New Britain herald., 1930-08-13
Trip Abroad Just Ferry Ride to American Youth

America is not only setting the pace for old Europe, but has revolution ized travel between two continents, according to Jean Henry, purser of the new French liner, s. s. Lafay- cite.
 It's the American youngsters who are showing the world how to be healthy and happy as well as hectic while travelling said Henry. who has made more than 200 trips back and forth to Eu- rope. and knows the traveller well.
 These college boys and girls who think no more of going to Europe than their grandparents did of taking a ferry ride, and who consider bathing suits and tennis shoes moT1 necessary part of their equipment than steamer blankets and pillows they come back broke but they have gained something more valuable than souvenirs and have given Conti- nentals, especially the young ones, whole new set of values.
 They're Original Tourists
 Not only do the young Ameri- cans lead a, strenuous, athletic life. on shipboard, but they do Europe in an original and daring manner, according to the dictates of their own fancy. In contrast 10 the typical tourist. who has his rail- road tickets bought and his reser- vations made for his entire trip before leaving home, the students theory is 10 go where his fancy leads and stay as long as lis money lasts. If that is only two or three weeks. well and good. A lot can be done in two weeks and some other time there will be more boats and more money to do it thoroughly.
 "Instead of following the beat en path and looking up the accred- tied hotels where ice is always available for water and beef steaks for dinner, the young American traveller avoids the safe and sure, wants to eat the typical foods of the country in which he travels and doesn't mind rough ing it bit. His instinct tells him that adventure lies in the by path. and thrill in the unexpected,
 "The American youth, too' wants 10 do, rather than have everything done for him, prefer ing to partake of life as well as observe it. Instead of riding on trains, he, or she, is quite apt to decide on a cycling tour through Brittany, tramp through the Austrian Tyrol, little serious mountain climbing in Switzer- land.
 T know two pretty girls who decided 10 visit Spain, Instead of booking with tour, they bought a cheap secondhand auto in Bar celona. motored over the whole peninsula, fearlessly visiting the t-of-waY medieval towns as we'll as cities, and sold the car for what they could get out Of 1t when they were through.
 Ut is the custom of the Ameri- can youth to travel light. discard ing and replenishing as they go. It is not unheard of for college boys 10 spend a month in Europe without once wearing hat, but l was a little surprised when girl told me she had travelled clear around the world without one, that she had never needed one, for her own part. But she did real ize that she was a bit conspicuous in Japan, without one, because her heavy head of very bushy, curly hair was a novelty to the sleek, straight-haired little ladies Of the Cherry Blossom land.
 Use Foreign Languages
 "Whereas the typical American is not linguist, and depends on guides and interpreters. these youngsters grapple valiantly with strange verbs and unknown nouns and insist on using the language Of the country. to porters and tradespeople, who could probably understand them much easier if they stuck to English. But they want to learn and though their French may lack the Parisian ac- cent and their German have little gutteral conviction, they get what they want and have thoroughly l good time getting it.
 "On the whole, the young Amer | ican creates a favorable impress sion in Europe. because he is usu- ally democratic, good-natured ] individual. who is anything but . bored. who doesn't make great de 1 mands and is having such a good i time tt is positively infectious. ! The girls are greatly admired for ! their independence and courage as . well as for their trim figures and 1 smartncss and they are having q | tremendous influence on Euorpean | girls who are constantly demand l ing more freedom, patterning | themselves after the American | model.
 After all youth speaks a uni versal language that is under stood in all countries. America has no better ambassa dors of Good Will than it's gay, happy, carefree young people, who romp over to Europe and back on a shoestrng who work hard and | play hard and quicked the pace for the rest of us, and keep before Us an example Of energy and en- . !, tgG