Juliet's post reminded me of a conversation I had at work the other day. One girl has just left here and is in between jobs, she's going to Peru for 6 weeks. Another is just taking three weeks off and is going to Vietnam and Cambodia. I'm just constantly amazed at the vacations people here take - not that I'm not loving being able to do it myself in drips and drabs...
but I mentioned that American's don't really take trips like that. and someone said Is it because they're not as adventurous?
And I think that really is what people from other places think, and I think that's really sad. Only when I explained to him that American's typically get between 2 and 4 weeks vacation a year (I've been at my job 6 months, 4 of which were part time, and I get 26 days vacation!! , again, not that I'm complaining). Plus, America is such a big country that it takes so much time just to get out of it. I mean, imagine you live somewhere in Iowa. You want to go to Europe. You drive the 2+ hours it will probably take you to get to the airport, but that airport doesn't have international flights, so you have to connect at Chicago or NY. Right there you've already wasted half a day and you're not even out of the country yet! If it takes two days to get somewhere and two days to get back and you only have two weeks vacation in the first place...why would you go anywhere but Disneyworld???
jantany26
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
It makes sense but at the same time this country is just too focused on work and work. Even if some people have the time, they would rather work than take a break, once again only some people do this. Btw, how do you like leaving in london? Is it hard to live in another country?
Jan05Bride
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
I agree. I just went to Africa and it was 2 days going and 2 days coming home ... it was torture and I needed a vacation by the time I got home!
wc0143
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
Hmmm ... well growing up we didn't have a lot of money & only took vacations that we could drive to ... leaving me with MANY places I have not been to in this country.
I don't have a passport, all 6'5' of my husband can barely take a 3 hour flight so ... And frankly, I am just plain uncomfortable about being an American abroad in the world today
MonkeyLuv
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
I agree... it's the time we're given. Mr Boots family is nuts about this. His mother took a month off last year and went to Greece! His great aunt and great uncle are visiting from Greece for 3 months! A few years ago Mr Boots himself went to Greece for 2 months!
When we talk about honeymoon travel he's nuts too! Just last night he said 'What about Autralia? We could go there for a month...' A month! For a honeymoon!! And we're broke!!!
Anniegrl
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
Damn those Europeans and their laidback lifestyle!!! I have an Italian penpal (yes I'm a grown woman with a penpal). The guy is a plumber, but somehow manages to go on these amazing vacations, and frequently too! He'll write and be like, 'so how are you? I just got back from 2 weeks in Ecuador!' What the?! How do they do that? Do Europeans just never spend any money on anything but vacations? How can they afford it?
P.S. I hate that they call vacations 'holiday'!
xjulietx
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
I think a lot does have to do with the size of our country. Just because we don't travel to other countries, doesn't mean we don't travel, though.
My nephew may have visited as many countries as he did at a young age, BUT some of the places he visited were as close as a LI'er going to Manhattan (where they live in Slovakia is an hour train ride to Vienna, Austria)
If you changed all of the United States to countries, some of us have been to a lot of different places. And if you consider the accents of some of the people in different states, it can SOUND like being in another country.
tourist
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
I had a similar converstion from someone form Australia a few years a go. At the time she was living in Mexico, teaching at Irvine ( CA) & spending part of the year in Autralia , where her husband ( from New Zealand) taught part time)
SHE sayis that 'university' is so expensive in teh US, so she couldn't imagine how youfg people could travel people from other countries do.
I agree with you abtou the vacation time too.
Also as you said the US is big, people want to see otehr parts, and in places liek Eurpe, you are close to othor countries so it is easier to travel internationally, so I guess a lot of people get the bug & want to do something more unusal.
My comapnyhas a Swiss office & 1 woman from there goes to Tanzania often & another man likes to frequent Turkey.
Yes, the countries being close together definitely help...we just went over to Spain for a weekend in December. Dh's co-worker just booked a flight to Italy yesterday - £1.99 one way and £5.99 on the way back...plus tax, but he ended up getting 2 round-trip flights to Italy for less than £70!
wc0143
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
Posted by usuk2004
Yes, the countries being close together definitely help...we just went over to Spain for a weekend in December. Dh's co-worker just booked a flight to Italy yesterday - £1.99 one way and £5.99 on the way back...plus tax, but he ended up getting 2 round-trip flights to Italy for less than £70!
Whatever that means
Karacg
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
Too funny - just after I opened this, I got a call from a client who wants me to go to Egypt with him to see a supplier!! We leave Feb. 22! Anyone been there??
xjulietx
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
Oh yeah, I think another reason why Europeans travel so much between countries is because of the EU passport. When DH and I went to Italy on our honeymoon, DH flashed his EU passport and got our luggage while I waited on line forever!
JRG71
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
I was there briefly - I remember it being cooler than it should be, and on this day it was a little windy. I did see the pyramids - it's something you don't want to miss - take a camel ride!!
I moved to the Netherlands when I was in my early 20's and lived there for a year... I did so much traveling around Europe - It was inexpensive to take the train, and it was easy! Then I just got the travel bug, and took a job as a flight attendant. I was based in several different countries, and will never forget those experiences!
KerrC
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Re: Egypt spinoff: Travelling outside the US
Posted by wc0143
Posted by usuk2004
Yes, the countries being close together definitely help...we just went over to Spain for a weekend in December. Dh's co-worker just booked a flight to Italy yesterday - £1.99 one way and £5.99 on the way back...plus tax, but he ended up getting 2 round-trip flights to Italy for less than £70!
Whatever that means
The UK has really great vacation deals. My DH is English also and I was amazed at the cost of vacations...We constantly play with the idea of moving back there. Dh is much closer to his family than I am to mine.
