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.
I've never been to Eastern Europe--when my kids are out of the house my husband and I want to travel through Russia, and then see Budapest, Istanbul, Prague...
Seriously, what do Americans think of the great continent of Europe filled with old historic cities and of course Britain the ''motherland''
post your thoughts
I've been to Germany a number of times, once for an entire summer. These were not vacations in hotels but staying with grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. And I keep up...or used to...with German politics and society a bit...not so much now as in the past. I think of Germany as my motherland, not England.
That being said, I also was on a UK-based message board, hosted by the Gaurdian, and on a UK-based music board.
So I got a bit of a feel for UK things from these internet sites.
I am sort of a Europhile, so generally a positive opinion. In fact I'm teaching myself to cook more European (working on learning Belgian and Dutch cooking right now).
I used to think that the socio-economic set-up of Germany, Scandinavia and Belelux was what we in the uS could emulate..the Social-Democratic Welfare State. But then I realize we Americans are a bunch of self-centered greedy slobs, so social democracy would never work here.
As for culture and food....yeah, sure. I used to think the US had the more vibrant pop culture, but I've come around to seeing England as the more interesting and juicy cultural producer for pop culture and street style.
Though I'm a big fan of Scandinavian/Finnish modern design.
OK...I just like the whole joi di vivre of Europe. Even in uptight Germany people live life better or live for living. In the US its too much about mere survival and too brutal winner-take-all/he who dies with the most toys wins.
I guess in some ways Im not really as American as I think I am sometimes.
Location: In a Galaxy far, far away called Germany
4,300 posts, read 4,408,773 times
Reputation: 2394
I love most of Europe because I take it for what they are. In Germany, I live as a German (I've lived there for 5 years), In Italy - as an Italian. In Korea - well, not really as a Korean because that just didn't appeal to me - but I lived there! I didn't try to live as an American abroad (generally). People think and do things differently and this is ok. All too often people try to force their ways/thinking on others. My German girlfriend can get boorish sometimes with her "Germans do this better" kinda crap. And although, sometimes this is true - its more often (than not) just her opinion and Europeans (just like Americans) can be very opinionated.
and of course, the upper-middle still have the choice, private or public.
Not really, their bottom line is money. Going the private route is a lot more expensive in England than the USA. Maybe because with the NHS, there simply is no business for it other than the super rich. Here in the states the upper-middle class can afford a good Insurance policy that's better than the NHS but they still can't really afford to go private and out of pocket.
I've never been to Eastern Europe--when my kids are out of the house my husband and I want to travel through Russia, and then see Budapest, Istanbul, Prague...
I don't consider Budapest or Prague to be "eastern" europe. More like "central" europe. You'll notice right away when you step in those cities. Prague especially is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and a very romantic spot to spend with a woman.
Istanbul is an entirely different animal altogether, it's sort of the cross roads of the Balkans, middle east, and mediterranean. Lots of history there.
"Eastern" Europe to me is places like Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, maybe Romania. Other than Russia, it's not very interesting to see unless you're there to visit family,friends, or your roots. Though by the "and then" I think you mean to separate those cities from eastern europe.
And of course Russia ceases to be "europe" very fast. One of my dreams was to the trans-Siberian across that country but it's impossible now (for me). If I were to travel to Russia with my wife, that's what I would do. Gradually watching as you go from Europe to Asia, two entirely different worlds and outlooks.
What does this American think of Europe?
Well, it is a group of countries WAY over the ocean to the East (or West, depending on how you look at it), that I will never visit, and that my ancestors left a couple hundred years ago, for reasons that they apparently deemed sufficient at the time.
Oh, sure, I would like to visit Ireland, Scotland, and Germany and find cousins that are still there, but that will never happen.
Europe is great to visit, I would never live there. My friends and family who lived there for years were happy to come home to the US. The US women really did not find the European men to be good relationship material. The people are nice to talk with and have a drink but wouldn't want to live with them. Some of you seem to be naively romanticizing Europe and Europeans. It is rapidly changing over there, Paris isn't what it was even five or ten years ago.
Private travel insurance is very important for all foreigners/tourists in the United States. I have read stories about Norwegians without travel insurance in the U.S. being charged $15-20,000 for one day in ER. I guess it is the same for Americans in Europe.
This is exactly correct!
Travel insurance is a must wherever you are from and wherever you are going. What thinking person today gives that a crap-shoot? You're a pensioner and can't afford travel insurance ~ ~ then you cannot afford to travel PERIOD!
One constant that remains however is that whenever someone from a Universally Insured country arrives in the U.S. and subsequently becomes ill and hospitalized, they are almost always immediately transported HOME from the U.S. for continued treatment as it will be cost effective for that air ambulance and attendant getting you out and home over remaining in the U.S. and getting dinged for something like $50k for treatment of a minor cardiac event. As an underwriter; this has been the norm for over 30 years that I'm aware of.
Even insurance carriers whose home office is in the U.S. subscribe to this policy of: if patient is able to be transported; get his butt out of the U.S. for continued treatment as the meter is running.
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.
