Rick Steves' Travel as a Political Act Blog

Choose to be Challenged

A few years ago, I had an opportunity to hang out on the beach for a vacation in the ritzy Mexican resort of Mazatlán. The enticing beach break coincided with an invitation to go to San Salvador (the capital of El Salvador) to remember Archbishop Oscar Romero on the 25th anniversary of his assassination.

For my vacation, I opted for El Salvador — to share a muggy dorm room, eat rice and beans, be covered in bug bites, and march with people in honor of their martyred hero who stood up to what they consider American imperialism. The march passed a long, shiny, black monument that looks just like our Vietnam memorial. It was busy with mourners and etched with countless names — each a casualty of a civil war their loved ones believed was fought against American interests and American-funded troops.

It's not a matter of whether America is good or bad in a certain instance. The fact is, the popular patriotic sentiment “my country, right or wrong” — while embraced by many Americans — is by no means unique to our country. There are good people waging heroic struggles all over the world… against our country.

If you've got a week to spend in Latin America, you can lie on a beach in Mazatlán, you can commune with nature in Costa Rica, or you can grapple with our nation's complex role in a country like El Salvador. I've done all three, and enjoyed each type of trip. But El Salvador was far more memorable than the others. The tourism industry has its own priorities. But as a traveler, you always have the option to choose challenging and educational destinations.

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You are reading "Choose to be Challenged", an entry posted on 12 June 2009 by Rick Steves.

4 replies to this entry. Add your comment below.

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Comments [ top ]

Rick: What's your take on the student demo/riots in Teheran going on even as I write? From your experience there is a 62% win for Ahkmedinijad POSSIBLE? Eleonore, Santa Rosa CA

Posted by: Eleonore - Jun 13, 2009 7:30 AM

Rick, although I can appreciate your wanting to learn how other countries feel about us, good or bad, I work with the public and hear enough comments about how bad we are (from foreigners) and also from people born in the US about how they are sick of hearing complaints from foreigners. (I live and work in a resort area of Florida). Long story short, when I go on vacation I want to forget all those problems and relax. I will leave it up to you to report to us how we are being looked upon in various parts of the world.

Posted by: Maggie - Jun 15, 2009 11:20 AM

I also feel that we went it alone under Bush. Ok, we managed to twist some arms and got the Brits to fight with us in Iraq but we were determined to go to war no matter what. No one was going to stop us. If I remember, most of our allies were against it. Including the French, dam them! Well, who was right? Yup North Korea is posed to have a nuclear weapon. Who was pin charge for the past 8 years? Bush probably would not have done anything either. Drink the coolaid.....

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