headhunter Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 They also get significantly more vacation time than average Americans I agree that it's also a cultural thing. It's more encouraged over there and seems to be more discouraged here because of ignorance, fear, exceptionalism, etc. Obviously time and money are factors too and I don't blame anyone for those reasons. But I know plenty of Americans with the time and money who still don't do it anyway. Yeah I think Sweden only works 9 months out of the year and dont even put in 80 hours in 2 weeks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 The entire month of August is pretty much a holiday in France. I don;t know why we think we're smarter than the Europeans. Clearly, it was failure dummies who got on a boat and came over here to try and make a new life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamalisms Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I've also been to Canada and Alaska but the former is like admitting you kissed your sister and the latter skipped my mind. Continental vs contiguous, I guess. Maybe it doesn't count for what you're looking for. This stereotype is one I hold as well. Plenty of people here don't travel to see other parts of the world, don't see the need for it and almost take pride in not doing it. Partly the US had enough to offer that there's less incentive. Partly we're all led to believe we can hardly get by (but that's largely because we spend thousands per year on cell phones and tv and fast food and movies and other unnecessary shit). Partly being the world power and "better than" the rest of this half of the world leads to ambivalence... but that's largely related to the biggest factor as I see it: Americans are willfully ignorant of the world and see no value in visiting it. It's viewed similar to drinking your own piss just to see what it tastes like. Why bother? Canada is actually used as an example of how people in the US don't travel. We make fun of people who say they've been to other countries because they went to Canada. Canada? Lol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanJoe Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I've been to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. I am going on a 2 week European cruise in early June. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 For sure Canada shouldn't count. Go to the best parts of America and it;s kind of like being in Canada with different money. Like Vermont. I've always admired the Mexicans in that way. Here they are nuzzled against the biggest superpower in the world and they are still so uniquely different. Food, culture, language, music, television etc...they're way less American and culturally influenced accordingly than countries that are half way across the world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLocker10 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I've been to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. I am going on a 2 week European cruise in early June. That's on my wish list Hope you enjoy the cruise, though I personally hate cruises (no offense) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschool Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I've been to Brazil (multiple times), Argentina, Chile, Panama, El Salvador, Mexico, England (multiple times), Ireland, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Singapore, and China. All for business for except for the England and Spain trips. Conversely just to add credence to the stereotype, My wife has never left the country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Singapore, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Dubai, and Australia. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Never been out of the country yet. Have traveled up and down the west coast through California, Oregon and Washington and have been to Hawaii but that's it. However France (Languedoc, PACA, Rhone) and Italy (Piedmont, Tuscany) are two places we'll likely be traveling to when money allows it. After that Istanbul and Beirut are bucket-list places. I think the obvious reason for why Americans travel less is infrastructure and proximity. It's significantly easier to travel in Europe due to the rail systems/public transit in place and the overall composition of cities on a city planning level. (historical). So it's a lot more viable for Europeans to travel and given the overall scale of nations in Europe it's a lot easier to visit numerous countries. Air travel can be prohibitively expensive (especially travelling from the west coast) so traveling on a regional level in the United States is a lot more viable. helimachoptor 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
helimachoptor Posted May 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Singapore, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Dubai, and Australia. Military? Scarecrow 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Military? that obvious haha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
helimachoptor Posted May 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 that obvious haha I read a lot of military books and those places come up a lot! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 I've been to Brazil (multiple times), Argentina, Chile, Panama, El Salvador, Mexico, England (multiple times), Ireland, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Singapore, and China. All for business for except for the England and Spain trips. Conversely just to add credence to the stereotype, My wife has never left the country. Central America, South America, Mexico, China, Turkey, Ireland for work? And you're in Fairfax? Obviously @oldschool is working for the CIA. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLocker10 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) Never been out of the country yet. Have traveled up and down the west coast through California, Oregon and Washington and have been to Hawaii but that's it. However France (Languedoc, PACA, Rhone) and Italy (Piedmont, Tuscany) are two places we'll likely be traveling to when money allows it. After that Istanbul and Beirut are bucket-list places. I think the obvious reason for why Americans travel less is infrastructure and proximity. It's significantly easier to travel in Europe due to the rail systems/public transit in place and the overall composition of cities on a city planning level. (historical). So it's a lot more viable for Europeans to travel and given the overall scale of nations in Europe it's a lot easier to visit numerous countries. Air travel can be prohibitively expensive (especially travelling from the west coast) so traveling on a regional level in the United States is a lot more viable. Central America is actually pretty reasonable. I just haven't gotten around to it yet but will I went to Thailand a few years ago. While the airfare is a bit much, once you arrive it's not bad. I don't know your age but I was staying in pretty reasonable accommodation for $10 a night. I wouldn't call it a hostel, but it wasn't luxury either. It had enough of the basic accommodations. You can get meals there for $1-2. If you want to splurge a little, you can get a 3-4 course meal and it'll still only be around $10-15 total. They have a subway there. Pretty cheap. Most of the main sights are only $1-2 for a ticket You said you've traveled up and down the west coast. I'm assuming you live there. Even though I said I don't like cruises, you can go on one for an affordable price. Carnival has 4 day trips to Mexico for around $200. And 7 day trips for around $500 that take you to Cabo and Puerto Vallarta. The touristy side of Mexico, but if you want an affordable trip, it's feasible. The port of call for those cruises are in Long Beach Edited May 22, 2014 by JLocker10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Central America is actually pretty reasonable. I just haven't gotten around to it yet but will I went to Thailand a few years ago. While the airfare is a bit much, once you arrive it's not bad. I don't know your age but I was staying in pretty reasonable accommodation for $10 a night. I wouldn't call it a hostel, but it wasn't luxury either. It had enough of the basic accommodations. You can get meals there for $1-2. If you want to splurge a little, you can get a 3-4 course meal and it'll still only be around $10-15 total. They have a subway there. Pretty cheap. Most of the main sights are only $1-2 for a ticket No disrespect to the region or culture but I have absolutely zero interest in traveling through Central and South America. (I could see Argentina or Chile for the wine regions, maybe). I'd gladly go anywhere in the Mediterranean though. (Europe, Middle East, even North Africa). Right, I live in California but have no real desire to travel to Mexico. Spending a few days in Napa Valley next month and was in Paso Robles in April. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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