Left Tokyo today after spending a week there (and the week prior in Fukuoka). I already wrote <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/19/japan-might-be-my-favorite-country/">this article praising Japan</a> shortly after arriving, and now I’ll give another recap 11 days later upon leaving.Tokyo is now what I consider to be the best city in the world. I’ll caveat this by saying that I am not saying that this is necessarily the city or country I want to live in - Japan is pretty homogenous so it’s not necessarily my home. But objectively speaking, I consider it the best megacity in the world. Even if one doesn’t come to the same conclusion, it is a fascinating country and the world can learn a lot from Japan.My favorite thing about Japan is how well everything works, the food - especially on the budget end (best convenience stores in the world), the politeness of the people, dedication to excellence, and technological forwardness.Here’s a list in no particular order of random memorable things from the country:<ul><li>Best service in the world, bar none. Even at the lowest cheapest fast food chain, you get 5 star service (I’ll caveat this though by saying that this definitely applies less in Tokyo vs. other cities, but even then my statement still stands). Traffic controllers say thank you to you as they motion for you to cross. One gets 5 star service everywhere, but actually go to a 5 star establishment (eg. 5 star hotel or a luxury fashion store) and the service you’ll get there will be unreal.</li><li>Best budget healthy food in the world - especially in the convenience stores which are the best in the world. For $1-5 you can get quality, healthy food from any convenience store, 24/7. Fukuoka is now my favorite food city in the world, for reasons I wrote about in my <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/19/japan-might-be-my-favorite-country/">last article.</a> In the U.S, all you’re getting for that price range is processed junk food (no wonder the obesity rate in the U.S is approaching 50%). When I arrived to Tokyo and was at a subway stop layover, I passed by this food court like area selling small portions of various foods for dirt cheap, and couldn’t help myself to try all kinds of different foods. In the end I spent less than $5, and was thinking yea this country is amazing.</li><li>Most polite people in the world, as reflected in the service. Now that I think about it, I don’t recall a single instance of someone in public doomswiping TikTok or Instagram with the volume on - something that constantly annoys the hell out of me in the west where there’s always some idiot forcing others on public transportation to listen to themselves dumbing down their brain, like digital second-hand smoke.</li><li>Everything works incredibly efficiently. In Japan trains leave exactly on time, not a minute later. Ordering at fast food restaurants is often done on tablets or vending machines. Hotel elevators have keycard locks where upon scanning your card, your floor is automatically selected, and check-out is often just putting your card in a machine.</li><li>Deep bathtubs in every hotel/apartment. Even the smallest hotel rooms have a deep bathtub. Japanese take bathing very seriously.</li><li>Bidet toilets. Why this is not the standard outside Japan makes no sense to me. If you tripped on the sidewalk and your hand landed in dogsht, would you wipe your hand with a dry tissue and consider yourself clean? Then why does the rest of the world do that with then they sht?</li><li>Pedestrian-centered walkable streets and great public transportation</li><li>Vending machines everywhere. I used these all the time to buy water</li><li>Public bathrooms everywhere</li><li>Solid work cafes. I like to work in cafes, and Japan has some solid work cafes with power outlets.</li><li>Fun. Cute animals everywhere on random signs, hilarious commercials, that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/19/japan-might-be-my-favorite-country/">random hilarious muscle boy street performance I saw in Fukuoka</a>, etc. Japan has a sense of humor.</li><li>No woke culture</li></ul>Overall, I absolutely love Japan, and although I think national pride is a stupid thing, I couldn’t help but appreciate that this is technically my motherland.<h3>Tokyo vs Fukuoka, and my Tokyo experience</h3>I actually preferred the vibe in Fukuoka - street ramen stalls on the canals, small and intimate countertop restaurants, way less foreigners and English proficiency. Felt more authentically Japanese.When I initially arrived to Shinjuku in Tokyo I was actually a bit disappointed going to a udon place only to be surrounded by other foreign customers and inferior service, seeing all the plastic surgery and host/hostess clubs, and just seeing way more foreigners than I remembered. Fukuoka just felt way more wholesome (to be fair, Shinjuku is a red light district, and also I’d stayed there before so it felt played out to me. I just wanted to spend a night at the same style of capsule hotel with a bathhouse that I enjoyed before). But the next morning I left to stay near Akihabara and actually enjoyed that area a lot more as it was more chill, less shady (well…more on that later), and new to me.Initially I stayed at a APA hotel, a low budget hotel chain in Japan that’s great value, but with super tiny rooms. But then I was bored and was recommended a hostel nearby so got a private room there. The hostel had a nice trendy cafe/bar/restaurant in the basement which was cool and many were working there on their laptops, which was a great vibe. I didn’t realize after I checked into my room that the room didn’t come with a private bathroom, but it didn’t turn out to be a big deal. Overall I enjoyed my stay there - minus the lack of private bathroom and the desk height being too close to the chair. I wasn’t very social there and mostly was out, but the atmosphere was definitely warmer than the hotels I was in. (side note: why do all the foreign women at these Japanese hostels look like lesbians?)I got in a nice productive routine where I would start my day with a nice, healthy breakfast at one of the gyudon chains - a gyudon, salad, miso soup set with raw egg that cost about 800 yen or $5.50 - then go work outside