Monday, June 18, 2007

Is it unfrum to backpack?

After returning from a brief backpacking trip in Central America (2 weeks compared to people traveling for 6 months or more), I noticed something. I did not meet one frum person backpacking. Let alone the non religious Jews, I only met two who can bring themselves to hanging at hostels and hopping on and off the bus route. This was excluding the non religious Israelis, of whom there were many. I came across the same thing when I did some traveling in Europe a little while back. Is it not frum to backpack, especially a solo backpacker? Out there it was viewed as normal to go traveling by yourself through random countries. Over here, is it is viewed as strange. When I told a date about my trip before I left, she thought I was 'crazy' that I planned to go by myself.

Frum people need their groups of 4 of the same sex and to stay at fancy hotels in Miami. Many Jewish people also need their 5 star resort and look to be pampered as much as possible. It is below them to share a room with 7 random strangers on bunk beds without air conditioning and sometimes lacking hot water. And G-d forbid they meet new people on their trips. They must stick to themselves because the Torah says not to mingle with the goyim because we may become like them, right? Because they are all evil and the Jews are all righteous. Jews must remain sheltered. And then we wonder why there is so much anti Semitism in this world. I was proud that I represented one of the few frum solo backpackers out there.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm glad your back! How was the trip otherwise?

I only take vacations that involve going to sleep with a mint candy on my pillow. Plus, I'm a slave to air conditioning.

But I give you a lot of credit for getting out there and seeing the world. You must have so many awesome stories!

residency year sucks said...

It is certainly not just an orthodox thing but rather an American and orthodox phenom. While backpacking myself I met loads of Israeli's whom are the bargaining connoisseurs of the world. They were mostly secular but some Ortho’s as well. The Canadians were always well represented as well as the Aussies, Germans, and Western Europeans. Percentage wise there were less Americans hanging out than would be expected. Americans are a bit insular and when you combine that with the isolation espoused by the yeshiva world you get one nice Monsey community. Any nice hostels there?

Jacob Da Jew said...

Welcome back, NSF. Sounds like a fun trip.

You never heard the expression "There is no world/life outside Brooklyn" ?

eddie said...

great to have you back mr. nsf, you are defintely my rosh yeshiva

Jacob Da Jew said...

Forget the rant about the frummies. Where did you go? Tell us more!

I luv road trips.

Notsofrummie said...

Thanks people.

Residency year sucks - that is exactly how it was. Many Aussies, british, german, dutch and those type of people. Not to many canadians or french people however. And the Israelis that i met there were alot nicer and more normal than those we have in brooklyn.
JDJ - I am still trying to remain some what anonymous (although some readers know me personally), for some reason i feel by revealing specific details about the trip, this might come up by someone you know "i know someone that went to *&^% thats probaly him". Although at this point it doesnt really matter as so much of my personal life was already revealed on here as is, so I should just tell ya. I was in Costa Rica and Panama.

sweet delilah said...

You probably didn't meet other frum backpackers/hitchhikers, because not many frum people are in Central America (I know there are communities there, but you get my drift) - it's a numbers game. In Israel, hitchhiking is still thriving by frum and secular alike.

Jacob Da Jew said...

Panama is cool. Never been there but have some relatives there.

Anonymous said...

shkoyach

Anonymous said...

im pretty sure it has more to do with the pain of trying to access kosher food and all that then anything against going around south america or some other foreign land.

Anonymous said...

Very nice post. Glad you are back. Hoping to hear more about your trip.

Anonymous said...

maybe its jut a statistics thing.. im sure if you go by percentage, frum jews are out there just as much as anyone else..

i went traveling, and im sure if you had bumped into me you wouldnt have realized im a fellow frummi..
maybe youre brooklyn upbringing led you to believe all frum jews are brooklynites? :)

Notsofrummie said...

anonym00kie - many times jews can tell other jews and if their from brooklyn it would make it even easeier for me but ive met many people and had no idea that i was jewish until after i told them and start puttin on teffilen. Stats can also make sense why i didnt meet any frum people, but from all the frum people i know and 1 person who backpacks doesnt make sense. The lack of conveniency of kosher food can also be a drawback.

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