So I was reading this article on CNN, seems there's only 30% of Americans that have passports!!??...That is insane to me...Was just wondering how many of you all have passports and have traveled abroad, and for those of you who haven't, I'm interested to know why....
I know there are the obvious reasons why some don't travel abroad ( airfare, lodging too expensive)...But there was one bit of this article where someone said, "America has it all: "From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam,".....To me, this statement just seems ignorant. This country is very young, there are so many things abroad that America doesn't have, I know I am a bit biased because of my love for history and travel in general, and I know not everyone enjoys that sort of thing, I just have a difficult time understanding why some people have absolutely no interest in ever leaving their country to explore other cultures? Learn more languages? There is so much beauty to be seen in the world, so I was just curious to know everyone's sentiments on this topic....
Btw-if you want to read the article here's the link http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/02/04....html?hpt=Sbin
Originally Posted by Valerie
As the linked article points out...there were a number of destinations outside the country that US citizens could go without having to possess a passport...until relatively recently. That plays a part...gol...some of us are just lazy when it comes to the paperwork!
As to the piece that implies a significant number of US citizens just don't see the need to travel outside the country...rightly or wrongly...a number do think that way. From a climate/topography perspective...they're not that far off. One can experience most of the world's conditions within the confines of a US state, territory, or possession.
In terms of experiencing different cultures, peoples, or languages...some just don't feel the need. I don't get it...I'm not one of them but many do think that way...or they rank it below experiencing EVERYTHING their own country has to offer first. Others have the resources to travel abroad but don't do so because they don't think they will be safe or welcome.
I enjoy traveling abroad...but I must admit I feel a twinge of guilt at times for not checking out my own "back yard" first. I try to mix up my travel between international & domestic to get distinct impressions of the country & the world at large.
What amazes me is the high percentage of stereotypical dumb Americans who do travel abroad. Holding a passport does not mean you know how to travel or have any better manners than those left at home.
Though the recent flood of nouveau riche Chinese takes the heat off Americans. The Chinese get consistently poor reviews from the travel and service industries, despite their wealth. Which illustrates, again, that just because you have a passport doesn't make you a great traveler.
XX
Amanda
Originally Posted by texasgoldengirl
LOL...the stereotypical notion of the "ugly American" abroad has kernels of truth in there somewhere. I've had ear-cringing moments with my fellow citizens from one end of the planet to another. Oh well...God bless 'em for trying!
The converse is also true...not just of other travels here but interactions with others abroad. Whenever I go somewhere, I try to commit enough basic vocabulary to memory & keep adequate resources at hand to "survive" interactions. Usually, the delivery - awkward though it may be - is appreciated. I found the Spanish people, particularly, to be VERY forgiving of my slaughtered pronunciation & appreciative of the attempt. The French...eh...not so much.
Growing up & working in Washington, D.C. it was not unusual to have frequent interactions with those who spoke little-or-no English as they attempted to find their way around. I tried to my best to help. Usually, through some mish-mash of their language, my language, hand gestures, and crude drawings on the backs of w/e printed material either one of us had...I could get them where they needed to be. Most of the time, they were grateful. Once in a while somebody seemed genuinely miffed that I didn't know more of their language than they knew of mine.
People are people...
Before we start talking about why Americans don't travel abroad, we should talk about why they don't travel at all. In my own travels throughout the US I have met enough people who tell me that they have never left their home state, or never been 100 miles from their home town, that it amazes me.
As has been said in this thread, the US is a widely varied place with great differences in culture, language, food, etc - from state to state and region to region.
When I have traveled abroad, I know that I have certainly felt ignorant, or like 'the ugly American' at times. People certainly don't always make Americans feel welcome when traveling, whether you seem high class or not, when in certain areas. I have hidden my identity as an American at times, and so have many of my friends, all of whom are well traveled, to get better treatment. It always helps to know how to speak many languages, something a lot of Americans are not capable of.
I guess not everyone cares enough about becoming more cultured to go through it all for a vacation - when there are so many nice spots to relax where people will treat you really nice close to home. I personally can think of about 10 places I would rather go than to Europe with my passport anyway - been there, done that, got the tshirt....
Originally Posted by amusemeant
Yes!...Good point, I have had people here tell me that as well and I find it absolutely amazing...Some people have no desire to leave their state!
