“It's a big bad scary world out there!” Are you sure North America?

backseatLover12

An interesting perspective from an outsider.

http://www.fluentin3months.com/fear/

Edit: I wasn’t expecting this post to cause so much debate, but like the one linked just below, the reason I wrote it isn’t to be “anti-American” as far too many crybabies are claiming, but because you guys need to read a different perspective and understand how us non-Americans think for a retrospective look at yourselves. I like America and will visit it many times in future, but I don’t plan on living there for reasons given in this and the previous post.

Also note that this post isn’t about gun laws, but that is one mention of something us non-Americans find insane. I also mention some issues I had in Canada, which is why this title is “North America” and not America. And no, of course I don’t think this about “all” Americans. Please read the ENTIRE article before over-reacting.

When I last explained 17 cultural reasons why I probably wouldn’t move to America, there’s an important one that I didn’t emphasize, which continues to confuse me:

Why is it that Americans seem to be in a constant state of fear about the world?

This is about both day-to-day life and especially about how bad other countries are. My time in North America was indeed the one place I’ve felt the least safe out of an entire decade of travelling to over fifty countries, for a few reasons I’ll give below, but also simply because of all the fear mongering the states does so well anyway.

I see one consequence of this aspect of American culture to be its need to have so many such easily accessible guns, which creates obvious terrible events that do nothing but promote even more fear.

A terrible tragedy hit a school in Connecticut just a few days ago that you will likely have seen in the news, where many children were shot to death. While perhaps discussing this would be topical, and somewhat proves my point, I actually already had most of this post written before that ever happened. It’s just another one of many similar stories that are unfortunately not that uncommon in the states, even if the terrible body count happens to be higher this time.

The reason everyone has so many damn guns in the first place is because of America’s fear of everything in the world, that has never been challenged as it has elsewhere. Or when they sometimes claim the guns keep them safe, and other countries are more dangerous, this makes me even more confused.

This illogical fear that America has of other countries has baffled me for as long as I can remember, as I see it as one hell of an exercise in cherry picking bad things happening abroad and blissfully ignoring those happening back home.

RIO AND EGYPT – TOO DANGEROUS TO VISIT?
Right now I’m in Rio de Janeiro, and when I say this to Americans, they tell me to watch my wallet, and presume that I must have a got-robbed story from having spent an entire year of my life in Brazil. Actually it’s one of my favourite countries and when you learn to act more Brazilian you’ll find it’s a lot easier to blend in with less worries.

Sure, I’ve heard a couple of stories of people getting mugged here in Rio (most cases I’ve heard have been American tourists who have been very naïve about walking around a poor part of town almost bragging about their wealth in accessories they flaunt; something they’d be unlikely to do in poor districts of American cities), but these add up to a lot less stories compared to how many I’ve heard of tourists getting mugged in New York City.

In a few weeks I’m moving to Egypt, and I’ve been very regularly getting people asking me if I’m scared to go, as there are protests in particular parts of Cairo. These aren’t protests against foreigners, attacks on random people in random places or anything of the sort. They are protests in particular parts of cities, aimed at dissatisfaction with the government, and its policies (more complicated than that, but definitely not directed at foreigners like me). If I see anything dangerous looking, I’ll walk the other way.

So no, I’m not scared. I’m watching the news and will see how things develop as Egypt tries to find its place in the world. I definitely plan to be cautious, but I have to be cautious and street-smart no matter where I go. If things take a turn for the worst, I’ll re-evaluate my travel plans, but as long as I keep my wits about me, I see this more as an interesting time to visit the country, while it’s in such flux, and there are such discussions about its future. It’s not a warzone.

CHERRY PICKING STORIES FOR BIASED INFORMATION
Mainstream news in America makes me want to weep for the world. All you ever hear about coming from other countries is how terrible a place they are.

Faux Fox news is by far the worst of all of them for doing this, and you can see the ridiculous extent they bring this to in this discussion on Amsterdam, which is a “cesspool of corruption and crime and everything is out of control; it’s anarchy!”

