Travel and social class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t you tell someone’s social class just by where you met them, what they do, etc etc? I mean, to whom am I giving this test? And what would I do with the results?

Well in the book it’s a college student hearing that her new roommate grew up going to Christmas markets in Europe, skiing out west every spring break, and vacations on Sea Island every summer.

Tipped her off immediately to the roommate being from a high class family.

Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

I just thought it was interesting. I never considered what our travel habits say about us to other people. I didn’t think it’s something that interesting to other people. So you’ve skied in Colorado, so what? Does that make you “classier” than people who ski in VT? And is VT skiing considered classier than skiing in PA or WVA? That kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

Maybe there is more depth to the question asked. I know someone who has a very high income but came from a very working class background. He loves to travel. A lot. All the destinations he picks though are 'lower class' even though they're costly--lots of trips to Cancun, Florida, Bahamas. Lots of beach houses on Myrtle Beach, OBX etc. He never picks any European destinations, scoffs at the more interesting Mexican destinations, wouldn't ever go to historical places in the US. You get the picture.

I just find the choices odd because this person could easily afford to diversify his choices but never does. I believe this is reflective of his upbringing.

Perhaps it's not true to everyone but in this case 'class' is reflected by choice of destination.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Richmond and babysat for several families that belonged to CCV and sent their kids to St. Catherine's/St. Christophers. It was absolutely true that they only visit certain east coast beaches in the summer and travel to certain Caribbean islands in the winter. Interestingly enough none of these families traveled nearly as often as people on DCUM do, despite being textbook "old money."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is more depth to the question asked. I know someone who has a very high income but came from a very working class background. He loves to travel. A lot. All the destinations he picks though are 'lower class' even though they're costly--lots of trips to Cancun, Florida, Bahamas. Lots of beach houses on Myrtle Beach, OBX etc. He never picks any European destinations, scoffs at the more interesting Mexican destinations, wouldn't ever go to historical places in the US. You get the picture.

I just find the choices odd because this person could easily afford to diversify his choices but never does. I believe this is reflective of his upbringing.

Perhaps it's not true to everyone but in this case 'class' is reflected by choice of destination.

+1

I know a lot of rich yet trashy people like this. They loooove their AIs in Mexico and the DR. Love OBX and FL. Would never consider wasting money on a trip to Europe or Asia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Richmond and babysat for several families that belonged to CCV and sent their kids to St. Catherine's/St. Christophers. It was absolutely true that they only visit certain east coast beaches in the summer and travel to certain Caribbean islands in the winter. Interestingly enough none of these families traveled nearly as often as people on DCUM do, despite being textbook "old money."

Which beaches and islands?

St. Barts must be one

We had a trip planned to St. Martin once (which was really nice) and this upper class snobby lady I know scoffed and said, for that area, it’s only worth going to St. Bart’s or nothing. How unbelievably rude. It’s couldn’t believe it. Who writes off an entire country anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t you tell someone’s social class just by where you met them, what they do, etc etc? I mean, to whom am I giving this test? And what would I do with the results?

Well in the book it’s a college student hearing that her new roommate grew up going to Christmas markets in Europe, skiing out west every spring break, and vacations on Sea Island every summer.

Tipped her off immediately to the roommate being from a high class family.

This could be rich person stuff - do they own the Sea Colony house? Do they fly first class to Europe and stay in the nicest hotels? Do they go to Aspen instead of slumming it at a less lux resort? - or it could be middle class if it is coach and rentals.

Skiing out west doesn’t have to be expensive. It really depends on where you go. And most middle class families can afford to rent a house for a beach vacation for a week or even two.

Sea Island, not Sea Colony lol. Pretty sure we’d know the character was solidly middle class if they went to Sea Colony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t you tell someone’s social class just by where you met them, what they do, etc etc? I mean, to whom am I giving this test? And what would I do with the results?

Well in the book it’s a college student hearing that her new roommate grew up going to Christmas markets in Europe, skiing out west every spring break, and vacations on Sea Island every summer.

Tipped her off immediately to the roommate being from a high class family.

That is on freakin' nuclear scientist thinking right there.

[Anonymous]

In the US, I think this may be true. Americans live like dogs, with no vacation.
My grandparents lived in Europe and were working class. They travelled all over the continent, often by bus, camping, staying in hostels etc. I think that type of travel is very common in Europe compared to here. As far as I can tell, poorer Americans just travel to see family or maybe one week a year in somewhere like Ocean City. Most campsites seem to be filled with people from nearby, e.g. people from DC might go to Assateague.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t you tell someone’s social class just by where you met them, what they do, etc etc? I mean, to whom am I giving this test? And what would I do with the results?

Well in the book it’s a college student hearing that her new roommate grew up going to Christmas markets in Europe, skiing out west every spring break, and vacations on Sea Island every summer.

