People who have never left Ireland, EVER!

ixoy

I'd love to know what age those who think it's odd not to have travelled at 19 are.

From my perspective (33), it would not have been odd at all to have never been outside Ireland by 19. The fact I did get to travel earlier made some people quite envious because it was more unusual.

du Maurier

saa wrote: »

Sweet jesus, most people don't choose to stay usually they don't have the money and those who don't want to are usually old and happy enough.

I wasn't abroad until I was 20 and was not shocked by minor cultural differences..
Being brought places by your parents doesn't make you cultured or knowledgeable of the world, think two weeks in fuerteventura.. getting a burn, sippin on Lilt and gettin' cornrows.

The fact is going abroad doesn't matter if you stay in a holiday resort, you just have to be somewhat informed, open minded and not a gimp.

The most salient component of your point:pac:

Nothingbetter2d

AngryBollix wrote: »

I went to portlaoise for the first time last weekend.

It was grim

visiting someone in prison? can't think of any other reason to go there.

du Maurier

flash1080 wrote: »

There's plenty of excuses for someone to not travel to England, the place is a ****hole, and the only thing worse than the place is the people.

Ignoramus.

flash1080

du Maurier wrote: »

Ignoramus.

Clown.

du Maurier

flash1080 wrote: »

Clown.

flash1080

du Maurier wrote: »

:pac:

Ormus

I used to work with a girl who was 25 and had never left the North Side of Dublin.

I don't think it's crazy or sad that a 19 year old has yet to leave Ireland.

But for a grown up person who has never been abroad, I would feel a little bit sad for them. If they are happy to stay here and have no urge to see anything, thats all well and good. But I don't see how it would do them any harm to go to Paris for a weekend and walk about. Not saying it will broaden their mind or enlighten them or make them more cultured. But there is a fair chance that it will be more interesting than another weekend in their home town.

It's like eating cheddar all your life. Cheddar is good. Try a bit of brie.

du Maurier

flash1080 wrote: »

:pac:

Stop apeing me, please!:pac: Your opining was ignorant and deserved reproach, and now it seems your retorts are just jaded and mirroring mine. Well done.

flash1080

du Maurier wrote: »

Stop apeing me, please!:pac: Your opining was ignorant and deserved reproach, and now it seems your retorts are just jaded and mirroring mine. Well done.

I didn't realise you were expecting a proper response to a post with a one-word insult and another post with just a smiley face... Britain is ****e, deal with it.

homerjay2005

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Not everyone has the luxury of foreign holidays and at 19 while it may be unusual, I wouldn't consider it odd

foreign holidays are not a luxury for f*ck sake. i booked 4 flights with ryanair last week which cost less than a return train ticket (and also the cost of driving it) from dublin to cork.

even people on the dole saving 10 quid a week can afford to go on one holiday a year.

Plazaman

flash1080 wrote: »

I didn't realise you were expecting a proper response to a post with a one-word insult and another post with just a smiley face... Britain is ****e, deal with it.

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

JustAddWater

Plazaman wrote: »

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

get out much?

token101

Plazaman wrote: »

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

I've travelled a fair bit of the UK, especially the north, through GAA. It's mostly ****.

44leto

Plazaman wrote: »

What a lowbrow generalistic statement.

So your saying that the whole 88,744 sq miles of Britian (thank you Wikipedia) are shíte and can back up this fact by your visit to each and every town.

Tar stuff with the one brush much?

It's the old Irish/British thing, but put your head beyond that and you understand why Britain gets up to 40million visitors a year, it really is a place steeped in history, culture, rich scenery and great people.

You know they weren't all black and tans. I love the place and I am Irish, it also has places to avoid but hasn't everywhere, hasn't here.

Augmerson

AngryBollix wrote: »

I went to portlaoise for the first time last weekend.

It was grim

Was much nicer before the building boom, when all the Dubs moved down.

KeithAFC

Agricola wrote: »

True. Something Ive noticed in myself is that in a matter of minutes after you've stood in front of the real life version of that picture postcard, you realize that the world is largely the same no matter where you go. People rushing around, noise, pollution, traffic etc etc. After a few days, you start to want to go back home!



Come visit us down South Keith. Broaden your horizons!