I’ve lived in Amsterdam and would merrily walk or cycle home at 3AM with a hat made entirely out of €100 notes before I’d even show people that I have a smartphone a single block away from where I was living in Chicago.

As soon as something bad happens (and statistically, bad things are just as likely to happen anywhere), it’s portrayed as that country being dangerous. But rape, murder etc. also happen in America and the causation of it implying “America is dangerous” is never similarly drawn. It’s more a vague idea that the world in general is mega dangerous, and other countries are simply more dangerous.

MY NORTH AMERICAN MOMENTS
Some of my scariest moments that couldn’t have happened elsewhere I’ve been have actually all been in North America. Many times this is a direct result of America’s fear philosophy when you see so much guns and the nonsensical war on drugs. Ironically, all these measures to make things better by letting people easily “protect” themselves with guns actually make things much worse!

In San Francisco, a complete stranger I wasn’t even talking to showed off his gun to me on a bus. He was talking to himself and looked like he needed serious mental treatment, and was probably living on the street. I came across a lot of people talking to themselves without anyone caring for them on such buses and hoped nothing would make them snap. While uncared poor people with conditions can happen anywhere, I never expected just how easy it was for anyone to get a gun in America until I saw him with one.

Is it any wonder that America has the worst statistics in the world of any developed country for gun related murders? When there are apparently 88.8 privately owned firearms per 100 people, and over 40% of households with firearms (so some people have several!), then yes, a foreigner like me is scared shitless to be walking the street in a country that thinks the zombie apocalypse has already begun, with its fair share of mentally unstable people who can access them. With over 30,000 firearm related deaths per year, how scared do you think I am of my increase likeliness of being a statistic when I’m in America?

It’s not just guns though. And not just the United States. The day I left Vancouver last year, the streets broke out into chaos, with one of the worst riots of the year anywhere in the world… about a game of hockey. Not fighting for freedom or a new government, but because they lost a game. It’s like the punchline of a really bad joke.

backseatLover12

...

And on my way in from America, I had a terrible invasion of privacy when Canadian border control told me to wait for several hours in a separate area, while they took everything out of my bag and searched through everything I own in the world just in case I may be smuggling in drugs.

I wasn’t, and I don’t do any kind of drugs, but even if I was, what the hell business is it of theirs what I put in my body? A sniffer dog or a quick search while I’m present can already see if I’ve got a huge enough stash to be doing a drug run for profit, but every nook and cranny of what I owned was scoured just in case I had a few tiny grams. America’s and Canada’s war on drugs is just about the stupidest use of law enforcement and immigration resources I’ve ever come across in the world.

They took apart my CD cases, opened up pockets of the case where I was storing a few hundred dollars (and I should just trust them that they won’t steal it), looked at all my private possessions (literally every single item I own on the planet), and I couldn’t even be there to supervise it. When I came back, my bag was just left open, outside with all my stuff out on a table, some of it (including the cash) light enough that could have been blown away with the wind, since all this was done near where the car was parked rather than somewhere more secure… which is where I was waiting for hours like a prisoner on trial.

I thought you needed a warrant to go through people’s possessions, or that you could at least let the person be present when you do that. But I guess North America’s obsession with drugs means you can throw such basic rights out the window. While I wasn’t afraid for my life here, I was afraid for my rights. If anything goes, why not just take my money (that I never counted precisely because I never expected people to be digging through my bag), or plant drugs on me?

Ransacking all my possessions was just about the worst welcome to a country I’ve ever gotten. And it’s all because of an incredibly illogical and inconsistent fear of how bad drugs are.

FEAR-BASED SOCIETY
Back to America – my first job abroad was teaching Mathematics to teenagers in the states. I was only 18 at the time myself and because the other teachers were much older than me, it just made more sense for me to hang out with the students two years younger than me in my off time (none of which were in my own classes).

