[mels]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

He looked at me (I swear to god) and said “There’s an ocean in the Carolina's.

Yikes. That isn't insular, that is plain ol' uneducated. I weep for anyone who can't fill out a blank map of the United States.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

Good post.

Having traveled all of the USA (and Europe as well) I’ve learned that everyone thinks the same way in most places. There are people who live in all 50 states that think their region is the best and have such a sense of elitism that you almost have to bite your tongue (hard) not to laugh in their face when they are talking to you.

To be honest (brutally honest), they real problem is there is a lack of people who are well traveled and cosmopolitan today, especially in the United States. In the USA, for every one well traveled person who knows about other regions (and may have traveled there)….there are ten people who have lived in the same town there whole life, never leaving the state they live, with little or no knowledge (other than absurd old fashioned stereotypes) of most regions other than their own. This is a problem in all 50 states. The sad demographic truth is that as the more educated, mobile, well traveled folks move to the big cities in every area of the country (North, South, East, West), they increasingly leave behind more and more insular, poorly traveled people who have warped or severely old fashioned views on the different geographic areas on the country.

You might find this funny (you live in NC)….for twenty years we went on family vacations to the Outer Banks, North Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head...etc. One day my neighbor (who never has left CT in 45 years and is the typical insular CT native) asked what do we do when we go to the Carolina's on vacation? I said we go to the beach, spend time on the ocean, surf, eat at the food stands on the beach, hike in the huge dunes, watch to sun come up over the ocean…etc. He looked at me (I swear to god) and said “There’s an ocean in the Carolina's.

I have seen it, every place where I have lived.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

Good post.

Having traveled all of the USA (and Europe as well) I’ve learned that everyone thinks the same way in most places. There are people who live in all 50 states that think their region is the best and have such a sense of elitism that you almost have to bite your tongue (hard) not to laugh in their face when they are talking to you.

To be honest (brutally honest), they real problem is there is a lack of people who are well traveled and cosmopolitan today, especially in the United States. In the USA, for every one well traveled person who knows about other regions (and may have traveled there)….there are ten people who have lived in the same town there whole life, never leaving the state they live, with little or no knowledge (other than absurd old fashioned stereotypes) of most regions other than their own. This is a problem in all 50 states. The sad demographic truth is that as the more educated, mobile, well traveled folks move to the big cities in every area of the country (North, South, East, West), they increasingly leave behind more and more insular, poorly traveled people who have warped or severely old fashioned views on the different geographic areas on the country.

You might find this funny (you live in NC)….for twenty years we went on family vacations to the Outer Banks, North Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head...etc. One day my neighbor (who never has left CT in 45 years and is the typical insular CT native) asked what do we do when we go to the Carolina's on vacation? I said we go to the beach, spend time on the ocean, surf, eat at the food stands on the beach, hike in the huge dunes, watch to sun come up over the ocean…etc. He looked at me (I swear to god) and said “There’s an ocean in the Carolina's.

And that's because America as a society DISCOURAGES traveling and vacations more than any other. Most European (and many developed democratic Asian) nations LEGISLATE a minimum paid vacation, and getting anywhere from 3 to up to 6 weeks/year is often considered a "societal norm"; even the management of most European companies would consider their employees having any less to be the equivalent of what we in the U.S. would call "un-American".

Whereas here, to get more than 2 weeks, you have to work at the same company for many many years (something that is harder to do than ever), and even then, many companies don't do that (though until the 1990s, that was still the normal policy at least at most Fortune 500 firms). And when you do get a paid vacation of 1-2 weeks, there's often (more than ever) more and more pressure NOT to take it to keep your job. The only exception to this really is if you are a schoolteacher, while your vacation is at set times and you very well may be planning lessons, going to seminars or doing other "work at home" kind of things, it's still more time off to travel than the average American worker (I have a neighbor couple with kids who are a teacher and school guidance counselor respectively, and they travel like crazy all summer).

Unfortunately, we more and more "live to work" (as most Third World societies do), while the rest of the developed world "works to live" like it should be.

[itsallcrystlclr]

Originally Posted by CTartist&musician

This thread topic made me think of my cousin who just retired to Arizona. He is posting pictures on Facebook of his thermometer over 110 degrees. I said to him "that is crazy, why don't you come home". This was his reply "you don't have to shovel 110 degree heat". Everyone has their own version of happiness. Mine happens to be the CT coastline and NYC. I still think my cousin is crazy out there in Arizona though

Ha. That really made me laugh. I currently work in Perris, CA, about an hour north of San Diego. Yesterday it was 107 degrees.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by itsallcrystlclr

Ha. That really made me laugh. I currently work in Perris, CA, about an hour north of San Diego. Yesterday it was 107 degrees.

