Grüss Gott!
No, this entry is not about me bragging about my vacations. As many of you know, last weekend I went to Vienna with the other students from my study abroad program, and it was amazing. Authentic Viennese meals, wine tasting, shopping, a tea house, and a guided walking tour. And, this coming weekend, we have an extra few days off so I'm going to London with some other grad students. However, I am actually talking about vacation in another sense.
Today in my German as a second language course, our professor mentioned the 25 days a year that Austrians are legally entitled to. When I mentioned that workers in America get 2 weeks if they are lucky, and that most of them don't take the aforementioned day, even if they are sick, she looked at me as if I had two heads.
Thansk for the sympathy, because I sure as hell don't understand it either. The million dollar question is: would you rather have more days off and earn less money, or less days off and more money? In a perfect world both could be had, but that just isn't so. I would choose the extra day off, everytime.
Americans are overworked and all it is leading to is depression, obesity, heart attacks, and overall dissatisfaction with life. What is the point of working to you drop if you don't get to live and enjoy life?
I am not totally naive. I realize there are bills to pay. It is inevitable that one has to pay for food and shelter, and now things like a phone, and perhaps a car. But no one actually needs cable, 10 big screen tvs, or designer clothing. And, if you are working all of the time, are you ever enjoying these things anyway?
I just feel like we need to take more time and enjoy life. Perhaps Americans will never get as many days off as Europeans (that is one of the major reasons I am considering moving to Europe), but many feel guilty to even take off the 2 weeks they are offered! I am telling people to take them and relax. Spend time with your family, sleep in, or take that trip to Paris you always wanted. It's your life. You live in once. You might as well enjoy it.
Or you could do what i did - work for a european company within the US. Ironically regardless of the european equivalent vacation that I received I still quit to find a job, moreover a career that would feel less like work...a career where I would potentially still have a good amount of vacation but never feel like I NEED it...
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