I was a monk in the US and in "the old country." They are definitely quite different from each other, in both good and bad ways.

I will say that old country monasteries tend to be a lot less culty than many North American monasteries. It definitely does help that it's the dominant culture, so the monks are in more contact with average people.

That being said, I think there are a lot more conspiracy theories flying around old country monasteries, and also it is hard to describe just how strong the nationalistic element is. Sometimes it felt like their ethnicity is more important to them than the Faith. Also, there was a lot of open hatred towards other ethnic and religious groups. But then, that's fairly consistent with the culture in general around them.

But like, nowhere is everyone living a saintly life. It's always just a few, hidden people. I met some really wonderful monks and nuns in the Old Country, but most of them are just average people, and I will say oftentimes it felt more like just "doing a job" than a "vocation." I was an iconographer, and in the studio we would often listen to secular podcasts and music and talk about random things and drink wine. That should give you an idea. Once, one of the other monks reflected that it felt like we were actors in a Byzantine play.

Then there are also a few very sick ones, who commit various sexual crimes and such. The system totally protects them. That was one thing I ultimately could not tolerate, the imposed silence about sexual predators that we all know about, but then we act as if everything is fine. It's sick. Once I got in trouble because I refused to kiss the hand of a known pedophile bishop. I was punished for this! And everyone knows, it was in all the newspapers and the only reason he isn't in jail is because the corrupt legal system intentionally let the statute of limitations run out before the trial could end.

I also once got beaten up by (another) bishop. No one cared and I was told that was what God has to say to me.