Non-USA Dopers: Ever Been To The USA?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I know some of you have already mentioned this in other threads, but just taking a poll - have you non-US Dopers have ever been here in the USA?

  1. Yes or No
  2. How long ago/how often/how long (if yes) and why not (if no)?
  3. Did you have a good time/like it (if you were here) or would you come if you had the chance (if you have never been here)?

Just wondering.
Feel free to elaborate if you are so inclined.

2

Have you non-US Dopers have ever been here in the USA?
(my answers in italics)

  1. Yes or No

Yes

  1. How long ago/how often/how long (if yes) and why not (if no)?

a) 10 years ago; for 10 days (took school team to World Roleplaying Convention in Milwaukee)
b) 2 years ago / 1 year ago; both a couple of weeks (Vegas, baby, Vegas!)*

  1. Did you have a good time/like it (if you were here) or would you come if you had the chance (if you have never been here)?

a) jolly good - the pupils behaved well, the Convention was terrific
b) fabulous (playing poker in a Vegas Casino, meals, shows, seeing the glitz and meeting the lovely locals*)*

**did I mention I have the best job in the World? :wink:
*there was a chap (name escapes me) who appeared to be courteous, hospitable and intelligent. But he lured me into playing slot machines once…wait, that was YOU! :eek::smack::smiley:

3

If I am not mistaken, there were no bruises on your wrist from me twisting your arm to play that machine…and also, didn’t you sign up to learn to play poker at the Luxor and then continue to play when you could have easily gone back to your room and read Ulysses instead?

4

  1. Yes or No
    No

  2. How long ago/how often/how long (if yes) and why not (if no)?
    Never had either opportunity or incentive. Now that I have incentive (my SO is from the Boston area, and I have a lot of friends scattered across the US), I have neither time nor money at the moment, but it’ll happen some day, I expect.

  3. Did you have a good time/like it (if you were here) or would you come if you had the chance (if you have never been here)?
    I would definitely visit.

5

Yes, in 1997 when I was 19, for two weeks holiday.

I went with my Dad and one of my brothers to visit my Dad’s cousin in the Napa Valley.

Loved it. We toured the wineries, watched a 49ers game, drove up the coast towards Eureka and did some camping, went to Alcatraz, rode on the trams (trollies?).

Would love to go back, but it’s a long way and I have a small child so it’ll be a while yet.

6

I returned from a 6 week trip to the US last month. I was for 5 weeks in WV and one week in SFO. My company decided to send me across to the US as we were a bit short staffed in both offfices. I was helping them tide over the transition.

I had an excellent time, and though it was a working trip, got to meet a few interesting people while i was in WV. SFO was a short visit and i was already looking forward to coming back home.

*ps-> I made it a point to eat a couple of Twinkies.

7

  1. Yes

  2. I lived there for 4 years as a child, in the 70s. My father was working for an American company, and got transferred to Ohio.

  3. At the time I wasn’t happy there. I always wanted to go ‘home’. Looking back, there were many good things about it and lots of good times. The best thing was Halloween.

8

1 yes

2 9 years ago (o my god 9 years already!!!) for a month travelling california +canyons and finishing up in Hawaii; 5 years ago 4 days in NYC; and this april I spent 8 days in LA (Venice/Santa Monica)

3 I liked most of the time I spent in the US in a vacation sort of way (even when I wasn’t on vacataion) but not in a way that makes me desperately want to move there.

9

No.

10
  1. No
  2. Never had any reason to.
    I did write my GRE after my college, but I felt I would be spending my time better if I started working. I plan to go to Hawaii sometime next year.
  3. Sure, I’ll go anywhere once!
11
  1. Yes
  2. Fairly often as my parents and sisters live there (Minnesota and Wisconin)
  3. Oh it’s alright. I like Minnesota more than Wisconsin. 2 things always floor me when I come down - the letters to the editor in the Post Crescent and how little non-US international news gets shown/discussed.
12

  1. Yes.

  2. I lived there for 7 out of my 34 years - from 1975 to 1981 (wasn’t born there, though) and again from 2000 to 2002. I’ve also visited numerous times, most recently for my grandmother’s funeral last July.

