If travel broadens the mind, what have you learnt?

Guess_Who · 31-01-2007 04:44AM #1

I was thinking the other day about how travel broadens the mind so I was wondering what people have learnt from living abroad or from any countries you've visited. Mine are

1) that Western food portion sizes are ridiculously bigger than necessary. I mean this not only with regard to restaurant sizes but also the average portion size I, and any of my friends or family, would cook at home. This I've based on Singapore where food portions are a lot smaller but I was never hungry after a meal.

2) how little concern for the environment there is in Ireland. Australians are so much more environmentally aware, there's no plastic bag tax but loads people carry reusable bags anyway. And there's so much more awareness of the need to save water. Admittedly that's because there's a drought going on, but Irish & English people I know here just don't seem to care & will leave taps running etc. etc. because "It rained the other day, and sure we'll be gone home by the time that reservoir is empty!"

Please note that this is not an "Irish people are so ignorant thread", I'm sure there are nationalities that could learn from us too. But just wondering what you've learnt that we could be doing better? Or indeed what could any country you have lived in or travelled to learn from us?

ArphaRima · 31-01-2007 05:12AM

How unbelievably desperately corrupt the entire world is. Irish people believe we live in a corruption rife hell-hole. We, the US, the UK and parts of western europe are amongst the cleanest in the world.
The house I live in now is worth 1 million dollars. My landlord owns at least 5 bigger than it. He is an ex-cop from Hanoi, and a communist party member no doubt. -very minor example-

How poor and oppressed people can be and still be happy. Its shocking that people in the west commit suicide when they lose a few thousand quid or a girlfriend etc.

biko · 31-01-2007 05:28AM

The learnings I most value from travelling have been:
You can always fix things
It's never as bad as it seems now, it'll get better tomorrow
Bring a towel

31-01-2007 06:36AM

Travel lessons? Hummmmm? OK! Here's a few...
1. Moscow - bring extra rolls of toilet paper
2. Porto Alegre - typically arrive late for dinner, but never on time
3. Berlin - don't be over 5 minutes late for a meeting or you're toast!
4. Tokyo - don't put a man's business card in the pocket over your heart!
5. Los Angeles - don't stare at gang members (even though they're just kids)
6. Brussels - you just might find the opposite sex in the W/C with you
7. Seoul - if you have a host, don't try to pay for anything or they lose face
8. Milan - the hotel concierge can get you anything for a price
9. Paris - don't tip in restaurants, cause the gratituity is typically in the check
10. Mexico City - don't drink the water!
11. Jamaica - go out at night with others, never alone!
12. Hong Kong - bring lots of money and shop until you drop!
13. British Columbia - don't feed the bears! They will follow you back to your tent!

zuutroy · 31-01-2007 09:05AM

That we're not 'all the same at the end of the day'. People are way to different to ever get along in a global sense.

Gurgle · 31-01-2007 09:17AM

Every country smells different.

Civilian_Target · 31-01-2007 10:38AM

How unpolluted Ireland is
Know the value of your passport
It is important to know the word for beer and "cheers" in any country you visit
Pooping into a hole in the ground is not a lot of fun
In some cultures, what appears to be rudeness is actually efficiency (eg. Balkan people never say thankyou, its not in their culture to do so)

Karl Hungus · 31-01-2007 10:45AM

1. Despite what weebl would have you believe, Norway pisses all over Kenya.
2. Japan is probably the best place in the world.
3. The north of Romania is way nicer than the rest of the country. (I was where they filmed Borat's villiage at one stage.)
4. Prague is easily one of the most incredible cities in the world.
5. Beers from every country I've been to kick the ass of the usual Carlsberg, Heineken, Budweiser crap.

Sleepy · 31-01-2007 12:03PM

Beer in continental Europe is nicer, and stronger, than what we have on tap in most Irish bars.
That even though cultures are hugely different, manners and human decency exist everywhere.
That being Irish has it's perks.
How miraculous our economy has been given how laid back a people we are.
That I love the Dutch outlook on life (pretty much do whatever you like as long as it doesn't harm anyone else).
That we as a people are terrible for littering.
That I want to travel lots more!

