Bored Panda has scoured the internet to find the most creative, innovative and thoughtful ways countries around the world are taking care of their residents. From providing free sunscreen on the beach to giving care packages to pregnant moms, we hope you enjoy scrolling through these photos that should restore a bit of your faith in humanity (or encourage you to move to another country). And keep reading to find a conversation with King Siu of Travel, Eat, Drink!
#1 A Copy Of The Bill We Got When Our Daughter Was Born In Canada
Image credits: reddit.com
#2 Meanwhile In Canada
Image credits: fngrtps
#3 Finland's Maternity Box - The Box Every Pregnant Woman In Finland Gets. Mine Came Today So I Thought I'd Show You All What I Got
We picked up the box from the post office, and even Simba was excited.
There is a snow suit, hat, mittens, and another warm body suit. Sleeping bag and sheet. Hats, balaclava, pads, socks, tights, and the small bag has a little book, a toy, condoms, and some other small baby hygiene products.
There's a cloth diaper, and a towel, but the rest is almost all clothing in various styles and forms, all gender-neutral. The bottom of the box is also a mattress, so the baby is able to use it as a bed at the beginning of her life. All of the clothes are very high quality, and a good chunk of what came in the box was made in Finland or by Finnish companies.
Image credits: GrumpyFinn
To learn more about this topic, we got in touch with world traveler King Siu of Travel, Eat, Drink. He was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and reveal some of the best things he's noticed countries providing for their residents along his travels.
"I feel most people know that college is free, or almost free in Europe. But what I was surprised to find out from some Norwegian friends was that they received an allowance from the government while they were studying!" King shared. "And this wasn't just a few bucks to help with groceries, this was enough for them to get an apartment and live."
"I'm sure Norway isn't the only country to do this, but boy did I want to be Norwegian when I found that out," the traveler continued. "It would definitely be nice for all students to be able to concentrate on their studies and not have the distraction of how one is going to pay for it."
#4 If Someone Cuts Down A Tree For Their View In Australia, Government Installs Sign To Block The View
Image credits: Rd28T
#5 Free Vegetable Leaves For Pets In My Local Supermarket‘S Produce Section
Image credits: Lord_Stahlregen
#6 In Singapore, Elderly Pedestrians Can Tap Their Identity Card To Have More Time At The Pedestrian Crossing
Image credits: NickyNek
King noted that, as a Canadian, universal healthcare was just something he grew up with. But he really began to appreciate it after spending time in countries that didn't have it. "In particular, the United States," he says. "How does the richest country in the world, who actually spends more per capita on healthcare than Canada, not provide basic medical care to all of its citizens? I don't think any Canadian will ever understand that."
"Even my friends who have incredible health insurance in the U.S. tell me that they never leave a doctor's office without paying something," King continued. "But, the reality really hits when I see the never-ending GoFundMe campaigns to help someone who is battling a serious illness. One should not have to worry about going bankrupt from medical bills when they are fighting cancer."
"The Canadian healthcare system is far from perfect, but I like that I never have to think twice about going to see a doctor if I feel sick," he added. "I am amused that an American would be shocked if they weren't handed a bill at the end of their medical appointment, and a Canadian would be shocked if they received one."
#7 Dearest American Friends, This Is What A Public Toilet Should Look Like, Love From Europe
Image credits: IsDinosaur
#8 This Is The Medicine I Take Once Every Two Weeks, Which Allows Me To Live A Fairly Normal Life. If I Had To Pay Myself, They Would Cost 6,129 Dkk/1,126 USD. Thank You Universal Health Care
Image credits: reddit.com
#9 In Amsterdam, You Can Spot These Little ‘Menstruation Stations’ Where Anyone In Need Can Grab Tampons, Napkins, And Cups For Free
Image credits: RoamAndRamble
"On a lighter note, you may have heard about some countries that offer money for couples to have children," King shared. "But in Busan, South Korea, they are going right to the beginning and are offering cash incentives for couples to date, and the further along their relationship gets, the more money they receive."
"I guess it's like a game show, so it's probably just a matter of time before Mr. Beast starts doing a version of Beast Games for relationships," the travel expert says. "On top of the money they will receive for finally getting married, the government also provides money for a down payment on a house or rent for five years. Korea has a really low birthrate, so this is just one of the creative ways to get the country's mojo going again. I believe they're opening this program up to foreigners soon, so start packing your bags if you've always dreamed of living out your own K-Drama."
#10 Free School Lunch In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: Cool_Kalkon
#11 Bus Stop With A Little Library In Brittany, France
Image credits: skribobby
#12 Here In Switzerland, We Have Vending Machines Just For Selling Cheese
Image credits: UrbexerZurich
King has also observed that, generally, Scandinavian countries take care of their citizens the best overall. "Yes, they also pay really high taxes for these privileges, but every survey about happiness always has their citizens in the top 10 in the world, so there's that," he shared.
"It's not just that they provide things for their citizens, but the services provided make sense. For example, if you want people to have babies, taking the medical expenses out is a good first step, and money to help with the additional expenses of having a child are another," King explained. "Providing parental leave makes sense as a newborn is a lot of work, (leave is typically super generous in Scandinavia too, like over a year generous) and of course, someone has to look after the kid, so affordable childcare is also available."