  3. I probably won’t move back on a permanant basis, but I love to visit.

13

  1. Yes

  2. I went in -98. Went with my dad who was on a two week conference tour so I got to visit Florida, Utah and Connecticut/NYC. It was a great trip!

  3. Wouldn’t mind living there for a few years, and am definitely going back on vacation some day.

14
  1. No. Or, rather, not yet.

Would really like to go and my husband and I may come over for a few years (he can travel quite easily with his work). He’s been a few times to various cities and has liked San Diego most of all.

The people seem really nice, I have met quite a few Americans and find them really love people, very friendly and open.

15
  1. No.
  2. It hasn’t come up so far.
  3. I’d go in the right circumstances, but if I was paying for an overseas trip myself I’d prefer to go to England and continue my family history research first. No direct family connections to USA = not as much imperative to go there.
16
  1. Yes
  2. I’ve visited the US six times since 1999. I usually stay for 3 weeks to a month. I would like to stay longer the next time I visit.
  3. I’ve had good times and bad. I’m limited by not driving so have probably been over reliant on friends while there.
17
  1. No
  2. Haven’t had the right combination of leave, money and not being a former member of the Communist Party at the same time.
  3. Sure I’d come. Looks like a lovely place. I’d mostly want to see New England, Washington and the UP.
18

From Canada.

I’ve been to two computer conferences, one in Washington D.C. and one in Salt Lake City.

Also, my wife and I have been to Florida a total of four time:

  1. Orlando
  2. St-Petersburg
  3. Orlando ( in 1995, actually drove to Daytona on the Thursday to attend the Nascar Twin qualifying races)
  4. Daytona (that was in 1996 to attend the Nascar Daytona 500)

We have also at various times vacationed in the states, mostly New York State but have driven once to New Jersey, before gambling was allowed in Atlantic City.

19
  1. Yes

2. How long ago/how often/how long (if yes) and why not (if no)?
Ten days in Spring 2004, on a visit to a friend/romantic friend in Phoenix.
3. Did you have a good time/like it.
Yes, although the romance thing didn’t work out as hoped. We went to see Vegas, (which was a bit repulsive to me) the Grand Canyon (beautiful but almost too big to take in) , and Sedona in Arizona. We visited a gun shop, which was every bit as weird, exciting and taboo for me, as was my friends’ visit to the marijuana shop when he came to visit me in the Netherlands.

What I loved most was the plant and wildlife. Phoenix has an awesome botanical garden, with mostly cactii. American wildlife is generally not approached, which makes it very unafraid of people, which is awesome.

I’m going back to visit my niece, who is a lawyer in New York, in a couple years when my son is old enough to travel. She was here last year and I love getting re-aqainted with her.

I wouldn’t want to live in the US, though. In my estimate, the US is a bad place to live if you want a laid back life, or if you are poor, or get sick. The most shocking image I remember from my trip was a grandfatherly Mexican looking guy, standing by the side of the road, in the blazing sun, holding a sign for a fastfood restaurant. The old man was all neatly dressed, had obviously set out that morning to get a job, any job, and the only job he could get was holding that stupid sign while trying to keep his dignity. The sign had a laughing cow on it.

20

  1. Yes

  2. How long ago/how often/how long (if yes) and why not (if no)?
    Many times over my life. The most recent was just airport stops on the way to catch a cruise at Christmas, but I spent 5 or 6 days in Seattle in Dec 07. I’ve been to Florida a handful of times, but mostly have visited Vermont/Maine when I was young (at the time, better shopping prices and English-language movies were a good reason for my family to go), but I’ve also been to New York (though not NYC), West Virginia, New Hampshire…maybe others along the coast. My hometown is about 35 minutes from the border with Vermont, and Montreal is pretty close to NY. Depending on scheduling, I may follow my husband on business trips to Dallas or New Jersey this year. He’s more likely to go to England lately, though.

  3. Did you have a good time/like it (if you were here) or would you come if you had the chance (if you have never been here)?

I’ve generally had a good time, though some trips are always better than others. I loved Seattle and would love to go back. I’m still upset that I couldn’t join my hubby in Denver, because that sounded like a great city. I have no inclination to ever live in the States, but I do love to visit .