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Kary Walker's avatar

I applaud your lifestyle. It automatically makes you both more worldly, wise, generous, and multi-cultural. My gay husband and I are retired in Spain for 6 years now, and we waited too late to try your adventurous life style. One thing we certainly will never regret is leaving the USA permanently.

I (a drafted Vietnam Vet)…..I hated that war…, but it taught me several things. One thought has stayed with me. It’s not an original thought, but I have an original twist: All able-bodied Americans should be required to serve for two years in a national “service” job. All the armed services would of course qualify. And many, many different types of alternatives could and should be developed. My twist? Familial circumstance considered, all should be required to serve a minimum of 1,000 miles away from home.

I come from A very small town in Texas. My experience of the people who have never lived elsewhere? ……”damaged”. Okay, too strong a word. But, these people (relatives included) are narrow-minded, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and mostly boring as whale shit. Deliver me from these incurious minds. W. Bush, while hardly a small town product, is exemplary of the type I mean.

Looking at a high school 40-yr class reunion photo of mine, my husband said, “these people look like they could be your parents.”. And let me assure you I am not some health nut. I’m a very happy Spanish wino. But I’m happy, curious, fluent in two languages and can get by in French. I love people, cultures, history, art, music, languages, cooking, architecture, wine and food. And I can be engaged and engaging in a whole host of topics……with the great exception of American football. YUCK!

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Marcy Rodenborn's avatar

A friend who lived in India and worked for NGOs said the very best way to help poorer countries is to go there and spend money locally. And I’ve learned so much about countries from you. People love to tear apart everything without deep thought

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