h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Some misc points:

I'm from the UK, and have been to: France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Thailand, Namibia, South Africa, Australia.

I only know one person who has never left the UK, and he's going to Iceland in a few months time.

The British are generally terrible at learning other languages
(What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual
What do you call someone who speaks one language? British )

BTW, I hope no individual Americans feel attacked or victimised here. A genuine question was asked about general opininons and impressions of America and Americans. No-one is saying that *all* Americans are x or y.

On the American media, I have several friends who visited the US and have been shocked and appalled by F*x N*ws.

OK, I'm from the UK and have visited, or lived in, in no particular order: Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Greece, Portugal, Dominican Republic, South Africa, USA, Australia.

A large proportion of UK citizens will have visited at least one of the Southern European countries as a holiday destination; whilst not wishing to tar all resorts with the same brush, I think it is fair to say that although they may be in a foreign country, their contact with the local culture is *limited*, to put it politely.

RF

I'm from the UK, So places i've been;
France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Tau Ceti, Canada, USA.

I admit my language skills are pretty basic, i know bits of French, German and Spanish, but its limited to asking for directions, ordering food and stuff like that.

hmmm... so so far I have two Brits (that includes scots?, or am I insulting someone here...) who haven't left Europe, good,
One who's been about everywhere except the USA, and two who have been to North America.
I also have one very well travelled American.

I heard a complaint that Americans dont leave their country enough, opened my atlas, discovered that the USA is about the same size as Europe, and quickly calculated that an American who's seen the entire USA is about as well travelled as a European who's seen all of Europe, and who's fault is it anyway that all his miles happened to be in the same country?
And this is all actually effecting how I word my essay, which i hope will win me a free trip to Italy, so hey, I might become a well travelled person!
Honestly, I'd love to travel abroad, but somehow its a lot cheaper to stick to the USA. I've been to Canada though. That was fun. Canadians have the best bus shelters. We can learn a thing or two from them in NY. We have these dinky little things that have two walls and a ceiling and those walls dont even go all the way down to the ground. Wonder why they call them shelters. 'Excuse for an ad billboard' would be a better way of putting it.
But dont mind my rant.
Just tell me where you've been.

hey
im an american and who ever said that we dont travel to other contries enough is a load of bull! im still jet lagged from my trip to italy and france and britain... before then i had gone to iran 4 times! and i have traveled about 40% of the states!
cheers
ford

Ford, the fact that *you* have travelled extensively is not good evidence to support that argument that Americans *in general* don't travel enough.

Leo, I really don't think the distance argument is a very good one, to be honest. It's true that if you live in Europe you can drive to another country within a few days. If you live in London you can go to France for a day trip, and many people do. But when you fly, how much difference does distance make? Really not very much. You can get halfway round the world in a day or so. As I said before, Australians and New Zealanders generally travel widely, and not just in Oceania and Asia, but in Europe and North America as well. Is money an issue? I'm sure for some individuals it is, but that can't explain the relatively low numbers of people travelling.

"an American who's seen the entire USA is about as well travelled as a European who's seen all of Europe"

No. An American who's seen the entire USA might have covered as many miles as a European who's seen all of Europe. But she is not as *well travelled* unless the states of the US are as different from each other as the nations of Europe. I've never been to the US, but I would be *amazed* if this were true.

I am just waiting for somebody to start the "Why you dislike the French" thread.........

Yea... distance and cost isn't a good enough reason. There are too many cheap airfares available, especially during off-seasons. I saw one last year, Houston to London for under $200 round trip, provided you stayed in certain hotels and booked early. I myself have been to England, Mexico, Belize and Honduras. I live in Texas which is, as we say, 'like a whole other country'. I've been planning to go to Scotland for several years now but other things keep getting in the way... maybe next spring or summer.

Only countries I've been to are South Korea & Mexico. I've been to 50% of the states - mostly driving. Cost is a very good reason when you have rent & a car payment & student loans and... *self pity*

hey
"You can get halfway round the world in a day or so."
this trip i took to europe took only one day, but one day or so was ruined due to jet lagg... i dont remember my first day there!
And money IS an issue because my trip cost $3000. not many famiies around my city can pay that much!
I agree an american that has traveled th US is almost the same as a Frenchman/woman traveling to Britain.
cheers
ford

I think the issue of travel is linked to negative, but commonly held perception that Americans possess a superior attitude. This results in their lack of interest in other countries/cultures.
By the way the previous posting neglected to mention America's refusal to co operate with the rest of the world regarding green issues. I find this more than annoying

I have visited the states several times and agree that it is a naturally beautiful country, if not a little spoilt by the American love of billboard advertising
mox

Oh... we don't love billboard advertising... we love living in a consumer society... Ubuiqutous advertising... spending all your savings to have the latest electronic gadgets... more, more, and more... Work harder and longer so you can earn more so you can SPEND more... that's what we love!

yes... i agree... my next door neighbors are uninterested in other cultures... jerk! i hate him so.... hes one of them meat and poptatoe nevada steriotypes but i dont know many people like that so...
cheers
ford

I hope you aren't attributing the environmental policies of the Republicans/Reds to all Americans. Bush didn't get a majority of the popular vote last election, and with any luck, he won't this election either.

Exactly. Not everyone is in favor of drilling for oil in the middle of the heretofore untouched wilderness.

Majority of the public vote is an irrelevance in US politics, just as it is in the UK. Put that red herring down.

RF

Count Zero, I was trying to be polite, but yes that is what I meant.

RF as usual, you reflect my sentiments exactly.

There may also be a fear that the whole world is turning in to Disney land. The onslaught of Americanism in to the European culture along with the rapid growth in multi nationals scares me. There’s a Macdonald on every corner of every European city , to mention the obvious one.
When I travel I want to see differences in surroundings and culture not similarities and familiarities.
Mox

For a scary look at where we could be going, in regards to our consumer society I recommend Frederick Pohl's wonderful book "Midas World".

Basic premise, the world discovers a virtually free energy source (fusion using heavy water deuterium) and becomes suddenly very wealthy... therefore the most important segment of society is the consumer who must keep consuming so that the workers will have enough employment and production levels can remain high... therefore everyone has a quota of things they must by per month. If you get behind you have to buy even more the next month. The ideal is to own a simple house with a picket fence around it INSTEAD of a mansion!

By the way count Zero, Scotland is breath takingly beautiful, a bit too cold for me to live there but a fantastic place to visit. If you get chance to go you should

When I go, I want my trip to coincide with the clan gathering. My father's side of the family came to the new world in the early 17th century. I hope to do some geneology while I'm there.