American Reacts To Americans Living Abroad: First Time You Realized America Really Messed You Up 

*"So, I went to Norway ..."* *"Wow, her German is really good to."* ... my guy, did you just reinforce the stereotype about the U.S. education system, geography in particular? Great reaction tho :D

As a European... This made me genuinely sad. Not only those videos but also his reaction. How can you be so surprised to someone be able to afford a doctor

The American system of healthcare is a business. In many other countries it is a government service.

I met tourists at a restaurant on the Gold Coast Australia, they asked directions. I asked where they were from . They answered " We're republicans from Texas", so I said " Oh, you're Americans ". They looked confused. In Australia, we are autralians, regardless our politics.

I am so sorry for US citizens when it comes to their healthcare in general. How you guys are even alive is a huge mystery I cannot solve.

Yeah you’re so free, except you’re not safe to go outside, you can’t get sick, even sending your children to school is risky. Crazy!

She was speaking Norwegian, as she was in Norway. I cannot think of any other country that segregated like the U.S. If you are born in the England you are English, not African English or Italian English etc

What never ceases to amaze is how little Americans consider other parts of the world,. They are taught that America is the greatest from the time they can walk and they therefore think that there is nothing the rest of the world can teach them. One statistic shows how this is not the case. Of the 30 OECD countries the US, although the richest country, has the second highest percentage of folks living in poverty - 18%. Only behind South Africa.

As a British citizen and as a Czech resident I'm part of the Czech health system. I contracted severe pneumonia and had to be put on life support machines for a week and then spend another 2 months in hospital recovering. This did not effect my finances in any way apart from the lost of my self employed money as I teach. I believe a week in the US on life support would be around 14,000 or 28,000 dollars and that 2months stay in hospital would be approximately 172,982 dollars so it would be approximately about 179,982 or 186,982 - probably more in total as I was taken there by ambulance. If those costs were normal in Europe it would lead to a change of governments etc. You guys are NOT living in the land of the free you are being oppressed by a system similar to feudal times.

The fact that the US does not have socialized medicine is one of its greatest shames.

This "pledge of allegiance" thing is a total sign of a dictatorship. No free country does shit like that. Btw.: i'm german and i know when we did that the last time. We also thought we were the "greatest country of the world" in those days.

I lived in Germany for 6 yrs. One year I was flying to the States to visit. I had broken my back tooth and the root was exposed so I'm in pain. This German dentist (my boyfriends dentist) got out of bed at midnight, and fixed my tooth for FREE just so I wouldn't be in pain. America would never.

I'm British & would love to visit my friend in the US, but I'm just too scared to go in case I get ill or get shot. This is the image the rest of the world has of America.

Even just the fact that you are not suprised or agast about the pledge to the flag.... shows that you don't seem to know that in other countries kids aren't asked to do that daily or weekly or monthly or .... EVER.

American expat here- Parents used to be military so basically, I spent the majority of my childhood pendling from one continent to another. So, no major culture shock differences for me. Parents eventually retired from the Army and we moved back to the states. I was not yet 20 when I told my family that America wasn´t for me. That I was going back to Europe because life felt less strained there. They understood. I left and never regretted moving to Germany. I visit the states whenever I can, but I´m always glad when I leave. It´s really sad because America has so much potential, but the system over there is screwed up.

here in the UK we are free to cross the road where we want, free to do what we want with our own bodies, free to walk the streets without the fear of getting shot, free to go to the doctors or hospital without the fear of medical bills, that's just a few of the freedoms you don't have in the US

I love your "Crazy" reactions to the costs of medical care. US Citizens just don't understand that this is what is normal in the rest of the world. What is really crazy and non standard is the way the US does it!

Our public transport system isn't just for poor people. It's used by everyone as in cities its the best way.

Hello from Switzerland, It's really not very smart that you can be sued for first aid. In many countries in Europe it is even the case that you can be sued for not providing first aid (within what is reasonable for you); that makes a lot more sense and helps save lives.

hehe, this minds me to one time i giving first aid to a man with a Heart Attack. i broke 2 Ribs while trying to reanimate him until the Meds arrived, i told them that i felt them break but they said that this will be not a Problem. A Few weeks later i received a Letter from this man, he thanked me for the Help and put a Picture of an X-Ray with his broken Ribs with a Thumb up ;) thats how it be handled here in Germany ;)

In the UK we don't have the USA system of school busses. So by the time kids are 11 and go to secondary school. They all have to be street wise and independent enough. To use normal public transport busses and trains to get too and from school.

