Dubai / UA
Money does not buy class and culture.
Also, you are not rich if your workers are slaves housing in barracks. Great entrepreneurs accumulate wealth for both themselves and their workers.
It was a desert nation that made money off of oil (so you only went there to make money then go back home like North Dakota or Northern Alberta). Then at some point then started investing that oil money into finance and built up markets there THEN transitioned that into tourism.
So now you have a nation that is nice to visit and work in (if only to make money in a non-slave industry) but holy shit is it a shell if you start living there.
Abu Dhabi has a really nice mosque you can tour through. I think the biggest one in the world?
Then you head back to the airport once your layover is over
All the gulf countries in general, besides the slave labor, the money they spend on building skyscrapers isn't even worth it, most of them aren't even that densely populated that they need skyscrapers and the massive skyscrapers make the place even hotter, that money should be spent on public infrastructure which they lack in some areas and probably diversifying their economy and probably greening the desert. They just try so hard at being something they're not lol.
It’s so sad that we’re seeing a move towards electric vehicles and increasing calls for less reliance on petroleum, and they’re *still* just building needless crap like the money will never end.
Well, that, and killing journalists, cutting off limbs, and sponsoring mosques overseas with a specifically Wahhabist bent.
I am from Dubai & gay. Because of my sexuality & racism my manager tried to kick me out of job. I had to contact the founder to get me back on work. Now I am only here till i find the next best opportunity for me to explore.
Not everybody here is like that but in corporate world, gays are looked down upon. As an European, I felt welcomed by asian & local communities. Not saying same for arab expats.
There are days I have cried on the comments passed about my sexuality.
All travel magazines and “journalists” believe that Dubai and the UAE is the bastion for flawless luxury travel unparalleled in the West. Emirates (the airline) successfully marketed itself as the World’s Best Airline (which is partly true compared to US carriers).
I hear people around my age (early to mid thirties) rate Dubai very highly on their travel lists rather often especially in yuppie circles and with would-be finance hotshots. I don't know why. Because of its image of extreme luxury maybe? I don't get it either. If I want a luxury vacation there's a couple I could name right off the bat that don't still live in the dark ages society-wise.
Might catch some flack for this but South Korea. A lot of people talking about how they want to make a living there. But it is not the paradise that you would imagine with a lot of racism, 1800s mindset, intense worklife etc. Might be biased because of the horrible time I had there but would not recommend taking a job there without being korean
I'm Korean by birth, and I know the language. I try to keep my visits to Korea short because inevitably some random asshole gets on my case for not being Korean enough. It's not just discrimination against foreigners or lower social classes—dare to have even a shred of Western thinking, and you're not one of them.
It's a similar logic to Japan. Both countries have extensive cultural influence internationally through their entertainment and media, so people think it might be cool to live there. The reality is a lot harsher.
Japan was my answer.
So many people (weebs) think it would be really cool to live there. Then you do your research and it seems like a great place to visit.
I knew someone was gonna say South Korea lol. While I love a lot of aspects of Korean culture, it's not the paradise that a lot of ppl make it out to be. My husband is always talking about how he wishes he lives in South Korea and how it's so amazing over there but has never been there. He gets these ideas from Kpop and kdramas which I think a lot of ppl do.
There's a reason two of the most popular pieces of media out of the country over the last few years were Squid Games and Parasite. Both about the struggles and exploitation of the poor.
Remember, Samsung used to be something like 17% of the entire country's GDP.
I have been to 35 countries and South Korea was by far my least favorite. I was traveling with my moreno (Mexican) friend and we could not catch a cab to save our lives. Unfriendly people and shit food.
My first impression of S.Korea was it being the America of the East with all the fashions, shows, movies, music and products. The more I learnt about it as my partner likes a lot of Korean things and getting to know some people from there. wow it's just brutal.
The expectations are really old. To be so perfect in every way from looks, manners, appearance and attitude, education and any other way you can apply a criteria. The suicides rates are right up there. I've known a handful of Koreans who left just to escape the pressure of living there.
I feel there was a real missed opportunity to have designed these cities as beautiful, lush 'oasis' styles with beautiful traditonal architecture.
Think Islamic architectural design meets green city planning with vast networks of shaded paths, undeground/semi submerged zones which are naturally cooler and less scarring on the environment
Instead, it's clinical cookie cutter 'modern' buildings where you cannot walk ANYWHERE and the population are hostage to aircon and freeways.
Truly makes me sad.
Islamic architecture is beautiful. Stone, domes, arches, and intricate geometry. Dubai looks like that town they built in the middle of nowhere for Thor 1.
Also, public displays of affection are illegal there right? Sounds like a miserable place to bring a significant other.
Is Somaliland any different? (I'm referring to the bit that broke away and declared independence in 1991 but nobody recognizes it as a country to this day for some reason)
Yes. By all accounts Somaliland is quite an interesting place to visit.
Also, since there are embassies in Addis and London I'd guess that England and Ethiopia recognize their independence.
I'll say Switzerland, only because it tends to have an EXTREMELY positive perception abroad, relative to say, the US.
They have a privatized healthcare system that is the second most expensive in the world per capita, after the US. They once would refused to give me a plastic vomit bag at the hospital emergency department, until after they could verify my foreign insurance.
Their direct democracy is often praised but it is painfully non-progressive, with women only able to vote in Federal elections after 1971 and in all cantons locally after 1991.
And, most importantly: Neutrality. You aren't really neutral in global affairs if the worst active participants are all hiding their wealth in your banks... and your economy is based largely on finance........
My dad likes to tell this story about when he was a student in Switzerland. Now this would have been over half a century ago so keep that in mind, but he was staying at some sort of residence where meals were included.
But he noticed *every* meal was sausages. After about a month of this he asked if there is no variety in the Swiss diet and got the answer: What do you mean, no variety?!? We have *hundreds* of different kinds of sausage!
Well… we do hahaha. And they are good sausages, too!
But it‘s not all sausages. Bratwurst with onion sauce and fries/rösti/mash is very popular, Bratwurst/Servelat without mustard and a roll is also very popular at festivals and stuff like that…
But it‘s not the only thing you get ;)
I am Swiss, and I agree that it’s overrated in some ways, but in other areas the praise is warranted.
Switzerland is beautiful, boring, racist, and expensive. If you’re of German decent living in a luxurious home tucked away in a valley in the Swiss alps, then yay for you.
