People who have never left Ireland, EVER!

fishy fishy

FinnLizzy wrote: »

My OH's course went on a trip to Dublin the other day from Sligo. One of the girls, who's 19, was amazed by stuff like the spire and junkies.

Then she later mentioned that she never had a passport and was never abroad, not even England!

I also know an auld one from the village where my mum comes from, who never left Sligo until a few years ago, when she had to go to Dublin for medical reasons.

The first time I can remember going abroad was at the age of 8, but that was to go to England, and things didn't seem all that different. I wonder what it would be like now, at the age of 20, to go abroad for the first time and just be captivated by minor cultural differences.

Do you know anyone who has never been abroad? (specifically Ireland). And does it affect their worldview?

so you think it's strange that a 19 year old has never been abroad? How strange is that - you must be one of those people born in the pretend celtic tiger era - otherwise you would know that not being abroad when you are 19 is not strange - it was quite common until everyone thought that money grew on trees, took out large sums of money on loan to pretend the could afford to go abroad, along with more extra large sums for mortgages they couldn't afford. They won't be going abroad for a long long time. :rolleyes:

fishy fishy

TreesAreCrowd wrote: »

Yeah, people who can't get €40 together to fly into mainland Europe have significantly larger issues with their lives than not being able to travel.

obviously you think that cheap airfare was always around :rolleyes:
some people don't know they're born

fishy fishy

Rabies wrote: »

Get off the recession train.

**** like that is ruining AH.

Air travel across europe has been very cheap since the mid 90's.
It still is.

There is no excuse for someone to not travel to even England. Take a ferry instead of flying.

It is odd and unusual that someone would not have traveled out of Ireland by the time they're 19-20.

You don't need to be rich or have a lot of money in the bank to go over seas for a weekend.

what a strange post.

fishy fishy

FinnLizzy wrote: »

Fair enough. I don't know the first one well, but from what the OH says about her, she's a bit of a bitch (women, eh?). But that's neither here nor there.

The second woman fits the description of many of the other examples. Old, farmer, and doesn't really have much concern for anything beyond what she's used to. She has pictures of Jesus and JFK in her house so you could say she's an Irish cliché. Lovely nonetheless.

I wouldn't say the worldview of someone who's traveled is more enlightened than their's, but depending on where they've traveled to, it's different. (Someone who hasn't traveled might think that French people are smelly and rude, but since I've been to France, and therefore KNOW that they're smelly and rude)

right, so you've been to France, and you come back stating that you KNOW that all French people are smelly and rude.

I think you are the one that should stay in Ireland and not bother travelling.

charlietheminxx

I am absolutely shocked at some of the attitudes in this thread.

So if you think travelling abroad is the norm, you're a spoiled Celtic Tiger Cub? Hardly fair.

We had very little money when I was growing up - my parents had split up and my mam was only working part time. She still made sure I got to go away and stay with family - I first flew by myself at the age of 7 to visit my cousins.

I'm so glad she did that for me. I'm not afraid to go away by myself and it gave me an appetite for a change of scene. I'm always glad to get home, in some cases being somewhere else can make you miss/appreciate what we have in Ireland - but to have never been anywhere else just seems strange to me.

I had an ex who had never left the country.... I couldn't understand it to be honest. He didn't even like going away in Ireland so a weekend break wasn't even an option. I would just be so bored with the thought of never breaking routine and trying new places

fishy fishy

charlietheminxx wrote: »

I am absolutely shocked at some of the attitudes in this thread.

So if you think travelling abroad is the norm, you're a spoiled Celtic Tiger Cub? Hardly fair.

We had very little money when I was growing up - my parents had split up and my mam was only working part time. She still made sure I got to go away and stay with family - I first flew by myself at the age of 7 to visit my cousins.

I'm so glad she did that for me. I'm not afraid to go away by myself and it gave me an appetite for a change of scene. I'm always glad to get home, in some cases being somewhere else can make you miss/appreciate what we have in Ireland - but to have never been anywhere else just seems strange to me.

I had an ex who had never left the country.... I couldn't understand it to be honest. He didn't even like going away in Ireland so a weekend break wasn't even an option. I would just be so bored with the thought of never breaking routine and trying new places

travelling abroad before the celtic tiger was not "the norm". People had to save up, mostly to immigrate. It was very rare you would hear of someone heading off for two weeks in the sunshine to stay at a hotel. It was hard going and on top of that you didn't have the cheap airfares like you have now. Sunshine / ski-ing holidays were very much the luxury of the few who could afford it and was certainly not the norm.

