Travel

What are ‘family values’? How can quality of life be accurately measured? Having just returned from a semi-extended trip, these thoughts run through me. I love America. Love doesn’t mean you don’t find faults and try to improve. Finding faults doesn’t mean you want a divorce either.

French Family Values – New York Times

For example, I’ve found that many people refuse to believe that Europe has anything to teach us about health care policy. After all, they say, how can Europeans be good at health care when their economies are such failures?

Now, there’s no reason a country can’t have both an excellent health care system and a troubled economy (or vice versa). But are European economies really doing that badly?

First things first: given all the bad-mouthing the French receive, you may be surprised that I describe their society as “productive.” Yet according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, productivity in France – G.D.P. per hour worked – is actually a bit higher than in the United States.

Crystal, my traveling companion was on her first major trip outside of the confines and relative security of the USA. More than one fight (of more than a couple total ) was started by my comments on life outside the US versus life here. For me, life outside the US tends to focus more on interpersonal relationships, family and pleasure for its own sake (good and bad). Life here (again, in my opinion) leans more towards career, money and success (in a myriad of forms). Here I feel the need to suceed. Everyday. While I’m away I can relax and leave some goals for tomorrow and just enjoy being. Not trying to be anything, just be-ing.

Some of those feelings may be predicated on the fact that abroad, most times, it is a vacation for me. Given my history of extended (lengthwise… 1 month, 6 months etc.) travels I believe I do have a clear perspective that its not all vacation. At some point even extended trips turn into everyday life. Gotta eat, pay the rent, take a bath, get a haircut. Email starts piling up, funds get low, I have my computer, I can always find a job to do locally or back here. Its good for sanity’s sake too, a little bit of normalcy when the exotic becomes mundane. [Its hard to remember you're an average looking guy when you hear 'sexy man' catcalls on the street in Bangkok a hundred times a day for weeks on end. A client screaming for the final build of a project has a way of bringing reality crashing in.] I have a unique job that I can work from anywhere at any time, I just need a box and a job to do. Seeing the world while I do it is my biggest reward.

Democracy is a blessing on the world.

A free market economy fuels productivity.

Balance is key.

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