Puerto Rico- Our 51st State?

[Cutlass]

Certainly there are broad areas where things are close. And that's more true now after more than half a century of cheap travel and mass media. I would go so far as to say that there is a homogenization process going on throughout the US that I largely regret.

But that doesn't mean that a person can't spend their lives traveling and seeing different things and meeting different people without ever leaving the US.

I don't know what percentage of Americans travel for pleasure outside the country. Maybe it's not very high. But there is just so much to see here.

Me, I go to Canada because I can't afford Europe. And Canada has a lot of similarities to the US as well. But there are still a 1000 places in the US I would like to see some day.

 

[NiRv4n4]

Considering the fact that Congress and American society speak English and don't know no good Espanol, es importante que el gente de Puerto Rico aprenda el idioma de ingles. Without learnin English, ain't nothing good gonna happen in terms of making Congress work.

 

[Cutlass]

Way I hear it, most educated Puerto Ricans speak English already.

 

[Leoreth]

Considering the fact that Congress and American society speak English and don't know no good Espanol, es importante que el gente de Puerto Rico aprenda el idioma de ingles. Without learnin English, ain't nothing good gonna happen in terms of making Congress work.

Adding another language to Democratian and Republicanese can't hurt that much.

But seriously, the fact that federal politics are conducted in English should provide a good incentive for Puerto Ricans to learn it.

 

[Save_Ferris]

I'm wondering if "Should English be the National Language" should be split off into its own thread.

 

[Takhisis]

Considering the fact that Congress and American society speak English and don't know no good Espanol, es importante que el gente de Puerto Rico aprenda el idioma de ingles. Without learnin English, ain't nothing good gonna happen in terms of making Congress work.

It's also important for you Yanks to learn Spanish to be able to communicate with the Puerto Ricans.

Adding another language to Democratian and Republicanese can't hurt that much.

But seriously, the fact that federal politics are conducted in English should provide a good incentive for Puerto Ricans to learn it.

The Quebecois aren't forced to learn English. Right?

 

[Cutlass]

It's also important for you Yanks to learn Spanish to be able to communicate with the Puerto Ricans.

I'll just ask my sis in law to translate. She was born there

 

[woody60707]

Americans don't really travel like Europeans do. A lot of Americans are content staying in their own country and not exploring at all. My roommate was like that.

Citation! It's a 26hr drive from Chicago to Vegas. I have also done roadtrips to NYC, New Orleans, ect. Taking a train from France to Germany isn't really the same level of travel. And most people that would travel in the EU would likely know English to some extent. That also makes it easier going to visit the US/Canada (the size of the EU). Again the average German traveler would likely know English. Most Americans wouldn't know German. (that's true for most people)

 

[Save_Ferris]

Americans are pretty big on cartrips. They're good with some snacks and music.

 

[Takhisis]

A lot of stuff is good with snacks and music.

 

[Bugfatty300]

As for Europeans being more prone international travel, I'll add this:

It's pretty easy for a European to travel to a foreign country when a border crossing is just hours away by car. Then you got the EU's open borders which makes it a lot easier.

On entire continent that is over double the size of Europe that is mostly covered by three main countries there's just not a lot of foreign destinations that are easily accessible.

For instance, how long does it take to drive from London to Paris? A few hours? How long does it take to drive from Washington DC to Mexico City? Probably a week if you have to stop and sleep along the way.

 

[Arwon]

You guys can get overseas a lot more cheaply than we can, at least. Check out the cost of New York to Paris flights versus Sydney to anywhere that isn't New Zealand.

 

[Disgustipated]

Do you honestly think the food and culture are the same throughout the US?

Yes, we have McDonald's in every state.

 

[kochman]

There's fairly regular statehood votes. Maybe one will pass eventually. It should depend entirely on the voters' will.

I for one hope they do, just to troll the English Only set.

I've always wondered what happens if they vote yes, and then the Congress turns them down... that would create some strife.

 

[warpus]

Citation! It's a 26hr drive from Chicago to Vegas. I have also done roadtrips to NYC, New Orleans, ect. Taking a train from France to Germany isn't really the same level of travel. And most people that would travel in the EU would likely know English to some extent. That also makes it easier going to visit the US/Canada (the size of the EU). Again the average German traveler would likely know English. Most Americans wouldn't know German. (that's true for most people)

On my travels around the world I always run into way more German tourists than American. Yes, it is anecdotal evidence, but in Germany (and a lot of other western nations) it is encouraged and almost expected for 20 year olds to travel to other countries & cultures.

The reason I bring up German backpackers in particular is because there were SOOOO many Germans in New Zealand and Chile.. There were even more Canadians & Czechs than Americans.

Anyway, it's anecdotal, but a couple Americans I've talked to have agreed with me that Americans prefer to travel .. in the U.S. as opposed to exploring foreign lands. It's a generalization, but on average it seems to be true.

 

[kochman]

I'm flagging that as purely anecdotal.

I run into Americans all the time when I'm abroad. More often than Germans (who tend to travel in flocks to specific places like Majorca)... Czech, etc...

 

[warpus]

I'm flagging that as purely anecdotal.

I run into Americans all the time when I'm abroad. More often than Germans (who tend to travel in flocks to specific places like Majorca)... Czech, etc...

What sort of places do you travel to?

I generally avoid tourist hotspots, spas, resorts, and so on.

I would love to see stats on this though

 

[kochman]

What sort of places do you travel to?

I generally avoid tourist hotspots, spas, resorts, and so on.

I would love to see stats on this though

The whole gambit (though most of my travel abroad was in Europe).

Those stats exist, I'm sure... tourism data...

I don't go to spas or resorts really, but I do hit some hotspots (meaning, places like ancient Rome, Venice, Sevilla, Golden Gate Bridge, etc)... they are popular for a reason!

 

[Bugfatty300]

Never met any Germans in Mexico and Central America other than Mennonites. Then again I typically don't hang around tourist areas. Norte Americans are everywhere, even in the small off the road middle of nowhere town I live in. Though they aren't tourists.

 

[Save_Ferris]

Yes, we have McDonald's in every state.

Please, we have a McDonald's on every block.

Not to say that there isn't any local food, New Mexican is a cuisine by itself.