Do you miss American TV when traveling in Europe?
Sep 5, 2009, 9:13 am
#91
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http://www.nextv-america.com/
Sep 5, 2009, 9:20 am
#92
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Watching foreign TV in one's hotel room in the evening is one of the low-key pleasures of international travel.
In English-speaking countries, I get a non-American view of the world, a most beneficial experience for any open-minded American. (Childish "patriots" who take honest criticism of their government's actions as a personal affront need to grow up and learn a little history.)
In non-English-speaking countries, I enjoy either language listening practice, or, in countries where I don't speak the language, the challenge of figuring out what the program is about. I even enjoy watching American programs dubbed into foreign languages.
Whether I understand the language or not, foreign TV gives me a window into the host country's popular culture and attitudes, something I wouldn't get from watching a vapid sitcom or reality show from home.
In English-speaking countries, I get a non-American view of the world, a most beneficial experience for any open-minded American. (Childish "patriots" who take honest criticism of their government's actions as a personal affront need to grow up and learn a little history.)
In non-English-speaking countries, I enjoy either language listening practice, or, in countries where I don't speak the language, the challenge of figuring out what the program is about. I even enjoy watching American programs dubbed into foreign languages.
Whether I understand the language or not, foreign TV gives me a window into the host country's popular culture and attitudes, something I wouldn't get from watching a vapid sitcom or reality show from home.
Sep 5, 2009, 9:30 am
#93
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...while foreign tv has their own vapid sitcoms and reality shows. I have found international tv to be a poor imitation of what we have in the States (and that's not saying much).
Sep 5, 2009, 9:04 pm
#96
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Sep 5, 2009, 9:39 pm
#97
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I enjoy watching non-American TV as it is usually a language-learning opportunity, or if in an English-speaking country, it gives me a chance to have a break from ridiculous American reality TV. When I studied abroad in France, I enjoyed how you can watch an entire show and not see a single commercial until the end. Although I am surprised at how many American shows you can find while traveling abroad. The last time I was in Argentina, in a small town near the Brazil border, I turned on the TV and found an Animal Planet show featuring veterinarians from my university, some of whom I knew. What a small world.
Sep 5, 2009, 9:41 pm
#98
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Watching foreign TV in one's hotel room in the evening is one of the low-key pleasures of international travel.
In English-speaking countries, I get a non-American view of the world, a most beneficial experience for any open-minded American. (Childish "patriots" who take honest criticism of their government's actions as a personal affront need to grow up and learn a little history.)
In non-English-speaking countries, I enjoy either language listening practice, or, in countries where I don't speak the language, the challenge of figuring out what the program is about. I even enjoy watching American programs dubbed into foreign languages.
Whether I understand the language or not, foreign TV gives me a window into the host country's popular culture and attitudes, something I wouldn't get from watching a vapid sitcom or reality show from home.
In English-speaking countries, I get a non-American view of the world, a most beneficial experience for any open-minded American. (Childish "patriots" who take honest criticism of their government's actions as a personal affront need to grow up and learn a little history.)
In non-English-speaking countries, I enjoy either language listening practice, or, in countries where I don't speak the language, the challenge of figuring out what the program is about. I even enjoy watching American programs dubbed into foreign languages.
Whether I understand the language or not, foreign TV gives me a window into the host country's popular culture and attitudes, something I wouldn't get from watching a vapid sitcom or reality show from home.
On my last trip to Europe I downloaded to my computer a movie and several episodes of The Practice from Amazon, as well as some cartoons. We enjoyed watching this as a family.
Sep 6, 2009, 8:08 am
#99
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When traveling in Europe, the only TV we watched was CNN or the equivalent; maybe once, we also caught an older movie. Our TV habits change when traveling, watching only a little while on the road.
I don't miss American TV when traveling because we record some of our favorites on DVR while we are gone, and if we miss some, that's fine too, life goes on. Also, we have gotten so used to watching shows from the DVR and forwarding past the commercials, that we don't like to watch regular TV and get stuck with the commercials.
I don't miss American TV when traveling because we record some of our favorites on DVR while we are gone, and if we miss some, that's fine too, life goes on. Also, we have gotten so used to watching shows from the DVR and forwarding past the commercials, that we don't like to watch regular TV and get stuck with the commercials.
Sep 6, 2009, 10:43 am
#100
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Watching foreign TV in one's hotel room in the evening is one of the low-key pleasures of international travel.
In English-speaking countries, I get a non-American view of the world, a most beneficial experience for any open-minded American. (Childish "patriots" who take honest criticism of their government's actions as a personal affront need to grow up and learn a little history.)
In English-speaking countries, I get a non-American view of the world, a most beneficial experience for any open-minded American. (Childish "patriots" who take honest criticism of their government's actions as a personal affront need to grow up and learn a little history.)
For example, watching their coverage of problems in Tibet or Xinjiang is extremely interesting. It makes the open minded amongst us wonder whether the truth lies somewhere between the polarised reporting in both the Western and Chinese media. Without watching channels like this, it is easy just to absorb the conventional received wisdom on world events that may or may not be correct
nickyboy
Sep 6, 2009, 12:38 pm
#101
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Sep 10, 2009, 3:55 pm
#103
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Being someone who doesn't pay for TV at his house, watching TV in a hotel is a treat for me. Therefore, when I do travel abroad (which isn't often) I get annoyed if there isn't anything in English to watch.
3 years ago I went to Rome and the only English stations were CNN Europe (which repeated itself over and over) and sometimes MTV Europe. I must have seen Madonna's Hung Up music video a dozen times.
3 years ago I went to Rome and the only English stations were CNN Europe (which repeated itself over and over) and sometimes MTV Europe. I must have seen Madonna's Hung Up music video a dozen times.
Jul 21, 2010, 8:02 am
#104
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I rarely turn on the TV when traveling on my own- I bring books and enjoy the quiet at the end of the day. My husband, OTOH, always likes to turn on the TV wherever we are and sometimes in the family-owned European places there's not much in English except CNN, which I find boring.
Occasionally we have priceless moments- "Baywatch" subtitled in Finnish from St. Petersburg, an interview with the evangelist Benny Hin in Budapest, and a performance of traditional folk songs in Zagreb in which audience members were silently mouthing the words- many audience members had tears in their eyes.
Occasionally we have priceless moments- "Baywatch" subtitled in Finnish from St. Petersburg, an interview with the evangelist Benny Hin in Budapest, and a performance of traditional folk songs in Zagreb in which audience members were silently mouthing the words- many audience members had tears in their eyes.