Thoughts on Europe

Anthony Bourdain said, “Travel is not reward for working, it’s education for living”. I couldn’t agree more. One of the best gifts we gave our children, and ourselves, is the opportunity to travel, and to do so often. Seeing the world through your own eyes helps us view things from a different angle.

Urban cities in Europe do not have endless empty storefronts, although housing needs are prevalent everywhere. They seem to think about food differently in regards to how it is processed and sold, but processed food is still there. Environment is important, and the governments have been smart from less cars, more bikes, new energies, etc. Air pollution in Paris has decreased over 50% from regulations and policies. It shows that mother nature can heal if we point her in the right direction.

Over 30% of Europeans live in public housing, which is incorporated into a vast array of neighborhoods, creating financially mixed communities that I am a fan of. I am unsure about the underserved, but there are significant safety nets in place when it comes to healthcare.

The lesser-known cities, such as Lyon, which is not a major travel destination, need development to bring them into the 2025 era, but it seems to be happening. Even in Paris, many of the subways should be replaced with new cars, but the Metro is expanding to other areas.

Europe, although with a different set of ethos and values, is not that different from the States when it comes to places outside of the major urban areas; the most significant difference is the safety net. Perhaps they are angry too, just as many are in this country, but that safety net, which is now being ripped away, is the key to the basic needs of each country’s citizens.

We always return to JFK, which is undergoing renovation, but is still abysmal compared to most European airports. As always, I leave inspired and more aware of life abroad, and how there is much to learn from one another.