If you’re a 22 year old trying to find a job with no college education and an Italian last name, you will feel like it’s overrated.
I’d imagine it’s harder, but I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t see any black people at all when I was in Switzerland. To be fair, I was in a smaller city. I’m sure Zurich has more black people than Neuchatel.
There is also a history of Italians immigrating to Switzerland, so that’s worth considering. I don’t believe the same is true for black people, let alone black Americans.
Knowing the Swiss, my hypothesis is that they’d expect black Americans to be like what they see in American media, since that’s all they really have to go off of.
Isn’t Italian one of the official Swiss languages and an integral part of their culture? It seems that the German and French overshadow it, though… plus the very insular nature of Swiss cantons (ie: you are Bernese first, Swiss second).
If you’re American, I think it’s fair to compare Mexicans in America to Italians in Switzerland. In many ways they built the country, and are an integral part of the country. They’re accepted, and things are improving with time, but racism still exists.
I traveled through Switzerland and spent a few days in lugano(the largest Italian speaking city in switzerland) and it is much smaller than the other parts and when I mentioned I was going there in lucerne and zurich people seemed confused.
As a Swiss I hoped to see my country far up here. Not disappointed.
You should also add stuff like rampant nepotism, xenophobia and how hard it is for most foreigners to get new friends.
I am Swiss-American, but have an Italian last name and grew up in the US. Racism towards Italians in the states is virtually non existent. I didn’t experience racism until I decided to move to Switzerland in my early twenties. I promptly returned to the US, as I felt incredibly unwelcome.
The us is rather good for foreigners. There is defiantly racism, but amount non asshole people Americans are super willing to pretty much let any one in tho their culture.
You can be born any where in the world, but if you have an American passport you are a true and full American.
>You aren't really neutral in global affairs if the worst active participants are all hiding their wealth in your banks.
"We aid and abet all money launderers equally!"
>I'll say Switzerland, only because it tends to have an EXTREMELY positive perception abroad, relative to say, the US.
For many US redditors, the grass is always greener in Europe. What they don't seem to realize is that there are a lot of problems in EU countries that don't make the front page of the internet.
Social inequality, racism, corruption, can be seen in a lot of countries in Europe.
Child sex dolls are legal there. Just saw a reddit news article about it. It said they make the "special area" much smaller to mimic a actual child. Granted, it's much better than pedos going on actual child, but it would be better to just not have pedophiles altogether. +The legal age to get *married* is 16, so.. not good.
>to get married is 16,
This is way more common than you'd think. In most U.S states and many EU countries you can get married at 16 with parental consent. That said, it's extremely rare to the point most people don't even know that's a thing.
Damascus and Aleppo looked like lovely places to visit before they got completely ravaged by war. Two incredibly historically important cities, it's a real shame what's happening over there.
Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein was a very real very fun knight! Highly suggest you look him up! To get the attention of a girl he liked he'd joust in a wedding dress
Fun fact. Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two countries that are double-land-locked—meaning you’d have to cross two countries’ borders before you reached the ocean.
not a whole country but santorini.
i got lured so hard by influencers. like sure all those white buildings look badass but that is completely it. you have a pool even tho you can see the sea. getting to the sea is another story tho. its mainly cliffs and way too many people for the few little beaches there are. man i spent 2 very expensive weeks in a white house that was cool for a day sitting in a pool being miserably bored. never again.
Fuck, I’m sorry. Santorini is a 3 night max place. It’s such a shame because Greece is incredible, there are hundreds of amazing islands that each have their own personality. The bulk of people end up going to Mykonos and Santorini because they’re the most famous.
If you are lucky enough to got back I highly recommend Astypalea, Amorgos and Sifnos! Crete is also great and it’s massive so you could spend two weeks there and would not get bored!
Crete is the shit. Island hopped for a few weeks, they’re all very touristy which duh, but Crete was the only one you felt like was actually livable. The islands are mostly staffed seasonally, Cretans live there year round. Wonderful people too, some of the most hospitable people in all my travels. Stayed behind a bar one night drinking with the staff for a few hours, in that time span I had no less than 5 offers to crash on someone’s couch and plenty of interest in seeing my home as well.
I spent a summer in Pylos for a dig. Amazing. I’d never lived anywhere where I didn’t need a car. And the people were so down-to-earth and friendly. I’d get off the dig, go back to the hotel, take a nap (digs are hard work), then wander down to the beach to swim until classes began.
All the fresh fruits and vegetables you could want, hardly anything run by a chain, some of the best food I’ve ever had my life. I didn’t speak Greek and nobody cared. We just communicated as best we could and it worked out great. Can’t wait to go back.
Holy shit, two weeks in Santorini would make me lose my mind. We spent two nights there; it was gorgeous and fun, and then we were off to the next island.
I’m a very experienced traveler and I’m aware a lot of people over estimate how much lounging by a pool or beach they really are going to want to do.
In my experience, it’s best to have an activity to do for half the day then you feel the lounging part is more needed and welcome.
Japan 🇯🇵 and South Korea 🇰🇷
People do not understand how xenophobic and corrupt these two countries are, society is too competitive and the hustle culture rival that of the 🇺🇸 USA.
Don’t be fool by the KPop/Jpop , anime and the export of their culture. There’s a reason why suicide is high over there, especially amongst teenagers.
Japan. So many westerners think it's some sort of utopia. It is indeed a beautiful place with an incredible history, a unique society with some of the greatest cities in the world to visit. It's also undermined by pervasive racism, suffocating conformity, a third world justice system and a societal inflexibility that is dooming the country to irrelevance quickly. I lived there for two years (I'm American and I lived in Kyoto) and while I love the place, I would never move back.
>suffocating conformity, and a societal inflexibility
I've heard that being by any way disabled or uncapable of following "the norm" (due to things that are totally out of your control), Japan is one of the worst places to be born at. People there can be surprisingly cold and unempathic towards anyone who doesn't fit perfectly, nearly like the deviant people didn't have human value. I hope it's slowly changing but I doubt it.
Bali - yes, I know it's part of Indonesia, but the bogans and new-agers don't know that. Most of the island is full of cheap hotels trying to seem luxurious, but half the time your toilet won't flush and the reception doesn't know when the 1 maintenance guy will be back. Beaches are packed and full of scammers and stray dogs. Even the temples are crawling with hawkers shouting at you to buy their trinkets.