at a Starbucks, and then go to this very nice cafe that was just as good as any co-working space. Afterwards I’d wander around that Akihabara area fascinated by the craziness and weirdness of all these game, anime, and toy stores, along with the maid cafes who’s maids literally line the streets trying to lure in customers. The whole concept of a maid cafe is ridiculous to me, but I’d like to try one at some point out of curiosity. Maybe next time.In the evening I’d return to my room, and because I found the desk height too short I didn’t open my laptop - instead spending my first night building this Gundam I bought in a toy machine (that I got an unexpected amount of joy from - I really enjoyed the building process). But I think this turned out to be for the best as I ended up sleeping earlier, and I can see now how setting a work cutoff time can likely help foster greater work efficiency and prevent burnout.The biggest struggle with the nomad life is community and social life. I didn’t know anyone in Japan, and I didn’t make any effort to. I was focused on work but admittedly started feeling lonely at one point (hence why I moved to the hostel). One day this man approached me in a work cafe and invited me to this blindfolded blind dating debate event idea he had, and we ended up chatting for what must’ve been 20-30 minutes about all kinds of topics. He was a physics PhD student and a good conversationalist. Spoke about everything ranging from my projects to AI to the cancer that is wokeness culture in the U.S. He mentioned that in his experience Americans tended to get offended more easily particularly over this one business idea he had that they often dismissed negatively as “sexualization”. I suppose another thing I appreciate about Japan is that they haven’t succumbed to this wokeism idiocy.Anyways I left the conversation feeling energized and legitimately slept and dreamt better that night. This really made me realize the importance of stimulating conversation. It’s clear to me that even just a simple one-off stimulating conversation can have enormous mental health benefits. It’s been said that we have an epidemic of loneliness, and perhaps a service could be constructed around this. I think right now online meetup services tend to devolve into either clout-chasing “networkers” trying to leech off each other, or desperate people trying to get laid. But I honestly think at this point I value a stimulating and thought-provoking conversation with a smart person more than a hot date with some bimbo without any substance.<h3>Downsides of Japan</h3>As much as I love Japan, Japan definitely has its issues. I always like to talk about the cons in order to present a more unbalanced perspective.For one, people wait at red pedestrian stoplights even when the street is empty (same in Germany and Scandinavia).Ok more seriously, otaku culture is very much real. My first day in Akihabara (otaku capital of the world), there was some livestream event going on where a giant crowd had gathered and were wayyyyyy too into these anime girls + livestreamers (who weren’t even physically there). At first I thought it was funny until I saw how into it they were - singing along with all the songs and everything - and then I realized that this is sad, and that anime girlfriends are probably already a reality here. The maid cafes are maybe fun as a one-off thing, but it’s sad if lonely dudes are using this as a substitute for real world relationships, or opting for parasocial relationships with idols.Outside of otaku culture - host/hostess clubs are a big thing (basically paid companionship), and rent-a-girlfriend type services are a real thing here - though I’m not sure how popular that stuff actually is. In any case, in Japan it seems there’s a paid service for all kinds of human interaction - paying to get your ears waxed by someone in a maid outfit, to sleep in the same bed with someone (without intercourse), etc. It’s not necessarily a bad thing that these services exist, but perhaps a sign that something is off if there’s a market for this stuff.Although Japan has a lot of people, it can feel like an isolating place. The fast food restaurants are perfectly designed for solo diners and packed with them, but super quiet other than the couples and friends coming in groups. Sometimes the restaurants even go as far as putting panels between seats so you can’t see the person next to you. I suppose this can make the socially anxious feel more comfortable dining alone, but comes off anti-social to me.Japan isn’t really a culture where people spontaneously talk to strangers, and this definitely seemed to be more the case in Tokyo than Fukuoka. That being said, the dude approaching me in a cafe shows that there are sociable people everywhere - especially in a city of 38 million like Tokyo. Ultimately we all create our own destinies.Although service at restaurants and such is the best, sometimes it can come off soulless and robotic - and I felt this a bit more in Tokyo. There’s actually more warmth in countries like Thailand, and I was reminded of this when the last hotel I checked into had a Thai receptionist who greeted me with a warm smile - unlike the other polite, but often robotic workers.Work culture in Japan is maybe the worst in the world next to Korea. Long hours, authoritarian, not being allowed to leave before your boss, etc. I probably wouldn’t last a day in a traditional Japanese company. That being said, at least you will never get fired unless you truly screwed up.<hr>Anyways I love Japan. Tokyo is what I consider to be the greatest city on the planet. I probably wouldn’t personally live in Japan long-term just because culturally it’s not my home, but I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to the idea. If I were fully Japanese, I certainly would need a compelling reason to leave and face the negative culture shock that would likely ensue. I used to wonder why there aren’t more Japanese abroad, but now I understand why. When going to any other country is a downgrade, why leave?<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/30/tokyo-trip-reflections-the-nicest-city/">https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/30/tokyo-trip-reflections-the-nicest-city/</a>