One day the guy who runs the school called me in and said he saw me lying on the grass beside the students. (Shock and horror!!!) I didn’t understand what the hell the problem was, so he made me sit through a video… on inappropriate sexual behaviour. I wasn’t holding hands, kissing, or you know, raping anyone, and I still had to sit through this rubbish (in true cheesy American video style).

I found out that the United States has the worst case of fear of anywhere I’ve ever been in the world. Children are constantly over-protected from the world – from germs, from strangers, from sexual predators “lurking around every corner”, and any time a news article comes up of something bad happening… anywhere, parents go all out in doubling up the protection.

Since there is no filter on the bad news, you just see every possible angle and possibility for something bad to happen and scramble to try to prevent it from happening to you.

You turn on the TV and you get brainwashed by all this fear. It’s bad things presented to you out of context. Bad things have always happened and always will happen, but when we have news reporters to tell us any time it does, as if this somehow increases the likeliness of something bad happening to you, you start to get pretty damn pessimistic. Statistically, good and bad stuff just happens. It’s how the world works. Don’t obsess over things outside of your control.

When I see parents in the states overprotecting their children, then I see a part of their childhood getting robbed. No scraped knees, no wondering around discovering nature by themselves unsupervised, no meeting as many new people as possible – because everyone is out to get you. It’s just making the next generation even worse off than the current one.

THE WORLD CAN BE A VERY SAFE PLACE WITH A BIT OF COMMON SENSE
In all the time I’ve been travelling around, nothing absolutely terrible has happened to me. I’ve never been robbed, or beaten, or tortured or anything like that. Some say this is pure luck, but where I come from we have a saying: Every man makes his own luck.

I don’t drink so I can keep my wits about me when I’m out alone, I learn the local language, so I can be aware of everything happening around me, I find non-verbal integration of a culture can help me blend in, and I don’t walk around with a bloody SLR camera around my neck all the time to stand out like a sore thumb. I am careful about what I eat and drink, and read up on the country before going and try to make local friends. I’m a little sceptical at first if a stranger is being “too helpful”, but still open minded about human generosity.

This is how I live my life EVERYWHERE. Ireland, America, the Philippines, Germany, China, Brazil, and how I plan to do things in Egypt too.

Then again a few unfortunate things have happened to me, but I simply take them in my stride and try to get through them. I’ve been locked up by Federal police, ran out of money and had to sleep on a rock, and have many other stories for another day. Shit happens. I’ve gotten out of each jam by thinking clearly.

It’s not fear that has kept me alive. It’s being careful, and looking at the world logically, while keeping an open mind and trying to stay positive. Just because there are a few bad people out there doesn’t mean everyone is out to get me and I should treat every stranger as an enemy until proven otherwise. A well known Irish philosophy is that a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. You only need a little bit of healthy scepticism.

So don’t be afraid to go to another country based on biased accounts you’ve heard about it. Don’t be afraid of the world around you when you see bad stories on TV, because maybe that fear is what is keeping people so motivated to keep buying guns, and not trust one another in the first place.

What do you think? Is the world really that scary a place, or are we perhaps getting information overload with biased negative points of view, because sensationalism simply works better on TV? Coming from someone who has visited many places, I definitely think it’s the latter and we should have a bit more faith in people and those from other countries.

callen

BSL ,

Answer: Money and politics.

backseatLover12

I'm not looking for an answer from anyone not reading the article and that's both posts.

callen

Okay just read second part and stand by my answers.

backseatLover12

Dude, not looking for answers, and there were no questions anyway. But yeah, money and politics contribute. Are you a N. American?

Jason P

I don't know if it's big and scary but I do know the rest of the world has yet to master central air conditioning. And that scares me.

Most the other B.S. boils down to frivolousness lawsuits. We've gotten to the point where people are suing middle schools because their daughter isn't getting enough playing time in volley ball.

rr165892

Jason P said:

I don't know if it's big and scary but I do know the rest of the world has yet to master central air conditioning. And that scares me.

