Name: Nik vWurzbach City, Country: Düsseldorf, Germany Sent

Sandra,
What's the rush to get Ramon over to the USA. As I recall, he said it will take some three years to accomplish his project. Doesn't it make more sense to spend the first years around the closest continents. The longer it takes for Ramon to get here, the more offers he will get, hence the more of the States he'll get to see. I can't imagine bouncing from one country to another without being "burned out" I think Ramon has a good pace going and should stick to it. Like you, I'm along for the ride and it's been pretty enjoyable so far. I'm not getting down on you Sandra, because I can clearly see how anxious and excited you are about this project and thats great! So let's let Ramon chart his course, and when he shows up in your area all the better. Promise me Sandra that you'll get Ramon to the Grand Canyon. He just has to see it. I'll try to get my friends in Prescott to sponsor Ramon.

Ramon,

Is not traveling with a laptop by choice? It would seem to really help out in catching up with reports on those long train rides or just idle moments.......Ok, so I've revealed my selfish addiction to your project, and am thinking of ways for you to keep up on this very involved project. So if you would prefer to have a laptop but just can't afford one. ATTENTION!!!! Computer manufactures, Sponsor Ramon!!!!! Thank You Bret

Dear Jay Leno, NBC,

I am wondering when you are going to provide some sponsorship to "letmestayforday.com"? Ramon has indicated on his website a few times that Jay Leno Show has shown interest.

http://pub.alxnet.com/guestbook?id=2032000

We (the world following him) wants to get him across the Atlantic. He's stuck in a small loop in Netherlands and Great Britain!!

Jay, get him over here! :-)

Thanks,
Sandra



Name: Sandra
City, Country: Tucson, AZ. USA
Sent: 1.57 AM - 7/15 2001

Hi Ramon,

I will send your Dad a Birthday greeting. :-)

My Dad has passed away. My Mother lives with me now. I am just teaching her the internet, and have shown her alittle of your site and your travels thus far. She is a WWII British War Bride. Come to Tucson, AZ, we can chat about all that, and show you the Southwest as well. :-) Mom is from Leyland, Lancashire, England, and came to USA after WWII to marry my Dad a year after the war ended.

These are the GOOD stories of traveling the world and learning about the world! :-)

Cheers,
Sandra

Sandra, thank you for your writings! And especially about my current life style. I like to do both, relaxing at somebody's home, but I don't regret the nightlives I've seen 'till now. It's just all part of the experience. If I know I can relax a bit afterwards, I don't worry at all.

I really appreciate ANY comments. I hope a lot of people think so open-mindend like you do.

I hope to visit the USA some time ever, and I know Jay Leno hopes I'll visit him too, but 'till now I just have to work on Europe. No-budget travelling, means just waiting for a sponsor... or a ticket. :-)

But I'll just know things will work out fine and I hope I can see a lot on this big big world on the kindness and hospitality of its people. No concerns or worries on my side.

Only my parents worry sometimes, but that's just a parents thing. (By the way, my dad just celebrated his 59th birthday, everybody is welcome to send him a mail at dad@letmestayforaday.com! He'll love that!)

With regards to all,
Ramon Stoppelenburg.



Name: Sandra
Country: Tucson, AZ. USA
Sent: 1.37 AM - 7/15 2001

Thanks Alan McDonald, Charlene, Bret - agree too

Sandra



Name: Sandra
Country: Tucson, AZ. USA
Sent: 1.26 AM - 7/15 2001

Dear Ramon,

I have been following your journey all along, and I subscribe to your daily email alerts (thank you), but was a bit behind in reading the message board. I am shocked. I read the now infamous June 30th report (I hate to bring it up again) and found it not to be a big deal. It was a "diary" entry, and I am miffed why people got all bent out of shape about a seemingly tired night out, and you wrote about it. Geesh!!!

I won't rehash the events because it has been rehashed well enough already on this message board. It's been two weeks, move on. You said it like it is, and that's what counts, it is YOUR travel experience, and YOUR writings, and YOUR feelings, and YOUR impressions. You are staying for a night (or two, or three), but you are not required as payment for room and board to write "this was an absolutely lovely experience and I loved every second of it!"

If there are uncomfortable times, you should be honest about those. That is life, that is the world experience. Write it as a diary, not as a forced edited version, all sugar coated. You are staying with strangers, and you are a stranger to your hosts. There is sure to be some differences. But I feel for you, because I am sure each host, each night, wants to take you out to a pub, a club, etc. At least that is how it seems so far.

