Dorthea

I just returned from my first trip to a third world nation. (India). This trip will change me as a person and has changed my view of life just for the sake of living. Most people in India are not living they are just exisiting (barely). <BR> <BR>What an experience. Before the trip I thought poverty was found in America, we do not know poverty like India! In one city we visited almost half the people lived on the street and people that had housing lacked running water, electricty, phone, etc and lived 20 people to a room. Poverty was incredibly ugly. People had no reason to get up each day other than try to survive. It is not the same as reading about it in a book, or seeing it on TV. After two days of being sourounded by 100s of beggers everytime we left our hotel, I could not take it. I could not leave the hotel and waited in my comfortable room for the trip to finish. God bless (living in) America! <BR> <BR>To other Fodorites, why would someone from the first world want to visit a place that has so much poverty and the people so miserable?

Sarah

You said it changes you as a person. I think many people travel to enhance there perspective of the world, perhaps now you will be more sensitive to the have nots. I would want to go to see beyond the poverty if I could master this. There are people there who make it beyond the poverty (emotionally) and I suggest a closer look would be rewarding. Always good to see the opposite side of the dark side. Music from Germany, art from Japan (I think of the treatment of Women being abhorrent), perhaps spiritual wealth in India? Sorry this experience was so devastating it would be interesting to speak with you in a year. One of my most devastating trips was to Egypt for similar reasons. I complained for months to friends, offending some, now I look back and am thankful I had the glimpse.

kang

I hope your unpleasant experience doesn't stop you from going visiting other third world countries. China, for instance, is still considered a third world country based on per capita income but most American visitors enjoyed their visit and found the country very fascinating. A quarter century ago, China was even poorer than India. Things do change. <BR> <BR>India is a big mystery to me as well. Some other countries such as Nepal, or even Cambodia, are poorer than India but one doesn't feel the same kind of depression as that in India. <BR> <BR>The world is a big book. Third world countries make most chapters of the book, and most of those chapters are not only interesting, educational, in many cases, rather inspiring as well. <BR> <BR>

Cindy

I am not sure about that Kange. I think the human rights abuses in China are just to overwhelming I can't imagine supporting that country with my tourist dollars. The Americans you speak of just don't have any sense of social responsibility.

greg

I have grown up in several third world countries where we got approached by entourage of people asking for money wherever we went. My prospect in life in USA is much different from my collegues of similar income because of this. <BR> <BR>Whether how takes advantage of third world experience is up to individual. I think it had a positive influence in my outlooks. <BR> <BR>I noticed that when my collegues of similar income talk to each other, the topic, if not sports, are cars (neighbor so and so bought so and so expensive car and how nice they are,) houses, entertainment center (my neighbor just got $20,000 home theatre installed and how much nice than my $5000 system,) and so forth and so on and how unhappy that they do not have these things. Having seen how majority of people elsewhere survived, I do not feel any urge to keep up with these materialistic competitions, if you will. <BR> <BR>Instead we only buy what is necessary, independent of what neighbors get. And spend money and time helping other disadvantaged people. I felt I get more longer lasting satisfaction helping people, rather than buying things which would get me depressed as soon as someonelse buys better things. In process, we were able to save money for other purposes. <BR>

kang

I visit China once every 2 to 3 years. I was always stunned by the incredible progress, both economically and socially, over the period since my prior visit. <BR> <BR>Many Chinese believe that the 21st century will be "the Chinese century". I don't know if that will be true but I do believe that China and the United States will be top two economic power houses and the most important countries in this new century, therefore the two countries and the two peoples must try hard to understand each other better. <BR> <BR>Living years in both countries, I have to say that comparing to Americans, Chinese have much better knowledge about America, her culture, her people, and her political structure. Unfortunately, many Americans simply refuse to look a little bit deeper into what is really going on in China and stick with the stereotype that is at least 10 years out of date. <BR> <BR>I don't think this thread is an appropriate place for this kind of political discussion. <BR> <BR>The world is a big book. To benefit the most from this book, the number one rule to follow is to keep an open mind. Peace. <BR> <BR>

xxx

Greg where do you live that people are so shallow?LOL. I don't know anyone competing in this capacity and I have lived in U.S for 40 years. She is talking about starving people and how this upset her not about keeping up with the latest electronics the neighbors have. Yikes I don't even know people that talk to their neighbors let alone compete with them. LOL I have a large family and noone lives like this LOL again. Something tells me that you don't live like this either and that this is a response at Dorthea's lack of sensativity, I agree she could have been more careful about how she expressed her distress but be direct Greg and tell her. Perhaps we can help her to see that doing something to help a disadvantaged person is much more positive than proclaiming so glad I don't live there.

NatTurner

Cindy, there are terrible human rights abuses in this country. Why are you chastising China when America has a long way to go to attain equal rights for all its citizens? If you think women, gays, blacks, latinos, and other ethnic minorities are as equal as the Christian white man in America, then you are as ignorant as Dorthea.