Most the other B.S. boils down to frivolousness lawsuits. We've gotten to the point where people are suing middle schools because their daughter isn't getting enough playing time in volley ball.

Or indoor plumbing and building code standards.

rr165892

Benny,sure is entitled to his opinion.If Egypt and Rio are his idea of civilized living ,let him go.Im sure he will be able to speak all 7 languages in those places And he can find a nice cafe to sit and discuss with others why North America is the worst most scary place on earth.

Maybe you should join him since you seem so discontented within these borders.

Its a big world.Be an adventurous young lady.Go see some of the delightful living conditions , govt corruption and abuses of human rights that are so much better in other places.I hear the slums of India (oh the smell must be something)and the over population related issues in China are stunning to see first hand this time of year.

backseatLover12

Not worth my time, some aren't.

mcgruff10

I've visited more than 20 countries and actually lived in spain for a while....been to 40 out of 50 states and I can tell you this in all of my travels: common sense prevails. There's good parts and bad parts to every single country/state/province/county/parish/town. There are places to go to and there are definitely places to avoid.
It's funny because one of the few times I felt unsafe in my life was in amsterdam; i thought the city was very dark and seedy. And here the author states that he had know problem with riding his bike at 3 am.
The author mentions: why is it americans are in a constant state of fear about the world; I firmly believe that 9/11 really opened our eyes and changed us forever.
and I"m sure when the author visited rio he stayed close to the beaches and didn't stray into the favelas.
I won't even address the gun issue because the author is obviously anti 2nd amendment.

hedonist

mcgruff10 said:

I've visited more than 20 countries and actually lived in spain for a while....been to 40 out of 50 states and I can tell you this in all of my travels: common sense prevails. There's good parts and bad parts to every single country/state/province/county/parish/town. There are places to go to and there are definitely places to avoid.
It's funny because one of the few times I felt unsafe in my life was in amsterdam; i thought the city was very dark and seedy. And here the author states that he had know problem with riding his bike at 3 am.
The author mentions: why is it americans are in a constant state of fear about the world; I firmly believe that 9/11 really opened our eyes and changed us forever.
and I"m sure when the author visited rio he stayed close to the beaches and didn't stray into the favelas.
I won't even address the gun issue because the author is obviously anti 2nd amendment.

Ah yes, common sense! You mention Spain - I felt totally safe in Barcelona but Madrid? Nope - seemed like my guard was constantly up. Granted, this was pre-9/11 so possibly more of a personal safety worry vs an act of violence or destruction.

I think not only common sense should prevail, but trusting your gut as well (not paranoia) - just being aware of your surroundings; if something feels off, there's usually a reason.

mcgruff10

hedonist said:

mcgruff10 said:

I've visited more than 20 countries and actually lived in spain for a while....been to 40 out of 50 states and I can tell you this in all of my travels: common sense prevails. There's good parts and bad parts to every single country/state/province/county/parish/town. There are places to go to and there are definitely places to avoid.
It's funny because one of the few times I felt unsafe in my life was in amsterdam; i thought the city was very dark and seedy. And here the author states that he had know problem with riding his bike at 3 am.
The author mentions: why is it americans are in a constant state of fear about the world; I firmly believe that 9/11 really opened our eyes and changed us forever.
and I"m sure when the author visited rio he stayed close to the beaches and didn't stray into the favelas.
I won't even address the gun issue because the author is obviously anti 2nd amendment.

Ah yes, common sense! You mention Spain - I felt totally safe in Barcelona but Madrid? Nope - seemed like my guard was constantly up. Granted, this was pre-9/11 so possibly more of a personal safety worry vs an act of violence or destruction.

I think not only common sense should prevail, but trusting your gut as well (not paranoia) - just being aware of your surroundings; if something feels off, there's usually a reason.