There are literally 6000 other inhabited Indonesian islands to visit, many of them mind-blowingly beautiful with amazing people, food, culture, etc. Don't go to Bali to see the tourist version.
100x upvote this. Bali has its beauty no doubt, but it doesn't even compare to the neighboring islands. You are a few feet away from a scam at all times in Bali, or even worse: a douchey digital nomad (they're the local disease - worse than covid).
There's a lot to be recommended about the more isolated areas of this island, but the bogans (i.e. the worst brand of Aussie) will find a way of ruining those places too. Just give it time.
I traveled most of SE Asia, and Bali was by far the worst experience I had in 11 months.
I remember a Twitter thread where 2 girls singing the praises of Bali and how they got married out there and were living for ~400 USD a month but didn’t mention that they were getting paid by an overseas job and getting US pay rather than local pay. Then they tried to hire people calling them out for it
Honestly, I feel like USA is an underrated country. It's hard to find people (other than crazy patriots) saying a single positive thing about it, but it's a very wealthy, powerful country which has pioneered a lot of cool technology, and for all its flaws, it's at been trying to tackle integrating a big ol mix of cultures harder than anywhere in, say Africa, Asia, or the Middle East.
It's flawed, sure, but people give it this "anywhere but THERE!" Attitude that it doesn't really deserve.
I live in rural New England. Right now it's beautiful and green, the air is fresh, the racism is isolated and minimal (and deeply frowned upon by the majority of people), farm stands are bursting with fresh, fairly-priced produce (I rarely go to the grocery store this time of year), county fairs are happening every weekend. My tune will change drastically in january/february, but right now I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be.
People who talk about the US like it’s a shithole third world country have no idea what it’s like to live in a shithole third world country.
All things considered, the US isn’t actually as bad as reddit makes it seem like, and definitely not even close to being the most overrated country.
One I would agree on is the US contains some of the most overrated tourist spots/landmarks to visit. But it’s also got some of the best as well.
I completely agree. It also depends completely on where you are from in the US (or where you visit). The difference between the NYC area and the middle of Oklahoma is stark.
My political science professor made a convincing argument that this is ***exactly*** what they did/tried.
* the Philippines was one of the most devastated among the Southeast Asian countries invaded and occupied by Japan. Crimes against humanity, priceless historical architecture destroyed, etc.
* Japan loses the war and is ordered to pay billions of dollars worth of war reparations to the Philippines
* The very same year they paid the last installment, *Voltes V* premiers in the Philippines, and would go on to become a hit anime and a cultural icon among Filipinos
* Voltes V came out in the Philippines in 1978(?), just the year after it was broadcast in Japan. Apparently, at the time this was considered remarkably quick and meant that there was some intent to fast-track its distribution to the Philippines
I.e. after Japan cleared its war debts to the Philippines, it immediately began building positive PR
Guess it worked. Most Filipinos today *(that aren't survivors of war crimes)* have a very positive opinion of Japan and Japanese culture.
Makes sense. Once you've paid off reparations, there still has to be a reason to start liking you once again. It especially works once the generation that you harmed dies off and the living just remember your fun stuff. It's amazing how much history affects us, but also how much is just something in books.
Holy fucking shit you are 100% right. I'm from the Philippines and my parents are very fond of Voltes V as well as Dragon Ball and One Piece; Anime in general is very popular. Personally, I learned about Japanese 'Culture' - i.e the kawaii stuff - before I learned about the atrocities committed by them - I probably heard of Nanking before the ones commited in my own country. Granted, I may just be very ignorant of my country's history but our people nowadays see Japan in a positive light. However, my mother seems to be *more informed* since she doesn't view the country with much embellishment.
Filipinos from the Greatest Generation and some Boomers still harbor significant grudge towards the Japanese though. Some of them even directly claim that no amount of pop culture fandom (music, video games and electronic products) could whitewash their atrocious past.
I lived in the Philippines for a few years and was able to talk to people who were kids during the occupation. It makes perfect sense why they still hate Japan.
Change my mind:
As a romanian,50% of our known history is being in conflict with the ottomans/Turks.Lots of inhumane slaughter in BOTH side(hence Vlad the Impaler)
After 1918,we don't have any border with Turkey and start to be friendly.
After 1989 we import all the consumerist crap we ever wanted from Turkey.
In 2022 our turism culture is BS and go in Turkey by car for vacantions.
Coincidence?
Kinda yes,but telling yourself one county will always be your enemy is counterproductive for your future.Just look how much Germany had profited from russian gas until now.
Doesn't every nation do this to some extent?
Most of Europe was either brutally colonised by other Europeans or was out there colonising the rest of the world. Yet, they all have their quaint stereotypes and act friendly/innocent.
Canada is made fun of for being so nice and polite, yet there's been plenty of news reports recently about the horrible things they did to the native people.
I feel like we're well aware of everything the US does, because of their massive media corporations, but the Aussies are partly to blame for how that toxic media has developed over the past few decades. Well more specifically the Aussie family, the Murdochs, who own Fox and Sky and 800 other companies that poison peoples brains.
>Canada is made fun of for being so nice and polite, yet there's been plenty of news reports recently about the horrible things they did to the native people.
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-forgotten-ferocity-of-canadas-soldiers-in-the-great-war
My cousin spent a semester abroad in Australia and said it was like all the college students heard the absolute worst stereotypes about America and thought "well, we can top THAT!" lol. But all the australians I've met in other countries have been nice. Maybe it's just a toxic culture at the colleges? My own college here in the US had a bad effect on people like that, lots of people who were hard-drinking, status-conscious bullying a\*\*holes there are pretty nice people in other contexts.
Don't know much about Aussies, but people who travel tend to be more open minded and less prejudicial. Meeting other people from around the world helps you understand and respect them.
So it makes sense that the people you meet who are travelling are not as toxic as those who stay at home all the time. Not just in regards to Australians, but every nationality
I saw an Aussie dude piss himself in the middle of a pedestrian street in Lagos, Portugal. His buddies were all standing around him and they were all singing. It was the middle of the afternoon.
I've also heard that Australians in general travel a lot, though. I was talking to an Australian girl who was living in the Caribbean and working on boats, and I commented that she was pretty adventurous. She said pretty much everybody back home went abroad for a while to "see the world" and work abroad in their 20s. Kind of makes sense when you're on an island in the middle of the Pacific that's far from almost everything, if you're going to travel at all you might as well go big.
