A woman woke up to a two-year-old vacation photo of herself going viral, and her confused reaction has captivated the internet.
Claudia Rosier (@claudia.rosier), 24, a burlesque dancer from London, was stunned to find that a snapshot from a 2023 trip to Marbella, Spain, had suddenly become the subject of international attention, reaching 82 million views on X, formerly Twitter. The image, which shows Rosier smoking and drinking with friends in a Spanish plaza, was posted by meme page Cigarette Dystopia, known for meme posts centered around smoking culture.
Rosier described waking up to a message from a friend who had sent her the viral post. She momentarily went back to sleep—only to wake up again to even more notifications.
“A picture of me in Marbella on holiday with my friends had gone viral. I was literally flabbergasted. The picture was from 2 years ago and I hadn’t thought about it since it had been posted. At first I was quite thrilled that of all pictures of me to have gone viral, that was the one they chose,” she told Newsweek.
The American mind cannot comprehend this pic.twitter.com/Bbcc8qlM8V
— Cigarette Dystopia (@CigsMake) April 25, 2025
The X post reads: “The American mind cannot comprehend this,” alongside the photo of Rosier and her friends enjoying cigarettes and beers in the sun-drenched square.
Puzzled, Rosier took to TikTok to share her reaction, where her post quickly gained traction with over 1,000 likes and 27,000 views.
“So I’ve woken up this morning and I’ve checked Twitter and I’ve gone very viral. What I don’t understand is this. What’s that supposed to be?” she asked, pointing to the text accompanying the picture. “An insult or a compliment? Can you guys tell me? Can someone please elaborate? I’m very confused.”
Though initially amused, her thrill gave way to frustration as the viral image circulated widely without credit.
“‘Heellllooooo it’sssss meeee.’ I was completely confused as to why it had gone so viral,” she explained.
Soon, Rosier realized the photo had unwittingly become a symbol of a distinctly European lifestyle—drinking and smoking outdoors in public spaces—something that struck many Americans as foreign.
Dining and socializing outdoors, or al fresco, is deeply embedded in European culture. Europe’s “terrasje” culture (Dutch for “little terrace”) celebrates leisurely moments outdoors in the streets or squares. In contrast, in much of the U.S., municipal regulations, suburban planning and car-centric lifestyles have often limited the flourishing of outdoor café culture.
According to Business in Focus, outdoor dining in America only started becoming mainstream in the last few decades, but since COVID lockdowns forced diners outside, the concept has grown in popularity.
The meme “The American mind cannot comprehend this” is a spinoff of the original format “The European mind cannot comprehend this,” which gained traction online in 2023. Both phrases are used to highlight cultural differences between the U.S. and Europe in a lighthearted way.
This cultural divide sparked a wave of photo edits and memes poking fun at contrasting European and American lifestyles, with Rosier’s image at the center.
Rosier, who grew up in the south of France before moving to London at the age of 10 to pursue a career in acting, singing and dancing, has since embraced her unexpected fame.
“To be totally honest, I don’t mind being the poster girl for European culture,” she told Newsweek.
The internet weighed in with praise and answers to Rosier’s question—whether the post was a compliment or criticism.
“I don’t think it’s an insult or a compliment. I think it’s just saying to Americans so they couldn’t comprehend the situation like it’s an experience they’ll never have you look super cool,” said one user.
“When I saw the pic on Twitter I thought it was Monica Bellucci,” another commented, comparing her to the Italian actress and model. “This picture is perfect. Congratulations,” added another follower.
“I think it’s bc America doesn’t really have the terrasje culture we have in Europe,” one user theorized, summarizing the broader sentiment.
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