"I wouldn't let my kid play outside 'alone'"... I remember when I was 9, in the suburbs outside London... I would sometimes cycle perhaps 2-3 miles to different parks and such to meet up with friends.

old german guy here. dont be offendet now but you really need to educate yourself about what is going on in the rest of the world outside of the USA. that you watched this video is a beginning. you will have so many shocking moments during this adventure, and it will open your eyes on many topics. and just to mention a few thinks you dont have in the USA. unions, workers rights, social healthcare (i pay nothing if i have to see a doctor), 30 workdays paid vacation + public holidays 10-15 days, unlimited sick days, parental leave for parents with a baby (paid for up to 2 years), child money (kindergeld) you are getting over 200 euros per month, per child from the gouverment and sooo many more things .... greetings

Sued for attempting to save people's lives?!? In the UK we have emergency Defibrillators in boxes on walls in various public places. Anyone can grab one and take it to a heart attack victim, follow the verbal instructions, and hopefully save someones life, noone is going to sue you if you fail, or succeed!

I second what one of the people down below says in regards to the woman who went to Norway. In the US everyone is labeled i.e. African American, Hispanic. in the Uk and any other country if you adopt the country or are born here but of immigrant decent your British end of. That doesn't mean you have to ignore your heritage but no one is going to point out your race first. We may ask about your ancestry out of genuine interest in where your heritage is. I am half Irish half Indian and my Indian father will refer to himself as British before anything.

So for the CPR thing... how do you ask consent to an unconscious person? that's the dumbest thing i ever heard.

In Australia I contracted bowl cancer and had major surgery, two week hospital stay, chemo, radiotherapy, another operation to reconnect my bowl after 6 months of having to have a temporary ileostomy bag. Another week in hospital waiting for my bowl to start working again. The chemo was administered by a nurse in my own home and the whole thing didn't cost me a thing. They saved my life. That's why.... No mater how far or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home!

I am British by birth and have been raised in Australia. I once volunteered for a christian outreach program where these (mostly american) volunteers set up an american style school for the children of the volunteers. All with american curriculum and american supplies. I was shocked when I saw the first and second grade books to read were pure propaganda. Something along the lines of "in America we are free. In Russia or china you can't own your own house, you can't own your own car, you get told what job you have to do, you have to join the army, ...and a list of other things, ending up with "we should be proud of living in a FREE country where we can make our own choices". USA friends, you should also have the freedom to not get sick and not get shot.......do many US citizens believe they are more free than the rest of the world..... .

In May of 2022 I had a spinal cord stimulator fitted, 3 days in hospital. Cost 98,000$ in June 2022 I was at home and had a massive heart attack, because of where I live I was helicoptered (air ambulance ) to the nearest hospital, I was given emergency treatment then taken to our local airport and flown in an air ambulance plane was resuscitated twice and was transferred by private ambulance to a specialist heart hospital in Liverpool UK mainland. I had MRI, EKG, ECG and a mountain of tests. In the 3 weeks I was in hospital I had a double heart bypass and was provided with my own room and 4 meals a day. On discharge I was put back on a plane and taken back home. I’ve had 6 months of follow up treatment and seen countless doctors nurses and physiotherapists and I take 24 different types of medication daily The point of this is I DO NOT AND HAVE NOT PAID ONE PENNY FOR MY TREATMENT. I can guess an an approximate cost cost in USA of $850,000 . If I had to pay anywhere near that I would be dead. That’s the main difference between the UK and the US. Lots to grateful for

The Human Freedom Index is published annually showing the freedom of countries based on a number of factors. The USA has never been listed higher than 15th !

1:48 In fact, at least here in germany, there is a thing called "Unterlassene Hilfeleistung", translating to "Failure to render assistance", that says that if you could have done something (without bringing yourself into danger) to help someone, and you didn't, you are liable for that. It doesn't HAVE to be CPR if you don't know how to do that but at the very least you have to call an ambulance and try to do what you can. That said, the first thing my teacher said during a CPR course was: CPR saves lives. If you can't do it, try it anyway. Even if you don't do it optimally, they MIGHT survive, but if you don't do it at all they'll die for sure. So you always call for help first and then try to do CPR until help arrives. Because what's the worst that could happen when trying to save someone's life? They can't be deader than dead and if you succeed, you saved someone's life and if you fail, if you had to do CPR they were dieing anyway.