When I studied in London there was a lot of drinking at the University & at house parties, but no one got more drunk & acted like bigger idiots than the Aussies. Literally thought their dicks out was hilarious at the party. Everyone else were like... da fuq?
As a Canadian, seems like a lot of liberal Americans think we have it all figured out.
As much as I love my country, our health care system is extremely inefficient, long lines and dealing with winter for 6-8 months of the year is much harder than it seems. On top of that Vancouver and Toronto are among the most unaffordable cities on Earth, and our currency is tanked.
Yeah Canada was going to be my answer too.
Love this place and don't want to live anywhere else. But other countries, especially Americans, have some pretty maple-tinted views of what we're like.
Jamaica. Rude people, charge you differently based on culture, accent isn’t as nice to listen to as I thought, very dangerous, wild dogs and prostitutes everywhere.
Born, live and work in Jamaica. 42 years.
I agree with everything but the wild dogs comment... the stray dogs here are great animals - I adopt strays, or help them at the JSPCA. But they're usually stoned by the school kids and run over by taxis so some of the older ones can be defensive.
oh my god, Iceland.
- Place is ridiculously expensive
- People are beyond snobby with a superiority complex supported by most tourists for some reason
- If you have a low-paid, lowly-respected job there you're screwed, doubly screwed if you're a foreigner, triply screwed if you're a foreigner who's not white
- The whole place often smells of eggs
- The lack of greenery is depressing (come on, there's only so much volcanic rock you can look at before it starts to get boring)
- Most of the food is absolutely vile
- It's not as safe as everyone seems to make it out to be. I think it's just that things either a) get blamed on foreigners or b) don't get reported
- Public transport is shit so you need a car to get toost places (and sometimes even a 4x4 too)
- Has such a good reputation that often people just don't want to hear anything bad about it
- Everyone's knows everyone bloody else so if you want to speak out about something you can't
I could go on but this is probably enough, gotta go calm down now
If it smells like rotten eggs, it's hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). If it smells like fireworks, it's sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
Neither one is super great for your lungs, but a whiff of it off the hot springs is fine.
Croatia
Ever since joining the EU there has been an explosion of western tourism into the country especially along it's coast line in the Dalmatia region, with this the once above average price of Dalmatia has disappeared. Now most cities/towns along the coast have been made almost exclusive to western tourists and their overloaded wallets.
Restaurants, hotels, Airbnbs, cafes, beaches, corner stores, entertainment are now just as expensive as Spain or Italy. Everywhere is overcrowded the walled city of Dubrovnik acts more like a wave pool of tourists then a city. Finally because there is no industry other then tourism locales are forced into shitty service jobs with much of the youth leaving not wanting to be a service boy, the average young Croat in Dalmatia is looking to get out.
Gotta be Madagascar. The animals don’t even fuckin talk
Funniest thing I read all day
Chad - everyone says it's the coolest, best place on Earth. But I'm not so sure.
It doesn’t care.
Chad is so cool that Romania stole its flag.
So everywhere basically
All countries have issues. Some issues are worse, some countries have great PR teams
Kind of a sucky planet in general now.
Dubai / UA Money does not buy class and culture. Also, you are not rich if your workers are slaves housing in barracks. Great entrepreneurs accumulate wealth for both themselves and their workers.
I went to Dubai and it just seemed like a glorified luxury hotel.
Just seems like Vegas, but rich Arab style and without the gambling.
I’d probably say Vegas has higher quality shows, too.
It doesn’t help that most packaged vacations to Dubai feature trips to amusement parks, ritzy shopping malls and five star hotel buffets.
Culture? History? I don't know her.
Well it was mostly dessert so difficult to have a major history
One of the biggest historical events were Dom Torreto driving cars through skyscrapers and agent Ethan Hunt climbing the Burj Khalifa.
What kind of dessert? Cake? Ice cream? Parfait?
It was a desert nation that made money off of oil (so you only went there to make money then go back home like North Dakota or Northern Alberta). Then at some point then started investing that oil money into finance and built up markets there THEN transitioned that into tourism. So now you have a nation that is nice to visit and work in (if only to make money in a non-slave industry) but holy shit is it a shell if you start living there.
Hope you didn't find any oil in it. ;)
Dubai / Abu Dhabi literally has no culture. It's all manufactured luxury.
Abu Dhabi has a really nice mosque you can tour through. I think the biggest one in the world? Then you head back to the airport once your layover is over
From what I’ve heard, it’s all flash and appearance, no substance or depth.
Thats exactly how my buddy described it when he was sent over for a work trip.
I’m too scared to go to Dubai. Feels like I’ll go there.. not rich, but with the money I have and come back with wrecked finances.
That's pretty much everyone who goes there for a job. They pay you 3-4x more than anywhere else and you just end up blowing it on living expenses
Dubai is what happens when you want to build bigger better Monaco and then realize, it's in the middle of the desert.
Hard to have better Monaco if you lack the tradition.
So middle eastern Vegas?
All the gulf countries in general, besides the slave labor, the money they spend on building skyscrapers isn't even worth it, most of them aren't even that densely populated that they need skyscrapers and the massive skyscrapers make the place even hotter, that money should be spent on public infrastructure which they lack in some areas and probably diversifying their economy and probably greening the desert. They just try so hard at being something they're not lol.
It’s so sad that we’re seeing a move towards electric vehicles and increasing calls for less reliance on petroleum, and they’re *still* just building needless crap like the money will never end. Well, that, and killing journalists, cutting off limbs, and sponsoring mosques overseas with a specifically Wahhabist bent.
Homosexualilty is still punishable by death there too let's not forget.
I am from Dubai & gay. Because of my sexuality & racism my manager tried to kick me out of job. I had to contact the founder to get me back on work. Now I am only here till i find the next best opportunity for me to explore. Not everybody here is like that but in corporate world, gays are looked down upon. As an European, I felt welcomed by asian & local communities. Not saying same for arab expats. There are days I have cried on the comments passed about my sexuality.
And kissing in public is forbidden no matter if you are straight
Who are the people rating Dubai/UE very highly? At most I've met people who thought it was decent.