Tokyo Trip Reflections – The Nicest City

Just arrived to Osaka, Japan for a few days and looking for some nice cafes to work from. Any suggestions?

I'm writing this from a nice cafe I found here, but unfortunately they charge for the wifi (1,100 yen for 2 hours, 2,500 for day pass. I wish they told me this before I bought my drink)!

In Tokyo and Fukuoka I was able to find nice ones to work from, but in my brief walk here I didn't see much. But perhaps I'm not in the right area (this area feels super hipster [😂](https://emojipedia.org/face-with-tears-of-joy/)).

On a broader note, I wonder if there's a way to foster the knowledge share of nice cafes to work from. I recognize that it's a bit of a prisoner's dilemma problem. Had a vision for a site to solve this and built a basic prototype [nomadz.app](http://nomadz.app), but stopped working on it due to time constraints, but it's definitely something I want to build out in the future. There's just so much opportunity now with AI and everything it's hard to justify working on something like this, especially since I'm not financially independent and thus ultimately to a degree still a slave to money.

Just Landed in Osaka, Japan - Looking for Nice Work Cafes

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Here’s a summary of my lessons learned living in Europe, Asia, and South America over 5 years as an American.

Asian cities like [Seoul](https://jsavage.xyz/2022/03/30/why-seoul-is-the-best-modern-city/), Singapore, and Tokyo are way more advanced than us. Doesn’t even come close. People take pride in their work, no matter how menial. These cities are by far the cleanest and safest. Trains leave exactly when scheduled. Things just work. People have high standards, as reflected in tasteful interior designs in cafes. I see more technological innovation and automation here than anywhere. Governments are able to mobilize and get things done (eg. Korea developed COVID tests in only 1 week, whereas the U.S needed another 5 weeks). More cheap, delicious, healthy food options available at any time of the day/night than anywhere in the world. Greatest density of things to do, with commercial establishments literally stacked on top of each other like a mall (I wish the rest of the world would borrow this). Highest concentration of public work cafes of anywhere. The downside is that countries like Korea and Japan have the worst work cultures (eg. long hours even if you’re doing nothing, little vacation), are overly obsessed with prestige, overly conformist, have weak entrepreneurial cultures, and governments are more prone to [authoritarianism](https://jsavage.xyz/2022/03/30/my-experience-in-south-koreas-mandatory-7-day-quarantine/).

Europeans have the healthiest perspective on work/life balance (1-3 months vacation, fewer work hours, people recognize that life is more than just your job), the sanest governments, and public transportation so good you don’t need a car (you can travel the whole continent by rail and bus). In most European countries basic human services like education and healthcare are free or practically free (in Denmark students even get paid a stipend to go to university). Government systems tend to be parliamentary multi-party systems that greater represent the will of the people. [Switzerland has the best government system in the world](https://jsavage.xyz/2022/03/24/why-switzerland-has-the-best-government-system-in-the-world/) with its referendum system. Homelessness although greater than in east Asia is very rare, unlike the U.S where there’s so much endlessly increasing rampant homelessness you feel like the apocalypse is imminent. Generous welfare systems means that in many countries you don’t have to wage slave and stress about destitution, and worker protection laws means that you can’t get fired unless you really do something terrible. Everyone is well-traveled, cultured, and speaks multiple languages. I was shocked to learn that in countries like Denmark and Germany it is the norm to take a gap year after high school to travel the world. I’ve found that European people (which is a huge generalization since Europe has 44 countries) seem to have the highest level of intelligence and independent thinking, and tend to be much more honest and straightforward than Americans.

The downside of Europe is that it’s not the most modern or advanced (Asia wins there), tech salaries suck, there’s less of a culture of entrepreneurship, and there are few proper megacities. Stores are open less hours, especially in countries like Italy and Spain where they have siesta. Some countries have very high tax rates, though as an American who lived in a state with one of the highest tax rates (NYC), I was shocked to learn that my tax rate in the U.S was higher than in countries like Switzerland that actually have functional government systems (eg. healthcare, welfare). Also there’s a massive difference between European countries. Switzerland for example has automated checkout machines in grocery stores, whereas I never saw that nearby in Rome, Italy. Whereas countries like Switzerland and Estonia are highly efficient, Mediterranean countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece are notorious for having awful bureaucracies, and their economies are not exactly thriving.

