Why never been out of the country?

[Anonymous]

So 15:45 seems to have finessed the snobbery and elitism and generally pat-me-on-the-backism to the following:

Single persons who don't travel overseas don't have their "priorities" straight. The following groups are excused from traveling overseas:
(1) families, and
(2) Brazilians.

Do I have this right? The nanny with the tips has my every ounce of admiration, BTW, and I'm not talking about her (although for the record, she and the Vietnam person and the Brazilian au pair are all single).

But to tell us all to get au pair jobs at age 26 like she did, and forget about starting a family, or paying a mortgage, or paying off college loans from U.S. colleges which I can guarantee you are more expensive than wherever she attended college (i.e. most other countries), just ... defies rationality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started working when I was 16. I came as an AP when I was 26 so I was wiki g for over 10 years by then and had finished my masters already. I paid for my program all by myself from all documentation to tix and agency fees. My parents never spent a dime with all my international trips. Let's say I had my priorities straight from early on.

Anonymous wrote:
....
I was an AP and traveled A LOT with that $139.05 salary (good thing I didn't pay rent or food then). I traveled on my own when I was still paying my student loans. It's a matter of priority and being resourceful. ...

So by your definition, "having my priorities straight" means having free room and board, so you can use all your money to travel from a base that's already in a foreign country for you. Got it. Too bad this AP opportunity isn't available to everybody. What you don't have straight is your sense of what reality looks like for the rest of the population.

Signed, frequent flyer abroad

I do have a sense of reality. Why are you saying I don't? Traveling can be cheap if you really want it to. But as we read before some are not willig to stay at a simple B&B, they prefer a fake beach with waiting staff to bring them drinks. Whatever.

My family back home is far from rich but I knew early on what I wanted and I've been working hard for this. Too bad some people don't know about the *tricks*.

We're low middle class and my 12 mo old has been to South America, Asia and the Middle East. It can be done if you want to. The thing is that some of you just don't want to. That's what I've been trying to say but seems like you're not really interested. All you want is to throw a pity party for the less fortunate. Go ahead do it but at least use some plausible argument.

[Anonymous]

LOL what a bunch of wrong assumptions. Who said I'm single?

Anonymous wrote:So 15:45 seems to have finessed the snobbery and elitism and generally pat-me-on-the-backism to the following:

Single persons who don't travel overseas don't have their "priorities" straight. The following groups are excused from traveling overseas:
(1) families, and
(2) Brazilians.

Do I have this right? The nanny with the tips has my every ounce of admiration, BTW, and I'm not talking about her (although for the record, she and the Vietnam person and the Brazilian au pair are all single).

But to tell us all to get au pair jobs at age 26 like she did, and forget about starting a family, or paying a mortgage, or paying off college loans from U.S. colleges which I can guarantee you are more expensive than wherever she attended college (i.e. most other countries), just ... defies rationality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So 15:45 seems to have finessed the snobbery and elitism and generally pat-me-on-the-backism to the following:

Single persons who don't travel overseas don't have their "priorities" straight. The following groups are excused from traveling overseas:
(1) families, and
(2) Brazilians.

Do I have this right? The nanny with the tips has my every ounce of admiration, BTW, and I'm not talking about her (although for the record, she and the Vietnam person and the Brazilian au pair are all single).

But to tell us all to get au pair jobs at age 26 like she did, and forget about starting a family, or paying a mortgage, or paying off college loans from U.S. colleges which I can guarantee you are more expensive than wherever she attended college (i.e. most other countries), just ... defies rationality.

BTW, where I come from, the very good schools are free or very very cheap. You only pay to go to college if you're not smart enough for the good ones. I had to pay very little money for tuition and paid it working during school.

Again, I believe OP asked DCUMoms why they have never been OS. We're talking lawyers and Feds. I don't think the low income pple from SE DC have time to browse here... Theyre busy working 2 jobs to support their families, right?

[Anonymous]

Thank you 15:14. What an enlightened post.

Thank you too, nanny. You have provided many useful ideas for budget travelling with a respectful, non-pretentious tone. I am sure you are lovely and congrats on all your travelling.

I lived in Japan for 3 summers growing up, and travelled there as an adult. I have also travelled extensively around our amazing country, and am a strong advocate of placing travel as a top priority.

Many of the posters on this topic present themselves as the most pretentious, narrow-minded, unenlightened, snobbish bunch of people ever to fly across the ocean. You may be cosmopolitan and international, but you are completely out of touch as to how the rest of America lives. Clearly all this travel has done nothing to broaden your minds beyond your narrow circle, nor does it appear to have taught you lessons in open-mindedness, compassion or even good manners.

