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I have traveled all over Europe, which I did not care for, and have a home in both America and Israel, where we split our time throughout the year and have done so for several years. I love both countries very much. There are positive and negative elements to both cultures, but America is definitely easier and more comfortable and I appreciate that. Of course I live on a small farm in the west, where life is very, very good. America is a big country so obviously people can have very different experiences and I imagine I might not say the same thing if I lived in a big east coast city.
Basically I love the friendliness, cleanliness, politeness, and good customer service in America. It is a pleasure to drive around town because other drivers are polite and considerate (again, I'm not driving in NYC!). In Europe as in Israel, life on the road is pretty rough! Lots of honking and aggressive behavior. I hate that. I love the absolute comforts of our culture. We have it very easy. Even if you are lower class, you enjoy a higher standard of living than most people in the world.
What I love about Israel is that there is a "one big family" feeling of community, virtually no materialism, and very often famous people are accessible to the common people. I live a few doors down from Bibi Netanyahu and my husband has chatted with him at the coffee shop on the corner near our home. That would never happen in America! There is less class consciousness in Israel, which is nice.
What I learned from living in a foreign country where my language skills are very weak is that it is important to be kind to immigrants and be patient with their language difficulties. I used to feel angry that Mexicans come here and don't learn English but now I understand how hard it is for an adult to pick up a new language and how bad it feels to not be able to communicate your basic needs. All I ask is that they insist their children learn English, since kids pick up languages very easily so there is no excuse! It taught me to have more compassion in that area.
Thanks for the info about Mexico. Very interesting.
What is it you like about Vallarta?
I could go on for some time about why. lol
I love the Bay of Banderas, one of the largest natural bays in the world and the place where many whales spend the winter.
I love that it is on the correct coast to watch sunsets, as opposed to Cancun where you get to watch sunrises.
I like how the "old town" is still alive and well and not ruined by huge resorts. It still feels like a "real" town.
But at the same time there are a few 'suburbs' of PVR that are nothing but mega resorts. Something for everyone.
I love "Little Italy".
I love how pedestrian friendly it is and how friendly the citizens are. I have walked all over that city looking for out of the way places and never heard a negative word or even a dirty look.
I like how there is a vibrant "ex-pats" community of Americans and Canadians.
I have been there many times and found a few things that not many tourists know about including one of the most amazing beaches I have ever seen.
The Malecon (downtown boardwalk) for people watching and some nice bars/restaraunts.
It's very affordable if you can deal with not living on oceanfront property or in a mansion.
I could go on and on...
Quote:
Random Student
"Which explains clearly why 41% of illegals get public assistance accounting for 58% of all welfare payments.
Yea, I love how this "FBI REPORT" article doesn't actually provide a link to an FBI report.
Not to mention:
"TV and Radio Stations - Spanish Only
14 out of 31 TV stations in L.A. are Spanish-only;
16 out of 28 TV stations in Phoenix are Spanish-only;"
OMG! How horrible....
FBI tracks radio stations now? Of all the stats on that page only one really cites a source at all.
Phoenix has 28 TV Stations?!?!? Holy cow!
According to this website, it only has 9: Phoenix Television Stations Phoenix TV Stations
/edit/ Correct that: http://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Phoenix
23 stations. Most cities have 5, 6, maybe 8?
Of those 23 I can see 4-6 that are Spanish.
Think maybe there would only be 1 or 2 if there weren't many Spanish speaking people there?
Am I to assume the author is trying to say Phoenix has a huge problem with Illegals because they have a handfull of stations?!?!
/confused....
As a Random Student, you should know better then to just accept everything you read as fact.
Last edited by Peregrine; 11-23-2009 at 10:34 AM..
LML, I went to Czech on Saturday to buy car seat covers and organic kefir.
I'm driving to Vienna for Thanksgiving weekend; the Christmas Market; if I can, the Vienna Boys Choir; the Palace; the museums (ah, the museums).
If I wake up early enough on Sunday, I'll take a walk through Bratislava on my way home.
I've been to Vienna before but there's so much to see, it's well worth another trip!
I lived 1yr in India followed by 2yrs in Thailand as a teenager back in the early 60's. I found it very interesting and eye opening. What I had come to assume was the norm for people, was nowhere near what I saw. The experience gave me a perspective on life that I feel very valuable. I guess, primarily in the area of appreciation for different cultures and their values. I remember once, while my father, mother and I would be driving from Bangkok to Pataya(just a beach and fishing village at that time) for a weekend, my father saw a man on the porch of his hut along a canal, fishing pole in hand over the edge, he said "Now there's a man that does every day, what most of us work 50 wks year to be able to do for two weeks". Which of us has the better standard for living? I remember my mother one time, after returning from a get together at one of the homes of another American family, she commented on so many of the women there were complaining about living in Thailand and so eager to get back to the States. She was wondering why. Here these people were living basically in the life of ease so many strive for. No cleaning and laundry(maid), no cooking(cook), no yard work(gardiner) not even any driving(driver). What did these people have to complain about? So when we did finally return to the States, I guess I just looked at life a lot differently. Having a smug attitude about oneself seemed to be so much smaller. My reaction was to appreciate the value of other cultures so much more.