I only spent the night in madrid before heading up to san sebastian for running of the bulls. san sebastian was awesome! I lived in seville and besides from the gypsies bothering you I had zero problems there.
And I absolutely agree with you....trust your gut. If you feel something is up chances are you are in the wrong neighborhood/situation.
I absolutely loved new orleans but geez you had to watch your surroundings! Things got real interesting very quickly lol.
Post 9/11 (especially being in europe in 02/03) I felt it was a bad time to be an american in other countries. I remember people saying...wear a Canadian flag! Hell no, just don't talk politics or religion!! lol

Last-12-Exit

It's not so bad.

hedonist

mcgruff10 said:

hedonist said:

mcgruff10 said:

I've visited more than 20 countries and actually lived in spain for a while....been to 40 out of 50 states and I can tell you this in all of my travels: common sense prevails. There's good parts and bad parts to every single country/state/province/county/parish/town. There are places to go to and there are definitely places to avoid.
It's funny because one of the few times I felt unsafe in my life was in amsterdam; i thought the city was very dark and seedy. And here the author states that he had know problem with riding his bike at 3 am.
The author mentions: why is it americans are in a constant state of fear about the world; I firmly believe that 9/11 really opened our eyes and changed us forever.
and I"m sure when the author visited rio he stayed close to the beaches and didn't stray into the favelas.
I won't even address the gun issue because the author is obviously anti 2nd amendment.

Ah yes, common sense! You mention Spain - I felt totally safe in Barcelona but Madrid? Nope - seemed like my guard was constantly up. Granted, this was pre-9/11 so possibly more of a personal safety worry vs an act of violence or destruction.

I think not only common sense should prevail, but trusting your gut as well (not paranoia) - just being aware of your surroundings; if something feels off, there's usually a reason.

I only spent the night in madrid before heading up to san sebastian for running of the bulls. san sebastian was awesome! I lived in seville and besides from the gypsies bothering you I had zero problems there.
And I absolutely agree with you....trust your gut. If you feel something is up chances are you are in the wrong neighborhood/situation.
I absolutely loved new orleans but geez you had to watch your surroundings! Things got real interesting very quickly lol.
Post 9/11 (especially being in europe in 02/03) I felt it was a bad time to be an american in other countries. I remember people saying...wear a Canadian flag! Hell no, just don't talk politics or religion!! lol

Don't get me wrong, Madrid was beautiful but a very different vibe from the freedom of self I felt in other European cities.

Gotta say I feel for those bulls! Were you a spectator or right there in it?

(oh....and then we got Last-12 tellin' it like it is )

mcgruff10

I was in the ring at the end of the run with huge ass Bulls running around me. It was some scary stuff. Like literally standing on the grounds of the ring; it was crazy! Loved Pamplona!

benjs

hedonist said:

mcgruff10 said:

hedonist said:

mcgruff10 said:

I've visited more than 20 countries and actually lived in spain for a while....been to 40 out of 50 states and I can tell you this in all of my travels: common sense prevails. There's good parts and bad parts to every single country/state/province/county/parish/town. There are places to go to and there are definitely places to avoid.
It's funny because one of the few times I felt unsafe in my life was in amsterdam; i thought the city was very dark and seedy. And here the author states that he had know problem with riding his bike at 3 am.
The author mentions: why is it americans are in a constant state of fear about the world; I firmly believe that 9/11 really opened our eyes and changed us forever.
and I"m sure when the author visited rio he stayed close to the beaches and didn't stray into the favelas.
I won't even address the gun issue because the author is obviously anti 2nd amendment.

Ah yes, common sense! You mention Spain - I felt totally safe in Barcelona but Madrid? Nope - seemed like my guard was constantly up. Granted, this was pre-9/11 so possibly more of a personal safety worry vs an act of violence or destruction.

I think not only common sense should prevail, but trusting your gut as well (not paranoia) - just being aware of your surroundings; if something feels off, there's usually a reason.