Hey hosts, how about after some sightseeing during the day, a dinner at home or a restaurant for dinner, then just come home and "veg out" during the evening?? That's what I would offer. I don't think someone like Ramon who is on the go 24 hrs a day has to be entertained every evening at a pub, bar, or club. A good host may give him a break and some quality down time as well, so he would not have to sleep in until noon or 1 PM. Restore some normal life, he does not have to go out every night!. :-) I am sure he wants to learn about families and also just relax some evenings. No need to make him feel forced to visit the nightlife all the time.

So, when are you coming to Tucson, Arizona, USA, Ramon? Wait until after September! It's too hot now! :-)

Thanks for your reports, pictures, and to all the hosts thus far. I love reading this and following your journeys. I think it is time for you to cross the Atlantic!!

Cheers,
Sandra



Name: Sylvia, Peter and Richard Beaumont
Country: North Berwick, Scotland, UK
Sent: 12.42 AM - 7/15 2001

Hi Ramon

I have just made up this little poem, sent by email, perhaps you could add it to your North Berwick day!

I hope you will remember us as we will remember you with great fondness.

With much love and Good Luck

Mmm, Nina, it wil take ages before I can translate that Korean article word by word... I will just wait the rest of my life until world.altavista.com can translate complete pages from Korean into English...

Ramon,
Have you tried these Korean/English translation sites?

http://www.sigmainstitute.com/koreanonline/dictionary.shtml

http://www.ectaco.co.uk/online/diction.php3?&lang=22

Either that or wonder for the rest of your life what was said about you in the newspaper article.
Also, hope that they said something good about you :-)



Name: Nina
Country: Panama
Sent: 8.05 PM - 7/14 2001

LSOM
Hello. “if you look backwards, life can be understood”

Can you name senses other than the 6 biological ones? I can think of “intuition” as being a sense and of course “common sense” How about you?

Hi Chad,
I don't know what happened, I only unsuscribe mailinglist members if they ask for it. It could have been an error by my mailinglist provider Coollist.com, but I doubt that. You can easily suscribe again.

Hey Ramon,

Yes and indeed a journalistic question here. (Where is RAMON?)- No clue and no idea, only equation: TIME + SPACE + 6th SENSE + 9 Principles of Living

Do I dare mention Deidre, in fear of a backlash, or thrashing for that manner.

Charlene and Alan,
Very well put. If I could do better I would, but I can't, so thank you for your comments. Hopefully this will put to bed the beating of a "dead horse"
I wish the best to Deidre and her quest "not to be bothered anymore" As it will be a blessing to us all.

Ramon,
Do you travel with a laptop?...........(just kidding, joke hahaha) Keep up the great reports, I'm learning lots!!!!

Good question Ramon. Where ARE you?

To those who have opinions about Ramon's journey (pro or con)I must add my two cents here. I have learned that all people cannot like all others. Ramon is bound to have some rub him the wrong way just as he is bound to do the same to some of his hosts. That is part of the adventure isn't it? He hasn't put up a list of requirements for hosts, save for an internet connection, so who knows if everyone will be compatable when the time comes. I hope that all will at least wish him godspeed. :o)



Name: Ramon Stoppelenburg
Country: mmm, where am i?
Sent: 3.07 AM - 7/14 2001

Today I am featured in a Korean newspaper (http://tour.ddanzi.com/17/tr17_9902.htm). Is there anyone that can provide me an English translation by email? I am unfortunately not really skilled in my Korean language... :-)

Deidre,
I KNOW Ramon wasn’t your guest. He was your friend’s guest. But you go on about it as if he had been your guest too, you were talking about give and take and hospitality, plus you added a few insults about him. If you find this whole thing stupid and upsetting, then why did you start up with it? Yes, I think you better forget about it before you go nuts.

Well Deidre, you really know how to go on, don't you? You don't like this project, you've said it a couple of times, so get out of here then!

Charlene,

Ramon was not my guest, I just happened to be in the company and felt I had a right of response. To be quite honest I find this whole thing stupid and upsetting and I really could not be bothered anymore - it's really something I'd prefer to forget about so off with you Ramon and enjoy the rest of your trip.

It was great to watch Ramon travelling on Ulster Television, where to and why etc. rather than watching local M.P.s like Paisley and Adams, etc.

LSOM, please just write your name.

