SaylerT

I could not sleep without
God Bless us all
God please watch over beloved
Pope Francis
Our world needs this beloved Holy Father.
I have seen with my own eyes the love and change his eyes and words have
made in a short time.

God Please Bless us all with tour love
And protect the Holy Father Pope Francis
For he has reinforced my faith

otherchelebi

i can see that it is difficult for some people to distinguish between pure objective observation and an ideological and emotional context of their perceptions.

Some see objective observation with no value judgements as a criticism of their adopted values and way of life.

Please look back and see that many posters have written what they have observed or thought and with absolutely no value judgements.

If some decide that this is a good chance for them to proselyte. So be it. But I hope that the foreign reader does not think that Americans are generally full of religious missionary zeal and love to advertise their beliefs or try to convert others.

In all my time in the United States nobody attempted to convert me even when I gave a few speeches at churches in Denver as a foreign student in the 1960s because I liked to speak even then and because that meant a free dinner and a $5 fee.My subjects had nothing to do with religion but received interest.

And for a more detailed perspective, please read my trip report covering seven or eight States and some interesting meetings with people you may know or feel like you know or wish you would know :

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...pilgrimage.cfm

What the older traveler learns is that each place one visits is unique to the visitor and that uniqueness, whether it is a very personal one or one based on common knowledge, is what makes the trip enjoyable.

A traveler does not compare or criticize, just gathers up images, feelings, impressions, observations and stores them to share with himself or with others if and when it is possible.

Traveling in the United States is great fun, but remember, it is you who will make it enjoyable and not the people you meet and the places you visit even if they are the best or worst that your organizational and planning ability can arrange for you.

Here are some more pointers :

Driving is extremely easy, except for the signage and the long distances between motorway exits sometimes or the fact that some motorway exits are just that, exits and will not allow you to to get back on the motorway again.

The problem with driving is that in America is that in most States the scenery is very dull, the route is too straight, the road is extremely monotonous' meaning, you will feel tired and sleepy quicker than you would as opposed to driving most countries in Europe.

Other drivers follow traffic rules and regulations very well and expect that you will also and can be extremely upset if you make stupid stops or find yourself in the wrong lane for turns when trying to find your way around due to a faulty companion, memory, or GPS which has somehow avoided being recalled.

AND, very importantly, except for New Yorkers and recent immigrants, Americans are the best of all people I've met who follow the tenet, "innocent until proven guilty" and will trust you with no reservations. I cannot praise this characteristic sufficiently, especially coming from a culture where only about 10% of the population admit that they trust their neighbours and relatives.

starrs

Excellent post, WeisserTee.

Fra_Diavolo

Weisser Tee --

"Fra Diavalo, please explain how these beliefs count as "prejudices." "

I was referring to the sort of one-off churches led by self-ordained ministers which are prevalent throughout the rural and southern U.S., such as the Westboro Baptist Church. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

While not all are as malevolent, not all are led by people of good will.

starrs

" led by self-ordained ministers which are prevalent throughout the rural and southern U.S"

This kind of comment drives me crazy. Weirdo churches are all over. The last one in the news was located New Hartford, NY. They are every bit as weird as Westboro. Larger though. Westboro is one family living in a compound in Tulsa, OK - and most of the family has left the "church". The NY weirdos are living in an old school and have more "members" than Westboro.

http://www.syracuse.com/crime/index....ual_canni.html

annhig

>

with respect , Weisser Tee, that's a false comparison.You are comparing apples and pears when you judge Belgium v the US & Canada. Instead you should look at Europe which is the size [roughly] of the US - the vast majority of Europeans are far more interested in what is happening in the US/China/ /Australia than the average american is in what goes on in Europe or the rest of the world. You can see this if you just watch US news - the vast majority of it is about american issues, whereas virtually any UK news broadcast will contain a much higher proportion of foreign news.

>

France, Italy and Spain all contain all of those [the UK not so much] yet the french, italians and spanish all learn foreign languages and travel. And language learning has got nothing to do with an enthusiasm for travel - Brits are notoriously bad at it, the Dutch brilliant, yet the inhabitants of both countries are avid travellers.

I can understand why americans are somewhat insular, but I don't think that it's anything to be proud of.

IMDonehere

By 2050, more than half of Americans will be people of color. And while most industrialized countries will have a severe aging problem by 2050, the US will not because of immigration. The aging problem is one of population replacement. For example, Japan has on the the worst where by 2050, they will have 25% less people and they will have more people over 85 than under the age of 3.

So a visitor, will see a country in change. And as Ann noted how will do you kno

American isolation is both a strength and a weakness. It has prevented our country from becoming a battle ground in major wars in which we fought, but at the same time, there is not an urgent need to learn foreign languages or cultures. And yes, there is an air of superiority for many over Mexico.