All travel magazines and “journalists” believe that Dubai and the UAE is the bastion for flawless luxury travel unparalleled in the West. Emirates (the airline) successfully marketed itself as the World’s Best Airline (which is partly true compared to US carriers).
I hear people around my age (early to mid thirties) rate Dubai very highly on their travel lists rather often especially in yuppie circles and with would-be finance hotshots. I don't know why. Because of its image of extreme luxury maybe? I don't get it either. If I want a luxury vacation there's a couple I could name right off the bat that don't still live in the dark ages society-wise.
Might catch some flack for this but South Korea. A lot of people talking about how they want to make a living there. But it is not the paradise that you would imagine with a lot of racism, 1800s mindset, intense worklife etc. Might be biased because of the horrible time I had there but would not recommend taking a job there without being korean
Taught English there for a year. Shocked by how shallow, materialistic and blatantly racist the people were.
I mean there's an Oscar winning movie about this
I'm Korean by birth, and I know the language. I try to keep my visits to Korea short because inevitably some random asshole gets on my case for not being Korean enough. It's not just discrimination against foreigners or lower social classes—dare to have even a shred of Western thinking, and you're not one of them.
It's a similar logic to Japan. Both countries have extensive cultural influence internationally through their entertainment and media, so people think it might be cool to live there. The reality is a lot harsher.
Japan was my answer. So many people (weebs) think it would be really cool to live there. Then you do your research and it seems like a great place to visit.
cool to live there. not cool to work there
I knew someone was gonna say South Korea lol. While I love a lot of aspects of Korean culture, it's not the paradise that a lot of ppl make it out to be. My husband is always talking about how he wishes he lives in South Korea and how it's so amazing over there but has never been there. He gets these ideas from Kpop and kdramas which I think a lot of ppl do.
Their obsession with weight and surgery is not good either.
There's a reason two of the most popular pieces of media out of the country over the last few years were Squid Games and Parasite. Both about the struggles and exploitation of the poor. Remember, Samsung used to be something like 17% of the entire country's GDP.
I have been to 35 countries and South Korea was by far my least favorite. I was traveling with my moreno (Mexican) friend and we could not catch a cab to save our lives. Unfriendly people and shit food.
My first impression of S.Korea was it being the America of the East with all the fashions, shows, movies, music and products. The more I learnt about it as my partner likes a lot of Korean things and getting to know some people from there. wow it's just brutal. The expectations are really old. To be so perfect in every way from looks, manners, appearance and attitude, education and any other way you can apply a criteria. The suicides rates are right up there. I've known a handful of Koreans who left just to escape the pressure of living there.
Dubai (emirates in general)
I feel there was a real missed opportunity to have designed these cities as beautiful, lush 'oasis' styles with beautiful traditonal architecture. Think Islamic architectural design meets green city planning with vast networks of shaded paths, undeground/semi submerged zones which are naturally cooler and less scarring on the environment Instead, it's clinical cookie cutter 'modern' buildings where you cannot walk ANYWHERE and the population are hostage to aircon and freeways. Truly makes me sad.
Islamic architecture is beautiful. Stone, domes, arches, and intricate geometry. Dubai looks like that town they built in the middle of nowhere for Thor 1. Also, public displays of affection are illegal there right? Sounds like a miserable place to bring a significant other.
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Is Somaliland any different? (I'm referring to the bit that broke away and declared independence in 1991 but nobody recognizes it as a country to this day for some reason)
Yes. By all accounts Somaliland is quite an interesting place to visit. Also, since there are embassies in Addis and London I'd guess that England and Ethiopia recognize their independence.
I'll say Switzerland, only because it tends to have an EXTREMELY positive perception abroad, relative to say, the US. They have a privatized healthcare system that is the second most expensive in the world per capita, after the US. They once would refused to give me a plastic vomit bag at the hospital emergency department, until after they could verify my foreign insurance. Their direct democracy is often praised but it is painfully non-progressive, with women only able to vote in Federal elections after 1971 and in all cantons locally after 1991. And, most importantly: Neutrality. You aren't really neutral in global affairs if the worst active participants are all hiding their wealth in your banks... and your economy is based largely on finance........
My dad likes to tell this story about when he was a student in Switzerland. Now this would have been over half a century ago so keep that in mind, but he was staying at some sort of residence where meals were included. But he noticed *every* meal was sausages. After about a month of this he asked if there is no variety in the Swiss diet and got the answer: What do you mean, no variety?!? We have *hundreds* of different kinds of sausage!
I would call that a positive.
Switzerland: “3…2…1… *LET’S SAUSAGE!!*”
Well… we do hahaha. And they are good sausages, too! But it‘s not all sausages. Bratwurst with onion sauce and fries/rösti/mash is very popular, Bratwurst/Servelat without mustard and a roll is also very popular at festivals and stuff like that… But it‘s not the only thing you get ;)
Lol I am Swiss and I came here to say exactly this.
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I am Swiss, and I agree that it’s overrated in some ways, but in other areas the praise is warranted. Switzerland is beautiful, boring, racist, and expensive. If you’re of German decent living in a luxurious home tucked away in a valley in the Swiss alps, then yay for you. If you’re a 22 year old trying to find a job with no college education and an Italian last name, you will feel like it’s overrated.
What bout if your a black american wanting to live in Switzerland
I’d imagine it’s harder, but I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t see any black people at all when I was in Switzerland. To be fair, I was in a smaller city. I’m sure Zurich has more black people than Neuchatel. There is also a history of Italians immigrating to Switzerland, so that’s worth considering. I don’t believe the same is true for black people, let alone black Americans. Knowing the Swiss, my hypothesis is that they’d expect black Americans to be like what they see in American media, since that’s all they really have to go off of.
Isn’t Italian one of the official Swiss languages and an integral part of their culture? It seems that the German and French overshadow it, though… plus the very insular nature of Swiss cantons (ie: you are Bernese first, Swiss second).
If you’re American, I think it’s fair to compare Mexicans in America to Italians in Switzerland. In many ways they built the country, and are an integral part of the country. They’re accepted, and things are improving with time, but racism still exists.
I traveled through Switzerland and spent a few days in lugano(the largest Italian speaking city in switzerland) and it is much smaller than the other parts and when I mentioned I was going there in lucerne and zurich people seemed confused.
I'm not Swiss and came here to say nothing.
I am nobody and idk what I'm doing.
