Little Differences

-In Europe, Fanta Orange is yellow.

-Kroket is not just a game to play as a last resort. Kroket here is delicious.

-You cannot take glass bottles outside a restaurant.

-Packs of cigarettes and other tobacco products have creative warning labels on all sides.

-Beer is sold in vending machines, along with almost every other drink and food imaginable.

-Graffiti is almost never painted over. Why? Because they consistently look awesome.

-Either sales tax is included in pricing to round out to managable numbers, or there is none at all.

-If you cross a pigeon, it will wait for you to pass before continuing on.

-Rap music is 90% better.

-Comic books range in subject matter from ancient Egypt to the American Civil War.

-Did I mention how amazing the graffiti is?

-Black people are not under constant harassment from the police.

-Newspapers have staples.

-A 52' trailer truck is unheard of.

-Coca-Cola really has to work at making an attractive-looking can. Otherwise, people would never pay 2.50 Euro for it.

-Rather than working all day at a soulless national chain, people often work at their own shops.

-Nicotine-free tobacco exists.

-The entire Dutch language is almost anagramatic to English.

-If I could remember what the beer they serve here is called, I'd tell you.

-Nutrition facts on soda cans are divided into 5 easy categories.

-I am yet to see a 3-lane motorway.

-SUV count: 1

-This came as an unpleasant surprise, but as I've been here, the dollar has steadily declined against all local currencies. The pound was exchanging at almost 1.7 dollars.

-Grocery stores here stock a variety of delicious creations, ranging from a scrumptious spectrum of breads to a candy aisle that would put you in a diabetic coma just from looking at it. This juxtaposes the American market, where most products try to taste as much like macaroni and cheese as possible. I would like to add that Big American frozen pizza is 5 times larger than any frozen pizza I've seen in my life.

-You can get a loaf of bread for 75 cents US.

-Once my teeth stop rattling from the coffee, I'll tell you more about how good it is.

-Bus drivers in the Netherlands smile and wave to each other on the road.

-Emergency vehicles have specific melodies to their sirens.

-Civic beautification is taken quite seriously.

-Ramen is sold with a packet of oil (not that kind), giving it a creamy, flavorful texture.

-I don't know how it's going in the States, but people here are mourning Michael Jackson in a way similar to the way Americans mourned Abraham Lincoln.

-There are not bags at grocery stores. Bring your own.

-Toilets, in addition to having a flush button, are also devoid of water.