Exploring America's Poorest Region Alone

This story was fascinating to experience and I’m so grateful to have randomly met Dave and Tess on the street. They really helped introduce this hidden slice of America that is virtually unknown to both Americans and the outside world. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Appalachian culture and McDowell County overall – I’ll be glued to my computer, reading and responding to as many of your comments as I can. Love you all and stay tuned for another story in the U.S. next week 🇺🇸🙏🏼

Someone give electricity and water to Ruben

Yes, Drew, it's incredibly offensive and unwelcome to drive around southern WV making poverty porn for your own profit. Intelligent people know that. Yes Drew, those people should not only be skeptical of you walking around filming their rundown ghost towns, they should tell you to go fuck yourself, at a minimum. This is not a good start to your goal of showcasing the "people and culture of West Virginia" – dumbfuck. How about I drive around whatever poor abandoned towns in North Carolina and document the "people and culture of North Carolina" based on whoever I choose to talk to, randomly, in some dilapidated town? Yes, it would be ridiculous and offensive, and wholly inaccurate and worthless, and for all the wrong reasons and motives, and it would come from a place of grotesque ignorance Drew – like this whole video. You asked her about Racism Drew, really? You figure people in McDowell County are racist against two of their sum total of five friends Drew? you're an entirely uneducated disphit Drew.

How can I send Rueben some money?

Dave and Tess in Brazil

That bridge is the new river Gorge

Pensé que cuando decías el país más pobre de América o la región es Haití, Pero cuando dices América te refieres a Estados Unidos pero EEUU es un país. No es continente, América es desde Alaska hasta Chile😊

The environment is very similar to parts of Eastern Germany. Narrow valleys, surrounded by mountains with lots of mines and a former booming industry (back in the 19th. century). In fact many multinational companies, machine manufacturers, car companies etc., that still exist today come from there, but left the region long ago. Partly due to geographic constrains with the narrow valleys with scarce ground to build factories on and also after WW2 when the Soviets came.

The region was really struggling for a time, but it never was as bad as West Virginia. It's just way less remote so it's comparitively easy for people to go to larger cities for business or education. You can reach multiple metropolitan areas in around 2 hours or less. "only 9 hours to New York" sounds ludicrously far away for someone from Central Europe and would be viewed as an absolute death sentence to a place instead of a positive.

I love Ruben

Aucun détour mortel ouf😅