On Vacation
For Americans, we mostly think in terms of a week of vacation – summer vacation, Christmas break, whatever. Few of us take more than a week off work to go somewhere.
Europeans, however, often take up to a month. I know this firsthand, as many of my EU colleagues disappear in July and August.
For the past two years, our family has met those cultural norms square in the middle: two weeks away on summer holiday. Last year, we did Nova Scotia and Maine, while this year, we did a tour of Wisconsin and northern Michigan.
To some of my friends and colleagues, our two-week leave is a shock. “Must be nice,” they’ll say.
Here’s the thing: in the middle of summer, everyone’s gone. Much like the week after Christmas, late June through early August is summer here in the Northern Hemisphere. Leaving for vacation is what people do.
While our summer holiday never seems long enough, the two weeks of the break are restorative and relaxing. Yes, we go on adventures and work hard, climbing mountains and paddling around large bodies of water. We also get to rest our brains and enjoy where we are and who is with us.
Selfishly, I get a chance to take a ton of photos in new and interesting places, too.
As Americans, it’s easy to envy Europe’s summer holiday schedule. And I’m well aware that not everyone has the time or flexibility to be away that long. The secret is that you can take a little bit of that Continental spirit and apply it to your own situation.
I recommend it.