As soon as I heard “her German was good too” I headed to the comments, thank you all for not disappointing..

Your reactions are adorable and genuine. You need to get your passport and travel my young American friend. The rest of the world is even more free and safe than you think.

In the U.K. it is mandatory for employers to give their workers between 25 to 32 days PAID holidays/vacation. In the U.K. it’s mandatory to give women 6 to 12 months PAID maternity leave. In the U.K. are Health Care is free.

Well the healthcare thing is not completely free, but for example here in Germany we have that “universal healthcare” thing where a certain percentage from my paycheck goes to health insurance and so I don’t pay for a visit to the doctor and very little for the most prescriptions. I love this because I don’t have to worry about getting sick, just about getting well 😊

For anyone interested I'm German and currently going to some health stuff. It started last week since this started, I went to my Family Doctor, an Gynaecologist and twice to the Hospital. I'm getting surgery on Monday. Since this started I had 4 Urin Tests, 3 Times Bloodwork done, 4 Ultrasounds and a bunch of physical Tests done. The only thing I will have to pay is the 10€ fee per Day in the Hospital, wich I will get back and then some from an insurance that I have wich also also partially pays for Glasses and Dental work. So at the end I will probably pay like 20€ or 30€ for my stay in the Hospital, everything else does not cost me a cent. Oh and I dont have to worry about my Work if you are sick you are sick.

I live in Wales and all of the prescriptions that I and my family needed were completely free as they are seen as a necessity.

USA has the most incarcerated citizens in the world as a % of population, so amongst the "free" countries the US has the lowest % of free people.

I grew up in New Zealand. I was 25 years old when I first saw a policeman armed with a gun, that was in Australia when I went for a visit.

We used to have a country here in Europe where they did a pledge of alligiance in schools every day. They stopped doing that in 1945

This is so sad to b e amazed about being healed for free. I don't understand how a big and powerful country can treat its citizens like that. Like it is their fault to be ill.

I'm German and never was in the US, but I learned a lot about the US through TV and RU-vid. One day I saw a RU-vid Video from an American who was new in Europe he described that he was in the center of a German city and noticed two boys aged 6 or 7 coming around the corner. To my surprise he expected an adult to follow coming around the corner every second. That way I learned, that in the "land of the free" children are not free. Here in Germany, it is absolutely normal for young children to roam on their own in public spaces and use public transport like buses, trams, the tube, and local trains. And no, we don't have those yellow school buses like you in the US because it doesn't make any sense here. After all, we have a good public transport system. So here young children learn how to use public transport on their own, and to school, they walk or use a bike and those with longer distances to school get a permanent ticket for public transport. And of course, the bus might not go directly to the school so they might have to change trams, trains, or buses. And those tickets are often valid nationwide, so theoretically they could explore the entire country on weekends and holidays with regional trains. (The public transport ticket (Deutschland-Ticket) is not valid on long-distance trains like InterCity (IC) and InterCityExpress (ICE)). Another thing is, as you already noticed, the medical system. In Germany usually all people have compulsory health insurance, which also includes close family members (children and spouse), and costs around 15 to 16 % of your income depending on the insurance company. You have the choice between probably 50 and 150 insurance companies, which by law all have to pay for all treatments specified by law. Depending on the insurance company you might get extras like courses for health, losing weight, or sports courses. Around half of the 15/16% gets deducted from your salary, and the other half has to be paid by your employer by law. Unemployment insurance, pension insurance, and long-term care insurance are also mandatory and have to be deducted from the salary with 50% and the other half has to be paid by the employer by law. Only the income tax is deducted from your salary completely, so the salary you get is your net income with all duties already being paid. By the way, the prices you see in shops or restaurants also include taxes. (Only the bottle and can deposit or the deposit for multi-use takeaway food packaging or multi-use coffee cups comes on top because that's the money you get refunded by returning the empty bottles, cans, cups, or packaging.) But back to the health topic: Ambulances are free Doctor visits are free (including specialists) For hospitals, you pay a co-payment of 10 Euro per day (which might perhaps cover the cost of the three meals you get), beds, and all treatments and surgeries are free. At the pharmacy, your usual co-payment is 5 Euro, depending on the total price of the medicine your co-payment may rise up to the maximum of 10 Euro. If you are ill and shouldn't work, you get a notice from the doctor, and you will get full payment for six weeks, if you are ill longer than that, the health insurance will pay for another 78 weeks, but they might reduce the payment to 70% of your salary. Your vacation entitlement is four weeks by law, but usually, you get more than five weeks. Six weeks or some days more are not unusual. And a difference to the US, where you can ask to get your vacation days, in Germany you are obliged by law to take your vacation days completely, you are not allowed to waive any, since vacation is mandatory to recreate yourself. If you get ill during vacation, you need a doctor's notice to get the lost vacation days back that you lost by illness. And the law says that you have to take at least two weeks of your vacation entitlement coherent. And the employer is not allowed to contact you during vacation, except in a real emergency. If you have a high salary, very much above the average, you may decide to be released from the compulsory health insurance system and take a "private" insurance company. That means, you get invoices for everything, have to pay those, and request a refund from the insurance. I personally don't recommend this, since the insurance might - refuse to refund certain treatments - will definitely increase the insurance rate with your increasing age, and you might get a problem if you are a pensioner (because you can't return to the compulsory system) - and your family members are not covered and might need separate health insurance. If you are a woman and give life to a child, you can get parental leave. Though I'm not sure about the exact regulations, it is at least one year, and you can give some of your months to your husband to share the parental leave time, for both parents, the rule by law is that they return to the exact working place which they left. The Employer has to reserve those positions by law for the parents. The parents get a monthly payment from the federal government of 300 Euros per child from birth to the 18th birthday, up to the 21st birthday if the child is unemployed, and up to the 25th birthday if the child is in education at a university or professional education at a company. Schools are free, Universities are almost free, and you might have to pay an amount usually between 50 and 300 Euro per semester since every state has its own rules. Other things I learned are that in some states like Florida, they are not teaching the real history anymore, but a fantasy history where slaves get vocational training in some sort of holiday camp to prepare them for future job careers. Our educational system here takes a huge emphasis on everything around WWII, and often classes visit Nazi concentration camps. The same applies to nature. Normally, humans as well as animals get different sexual orientations by birth. How can that be a political topic, it's been the way of nature for thousands of years. Are US politicians stupid? Didn't they learn in history for example, that Roman Emperor/Cesar Elagabalus was a transgender and insisted on being a woman though he was born as a boy? And why does Ron DeSantis have a "Don't say gay bill"?. Since people are born with their sexual orientation, they can't be successfully persuaded to become LGBTQ+ nor can conversion therapy be successful. You can force people to pretend they changed, but a real change is as possible as to force somebody to change his/her eye color or his/her blood type. Children should be told at the age of three that people are born with different sexual orientations so that they can comfortably discover their own orientation without thinking they are a sort of teratism, which might lead to psychic diseases or suicidal tendencies. The same applies to global warming. The "greenhouse effect" was discovered 200 years ago by one of Napoleon Bonaparte's French Revolution leaders, mathematician and scientist Prof. Joseph Fourier. It has been checked and approved by hundreds of thousands of scientists all over the world. How can this be a political discussion topic 200 years later? How stupid can people be? (Or should I ask how so many people can be bribed by the fossil fuel industry?)

When I was a kid I used to go walking miles, ride my bike to the next town or city... I remember me and a bunch of friends rode into the city 6 mile's to go inside the cathedral, we'd never been inside it... Another time we rode 12 miles on our way to a sports centre and it was too far so my dad came and fetched us, no big arguments, just the usual "silly buggar" and don't do it again, and I was out next day... You aren't molly coddled in the UK, you're encouraged to explore and experience, or you were... At winter we used to stand on the ice on an old well to see who it broke under, it was only knee deep, but you went home soaking wet, cold and dirty, that was a normal day... It toughened you up for life...

I’ve recently had emergency surgery, 4 days in ICU…7 months of chemotherapy,radiotherapy..and a stem cell transplant. I also have 2 years of maintenance medication to take, all at the grand total of….. £0.00. God bless the NHS. From a Londoner.

