotlessly clean, Germans have some really disgusting habits. Children are totally uninhibited in urinating anywhere outside the house. Men do the same but more discretely. So don’t worry, you are unlikely to be embarrassed but you might encounter a nasty smell in some public places. Men also often spit on the street and particularly at bus stops where watching saliva fall to the ground seems to be a way of passing the time. You will also see a fair number of drunks in the main cities although they are usually well behaved and do not cause problems. Finally, if you decide to take a sauna you need to know that in most German hotels the saunas are unisex and people usually go naked. Of course they don’t mind you wearing a bathing suite but they don’t and if you are embarrassed by seeing people in the nude it’s best to avoid the sauna altogether.

On the positive side most Germans speak a little English while many are fluent putting even English speakers to shame with their command of the language. They also tend to be very helpful and kind once they know you are a foreigner and unlike many other European really like Americans. Anyone who uses public transport a lot will be surprised by the way total strangers go out of their way to help old people, the disabled and the blind. Since World War II Germans tend to be very laid back in most things sometimes to the point of irritation. Of course you can still encounter people who fit the Hollowed image of the ultra efficient, uptight, German. But, such folk are increasingly rare.

The police are particularly friendly and have clearly taken the image of the British Bobby to heart. If you know some German it’s worth watching a German made detective film, known as a “Krimi,” on the television. Like most action films one can get the gist of what is happening with very little knowledge of the language. Many, like “Der Alte” or “Der Bulle von Toltz” are really excellent and give interesting insights into the way modern Germans live. What is most noticeable is the way they portray relationships between old people and children and the positive image they give of Christianity that is quite unlike the way Christians are treated in most American films. This is particularly surprising since few Germans attend church. Nevertheless, religion is shown as a part of life that has to be taken seriously.