The Best YouTube Video

Although I certainly consider myself computer savvy and even beyond my years for my extension knowledge of the Internet and chatting programs, I did not jump on the YouTube bandwagon. Now and than I would click on a link a friend or colleague have sent my way, but I never perused the site myself. Once YouTube was sold and its preeminence on the Internet was solidified I attempted to check out some of the top videos and most linked videos but found many to be childish or just plan monotonous. Recently I stumbled upon a VH1 TV show highlighting the 100 top "internet superstars" from the infamous Tila Tequila of MySpace fame to Andy Milonakis of MTV's Andy Milonakis Show. However, during this series I also discovered some "internet celebrities" whom I have never even heard of. By far the best and in my opinion one of the under rated was Matt Harding.

Matt Harding, a 30 year old Connecticut native, shot to Internet fame from a website he made www.wherethehellismatt.com that he made to communicate with friends and family while he embarked on a round the world trip in his early 20's. Apparently, Matt got the idea from a friend to take a short video of himself in every country/city he visited doing a Ashlee Simpsonesque "hoe down" dance. (Although Matt's is much more endearing). The video of him dancing in 2003 and 2004 places like Vietnam, China, India, Russia, and Thailand. Stride Gum, (which I have never heard of, but it appears to be a newer product) along with millions of people in the world fell in love with the video and offered to pay for his 2^nd Round the World Trip. His second video covers a much broader area and is by far superior. In the second video he visits places like the Galapagos Islands, Namibia, Dubai, Palau and even places close to home like New Mexico, New York City, and San Francisco. The accompanying music to the video (Sweet Lullaby (Nature's Dancing 7" Mix)") means to make the video all the more beautiful and mystical. After he shot to fame he was seen all over TV and even gave lectures at a college in Burlington,Vermont. Watching the clip of this lecture on YouTube Matt is conveyed as an intelligent, articulate, and even interesting public speaker (and he didn't even go to college!). In a time when America is suffering from poor international relations and when until recently Americans have been notorious for not having passports or even leaving the country I think this video sheds like on how small the earth really is and how important it is to leave your bubble and explore.

The video personally attracted me because of the similar beliefs that I hold with Matt. One being that travel is a passion of mine and given the choice I would rather be a full-time globtrotter than a slave to the 9-5 for the rest of my life. Many Americans stick to this rigid work schedule with little or no vacation time because they think it is their only choice. International travel does not have to break the bank, and few months of saving and scrimping could be enough for several months or years or travel depending upon where your traveling too. During his lecture at the College, Matt mentioned that he caught the "travel bug" while working as an expat in Australia at a video game company and watching his co-workers and friends travel lesuirly around the world. In some countries such as France, this type of international travel is so common that the government imposes mandatory FIVE WEEKS of vacation (this on top of the fact that the french already have 35 hour work weeks as the "standard"). I think this says a lot about coproate america.