User45701 · 31-01-2007 12:06PM

Ive learned that the nicest macy-dee's in the world is in amsterdam not because of the nice smoke there but because of lovly ice tea and most importantly the
Mc Bacon.... *drools*

EDIT: Actually it was called the "Mc Tasty" so much bacon Mmmmmmm bacon

zuutroy · 31-01-2007 01:01PM

Sleepy wrote:

That I love the Dutch outlook on life (pretty much do whatever you like as long as it doesn't harm anyone else).

Have you been outside Amsterdam?

damonjewel · 31-01-2007 01:08PM

when crossing the road abroad I have learnt (the hard way) to look generally to my left hand side for oncoming traffic. This includes trams too.

bman · 31-01-2007 01:12PM

To not burp in a Spanish taxi!

After a heavy night of drinking I burped without thinking in the back of a Spanish taxi. The taxi driver nearly had a heart attack and pulled in to the side of the road and wouldn't move until I said excuse me (it took a while for me to understand what he wanted!).

Apart from that, I've learned that I love Prague! Best city I've ever been to. It just looks brilliant as well.

damonjewel · 31-01-2007 01:14PM

I love Prague too despite the fact that I was knocked down by a tram there (hence my previous post)

rollie · 31-01-2007 02:31PM

1.Berlin - Just works, the trains are 24 hours except sunday where they take two hours off
2.The Cannaries - A Fistful of dollars was filmed here
3.Prague - is great as long as you dont go during holiday season when it turns into a britian americian hybrid
4.Amsterdam - is a dump, execept for the maylo mellow where you can get some real great new orleans jazz
5.England - drunken leary blokes will talk to you en mass in the toilet when they figure out that your irish, dont get stage fright it just makes it last longer
6.South Africa - if you get stopped by guys with big guns ask how much and give it to them (probablly wont be too much, but i havent been there in a long time) plus billtong is gorgeous
7.Croatia - has the most attractive women in europe
8.Australia - a dunny is a toilet, a shelia is a woman and a spider is a coke float
9.Singapore - they have no 13 th floor, its bad luck

theres more but i have to work now

Rollie

User45701 · 31-01-2007 02:41PM

zuutroy wrote:

Have you been outside Amsterdam?

Ye ive been to Holland 7 times since i finished school 3 years ago
Found this lovely little beach resort, much better city centre red light.
Although they are slightly less tolerent of people smoking outside of amsterdam.

Its hard to convince my mates to go there only one or two of the like it like i do the rest moan that there is no coffee shops there.

monkeyfudge · 31-01-2007 02:41PM

You seriously don't want to jaywalk in Prague though.... the police come down heavy on that.

joejoem · 31-01-2007 02:43PM

money means EVERYTHING.

Chicks dig money.

Money buys you shiney things that make you happy

Money buys more holidays so you can go travelling a few times a year

Money brings independance from normal limitations

Money opens doors normally closed

The Hill Billy · 31-01-2007 02:55PM

Former Soviet Union - Bring your own toilet roll.
Former Soviet Union - If you have contraband in your luggage - give the Customs guy $20 & he'll turn the other cheek. Give him $40 & he'll sell you some more.
Israel - You won't get an Irish coffee after having a steak in a Kosher restaurant.
Israel - They have the sexiest women soldiers in the world!
Italy - The Romans are nice people.
Italy - The Milanese are stuck-up tossers.
Germany - Has the best pork products in the world.
Belgium - Has the best beer in the world.
Tunisia - Don't handle any produce unless you are totally sure you will buy it.

The Freeman · 31-01-2007 03:05PM

bratislava is encredibly quiet place on a sunday night in winter(nobody leaves their homes/opens food stores/pubs)

vienna has an awful lot amazing baroque buildings/architecture

prague is the perfect place to go for a winter break

people in the north of poland ar an awful lot friendlier to holidaymakers than in the south

the islands off the coast of thailand are in-fact paradise and is the only place that i went that has warm ocean water(like stepping into to a warm bath;) )

zuutroy · 31-01-2007 03:34PM

User45701 wrote:

Although they are slightly less tolerent of people smoking outside of amsterdam.