Originally Posted by Valerie
Again...a lot of it just comes down to human nature. People want different things from their leisure time. I'm the youngest of 4. My siblings are, for the most part, homebodies one & all. I seem to be the only one with any kind of wanderlust. Why is that? Who the hell knows???
And it does seem that the more you travel, the more your views are widened to be more understanding of a great number of people (hopefully). I think a lot of people who don't consider themselves wealthy enough or educated enough or "whatever" enough are just scared to go too far away from home. Imagine if you only used the most widely viewed sources of news here in the US for all your information about humanity, how scared you might be.
Originally Posted by amusemeant
That's rather how I see it. The one thing that is difficult to get a full sense of in only traveling w/in the US is a sense of time. In my excursions to Europe, I was blown away as to the antiquity of so much of it. I'm sure that's even more so in places like the Middle East.
I once went into a bar in Amsterdam with a group of friends on NYE, only to encounter an older Dutch man cursing me out in Dutch on the barstool beside me (they only had like 4 barstools in the place so nowhere really to move). I tried talking to him but he persisted that he did not speak English and was obviously cursing at me.
I just kept laughing at him, and finally I began to curse HIM out in Spanish...this went on for a bit, me stoned and drunk and him just drunk I guess cursing at each other in different languages - until finally we both just broke out laughing and he finally started speaking English. I asked him why he thought a girl from Texas should speak Dutch instead of Spanish, and we went on to have a great conversation.
Great memories....
Originally Posted by amusemeant
Great story! One of the other things you take away are those kinds of stories. I can remember being in cafes & bars in Paris right after Reagan was shot...the outpouring of sympathies. The brusqueness of Parisian...and later...Berlin waiters who spoke enough English not to give a shit if I tried to speak their language or not. The genuine affection from Spanish & Swiss people as my kids did their best to mind their manners in the local tongue. All of that stuff sounds hackneyed & maudlin, I know. But they are memories I'll keep with me forever. More importantly, they are memories that help my kids form & frame a view of the world beyond their front door.
In all fairness though, I will say it is a lot easier to travel different places in Europe...You can get pretty much anywhere by train, and the flights inside Europe are so bloody cheap....Which makes me wonder why flights inside the states are so expensive?
I've flown from London to Madrid, Amsterdam, Nice,Paris on easyjet for 35-60 GBP.....
When I fly in the states it seems the lowest round trip I can ever find is minimum of 250 USD...Once I tried to book a flight from Nashville to Greenville,SC and it was going to me almost 900 USD!!!
....So just out of curiosity I check to see how much a flight to London was, and it was 670 USD...I'm sorry but that is just fucked up...
Originally Posted by Valerie
Eh...couple of things at work there. Domestically, the fares are a function of competition. If Nashville to Greenville is THAT expensive, chances are there's only one airline flying the route.
Internationally, check the fare breakdown. A lot of the airfare between the US & points in Europe are taxes.
I would imagine a lot of people do not travel because of the money involved. Not everyone has the ability to pay for traveling (and costs associated with it). I am sure it has more to do with that than anything else. The gap between the "haves" and the "have not's" is getting bigger and bigger in this country.
Originally Posted by Bebe Le Strange
Money is definitely a part of it. So, quite frankly, is time. The types of travel a lot of Europeans take for granted is extremely difficult for US citizens because they just don't have the type of vacation benefits needed to make those kinds of trips. A lot of my international travel has been piggy-backed on travel for work. I couldn't "go home" on my days off, so I went to see other places instead. As much I might want to travel internationally, I couldn't have done nearly as much as I have were it not for my occupation.
Not too long ago, I took a train from New Orleans to LA. There are better ways to get from here to there but it was just something I always wanted to do. One of the neat things about it was you couldn't get a table to yourself in the dining car. You had to share a table with other, which lead to some neat interactions. I met people from Australia, Japan, and other places...who were "on sabbatical" from this job or that. Not nearly enough of that takes place here to enable as much international travel as many might like.
When I'm in Europe traveling from country to country( in my experience) a lot of times I've noticed they only check your passport if you're not a part of the EU...
Originally Posted by Valerie
It's much easier for you than it used to be. I'm often envious of how quickly those from an EU country can clear immigration & customs in another EU country. You can do in a few minutes what can take a Yank an hour or more to accomplish!
the NGFE = Nigerian Girl Friend Experience? 
Originally Posted by SR Only
lol ....same here .....
lol
