I know some of you have read the title and immediately thought, “There has to be a list of specific countries he is referring to.” You are correct. Any country that is not currently involved in a civil war, coup, hostile takeover, confirmed enemy of the United States etc. Despite popular belief, there are plenty of these countries available for travel and living. Many Americans never travel outside of the U.S. and usually this contributes to their ignorance of how the world works. You would be surprised what you can learn from traveling and how it can expand your way of thinking, as well as your view of the world. As great as America is, there are definitely plenty of things we can pick up from other cultures. I can tell you from experience that customer service in Japan far exceeds that of America. From the moment you enter the store, to getting your product, and finally to leaving, it’s just better. It doesn’t matter how they feel about Americans, or if they generally like you, it’s all about being a satisfied customer when you leave. Germany however, may actually be worse than the U.S. when it comes to customer service, but traveling is far easier. The main point is, every place has its benefits and negatives and I’m just here to share a few positives with you.
1. Traveling
The United States is huge. Many people don’t realize exactly how big it is but to put things in perspective, Texas can cover about 8-10 countries in Europe. This is just one example but in 4-6 hours in most directions, I can be in a different country. Each of these countries has a different culture, a different way of doing things, and a different view of Americans. It’s important to act civilized and not be a douche bag when visiting these other countries because you can impact how they feel about us. Being able to travel this freely will definitely give you experiences to discuss with your children and reflect back on in your later years. Another eye opening experience is when you stand/sit or view something that is literally thousands of years old. In comparison to the rest of the world, America is a young nation.
2. Women
Generally speaking not only are the women more agreeable and nicer but also much more attractive. This is just an opinion and of course there are always a few women living overseas that just want access to the big freedom inspired Walmart. It has been much easier for me to date being overseas as most foreign women just want a nice guy. For the most part many foreign men treat their women badly. Americans however, are just more polite in general when it comes to dealing with women. It could be the “damsel in distress” trope that we have become used to or the fact that most men see women as creatures that need protecting. Either way, with Americans having a softer approach when dealing with women, we are desired in most places we travel to.
3. Driving Or The Lack Of Need For It
Many foreign countries due to the size of them, have been able to develop a complex but simple public transportation system that is usually on time and dependable. Whether it is through bus, train or subway, you can get everywhere you need to in the country and usually surrounding countries with ease. In the years I lived in Japan, the train system there was 95% without error. Even in this foreign country it was fairly simple to follow (color coded) and easy to discern where you needed to get on and get off at. In America, we only experience this convenience in big cities or metropolis like areas due to the sheer size of some states within the Union. Also, you can forget about catching a train from anywhere to aid your travels to Mexico and Canada.
4. Alcohol
Whether it’s beer or wine, you can often consume the finest versions of it in a foreign land. Usually stronger, better tasting and less watered down, not to mention served by the liter which is a significantly larger amount, you get more bang for your buck. In Germany for example, it only makes sense to purchase beer inside a venue instead of water because it will most likely be cheaper. I can say without a doubt the best alcohol I have tasted has not been in America.
5. History
If you are into museums or history in general, there may not be a better place to search for it than a foreign land. While America has it’s monuments that are quite spectacular, keep in mind that very few world effecting events especially wars, were waged on American soil. There is literally thousands of years and multiple military monuments that you can visit within minutes or hours of each other. I believe that many foreign countries do a better job of preserving history, however in recent years America has gotten much better at it. From ancient castles (if you’ve never been to a castle you should) and palace walls to statues of dictators and old war relics you’ve got it all.
Take the advantage while you are alive and able to travel and see what else the world has to offer. I love America and I love the freedom that we continue to export day in and day out. Just realize that world is much bigger than “U.S.” and it may take you getting on a ship or a plane to understand this.
