BY HELEN J. CATALBAS
LOVE of country is a given for all citizens of the world. Some return to their country to serve in the military while others leave their home country to work as servants in another country, in order to survive economically, while others are highly paid professionals, scientists and artists.
Nevertheless, love of country is expressed in many ways.
Love of country or manifestations of it is a constitutional duty for most people, a legal obligation for some or contractual servitude for others outside his/her home country. Whether we are conscious of it or not, these are realities that stare on us.
The common denominator for citizens of the world is that they are tourists in their respective countries and in each other’s country. If they travel as tourists within their own countries, two possibilities can happen – either they will love their country more or they will love it less. We know they love it more by the swoons and they less love it by the curses. No matter the latter, love of country remains in the bottom of their hearts.
The love for our respective countries is more or less depending on our experiences in it from womb to tomb.
When it comes to foreign tourists, it is our experienced opinion that we cannot tell them to love another country if and when they have not visited and experienced that other country.
Foreign tourists can only love another country when the tourist attractions are extraordinary, services are efficient, tourist transports are not a case of highway or skyway robbery, the locals are friendly, government personnel at airports and seaports are not corrupt, and frontliners are smiling, warm and willing to help.
A revisit of taglines/slogans that speak of patriotism is highly recommended./PN
