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Unfortunately I know many Americans who live less than 5-6 hours drive from the Canadian border who has never been to Canada even though all of them would love to visit, especially Montreal/Quebec City and Niagara Falls. Passport requirement is a major issue.
Wow, I had no idea of this. It just goes to show how insular most Americans are, if getting a passport (a one-time thing!) is a major issue for them. I wonder if they would like a taste of my life - having been born in a Third World country and now living in a small city in Canada, I have to fly to either Toronto or Vancouver each time to get a visa for just about every country I want to visit. If all the money I've spent on visas (including travel to the aforementioned cities, pay cuts for taking days off work, and the visas themselves) had been invested in stocks, I'd have made $100K by now.
Yet, despite being so sheltered, so privileged and so un-worldly, Americans look down on those who start off with a disadvantage but manage to make things work. Amazing.
I've been to the U.S a few times but I have no desire to visit again. It's an arrogant nation full of mostly arrogant people who have not seen the world.
According to the US State Department's web site, only 30 percent of US citizens hold a valid passport. In Canada, that number is about 70 percent. Could that explain the difference ?
In my family and circle of friends, I can't think of any one who has NOT been to the States. I spent a total of four years in the US, while serving in the CF, on training exchange programs. Some of the odd ball questions that I was asked by US service members were laughable in their ignorance. I mean ignorance as in "they had no idea at all ". Even the simple stuff like what is the currency called in Canada ?
If it were not for the foreign bases that the US military has to send people to...........Many Americans would have never left the country, at all.
Jim b. In Toronto.
Probably a geographical difference. Since you're in Toronto you're closer to the main spots in the U.S. where everyone travels to, especially to shop for the Christmas season. Meanwhile in the prairies while a lot of people still visit the U.S., I can count quite a few people who have never been there. Especially those living in the more rural parts of the prairies.
I believe over 30 % CDN citizens dont own a passport thus have no access to the US, add to that folks like GM10 who likely owns one to travel elsewhere.
I know plenty who havent crossed our southern border ever since a passport has been required and more still who swear they will never venture down there again.
Wow, I had no idea of this. It just goes to show how insular most Americans are, if getting a passport (a one-time thing!) is a major issue for them. I wonder if they would like a taste of my life - having been born in a Third World country and now living in a small city in Canada, I have to fly to either Toronto or Vancouver each time to get a visa for just about every country I want to visit. If all the money I've spent on visas (including travel to the aforementioned cities, pay cuts for taking days off work, and the visas themselves) had been invested in stocks, I'd have made $100K by now.
Yet, despite being so sheltered, so privileged and so un-worldly, Americans look down on those who start off with a disadvantage but manage to make things work. Amazing.
I've been to the U.S a few times but I have no desire to visit again. It's an arrogant nation full of mostly arrogant people who have not seen the world.
After this I look down on you too and I am no American....talk about arrogance
After this I look down on you too and I am no American....talk about arrogance
Arrogance begets arrogance, something you clearly can't comprehend. I have had plenty of negative experiences with Americans to feel the way I do. It's not something I was born with. On the contrary, my mom is constantly waxing poetic about how great America is (despite never having been there) and I always need to correct her.
You stand in my shoes for a year and then I may consider your opinion. Until then, NEXT!
I've been to the U.S a few times but I have no desire to visit again. It's an arrogant nation full of mostly arrogant people who have not seen the world.
Quite contrary, my experience with US was opposite. In the state of Colorado at least. Joyful people and warm in their hearts and welcoming foreigners and very helpful. 300 days of sunshine per year will definitely affect peoples' hearts and soul.
By comparison, Canada (Montreal, Waterloo, Toronto) felt like a woman "walking with a stick in her ass", if I'm allowed to express myself more vividly. Arrogant and cold. And people almost always "keeping the distance".
In fact Canada alone is a more interesting place than the U.S. People who have only been in North America don't know what they're missing.
Yeah ok. You say Canada is more interesting than the USA, you have never been to the US, how do you know that? If Americans were consuming Canadian culture, as much as Canadians take in American movies, music, food, automobiles, clothing, literature, sports etc etc etc etc etc...I might agree with you.
Secondly, you say North America like its all the same. There are many interesting places in the world, but USA offers a diversity of destinations that are close to us and less expensive than travelling to other places, sorry I don't have the money to fly to Europe or Asia a few times a year, thats great that you do......In America there are things we simply can't see or do in Canada, and the weather in many places is much better. North America is actually a diverse place, there are many things to see and do.
If for some reason, god forbid I was forbidden to travel to the USA, I would be devastated. it would also be harder to get flights to Latin America, since I wouldn't have the option to make more connections in the U.S. For me personally it would be awful.
Yeah ok. You say Canada is more interesting than the USA, you have never been to the US, how do you know that? If Americans were consuming Canadian culture, as much as Canadians take in American movies, music, food, automobiles, clothing, literature, sports etc etc etc etc etc...I might agree with you.
Secondly, you say North America like its all the same. There are many interesting places in the world, but USA offers a diversity of destinations that are close to us and less expensive than travelling to other places, sorry I don't have the money to fly to Europe or Asia a few times a year, thats great that you do......In America there are things we simply can't see or do in Canada, and the weather in many places is much better. North America is actually a diverse place, there are many things to see and do.
If for some reason, god forbid I was forbidden to travel to the USA, I would be devastated. it would also be harder to get flights to Latin America, since I wouldn't have the option to make more connections in the U.S. For me personally it would be awful.
I think this sums it up for most of us Canadians.
I've travelled extensively throughout Europe, the British Isles, the Caribbean and to some other places off the beaten path like Iceland and Mexico.
I have become of an age where travel for adventure has been supplanted with travel for comfort and convenience. The whole of North America offers up the former in spades while the U.S. offers up the latter in a quantity that more readily satisfies my needs and wants now.
I have been confronted with measures of arrogance, rudeness, even outright dislike of foreigners without knowing me as an individual in many places I've travelled. HOWEVER; I've also been presented with kindness, warmth, camaraderie, affability, and friendships that endure to this day from all of my chosen destinations.
The U.S. has it's share of boors as does every other country, including Canada, but all of those wonderful characteristics mentioned exist in the U.S. to a degree that would challenge anywhere else on the planet.
Every barrel has some bad apples but you don't deny yourself from liking apples.
The key to foreign travel is to leave your prejudice at home and open yourself up to looking at things from a different perspective than your norm. Put the bad experience in a category of "chit happens" and move on to experience a neat happenstance within the very next heartbeat.
From the guy that climbs down a ladder from replacing marley tile roofing in Manchester to climb into his car and lead me out of a spaghetti junction nightmare with no thanks being accepted; to the folks in Cloudcroft NM., who saddled up and made sure we were comfortable in our RV while waiting for a blizzard to pass over, taking us out for an evening meal and providing us with a heat strip for our water supply line.
Wonderful experiences are waiting just around the next bend in the road wherever you travel in the U.S. just as surely as they are in Canada.
You do now. I'm a Canadian who has never stepped foot in the U.S. There really is no need though... Like the the poster said there are way more interesting places to go to in the world than the U.S. In fact Canada alone is a more interesting place than the U.S. People who have only been in North America don't know what they're missing.
Yes geography plays a huge part. In Vancouver the suburbs go right up to the border. As for need, no there is no need to go except for pleasure.
Years ago there was a " need " in a way. It used to be that pubs and bars were not open in B.C. on Sundays.
Blaine, Washington had a bar called The Breakers that was full of Canadians on Sundays.
Now I don't go to Seattle nearly as much...maybe once every couple of years. If I go it's because of a concert or show that isn't coming to Vancouver and Seattle is fun for a change of pace. It's different than Vancouver regardless what some think. It's downtown etc has a very American feel. We go for the same reasons people from Seattle come up to Vancouver for the weekend.
For some it's not an either or. I'm lucky enough that I can travel to the US or anywhere and do. There are certain things that every country offers and you shouldn't just write off the US. Of course it depends on your interests.
I've travelled extensively throughout Europe, the British Isles, the Caribbean and to some other places off the beaten path like Iceland and Mexico.
I have become of an age where travel for adventure has been supplanted with travel for comfort and convenience. The whole of North America offers up the former in spades while the U.S. offers up the latter in a quantity that more readily satisfies my needs and wants now.
I have been confronted with measures of arrogance, rudeness, even outright dislike of foreigners without knowing me as an individual in many places I've travelled. HOWEVER; I've also been presented with kindness, warmth, camaraderie, affability, and friendships that endure to this day from all of my chosen destinations.
The U.S. has it's share of boors as does every other country, including Canada, but all of those wonderful characteristics mentioned exist in the U.S. to a degree that would challenge anywhere else on the planet.
Every barrel has some bad apples but you don't deny yourself from liking apples.
The key to foreign travel is to leave your prejudice at home and open yourself up to looking at things from a different perspective than your norm. Put the bad experience in a category of "chit happens" and move on to experience a neat happenstance within the very next heartbeat.
From the guy that climbs down a ladder from replacing marley tile roofing in Manchester to climb into his car and lead me out of a spaghetti junction nightmare with no thanks being accepted; to the folks in Cloudcroft NM., who saddled up and made sure we were comfortable in our RV while waiting for a blizzard to pass over, taking us out for an evening meal and providing us with a heat strip for our water supply line.
Wonderful experiences are waiting just around the next bend in the road wherever you travel in the U.S. just as surely as they are in Canada.
Just wanted to say great post quickly before I sign off. Always nice to see a post that is a change of pace from the typical 3rd grade stupidity that seems to have hit a new level on this forum. Happy New Year!
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Yeah ok. You say Canada is more interesting than the USA, you have never been to the US, how do you know that? If Americans were consuming Canadian culture, as much as Canadians take in American movies, music, food, automobiles, clothing, literature, sports etc etc etc etc etc...I might agree with you.