The U.S is money-obsessed, workaholic, cutthroat, completely lacking in public transportation (outside of NYC you pretty much need a car everywhere), lacking in proper cities with most of the country looking like a giant strip mall / parking lot, outrageous levels of [poverty](https://jsavage.xyz/2019/07/31/poverty-is-a-human-choice/) and [homelessness](https://jsavage.xyz/2019/10/31/is-it-possible-to-live-in-nyc-and-have-a-moral-conscious/), [dysfunctional ultra-polarized failing two-party government system](https://jsavage.xyz/2019/08/16/americas-failed-democracy/) where no one feels represented, failing government that can’t handle taking care of basic services like healthcare and education, and rampant guns and mass neverending shootings. Most Americans are not well traveled (63% of Americans do not have a valid passport). Perhaps the biggest achilles heal of America is that Americans delude themselves into believing that America is the greatest country on the planet, and due to this arrogance make no effort to learn from other countries even when America’s inferiority is completely and objectively obvious (eg. America’s healthcare system).

The U.S is very diverse with people of every ethnicity. Everyone (except for Native Americans) is an immigrant, it’s just a question of how far back your ancestors immigrated. This diversity is probably party responsible for the lack of empathy people have for one another as reflected in the lack of universal healthcare and welfare. The positive however is that racism is less rampant in the U.S, and anybody can choose to become an American (whereas no matter how long you live in Japan, you will never be considered Japanese).

American people do tend to be friendly, warm, and outgoing. I also find Americans more likely to be entrepreneurial and ambitious, particularly in cities like NYC and SF. The downside is that Americans tend to be significantly faker (eg. the stereotype of two American girls pretending to be so excited to see each other and talking about needing to make plans, but then never talk to each other again), and overly afraid to talk about “controversial” (ie. interesting) topics like politics. I find it significantly easier to talk about politics and other divisive topics with Europeans, whereas Americans are often completely uncomfortable to talk about those things, whether due to fear of offending other people or a strange emotional attachment to their beliefs. Also I think that Americans are more likely to be arrogant, lacking in empathy, and crazy (though crazy can sometimes be a good thing). In Europe and Asia you tend to have less of the extremes.

South American people are the warmest, most outgoing, most laidback, most physical, and most sexual. There is more gender polarity in South America than in western Europe or the U.S – where some feminists will go as far as to cry oppression when a man opens a door for them. South Americans are by far the best dancers, with Latina women having an incredible natural ability to move their hips. The nightlife in South America is the best. If Americans live to work and Europeans work to live, then South Americans are further on the “work to live” spectrum than the Europeans. Unlike with Germans or the Swiss, punctuality is not an expectation.

The downside is that this greater warmth also comes with greater fakeness. Colombian women are notorious for flaking because they try so hard to be polite that they’ll accept dates even when they don’t have any intention of showing up. My friend who lived in Medellin was frustrated when he’d repeatedly arrange meetings with this neighbor (to discuss a complaint) only to find the neighbor wouldn’t show up. The prioritization of life and fun means that intelligence levels seem to be lower on average. There’s a stereotype of men being more prone to commitment issues.

It’s hard to generalize South American countries because there is such enormous variation between cities like Sao Paulo and Bogota. But overall I was very impressed with cities like Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, with parts of Sao Paulo often looking nicer than NYC. Bogota on the other hand is an objectively ugly and dangerous city. Overall however, South American countries have the highest poverty (eg. favelas), highest crime, and most corrupt governments.

I’ve found that poorer “third world” countries are often just as developed as first world countries, just cheaper and with lower salaries so imports are more expensive (eg. electronics). Cities like Kyiv and Belgrade look just as good if not better than many cities in the U.S and western Europe, just with prices at a fraction of the cost (again I prefer European cities to American cities because you don’t need a car in European cities due to walkability and public transportation). Despite salaries being significantly less in Kyiv and Belgrade, you will see few homeless people whereas in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and NYC you will see homeless people everywhere and sidewalks lined with tents. I think Americans would be shocked to see how well the rest of the world lives.

---

I think there’s a lot that countries can learn from each other. As an American, I hope that America will borrow the walkability and public transportation of Europe and Asia, the technological advancement, innovation, and high standards of Asia, the government competency, empathy, and healthy perspective on work/life balance freedom of Europe, and the warmth and fun of South America. America’s diversity, inclusion, culture of entrepreneurship, and friendliness are definitely strengths that would benefit from borrowing from the strengths of other cultures.

What the U.S. Can Learn From Europe, Asia, and South America

I just arrived last night to Japan, and I honestly think Japan might be my favorite country. I’ve been to Japan many times (I’m half-Japanese so used to come every year as a kid), but every time I come back I’m still blown away. Don’t get me wrong I’m not necessarily saying I would live here, but I think as a country to visit it is one of the most interesting places with one of the most fascinating cultures. Japan is a vibe, and is truly like nowhere else on the planet.I arrived to Fukuoka thinking I’d walk around for a couple hours then get bored, but ended up walking and exploring until 1am. Within an hour I saw an outdoor festival with the most hilarious muscle boy idol group performance, a vaporwave looking mall with all kinds of anime toys and games, little ramen stalls by the canal with a pink sunset in the sky, narrow streets with “Midnight Diner” style intimate countertop restaurants, helped a drunk man out of a canal, and walked through Shinjuku style red light districts with flashing neon lights and male host clubs and the promoters wearing the most outrageous wigs.A lot of what I love about Japan are the little things. The lobby of the hotel I’m staying in instead of just selling you bags of mixed nuts directly has one of those toy ball machines where you put coins in and get a ball filled with bags of mixed nuts. Vending machines everywhere. Japanese convenience stores are on another level. The food and the whole restaurant experience I’ve realized are my favorite in the world. Most polite people on the planet. Beautiful fox temples in the middle of the city.Most polite people on the planetJapan’s the type of place where you might get greeted with an enthusiastic “irashaimase!” (welcome) walking into a convenience store, walk around and not buy anything, and then be told “arigatou gozaimasu!” (thank you) on the way out.Yesterday I was at a convenience store about to go to the cash register when something else caught my eye so I paused to take a long look. Afterwards I went to go towards the cash register and someone else had beaten me there. No worries, I’ll wait behind him I thought. Nope, this man insisted I go first, even after I declined. This seems so small and insignificant, but I was moved to the core. I don’t think this could happen anywhere else in the world.The traffic workers here will stop cars to let you cross and then tell you “arigatou gozaimasu”!Best food and dining experienceJapan has regained my crown as best food country in the world which I formerly might’ve given to Korea or Singapore. What makes Japanese dining so special is not only the food itself, but the whole experience. You’re getting 5 star service in a random low budget curry chain or ramen shop.The food itself is of course incredibly delicious and healthy - I won’t say anything there that hasn’t already been said. What I’ve realized I really appreciate about the food is how I feel afterwards - not bloated and sluggish, not craving more carbs and/or dessert, my stomach not some brewing storm of spices - just the perfect level of contentment. After my morning sushi today I felt energized to walk around, explore, and get some work done. After a pizza or heavy western meal, I’ll probably instead feel bloated and wanting to take a nap.But what really sets the dining experience apart is the service, decor, and atmosphere. I already spoke to how amazing the service is - enthusiastic greetings, the warm towel to wash your hands, little things like giving you a box to place your backpack. The decor is often classy and minimal (I love the wood they use).But what I’ve realized about the restaurants is that there’s no kitchen in the back staffed with underpaid immigrants, you watch them cook right in front of you. Especially in Fukuoka, most of the restaurants here are these small intimate countertop restaurants (like the Japanese TV show “Midnight Diner”) where the chef takes your order and makes your food right in front of you. It makes for a very personal and intimate dining experience.Attention to detailIn Japan, your sushi chef isn’t just carelessly slapping together rice and fish. People here take their craft very seriously, and that’s why their cuisine - as minimal as it often is - is world class. As a customer, I appreciate the hell out of this.QuirkinessThat random performance at a street festival of these “muscle boys” was probably the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time. It was just so absurd, I can’t imagine that happening anywhere outside of a Japan. Although they all had six packs and most had impressive physiques, it was clearly a comedic performance and I don’t think anyone could watch that and not have a smile on their face.With all the games (arcade games, card games, videogames, etc.), anime, characters, Gundam, etc. there’s definitely a craziness to the culture that I love.<hr>Anyways I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it at this for now.If you haven’t been to Japan yet, Japan is an absolute must. Even as someone who’s already been to Japan, I’m blown away every time I come back.It’s surprised me to realize how much of “me” is Japanese even though culturally I grew up in the U.S. I resonate a lot with the attention to detail and pride they take in their craft, the politeness and sense of justice when it comes to things like waiting in line, efficiency, striving for the best, quirkiness, etc. Now I don’t resonate with everything (eg. conformity, overstaffing), but I definitely resonate with so much of their culture and wish the west would incorporate more of the positive elements (eg. at the least, bidet toilets and vending machines).I’ll say though - I’m really glad I decided to visit a new part of the country I’ve never been to though. Initially I was going to book a flight to Tokyo, but the flight ticket was way more expensive than I expected so I booked here for 1/3 the price (from Seoul), and am so glad I did. Even though I’ve been traveling the world for the past 5 years, it’s easy for me to default to laziness and going to the same places, so this was a good reminder for myself to change things up. I’m trying to explore more off the beaten path now, and I think it is actually a great strategy to enter countries in less touristic cities first if logistic allows.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/19/japan-might-be-my-favorite-country/">https://jsavage.xyz/2023/06/19/japan-might-be-my-favorite-country/</a>

Japan Might Be My Favorite Country

I recently spent a few days in Helsinki, Finland. I had heard good things - such as being ranked the [\#1 happiest country in the world](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/happiest-countries-in-the-world), having the [\#1 ranked education system in the world](https://leverageedu.com/blog/finland-education-system) despite students spending only 5 hours/day in school with little homework, home of Linus Torvalds (founder of Linux), etc.

Finland is the probably the country most similar to Japan I've seen outside of Asia. Modern, clean, and civilized. I stayed at a hostel and was pleasantly surprised to see that shoes were not allowed to be worn inside - something I cannot recall ever seeing outside of Asia. People are respectful and orderly, for example always staying on the right side of the escalator.

My first impression from the airport was positive. It was the first maskless flight I've taken in 2 years (almost cried tears of joy). Loved that the baggage claim had a line a meter around the conveyer belt saying to wait there (people crowding around conveyer belts making it difficult to find and pick up your luggage drives me crazy). Like many civilized European countries, there are no turnstiles for trains. This always amazes me as an American. I imagine if NYC were to remove subway turnstiles, the MTA would lose 80% of its revenue overnight.

Everything is nice, modern, and clean. Interiors of coffee shops, malls, restaurants, etc. are usually very tastefully done - similar to Seoul, South Korea. The ferry to/from Helsinki to Tallinn is probably the nicest I've ever been on with tasteful interior design.

The city itself is by the sea and has lots of parks. I was impressed to see people swimming even when it was cold.

I love the food here - salmon, salads, poke bowls, etc. - exactly my style. Lots of ethnic options as well like Vietnamese food, Mexican, etc.

The people seemed very friendly. Polite, and often smiling. Everyone speaks perfect English. Racially it is quite a homogenous country, and probably the blondest country I've ever been to. While I was on my laptop in the common area of the hostel, some Finnish-looking lady said she was going to make tea and asked me if I wanted some. In my computer-absorbed daze I was so shocked at this selfless act from a total stranger that it took me a couple seconds to compose myself and respond.

Saunas are big in Finland. I went to a free outdoor sauna by the sea that was fantastic. You can alternate between the sauna and swimming in the sea. Although there are some lockers, it's safe to just leave your belongings in the open because Finland is a civilized country (unlike much of the U.S). Clothing optional. Great social atmosphere. This sauna is free because it's entirely volunteer run. Amazing.

Overall I really enjoyed Helsinki. I wish more Americans could see cities like Helsinki and see what a civilized society that has it's sh\*t together looks like.

In terms of downsides, it is expensive. I paid 50-60 euros/night for a dorm bed in a 8-bed hostel, though I'll say the hostel was definitely very nice (no shoes as I mentioned). A hotel will probably run you at least 100 euros/night. For food expect to pay a minimum of 10 euros (eg. for a kebab), and around 15-20 euros for a nice healthy salmon avocado salad.

Also although the weather was perfect in July when I visited, Finland is a very cold and dark country in the winter. Personally as someone who hates cold weather, this unfortunately disqualifies Finland for me as somewhere I'd personally live except for in the summer.

Also Helsinki is a small city of 631,000 people (though surprisingly bigger than Copenhagen's 602,000).

Overall I really enjoyed Helsinki. I'm on the ferry to Tallinn now, but I'm sure I will return again. Again I wish more Americans would visit civilized countries like this. There's definitely a lot the world can learn from Finland.

Helsinki, Finland First Impressions

I love Italy. It's one of the best countries to visit - having so many beautiful sites and being so rich in history - having been the capital of the Roman empire, the Renaissance, etc. I've been to 43+ countries, and Venice, although not exactly under-the-radar, is probably my favorite place. Other places like the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Taormina, Cinque Terre, Tuscany, the hilltop villages, etc. are amongst the most beautiful I've seen. The food and gelato of course is world famous.

That being said, there are many things I also dislike about Italy after having lived in Rome for 9 months. As the city critic I am, here are the things I don't like about living in Italy. Don't view it as negativity for negativity's sake, but feedback.

**Rome is dirty as hell**

Although the historic city center of Rome is fine, go outside the center and Rome is one of the dirtiest cities I've ever been to. Go further south to Naples and Catania and the streets are even dirtier. Trash overflows rows of dumpsters along the sidewalks, which smells absolutely disgusting. You'll find trash everywhere, on the unmaintained grass in parks, in the bins of bikeshares, etc. I thought NYC was filthy, but Rome takes filthiness to another level. And the dirtiness isn't just limited outdoors, the public bathroom on the 2nd floor at the main Termini train station is one of the most disgusting main train station public bathrooms I've seen, the toilets don't have toilet seats, and you need to pay 1 euro to enter (the machine didn't even work, so the attendant had to let me in). I was thinking of asking for a refund if not for the fact that the attendant was too busy manually letting people in because the paying machines were broken.

