Yes, I lived in Germany for a time. However, many of the states of the US are the size of countries in Europe. And there are substantial differences in terms of mix and percentage of Ethnicities, religions, etc. I lived in Washington state, which is apparently Mormon country more than other places I have lived. I have lived in Columbus Georgia, where the population is nearly half white and half black. Very, very few Hispanics, Asians, etc. On the West Coast (where I lived in both Washington state and in California), there are a great many more Asians than there seem to generally be on the East Coast -- which makes logical sense since it is physically closer to Asia but was something of a shock to me when I first arrived on the West Coast. I didn't expect the West Coast to be as different from the East Coast as it was. I figured I was 'still in America' and it wouldn't be all that different. I was wrong.