9 Things That Will Totally Confuse Canadians When They Visit Europe & Some Will Surprise You

The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

Before you hop on a plane for a European vacation, it's a good idea to prepare yourself so you're not seriously confused on the daily. On my recent trip to Italy and Greece, my brow was furrowed by more than a few things which just don't go down in Canada.

One of my favourite parts about travelling is noticing little things that make you feel like you're a world away from home. Whether it was a bathroom experience or ordering something completely wrong, my trip was full of them.

Aside from my recent travels, I've been to other European countries and always manage to be confused by these things time and time again.

There's no tip option

It's pretty well known that tipping isn't as much of a thing in Europe. Still, every time I go away and pay at the end of my meal it makes me pause. I feel like I'm forgetting something when I leave the restaurant and it definitely takes some getting used to.

Getting just plain milk when you order a latte

In Italy, I ordered a latte with breakfast and was pretty disappointed when the server gave me a plain glass of milk. Yep, there wasn't one bit of caffeine to satisfy my morning coffee craving. The situation is similar in France too, so make sure you're ordering the latte macchiato or café au lait when you travel.

Sparking water showing up at dinner

If you go to a restaurant and just order some water, you'll be presented with a bottle of bubbly water, no questions asked most of the time.

It's the norm in a lot of European places to drink sparkling water, which is so not the case in Canada. If you're looking for still water, make sure to specify.

Being charged for water in general

So you send the sparkling water back, asking for a still glass of water instead. You'll get a whole bottle and it will show up on your bill.

While in Canada you can go to almost any restaurant and they give you tap water for free, you should expect to pay for it in most European spots.

Going to a public bathroom and wondering where the toilet seat went

After a long flight and lots of liquids, I ran off the plane and made a bee-line for the bathroom. I went into a stall to find there was no toilet seat, so assumed it was broken. Into the next one I went, only to find the same issue.

I was stumped. "Where do I sit?," I thought to myself.

Apparently, it's the norm in a few European countries like Italy. So basically, get used to squatting.

People lighting up a cigarette next to you on a restaurant patio

If you decide to sit out on a patio and enjoy a delicious meal, and someone starts smoking next to you, it is actually allowed. Although it's not legal in Canada, it's commonplace in a lot of European countries.

Walking by a designated smoking room in the airport

Even walking through the airport I was surprised to see that there are still smoking rooms for travellers, which I haven't seen in Canada since I was a kid.

The cashier sitting down at the grocery store

When I went to check out at a local grocery store, I was super surprised to see all of the cashiers sitting in chairs. Honestly, I have no clue why Canada doesn't have this because it looks way more comfortable.

The rules of the road

If you're driving, there's nothing that will confuse you more than a whole new set of rules to follow. The rules of the road very from country to country, but it's wildly confusing for someone used to driving in Canada.

In Germany, it's shocking to have cars zooming by you without a speed limit and Italian roundabouts were a whole other story. I was honked at countless times while driving and still have no idea why.