ET assembles people of many backgrounds, socio economic status and origins. I figured it would be interesting to learn which countries contributors grew up in and their impressions of those they visited. Starting with me, I've traveled to and lived (at least 3 months) in many countries by choice. As a youngster my father used to roll a globe, pointing to countries my colonial ancestors lived in. I knew quite early on that I had about 80 years to discover our planet and didn't care to establish roots anywhere in particular. How people lived and reasoned and felt things was what drove me to pick up and discover. With time, I realized that the more I knew, the less I knew. There are so many places I've never lived in that I wish I had, but today, at 62, I'm starting to slow down some and looking to settle down, not an easy proposition without roots and friends and family living everywhere.
Traveling and living in different areas is overrated. Wherever you go it all starts to feel the same beneath the veneer surface shell that is so-called faux culture, ways, habits and history. But definitely live in a western, modern, society. Many parts of the world can be backwards, primitive, restrictive, hierarchical, stuck in history and anal. The grass is not always greener on the other side. If you are a miserable person...you'll still be a miserable person even though you move or buy things in an attempt to change.