Im from Croatia and we used to play alone outside since we were like 6 😂😂

Don't forget worker's rights like holidays,maternity and sick pay etc. It makes me laugh, every time an American reviews this kind of clip they can't believe it, and yet most Americans seem to want it in terms of who they vote for , very strange

I had a cesarean section with a complication: postoperative hemorrhage, I stayed 8 days in the hospital .... I didn't pay anything, I had a medical follow-up afterwards with anti coagulants and a nurse came 3 times a week for 15 days to give me an injection. ... I didn't pay anything ... on the other hand, I know very well how much it cost because I got the details afterwards ... in Europe, we know that health has a cost but each one of us contributes for our well being and that of others

There are lots of guns in the UK but our gun laws are done properly

In Sweden it is a right of passage for 7 year olds to take the public transportation to school. In Stockholm, kids even 5 year olds play outside, even in immigrant dominated neighborhoods. I have traveled all over the world by myself, a single female. Walked about 7 km by my self in Seoul at 2:00 in the morning. Last night went walking around in Johor Bahru Malaysia neighbourhood after dark, didn't think about any danger except some feral dogs.

10:10 she was speaking norwegian not german

Try this game with any other country and it doesn't work, unless you say North Korea or Russia.

I am an Australian and have seen many of these videos. Another thing they did cover was food. In so many other videos people talk about the food and how they can taste it, and it is not full of preservatives and sugars.

In the UK I was playing out in the street by age 5/6 was playing local area 500yds from house by 7/8 and was going into City Centre(Edinburgh) by age 10, was going to away football games with mates by age 11. AS for freedoms they are not made political in the UK like they are in the USA.

In the uk you don’t have to carry I’d driver’s license even when driving. We can cross the street where ever we want. We can buy alcohol at 18. We don’t need to worry about healthcare medical debts. Seems like we are more free

I have american colleagues who still have a hard time wrapping their head around the fact that they are expected to take all of their days off, that they have a bunch of them, and that if they are sick they are supposed to stay home and heal, and will still get paid.

I'm so thankful for our healthcare system (Denmark). My husbond was in a car crash many years before I got to know him. He didn't break a bone - but he hit his head. He was in a coma for 14 days, hospitalized for 6 months, in a wheelchair for another 6 months with lot's of rehab. Didn't pay anything for it. 33 years later he has a bit of trouble with his balance - but not much. He can run but it looks funny :-) and his fine motorics (is it called that in english???) on the left side sometimes give him a bit of trouble too. But otherwise he's just fine. He can't work fulltime though since his body gets worn down because of the balance issues - he works 25 hours a week. But in Denmark if you're handicapped in some way you can get a job and the government pays some of the salary, so he still earns almost the same as me.

I'm a dual citizen of the US and Germany (American Dad, German Mom, born in the exact timeframe in 1975, when there was a treaty betweem both countries granting dual citizenship to children of US military members born in Germany in a US military hospital). When I was only 6 weeks old, my Dad got his orders to return to the US, and he and my Mom raised me there INCREDIBLY sheltered, wouldn't let me go ANYWHERE alone, even when I got to be eleven, twelve years old and all my friends were visiting each other just walking to each other's houses. But when we got to Germany again (I was 14), they gave me a ticket to the local bus system und basically just said "Bye. Don't be home too late." I asked them why this total 180 on my independence took place? And they told me that there was too much to be afraid of in the US (south), with crime being a HUGE factor and particularly without a good public transportation system (the fear being there, that I would be getting in cars with young reckless drivers among my friends and their siblings). But in Germany, the busses and trains are well structured, 100% reliable, and there was so little crime here, they weren't afraid for my safety AT ALL. This all still holds true today... And universal healthcare has proven to be a Godsend for us in the last 32 years.

I went to health services in London with a severe kidney infection because I didn’t go when I first felt sick. I didn’t wait in a huge filled to the brim ER. There were 2 people there including me. I was seen right away, wasn’t rushed and then they apologized that my 30 day supply of antibiotics would cost me $8 because I wasn’t a citizen or a long term resident. I was like, what??!! In the US, I have top of the line healthcare where I literally get massage and aromatherapy before a surgery. That medication costs $120 and that’s with my high end insurance!

