undefined | Better HN

0 pointsoblio9y ago0 comments

> You visited the US and "weren't impressed"?

Yes.

> Where did you visit exactly?

San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle. I plan on visiting New York this year or maybe next year.

> Its a very large country with over 200 million people.

I think it's over 300 million now :)

> What weren't you impressed with?

Well... homeless people. The fact that cities don't seem to be very "walkable" (and from what I've read SF is one of the best US cities in this regard). Food in supermarkets. Various other minor aspects.

> What was lacking?

I wouldn't say "lacking". Instead I'd say that I like other things more.

> Also where are you from that's more impressive?

I'm from Romania (not hard to guess, considering the topic). It's not "impressive" either.

What I find "impressive" instead is Germany.

And you seem to be bothered by a part of my previous comment. So I'll repost another part which you might have missed:

> But I wouldn't judge the US based on just what I saw in a couple of weeks, considering what I've read and seen about it.

0 comments

bogomipz9y ago

Ha, yeah that was a typo : ) I think its closer to 330 million these days.

The homeless problem in SF is really terrible and particularly glaring. Homelessness in general is a problem in many major cities in US however the intensity of it in SF is not not at all representative of the rest of the US.

I'm not impressed by either SF or San Jose either, but I wouldn't say the US doesn't impress me. The North East Corridor of the US is very different from the places you visited as is the South, the Midwest etc.

hvm9y ago

You don't need to defend it, you know. That was the point the poster was making - that just because he had a subpar experience he shouldn't judge the whole country by it.

logfromblammo9y ago

The US is very much like 5 to 12 different countries pretending to be one.

Personally, I'd classify the culturally distinct areas as Pacific Coast, Big West, Mormonland, Deep South, Mid-Atlantic, North Mexico, Eastern Megalopolis (Washington DC to Boston), Middle Neutralia, Flori-duh (aka Murica's Glans), and Cajun Country.

Having visited most at least once, and lived in three for at least a year, each are impressive in different ways. It isn't always a positive impression.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse