Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And to be honest, I don't know anybody who can just blow thousands in Vegas or Walt Disney world in this economic climate. I might go to Great America for an afternoon in the summer or be able to take a few days to visit relatives, but even taking the type of vacations you're talking about in America are becoming obsolete, because of the job climate.
Somebody is going to those places though, because when I look at domestic travel destinations and search for hotel rooms for possible trips, many places are often fully booked up... People are saying that in this economy nobody goes out any more, but it seems like while it maybe numbers have declined, whenever I go on a trip domestically or to a show or sporting event there's still a ton of people out and about.
But I think I highlighted America's more materialist mindset... Can't go on a vacation, have to have new clothes first!
BTW passports are for 10 years... that is a whopping 15 bucks a year to be able to travel overseas.
No. What you highlighted is that it's not so easy as just "I want to go to Europe today. I'm going now".
Not everybody can afford to go, first of all, and not everybody has the free time to actually prepare for it and then do it. That's an unfortunate reality for people with little job stability.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lake County IN
Yeah, but once again, how much time does it take to become immersed in another country. It's a ***** to travel thousands of miles. You would need at least a good 2 or 3 weeks to truly become immersed in someplace and experience all of that cultural stuff. A few days isn't going to cut it and like I said, only highly paid, specialized Americans get a month or more off from work to go and play around places, the rest of us don't want to spend 1 or 2 days traveling on the way there and back, with only 3 or 4 days to see the sights without the time to get used to the cultural differences.
At least if I go to Las Vegas, I'm in my country where I speak the language, and so does just about everybody else, I can be back home in about 2 or 3 hours by plane, I can see the sights for a few hundred bucks without worries about conversion rates and different laws and stuff like that.
You need TIME and Americans just don't have the time to be running around the world playing.
But once again, we American's don't get to set our vacation periods, our corporate overlords do. If I get a week off from work, I don't want to spend 2 or 3 of those whole days traveling to where I'm going and getting back, with only a few days to enjoy myself, while staying in either really expensive places that are nice, or cheap places that suck and I may not be able to drink the water, I have to worry about conversion rates, different rules, laws, languages, etc. . . .
It's not about prioritizing. It'd be different if the average American could walk into work and say, "I need 2 weeks off to go to Europe" or something. If you work and aren't making 6 or 7 figures, you basically have no job security. There's always somebody willing to work more hours for less, so you don't want to be gone for too long.
If I go to Walt-Disney world, I'm in my country, it usually takes less than a half a day to get there and back, I speak the language, I know the rules, I can actually enjoy myself and my family without being afraid of getting stuck in some strange land or passports, etc. . .
And to be honest, I don't know anybody who can just blow thousands in Vegas or Walt Disney world in this economic climate. I might go to Great America for an afternoon in the summer or be able to take a few days to visit relatives, but even taking the type of vacations you're talking about in America are becoming obsolete, because of the job climate.
Exactly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deezus
Somebody is going to those places though, because when I look at domestic travel destinations and search for hotel rooms for possible trips, many places are often fully booked up... People are saying that in this economy nobody goes out any more, but it seems like while it maybe numbers have declined, whenever I go on a trip domestically or to a show or sporting event there's still a ton of people out and about.
The fact is that there is a very real economic divide in this country, one that is growing with each passing year.
There are plenty of people who could never afford to go on one of those trips. Consider yourself lucky you're not one of them.
your own post answered your question. americans, utterly ignorant, closed minded and no interest in learning (lazy) if that is your perception of americans trust me it is being broadcast loud and clear and we are hearing you. with an invitation like that, why would then i come over and visit you? btw i think your post speaks for many people in france as well. i should know, i lived there 5 years.
no thanks with an invitation like yours, i will stay right here under these palm trees a few minutes from the beach.
I would say that it's because it costs an incredible amount of money to travel overseas and we have so many great cities and regions in our own country that are so different is almost like going to a different country just staying here in ours.
No. What you highlighted is that it's not so easy as just "I want to go to Europe today. I'm going now".
Not everybody can afford to go, first of all, and not everybody has the free time to actually prepare for it and then do it. That's an unfortunate reality for people with little job stability.
Exactly.
