The article states that only 30% of Americans have a passport. I do not find this fact hard to believe. I think there are a few reasons that many Americans do not have passports. It wasn’t until 2007 that Americans or Canadians needed a passport to go back and forth across the border. Also, the United States offers many different types of landscapes, cultures, history, and climates all of which can be visited without a passport. However, I think another reason is that Americans do not want to leave their home and they are not culturally educated.
For example, when I traveled to Europe last summer I felt very naïve and uninformed about the countries that I visited. All Europeans are very educated about other countries as far as politics, economics, and news. Unless there is a natural disaster or major news alert I do not look up any information about other countries. It made me feel very close minded and I wanted to become exposed to other environments.
I wonder what would cause more Americans to have a desire or drive to travel and get passports?
There are many ideas that I agree with within this article. For example, the author states that perhaps one of the reasons Americans use for not traveling is the cost, but actually traveling to another country such as Ireland is actually affordable for most families and individuals. However, the author also states the work hard mentality that Americans have. While we argue that cost is a major reason keeping us from traveling, what I truly believe the problem is is the guilt of traveling. For me personally, I could afford to go to Vegas right now if I wanted to, however I know that this summer I will be working an internship where I will not be paid and the idea of spending the money to travel now will cause me to be in more financial distress later. Additionally, I agree with the idea of Americans being comfortable; American families send their kids to school and then go to work and afterward cart their children around to all of their extracurricular activities until dinner and bed. I realize this is an extreme generalization, but it is probably the norm in a great deal of American families. The idea I'm painting is that Americans are familiar with their lives and their schedules and hardly stop and think "we should go travel."
Overall, I think that this article has pinpointed many of the ideas why Americans choose not to travel. Personally, I believe that Americans are just comfortable within their routines and hardly take the time to travel and if they do think about the idea, they talk themselves out of it through guilt of expenses. I know personally, these are the main reasons that keep me from traveling as opposed to believing that America offers such a wide range of locations that I wouldn't need to travel. While some Americans may hold this opinion, I do not believe it is true for the majority.
Brittany and Jen, You are hitting home on some core issues we Americans hold as important that ultimately keep us in North America or worse yet close to home. Speaking of which do you know where the pictures I posted with this article are from? Newfoundland Canada. What a fantastic place. But please think back to the article about extravagant travel for kids. At some point I believe we will need to get out of our comfort zone and learn about other cultures if international understanding is going to improve. Agree?
Although contrary to most peoples opinion I thought the article about extravagant travel for kids was important. I did say that you could learn values and culture in your own community but after traveling I understand that there are certain life experiences that you will not understand until stepping outside of your comfort zone and becoming exposed to the unfamiliar.
If I were to ask a handful of people why they do not travel outside of the United States I would think that the most popular reason would be cost. It is not cheap to travel and most people do not travel alone so then they would have to pay for their family, possibly, to go along.
OK, but don't you think it is part of our cultural values? Americans spend huge amounts on their gas guzzling SUVs and other conspicuous consumption when for example Europeans save for travel to other countries and are probably bi-lingual.
I agree with many of your thoughts and the thoughts in the article. I think we are personally ethnocentric and lack the desire to travel, due to the feelings that we have everything here. I have not had the desire to travel to anywhere outside of the US based on a kind of check list approach. Until I experience everything I want to here I feel no urgency to travel outside the US. I also feel that I want to engage completely and not in little spurts. I would rather go later in life when I can commit 6 months or a year. This way I can immerse myself in the culture and truly experience a section of Europe or Asia for an extended time. I used the same approach when accepting the consulting job here in Washington. I had wanted to visit the northwest so what better way than to temporarily live here for a year? Rather than hitting the highlights of one country I want to see multiple countries and all their nooks and crannies. Don't get me wrong previews are great (the guy talking in a deep voice helps) but eventually I want to see the movie. Like Netflix I have a vacation que. Depending on mood one is getting moved to the top ahead of another. Where are 70% of the people in the UK traveling to? Maybe the US? Maybe this is the place to be? I can't wait to travel abroad but time and money are issues. These issues may be solved later in life when I am retired, provided I live that long and don't regret not going now. I think we also allot and prioritize our money differently. We chase material possessions rather than experiences. Why spend $2000 on a plane ticket and trip to Ireland when the new 3D plasma would look great in my living room. I get the travel channel in my 360 channel package and its in high def. I don't have to wear a rain coat and I can eat popcorn, Bonus!