**Little A/C (seems to be a European thing)**

Rome is one of the hottest cities in the summer, with temperatures reaching 38° (100° F), so hot that it's uncomfortable being outside during the day. Yet A/C seems to be few and far in between. Even when you find A/C it's just enough to keep things from being intolerable, but not strong enough to keep you from sweating. For example this is how the A/C is in the main train station Termini. The subways in Milan don't even have A/C (the two times I rode it). Granted I think the U.S overdoes the hell out of A/C often making indoor places freezes so I'm not suggesting that the U.S should be the role model here, but clearly there's a middle ground.

**People don't know how to walk on sidewalks**

I don't think I've ever been to a country where people have such little regard for others when walking in public. Two people will walk side by side blocking an entire sidewalk, walking at a snail's pace, without a care in the world to anyone behind them they're blocking. I've rode my scooter multiple times on a bike lane towards people who clearly see me, who just stand there like deer in headlights and barely move enough for me to not run them over. Good luck trying to walk up a crowded escalator, or picking up your suitcase at the airport when everybody waits directly in front on the conveyer belt, preventing you from actually grabbing your suitcase (ok to be fair this is an American problem too).

People also often don't know how to wait in lines. Instead of a line, you often just get a giant crowd.

**Dirty floors in hotel rooms / AirBnBs, people wear shoes inside**

As a Japanese person, I find the idea of wearing outside shoes inside one's house disgusting. But like America, this is the norm in Italy. Always when I check-in to an AirBnB/apartment/hotel and the host wants to show me around the room, they'll walk around the apartment in their shoes, but since it's their apartment it feels awkward telling them to take their shoes off. Even if I told them, I know they just cleaned the apartment with their shoes on, so not even sure if it'd make a difference.

**Terrible bureaucracy**. Even Italians will admit that their bureaucracy is awful. Thankfully personally I didn't really have to deal much with it other than two instances 1. a gym requiring me to have a "certificate of good health" physical examination (wtf?) 2. trying to find out if I can get a COVID pass here (green pass), waiting outside a building at the time I was told to show up with a bunch of other people who've already been vaccinated a month ago but still hadn't received their green pass which they need to go to work, and then all of us being told by security that sorry they're closed, come back next week.

**Tap water not clean**. Naturally you always need to pay for water in restaurants (not to mention the environmental impact of plastic bottles).

**Slow service**. Although the food is undeniably good here, the service in restaurants is incredibly slow. Flagging down a waiter/waitress is often a chore, even when you just want to pay and get out (though if you want to pay usually you can at least go directly to the counter). Sometimes it'll take forever even just to get the menu.

**Law forces customers to take (paper) receipts**. I always refuse paper receipts, but one time a merchant would not take my no for an answer and literally forced me to take my receipt. I told the story to a local and was told that there's actually an Italian law that says that by law customers must take their receipts. In practice the police aren't checking, and most merchants won't make a big deal out of it if you don't take your receipt, but this is easily one of the dumbest laws I've ever seen in my life. What a waste of paper/trees.

**No Uber/ridsharing. Constant taxi strikes. Poor public transportation**.

**Parks are often fenced off and close early (eg. 7pm)**. I find it strange that parks are often fenced off, and close at all, especially so early.

**No public gyms / outdoor pullup bars -** There must be at most a couple outdoor pullup bars in all of Rome, and none that I found in the city center

**COVID vaccine passes.** Although thankfully the nightmare is now over, Italy was one of the few countries that went extremely strict on COVID restrictions and lockdowns, to the point where vaccine passes (called "super green passes") were required to practically do everything - including riding public transportation and even staying in hotels - probably one of the most egregious breaches of liberty I've ever witnessed. My friend suggested that maybe the Italian people were missing Mussolini.

**Not much food other than Italian food in Rome**. I love Italian food, but I don't want to eat pasta and pizza all the time, and Rome is really short on other kinds of cuisines

**Lack of "fast casual" type food places.** Other than coffee "bars" with premade sandwiches, "fast casual" type food establishments are in short supply in Rome. Especially when I'm alone, I generally just want to eat something quick and not have to waste 30-60 minutes at a sit-down restaurant.

**Restaurants generally closed between 2:30pm-7:30pm or so**. Unless you're in the tourist area of the city center, you'll struggle to find anywhere to eat between 3:30-7pm outside of grabbing a sandwich at a cafe.

**Practically no work cafes in Rome.** Rome despite having a thriving cafe culture, practically has no cafes good for working with a laptop (eg. with power outlets) - the type of work environment I prefer as a digital nomad. Normally you can at least rely on there being a Starbucks as a place to work (even if the coffee is bad), but Rome doesn't have a Starbucks.

**Grocery store cashiers don't bag your groceries.** Ok this is not unique to Italy, but as an American I find it strange that grocery store cashiers don't bag your groceries. Most of the time they won't even open the plastic bag for you, just throwing the closed bag on the table and tossing your stuff there while you fumble to open the plastic bag. Also worth noting that there are no self-checkout machines in supermarkets.