Allow me to correct you there: they are slightly less tolerent of people outside of amsterdam.
Lived in Arnhem two years ago and it was horrible. Literally got ignored in restaurants when they saw we were English-speakers. Girlfriend got nothing but hassle from the gangs of dodgy lookin weirdos everywhere. People are AMAZINGLY conservative. Managed a month and had to leave. Independently verified by a mate who lived in a rural area near Eindhoven for 2 months.

Ruu_Old · 31-01-2007 03:47PM

Düsseldorf airport is nowhere near Düsseldorf, thank you Ryanair!:( (they have it listed as Weeze now)

Miss Fluff · 31-01-2007 03:55PM

How lucky we are to live in a country with a decent human rights record.

31-01-2007 04:00PM

This post has been deleted.

ScumLord · 31-01-2007 04:00PM

Don't panic! My backpacking trip went wrong right at the begining and I was stranded on the border between Portugal and Spain I didn't realise the bus stoped there.

Paris is an incredibly flithy dirty city outisde of the main tourist atractions, household rubish on the side of the street and sewers gushing into the street.

The Spainish and Portuguesse don't recycle at all.

The vast majority of people are nice and freindly and will go out of their way to help you as long as your the same to them.

Czech republic as a whole is a cool country.

Everybody loves the Irish, Had an old german man sit beside me on a train babbling away in german until he found out I was Irish. Then he started talking English becuase he had an Irish friend. I then found out he was a Nazi medic during the war who fled to India. :cool:

Royale with Cheese · 31-01-2007 04:03PM

Ruu wrote:

Düsseldorf airport is nowhere near Düsseldorf, thank you Ryanair!:( (they have it listed as Weeze now)

You'll find Dusseldorf international (where all proper airlines fly in to) is about 7 minutes from the centre of Dusseldorf by train.

scojones · 31-01-2007 04:09PM

Ruu wrote:

Düsseldorf airport is nowhere near Düsseldorf, thank you Ryanair!:( (they have it listed as Weeze now)

The same can be said for the "Paris" airport the fly to.

Royale with Cheese · 31-01-2007 04:11PM

sjones wrote:

The same can be said for the "Paris" airport the fly to.

And the same can be said for Milan. Sure Stansted isn't really anywhere near London.

connundrum · 31-01-2007 04:20PM

Outside Le Louvre..

Seller: Zat picture eez €10
Me: Really, its a bit expensive isn't it.
Seller: Zat is zee price sirr
Me: God I'd get that for a fiver in Dublin
Seller: Oui Oui Sirr, are you from Eerlande?
Me: Well, yeah..
Seller: Aaahhh, mon amie! I thought you are Eenglish, no sirr, you must have eet for €5 zen. I fooking hate zee Eenglish!

^^ That pretty much happens in every country. Irish people are very well received, so play on it if needs be.

In Australia, pick 5 things you definitely want to do and then no more. You will get sidetracked by so many cool things that you might feck up your schedule if you plan for more than 5 things in your stay.

In South Africa, Cape Town is grand - like any other city, just watch where you're going and make sure people know where you are at all times etc. Johannesburg - Be very aware of people lingering (standing) at stop signs/traffic lights. Do not be flashy with jewelry/money. Public transport is a last resort. Don't over-tip anyone, they may follow you around and harrass you.

In Hong Kong - Keep your wits about you, nearly got knocked over 8 times in 3 days. Be careful of the water, and bring sea sickness tablets (4 ferries a day when I was there)

In Turkey, the men are often arrogant and the women very submissive. Didn't like that at all.

Overall.. I've learned that the earth is quite flat, despite what the 'scientists' will have you believe.

The emergency crash position is useless. With that in mind, you are probably not going to crash.

Watch others and take the lead from them re: local cultures/mannerisms etc.

Kolodny · 31-01-2007 04:30PM

connundrum wrote:

In Turkey, the men are often arrogant and the women very submissive. Didn't like that at all.

I found that too. I also learned there that you put your toilet paper in the bin and not the toilet. Took me a while to get used to doing that and a while after I got back home to remember to flush it

zuutroy · 31-01-2007 04:45PM

The Scientist wrote:

Ive only been to about 15 countries yet, but i'll second that. Mmm.. what i'd do for an ice cold red Chimay now....

Why I might just go to the canteen in work (yes its true) and have one! Muahahahaha!

If travel broadens the mind, what have you learnt?

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