But, our border with Canada is the longest border in the world without a military presence. As we share a common heritage, basically speak the same language, steal their comics, and MANY Americans think of themselves as white Christian (as in Protestant) countries.


The issue of religion is curious. Richard Hofstadter in his 1963 Pulitzer Prize award winning book Anti-intellectualism in American Life states this characteristic began with the Puritans and is not a recent development.

As the world knows we have affinity for producing cultural garbage in mass quantities, middle brow entertainment, and literary fiction, world class dance and music groups. That is because our wealth allows us a portion of the population to spend time in these pursuits and disposable income supports it.

Probably our most important export is pop culture and movies as it gives the world, at once, a better understanding of us and a false one.

While there is a segment of the population who scorn intellectuals, the US

There is a rise of the number of atheists in the country and Hispanic Evangelicals. The

IMDonehere

Yikes, I accidentally hit the wrong button. Sorry there will be some typos.

As for Ann, yes you will see a country in a transformation, as are many countries around the world, so it a time to remember for comparison rather than one for permanent impressions.

Dianedancer

annhig - As for Europeans supposedly being avid travelers and Americans not so much, I would suspect that traveling from France to Spain or the Netherlands, etc. is a bit cheaper for Europeans as a whole, than someone from the Midwest in USA traveling to those countries. It takes much longer and is much more expensive. IOW, more difficult.

I remember some member of a European band (sorry, can't remember the name), telling the story of how he and his mates got in a car in Arizona and had to drive to Texas for their next gig. He was amazed that after 8 hours of driving when he got out, people still spoke the same language! It was very funny.

otherchelebi

It is not only the actual distance but the perception of distance and the perception of cultural distance that keep the Americans away in addition to the very short annual leave they are granted by their employers.

annhig

annhig - As for Europeans supposedly being avid travelers and Americans not so much, I would suspect that traveling from France to Spain or the Netherlands, etc. is a bit cheaper for Europeans as a whole, than someone from the Midwest in USA traveling to those countries. It takes much longer and is much more expensive. IOW, more difficult.>>

diane - that may well be true now, but brits and the dutch have always travelled, hence their empires. and travel by europeans is how the modern americas, north and south, came into being.

travelgourmet

diane - that may well be true now, but brits and the dutch have always travelled, hence their empires.

A) I think you have causation backwards.
B) Going to Mallorca or Malaga to lay about in the sun is more likely the result of a vitamin D deficiency, rather than some deep-rooted cultural affinity for exploring the world.

Dianedancer

travelgoumet -Very funny!

And I doubt the British Empire started with Brits traveling. I think the armies took over and then the tourists followed.

The Europeans who came here centuries ago were running away from Europe. I doubt it was for the love of traveling.

IMDonehere

Using that logic, Genghis Khan was a great tourist who killed 10% of the world's population when his tea was not served properly. Preceded my Alexander who made some of hid tourists marry the locals.

november_moon

"The Europeans who came here centuries ago were running away from Europe. I doubt it was for the love of traveling."

LOL.

Yeah, it was more of an "OMG, this place is terrible. Let's get on a tiny boat, sail off into the unknown and if we make it to __________ (fill in the blank with some far-flung place in the Empire), hopefully we'll be able to survive the first few winters, not starve to death, and make a new life for ourselves"

kleeblatt

If you've ever been to the Rigi in Switzerland, you will probably have heard of how it was a huge tourist magnet at the turn of the century. Huge hotels existed and tourists were coming from all over.

Travel and immigrating should not be confused. Europeans (especially the affluent) have enjoyed travelling for centuries.

Just ask Mark Twain.

travelgourmet

Travel and immigrating should not be confused.

Nor should travel patterns from the turn of the century and today.

Europeans (especially the affluent) have enjoyed travelling for centuries.

Well that isn't really true. I mean, the idea that affluent people are more likely to travel (and have been more likely to travel) is true, but the idea that Europeans, in general, "have enjoyed travelling <internationally> for centuries" is not really true.

If you've ever been to the Rigi in Switzerland, you will probably have heard of how it was a huge tourist magnet at the turn of the century. Huge hotels existed and tourists were coming from all over.

And the same is true of many places in the US and Canada. Indeed, I would note that Rigi fits perfectly into the statement "Americans don't have to leave their homeland to find tropical beaches AND ski resorts AND wine regions AND large cities and museums, all world class." Why would Americans travel to Rigi when they can go to their own mountain resorts, unless they are evading taxes or laundering money?

annhig

And I doubt the British Empire started with Brits traveling. I think the armies took over and then the tourists followed.>>

Ever heard of the British East India company?

travelgourmet

And I doubt the British Empire started with Brits traveling. I think the armies took over and then the tourists followed.>>

Ever heard of the British East India company?

Was the British East India Company a travel agency?

IMDonehere

Was the British East India Company a travel agency?
____
Most travel agencies do not have private armies.