I grew up in a lower-middle class, blue collar community in the Midwest. Most of the people I knew did not travel or only travelled locally. For most, it was not because they were closed minded or bad with money. It is because when you are supporting your family and living paycheck to paycheck just to pay the rent and put food on the table, taking an international vacation simply is not something that would be a responsible decision. Saved money often went to repair the blown head gasket on the 14 year old car, or the leaking roof, or flushing the backed up septic system, or if they were lucky to pay for college at the state university. But these people were kind, generous to a fault and rich with the life experiences, compassion and empathy that a not so rich life provides.

If you want to encourage people to travel, approach it like nanny, not by trying to make others feel inferior because their lives have taken a different path than the socially and fiscally blessed of DC.

[Anonymous]

Hahaha. This thread is funny. You guys will fight over anything. Thanks for the laugh again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I do have a sense of reality. Why are you saying I don't? Traveling can be cheap if you really want it to. But as we read before some are not willig to stay at a simple B&B, they prefer a fake beach with waiting staff to bring them drinks. Whatever.

My family back home is far from rich but I knew early on what I wanted and I've been working hard for this. Too bad some people don't know about the *tricks*.

We're low middle class and my 12 mo old has been to South America, Asia and the Middle East. It can be done if you want to. The thing is that some of you just don't want to. That's what I've been trying to say but seems like you're not really interested. All you want is to throw a pity party for the less fortunate. Go ahead do it but at least use some plausible argument.

You have yet to prove your contention that "travel is cheap." Brazil seems to cost several thousand dollars. The recent Vietnam and Italy examples are even more expensive.

You also refuse to accept that "prioritizing" is impossible when it means digging into necessities and basic needs. I don't know whether you have a mortgage, but many people do. Many recent US grads have significant college loans, which is not the case for you If you went to college outside the US. Saving for college is an important priority for many low income families - how are you doing on that? THESE ARE NOT "WRONG-HEADED PRIORITIES," THEY ARE NECESSITIES FOR MANY PEOPLE. There, is it clear now?

Why do I get the eerie feeling that Marie Antoinette is lurking somewhere in cyberspace with this thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

BTW, where I come from, the very good schools are free or very very cheap. You only pay to go to college if you're not smart enough for the good ones. I had to pay very little money for tuition and paid it working during school.

Again, I believe OP asked DCUMoms why they have never been OS. We're talking lawyers and Feds. I don't think the low income pple from SE DC have time to browse here... Theyre busy working 2 jobs to support their families, right?

So let's chalk up yet another advantage to you - you don't have college and law school loans, unlike most of the rest of America's young singles. Yet you keep comparing your ability to travel (as an au pair with free room and board) to their ability to travel. Do you really not understand how these privileges set you apart?

Also, my head is spinning now - are you talking to single people (who aren't on DCUM) or to the lawyers and Feds (who have families and student loans)?

[Anonymous]

Takes too long, don't want to use all vaca on one trip.

Little baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I do have a sense of reality. Why are you saying I don't? Traveling can be cheap if you really want it to. But as we read before some are not willig to stay at a simple B&B, they prefer a fake beach with waiting staff to bring them drinks. Whatever.

My family back home is far from rich but I knew early on what I wanted and I've been working hard for this. Too bad some people don't know about the *tricks*.

We're low middle class and my 12 mo old has been to South America, Asia and the Middle East. It can be done if you want to. The thing is that some of you just don't want to. That's what I've been trying to say but seems like you're not really interested. All you want is to throw a pity party for the less fortunate. Go ahead do it but at least use some plausible argument.

You have yet to prove your contention that "travel is cheap." Brazil seems to cost several thousand dollars. The recent Vietnam and Italy examples are even more expensive.

You also refuse to accept that "prioritizing" is impossible when it means digging into necessities and basic needs. I don't know whether you have a mortgage, but many people do. Many recent US grads have significant college loans, which is not the case for you If you went to college outside the US. Saving for college is an important priority for many low income families - how are you doing on that? THESE ARE NOT "WRONG-HEADED PRIORITIES," THEY ARE NECESSITIES FOR MANY PEOPLE. There, is it clear now?

Why do I get the eerie feeling that Marie Antoinette is lurking somewhere in cyberspace with this thread?

So your 12 -month-old has been to South American, Asia and the Middle East.. Poor kid!

Seriously, all that plane travel, time zone changes, potential infections, screwed-up schedules.. I love to travel as much as the next person, and traveled all over the world in my single days, but at this point in my life I put my child's interests first. And I firmly believe that an infant stands nothing - I repeat, nothing! - to gain from all that 'international travel', however, the risks for the child can be significant.