In the UK we do not have "freedom of speech" we have " freedom of expression" this means in the US you can call someone the N word or similar as often as you want. In the UK you can't it's agenst the law, but you can express yourself as long as you don't use racist terms etc. I know which I prefer, don't you think it makes sense.

I live in Finland. I am very grateful for the medical system here (like I break my arm and the ER fee is 30euro/dollars. In that 30 euro is 2 doctor visits and 2 x-rays, pain meds, setting, casting, and the admin fee. The two doctor visits are one before x-ray and setting, and one doctor visit after setting/casting and second x-ray which ensures the bones are in place. Shall I talk about free school? Retired here in Finland. No plans to return to the US!

I live in New Zealand and we are number 2 on the world freedom scale, America is around number 12 on the freedom scale.

I asked someone why they stood around and watched while someone had an accident or needs just a little action to get help He said, if you lay a hand to save that person, you could get sued. The person could say they didn't ask for help and things got worse because you interfered. I was shook 😮

What the woman living in Ireland also didn't tell you is that from the moment of confirmation of pregnancy until your baby is 6 weeks old, not only is your and your baby's medical care completely free - so is your dental - all of it. Also, a community care nurse will visit your home during the 6 weeks post natal, every week to check on you and your baby - free. basic dental procedures - extractions, fillings, and braces are provided free for kids up until they are 16, but keep in mind that here dental procedures aren't as expensive as it is in the US. An extraction where I live (Donegal) is €60, it's more expensive in bigger urban areas. I needed an MRI 2 yrs ago, I have a medical card (free medical services for low income) but the waiting list was a few months so they said I could pay for it - €305 in total, so that's what I did. And no - our taxes aren't super high as Americans are led to believe.

Even in Russia is the healthcare free .... you can buy better service, but at first it's all free. "Human health is the common property of the people" russian said!

In the UK we have implied consent and good Samaritan laws that protect people if they administer first aid to someone else

In the UK, we pay for the NHS via a compulsory tax (if you have a job). So although the service (and the medications) are 'free at the point of service', we pay for it all without noticing. You go to the Doctor's surgery and get a diagnosis and the Doctor writes a prescription for the medication and sends it electronically to your local pharmacy. You go to the pharmacy a couple of days later and it's waiting for you. No cash required - because you already paid via your taxes.

Yeah, my kids were born in the US. No complications from the delivery, babies were healthy, I was fine, and the bill was about $50,000 dollars!!! I cannot imagine the cost if the baby is premature or if you need a C-section or if there are other complications in the delivery. My insurance covered 90% of the costs, but that still left us with a $5,000 bill. At the same time, my cousin in Costa Rica had twins. They were born premature and had to stay in the hospital for a month or so. Not only did the healthcare system cover all the costs, but also she would go every day to nurse them and the hospital would give her breakfast, lunch, and snacks!! She didn't have to pay anything for her treatment. Granted, everyone contributes to the healthcare and pension system proportionally to their income, so those making more money pay more compared to those on minimum wage. Yes, sometimes it takes a while to get an appointment, but for major things like surgery, cancer treatment, etc, it is pretty efficient. They're also big on preventive care so people are used to routine check-ups and many conditions are tackled early so it costs less to treat and people have a better prognosis.

Living in Thailand now. I didn't realize women smiled, not snarled.

It is important to point out that health in the UK is not 'free' but is free at the point of use. It is paid for by National Insurance contributions and taxes. 😀

In Austria where I grew up, it was and still is totally normal to let your kids play outside by themselves. With 6 I got my own wristwatch, had to be home on time and just tell where I planned on going to. I only came home for lunch and when I changed the playground from lets say the forest to the friends house or so. Just so my parents knew where to approximately look for me (there were no cellphones yet😅). We also went to school beginning 1st grade alone and by foot. That way also included a narrow forest road and a boardwalk across a main road that we had to cross. And we all survived. 😃

In America, I lived in constant terror and could barely afford anything no matter how hard I worked. I never felt free because almost nobody allowed me to simply be myself without criticisizing everything or straight up attacking me. Here in Japan? I'm not only encouraged to be myself but people love me for it! I only work part-time and have plenty of money to save for the future! I finally feel safe, welcome, and HOME! I'm NEVER going back to the States!!! Well... except to visit loved ones on occasion, but when I do I'll have a Japanese passport instead. I've decided to become a naturalized Japanese citizen life is so incredible here!