Tipped her off immediately to the roommate being from a high class family.

If I were you, I would never use this term again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t you tell someone’s social class just by where you met them, what they do, etc etc? I mean, to whom am I giving this test? And what would I do with the results?

Well in the book it’s a college student hearing that her new roommate grew up going to Christmas markets in Europe, skiing out west every spring break, and vacations on Sea Island every summer.

Tipped her off immediately to the roommate being from a high class family.

This could be rich person stuff - do they own the Sea Colony house? Do they fly first class to Europe and stay in the nicest hotels? Do they go to Aspen instead of slumming it at a less lux resort? - or it could be middle class if it is coach and rentals.

Skiing out west doesn’t have to be expensive. It really depends on where you go. And most middle class families can afford to rent a house for a beach vacation for a week or even two.

Rich and owning a Sea Colony home, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Richmond and babysat for several families that belonged to CCV and sent their kids to St. Catherine's/St. Christophers. It was absolutely true that they only visit certain east coast beaches in the summer and travel to certain Caribbean islands in the winter. Interestingly enough none of these families traveled nearly as often as people on DCUM do, despite being textbook "old money."

Which beaches and islands?

St. Barts must be one

We had a trip planned to St. Martin once (which was really nice) and this upper class snobby lady I know scoffed and said, for that area, it’s only worth going to St. Bart’s or nothing. How unbelievably rude. It’s couldn’t believe it. Who writes off an entire country anyway?

Summer beaches - Kiawah or Sea Island. (The OP is what reminded me of this.)

Winter - the ones I remember are: Anguilla, St. Barths, St. Croix, St. John

Some of them skied out west but I don’t remember that being as big of a thing.

[Anonymous]

It’s not just the travel (and I disagree that Europe is a itself an indicator of class)—it’s the place. Everyone goes to London, Paris, Rome, Venice....but only old money types go to certain places in the Alps, for instance. Aspen, the Vineyard, certain Carribean Islands (I guess St. B), etc. it’s an indicator like certain schools or brands that I haven’t even heard of. If you know, you know. The rest of us are like “oh, that sounds nice. I went to st. Thomas last year!” Or confuse sea colony with sea island.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Richmond and babysat for several families that belonged to CCV and sent their kids to St. Catherine's/St. Christophers. It was absolutely true that they only visit certain east coast beaches in the summer and travel to certain Caribbean islands in the winter. Interestingly enough none of these families traveled nearly as often as people on DCUM do, despite being textbook "old money."

Which beaches and islands?

St. Barts must be one

We had a trip planned to St. Martin once (which was really nice) and this upper class snobby lady I know scoffed and said, for that area, it’s only worth going to St. Bart’s or nothing. How unbelievably rude. It’s couldn’t believe it. Who writes off an entire country anyway?

Summer beaches - Kiawah or Sea Island. (The OP is what reminded me of this.)

Winter - the ones I remember are: Anguilla, St. Barths, St. Croix, St. John

Some of them skied out west but I don’t remember that being as big of a thing.

As someone who deals a good bit with the St. C’s crowd, this is accurate and made me chuckle. Just don’t forget to throw in the Outer Banks too for summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not just the travel (and I disagree that Europe is a itself an indicator of class)—it’s the place. Everyone goes to London, Paris, Rome, Venice....but only old money types go to certain places in the Alps, for instance. Aspen, the Vineyard, certain Carribean Islands (I guess St. B), etc. it’s an indicator like certain schools or brands that I haven’t even heard of. If you know, you know. The rest of us are like “oh, that sounds nice. I went to st. Thomas last year!” Or confuse sea colony with sea island.

Most Americans have not been to Europe.
Most Americans don’t even have passports.

Those Americans who have been to Europe, particularly those who go often, are absolutely at least middle class, on average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couldn’t you tell someone’s social class just by where you met them, what they do, etc etc? I mean, to whom am I giving this test? And what would I do with the results?

Well in the book it’s a college student hearing that her new roommate grew up going to Christmas markets in Europe, skiing out west every spring break, and vacations on Sea Island every summer.

Tipped her off immediately to the roommate being from a high class family.

This could be rich person stuff - do they own the Sea Colony house? Do they fly first class to Europe and stay in the nicest hotels? Do they go to Aspen instead of slumming it at a less lux resort? - or it could be middle class if it is coach and rentals.

Skiing out west doesn’t have to be expensive. It really depends on where you go. And most middle class families can afford to rent a house for a beach vacation for a week or even two.

middle class families can't afford the time off for multiple long vacations a year.

2 is normal though or I should say, common.

I doubt people are going to a Christmas market every single year.

No. Two vacations is not normal. Many feel lucky to get one. For us it was often camping during the one week Dad got off work.