Yea, I love how this "FBI REPORT" article doesn't actually provide a link to an FBI report.
Not to mention:
"TV and Radio Stations - Spanish Only
14 out of 31 TV stations in L.A. are Spanish-only;
16 out of 28 TV stations in Phoenix are Spanish-only;"
OMG! How horrible....
FBI tracks radio stations now? Of all the stats on that page only one really cites a source at all.
Phoenix has 28 TV Stations?!?!? Holy cow!
According to this website, it only has 9: Phoenix Television Stations Phoenix TV Stations
/edit/ Correct that: Phoenix Television Stations - Station Index
23 stations. Most cities have 5, 6, maybe 8?
Of those 23 I can see 4-6 that are Spanish.
Think maybe there would only be 1 or 2 if there weren't many Spanish speaking people there?
Am I to assume the author is trying to say Phoenix has a huge problem with Illegals because they have a handfull of stations?!?!
/confused....
As a Random Student, you should know better then to just accept everything you read as fact.
You are right about the source I took it on face value when I should not have, but the facts stand that a large percentage of Illegals receive welfare benefits.
Here is another source which states that 1/3 immigrant headed households are on welfare...I really do not care what radio stations play what. What I do care about is people saying illegals do not get welfare when in fact they are indeed on benefits in great numbers.
I hope I didn't miss someone else replying to this.
Being a frequent Mexico visitor that has Mexican friends living in Puerto Vallarta I feel I am a little qualified to answer this. My friend worked his way up as a bartender to the owner of the smallest bar I've ever seen, to now a much nicer bar in the Marina Vallarta area.
I tell my friends all the time I am trying to figure out a way to move to Vallarta. My friends asked me this same question the first time I mentioned it.
Mexico is a very large country. It is one enormous city (Mexico City) with many other large tourist towns. Mexicans that live in these areas, generally speaking, are not fleeing to the us. It is the Mexicans that live in tiny rural towns, of which there are 1,000's, or Mexicans living in crime ridden border towns.
They get word from a family member working a restaurant in Cleveland "I made $500 in a week!". That's what a waiter in Vallarta makes in a month working 60 hours/week.
Many folks in the smaller towns can't even get work. So instead of moving to Vallarta to make $500/month.... they come here where the "big" money is.
Not to even mention how many come here for that "large" payday and send money home every month. Simple economics... they can make A LOT more here.
Met another Mexicano on a cruise ship. He just started so he was at the bottom of the list in hours which means 6 months straight on the boat, then 6 off. (As you move up in position it's 5 on, 5 off and so on. Most Captains work 1 month on and 1 off). This guy left his 2 daughters and wife in a tiny little Mexican town to make more money in 6 months then he could possibly make in a year in Tinytown, Mexico.
I lived in Puerto Vallarta 15 years ago for three months. I loved it too. For one month I lved in a a condo in Marina Golf. I wonder how much has changed since I was there last. I made many friends and never had any problems. In fact, the only people there that were annoying were some American tourists. Vallarta had a great nightlife, but when I wanted to tone it down, I went to Nayarit, which is a short drive from Vallarta. I think I would prefer to live in Nayarit and go to Vallarta for shopping and fun. Did you make it over to Yelapa? I spent a few days there and enjoyed the jungle life. The tourists get to Yelapa from Vallarta by ferry, but the best way is by the speed boats that leave a few times each day. The trip takes a few hours by a smelly ferry, but just forty five minutes by speed boat. Amazing ride and the Mexican Riviera is gorgeous, isn't it? I have so many great memories and stories about my time there. Intend to go back and visit one day. Is Casablanca bar still on the Malecon? Love that place too.
tinman, Since I don't drink, I don't see your part of the culture.
I get to see parents take their kids into bookstores and temples and allow the kids to climb on monuments and gates with "Do Not Climb" signs in front of them.
I prefer the non-touristed areas where I can have some fun.
I think I'll be diving in the Gulf of Siam in February. I want to get up to Chiang Mai as well.
CHIEL , LOL I don't drink a whole lot either. A case of beer does me for about a year.
I have seen the same things. Parents act like hotel staff are supposed to be the baby sitters. Visiting a foreign land and allowing your children to run around unsupervised? The Thai people of course are polite to a fault and simply tolerate this crap. I was on a plane from Bangkok to Phuket there must have been some kind of class trip going on because there were about 20 hs aged american kids on the plane. Every other word was the F-bomb, sawpping seats, rude to the air crew. A moment in my life when I did not really want to admit that I was an american. The moment that really took my self disiplin was when of the boys said to the a stewardess "50 dollar you love me long time" He does this and then looks at my step daughter and does a kiss at her. The tinman just about went over the seat after him. Mrs. Tinman hissed a threat at me if I did so I behaved.
LOL In Thai culture it is the woman who runs the house. Hmmm Wait a minute that might be universal.
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really?