If you were traveling with a 12-year-old, I'd say "Great, more power to you", but hawling an infant around the world.. Talk about 'prioritizing'!

[Anonymous]

This thread reminds me of the school forums, where some jerk always shows up and says, "if you can't afford private school, then you must have decided to buy a big mansion instead." Ick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you 15:14. What an enlightened post.

Thank you too, nanny. You have provided many useful ideas for budget travelling with a respectful, non-pretentious tone. I am sure you are lovely and congrats on all your travelling.

I lived in Japan for 3 summers growing up, and travelled there as an adult. I have also travelled extensively around our amazing country, and am a strong advocate of placing travel as a top priority.

Many of the posters on this topic present themselves as the most pretentious, narrow-minded, unenlightened, snobbish bunch of people ever to fly across the ocean. You may be cosmopolitan and international, but you are completely out of touch as to how the rest of America lives. Clearly all this travel has done nothing to broaden your minds beyond your narrow circle, nor does it appear to have taught you lessons in open-mindedness, compassion or even good manners.

I grew up in a lower-middle class, blue collar community in the Midwest. Most of the people I knew did not travel or only travelled locally. For most, it was not because they were closed minded or bad with money. It is because when you are supporting your family and living paycheck to paycheck just to pay the rent and put food on the table, taking an international vacation simply is not something that would be a responsible decision. Saved money often went to repair the blown head gasket on the 14 year old car, or the leaking roof, or flushing the backed up septic system, or if they were lucky to pay for college at the state university. But these people were kind, generous to a fault and rich with the life experiences, compassion and empathy that a not so rich life provides.

If you want to encourage people to travel, approach it like nanny, not by trying to make others feel inferior because their lives have taken a different path than the socially and fiscally blessed of DC.

[Anonymous]

While I appreciate the nanny/diplomat kid's budget travel advice, the "how to travel cheap solo" posts are completely irrelevant to me, and I suspect to many DCUMers. Because while a solo trip abroad sounds heavenly, the only thIng more expensive then traveling with kids is paying someone so you can leave them behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you 15:14. What an enlightened post.

Thank you too, nanny. You have provided many useful ideas for budget travelling with a respectful, non-pretentious tone. I am sure you are lovely and congrats on all your travelling.

I lived in Japan for 3 summers growing up, and travelled there as an adult. I have also travelled extensively around our amazing country, and am a strong advocate of placing travel as a top priority.

Many of the posters on this topic present themselves as the most pretentious, narrow-minded, unenlightened, snobbish bunch of people ever to fly across the ocean. You may be cosmopolitan and international, but you are completely out of touch as to how the rest of America lives. Clearly all this travel has done nothing to broaden your minds beyond your narrow circle, nor does it appear to have taught you lessons in open-mindedness, compassion or even good manners.

I grew up in a lower-middle class, blue collar community in the Midwest. Most of the people I knew did not travel or only travelled locally. For most, it was not because they were closed minded or bad with money. It is because when you are supporting your family and living paycheck to paycheck just to pay the rent and put food on the table, taking an international vacation simply is not something that would be a responsible decision. Saved money often went to repair the blown head gasket on the 14 year old car, or the leaking roof, or flushing the backed up septic system, or if they were lucky to pay for college at the state university. But these people were kind, generous to a fault and rich with the life experiences, compassion and empathy that a not so rich life provides.

If you want to encourage people to travel, approach it like nanny, not by trying to make others feel inferior because their lives have taken a different path than the socially and fiscally blessed of DC.

Good post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So 15:45 seems to have finessed the snobbery and elitism and generally pat-me-on-the-backism to the following:

Single persons who don't travel overseas don't have their "priorities" straight. The following groups are excused from traveling overseas:
(1) families, and
(2) Brazilians.

Do I have this right? The nanny with the tips has my every ounce of admiration, BTW, and I'm not talking about her (although for the record, she and the Vietnam person and the Brazilian au pair are all single).

But to tell us all to get au pair jobs at age 26 like she did, and forget about starting a family, or paying a mortgage, or paying off college loans from U.S. colleges which I can guarantee you are more expensive than wherever she attended college (i.e. most other countries), just ... defies rationality.

BTW, where I come from, the very good schools are free or very very cheap. You only pay to go to college if you're not smart enough for the good ones. I had to pay very little money for tuition and paid it working during school.

Again, I believe OP asked DCUMoms why they have never been OS. We're talking lawyers and Feds. I don't think the low income pple from SE DC have time to browse here... Theyre busy working 2 jobs to support their families, right?

Wow.