A good read about Americans + a blonde with massive boobs! (pic)
 

Quoted from someone who posted this a few years ago. Can't recall who.


Unlike many other countries in the developed world, where it is almost traditional to travel internationally soon after graduation, most americans will never stray outside their own borders; so they get no real firsthand experience of what the rest of the world is like, and can only form opinions based on what they were taught in school (not much) and what they see on TV (typically biased).

You pledge allegience to the flag every morning in school; proceed to learn about Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Paul Revere, Lewis and Clark, Slavery, the US Civil War, how approxiately a dozen Americans defeated the entire English army, then Hitlers army. And that about sums up all the world history you'll get, at least until college (university), if you attend.

Those with more worldly experience may have visited the 3rd world country below them, Mexico, or (what they consider) the 51st State above them, Canada. Some may consider Hawaii an international destination.

I would guess less than 1% of Americans have gone any further.

I have met a scary number of adults here who think that England is still ruled by the Queen and that the USA is the only country with 'Freedom' or 'Democracy' or toilet paper. They do try to give you that impression.

Call it patriotism or propaganda, but this country is more fanatically in love with itself than any other. It really puts itself on a pedastool. Flags on everything. Declarations of 'Land of the Free, Home of the Brave', 'These Colors Don't Run', and other silly solgans on billboards. Businesses even whore out 911 in radio commercials, using patriotism to push product. Politicans compete with eachother on how many times they can incorporate the phrase 'Greatest Nation On Earth' into their speeches. It would border on bizarre if you weren't so used to it.

So of course, with all that around them, a lot of people believe it.

But all the flag-waving and rhetoric would be no more than annoying, if not for the fact that it is blinding the population to abuses of power. America is not a facist regime Yet. I don't know that it ever could be. But they are certainly putting the tools in place to make that a possibility. And that's far more significant than the particular individual who happens to take office.

Im going to the gym, bye.

when i was in Glen Falls, New York.. i was on the 'strip' and it became known that i was from Canada. Within SECONDS, i had been surrounded by a group of guys. All of them asking me different questions about the lifestyle of Canada and Vancouver, my opinions on the National Health Care (they were surprised to find that we spend less and help more people than they do), and my thoughts on the Iraq and Astan war..

For me, the shock was the interest. I had just assumed that all americans (or most) just don't care. I think that is a wrong assumption. I just don't think they are given the chance to know

R

Is there a point to this ?

Traveling to different countries from the US is both expensive and a Pain in the Ass.

Most people in Europe can visit another country by bicycle.

That takes care of the first paragraph, the rest is simply not true and not worthy of a response.

some of your words hold water, but the school part and not leaving 'our' borders.....that nearly true for all countries....if not more for 'more deprived' countries...

I agree, america is not what it is supposed to be, not what jefferson wanted...not what I want...

BUT

there are times im glad I was born here and not 'there'

are you for real??

Yes

How far is it from Paris To London ?

too far to get there by fucking bicycle thats for sure :1orglaugh :1orglaugh damn lol

Come on bro...are you serious?

Paris to London is 213 miles

7 years ago I did the MS150. It's a charity bike ride from Houston to Austin(180 miles) only took two days.

where's the pic??

You realize bikes can do upto 70mph on downhills right? I used to ride at least 25 miles per day. Cant ride 200 some miles on a bike. LOL :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :error :error

My mom thinks all of South America is full of bone-through-the-nose savages living in huts and banging on drums, despite the fact that I'm married to a Brazilian.

I'm actually from Albany, NY which is about 45 minutes from Glens Falls. What made you go there? Just curious. Besides the Civic Center is doesn't really have much to offer for visitors.

Funny, everytime someone in Canada found out I was an American (Mostly from my accent), I got inudated with how stupid Americans are.

I remember watching a Much Music show on Bare Naked Ladies complaining about how long it took them to break into the US market and how American's don't have any taste in good music. But when they did, nothing about how wonderful the USA is for making them millionaires.

As an adult I've can't remember the last time I've ever been in a racial situation in the USA, in Canada, it was a regular occurence.

I love Canada, but it has it's pros and cons, just like anywhere else.

So you are going to average 8.875 miles per hour for 24 hours straight? damn.. :pimp

A bike can go 70mph, but you would need some serious hills, which is not exactly what the roads from London to Paris is most famous for..

Funny how noone has mentioned how hard it is to ride a bike over open water...

Quoted for truth...shit I remember when I was trying to plan a trip to Europe after I graduated...without parents help it was too cost prohibitive at that point.

But the main point I was getting at, was at that time a Eurail pass was something like $200 and on that you could visit something like 18 different countries...hell get on... fall asleep in one country wake up in another.

Hell I took the train from L.A. to Texas and because it went to Illinois and then back down to Texas it took 3 days.

What's your point? Europeans visit asia and north-america too, asians visit europe and north america, and australians are all over the place.