The article states that only 30% of Americans have a passport. I do not find this fact hard to believe. I think there are a few reasons that many Americans do not have passports. It wasn’t until 2007 that Americans or Canadians needed a passport to go back and forth across the border. Also, the United States offers many different types of landscapes, cultures, history, and climates all of which can be visited without a passport. However, I think another reason is that Americans do not want to leave their home and they are not culturally educated.
ReplyDeleteFor example, when I traveled to Europe last summer I felt very naïve and uninformed about the countries that I visited. All Europeans are very educated about other countries as far as politics, economics, and news. Unless there is a natural disaster or major news alert I do not look up any information about other countries. It made me feel very close minded and I wanted to become exposed to other environments.
I wonder what would cause more Americans to have a desire or drive to travel and get passports?
There are many ideas that I agree with within this article. For example, the author states that perhaps one of the reasons Americans use for not traveling is the cost, but actually traveling to another country such as Ireland is actually affordable for most families and individuals. However, the author also states the work hard mentality that Americans have. While we argue that cost is a major reason keeping us from traveling, what I truly believe the problem is is the guilt of traveling. For me personally, I could afford to go to Vegas right now if I wanted to, however I know that this summer I will be working an internship where I will not be paid and the idea of spending the money to travel now will cause me to be in more financial distress later. Additionally, I agree with the idea of Americans being comfortable; American families send their kids to school and then go to work and afterward cart their children around to all of their extracurricular activities until dinner and bed. I realize this is an extreme generalization, but it is probably the norm in a great deal of American families. The idea I'm painting is that Americans are familiar with their lives and their schedules and hardly stop and think "we should go travel."
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think that this article has pinpointed many of the ideas why Americans choose not to travel. Personally, I believe that Americans are just comfortable within their routines and hardly take the time to travel and if they do think about the idea, they talk themselves out of it through guilt of expenses. I know personally, these are the main reasons that keep me from traveling as opposed to believing that America offers such a wide range of locations that I wouldn't need to travel. While some Americans may hold this opinion, I do not believe it is true for the majority.
Brittany and Jen,
ReplyDeleteYou are hitting home on some core issues we Americans hold as important that ultimately keep us in North America or worse yet close to home. Speaking of which do you know where the pictures I posted with this article are from? Newfoundland Canada. What a fantastic place. But please think back to the article about extravagant travel for kids. At some point I believe we will need to get out of our comfort zone and learn about other cultures if international understanding is going to improve. Agree?
Although contrary to most peoples opinion I thought the article about extravagant travel for kids was important. I did say that you could learn values and culture in your own community but after traveling I understand that there are certain life experiences that you will not understand until stepping outside of your comfort zone and becoming exposed to the unfamiliar.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to ask a handful of people why they do not travel outside of the United States I would think that the most popular reason would be cost. It is not cheap to travel and most people do not travel alone so then they would have to pay for their family, possibly, to go along.
OK, but don't you think it is part of our cultural values? Americans spend huge amounts on their gas guzzling SUVs and other conspicuous consumption when for example Europeans save for travel to other countries and are probably bi-lingual.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of your thoughts and the thoughts in the article. I think we are personally ethnocentric and lack the desire to travel, due to the feelings that we have everything here. I have not had the desire to travel to anywhere outside of the US based on a kind of check list approach. Until I experience everything I want to here I feel no urgency to travel outside the US. I also feel that I want to engage completely and not in little spurts. I would rather go later in life when I can commit 6 months or a year. This way I can immerse myself in the culture and truly experience a section of Europe or Asia for an extended time. I used the same approach when accepting the consulting job here in Washington. I had wanted to visit the northwest so what better way than to temporarily live here for a year? Rather than hitting the highlights of one country I want to see multiple countries and all their nooks and crannies. Don't get me wrong previews are great (the guy talking in a deep voice helps) but eventually I want to see the movie. Like Netflix I have a vacation que. Depending on mood one is getting moved to the top ahead of another. Where are 70% of the people in the UK traveling to? Maybe the US? Maybe this is the place to be? I can't wait to travel abroad but time and money are issues. These issues may be solved later in life when I am retired, provided I live that long and don't regret not going now. I think we also allot and prioritize our money differently. We chase material possessions rather than experiences. Why spend $2000 on a plane ticket and trip to Ireland when the new 3D plasma would look great in my living room. I get the travel channel in my 360 channel package and its in high def. I don't have to wear a rain coat and I can eat popcorn, Bonus!
ReplyDelete