Larry_M

I think this one has made the rounds before, but I just want to get it off my chest. I was just speaking with a co-worker, and the subject of vacation came up. I'm leaving Monday, and she's covering some responsibilities for me while I'll be away for 17 days, and asked where I was going. I said France and Italy, and heard, for about the 286th time, "it must be nice..."

Here's what was also "nice"

- It was nice when I worked for 13 consecutive years, 6-7 days a week, without ever taking a vacation, while I was trying to build a career and my wife was home raising our 3 children.

- It's been nice to continue working 6 days/60-70 hours a week for the succeeding 14 years, to get my kids through college, and have a nice place for my family to live.

- It's been nice to work for the same company for 27 years, and have taken exactly one sick day off the entire time ... which was in 1981.

- It was nice to be "on the road", living out of hotels, airports and suitcases from Monday morning to Friday evening, 40 - 50 weeks per year for 6 of those years consecutively, and for long stretches of time during other periods.

- It was nice to finally get to Europe for the first time when I was 45 years old.
This year marks our 9th trip in the past 10 years.

I could go on, but that's enough ... there, I feel better now.

padams421

Are you my husband? Or am I your wife? I understand your frustration completely. We're going to Europe in 3 weeks. Friends and family have been asking "Where's your big trip this year?" When I say "Europe", I hear "Again? Must be nice...".

Have a great trip!

laughingd2

It's tough to bite your tongue when you hear that, and another thing is: everyone has something they spend their hard-earned discretionary time and money on. So it's incredibly annoying to hear "it must be nice" when you know that same person is paying some equivalent amount for their car, or boat, or clothes, or music, or you name it. But when you pick travel, people think you are a trust fund baby or something.

Congrats on your hard work, Larry, and on your excellent choice of pasttimes.

missypie

I hear ya. I'm a partner in a large law firm, so my co-workers certainly have enough money to travel to Europe. However, many choose to ski in Colorado or go to Disneyworld or Cancun every year, or just don't want to take the time to plan a trip. I think that lots of my "exotic" trips don't cost any more than their US trips, but they act like I'm so "lucky" to be traveling.

SuzieC

Larry M...glad to meet you!..you found your way up the mountain...and there are a lot of paths up that mountain! (that would be success)
When they say "must be nice"...
"Oh...yes, it is!" with a big grin!

bardo1

You're preaching to the choir!

Still, I'm happy to let you vent here. Have a GREAT trip!

Robespierre

I tell people, "With all due modesty, I have to admit I deserve it."

capmunn

I just look at them and tell them I've been saving pennies for years...AND we don't spend a lot of money on electronics, cars, gambling, etc. It's also expecially meaningful when you've just found out that someone spent more on a one-week cruise in the Carribean than we've spent for two weeks in Europe.

jaclynpoulson

I just heard it the other day too (I leave on Monday for my "weddingmoon" in Italy and Greece!!!) ... being in the midst of finals for my last semester in law school, I am a bit cranky/stresses at times, so my response: "must be nice to drive that BMW" ... that shut her up pretty quick!

kenderina

I agree with Suzie and her answer But I'm a bit more ironic..I will probably say " nice ? are you joking? it's awful !! I'm such a bad taste person !!!"

SeaUrchin

Larry, looking back are you sorry that you devoted so much time to work? I think we get caught up in the American Dream and work ourselves to death, then hope to travel when we retire.

My ex-boss did the same thing but he waited too long to enjoy himself. I am glad you are traveling now! It IS nice that you are enjoying it now.
Have a wonderful time!

moxie

There's no need to get aggressive about it; lots of people who don't travel say this. I got it alot before my recent trip to Japan. I take it the comment kindly and smile and say 'yes it is wonderful isn't it'.

AliH1

This really irks me too! People seem reluctant to take responsibility for the consequences of their own choices in life. Instead they critisize mine. I try not to respond with any justification. It's my life, my choices and what I do to accomplish those choices is none of their dang business! I don't ask them how they afford to do the things they do.

let 'em eat cake!!

Alison
(planning our next big trip - to Turkey - and LOVING it!!!)

ira

Hi L,

>...have taken exactly one sick day off the entire time ... <

You took a day off?

I, too, wonder about people who drop $3000 on a week in Orlando, when they could have gone to Paris.

hipvirgochick

Larry - You certainly deserve to go wherever and whenever you want as far as I'm concerned You have surely paid your dues!
Anyway, I'm leaving next Wednesday, so not far behind you (Italy and France as well). Fortunately, my co-workers are "generally" supportive.
What gets me is that it can cost less to go to Europe than places like Las Vegas, Disneyland, Hawaii, etc. (all common places for people to go).
My most exotic AND most budget oriented place so far...Thailand!
Have a great trip and leave work behind!

Carta_Pisana

I can't stand friends who get steamed when I make travel plans and don't consult them / invite them along - a couple of them have partners who don't like to travel (though after having these friends join me I'm beginning to understand why). What really gets me is when they complain that they can't take 2 weeks off from work. I'm getting to the point where I just don't mention my travel plans anymore and let them talk to the answering machine when I'm gone.

Larry_M

SeaUrchin - Yes, in some ways I am sorry I devoted so much time to work. The biggest regret is that my older daughter was, shall we say, rather "difficult" all through her adolescence, which coincided with the time when I was traveling for business almost constantly. She's fine now, but it was especially hard on her mom during that time. That's the only thing that I truly feel guilty about.

And yes, many of the people who make these remarks choose to do other things with their money, like buy expensive cars, or take beach vacations which are just as costly as going to Europe. Go figure.

jay

We hear that all of the time. As with other posters we don't choose to spend money on fancy cars, don't go out to dinner alot and we don't spend money on christmas. We choose to travel instead. This past christmas we did 2 weeks in France and Italy probably (as someone else said) for what our friends spent on christmas presents. Have a great time and your reply shoul be "yes, it is very nice"

LAwoman

It's not only the destination that raises eyebrows, but taking more than one week off at a time. There's a lot of subtle disapproval of that in the business world in the USA.

TRSW

Larry,

I am now planning my 2nd trip to Europe and hear the same thing. But it is usually followed with...send me a postcard....bring me back something...or take me with you.

You earned it and have a GREAT TIME!!!

Tom