Nope. I don't see what that would do.

kippy

Xavi6 wrote: »

Exactly, everyone is different, which is why it's my opinion that's it's sad. To other people, like yourself, it's not.

Each to their own.



But that's the thing - how do they know it's not for them if they've never done it?

If you've given it a shot and hated it due to homesickness or whatever then fair enough, but at least you've got an informed opinion.



You will find folk like that everywhere, as Damo pointed out above, and I think the same thing of them. I'm not Irish bashing or anything of the sort.

The goldfish bowl mentality is something I don't get, but yes it can suit some people. Good luck to them, but imo they're missing out massively.

Fair enough on the "different part", I just think the word Sad is a bit harsh tbh.

I don't completely agree with your second statement however,
you don't necessarily have to experience something before you can have an informed opinion on it. It's not really an opinion, its more of an attitude or life choice. If I am happy where I am, dont think the hassle of passports, airports, planes, languages, different ways of doing things etc etc then I don't feel the need to go anywhere....
It's like saying that you cannot have an opinion or indeed view on anything unless you have tried it, which isn't a fair statement to make.

Fluorescence

It's so easy to travel to mainland Europe these days, I don't see why anyone wouldn't. I paid for my own 1 week holiday in Belgium last year just after I turned 20 and I'm stoney broke - I earn a measly €50 a week.

I'm currently saving up to go to Sweden on my own-io. I can't wait

FinnLizzy

fishy fishy wrote: »

right, so you've been to France, and you come back stating that you KNOW that all French people are smelly and rude.

I think you are the one that should stay in Ireland and not bother travelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk

fishy fishy

i'd say don't give up your day job

youreadthis

flash1080 wrote: »

There's plenty of excuses for someone to not travel to England, the place is a ****hole, and the only thing worse than the place is the people.

Aren't you a delight.

BunShopVoyeur

Rabies wrote: »

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Not everyone has the luxury of foreign holidays and at 19 while it may be unusual, I wouldn't consider it odd

Get off the recession train.

**** like that is ruining AH.

Air travel across europe has been very cheap since the mid 90's.
It still is.

There is no excuse for someone to not travel to even England. Take a ferry instead of flying.

It is odd and unusual that someone would not have traveled out of Ireland by the time they're 19-20.

You don't need to be rich or have a lot of money in the bank to go over seas for a weekend.

So somebody should get on a flight to England so as not to be seen as odd or unusual by yourself? People can live their lives how they want to and if they're happy to stay where they were born and have their holidays here, who are you to tell them that that's not alright?

silly

Some people don't feel the need to leave the country. There's nothing odd about their own personal choice.
To suggest someone is odd for "having no excuse " for not traveling to England is fairly odd if you ask me.
What if they don't WANT to go to England?

crapmanjoe

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

My maternal grandfather lived all his 74 years without ever leaving this island. Back then it was quite a common occurrence for rural types who were left the family farm. Nobody had the time, money or inclination for travel.

Yeah my grandparents with to the UK in the 70's for a week and never left Ireland since or before.

I know it was a way of life but trapped on this island for your entire life is my idea of a nightmare.

Fluorescence

silly wrote: »

Some people don't feel the need to leave the country. There's nothing odd about their own personal choice.
To suggest someone is odd for "having no excuse " for not traveling to England is fairly odd if you ask me.
What if they don't WANT to go to England?

Travel somewhere else?

silly

fluorescence wrote: »

silly wrote: »

Some people don't feel the need to leave the country. There's nothing odd about their own personal choice.
To suggest someone is odd for "having no excuse " for not traveling to England is fairly odd if you ask me.
What if they don't WANT to go to England?

Travel somewhere else?

K, let me rephrase. What if they don't WANT to travel out of the country. There's nothing odd about it.

Cedrus

flash1080 wrote: »

There's plenty of excuses for someone to not travel to England, the place is a ****hole, and the only thing worse than the place is the people.

"and de beer is only terrible and dey kilt all my ancestors in de famine and sure wasn't that where cromwell came from"

Fluorescence

silly wrote: »

K, let me rephrase. What if they don't WANT to travel out of the country. There's nothing odd about it.

Just a little closed-minded to think you can see it all in your own country.

ash23

My first time abroad was when I was 25.