I can't visit any other country in europe without taking a boat, plane or detour of about 600miles to the north and back... that hasn't stopped me, or my friends from visiting other countries...

What you also fail to realise is that Americans are not given the same kind of vacation benefits that you see in a lot of other countries...like 1 - 2 months a year.

You start a new job, usually you have to work there 1 year before you even qualify for maybe a 1 week vacation, and then after that max you get is 2 weeks. When I worked for a German company in L.A. I was surprised to learn I would get 1 month, because that's what they were used to. You just don't see that kind of thing in America for the most part.

So? What's your point...then you should have even more money, since you don't have "all that free time we do" to spend it, and will to spend quality time you have , whatever 1 or 2 week vacation in some new place. I know if I was stuck in some crappy job for 50 weeks per year, I'd like to get as far away from it as I could when it's holiday time.

My point is that it's not always feasible to traipse from country to country when you only have 1-2 weeks to do it...and not everyone here gets 2 weeks...most people in the lower income bracket get 1...and something else you're missing not all of those vacations are paid either...in other words you get a vacation but you also don't get paid so not only do you have to pay for your vacation but you're losing a weeks pay to do it.

We also don't get sick days for the most part...my niece who has been with her company for 1 1/2 years now has had to use her vacation days as sick days so she doesn't lose any money.

LOL... pedastool

Everyone hates America, but they still all want to move here or have us give them money/aid/food.

Also, it is much easier to travel to foreign countries then you live in one the size of one of our smaller states, and are surrounded by other countries (the size of one of our states.)

We may not be perfect, but I still like it here.

TGF...the OP's main focus was on a certain income class of Americans middle and low which are quickly becoming the same thing.

People with money travel, not saying middle class american's don't, I'm just saying the larger percentage of them spend with what little time they do get are economizing by travelling close to home.

Vacations are expensive. I remember a friend who managed a fast food restraunt, and her husband was a delivery man...they saved for something like two years so they could take their kids to Disney World in Florida, that 1 week cost them $10,000 in 1992. At that point, that was more than 10% of their total income.

My dad made in the mid 80's something like $55K a year, and our most expensive vacation ran about $2k-$3K and that was 1 week in Colorado, a 13 hour drive away.

For the most part, our vacations usually ended up with time split between visiting family and hitting a few sight seeing spots in nearby states.

Funny how you don't know about the Channel tunnel. It's kind of famous being the second largest in the world and all....

$10,000 is absurd, and totally unnecessary for a week, whereever you go. I'm always amazed with how much some people manage to spend on their short vacations...

Please, stop speaking about money. The average US person makes probably twice the NET money someone in finland does after taxes. It's just a completely different state of mind on how people use their income.

I have never met a person in finland who has a mortgage, a leased car, several creditcards they use etc etc... MY and my wifes monthly (personal) expenses are about ?1000 including living, electricity, phone and food, so if I was to make say ?20k/year.. that leaves me ?8k to 'spend' on whatever not to mention my wifes salary on top of that.

Now, if an american makes $55k/year, but has a big-ass leased car, maxes out creditcards to buy sweet clothes and eat outdoors everyday and has 3 mortgages on his house.. is it not his/her fault that he's always broke and can't afford to take vacations? Why not live modestly, drive a damn honda and then have CASH to spend, instead of living month to month on credit? Well, ain't my problem.

But please stop making it sound like it's somehow 'more expensive' to americans to travel anywhere than for example europeans.

My trip to internext in 2003 cost $10k, although I was there for 3 weeks.

thank you

thank you again


I guess some people think that Paris is in the same country as London haha :1orglaugh :error

you can't ride a bike thru it tho :helpme

good point

being raised in Poland, I'll take a loan for the next house im buying (kinda hard to buy it with cash), but other than that, I cant imagine living on credit either

if I have the cash to buy something (+ a certain amount of cash set aside just to feel secure) then Im buying it

if not, no point in living above your means just to impress your friends/neighboors

It is about money...and it is about time...I don't care what you spend on taxes in Finland or what you do with your money...the simple fact is if you live for example in Switzerland you can visit Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic with relatively the same ease as a Texan can visit Mexico, Louisiana, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas. However because of that access to a variety of countries and cultures that a lot of Europeans do get to enjoy by "never straying" too far from their own turf, we are seen as ignorant because we do the same thing here.

The OP's post generalized that we travel less..and when we do we visit Mexico and Canada...it only makes sense that's where we would go, or only visit states within a reasonable travelling distance from our own...because it's FEASIBLE.

Let me define FEASIBLE for you:
ea·si·ble /ˈfizəbəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fee-zuh-buhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
?adjective
1. capable of being done, effected, or accomplished: a feasible plan.
2. probable; likely: a feasible theory.
3. suitable: a road feasible for travel.

If you have one week to spend on your vacation, and out of those 7 days 2 maybe more are travelling and you only have really 4 days left to spend on relaxing, sight seeing etc...you're going to spend that nearby.