In Europe and many other places worldwide, health coverage is a basic human right, not a privilege. I live in Belgium. Every year I have a full medical check which includes a blood test. A few years ago, though I was feeling well, the blood test revealed that I was developing a cancer. I consequently had several medical tests including another blood test, MRI, echography, scanner. In the end I had to undergo surgery, followed by a week in the hospital. After leaving the hospital a nurse came home every day for two weeks for post surgery care. I now have a blood test, an echography and a doctor's visit every six months to check that everything's fine. My doctor is now very optimistic that I'm fully cured. We've been able to win this fight because cancer was detected at a very early stage thanks to the routine yearly medical check, which in turn allowed quick and successful action. And what did all this cost me, from the initial routine check to the present bi-annual visits and tests? Eight euros (approx. same amount in dollars) for the rental of a TV set in my hospital room. If I had been in the US, because of the medical costs, I would probably not have yearly routine checks to start with, therefore no early detection of cancer, then starting treatment at a later stage of the illness (maybe too late, I might be dead today), and I a/o my family might be badly in debt.

(UK) I live near a very old Records Archive. They have a huge collection of census, marriage, birth, death etc records going back centuries. So we get a fair few Americans and Canadians researching their family history as part of a holiday. We hear their surprise that local children walk a couple of miles from home to play in the woods or around the old Abbey ruins that we have, and generally just 'being kids'. They're amazed that our children have such FREEDOM. Not to say we don't have our creeps and weirdos, of course we do. I wouldn't want some young American to come here and think they were *totally* safe at all times, especially when the pubs/clubs are letting out. I have also seen an American family grab their children in panic when a bunch of silly teens were playing with 'popcaps' (the little paper wrapped things that bang when thrown on a hard surface). Initially hilarious, but ultimately it makes us so sad for you. Ditto the health care. Ye gods, what an inhumane way of going about things! I'm on 6 medications right now, and because I'm unable to work (hence the meds) I don't pay for them. If I did have to it would be around £10 per item. Under 18s prescriptions are free, as is their dental care. There are no 'death panels' and our wonderful NHS has saved my life more than once. I once spent 3 weeks in the hospital, had major surgery, doped up on morphine, having all manner of tests and specialists coming to my bedside. I can't imagine the cost of that in the US.

Being British in my eyes equals being Heinz 57. As an island we are a bunch of mongrels, we have so much diversity that I doubt there are many people here who have a clue where they are from beyond a few generations. It makes us stronger, we are one. I like it that way. I have no issue with immigration it adds flavour and new blood to a nation. What I do take issue with is those who come to take advantage then criticise us. I am a proud Brit and I truly believe my country to not only great but to have all the freedoms that the septics talk about just with a touch of added responsibility.😊

I never felt as free as when I was in Germany. Exploromg the city on foot 3 a.m. Without having to worry about turning a wrong corner or getting robbed. Walking in the woods at night as 9 p.m. Or going back from the lab in the cold night without having to worry. I really miss it.

As someone with health issues in Canada, health care in the United States would have bankrupted my parents and then me. Canadian health care is far from perfect, but bloodwork or tests will not hurt my wallet.

America is NOT the most free country, totally NOT the most save place. Compared to normal rich countries it has really ridiculously terrible infrastructures. And most certainly It is NOT a real democratic country. As a fact, America makes democracy almost look like a stupid idea. And that’s worryingly messed up.

US pop: 4.29% of total. Amount of Lawyers: 64% of global total.

On the international freedom index the USA rates in the 20s! So there's more than 20 countries that have more freedoms than the USA, we just don't crow on and on about, or need to try to convince everyone it's true.

There are some things that America has going for it, sure! But, I see a *whole lot* of very serious problems that I just could not live with day to day. I've travelled a little in Europe, city breaks mostly and I never wanna leave when I have to. I went to the States once for just 5 days with Uni, I've never felt so relieved to get home!

The problem with the "afraid of every man" story is that you don't know what kind of man is approaching you until you've actually interacted. So women tend to be very on guard until we know what's going on. Because letting your guard down can get you groped, raped, mugged etc. I don't think she means literally afraid of every man she meets. she means that until she knows what kind of man she is, yea she's afraid. most of us are. I don't know a single female among my friends in America who hasn't experienced some for of sexual assault from groping to rape and everything in between.