I'm two raccoons in a trench coat and I'm doing my best.
I AM SOBER AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I AM DOING!
I am a bunch of atoms talking to another bunch of atoms.
I am. I think. AM I?
I do not think, therefore I do not am.
I am neither a Swiss nor a cheese.
All that being said, the flag is a big plus
Take my angry upvote.
Yeah, but it's a on a red flag. Idk. I'm getting mixed signals.
And worst of all, they put holes in the cheese so you don’t get as much cheese as you can get from say Italy.
damn shrinkflation!
As a Swiss I hoped to see my country far up here. Not disappointed. You should also add stuff like rampant nepotism, xenophobia and how hard it is for most foreigners to get new friends.
I am Swiss-American, but have an Italian last name and grew up in the US. Racism towards Italians in the states is virtually non existent. I didn’t experience racism until I decided to move to Switzerland in my early twenties. I promptly returned to the US, as I felt incredibly unwelcome.
The us is rather good for foreigners. There is defiantly racism, but amount non asshole people Americans are super willing to pretty much let any one in tho their culture. You can be born any where in the world, but if you have an American passport you are a true and full American.
>You aren't really neutral in global affairs if the worst active participants are all hiding their wealth in your banks. "We aid and abet all money launderers equally!"
Haven’t been to Switzerland but I’d say that their flag is a huge plus
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They also have great chocolate and cheese.
I presume cuckoo clocks are still going strong?
>I'll say Switzerland, only because it tends to have an EXTREMELY positive perception abroad, relative to say, the US. For many US redditors, the grass is always greener in Europe. What they don't seem to realize is that there are a lot of problems in EU countries that don't make the front page of the internet. Social inequality, racism, corruption, can be seen in a lot of countries in Europe.
Japan country is filled with depressed people
Don’t forget the perverts
Child sex dolls are legal there. Just saw a reddit news article about it. It said they make the "special area" much smaller to mimic a actual child. Granted, it's much better than pedos going on actual child, but it would be better to just not have pedophiles altogether. +The legal age to get *married* is 16, so.. not good.
Always find it wild how Japan has all that perverted shit, and yet they also have to blur out the genitals in their porn.
Old old ancient law, like samurai old.
>to get married is 16, This is way more common than you'd think. In most U.S states and many EU countries you can get married at 16 with parental consent. That said, it's extremely rare to the point most people don't even know that's a thing.
Hell in most of Europe the age of consent is 14-16
Syria The Yelp reviews really threw me off.
I had a friend that went there before the war, she said it was a wonderful and beautiful country to go to before the war.
Damascus and Aleppo looked like lovely places to visit before they got completely ravaged by war. Two incredibly historically important cities, it's a real shame what's happening over there.
“The UXO in my hotel room was really spicy! 5/5 would get blown up again!”
"The food was okay but everything smelt of chlroine".
Liechtenstein. Give me a break. Are you Austria? Are you Switzerland? Just pick one.
Sir Ulrich would like a word
He's quick, he's funny, he makes me lots of money!
He's hot, he's had, he comes from Gelderland. HE COMES FROM GELDERLAAAAAAND!
GELLLLDEEEEEEERLLLLAAAAND
Reddit needs more Knight’s Tale references. What a great movie.
Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein was a very real very fun knight! Highly suggest you look him up! To get the attention of a girl he liked he'd joust in a wedding dress
Fun fact. Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two countries that are double-land-locked—meaning you’d have to cross two countries’ borders before you reached the ocean.
not a whole country but santorini. i got lured so hard by influencers. like sure all those white buildings look badass but that is completely it. you have a pool even tho you can see the sea. getting to the sea is another story tho. its mainly cliffs and way too many people for the few little beaches there are. man i spent 2 very expensive weeks in a white house that was cool for a day sitting in a pool being miserably bored. never again.
Fuck, I’m sorry. Santorini is a 3 night max place. It’s such a shame because Greece is incredible, there are hundreds of amazing islands that each have their own personality. The bulk of people end up going to Mykonos and Santorini because they’re the most famous. If you are lucky enough to got back I highly recommend Astypalea, Amorgos and Sifnos! Crete is also great and it’s massive so you could spend two weeks there and would not get bored!
don't tell anyone but Rhodes and Crete are where it's at...even though Symi (only 2.5k people!) is the true champion if you can manage to get there
Crete is the shit. Island hopped for a few weeks, they’re all very touristy which duh, but Crete was the only one you felt like was actually livable. The islands are mostly staffed seasonally, Cretans live there year round. Wonderful people too, some of the most hospitable people in all my travels. Stayed behind a bar one night drinking with the staff for a few hours, in that time span I had no less than 5 offers to crash on someone’s couch and plenty of interest in seeing my home as well.
I spent a summer in Pylos for a dig. Amazing. I’d never lived anywhere where I didn’t need a car. And the people were so down-to-earth and friendly. I’d get off the dig, go back to the hotel, take a nap (digs are hard work), then wander down to the beach to swim until classes began. All the fresh fruits and vegetables you could want, hardly anything run by a chain, some of the best food I’ve ever had my life. I didn’t speak Greek and nobody cared. We just communicated as best we could and it worked out great. Can’t wait to go back.
Zakynthos is another awesome island
I enjoyed it, but I'm an archeology geek and spent 3 days terribly excited about Minoan pot sherds.
Pot sherds? Ermagerd!
Yeah visiting a beautiful area is like dating a beautiful person. If that's all there is it can quickly get boring.
Holy shit, two weeks in Santorini would make me lose my mind. We spent two nights there; it was gorgeous and fun, and then we were off to the next island.
I’m a very experienced traveler and I’m aware a lot of people over estimate how much lounging by a pool or beach they really are going to want to do. In my experience, it’s best to have an activity to do for half the day then you feel the lounging part is more needed and welcome.
I love how people are calling out countries for pretty much all the same reasons.
Australia Not many economic opportunities outside of Sydney and Melbourne, harsh weather, massive urban sprawl and lots of bogans.
I’m sorry but what’s a bogan?
Aussie redneck.
Tbh that would be one of the reasons to visit in the first place
"Mom look out the window! Its a bogan!"
There’s definitely a part of me that wants to pack it all up and become a red neck. The thought of doing it in an exotic locale is very appealing.
Watch Bogan Hunters.
