Have you actually ever left your home country?

[LuvOrlando]

 

[luv2cheer92]

Over 15 different countries and 48 states. Love to travel, couldn't imagine not doing it. Will be adding Germany to the list this year.

 

[kdonnel]

Um, yeah...haven't most people in this day and age?

For people on what amounts to a travel message board it does seem obvious that the answer to the question asked would be yes......

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lealan...he-state-where-they-were-born-a-surprise/amp/

But then there are articles with survey results like:

– Eleven percent of survey respondents have never traveled outside of the state where they were born.

– Forty percent of those questioned said they’ve never left the country.

 

[gatorlisa]

Yes, but I was 30 before I did so. My parents are not big travelers so most family vacations growing up were within my home region of the US. My first time leaving the US was for a vacation in New Zealand. I have since been to Canada, the UK, France (with a day at Disneyland Paris of course!), Australia, and New Zealand (two more times). And on the home-front, I'm down to only 8 states that I haven't visited. I use almost all of my vacation time to travel and after 20+ years at the same place, I have 5 weeks to play with (a lot by US standards).

 

[gatorlisa]

– Eleven percent of survey respondents have never traveled outside of the state where they were born.

I can understand Americans who have not traveled outside of the country, but this statistic always blows my mind. I cannot fathom never having traveled outside of the state in which I was born.

 

[SleepyDeb]

I’m an American. I’ve been to 17 countries and 38 states.

My experience is Europeans don’t have a concept of how big the US is. I’ve talked to quite a few ppl who have asked something to the effect of “so, we were thinking of going to the US and seeing NYC, WDW, Chicago, Hollywood, and the Grand Canyon. We have a rental car for 10 days. What else should we see?“. “Well, driving, you’re not going to see more than 2 of those. Even flying you’re not going to get them all in.“

What I’m trying to say is that someone can travel a lot, get lots of different regional foods, see lots of different sub-cultures and hear some different languages spoken (Although always English is predominant, except in a few places) and never leave the US.

 

[disneychick0412]

I've only been to the Bahamas on a cruise. Other than that I haven't.
I used to work with someone who said she never feels the need to leave the COUNTY we live in. She went to another state to visit her mother one time (with her grown daughter, not by herself) and said she was ready to turn around and go home as soon as they arrived at her mothers house. She would NEVER go anywhere that required a plane to get there.

 

[bennifer]

I've been to Canada and, many years ago, France. Like a lot of people have said, the US is huge. I didn't grow up with a lot, but once things were better for my parents financially, we traveled a lot thru the US. Then, being a single mother who was only allotted 5 vacation days for years, and then finally 10, I couldn't use them as 2 consecutive weeks. Add in there the cost, and international travel was out. Now I'm determined to make travel a priority. We have a trip to Iceland this summer booked and are already trying to decide between Asia and New Zealand for 2024.

If we talk about our trips to California or Arizona or our 2.5 week road trip that is coming up, most people act like we're crazy. Why would we want to leave western PA? Just go to a beach or Disney. Those are the only acceptable places to vacation apparently. It's crazy.

 

[leebee]

Yes. I've been to Canada, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. We were looking at European travel for this summer but the airfare is prohibitive.

Just thinking about the scope of the USA: From where I live, I can fly to Europe in the same amount of time (or less) than it takes to fly to San Francisco!

 

[TippyThomas]

I've only seen a fraction of the US at this point. Other countries are way down on the list. I doubt I'll ever leave the US in my lifetime.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I can understand Americans who have not traveled outside of the country, but this statistic always blows my mind. I cannot fathom never having traveled outside of the state in which I was born.

My mom is a teacher in a rural area. At least half, if not closer to 75% of her kids she teaches every year have never even left their town.

 

[White Cat]

Yes.

 

[TippyThomas]

My mom is a teacher in a rural area. At least half, if not closer to 75% of her kids she teaches every year have never even left their town.

I grew up in a community where a large portion had never left their county much less their state or country.

 

[White Cat]

My mom is a teacher in a rural area. At least half, if not closer to 75% of her kids she teaches every year have never even left their town.

I know plenty of people that live in Orlando that have never been to Disney.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I know plenty of people that live in Orlando that have never been to Disney.

Blasphemy haha jk, I believe it. Might be hard for me to understand lol, but it's not everyone's cup of tea.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Blasphemy haha jk, I believe it. Might be hard for me to understand lol, but it's not everyone's cup of tea.

One of my friends is like that. She lives in the Orlando area but has never been to WDW before in her entire life. However she is a Universal annual passholder and goes often.

 

[loves to dive]

Yes, I lived in the middle east for 3 1/2 years, have also been to Rome, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Palau, Mexico, Roatan, Belize, Bonaire, Big and Little Cayman Island, Saba, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and spent one horrible night in the Guam (which I don't think is technically foreign to Americans) airport. I stepped off the plane in Paris and in Belgium.

 

[ronandannette]

For people on what amounts to a travel message board it does seem obvious that the answer to the question asked would be yes......

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lealan...he-state-where-they-were-born-a-surprise/amp/

But then there are articles with survey results like:

– Eleven percent of survey respondents have never traveled outside of the state where they were born.

– Forty percent of those questioned said they’ve never left the country.

It never occurred to me to google it... apparently, the numbers are a little different here.

 

[Genie+]

Yes. But made me think about my parents, neither ever travelled outside the US.

 

[goofyernmost]

Let's see, I lived 14 miles from the Quebec border so I couldn't begin to count how many times I went there also trips to the Maritime provinces. I have also been to England, Portugal, Spain (2), Italy (2), France (2), Bahama's, Quam, Vietnam and Japan. And I know that I have done almost nothing compared to some.

I see that it was supposed to be outside of Canada. If it helps my wife was Canadian. She moved down to the states and except for the Bahama's never left either Canada or the US.