We never went as kids because there were too many of us. Left school and went to college and any money I earned went on that. Then I had a kid and all my money went on that. Finally had a week in Spain which (other than the weather) was crap enough.

Been to England a few times since to visit my sister who moved there but haven't really been able to afford much else since that.
Hopefully this year I might get to go somewhere else but if not I'll be 30 and a few trips to my sisters house in the UK and a week in Spain will be the extent of my travelling.

BunShopVoyeur

fluorescence wrote: »

silly wrote: »

K, let me rephrase. What if they don't WANT to travel out of the country. There's nothing odd about it.

Just a little closed-minded to think you can see it all in your own country.

It's a little closed minded to think that everybody has the urge to travel abroad.

Zebra3

starch4ser wrote: »

I know a few people from Dublin who've never been abroad and they genuinely think that Dublin is one of the world's major cities.

I've never met anyone from Dublin who hasn't been abroad and I've never heard anyone say Dublin is one of the world's major cities.

Fluorescence

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

It's a little closed minded to think that everybody has the urge to travel abroad.

I know everyone has different tastes etc, but I still think a little bit of traveling is something everyone should do at some point.

I never particularly had the urge to either, but in the last year or so reading up on different cultures has gotten me very curious and genuinely interested in seeing those places and meeting those people. So people can change

fungun

years ago we picked up a ~70 yr old hitchhiker near Ballyconneely in Connemara...he asked us 'Is Dublin big?' and thinking to give him perspective we asked him what was the biggest place he had ever been, suggesting Galway. He said no, but he had gone to Clifden once.

Even as a child, I was amazed that someone could have never seen anywhere bigger than Clifden in their entire life.

It shows how much the world has changed that something like that which would have been fairly common is now treated as amazing.

ash23

I find it ironic that many people I know simply cannot comprehend my lack of worldwide travel but most have not been to places like the Cliffs of Moher or the Aliwee Caves, Giants Causeway etc.

oppenheimer1

homerjay2005 wrote: »

foreign holidays are not a luxury for f*ck sake. i booked 4 flights with ryanair last week which cost less than a return train ticket (and also the cost of driving it) from dublin to cork.

even people on the dole saving 10 quid a week can afford to go on one holiday a year.

Really... so you think the cost of a foreign holiday is limited to just the price of the flight?? Interesting:rolleyes:

Fluorescence

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Really... so you think the cost of a foreign holiday is limited to just the price of the flight?? Interesting:rolleyes:

You can stay in a hostel for as little as €12 per night Food is dirt cheap too if you buy from supermarkets and not restaurants. A short trip in Europe can work out quite reasonably.

Jelly2

ash23 wrote: »

I find it ironic that many people I know simply cannot comprehend my lack of worldwide travel but most have not been to places like the Cliffs of Moher or the Aliwee Caves, Giants Causeway etc.

This is very true. I have travelled abroad quite a lot, and lived abroad for a good while, and enjoyed it (most of it anyway). But what always surprises me is the number of Irish people who have not explored their own country. In my experience, it's extremely common. I have friends who have barely been out of their own county, quite often only visiting the main town in another county for a weekend...usually Waterford, Cork or Kilkenny. And I don't mean people from rural areas necessarily, it's just as common amongst Dubliners that I know. I don't think less of them for it, but I do wonder how you can live in a country with interesting people and places just a drive or bus trip away and not want to meet and explore. One friend I know who lives in Wicklow has never been in the Wicklow mountains!
When I lived abroad, this lack of interest in seeing one's own country was not uncommon amongst friends either, so I do not think that is necessarily a trait exclusive to Irish people...

oppenheimer1

fluorescence wrote: »

You can stay in a hostel for as little as €12 per night Food is dirt cheap too if you buy from supermarkets and not restaurants. A short trip in Europe can work out quite reasonably.

Whats the point in travelling if you don't eat out or go see and do things? All these things cost money. You may as well stay at home if all you're going to do is sit in the hostel.

I'm not saying it costs a lot, but its easy to see why someone who is 19 years old may not have had the means or opportunity to travel

Roadtrippin

I have a counter question for you: How could it not affect your world view if you have never been abroad?

It may not necessarily mean you know nothing about the rest of the world but I do think travelling or living abroad for a while changes your outlook on a lot of things, and mostly to the better.

Fluorescence

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Whats the point in travelling if you don't eat out or go see and do things? All these things cost money. You may as well stay at home if all you're going to do is sit in the hostel.

I'm not saying it costs a lot, but its easy to see why someone who is 19 years old may not have had the means or opportunity to travel

You can walk around and explore the cities, much as you might do if you were free for a few hours at home :P Yeah, money's great to get you into places and see the museums, theatres etc. You can do plenty of free stuff though too.

2 stroke

I used to know a retired truck driver from Dublin. He had spent most of his life driving, across Europe & Asia and could tell the most amazing stories of his journeys. The guy had never been past newlands cross before he was 70. He could give directions to almost anywhere in europe except Portlaoise.

Fr D Maugire

I dont think anybody has to travel abroad, especially if they are not interested but it is something different. Some people are perfectly happy in their own world, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

My father had never been aboad until his 50s and always claimed that there was nowhere like Ireland. Ironically, almost all the family are now overseas so he has been abroad a few times now and he has seen there is many places as beautiful as Ireland. I know he went to the lake district in the UK with family and loved it.

He has also had a few surprises brought to his own home which again he would never have experienced if his children hadnt travelled. It has definitely opened his mind a little. I also know my father would have loved some of the places I visited.

I love travelling and have travelled extensively and would feel that I had missed out if I hadnt travelled. However, I think it is ridiculous that a lot of people have never travelled in Ireland or even in their own County. One of my favourites things to do is to bring people on Tours of my home County. There are many fantastic places but yes the weather is ****.

jetsonx

Sure Enda Kenny only left Ireland for first time last year himself to go to some meeting in Germany.

walrusgumble

FinnLizzy wrote: »

dirtyden wrote: »

Where have you been OP? How has it impacted your world view?

I was not abroad until I was 21, my first trip away was to the USA. I have travelled quite a bit since then, worked abroad for extended periods I dont think my world view has changed significantly.

Your post does seem quite condescending. The fact that you were expecting responses like this appears to indicate that you intended it to be so.

How would I know how it would affect my world view? I can't un-visit these countries. I've been to America once and various places in Europe. The question was "And does it affect their worldview?", from an outside perspective.

I was expecting responses that call me out for being a snob because I may come across as one. I never owned an Xbox, would I wouldn't consider someone being condescending for owning one, and questioning my lack of ownership of one.

And I'm not being condescending, I just want to break the chain of recession threads on AH.

Some of the reasons for the lack of travel was due to recession and lack of money. How did you think that an interesting post was a break from recession discussion?

The question on how travel has impacted one's world view is seen to be condescending.Maybe it was not intended but many could be forgiven to believe that that was the case.

My grandpa's,like many men of the 1950's went to work in England.work and no more.he did no travelling for reasons many pointed out.but he belived in education,was fascinated by eastern Europe those commies,and at least realised that the world did not end or start in western ireland. Remember,until the 1990's travel often meant one way tickets and not out of lifestyle change.you know that it is a sensitive issue

walrusgumble

jetsonx wrote: »

Sure Enda Kenny only left Ireland for first time last year himself to go to some meeting in Germany.

Wow, and he was once the minister for tourism. Some gig without having to travel to expo's

Dudess

I like going on foreign holidays, including long holidays, but I've never had any interest in going abroad to live, just for the sake of it. That might sound dismissive of those who do, but it's not meant that way - I know plenty of people do want to live abroad just to experience it, but I'd personally only do so out of necessity, rather than merely to go travelling. I'm a home-bird no question about it. And it's not because I think Ireland's amazing or anything, but it's home - and where those I'm closest to are.

Lone Stone

I was 28 when i had my first holiday thats because ive always been **** poor growing up

humberklog

fluorescence wrote: »

You can stay in a hostel for as little as €12 per night Food is dirt cheap too if you buy from supermarkets and not restaurants. A short trip in Europe can work out quite reasonably.

That sounds like hell on earth. Even if it was a pretty place on earth, those conditions would create a mini version of hell for me.

Dudess

Yeah I couldn't handle backpacking around Asia/South America - I'd be miserable.