I'm currently in a war zone, also known as Portland, Oregon.

Despite the chaos, the people here are pretty nice.

How nice?

So nice that I feel like I could ask a stranger for $5 and they would give me $10 because they didn't have change.

I have to say, if Portland is what war zones are like, the world's not such a bad place after all.

If you're planning your trip to Europe, here are some things to consider. I'm not going to talk about the usual advice like "pack light" or "bring your power adapter" or "watch out for pickpockets," because we've all heard that before. 

This is me doing a remix—I want to see if I can share something different.

The customer is not always right. I remember one time in Spain, there was an American arguing with an employee because they arrived late. Security threw the customer out. End of story. That wouldn't happen in America. So if you come in with an attitude, they'll give it back to you.

Every country is completely different, so plan accordingly. Things done in Sweden versus Italy, Greece, and Germany are completely different. You're stepping into a whole different world. That's a great thing about Europe—you can experience many different worlds in a short flight or train ride, as opposed to the States. Even though some states are very different from each other, we still have a lot of things in common.

Venture out of the city centers. If you're staying in Paris, you're just going to see many tourists in the main city centers. Drive or venture out more—that's where you get a more authentic experience. These can be quick day trips, so you don't have to choose one or the other.

Dinner is an experience. You can stay for dinner for hours and take your time, instead of being rushed out at American restaurants. I love it. It's meant to be a time to socialize, relax, and enjoy.

The tipping culture is different. It's a lot less. In many countries, 10% max or just spare change is normal. You're not obligated to tip, and I like it that way. Tipping is getting out of control in the States with the rise of Square and mobile payments—everyone's asking for a tip.

Keep traveling,

Andrew

What’s one moment in Europe when you realized, ‘Oh wow, this isn’t how we do it back home’?