John "The Hot One" Maxwell Leaving the Country

[gustava]

How would poor Sarah know anything about statistics? I have some difficulty believing that depressed Teri covered stat at the SOTDRT.

[sense and nonsense]

Cool, what part of India? I lived in Kolkata and attended University. I think it all depends on the part of the country, I was on the east coast so it would make sense that I would see less black people than the west coast.

I just wish we could see some writing because than we could narrow it down substantially in India especially.

Bangalore.

Yeah, writing on sign boards or walls would give a city /state easily.

[sense and nonsense]

I'm hung up on the title of the latest blog post, "the Difference is One Country." Does this mean that if the girl was born one country away, her life would be less "bleak"? Or does it mean that one country is coming in and making a difference (gag)?

Yeah, definitely don't like the tone of the post either way.

[church_of_dog]

I can't begin to think that I can recognize ethnicity from visuals, and I have to trust those who say they are familiar, who are saying this isn't Central/South America, which would have been my guess. But is it actually realistic that someone would travel to India with only a backpack and no checked luggage?

Thirty years ago when I worked for a non-profit hunger organization, some of the folks in my organization traveled to India. It was a huge undertaking, both the planning and the actual travel, and from what I was told they were physically and emotionally wiped out for a few days when they first arrived -- not just the long hours of traveling but also the sheer density/intensity of experiences upon arrival in the unfamiliar (to them) Indian culture -- and this was relative to their "normal" of San Francisco! It's hard for me to imagine that someone from a very sheltered life in Kansas could just "pop over" to India with just a backpack, and then look so casually refreshed in the photo. Of course the photo could have been taken well after his arrival, so I understand there are many ways this could be possible that he's in India. And my memories of my coworkers was from 30 years ago, so much can have changed in terms of the arduousness of the journey. But an itinerary from Kansas to India just seems so incongruous with the "one small backpack" pose, that I had to see what others think about this.

[salex]

Frankly, you can go anywhere with a backpack if you are landing in a place that you know what to expect. (there is also a jacket or another small bag behind him in the airport picture) but we have no idea if he shipped items ahead to his friends, if he knew he'd have access to stores to buy supplies (again, based on where he might be-- most countries that have international airports have shops to pick up items including clothing)--which might be as cheap as paying for the checked bag round trip. Even if he donates the clothes as he leaves, it might be worth it.

[Maggie Mae]

Church_of_dog, I think the small backpack is completely realistic. When doing travel where someone moves often having lots of stuff to worry about and store and move around is combersome. It's very possible that he's not checking into a place with safe storage, and/or he's moving cities every few days.

He could certainly be washing his undies out in the sink to dry overnight. He's wearing long lasting convertible lightweight hiking pants and hiking boots/shoes. He's got a tee-shirt and a button up. All he really needs to pack is a lightweight pair of shoes, maybe another pair of undies and another teeshirt. If he's going somewhere warm, of course. I'd probably pack a jacket that packs down and a hat as well. Magic soap comes in travel size and you can use it for everything. Toss in a toothbrush, and he should be g2g

[church_of_dog]

OK, I see what you're saying. Thanks to you both!

[ladyamylynn]

From all appearances, John spends a good bit of money at REI. (There was a blog post about it at one point, when they were in CO on what some might call a vacation). I bet high-quality travel clothing would make the difference between the backpack being a viable option or not.

[LucySnowe]

Another thought about the luggage (because I am absolutely Team Carry-on here :D ) - if he's visiting a group who get a lot of visitors coming in and out, they could well have a collection of clothing/toiletries for new people to use as needed, left there by people who ditched things so they could take souvenirs home. A friend of mine was a Fulbright scholar in a developing country and the commission had a "take stuff, leave stuff" cupboard.

Buying inexpensive stuff while he's there is also a possibility but we won't know that until we get more picture clues. Okay, add that to the "John phoning home from a bar in Phuket, next to his German boyfriend in a Speedo" picture - John's wearing a sarong while he phones. :lol:

[treemom]

Agree that Sarah's "statistically her future is very bleak" post is appalling. Agree that Sarah's future is also very bleak.

But no, I can't agree that her future is on the same level as a small child begging/selling on the streets of a city in a developing country. Children like this have uncertainty about every aspect of their lives, to put it mildly.

C'mon now.

Sarah has, at the very least, food and a bed to sleep in in a heated house with running water and sanitation, with access to medical treatment and a minimal form of education. She may have no awareness of the richness of the world that is available to her, but at least that world exists.

None of this makes her post any more acceptable. Just think we need a reality check about levels of "bleak".

I am not sure that is always true of children selling in developed nations. Don't get me wrong, it's a problem. But it doesn't always indicate complete uncertainty.

Also, while her socioeconomic circumstances may be bleak, I don't actually believe Sarah's chance for freedom of the mind is anything but considerably less bleak. I believe this child, even if you assume the worst about her current state has more of a chance to live as a free, albeit poor relative to American standards, adult life than Sarah.