My dad got 1 weeks paid vacation each year after 4-5 years with the same company. We spent one vacation as I said in Colorado...that was a 13 hour drive from our home in Fort Worth, Texas.
First day of travel we spent day 1 at our grandparents place at the halfway point.
Day 2, we spent another 7 hours on the road until we arrived at our destination. We got in some sight seeing.
Days 3-6 Sight seeing.
Day 7, 13 hours of straight driving through back home.
Next day after driving for 13 hours straight, my dad was back to work.

That was a $2K-$3K trip...and we budgeted.

Sure we could have cut some time flying...but there goes another $500-$1K added onto the trip...and then a rental car.

I always thought you were a rather logical person, but it seems that your opinion on this subject is jaded by only your view and experiences at this time...and maybe a bit of US bashing bandwagon jumping *which I'm not certain you've done in the past*

I think they were only discussing distance and not whether or not you'd need to cross the Channel...200+ miles on a bike for some people isn't that much.

Okay I'm out of this thread for awhile....have to go take care of biz.

But to sum it all up for those edumucated europeans.

Most Americans do not get a vacation.
Most Americans who do get a vactaion do not get a paid vacation.
Some Americans who do get a vacation get 1 week vacation UNPAId
Some Americans who do get a vacation get 1 week vacation Paid.
Some Americans get a two week vacation. Paid
Most Americans do not get sick leave.
Some Americans who do get a paid 1 week vacation use that as sick leave.
Some Americans do get sick leave unpaid.
Some Americans do get sick leave paid.

Amazing in Finland you get 35 days according to this source.
US "Not required, but 7-21 days is standard for most employers. Typically, 10 working days with 8 national holidays."
I have yet to meet anyone in the middle to lower income bracket who's getting more than 14 days a year...most are 7.

Here are a list of countries and their vacation times: Notice the length of most European countries vacation days? Wow, must be nice.
Country legally required
Argentina 14 calendar days (from 0 to 5 years seniority), 21 calendar days (from 5 to 10), 28 calendar days (from 10 to 20) and 35 calendar days (from 20)
Australia As of 27 March 2006, 20 work days (4 weeks). 2 weeks can be "sold" to employer. Additional Long service leave is also payable.
Austria 35 days, for elderly employees 42 days
The Bahamas 14 days after 1 year employment, 21 days after 5 years employment
Belgium 20 days, premium pay
Brazil 30 consecutive days, of which 10 can be sold back to the employer
Bulgaria minimum 20 working days
Canada 10 working days, determined by provincial law
Chile 15 working days
Costa Rica 2 weeks after 1 year employment.
China Not required
Croatia 18 working days
Czech Republic 4 weeks
Colombia 14 days
Denmark 6 weeks, of which 5 days can be "sold" back to the employer - omsorgsdage (carer’s leave).
European Union 4 weeks, more in some countries
Ecuador 14 days
Finland 35 days
France 5 weeks + 2 weeks of RTT (Reduction du Temps de Travail, in English : Reduction of Working Time) = 7 weeks. The most significant vacation time of any country in the world.
Germany 4 weeks (24 "workable" days, i.e. Mo to Sa, even if the working week is Mo to Fri), plus 9 to 13 bank holidays
Greece 20 working days or more depending of the years in the company
Hong Kong 7 days
Hungary 20 working days
Ireland 20 days, plus 9 public holidays
Israel 14 days
Italy 20-30 days plus 12 public holidays
Japan including sick leave: 18 days paid time off;
officially, five weeks (in reaction to the karoshi problem)
Korea, South 10 working days
Latvia 4 weeks
Mexico 7 days
Netherlands 4 weeks
New Zealand 4 weeks as of April 1, 2007
Norway 25 working days
Paraguay 14 days
Peru 14 days
Poland 20 business days, 26 business days after 10 years of employment
Puerto Rico 15 days
Romania minimum 20 working days
Saudi Arabia 15 days
Singapore 7 days
South Africa 21 consecutive days
Spain 30 calendar days
Sweden 25-32 working days, depending on age
Switzerland 28 days
Taiwan 7 days
Turkey 12 work days
Tunisia 30 work days
Ukraine 24 calendar days
United Kingdom 20 calendar days, plus 8 bank holidays
United States Not required, but 7-21 days is standard for most employers. Typically, 10 working days with 8 national holidays.
Uruguay 14 days
Venezuela 15 paid days
Vietnam 10 working days.

Funny how you don't know that you are not allowed to ride a bike in that tunnel...

funny thread :1orglaugh

These are the countries in Europe I have visited and stayed in for at least one day and one night. (don't wanna count passing through them or just visiting the airport).

http://www.fetishbyanna.com/europe.jpg

Kinda hard to do that on a bike...

But that trip doesn't compare to coming from the US.

:1orglaugh I always loved how a lot of american-made maps show the USA has being larger in land mass than Canada...

But yeah, trips to Europe aren't that doable for the average North American :(