**Restaurant main courses are overrated.** Italian restaurant menus are separated into appetizers, pasta, and main courses - which often consist of something super simple like chicken or fish priced at 17-25+ euros, with the expectation I guess that you're supposed to order side dishes to complement them. I generally find these main courses to be overpriced and too basic, and will usually opt instead for just a salad + pasta/pizza. Though there's one restaurant where I enjoyed the main course of a steak that included potatoes and some other side dishes.

**People can be very loud**. People will often talk loudly, shout on the phone on trains, and watch videos on their phones with the speakers on.

**Most unorganized gyms I've ever seen**. I had a membership at one gym that had the most unorganized dumbbell rack I've ever seen in my life (unfortunately I had no other options because it was the only gym that would accept me without a COVID vaccination, which I wouldn't have been qualified to get in Italy even if I wanted to). The weights were placed so randomly that you'd have to spend 5+ minutes looking for the weights you needed. It was so bad I'd go out of my way to try to reorganize them in between sets, but of course the next time I'd return to the gym it'd be all unorganized again. I've been to a few other gyms and the dumbbell racks were all insanely disorganized. I've never experienced this in any other country.

**Sometimes terrible service.** Ok the service here isn't remotely as bad as in eastern Europe, but I've had my share of poor experiences. For example once I accidentally booked and paid for the wrong date of a hotel. After the booking mistake I immediately called the hotel to ask if they could change the booking date to the following day, and simply pay any difference in price, and was told sure no problem. I then showed up the next day only to be told that I have to pay full price for this day as well. She actually said no problem and then proceeded to charge me for the full price, which I only noticed after the wireless card payment didn't work and I looked at the price (ok maybe that was language barrier). I explained the situation to her, she called her boss, and again told me that I still had to pay the full price again. I repeatedly explained the situation to her for what must've been 10 minutes while she repeatedly called her boss, only to tell me that he says I need to pay again. Finally I told her that fine, I'll cancel the booking, request a refund through my credit card, and write a terrible review for this hotel being dishonest and wasting my time. She called her boss again, this time speaking more forcefully, and finally I was told that I only needed to pay the price difference, but that it had to be in cash.

Another time at a 4 star hotel I asked a worker how much a taxi would cost to a place 10 minutes away. He called the company, said about 10 euros, and said the taxi was on the way. The taxi came with the meter already at 10 euros, and the final bill came out to 19 euros. I questioned the taxi driver and he said that the meter starts when the taxi is called. Since I was given the wrong information by the hotel, I called the hotel to let them know this. Another woman receptionist responded, and what precedes was an absurd 7 minute conversation where rather than just saying "ok sorry about that and thank you for telling us, we won't make that mistake in the future", I was given stupid excuses like "it's up to the taxi company and it's not in our control", "we assume that people here already know that the meter starts when you call the taxi" (actually I've been here for 9 months and this never happened to me before), "I don't understand why you're calling and want me to do". It was basically like talking to an idiot.

**Window blinds.** Italian apartment windows have these old school physical blinds that block out all sunlight, and require you to physically open/close them. Sure they look cool from the outside, but it's much nicer and more convenient to have normal blinds that can still let in sunlight.

**Needing reservations at restaurants in evenings**

**Croissants here suck.** The croissants here are not crunchy at all, and are more like bread in the shape of a croissant. They seem to like it like that, but I much prefer the original French style of crunchy croissants.

**Lack of technological advancement in some regards.** For example the main train station in Naples has a place where you can store your suitcase, but it closes at something like 8pm. Why it's not just an automated locker machine is beyond me. Supermarkets practically never have automated checkout machines. It's not that I necessarily prefer checking things out myself, more that the machines generally drastically reduce waiting times vs. human cashiers, and those bastards don't bag my groceries anyways. Number coded locks definitely haven't been adopted here.

**Stuff often just doesn't work**. For example escalators and elevators will often not be working. Ok it's probably no worse than the U.S, but nothing like Japan/Korea where I've never seen an escalator out of service.

**Poor UX.** Ok this is definitely not unique to Italy, and maybe just something I've just happened to notice more recently in life in general, but "real life" UX is often poor. By that I mean for example common sense signs showing you where to go - such as when you're underground in the subway showing you where each staircase will lead you on the street. Or when the top entrance of the Spagna subway stop on top of the Spanish Steps was closed all winter, there was no sign or notice stating where the other entrance is (if I had a piece of paper on me I would've just wrote a note myself and put it there). Simple things like that can make a big difference.

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Despite all this, I actually love Italy. The country has some of the most beautiful places, richest history, and best food in the world. The people are generally very friendly (though in the south English proficiency is very low), social, and positive. Some of my favorite places I've ever visited are in Italy. But like everywhere in the world, it has its downsides, and those are the ones that stood out to me.

Digital Nomad

t/nomad

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