Europeans and Americans: Different standards
Dec 30th, 2001, 05:55 AM
#24
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Now, boys and girls. Play nice! Gee! wouldn't that be great! 6 weeks vacation and only 30 hours a week at work. Wonderful. Time to stop and smell the roses or even enjoy life a little instead of rushing off to guzzle oil in those SUV's and keeping up with the neighbors. But then, I guess the labour unions in America will still try to protect the slackers and non-workers with the three cars, pools and who work hardly to pay those credit card bills every month. You only have to look at (smell or even hear) the cattle car section of any of the planes to see the kind of Americans who have found the Caribbean. Traveling has changed. Sure there are those islands where people go to lower the standard of living in the timeshares since they own a place in the Caribbiean - ha! They love trucking their hot dogs in the coolers and eating at Dunkin' Donuts or where Sbarro is the best I-talian dining but then, that's the way they live at home so maybe they are lowering nothing. It's a treat to see the beer guzzling start at 9 am and littering the water with the empties, watching the brain dead flock to the telly to make sure they don't miss the current football game and look at the history as old and dirty. Better we should all stay in the boring American hotels that are decorated exactly the same world wide and whose food is fast frozen in the US and reheated when it gets on island. Reminds them of the suburbs and trailer parks at home. Then there is the cheap American who finds the cheapest spot just to go so he can say he did but complains the whole time because it is a budget place that he can barely afford to stay at yet expects everyone to bow down and be thankful that he has arrived. After all, they worked hard for that money. Yup, there are different standards. Thankfully.
Dec 30th, 2001, 01:39 PM
#26
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To XXXXX: Sorry to burst your self absorbed bubble but these words of yours: <BR><BR>"I am a middle class American. I have a 14 room house with a swimming pool and a three car garage. I own a Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang GT Convertible, and a AWD Chrysler Town & Country."<BR><BR>I hate to break the news but this is not the definition of a middle class American. The definition of middle class American is more like:<BR><BR>"Both husband and wife working to make ends meet, two car payments on a Ford Taurus and (take your pick on brand) mini van in which to tote around the 2+ children and dog, heavy credit card bills, large mortgage on a 3 bedroom home, 7 room home, etc"....you get the drift?!!!!<BR><BR>You probably don't you moron!!!!!
Dec 30th, 2001, 04:21 PM
#27
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Who is the moron? Tapped out on the credit cards, huge mortgage payment, payments for two cars and both wife and husband have to work to make ends meet, right? And going to the Carib for a vacation? Guess we know who the moron is because if you are just making ends meet, you are not cruising off to the islands - or you are a moron!
Jan 1st, 2002, 05:34 PM
#28
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Why are people more interested in dumping on this fellow than in exploring whether the differences he perceives actually exist and, if they do, why? THAT would be interesting. But I suppose political correctness must rule until it, too, goes out of favor. IMHO he is right that if people are applying very different standards to the query `Is this a good holiday spot? then the board is a lot less useful.
Jan 2nd, 2002, 08:16 AM
#32
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To: XXXXX<BR><BR>I didn't say that what I described as a "middle class American" applied to me. I am very comfortable, thank you, and can easily afford trips to the Caribbean. I'm just saying that what you described as a "middle class American"......a 14 room home with a swimming pool, a three car garage, Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang Convertible, etc...... is NOT the definition of a "middle class American" and it shows you have your head in the clouds!!!!!
Jan 2nd, 2002, 09:51 AM
#33
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Very few Americans are truly wealthy and when I hear that stereotype, I have to respond. The typical middle-class is the norm just as Anon described, and there are many that are truly poor as well, not knowing where their next meal will come from. <BR><BR>We save and spend a lot of money for a vacation. Compared to Europeans, we get less vacation time. While I don't expect perfection, I don't expect to get ripped off either. I am American but I am in no way spoiled (had to work hard all my life as did my parents). I treat everyone I meet with the utmost respect and I'm kind until I have good reason not to be. I don't know where this "ugly american" term comes into play. Nobody I know is like that.
Jan 3rd, 2002, 03:53 PM
#36
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Absolutely Different Standards....<BR><BR>Americans have way larger living spaces perperson than anywhere in the world. We also have larger closet spaces because we own way more clothes. King sized beds are unknown outside the US.<BR><BR>Americans are the only people in the world where working class people have swimming pools in their own homes.<BR><BR>Americans eat better than anywhere. The best group of restaurants of all types in the world can be found in New York City.<BR><BR>Other than Orientals Americans work harder than anybody. The work certainly has its rewards.<BR><BR>There are very few countries that have beautiful unpopulated places like the US.<BR><BR>We have better cars. McDonalds employees have private cars. Where else in the world can the working class have a private car?<BR><BR>That is why everybody in the world wants to come here and live and prosper.<BR><BR>That is why Americans are unimpressed when they go on vacation to a place worse than their own home.<BR><BR>Beds are worse, cars are worse, restaurants are worse, etc...<BR><BR>That is why we are critical because unless you spend a ton of money you will have a higher standard at home.<BR><BR>I go on vacation to see other places, not to improve my situation for a week or two.
Jan 3rd, 2002, 05:56 PM
#37
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You are so full of yourself! <BR>King sized beds, closets, bigger living spaces - bigger mortgages, more debt, keeping up with the neighbors<BR>Working class people don't have pools or they have above ground ones. Middle class people have inground pools because they have bigger mortgages <BR>Although New York has zillions of restaurants and many wonderful ones, the average american diet consists of delivered pizzas, frozen dinners (just to loose weight of course) and fast food fat! Check those who think Sbarro is great Italian on Aruba! Or head to MikeyD's because the children love it. Why wouldn't they love it? That's all they get. <BR>Our better cars are made in all countries except our own. Even our own are assembled elsewhere. But we do insist on the gas guzzlers, the SUV's and Minivans and have the car payments to prove it. And the poor MickeyD worker can get a loan at 20% to buy the disposbable one that needs to be replaced in 3 years because you can't afford to buy it, so you lease it. <BR>Of course, people want to come here to live from the Third World. The illegals flock here and send the money back home because they can do the menial labor that Americans refuse to do and be paid well, according to their standards. To catagorize any island or its people as worse than what we experience at home is bigoted. Yes, America is great and has opportunity for some but your class conciousness is showing more than your birthday suit on a c/o beach! The difference between a tourist and a traveler is quite evident by your post. James Michner said, "If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home." People like you need to stay home rather than looking down your long pompus nose at other countries! Maybe a country doesn't have the material things that Americans have but suspect they have a stronger sense of value and what's important in life!
Jan 3rd, 2002, 07:07 PM
#38
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To Anon regarding this quote:<BR><BR>"The best group of restaurants of all types in the world can be found in<BR>New York City".<BR><BR>I suppose the smartest people in the world also reside in NYC. Please!!!!<BR>There are fabulous restaurants all over the world.<BR><BR>
Jan 4th, 2002, 03:14 AM
#39
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This has got to be the most useless, stupid thread I have read in a while on Fodors. I am totally regreting even reading it, let alone responding. <BR><BR>Why argue over something that has NO point? The bottomline is this: There are idiots, jerks, & a-holes from all races, countries, and religions....period!!