Mid-70s here today. Along the coast mid-60s today.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by Don998

It actually depends on person, personally I really cannot stand 4 summer reasons like California. I mean dont you get bored of same hot weather for 3 years straight? 5 years? no ? 10 years? all your life?

Tell me about it.

My answer to the question the OP asks is that you can be sane and yet too young and inexperienced with the rest of the country to know any better. That was my story 40 years ago.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by Off-beat

Alright, I appreciate that some of you have considered the possibility that I was being sarcastic, but the original post contains no sarcasm.

The winter here is charming. If you disagree then no one's stopping you from relocating to the deep south where the heat is unbearable from May to October.

Indeed, and it is that and the best, most intelligent people that I miss the most.

[DanBev]

Sounds like someone who has had to many drinks.

[El Scorcho]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

And that's because America as a society DISCOURAGES traveling and vacations more than any other. Most European (and many developed democratic Asian) nations LEGISLATE a minimum paid vacation, and getting anywhere from 3 to up to 6 weeks/year is often considered a "societal norm"; even the management of most European companies would consider their employees having any less to be the equivalent of what we in the U.S. would call "un-American".

Which European countries have you actually lived in? I can't speak for Asia, but I lived and worked in several European countries and worked for European companies, and I can tell you that "legislation" is very often far from "reality," especially for employees who want to advance up the ladder. Also, the work days in the countries I lived in are MUCH longer than those I have experienced here. Especially the attitude that you don't leave before the boss.

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Whereas here, to get more than 2 weeks, you have to work at the same company for many many years (something that is harder to do than ever), and even then, many companies don't do that (though until the 1990s, that was still the normal policy at least at most Fortune 500 firms). And when you do get a paid vacation of 1-2 weeks, there's often (more than ever) more and more pressure NOT to take it to keep your job. The only exception to this really is if you are a schoolteacher, while your vacation is at set times and you very well may be planning lessons, going to seminars or doing other "work at home" kind of things, it's still more time off to travel than the average American worker (I have a neighbor couple with kids who are a teacher and school guidance counselor respectively, and they travel like crazy all summer).

Not true in my experience. My wife got 21 days (four work weeks, plus several half days and 'floating' holidays [i.e. Federal holidays that you don't get off per se, but that you can take off later in lieu of the actual holiday]). And that was without negotiating more. I bet she could have gotten more, but since she was new in the country and it was her first job offer, she didn't press for more.

Life is not always greener in 'Europe.' In one country that I worked, if you took two weeks off in a row, you had to deduct the adjoining weekends from your vacation days. You might take ten days off, but you lose 14.

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

Unfortunately, we more and more "live to work" (as most Third World societies do), while the rest of the developed world "works to live" like it should be.

Can you explain this more?

Thanks.

El Scorcho

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by El Scorcho

Which European countries have you actually lived in? I can't speak for Asia, but I lived and worked in several European countries and worked for European companies, and I can tell you that "legislation" is very often far from "reality," especially for employees who want to advance up the ladder. Also, the work days in the countries I lived in are MUCH longer than those I have experienced here. Especially the attitude that you don't leave before the boss.



Not true in my experience. My wife got 21 days (four work weeks, plus several half days and 'floating' holidays [i.e. Federal holidays that you don't get off per se, but that you can take off later in lieu of the actual holiday]). And that was without negotiating more. I bet she could have gotten more, but since she was new in the country and it was her first job offer, she didn't press for more.

Life is not always greener in 'Europe.' In one country that I worked, if you took two weeks off in a row, you had to deduct the adjoining weekends from your vacation days. You might take ten days off, but you lose 14.




Can you explain this more?

Thanks.

El Scorcho

My personal experience is with the UK. I worked about 20 years ago for a couple of years with the small US branch of a British company and there (but not in our office) they got 3 weeks to begin with and 4 weeks after 5 years, 5 weeks after 10 years, etc. I liasoned (and occasionally visited) that office a lot and they took all their vacation and the culture was NOT one that discouraged vacations. My wife worked for several years for the US HQ of Virgin Atlantic Airways in Norwalk, and she too both liasoned with and visited "world" corporate a lot and they had the same thing (granted, an airline would encourage vacations, and though she only got 2 weeks here (3 weeks after 5 years), the "culture" here did not discourage taking your vacation time).

I have an uncle that did the same deal (worked for small US office of a European company and visited the "home" office often), but with a French company from the 1960s to just after 2000 and he said it was even more "loose" vacation-wise with the office in France, they got 6 weeks from the get-go.

It's funny what you say about "not leaving before the boss" and long work hours, etc. because from my experience and talking to others, I've seen a lot more of that in the US than elsewhere, nowadays even to some extent more than Japan and South Korea. I will say that to some extent from what I've seen (especially now compared to a couple of decades ago) what you say is true about the UK ("legislation" vs. "reality") but it's much less true about France, Germany, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries, etc.