Is the grass always greener in Europe?
Is the grass always greener in Europe?
Europe has been amazing and throughout my 16-day trip celebrating Christmas and New Year there, I had been blessed for having the opportunities to observe and learn from all the people I came across.
However, some habits are hard to switch off, and that includes my observational and reflective skills.
Prior to this trip, I had so many people in my life sharing their thoughts about Europe with me; it could be an experience from their relatives, or even what they read from the media. These sharing could be both good and bad (it really depends on how you see them) and here are some of the examples:
- “Beware of pickpockets there!”
- “Europe! That’s an expensive place!”
- “It must be a calm and relaxing place.”
Most people would agree that the grass in Europe is much better than where we are from (I’m speaking from a Malaysian/ Singaporean standpoint). Nonetheless, in this post, I intend to dissect these thoughts individually, to shed light on these stereotypes most of us share towards Europe.
*Long post ahead; you’ve been warned*
1. “Beware of pickpockets there!”
I’ve been reminded numerous times by my family and friends about how rampant pickpockets are in Europe, even till the day I was about to board my flight back to Singapore.
Some shared their detailed experiences of their close relatives being the victims of this crime, and it is utterly unfortunate for anyone to go through said experience, especially as they are supposed to have all the fun during their travel.
From psychological standpoint, pickpocketing isn’t a haphazard or impulsive behavior; it requires perpetrators to plan, observe, choose and act upon their criminal behavior.
With that in mind, as much as I tried to stay objective during my trip, not going to lie, I was feeling anxious especially when I was in the middle of any crowd.
I tried to be vigilant not just towards my surroundings, but also my own actions.
- I made sure I didn’t have to flash my cash especially when I just needed to take out 1 or 2 euros for snacks. It is common that as travelers we exchanged a stack of cash enough for us to survive our trips. With that said, it is possible that we might accidentally expose how much we have and that might eventually put us in a position of risk for any crime relating to money, including pickpocketing.
- I went back to my place of stay as soon as I could, after purchasing any branded goods. As per any traveler, we would usually indulge in material items that give us pleasure. However, I had all the responsibilities for my own safety and to not be seen as flaunting whatever I purchased. From a criminology standpoint, I would snatch from those who are capable to afford said goods as compared to those who don’t.
And I’m blessed that I was safe for the entire trip.
However, the point that I am trying to make here is that pickpocketing isn’t an “Europe-thing”; it happens all around the world. Perhaps, there’s no need to put a country or continent onto this behavior.
What we need to do is to be aware and cautious, as we should be, regardless of where we go.
We have all the responsibilities to ensure our own safety and that includes paying attention and being mindful to what we do especially when we are in a place where the culture is vastly different from ours.
2. “Europe! That’s an expensive place!”
This is an interesting point that was brought up when I shared about my planned trip. Most of them shared similar perception towards Europe, which was mainly how rich, expensive, high-classed, and glorious Europe is. Well, coming from Malaysia, I’m sure we can say that given the currency exchange rate would definitively give that perception, since Euro is situated in a much higher advantage than Ringgit.
However, that’s not the point that I was trying to make.
Here’s what I noticed in my trip; most jobs including janitors and construction workers were locals, which are generally different from Malaysia and Singapore, where we would usually see foreigners taking said positions.
What I did also notice was their perception towards quality of life; it’s relatively different from Asians, where many would strive for career progression and growth. However, many of locals I’ve met were generally happy to be where they are, feeling satisfied with what they have.
That sheds a different light to the financially rich and materially luxurious continent most Asians would picture.
If there’s anything deal with richness, I’ll have to say it’s their satisfaction towards their own lives.
As per one of my peers in France says, “it’s not by circumstance, but rather by choice to be homeless here.”
Different viewpoints in terms of life satisfaction; that truly widens my scope of sight.
3. “It must be a calm and relaxing place.”
Linking to what I’ve stated above, most locals are generally satisfied with their lives. This directly/ indirectly leads to a relatively slower pace in most of what they do, including customer service; there’s no need to rush, at the end of the day.
This doesn’t necessarily need to be seen from a negative light. In fact, I do find that sometimes Singapore is moving a little too fast for anyone to truly take a breather and enjoy what they have at hand, rather than constantly fighting goals and chasing dreams.
Acceptance is the key to determine if the place (i.e., Europe) is a calm and relaxing place. If you are able to bear with their pace, oh yes, it is indeed a relaxing place. Given that there are at least 4 courses for each meal, it’s hard to complete any meal such as lunch within 1 hour. Most locals spend most time socializing, connecting to one another, which is very culturally different from Singapore and USA.
So, is the grass truly greener in Europe?
I believe the answer to this question can only be determined by you, AFTER you experience the life and culture there.
Preconceived judgment and stereotypes might hinder us from truly immersing ourselves in the differences, and these might hinder us from learning and growing as a person.
Nothing is perfect, and that includes where we are from.
The only thing we can do, is to pick up what we are lacking, and with life experiences, learn from those who are different from us.
2 cents.
Thank you for reading.
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