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Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

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Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#91

Post by krschultz »

rivo wrote: post #27
raju wrote: post #17

I have lived in 3 continents (Africa [Nigeria], Asia [India], and North America [US]) and vacationed a few times in Europe [mainly England and Switzerland]. This, IMO is good advice. Contrary to popular belief, people around the world are good. They are willing to help you out and are less likely to take advantage of the fact that you are new there. There is also a sense of curiosity - about who you are, where you ar…

I got sick a few times from street-vendor food in 3rd world countries. It turned out that they often reuse oil for too long. I now avoid deep-fried food, dirty or tap water, and things like ice-cream. I've been fine on my travels since.

I've heard the tip before that you can eat anything in the world that is thourghly cooked and be ok, but anything raw is super risky. In practice this means if the street meat is steaming, it is safe to eat, but cold meats and even vegatables are out. This is the first I've heard about someone getting sick from cooked food, but it makes sense if the oil was bad. Thanks for the heads up.

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#92

Post by DanielStraight »

qeorge wrote: post #50

Mentioned in the article, you can get free room and board in some amazing places in return for your labor. Check out http://www.wwoof.org if you're interested. My folks have spent a month Italy each of the last 7 years, at virtually no expense beyond the airplane tickets. They work on an olive farm, and stay in buildings constructed in the 1300s.

First time I've heard about wwoof. Thanks for the tip. Any tips on how to make the most of it / find the best hosts / etc?

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#93

Post by krschultz »

samfoo wrote: post #24
maxawaytoolong wrote: post #22

I used to travel. Africa, Australia, Japan, Europe, Mexico, etc. His point about Americans not traveling is valid. I wonder if part of the reason is that North America is so far away from everywhere else. It takes 11 hours to fly from Berlin to Thailand, but it takes 25 hours to fly from NYC to Thailand. Most Americans probably have to get to NYC or LA to get anywhere else in the world, which can be another 3-5 hours…

Central (in particular) and South America (to a lesser extent) have way more American travelers than anywhere except Europe (at least this has been my anecdotal experience with nearly a year in Mexico/Central America). Costa Rica is practically the 51st state and south Nicaragua is well known for it's cheap land and American surfer ex-pats. Of course, flights to CA are super cheap from the US and this probably explai…

It might be that west coast goes to south/central America more often and ease coast goes to Europe, becuase I know a lot of people who have gone to Europe from here but few that have gone south. It makes sense, if I have a week off getting to Europe is only 5 or 6 hours each way, which is roughly the same as california. Flight time is not the big time suck though, it is waiting in airports for connections. A direct flight to central Europe is a lot shorter than a hop from NYC to LA or TX and then a connection to a flight going to south America.

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#94

Post by wizard_2 »

maxawaytoolong wrote: post #23
elblanco wrote: post #19

I've had the good fortune to be able to travel quite a bit in both my professional and personal life. And I really have to echo everything the author says. But three points in particular: "The media lies" is something everyone should take to heart. It's an astonishing thing to be in a place where the #1 story of the day is happening and not see anything even remotely representing the reporting on it at ground level.…

Parisians are rude in the spring and summer, when Paris is overrun by tourists. I can't say I blame them, I found the tourist situation in July insufferable. In the fall I've found Parisians as nice as anyone else in a huge city. I've never found New Yorkers particularly rude, especially nowadays.

I'll second that, as a New Yorker who works in midtown I see tourists all the time. Mostly people ignore them, often we give directions or advice (like don't stop in the middle of the sidewalk, don't leave your purse on the subway seat, this train doesn't go west 4th).

Most visitors aren't used to having so many people around them. Just be mindful of your surroundings. Probably good advice for any city.

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#95

Post by rythie »

If anything it's the other travellers that are anti-American (but not to their faces). The natives of countries don't seem to have a preference really except some country specific issues (Wars, long standing disputes etc.)

As for point #2, the media lies. The point is, really that you can't get a balanced point of view about anything from the news, since it only reports the unusual and abnormal otherwise it's not news and that's typically bad news too.

American culture seems to dominate the world particularly in that movies and T.V. seem to be everywhere.

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#96

Post by ramchip »

fgf wrote: post #53

"Three and a half years and 70 countries later, I've gotten the equivalent of a Ph.D in general knowledge about the people and places of Planet Earth." A contradiction in terms.

I'm not sure if that's what you meant, but possibly an explanation to the downvoters: a Ph.D. is a specialization; "specialization in general knowledge" doesn't compute.

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#99

Post by cryptoz »

intranation wrote: post #86

Just because people use electricity and have running water doesn't mean they are abandoning their culture to embrace western values. Is anyone actually surprised by this? That's some serious western arrogance.

Slow down now. Aren't (usable) electricity and running water both Western inventions?! I think that it's not so arrogant to suggest that if people adopt those things that they have a bit of Western in their culture.

I would equally say that we have some Chinese culture in our fireworks displays. It goes both ways. We are abandoning our non-fireworks culture to embrace theirs, just as others abandon their non-electrical culture to embrace parts of Western culture.

Re: Things I've Learned from Traveling Around the World for Three Years

#100

Post by maxawaytoolong »

megablast wrote: post #88
maxawaytoolong wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference between a Canadian and an American is about the same as the difference between a Kiwi and an Aussie. Likewise, the difference between a Texan and a Californian is similar to the difference between someone from Geelong and someone from Sydney.

As an Australian, the difference between a Canadian, American, Australian, New Zealander and English person is very subtle.

That was my point.
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