#13 Hospital Food In Australia 🇦🇺
Image credits: 420fmx
#14 Average College Cafeteria Meal In France (Public University, €3.30)
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#15 There Is A Swing Made For Wheelchairs At This Park In Mexico
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Next, we asked King which benefits other countries have that he'd like to see Canada implement. "The living allowance for college students that they do in Norway would be a great thing to see in Canada, and the relationship subsidy in South Korea would be interesting to see implemented in Canada since we also face a declining birthrate," he told Bored Panda. "And the skyrocketing real estate costs have made home ownership impossible for many."
#16 This Bottle Of Vinegar Is Official First Aid For Jellyfish Stings On A Beach In Australia
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#17 An Old Telephone Booth Now Used As A Free Book Exchange, In A Tiny Village In France
Image credits: blackcloudcat
#18 The Toilet Paper In Peru Has A Smaller Paper Roll In Its Centre, To Be Taken On Trips/Purse
Image credits: evolving-me
"In France, one can get prescribed spa treatments to deal with various ailments from stress to post breast cancer recovery," King says. "The stay at the spa would last 18 days and is fully or partially paid for by the government depending on income level. I could really support the Canadian government adding this to our healthcare plan."
"I had always heard from my French friends that their healthcare system was the envy of Europe. That's saying something on a continent full of countries with universal healthcare, but now I understand why theirs stands out from the pack," he added.
#19 The Beaches Here In The Netherlands Have Free Sunscreen Dispensers
Image credits: BigBosslalilulelo
#20 My City Has Public Defibrillation Stations And The Sign For It Looks Like A Video Game Health Bar
Image credits: Phyierpickle
#21 A Wine Vending Machine In Germany
Image credits: trevailor
As for why it's so important for countries to take good care of their citizens, the travel expert shared, "A country thrives when its citizens are happy, plain and simple. I'm not saying that they all wake up every morning full of sunshine and unicorns, but the fewer basic necessities that one has to worry about the better your quality of life, and the less angry one is at the government."
"Most who go into public office have a desire to help people, so making their citizens' lives easier should be their top priority," King added. "However, it can also support their other top priority of winning reelection, which I'm sure can motivate every politician regardless of their reason for entering politics."
#22 In Rotterdam We Have Free Public Bike Repair Stations
Image credits: SummumRex2
#23 There Are Bins Along Cycle Paths In The Netherlands Which Allow You To Throw Out Rubbish Without Slowing Down
Image credits: TheTitaniumWalrus
#24 Book Tree In Arbone-La-Foret, France
Image credits: e_to_da_x
"Some see social services as a waste of government money. To those people, I challenge them to view the money spent as not an expense, but as an investment," King told Bored Panda. "Every kid who comes into the world via a government program to encourage relationships, and who can afford to go to college, will ultimately pay more into the system than they take out. And, who knows, they may just start a multi-billion dollar company out of their bedroom because they had time to be creative and didn't have to spend all their time worrying."
#25 New Seoul Subway Trains Tell You How Crowded Each Cell Is By Colour
Image credits: MarsTaco
#26 $320 Pesos ($16 Dollars) Of Vegetables And Fruits Here In México
Image credits: Gerazioio
#27 This Is How Much An Emergency Ambulance Ride Ended Up Costing Me In Germany (10.00€)
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#28 Lifeboat Weather Forecasting System Is Littlestone, UK
Image credits: NightCreeper42
#29 I’m From Australia And Recently Turned 17, And Got A Birthday Card From The Government To Enrol To Vote
Image credits: LionelHatzz
#30 The Horrible Cost Of A Four Day Hospital Stay In Australia. (TV Hire)
Image credits: mrsquishyface
#31 How A Prison Cell In Denmark Looks Like
Image credits: reddit.com
#32 Mascots On Sugary Cereal (And All Candy) Censored In México To Fight Childhood Obesity
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#33 My City Has A Lot Of Capybaras So We Have These Special Signs Warning Drivers To Be Mindful Of Them
Image credits: runtothehells
#34 0.81€ Meal In A Turkish Uni
Image credits: Sacrer
#35 Here In Sweden, The Ice-Cream Truck Goes Around. All Year Long
Image credits: JPPM
#36 Sun Clock In Valencia, Spain
Image credits: Warjilla
#37 For Anyone Curious, This Is What A Birthing Suite Looks Like In A Public Danish Hospital
Image credits: bangtrup
#38 In Switzerland, In Most Vending Machines There Is A Pregnancy Test Called Maybe Baby
Image credits: samwich41
#39 Meanwhile, In Canada
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#40 In Australia When You Turn 50 The Federal Government Sends You A Kit To Poop In And Send Back To Them
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#41 LED Bathroom Handles At Train Station In Sweden Change Colors Based On Occupancy
Image credits: madskillz89
#42 I'm From The Netherlands & We Have Vending Machines For Eggs
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#43 How This Korean Coffee Shop Minimizes Its Trash Volume With This Cup Stacking System
Image credits: laxanh
#44 My Local Library In The Netherlands Has These Flaps To Prevent Rain Falling On Your Bike Saddle
Image credits: Atomictarrel
#45 You Get A Show-Cause Notice On Failure To Vote In Australia
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#46 Prison Cell In Halden, Norway. Anders Breivik Is Complaining About Inhumane Conditions In This Prison
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#47 This Tram In Australia Has A Place To Hold Your Surfboard While Travelling To/From The Beach
Image credits: reddit.com
#48 This Park In Germany Has A Special Container For Pizza Boxes
Image credits: Peanut_Legend
#49 Some Buses In Switzerland Now Have USB-C Ports In Addition To USB-A
Image credits: ItWasntMe98
#50 A Air Conditioned "Dog Parking" Outside A Mall In Sweden
Image credits: Sasefelt