People now seem to find it odd if a teenager hasn't yet begun to travel. If same persons who think this lived before the Celtic Tiger Loan Shark was born, they would not have even asked the question.

fishy fishy

charlietheminxx wrote: »

I am absolutely shocked at some of the attitudes in this thread.

So if you think travelling abroad is the norm, you're a spoiled Celtic Tiger Cub? Hardly fair.

We had very little money when I was growing up - my parents had split up and my mam was only working part time. She still made sure I got to go away and stay with family - I first flew by myself at the age of 7 to visit my cousins.

I'm so glad she did that for me. I'm not afraid to go away by myself and it gave me an appetite for a change of scene. I'm always glad to get home, in some cases being somewhere else can make you miss/appreciate what we have in Ireland - but to have never been anywhere else just seems strange to me.

I had an ex who had never left the country.... I couldn't understand it to be honest. He didn't even like going away in Ireland so a weekend break wasn't even an option. I would just be so bored with the thought of never breaking routine and trying new places

your words, I think

gaf1983

In transition year I remember doing voluntary work in a homeless shelter and one of the old women there had only ever left Limerick once in her life, that's when the shelter organised a day-trip to the seaside at Kilkee.

After college I taught for a year in Qatar, and one of my Irish colleagues who went out to teach in our group left Ireland for the first time when he got on the plane that time.

charlietheminxx

fishy fishy wrote: »

travelling abroad before the celtic tiger was not "the norm". People had to save up, mostly to immigrate. It was very rare you would hear of someone heading off for two weeks in the sunshine to stay at a hotel. It was hard going and on top of that you didn't have the cheap airfares like you have now. Sunshine / ski-ing holidays were very much the luxury of the few who could afford it and was certainly not the norm.

People now seem to find it odd if a teenager hasn't yet begun to travel. If same persons who think this lived before the Celtic Tiger Loan Shark was born, they would not have even asked the question.

I've never been skiing and I've only been on one sun holiday. As a teenager working summer jobs, I always managed to save up enough to go somewhere for a few days. Plenty of people took the boat to Wales/England from here for years have they not? I remember my nana even telling me about going to Holyhead when she was young.

Of course travel has become more affordable in recent years - booking and organising things have also become far more simple. You don't have to have a lot of money to travel.

The fact is that times change - you're saying this is a post economic boom thing, and it is, but we are talking about what is common now. Travelling is.

fishy fishy wrote: »

your words, I think

People have mentioned "Celtic Cubs" more than once :P

fishy fishy

charlietheminxx wrote: »

Of course travel has become more affordable in recent years - booking and organising things have also become far more simple. You don't have to have a lot of money to travel.

The fact is that times change - you're saying this is a post economic boom thing, and it is, but we are talking about what is common now. Travelling is.

yes I agree - I'm simply stating that the OP seems very surprised that somebody has not been away at the age of 19. I stated that if she lived BEFORE the celtic tiger era, she would not have been so surprised at this that she had to post it on here.



People have mentioned "Celtic Cubs" more than once :P

yes, but I think the only poster who is having a problem with it, is the poster who actually is using the word "spoiled celtic tiger cub". Very funny might I add.

just posted my answers in bold so they would be noticed. no offence

ixoy

I'd love to know what age those who think it's odd not to have travelled at 19 are.

From my perspective (33), it would not have been odd at all to have never been outside Ireland by 19. The fact I did get to travel earlier made some people quite envious because it was more unusual.

du Maurier

saa wrote: »

Sweet jesus, most people don't choose to stay usually they don't have the money and those who don't want to are usually old and happy enough.

I wasn't abroad until I was 20 and was not shocked by minor cultural differences..
Being brought places by your parents doesn't make you cultured or knowledgeable of the world, think two weeks in fuerteventura.. getting a burn, sippin on Lilt and gettin' cornrows.

The fact is going abroad doesn't matter if you stay in a holiday resort, you just have to be somewhat informed, open minded and not a gimp.

The most salient component of your point:pac:

Nothingbetter2d

AngryBollix wrote: »

I went to portlaoise for the first time last weekend.

It was grim

visiting someone in prison? can't think of any other reason to go there.

du Maurier

flash1080 wrote: »

There's plenty of excuses for someone to not travel to England, the place is a ****hole, and the only thing worse than the place is the people.

