Europe doesn't quite have it all

By Staff
Scot Beard
Growing up I often thought about where I would like to live if I could move anywhere in the world.
I always enjoyed traveling and I wasn't worried about moving away from home, so the possibilities were endless.
I first thought about places in the Unites States I would want to live.
I like the mountains, so Colorado seemed nice, but I also like the beach so maybe Florida was my best option.
I then thought about California – where the mountains meet the sea – but the people are too weird for my taste.
Then it occurred to me that I should look outside of the United States since I could visit any state during a vacation.
Australia peaked my interest because I always wanted to see kangaroos and koalas, but I think my fascination with those creatures would wear off quickly.
I had no desire to go to Central America, Africa or the Middle East due to high heat and political unrest.
Asia seemed like a nice place to visit, but I don't think I could live there.
The only place left was Europe or Antarctica, and I do not like extremely cold weather.
Europe interested me because it has a fascinating history and a rich cultural experience.
Something about seeing 3,000-year-old buildings and gazing upon the works of some of the world's most brilliant artists appealed to me.
That was when I was a kid. Now, I have a new reason for heading across the Atlantic – vacation.
I not talking about taking a week from my current job to tour the continent, I'm talking about the amount of time Europeans get for vacations each year.
At my current job, I get two weeks of paid vacation per year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining – it is better than no paid vacation.
According to the World Tourism Organization, however, I am getting ripped off in comparison to workers in Europe.
On average, citizens in the United Kingdom get 28 days of paid vacation per year. Germans get 35 days while people in France get 37 days.
The best place for me, however, is Italy. It has the history I love, the art I enjoy and, of course, 42 days of paid vacation each year.
That sounds pretty good right now during the summer when I am trying to scrounge up sports stories until football season rolls around.
But wait, if I move to Europe I would not have football to watch anymore. I would have to watch soccer, which those poor, misguided souls call football. Yuck!
I've decided to stay right here in the United States. Sure, there is less vacation time, but at least there are entertaining sporting events.