I only spent the night in madrid before heading up to san sebastian for running of the bulls. san sebastian was awesome! I lived in seville and besides from the gypsies bothering you I had zero problems there.
And I absolutely agree with you....trust your gut. If you feel something is up chances are you are in the wrong neighborhood/situation.
I absolutely loved new orleans but geez you had to watch your surroundings! Things got real interesting very quickly lol.
Post 9/11 (especially being in europe in 02/03) I felt it was a bad time to be an american in other countries. I remember people saying...wear a Canadian flag! Hell no, just don't talk politics or religion!! lol

Don't get me wrong, Madrid was beautiful but a very different vibe from the freedom of self I felt in other European cities.

Gotta say I feel for those bulls! Were you a spectator or right there in it?

(oh....and then we got Last-12 tellin' it like it is )

Felt fine in most of Spain, but that being said, I've had my camera stolen in Barcelona, and all my family's valuables stolen after our car was broken into in Cordoba. I accept blame for both times, and even after said thefts, I recognized that it was my own lack of planning and smart security at fault - not Spain's fault. What was disappointing was the Spanish police's "tough shit" attitude when we reported the theft in Cordoba: to me, that screams "we are overwhelmed with theft in the region and are essentially useless when it comes to theft". It also screams the fact that better policing is necessary in the region to prevent said theft - difficult when a government's budget is limited due to economic hardships.

Again, just understand the country that you're going to. A month in Nepal and I met one person with an issue: he was an asshole who had a habit of flaunting his wealth and his knowledge. Arrogance, an aura of assumed invincibility, and an abundance of visible wealth are enough to make a person a target in the "safest" of zones. Regrettably, I see those qualities in myself and many other North Americans on a regular basis.

Jason P

Speaking of going through border inspections, this is a picture that I took after crossing through near Waterton National Park ... you can guess how it went ... at least they used the rubber gloves ....

goingtoverona

in a nutshell? boohoo guns suck, boohoo north America sucks. why are you people so scared and paranoid? i'm scared shitless to walk around in America, we're all gonna die!!!
in case anyone wanted the cliff notes version.
and really on the sports violence? like that's a north American thing, like people don't kill and destroy over fucking soccer?

backseatLover12

mcgruff10 said:

I only spent the night in madrid before heading up to san sebastian for running of the bulls. san sebastian was awesome! I lived in seville and besides from the gypsies bothering you I had zero problems there.
And I absolutely agree with you....trust your gut. If you feel something is up chances are you are in the wrong neighborhood/situation.
I absolutely loved new orleans but geez you had to watch your surroundings! Things got real interesting very quickly lol.
Post 9/11 (especially being in europe in 02/03) I felt it was a bad time to be an american in other countries. I remember people saying...wear a Canadian flag! Hell no, just don't talk politics or religion!! lol

...or wear a baseball cap and white sneakers. Dressing like an American tourist brings trouble in itself.

hedonist

benjs said:

Felt fine in most of Spain, but that being said, I've had my camera stolen in Barcelona, and all my family's valuables stolen after our car was broken into in Cordoba. I accept blame for both times, and even after said thefts, I recognized that it was my own lack of planning and smart security at fault - not Spain's fault. What was disappointing was the Spanish police's "tough shit" attitude when we reported the theft in Cordoba: to me, that screams "we are overwhelmed with theft in the region and are essentially useless when it comes to theft". It also screams the fact that better policing is necessary in the region to prevent said theft - difficult when a government's budget is limited due to economic hardships.

Again, just understand the country that you're going to. A month in Nepal and I met one person with an issue: he was an asshole who had a habit of flaunting his wealth and his knowledge. Arrogance, an aura of assumed invincibility, and an abundance of visible wealth are enough to make a person a target in the "safest" of zones. Regrettably, I see those qualities in myself and many other North Americans on a regular basis.

Absolutely - educate yourself as much as possible, whether country or city.

I'm sorry about the police's view with what happened to you. To be a victim of a crime in itself, let alone in another country, I can only imagine how it'd be for me.


Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

backseatLover12

I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

mcgruff10

backseatLover12 said:

I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

i'm not quite understanding how making comparisons is wrong in this case. does america have problems, well yeah of course. but i'm not seeing any ignorance or people acting like they are perfect in this thread. maybe i'm missing something?

hedonist

mcgruff10 said:

backseatLover12 said:

I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

i'm not quite understanding how making comparisons is wrong in this case. does america have problems, well yeah of course. but i'm not seeing any ignorance or people acting like they are perfect in this thread. maybe i'm missing something?

Nope, I think you got it just fine and realistically, mcgruff.

backseatLover12

Comparisons are great, actually, especially from someone like yourself who has been to 20 countries. You're probably the best source that can comment. I'm just talking about the thread turning into a thread about the rest of the world and not about what the author is talking about. kwim? Re: people acting like they're perfect, it goes back to other threads attempting to point out our own problems, being realistic, and many refusing to accept that we have problems of our own. Sorry not to fully explain. It's nice to have you here, we need more of a variety of people posting on AMT.

mcgruff10

hedonist said:

mcgruff10 said:

backseatLover12 said:

I find it interesting (and oh, so typical) that in an article about paranoid America, people will actually turn it around and point out that parts of the rest of the world are unsafe. People just can't, they just refuse to look at their own country and find fault. And THAT's more of a N. American problem than the fear that the author thinks is the main concern. The egos, the ignorance and the inability to see themselves as imperfect. Grow up America. Why do you think that being an obvious American in a foreign country is such a bad idea?

i'm not quite understanding how making comparisons is wrong in this case. does america have problems, well yeah of course. but i'm not seeing any ignorance or people acting like they are perfect in this thread. maybe i'm missing something?

Nope, I think you got it just fine and realistically, mcgruff.

ok cool. i reread this thread trying to figure what the heck the op was talking about. maybe he's been at happy hour too long.
happy travels everyone. my next trip is the big bad florida keys in august then next year hopefully italy/croatia/slovenia.

mcgruff10

Bsl, I see we posted at the same time. I just read your explanation and I got it. Take care bud. I ll try to comment more on amt.

Jason P

The cost of air travel is my biggest obstacle. $1500 to go to Italy or $200 to go to just about anywhere in the states

Jason P

hedonist said:

Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

Yes that's me. I was backpacking in Glacier and decided to go up there for a day trip and they took everything apart while being rude ... and they confiscated my bear spray as if I intended to rob banks with it which left me without protection for the next several days!

That said, all my other crossings into Canada have been chill. Once going to a show in Vancouver, the guard asked who the opening band was and I replied "The Supersuckers". Dude just waived me through without even asking for my passport.

mcgruff10

Jason P said:

hedonist said:

Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

Yes that's me. I was backpacking in Glacier and decided to go up there for a day trip and they took everything apart while being rude ... and they confiscated my bear spray as if I intended to rob banks with it which left me without protection for the next several days!

That said, all my other crossings into Canada have been chill. Once going to a show in Vancouver, the guard asked who the opening band was and I replied "The Supersuckers". Dude just waived me through without even asking for my passport.

I absolutely loved glacier! It was one of two places where I feared for my life in a different way: nature! At any point a grizzly bear could have charged out of the brush and mauled me to death! That was a very unsettling feeling to say the least.

hedonist

Jason P said:

hedonist said:

Jason, is that you in the photo? I had my luggage thoroughly searched returning home from Vancouver years ago. I'm not sure, but it could've been when asked what my reason for traveling there was..."no, not for business, just pure pleasure".

Yes that's me. I was backpacking in Glacier and decided to go up there for a day trip and they took everything apart while being rude ... and they confiscated my bear spray as if I intended to rob banks with it which left me without protection for the next several days!

That said, all my other crossings into Canada have been chill. Once going to a show in Vancouver, the guard asked who the opening band was and I replied "The Supersuckers". Dude just waived me through without even asking for my passport.

We saw the Supersuckers too! And the Buzzcocks.

I sense a trend ...

Undies and personal items being rifled through aside, must say that Canada was one of my favorite travel times. Beautiful country and people.