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The visit to Japan made me believe diversity in demographics is actually a very bad thing. If diversity were suddenly introduced to Japan, it would collapse.
I had the same thought. Japan is a very clean, safe, orderly, non-diverse country. I already knew diversity sucked before visiting though.
Yeah, it can help you learn about and see new and interesting things.
Lets be realistic though, there are also the type of travelers that don't shut the **** up about how culturally aware they are. Those people are sometimes worse to listen to than rednecks.
How did travel change me....after a week in Central Mexico, we came back to the US....and immediately made plans to return the following month. Bought a home there and lived there full-time for 5 years until we had to return to the US to help an elderly parent.
We are now back in Central MX, looking to buy a house again and move here permanently.
So, the takeaway from this discussion is that you will probably not experience much that is life-changing unless you actually go live in a foreign country for a long period of time instead of just traveling there. And especially if you learn the language, change your career and marry among the locals. I tend to agree that's what it would take.
Having said that, it still amazes me how little some people change even after they live in a foreign country for years or even decades. I know Americans who have lived in countries like Norway, Italy and Germany for 20+ years and whenever I talk with them they seem as American as apple pie. Of course, you see the same thing with many immigrants who settle in America as well.
I agree with jazzcat22 that there seems to be some default traits about most people that are established when they are very young that are hard to change no matter where they go or live.
Yeah, it can help you learn about and see new and interesting things.
Lets be realistic though, there are also the type of travelers that don't shut the **** up about how culturally aware they are. Those people are sometimes worse to listen to than rednecks.
Was about to say this but you beat me to it! I agree travelling is great but so many have such a superiority complex. Evidently humility is not something learned among their travels. Of course, not everyone is like this. Just had a couple friends spend nearly 2 months in Europe. They posted pictures a lot but they haven't gone talking about it non-stop or anything about how worldly they are now.
I taught English in China for about two years. It completely changed me as person as one could imagine living in a different country. Living somewhere is completely different from travelling. When people lament about immigrants not learning English I tell them about my experience attempting to learn Mandarin. I took classes and studied and my Mandarin is so-so. I am more patient with people because people in China were very patient and helpful despite my horrible mandarin. Living there highlighted what was both great and bad about America culture. I lived car free for two years and that helped spur me to join movements here at home to support public transportation.
I had the same thought. Japan is a very clean, safe, orderly, non-diverse country. I already knew diversity sucked before visiting though.
The term diversity has been abused by the liberals. Cal tech lacks diversity because most kids are White and Asian. Liberals never complain about the lack of diversity in NBA. Diversity is only good when you need a range of good elements that complement each other. If I were the CEO, I would definitely need people with different skills. If I were looking for a good neighborhood to raise kids, I would love to see my neighbors from diverse backgrounds such as arts, science, engineering, health care and maybe even aviation. But I don't want criminals, sex offenders and terrorists to move into my neighborhood to make it more diverse in their way.
I taught English in China for about two years. It completely changed me as person as one could imagine living in a different country. Living somewhere is completely different from travelling. When people lament about immigrants not learning English I tell them about my experience attempting to learn Mandarin. I took classes and studied and my Mandarin is so-so. I am more patient with people because people in China were very patient and helpful despite my horrible mandarin. Living there highlighted what was both great and bad about America culture. I lived car free for two years and that helped spur me to join movements here at home to support public transportation.
Exactly.
I've lived abroad for many years, and I am a firm believer that you need to live there for at least one year if you seriously want to learn something and transform yourself.
A two-week trip is fun, but it's not going to change much.
When I was touring the world, courtesy of the United States Navy, I purchased a "10-speed" and hid it under the deck plates in the area in which I worked while underway. When we arrived at a foreign port and everybody that could left the ship to visit the girlie bars and get drunk, I pulled out my bicycle, put it back together, walked it down the gangplank and rode off past the bars and into the countryside of whatever country we were visiting.
My experiences seeing the real country have definitely changed me, and for the better. The Samuel Clemens quote is the most apropos. I can't get enough travel and go whenever the schedule, (and finances), allow. It is such an awesome world out there!
Last edited by volosong; 07-09-2016 at 10:10 AM..
Reason: grammar, incorrect verb tenses
All things considered and the places I resided overseas....
Indeed it left an impression that still gets implemented in daily life....No longer wasteful, and no longer naive about the USA antics. Sometimes we simply are our own worse enemies....
My nephew served in the Peace Corp in South Africa, he seriously has zero desire to come back to the USA. He now understands the reality of making a difference....
How are you different today because of your past travel experiences? Did it change the way you think, speak, dress, eat, etc.?
I spent a lot of time living and travelling abroad in my younger days. I honestly don't look back on it as some sort of "a-ha" moment that changed me forever.
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