Ignoramus.

flash1080

du Maurier wrote: »

Ignoramus.

Clown.

du Maurier

flash1080 wrote: »

Clown.

flash1080

du Maurier wrote: »

:pac:

Ormus

I used to work with a girl who was 25 and had never left the North Side of Dublin.

I don't think it's crazy or sad that a 19 year old has yet to leave Ireland.

But for a grown up person who has never been abroad, I would feel a little bit sad for them. If they are happy to stay here and have no urge to see anything, thats all well and good. But I don't see how it would do them any harm to go to Paris for a weekend and walk about. Not saying it will broaden their mind or enlighten them or make them more cultured. But there is a fair chance that it will be more interesting than another weekend in their home town.

It's like eating cheddar all your life. Cheddar is good. Try a bit of brie.

du Maurier

flash1080 wrote: »

:pac:

Stop apeing me, please!:pac: Your opining was ignorant and deserved reproach, and now it seems your retorts are just jaded and mirroring mine. Well done.

flash1080

du Maurier wrote: »

Stop apeing me, please!:pac: Your opining was ignorant and deserved reproach, and now it seems your retorts are just jaded and mirroring mine. Well done.

I didn't realise you were expecting a proper response to a post with a one-word insult and another post with just a smiley face... Britain is ****e, deal with it.

homerjay2005

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Not everyone has the luxury of foreign holidays and at 19 while it may be unusual, I wouldn't consider it odd

foreign holidays are not a luxury for f*ck sake. i booked 4 flights with ryanair last week which cost less than a return train ticket (and also the cost of driving it) from dublin to cork.

even people on the dole saving 10 quid a week can afford to go on one holiday a year.

Plazaman

flash1080 wrote: »

I didn't realise you were expecting a proper response to a post with a one-word insult and another post with just a smiley face... Britain is ****e, deal with it.

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

JustAddWater

Plazaman wrote: »

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

get out much?

token101

Plazaman wrote: »

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

I've travelled a fair bit of the UK, especially the north, through GAA. It's mostly ****.

44leto

Plazaman wrote: »

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

It's the old Irish/British thing, but put your head beyond that and you understand why Britain gets up to 40million visitors a year, it really is a place steeped in history, culture, rich scenery and great people.

You know they weren't all black and tans. I love the place and I am Irish, it also has places to avoid but hasn't everywhere, hasn't here.

Augmerson

AngryBollix wrote: »

I went to portlaoise for the first time last weekend.

It was grim

Was much nicer before the building boom, when all the Dubs moved down.

KeithAFC

Agricola wrote: »

True. Something Ive noticed in myself is that in a matter of minutes after you've stood in front of the real life version of that picture postcard, you realize that the world is largely the same no matter where you go. People rushing around, noise, pollution, traffic etc etc. After a few days, you start to want to go back home!



Come visit us down South Keith. Broaden your horizons!

Nope. I don't see what that would do.

kippy

Xavi6 wrote: »

Exactly, everyone is different, which is why it's my opinion that's it's sad. To other people, like yourself, it's not.

Each to their own.



But that's the thing - how do they know it's not for them if they've never done it?

If you've given it a shot and hated it due to homesickness or whatever then fair enough, but at least you've got an informed opinion.



You will find folk like that everywhere, as Damo pointed out above, and I think the same thing of them. I'm not Irish bashing or anything of the sort.

The goldfish bowl mentality is something I don't get, but yes it can suit some people. Good luck to them, but imo they're missing out massively.

Fair enough on the "different part", I just think the word Sad is a bit harsh tbh.

I don't completely agree with your second statement however,
you don't necessarily have to experience something before you can have an informed opinion on it. It's not really an opinion, its more of an attitude or life choice. If I am happy where I am, dont think the hassle of passports, airports, planes, languages, different ways of doing things etc etc then I don't feel the need to go anywhere....
It's like saying that you cannot have an opinion or indeed view on anything unless you have tried it, which isn't a fair statement to make.

Fluorescence

It's so easy to travel to mainland Europe these days, I don't see why anyone wouldn't. I paid for my own 1 week holiday in Belgium last year just after I turned 20 and I'm stoney broke - I earn a measly €50 a week.

I'm currently saving up to go to Sweden on my own-io. I can't wait

FinnLizzy

fishy fishy wrote: »

right, so you've been to France, and you come back stating that you KNOW that all French people are smelly and rude.

I think you are the one that should stay in Ireland and not bother travelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk