All I'm saying is that if he wants to bitch and moan about it so much. He should do like his family member and put his money where his mouth is. Sure he has the freedom to bitch and moan and still stay in this country but if it's such a thorn in his side. He could move. He's definitely making excuses.

Yeah it's rough and I should have learned from my mother doing it when I was younger but nope. I guess I was too young to remember when she did it.

Actually it's not that difficult at all, I did it several times when I was younger and I treated it as an adventure. All it requires is a bit of planning and some guts.

People are doing this all over the world every day and are usually travelling to an alien culture to do it.

What I've highlighted is about as wrong as you can get. The world basically ticks over by people moving around the globe in transit.

Agree with soldier. I moved all over the place as a young man with nothing more than a backpack, a sense of adventure and very little money. You find a way. I think it's gets harder as we grow older though, if only because we become less adventurous.

As you get older you also become scared of everything and used to creature comforts;)

But then again there is a big difference moving to another city in your own country as opposed to moving to another country.

its one thing to travel when youre young and view it as bein adventurous when you dont have the real world responsibility that you gain with age. its another thing to move due to need or necessity (thinking along the lines of immigration in hopes of escapin poverty), and its another thing to do it when youre like 50 like larehip and just all of a sudden break free from all the lifelong relationship and obligations you have and cross your fingers on findin a place to live, a job, food, etc. not to mention adaptin to the culture lifestyle and laws of a new country.

most ppl travelin to an alien culture have ties to help them along the way and sub cultures that developed over time to help them adapt and put them at ease. theres a reason all chinese food places have the same exact menu pictures and delivery boxes, why the east coast boardwalk shops are all run by eastern europeans, why dry cleaners are usually korean, and why in some southern states most of the construction workers are mexican

my point bein it isnt easy and especially not when you dont have a subculture thats developed to facilitate your success. without a blueprint for success its extremely difficult and with age becomes moreso considerin the obligations you acquire throughout life. my entire point is that chameleon made it sound simple. dont like america?? just move. as if its some shrug of the shoulders decision that can just snap your fingers and its done and everythin works out great

Real world responsibility such as dependent family members, job, mortgage and personal ties I agree with, but if you don't have these responsibilities which a lot of people don't, then moving to another location is not so difficult, as evidence suggests for people moving within or from first world countries.

I can tell you that a lot of people that move from third world countries to escape poverty as you put it, usually don't want to go at all but are forced as you say out of necessity, which makes their immigration a much tougher prospect than going of their own free-will, as it's not done out of any real desire.

Can't speak for Lord Larehip as I don't know his personal circumstances or age until you just said, but it depends on how deep his ties are with his current location, as to whether a move is a reality or not.

That's the same for most cultures around the world as you can usually find in most major cities where immigrants tend to go their own sub-culture established in some way, unless you happen to be from somewhere like Greenland for example.

Today the blueprint for success is extremely vague, as uncertainty for most people in the current generation has never been higher and people tend to think day to day rather than long term planning. The work is usually there if you know where to look and the subculture that you're speaking of is the strongest link to it.

I think it's gotten harder to move from country to country too. In the 70s my parents backpacked from the UK through Europe into the Middle East then through Persia and Pakistan into India and back again. I tried a similar trip myself in the 90s and only made it as far as Jordan/Syria as it was too difficult and dangerous to go any further. Border crossings are much tighter these days, and the level of hostility towards citizens of countries like the UK and US has increased. My then girlfriend (a Yank) and I (a Brit) were stoned in Hebron by an angry mob of Palestinians, and eventually chased, we had to make a very speedy getaway.

Im with 216, I think for most people completely moving to a new spot is extremely difficult. I just did it, but I did have some help in that my parents are a few hours away in the same state.

Also I didnt just drop and move one day, it took a month or two of planning to make sure it all happened according to plan. I also found a job/school ahead of time. Moving blindly without something planned is a terrible idea in todays economy. We have the internet, use it.

The world's got a lot smaller with ease of travel BUT hell of a lot harder to move abroad due to the masses of paperwork and rules etc. Backpacking like you did, can't say as I'm not that cracked in the head to go backpacking in the Middle-East;)

You'd be shocked at how well we're received in the Middle East, for the most part. I've been through Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iraq. Most places I've been received with open arms. I've actually seen more hostility in Germany, France, and Spain, although not necessarily from the natives. Still, I'd recommend a trip to South America any day over the Middle East region. The inherent risk is much lower and blending in is much easier.