The fact is that there is a very real economic divide in this country, one that is growing with each passing year.
There are plenty of people who could never afford to go on one of those trips. Consider yourself lucky you're not one of them.
It's not luck, it's hard work and proper financial planning and knowing how to live within my means that allows me to enjoy the things I want to enjoy. I could have bought an overpriced piece of real estate at the height of the bubble or spent money on a new car or truck and would still be paying off mortgages and car loans. I chose to live modestly and decided I'd rather spend my money on the occasional trip and get into a career path that allowed me the opportunities to occasionally travel.
Of course there's a huge financial divide in this country, but on the other hand there's people with the means to travel who could if they really wanted--it's just not high on their list of priorities. It's not that difficult as I have friends who make less than I do who still take vacations internationally. It's just a choice, that's all. A higher percentage of Western Europeans, Canadians, Australians, Japanese and Israelis tend to make the choice to travel to far off locations. To many Americans it's just not something they want to do--and that's their choice in life. I know people who say they could never afford to take a trip to a foreign country who bought a $25,000 truck--that's their choice, so "God bless free will". People are free to choose what they want to spend on, and I could care less if they don't want to travel.
And there's some of us who couldn't afford a $2500 truck, never dine out, never indulge in luxuries, yet still couldn't even dream of travelling overseas, no matter how much we want to.
It's not luck, it's hard work and proper financial planning and knowing how to live within my means that allows me to enjoy the things I want to enjoy. I could have bought an overpriced piece of real estate at the height of the bubble or spent money on a new car or truck and would still be paying off mortgages and car loans. I chose to live modestly and decided I'd rather spend my money on the occasional trip and get into a career path that allowed me the opportunities to occasionally travel.
Of course there's a huge financial divide in this country, but on the other hand there's people with the means to travel who could if they really wanted--it's just not high on their list of priorities. It's not that difficult as I have friends who make less than I do who still take vacations internationally. It's just a choice, that's all. A higher percentage of Western Europeans, Canadians, Australians, Japanese and Israelis tend to make the choice to travel to far off locations. To many Americans it's just not something they want to do--and that's their choice in life. I know people who say they could never afford to take a trip to a foreign country who bought a $25,000 truck--that's their choice, so "God bless free will". People are free to choose what they want to spend on, and I could care less if they don't want to travel.
It's a bit more than that and you know it. Not everybody has the opportunity to be whatever they want and go as far as they could. Life just doesn't work that way for some people.
Also, less than you do doesn't seem like a low amount of money. I know people who think 40K a year is a damn good setup and I know people who make less than that. It's not always about choice.
It's not luck, it's hard work and proper financial planning and knowing how to live within my means that allows me to enjoy the things I want to enjoy.
This. I have always had the travel bug and after my first trip to Europe, was bitten. From that point on, I set up a budget where I allocated a certain percentage of my income to travel. Sometimes that meant I did not have the fancy dinner, buy the new coat, or own the car of my dreams. It does mean that I have traveled to early 40 countries and am planning to visit a new one for two weeks in May.
In no way am I implying that every person can afford to travel the world. For those subsisting on low wages or deeply in debt, travel would be illogical and a poor choice of how to spend funds. For most people of modest means, however, travel is simply a matter of priority. And for those who claim it is much cheaper to travel to places like Vegas or Orlando than overseas - your money will go twice as far in countries like Costa Rica or Argentina. And guess what - no jet lag!
I am certainly glad my parents were not like many posters I read here. They were working class. While I did not lack for material things as a child, nor I was indulged with every want as an entitlement. That said, my parents believed firmly in taking time as a family to travel. Because of that, by the time I graduated from high school, they had taken me to 35 states and Canada. My father even took time off from work for a four week cross-country driving trip when I was 13. We did not stay in Sheratons or eat at high end restaurants. We did, however, create many memories - more than if they instead used those funds to provide me with a cable-ready wide-screen in my bedroom or a car on my 16th birthday. I'm convinced my parent's investment in this part of my education has instilled me with a cultural curiosity. Unlike some xenophobic posters who are "afraid" of different currencies, foods, languages, and the cultural "rules" that exist across the globe, I am endlessly fascinated with them to this day.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. Never enough vacation time to make it worthwhile.
