This article makes me crazy. although I agree with the basic premise the idea that it somehow has to be an experience only the elite can enjoy is wrong. Thoughts?
As I was reading this article, I felt as though one paragraph I agreed with the author and then the next found their ideas completely absurd. While I can agree that parents should play a part in teaching their children about the world and other cultures, the agency that the authors highlight goes about it the wrong way.
The article discusses an agency that specializes in extravagant vacations including cruises that can cost up to $7,000. Despite offering opportunities to volunteer, I believe that this agency seems a bit hypocritical offering volunteer opportunities while charging $7,000 per person at the same time. Experiencing a new culture does not involve staying in an extravagant eco-friendly lounge; perhaps a more modest approach would be a better way to learn about the culture. Overall, I do agree that parents should be responsible to help open the eyes of their children to new cultures and that vacationing can be a great way to spend time together, booking through agencies such as this one are not the way to travel.
This article hurts my brain and deepens my hate for our class gap. Hiring an elite agency to determine where you go will introduce you to no more culture than if you explored areas, where your Mercedes never treads, in your own city. The places they choose I am sure are the comfortable of the comfortable and not a true representation of the culture itself. In one sentence they discuss the impact of the recession and then discuss a 7,000 per child vacation. That means for a family of four we are looking at 28,000 plus. The average Walmart worker makes 16,000 a year. The hypocrisy here is choking me. You really want to teach your kids values? How about having them donate that $7,000 to a homeless shelter where they hand out soup for the next week instead of living in luxury. They will more likely encounter more personalities and cultures there than in 20 luxury vacations. Explain to them what it means to be selfish. Teach them the value of sacrifice. Have them give away one Christmas present each year to a needy child. Starbury came out with $10 shoes. How about 700 pair of those instead. I think you get the point (I am now screaming at my computer). Vacations like these teach the elite why it is special to be elite and puts them further and further out of touch. Awesome you get to stay in an "eco lodge". You know what the majority of the world calls and "eco lodge"? The ground. Roll out a dirty blanket (if you are lucky) and sleep like the rest of humanity. While you are painting the Latrine so proudly take a good luck at what is in there because you are all full of it.
I like the main idea of this article that parents want their children to experience the world and not just live in their elegant bubble. For successful parents who tend to work many hours in a week, it is not likely that they are going to have spare time to plan a family vacation. Travel agents came about because there was a need for people with time and expertise to help others that don’t. This is just a glorified version of a travel agent.
Andrew, I see where you are coming from in saying that families do not need to spend ridiculous amounts of money to see different cultures or lifestyles in the world. Living in Chicago there are many different types of cultures and personalities here. My parents raised me to be very knowledgeable about other cultures, part of that is from traveling but majority is from volunteer work I have done with my church. I have been to soup kitchens, helped repair homes, and rebuilt homes in Appalachia and Mississippi. None of which did I have to, nor would I, pay $7000 to do.
On the other hand, if parents want their children to experience the Galapagos or an African Safari, those vacations are very expensive. I think it is very important that their main objective is to focus on family time with the parents and children. I do know some families whose parents work so often that they make it a point to take so many family vacations in year just to get away from work and focus on each other. That may not be an ideal situation for most families but if it works for them and creates the positive experiences and memories they are looking for then so be it.
As I was reading this article, I felt as though one paragraph I agreed with the author and then the next found their ideas completely absurd. While I can agree that parents should play a part in teaching their children about the world and other cultures, the agency that the authors highlight goes about it the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteThe article discusses an agency that specializes in extravagant vacations including cruises that can cost up to $7,000. Despite offering opportunities to volunteer, I believe that this agency seems a bit hypocritical offering volunteer opportunities while charging $7,000 per person at the same time. Experiencing a new culture does not involve staying in an extravagant eco-friendly lounge; perhaps a more modest approach would be a better way to learn about the culture. Overall, I do agree that parents should be responsible to help open the eyes of their children to new cultures and that vacationing can be a great way to spend time together, booking through agencies such as this one are not the way to travel.
This article hurts my brain and deepens my hate for our class gap. Hiring an elite agency to determine where you go will introduce you to no more culture than if you explored areas, where your Mercedes never treads, in your own city. The places they choose I am sure are the comfortable of the comfortable and not a true representation of the culture itself. In one sentence they discuss the impact of the recession and then discuss a 7,000 per child vacation. That means for a family of four we are looking at 28,000 plus. The average Walmart worker makes 16,000 a year. The hypocrisy here is choking me. You really want to teach your kids values? How about having them donate that $7,000 to a homeless shelter where they hand out soup for the next week instead of living in luxury. They will more likely encounter more personalities and cultures there than in 20 luxury vacations. Explain to them what it means to be selfish. Teach them the value of sacrifice. Have them give away one Christmas present each year to a needy child. Starbury came out with $10 shoes. How about 700 pair of those instead. I think you get the point (I am now screaming at my computer). Vacations like these teach the elite why it is special to be elite and puts them further and further out of touch. Awesome you get to stay in an "eco lodge". You know what the majority of the world calls and "eco lodge"? The ground. Roll out a dirty blanket (if you are lucky) and sleep like the rest of humanity. While you are painting the Latrine so proudly take a good luck at what is in there because you are all full of it.
ReplyDeleteI like the main idea of this article that parents want their children to experience the world and not just live in their elegant bubble. For successful parents who tend to work many hours in a week, it is not likely that they are going to have spare time to plan a family vacation. Travel agents came about because there was a need for people with time and expertise to help others that don’t. This is just a glorified version of a travel agent.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I see where you are coming from in saying that families do not need to spend ridiculous amounts of money to see different cultures or lifestyles in the world. Living in Chicago there are many different types of cultures and personalities here. My parents raised me to be very knowledgeable about other cultures, part of that is from traveling but majority is from volunteer work I have done with my church. I have been to soup kitchens, helped repair homes, and rebuilt homes in Appalachia and Mississippi. None of which did I have to, nor would I, pay $7000 to do.
On the other hand, if parents want their children to experience the Galapagos or an African Safari, those vacations are very expensive. I think it is very important that their main objective is to focus on family time with the parents and children. I do know some families whose parents work so often that they make it a point to take so many family vacations in year just to get away from work and focus on each other. That may not be an ideal situation for most families but if it works for them and creates the positive experiences and memories they are looking for then so be it.