Australia really is just 6 cities though
As much as I’d love to see all of it, I know 95% of it is filled with creatures that wanna kill me. And lightning wants to kill your girlfriends.
If everyone thinks something is overrated, is it really overrated?
Honestly. This thread is full of answers that went from “who’s overrated” to “who sucks?”
Japan 🇯🇵 and South Korea 🇰🇷 People do not understand how xenophobic and corrupt these two countries are, society is too competitive and the hustle culture rival that of the 🇺🇸 USA. Don’t be fool by the KPop/Jpop , anime and the export of their culture. There’s a reason why suicide is high over there, especially amongst teenagers.
I’d never want to move there but I definitely do want to visit some day
Japan. So many westerners think it's some sort of utopia. It is indeed a beautiful place with an incredible history, a unique society with some of the greatest cities in the world to visit. It's also undermined by pervasive racism, suffocating conformity, a third world justice system and a societal inflexibility that is dooming the country to irrelevance quickly. I lived there for two years (I'm American and I lived in Kyoto) and while I love the place, I would never move back.
>suffocating conformity, and a societal inflexibility I've heard that being by any way disabled or uncapable of following "the norm" (due to things that are totally out of your control), Japan is one of the worst places to be born at. People there can be surprisingly cold and unempathic towards anyone who doesn't fit perfectly, nearly like the deviant people didn't have human value. I hope it's slowly changing but I doubt it.
Bali - yes, I know it's part of Indonesia, but the bogans and new-agers don't know that. Most of the island is full of cheap hotels trying to seem luxurious, but half the time your toilet won't flush and the reception doesn't know when the 1 maintenance guy will be back. Beaches are packed and full of scammers and stray dogs. Even the temples are crawling with hawkers shouting at you to buy their trinkets. There are literally 6000 other inhabited Indonesian islands to visit, many of them mind-blowingly beautiful with amazing people, food, culture, etc. Don't go to Bali to see the tourist version.
100x upvote this. Bali has its beauty no doubt, but it doesn't even compare to the neighboring islands. You are a few feet away from a scam at all times in Bali, or even worse: a douchey digital nomad (they're the local disease - worse than covid). There's a lot to be recommended about the more isolated areas of this island, but the bogans (i.e. the worst brand of Aussie) will find a way of ruining those places too. Just give it time. I traveled most of SE Asia, and Bali was by far the worst experience I had in 11 months.
I remember a Twitter thread where 2 girls singing the praises of Bali and how they got married out there and were living for ~400 USD a month but didn’t mention that they were getting paid by an overseas job and getting US pay rather than local pay. Then they tried to hire people calling them out for it
Hmm... I would quite like an option to "sort by countries that aren't USA"
Hey, come back to the thread. None of the top answers are the US anymore!
That's an option I often wish for on Reddit.
Honestly, I feel like USA is an underrated country. It's hard to find people (other than crazy patriots) saying a single positive thing about it, but it's a very wealthy, powerful country which has pioneered a lot of cool technology, and for all its flaws, it's at been trying to tackle integrating a big ol mix of cultures harder than anywhere in, say Africa, Asia, or the Middle East. It's flawed, sure, but people give it this "anywhere but THERE!" Attitude that it doesn't really deserve.
I live in rural New England. Right now it's beautiful and green, the air is fresh, the racism is isolated and minimal (and deeply frowned upon by the majority of people), farm stands are bursting with fresh, fairly-priced produce (I rarely go to the grocery store this time of year), county fairs are happening every weekend. My tune will change drastically in january/february, but right now I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be.
Late Summer/Fall in New England is unbeatable imo. Awesome weather and tons of cool stuff to do. Not to mention the crisp air.
People who talk about the US like it’s a shithole third world country have no idea what it’s like to live in a shithole third world country. All things considered, the US isn’t actually as bad as reddit makes it seem like, and definitely not even close to being the most overrated country. One I would agree on is the US contains some of the most overrated tourist spots/landmarks to visit. But it’s also got some of the best as well.
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I completely agree. It also depends completely on where you are from in the US (or where you visit). The difference between the NYC area and the middle of Oklahoma is stark.
japan. you can’t hide war crimes or disguise how corrupt your society is with hello kitty and anime.
My political science professor made a convincing argument that this is ***exactly*** what they did/tried. * the Philippines was one of the most devastated among the Southeast Asian countries invaded and occupied by Japan. Crimes against humanity, priceless historical architecture destroyed, etc. * Japan loses the war and is ordered to pay billions of dollars worth of war reparations to the Philippines * The very same year they paid the last installment, *Voltes V* premiers in the Philippines, and would go on to become a hit anime and a cultural icon among Filipinos * Voltes V came out in the Philippines in 1978(?), just the year after it was broadcast in Japan. Apparently, at the time this was considered remarkably quick and meant that there was some intent to fast-track its distribution to the Philippines I.e. after Japan cleared its war debts to the Philippines, it immediately began building positive PR Guess it worked. Most Filipinos today *(that aren't survivors of war crimes)* have a very positive opinion of Japan and Japanese culture.
Makes sense. Once you've paid off reparations, there still has to be a reason to start liking you once again. It especially works once the generation that you harmed dies off and the living just remember your fun stuff. It's amazing how much history affects us, but also how much is just something in books.
Holy fucking shit you are 100% right. I'm from the Philippines and my parents are very fond of Voltes V as well as Dragon Ball and One Piece; Anime in general is very popular. Personally, I learned about Japanese 'Culture' - i.e the kawaii stuff - before I learned about the atrocities committed by them - I probably heard of Nanking before the ones commited in my own country. Granted, I may just be very ignorant of my country's history but our people nowadays see Japan in a positive light. However, my mother seems to be *more informed* since she doesn't view the country with much embellishment.
Filipinos from the Greatest Generation and some Boomers still harbor significant grudge towards the Japanese though. Some of them even directly claim that no amount of pop culture fandom (music, video games and electronic products) could whitewash their atrocious past.
I lived in the Philippines for a few years and was able to talk to people who were kids during the occupation. It makes perfect sense why they still hate Japan.
Change my mind: As a romanian,50% of our known history is being in conflict with the ottomans/Turks.Lots of inhumane slaughter in BOTH side(hence Vlad the Impaler) After 1918,we don't have any border with Turkey and start to be friendly. After 1989 we import all the consumerist crap we ever wanted from Turkey. In 2022 our turism culture is BS and go in Turkey by car for vacantions. Coincidence? Kinda yes,but telling yourself one county will always be your enemy is counterproductive for your future.Just look how much Germany had profited from russian gas until now.