[Brightonbelle]

Why on Earth are they so abrupt in their responses to comments? It's not just a blog, it's a business. And generally speaking businesses do better if they are polite to their potential customers.

[bekkah]

Bangalore.

Yeah, writing on sign boards or walls would give a city /state easily.

Bangalore is on my list! Hopefully they slip and give us a clue

[anjulibai]

Why on Earth are they so abrupt in their responses to comments? It's not just a blog, it's a business. And generally speaking businesses do better if they are polite to their potential customers.

Ah, but Steve looks down on his potential customers. He's better than any of them.

[Tiny Bubbles]

Off the wall idea, but maybe we are ALL right.

Maybe John has an interest in expanding his irrigation consultancy into developing nations.

Maybe this is a trip to Mexico ("one country" away) for a conference on that subject, and the group of men are there to learn/teach about irrigation in their respective countries.

And the photo of the little kid is some kind of stock photo Sarah found to illustrate an anecdote John relayed to her about a child on the street.

The teaching English connection was thrown in there to try to keep his doings private, which is why Steve winked about it in his reply to the comment asking if John had ambitions to teach it.

Thoughts??

[Violet]

Why on Earth are they so abrupt in their responses to comments? It's not just a blog, it's a business. And generally speaking businesses do better if they are polite to their potential customers.

Because Steve is an arsehole?

[kpmom]

Why on Earth are they so abrupt in their responses to comments? It's not just a blog, it's a business. And generally speaking businesses do better if they are polite to their potential customers.

Yes, we've talked about that here often. Ironic that one of their books is about making great conversationalists (because they are so great and so can teach the rest of us).

[Palimpsest]

I am not sure that is always true of children selling in developed nations. Don't get me wrong, it's a problem. But it doesn't always indicate complete uncertainty.

Also, while her socioeconomic circumstances may be bleak, I don't actually believe Sarah's chance for freedom of the mind is anything but considerably less bleak. I believe this child, even if you assume the worst about her current state has more of a chance to live as a free, albeit poor relative to American standards, adult life than Sarah.

I'm with Tiny Bubbles here. If you think of the status of women and children world-wide (not zeroing in this particular child or on India here) then I think Sarah's situation is fairly cushy in comparison.

Granted, Sarah's future is "bleak": in the sense of being controlled, limited, bored out of her skull, confined, submissive, limited prospects of marriage and children (if she wants them) and so on. However, a lot of women and children have far "bleaker" prospects in options, intellectual freedom, choices, and chances of survival. I could list a lot but it would take far too long.

[treemom]

It is physically cushy yes. I have lived among women who had been run from their country, watched their children die from disease, have no possessions to speak of. But are fierce and proud and will do anything to preserve their children's lives and ensure their freedom and safety.

That isn't to say there are not situations bleaker, but the cognitive dissonance and general assholeness that Sarah displays while posting this continues to make me feel that when it comes to being imprisoned, she is in fact living the bleak existence.

[Palimpsest]

It is physically cushy yes. I have lived among women who had been run from their country, watched their children die from disease, have no possessions to speak of. But are fierce and proud and will do anything to preserve their children's lives and ensure their freedom and safety.

That isn't to say there are not situations bleaker, but the cognitive dissonance and general assholeness that Sarah displays while posting this continues to make me feel that when it comes to being imprisoned, she is in fact living the bleak existence.

Oh, yes. The bolded I certainly do agree with. :)

[Tiny Bubbles]

Oh, yes. The bolded I certainly do agree with. :)

Me too!

[Odd1Out]

I don't get why people are saying the photo of the little girl must have been taken with a large/nice camera. Looks like it could easily be a cell phone pic to me. It's not particularly crisp and clear.

[ncb]

I revel in the idea of John being all by himself on a flight to South Asia. With layovers, those are ofter over 24hours. Can you imagine the freedom? In seat video entertainment that can't be tracked by Steve!!!???

[16strong]

This just in: John and Jesse, two grown men, enjoy sharing a room. Of course they do, Steve. A small part of me hopes they do enjoy sharing a room because it's the only place they can talk openly about their non-Maxwellian plans for the future.

Sandra says:

April 11, 2015 at 1:22 pm

Looks like John is having a great time! I’m praying that he has a safe trip. Is Jesse enjoying having his own room for the fortnight?

>>>>>>>>

They enjoy sharing the room.

Wow. That's just about one of the bitchiest things I've ever heard the Maxwells say. Somebody isn't very happy.

[LaLele]

I don't get why people are saying the photo of the little girl must have been taken with a large/nice camera. Looks like it could easily be a cell phone pic to me. It's not particularly crisp and clear.

It looks like the original pic was cut from a larger one, and the pixels are large.

[terranova]

I feel like there should be a prize for which ever FJer picks the correct country. Assuming they ever tell us where he is/was.