Visiting in Peru a few years ago, I needed medical care for the common traveler's complaint. There are pharmacies in the cities (this was Cuzco) and they are rather small places with a large pharmacy area, and just a few areas for common toiletries, nothing like CVS or Walgreens. It was spotlessly clean, the medications were behind sparkling glass, the pharmacists were dressed in white coats, and there was a doctor. She asked me some questions, took my temperature, and prescribed an antibiotic, an antispasmotic for cramps, and some ibuprofen. It was less than $10.

I'm sorry but I laughed at 10.20 when you said "that german was really good" when the woman said multiple times how she went to Norway and even spoke norwegian

The defensive responses are the most interesting, by the commentator

If every U.S. citizen were to become aware of how they are treated by their government, all of a sudden Europe would end up with 50 million U.S. refugees, car salesmen, waiters, workers and farmers.

I am 74 and in the UK........I don't remember ever seeing an active gun......certainly never handled one! I have absolutely no fear of being shot!

I'm Hungarian. One day I broke my elbow, spent 3 nights in a hospital, two x-rays, surgery, then after the bandages were removed remedial training for a month. My out of pocket expense was ~$7, for a balm to help tissue regeneration.

The 2021 World Population Review Index of Freedoms puts Switzerland in the top spot. The US is in 15th place, and where I'm from (the UK) we are in 14th. In the personal freedom category the US is 24th, and in the economic freedom category the US comes 7th.

It`s so amazing to watch these videos with americans reacting, and realize that the wast majority of them doesn´t know, that they`re the only people in the developed world, who has to worry about going bankrupt, just because they get sick. Doesn`t americans learn anything about other countries in school? I`ve talked with so many, who just doesn´t seem to have a clou, how other countries are, or how they work.

I'm living in Taiwan right now and I had to stop and think about some things after I saw that trash service is almost every day and paid for by general taxes, rather than being treated like a household-by-household utility. The garbage truck plays music so you know when it's near and it just drives around slowly and anyone can throw their garbage in the back, because they decided public hygiene and sanitation is in everyone's best interest and shouldn't only be available to those who can afford their bills ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm an American living in the UK. And I've also lived in Canada and Germany. I speak fluent German (and English!). Those are all great countries and I love them. I'll soon be a British citizen. But I love the USA, and it didn't "mess me up."

Here is a culture shock for you. 10 Freest Countries and Territories in the World - 2021 Human Freedom Index Switzerland - 9.11 New Zealand - 9.01 Denmark - 8.98 Estonia - 8.91 Ireland - 8.90 Finland - 8.85 Canada - 8.85 Australia - 8.84 Sweden - 8.83 Luxembourg - 8.80

Prescriptions are free in Scotland and Wales and about £10 in England

In Scotland, no one pays a prescription charge at all. Also, the NHS is free, and the only people who pay are visa holders, they pay 500 pounds stering, equivalent to 600 US dollars each time your visa needs renewed, often every 2.5 years or 5 years

When you have to explain to an American that "team america" is a parody

That any person from a western country thinks it’s crazy that there are no hospital bills is what’s crazy. Even a lot of third world countries have free healthcare. The US is so far behind most of the world when it comes to people over profits

Sorry, thought I'd get that outta the way I'm Canadian. The Pledge of Allegiance thing is still considered weird to us. Most Americans don't even realize just how creepy that is. It literally looks like your being indoctrinated to a cult. Btw she was speaking Norwegian. No... I do not live in an Igloo. Lol

Got heart surgery in Australia at a private hospital with no expense, period. I was in intensive care for days and after that was in my own private room for longer while i recovered enough to go home. In the US? Would probably just die because of how expensive heart surgery is. One common argument is that "we have the best *quality* of medical treatment" but i really don't see it when my American friends can barely even afford medications that are listed by the WHO as essential medicines. Let alone surgery.

One thing Americans assume a lot - that guns are banned in the UK. They are not. They are controlled. If you want a gun, you can have one. If you want a rifle, you can have one. You have to show why you want one. You have to store it safely. You can't carry it around the streets, but you can own guns.

Have you heard a pile-driver working on a construction site? they're louder than shotguns. If you were brought up on live shooter drills, you'd probably freak out on hearing one!