BootsnAll Travel Community

Most of us who grew up in other countries were well aware of how life in America was before we came because of films and TV.

What is it about America that makes it special and a desirable place to visit?

Outside of the cities, the American people are wonderfully warm and welcoming.

On top of the people, for me travelling with young children over the last few years its also a combination of

Some of the best scenery in the world

Excellent road infrastructure to get to the scenery

Safe (health care, politically stable)

English (almost !) language spoken

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UK

If I'm not dreaming about a previous fly drive holiday to the USA, I'm planning the next one !

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English (almost !) language spoken

Great one!

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Originally posted by my2thhurts:

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English (almost !) language spoken

Great one!

English is a different language to American. See :-
English/American dictionary

believe it or not, life in america is not like the movies. and also it is exactly like the movies. come and see.

That dictionary isn't the most accurate piece of information. Many of the words are used by both countries. Has anyone here ever heard an American say icebox instead of refrigerator? I haven't, maybe it's something more commonly said on the East Coast? South?

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Has anyone here ever heard an American say icebox instead of refrigerator?

I have, but only by older people - my grandparents 30 years ago.

I saw - heard - a lot of the language differences when I was working with English people. While we could understand each other, there were many times that we would stop and laugh at the other person's phasing or word choice.

For some reason, it struck me as very funny when I saw a street sign in London with the word "whilst" on it. It seemed so formal.

I think America is so applealing because here you can find anything to suit your heart's desire. From sailing down the Mississippi, surfing in Virginia beach, skiing in the Rockies, to camping in Glacier National Park.

In addition the country is so big that there is a greater diversity in inhabitants located thoughout the country. When you think about it, America doesn't really have a set culture. There are traits one would consider to be distinctively Greek or Canadian but nothing that would be American (except maybe baseball, but there are a lot of people in the US who don't watch the game). Ask any American what nationality he/she is and even if they were born here, almost all of them will list the origins of their ancestors. If you look at the food we consume, the list would include food from Italy, Japan, China, Mexico, etc.

What I'm trying to say is, nobody would feel like an outsider here because they can find a little part of their home somewhere within these borders.

personally, America holds a special place in my heart because its home, and I'm very sentimental about those things. I also think people are pleasantly surprised that America isn't all like its depicted in Hollywood or by media outlets. My partner is from New Zealand and when his mom came to visit us she didn't think there were gardens or beautiful natural spaces in the states. That kinda surprised me, is that a common perception?

Warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmmmm!

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English is a different language to American. See :-
English/American dictionary

They miss the all-time classic!

"The rubber" an eraser in the UK, a condom in the US.

They teach only the UK version in most countries, and all those poor unsuspecting kids have no idea what they're saying if they ever ask an American if they can borrow his rubber.

Many thanks for the new words, the dictionary web page has been updated with them now.

New York City.

Have lived here all my life (so far, anyway).

Things here run 24/7, while most of America closes down after an early dinner.

Lots of stuff is suprisingly cheap and everything is available. Even at 4 am.

Hook up with some locals and you can eat cheap, drink cheap and party free. Well, almost free...........

Well, I grew up in America, and Fawlty Towers and Shogun did not prepare me for England or Japan.

There are a few things I like about America. There are some outstanding nature spots, some hoppin cities and some great small towns. There's a combination of civilization and wide open spaces that I haven't seen anywhere else.

Good melting pot food. Folk and rockabilly music. Minor league baseball. Western horseback riding. I'm fond of the place because I was born here, but if I weren't, I'd probably still visit - unless the politicians scared me off!

La

A few of my reasons to visit America (I've lived here my whole life):

1.) Yellowstone National Park
2.) The Grand Tetons
3.) Olympic National Rain Forest
4.) NYC - no place like it
5.) Philadelphia Cheese Steak

caution: wriiter is a very strange mood
america.
for so many people, for such a long time, it has been the Ultimate Destination. People get smuggled in the back of trucks, swim over rivers, climb fences, wait in lines in captital city after capital city the world over waiting for a visa. how much of the world's population survives off the remittances sent by loved ones working their butts off as dishwashers, maids, cooks, consrtuction workers here? most Americans can count one one hand how many generations back it was in their own families that someone, leaving starvation, indentured servitude, hopelessness, endangerment, ventured over here...working their own 19th or 20th century butts off shining shoes, doing factory work, or cleaning up other people's trash, all the while being treated like an animal until they had lost their accents, dressed right or were able to 'pass' as a native. i think that here, if nothing else, there lies that hope. that hope that a dream to make life better for our children's children can be pursued and, with some sacrifices, realized.

also, america has some fantastic
themeparks, paychecks, luxury (malls and airports and hospitals come to mind) and Coney Island.

The U.S. has a certain enthusiasm - big cars, fast money, Vegas, NYC, Southbeach miami- while, being such a huge country, we have a great diversity- the south, the northeast, the west, the mid-west- it's like visiting a different country that speaks english (almost). I think so much of the U.S. is anti- old-school so it is very different from Europe, and canada/Australia that remained closer to the British.

then again, i find Mexico quite glorious as well, but it is not a major magnet like the U.S.- maybe because not as much Hollywood

We love to travel in the US. In our country it is becoming more and more impossible to drive from one place to the next due to traffic. My country goes 14 times into the state of California so when we drive in the US we feel such an enormous freedom and distances dont mean a thing anymore. We've been touring the states now for 4 times(a month each) since 1998 and now we're planning our 2006 tour of the South east.Most of the US towns are, for European travellers, not very interesting exception made for San Francisco and Boston. We have visited practically all the National parks and they are wonderful.We usually take an Eagle pass.Paul

America.

Some of the best hot dogs in the world, as opposed to furiner conceps like knockwursts and sausages.

The home of the genuine grilled cheese sandwich. Yes, I said GRILLED, with butter or margarine, pressed down adequately and wet with flavorful margarine, not two pieces of toast with some cheese in the middle, put into a toaster oven.

The rest of it has been said, since America is a land of contradictions, with some of the worlds smartest and stupidest people all in the same city sometimes. A country that likes to elect people that sound folksy and anti-intellectual, preferably ones with genius IQS, very often not.

America, land of the free, and that means freedom to be done TO as well as freedom to do.

I'm American by the way, and I do love to be here when I'm not away, trying to escape it.

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The home of the genuine grilled cheese sandwich. Yes, I said GRILLED, with butter or margarine, pressed down adequately and wet with flavorful margarine, not two pieces of toast with some cheese in the middle, put into a toaster oven.

!!!!