To whom it may concern,

"Without computers one cannot escape from ignorance and stupidity." (KIM JONG IL has been quoted as warning)
What's common sense here is not common sense in Pyongyang. Kim Jong Il loves to surf the web, while his people can barely stay afloat. Does anyone out there have Kim Jong Il's e-mail address? Maybe you could send him a message.

To NINA of Panama,

RAMON,
Thanks for the corner and safe journey.

Ramon,
I have to agree with Charlene and Alan! Southern hospitality is famous around here, of course, we are also raised to be very concious of our guests comfort. There are plenty of people like us out there, and I think (for the most part) that Ramon is meeting plenty of them!

I for one certainly appreciate Ramon really telling us about his visits and not "sugar-coating" anything. It isn't going to be all wines and roses! Keep on keepin' on Ramon and best wishes -



Name: Laurens
Country: The Netherlands
Sent: 3.48 AM - 7/13 2001

I totally agree with your Brendan Behan quote on July 9! Keep the spirit, Ramon

Deirdre,
From the several messages written by you and Fiona on this messageboard.

Alan MacDonald, you couldn’t have said it better. I was also raised to treat guest in the best way possible. Usually when you invite someone to your place, a host gives more than he/she takes, that’s the ideal of being a good host. To expect a guest to reciprocate equally does not make sense. I don’t see where the barter/give and take system has anything to do with all this such as Deirdre has mentioned.

Hi,

I have to say, when Ramon came along, that I was delighted that he was staying with me. I was more worried that he might find fault with me or my hospitality than that he might be 'taking advantage'.

I mean, my place is not exactly large, and I didn't have an internet connection 'on site', it was at a friends house.

But as far as I am concerned, he didn't 'take advantage'. He was a great guest, interesting to talk to. I entertained and took care of him as best as I could, and sent him on his way. I vastly enjoyed the whole time.

But, I did it in my own way. I didn't bring him to pubs, because I'm not a pub goer. There is nothing wrong with pubs, it's just I don't do that much. I do visit pubs with my friends every now and then, but I don't really go that often. I'm much more of a stay-at-home, or visit cinema type of guy, and I'm assuming that that's part of what Ramon's journey is about. Meeting other people and seeing the differences in how people live. So we had a party at my place, some good friends came over, I cooked Jambalaya, we watched a few DVD's, (after a mad voting session on what to watch, talk about herding cats *grin*), had a few drinks, and had a good time.

The bottom line on all this as far as I am concerned is the concept of 'hospitality'. The needs of the guest are very important, and as much as possible should be done to make them welcome and comfortable. I freely admit I have what some people would consider archaic views on this, the whole concept of the 'honoured guest'. You have to always be conscious of their needs, and make sure that you take care of anything they need.

I dunno, I'm just like that. It's the way I was raised.

Please don't anyone take this up the wrong way, this is just my own opinion, and how /I/ do things.

rgds

Alan

Ramon, Your slacking! I can see all these wonderfully interesting pictures, but no story. You gave the excuse that you don't have time, but I think that you should make the time to place things on the website. That's the idea right, for you to stay at people's houses and then write about the stay on the internet?

For Charlene,

For James in the Netherlands aswell.

The more I hear from Deidre et al, the more I support Ramon. It seems clearer and clearer that she is the one with the problem, and not Ramon. I can not believe that it has carried on this long ! Give it a rest and let the other hosts have their say !!

Ramon - I hope you are having a great time ! Regards
from all of us back home. (And no I have never met Ramon in person).



Name: LSOM
Country: Malaysia
Sent: 7.36 AM - 7/12 2001

Specially to NINA of PANAMA,

"Life can be understood by looking backward but it must be tried by looking forward".

RAMON,
Thanks, keep up your good works.

LSOM as always.

Name: Charlene
Country: USA
Sent: 12.37 AM - 7/12 2001

Deirdre,

Hi, I am the other one from that night in Cork when Ramon was so tired he almost fell asleep on the street. Just a few points (rather than pints!!) It WAS in fact the beginning of my night out as I had left a retirement do earlier and joined the others at the race track at around midnight so the drink in the Long Valley was in fact my first drink - so sorry Ramon!!! Also, I can understand Ramon being tired but I do have a couple of issues. I love the concept of travelling around the worlds experiencing different people and cultures and availing of their hospitality and food but consuming alcohol and smoking others cigarettes and then behaving like a spoiled child when you've had enough fun and want to go home is not good enough. For centuries people have lived by the barter/give and take system but Ramons journey does not seem to be about meeting different people and cultures but more about how to meet and take advantage of people's good will and generosity.