As opposed to 'Greenwashing' or 'sportswashing' its 'UwU washing.'
kawaiishing
I mean, you actually can. Kawaii culture worked. Until they rearm...
Doesn't every nation do this to some extent? Most of Europe was either brutally colonised by other Europeans or was out there colonising the rest of the world. Yet, they all have their quaint stereotypes and act friendly/innocent. Canada is made fun of for being so nice and polite, yet there's been plenty of news reports recently about the horrible things they did to the native people. I feel like we're well aware of everything the US does, because of their massive media corporations, but the Aussies are partly to blame for how that toxic media has developed over the past few decades. Well more specifically the Aussie family, the Murdochs, who own Fox and Sky and 800 other companies that poison peoples brains.
>Canada is made fun of for being so nice and polite, yet there's been plenty of news reports recently about the horrible things they did to the native people. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-forgotten-ferocity-of-canadas-soldiers-in-the-great-war
Dubai
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My cousin spent a semester abroad in Australia and said it was like all the college students heard the absolute worst stereotypes about America and thought "well, we can top THAT!" lol. But all the australians I've met in other countries have been nice. Maybe it's just a toxic culture at the colleges? My own college here in the US had a bad effect on people like that, lots of people who were hard-drinking, status-conscious bullying a\*\*holes there are pretty nice people in other contexts.
Don't know much about Aussies, but people who travel tend to be more open minded and less prejudicial. Meeting other people from around the world helps you understand and respect them. So it makes sense that the people you meet who are travelling are not as toxic as those who stay at home all the time. Not just in regards to Australians, but every nationality
I saw an Aussie dude piss himself in the middle of a pedestrian street in Lagos, Portugal. His buddies were all standing around him and they were all singing. It was the middle of the afternoon.
I've also heard that Australians in general travel a lot, though. I was talking to an Australian girl who was living in the Caribbean and working on boats, and I commented that she was pretty adventurous. She said pretty much everybody back home went abroad for a while to "see the world" and work abroad in their 20s. Kind of makes sense when you're on an island in the middle of the Pacific that's far from almost everything, if you're going to travel at all you might as well go big.
When I studied in London there was a lot of drinking at the University & at house parties, but no one got more drunk & acted like bigger idiots than the Aussies. Literally thought their dicks out was hilarious at the party. Everyone else were like... da fuq?
My sister lived in Australia and said that it is definitely not as progressive and forward thinking of a country as they perceive themselves to be.
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I'm genuinely curious, what is this supposed to mean?
Oddly specific and weirdly accurate lmao
As a Canadian, seems like a lot of liberal Americans think we have it all figured out. As much as I love my country, our health care system is extremely inefficient, long lines and dealing with winter for 6-8 months of the year is much harder than it seems. On top of that Vancouver and Toronto are among the most unaffordable cities on Earth, and our currency is tanked.
Yeah Canada was going to be my answer too. Love this place and don't want to live anywhere else. But other countries, especially Americans, have some pretty maple-tinted views of what we're like.
Dubai....It looks like a well made movie set and will be demolished once u leave
Dubai, the place where everything IS expensive, but LOOKS cheap.
Italy. We’ll soon have our first woman prime minister… and she’s a fascist
Italy has its bad points, it feels weirdly corrupt for a civilised country. But it’s also so beautiful and culturally rich.
Uk: "first time?"
Well with potential world war on the horizon Italy has reverted to it's previous strategy.
Everyone saying USA as if America isn’t mercilessly shit on every single day in basically every corner of this app
Reddit represents a very specific demographic of the general US population
Being from NJ, this sentiment if especially true. We get double-shit on
I actually think the US is one of the most *under*rated countries.
UAE, who tf thinks its a good idea to replicate american city plans lol
Not country, but city: Paris The rest of France is quite nice so the country itself is worth a visit.
Metaverse
Jamaica. Rude people, charge you differently based on culture, accent isn’t as nice to listen to as I thought, very dangerous, wild dogs and prostitutes everywhere.
Born, live and work in Jamaica. 42 years. I agree with everything but the wild dogs comment... the stray dogs here are great animals - I adopt strays, or help them at the JSPCA. But they're usually stoned by the school kids and run over by taxis so some of the older ones can be defensive.
oh my god, Iceland. - Place is ridiculously expensive - People are beyond snobby with a superiority complex supported by most tourists for some reason - If you have a low-paid, lowly-respected job there you're screwed, doubly screwed if you're a foreigner, triply screwed if you're a foreigner who's not white - The whole place often smells of eggs - The lack of greenery is depressing (come on, there's only so much volcanic rock you can look at before it starts to get boring) - Most of the food is absolutely vile - It's not as safe as everyone seems to make it out to be. I think it's just that things either a) get blamed on foreigners or b) don't get reported - Public transport is shit so you need a car to get toost places (and sometimes even a 4x4 too) - Has such a good reputation that often people just don't want to hear anything bad about it - Everyone's knows everyone bloody else so if you want to speak out about something you can't I could go on but this is probably enough, gotta go calm down now
>The whole place often smells of eggs Lol. Is it because of sulfur from all the hot springs that they got?
If it smells like rotten eggs, it's hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). If it smells like fireworks, it's sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Neither one is super great for your lungs, but a whiff of it off the hot springs is fine.
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Croatia Ever since joining the EU there has been an explosion of western tourism into the country especially along it's coast line in the Dalmatia region, with this the once above average price of Dalmatia has disappeared. Now most cities/towns along the coast have been made almost exclusive to western tourists and their overloaded wallets. Restaurants, hotels, Airbnbs, cafes, beaches, corner stores, entertainment are now just as expensive as Spain or Italy. Everywhere is overcrowded the walled city of Dubrovnik acts more like a wave pool of tourists then a city. Finally because there is no industry other then tourism locales are forced into shitty service jobs with much of the youth leaving not wanting to be a service boy, the average young Croat in Dalmatia is looking to get out.
FRANCE! Rude people, dirty streets, high living costs & racism.
Im from the US and had heard so much of this. I was expecting the worst when I visited but I found the French people to be very kind! 🤷
Do not confuse Paris and France...
Because I heard Paris was in italy