"As an American who hosted numerous exchange students as a kid, the first thing that amazed them all- across the board- was the size of and selection within our grocery stores. The size of things here in America- be they meal portions, interior spaces, or even our wide roadways with ample road easements aside them for sidewalks and recreation- is such a stark contrast to most of urban Europe’s tightly packed cities that it was always the first thing to leave them awestruck, regardless of their country of origin."