Arti

Dorthea, <BR>I agree that there is a lot of poverty in India. But I also know that there is much more to India than that. I am an Indian living in US & I definitely see the difference in lifestyles. <BR>Also you have sen just a part of India. There are millions of Indians, with huge homes, plenty of servants, cars, and all the other comforts that one can want. Staying in your room out of depression may have blinded you to this side of India. <BR>I feel so glad that I come from India, simply because I see so many Americans fussing over lil difficulties, like they are the end of the world. You tend to take all your comforts for granted. <BR>Perhaps the trip to India should teach you how fortunate you are to have what you have here. <BR>And inspite of everything I have here, I miss home terribly. I miss knowing my neighbors, miss my parents, my family, the culture, the respect for elders, the food... just about everything. <BR>Also, may I ask which city you visited? <BR>

Don

<BR>Arti: If both you and Dorthea's descriptions are accurate: <BR> <BR>"There are millions of Indians, with huge homes, plenty of servants, cars, and all the other comforts that one can want." <BR> <BR>Vs. <BR> <BR>"In one city we visited almost half the people lived on the street and people that had housing lacked running water, electricty, phone, etc and lived 20 people to a room." <BR> <BR>What kind of society is this?

Dorthea

I visited Bombay India. I can still smell it.

MrHerbertPocket

It is obvious by Dorthea's response that she is a troll. Pay her no heed. Anyone who would dismiss the beauty of India by a smell is a troglodite. There are hundreds of American cities that smell badly--including sections of the nation's capitol. Have you ever driven through sections of SW DC, Dorthea? It looks like Afghanistan.

Don

<BR>Mr. MrHerbertPocket: <BR> <BR>I am very curious about your experience of driving through Afghanistan. You much have done it otherwise you wouldn't have made such a terrible comparison. Please tell us more. <BR> <BR>For Arti: I am more interested in knowing how those "plenty of servants"s life look like. I guess you must come from one of those rich families in India. Is that really something to be so proud of?

MrHerberPocket

Don, never underestimate me. I have climbed Mount Everest, or as we say, Sagarmatha. Yes, I have been to Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Tibet, Laos, Cambodia, and Burma. Anyone who says that one should not travel to Bombay because it smells should visit Colonial Williamsburg--where they belong.

M Liddle

Stay in your crystal castle, fairy princess; <BR>The world outside's a dirty one; <BR>Dirty, and poor, and not so nice- <BR>Stay in your own little world, fairy princess; <BR>So what if it's only half the truth. <BR> <BR>And, Don: What sort of society is this? Well, apparently in many ways similar to places where millionaires can own private jets and go holidaying in Monte Carlo and Switzerland, while homeless people sleep in the subway... <BR>Wake up, there are haves and have nots the world over. Perhaps what really matters is that those who `have' should be sensitive to the needs of those who don't- and be grateful for what they do have. And travel's all about broadening horizons, isn't it? <BR>

M Liddle

Stay in your crystal castle, fairy princess; <BR>The world outside's a dirty one; <BR>Dirty, and poor, and not so nice- <BR>Stay in your own little world, fairy princess; <BR>So what if it's only half the truth. <BR> <BR>And, Don: What sort of society is this? Well, apparently in many ways similar to places where millionaires can own private jets and go holidaying in Monte Carlo and Switzerland, while homeless people sleep in the subway... <BR>Wake up, there are haves and have nots the world over. Perhaps what really matters is that those who `have' should be sensitive to the needs of those who don't- and be grateful for what they do have. And travel's all about broadening horizons, isn't it? <BR>

Jane

Dorthea, <BR> <BR>I've never heard more shallow comments on a Fodors column than that of yours. WHY DID YOU GO TO INDIA IN THE FIRST PLACE, IF ALL YOU WERE GOING TO DO WAS SIT IN YOUR COMFORTABLE HOTEL ROOM? <BR> <BR>YES, there is poverty beyond belief in India but don't judge the ENTIRE country based on this because there's also more good things than you can count. India is one of the richest countries in the world due to the wonderful culture, friendly & forgiving people(especially to rude foreigners like you). India is a country with traditions, values, & respect. Respect for travellers like you who come to the country only to look down upon the poverty, the people & the country. <BR> <BR>India & other third world countries are too sophisticated for your poor tastes. <BR>And NO I'm not an Indian & neither have I ever travelled to India. But I just can't stand ignorant people such as you, who can only discourage others to travel to a certain place. In my opinion, India is a heaven on Earth. <BR>

Kim

To the last poster: How do you know India is so great if you have never visited there? Dorthea saw India, which means something.

Jane

Kim, <BR> <BR>I've done extensive research on India & have studied its culture. I also have friends who visited the country & although they saw the poverty, they also managed to open their eyes to the beauty of India. <BR> <BR>I don't claim to be some expert Kim, but when a person ventures to a different country, the least they can do, is research the place & once Dorothy arrived to India, rather than complaining & sitting in her hotel room, she should have opened her mind & experienced the place, even if that part of the world was different than what she was used to. If Dorthea can't handle seeing the good and the bad sides of the world outside the comforts of her own country & home, she shouldn't try & become an adventerous traveller next time.

Don

<BR>Jane: I agree with your view regarding traveling in third world countries. From Dorthea's comments, I don't think she is really interested in India's rich history, culture, religion and in general the society. So she probably shouldn't be going there in the first place. <BR> <BR>Based on my own experience, however, I do understand what she said "I could not take it. I could not leave the hotel and waited in my comfortable room for the trip to finish." Quite a few people in my group felt the same way; for them, it was not any lack of concerns for the unfortunates, it was just too much to handle by just thinking about the scene outside the hotels. <BR> <BR>I have traveled a few third world countries. When I finished my visit to India, flankly, I felt depressed and I couldn't see much hope for a brighter future. India is a very interesting place with lots of resources and problems, but the lack of will/motivation among so many people to improve their life, the environment, and the country, in my view, is what makes visitors feel discouraged. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>