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HeatherB

What countries have you been to?

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Would you say that going to all the US states would make you as well traveled as a European claiming to have visited many countries?



this surely is a very interesting point of view, especially for foreigners.

BTW:

a discussion based on that must be a fine reason for gathering friends for a weekend, together with Italien wine, Belgian chocolate, cheese from NL oder Switzerland, German beer .... not to forget Hamburgers... ;) (this only is the funny side)
B|

seriously, i think travelling across the US shows not even half of the differences to be discovered while crossing the boarders of most European countries.

but, this was not the original question of this thread.

nevertheless, your a.m. question made me think...

dudeist skydiver # 3105

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a discussion based on that must be a fine reason for gathering friends for a weekend, together with Italien wine, Belgian chocolate, cheese from NL oder Switzerland, German beer .... not to forget Hamburgers... ;) (this only is the funny side)
B|

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For discussions sake - A discussion based on this would also be fun over either Washington or California wine, Hershey chocolates, Wisconsin cheese and various microbrewery beers,

working the conversations with people of all races, 4 or 5 major languages in addition to English in several distinct accents and dialects. For dinner, there's Philly cheesesteaks or good Cajun cooking, or southwest food or a big midwestern steak, Maine lobster maybe.

The point is people from small countries tend to bunch up Americans into a one-size-fits-all stereotype (you see it all the time in these forums). I understand this as many countries are defined by the original specific cultures, so being from another country to them automatically means they have a different culture. But not true everywhere.:)
I do think of travel as experiencing many cultures and there are as many cultures within the large geagraphic countries (US sure, also consider Canada, the old USSR, China, ...) as between a bunch of the small closely packed countries.

I always get a kick out urban types that think they are so sophisticated because they've traveled Europe (but never left New York City or LA or whatever). I know Senior citizens from Des Moines that have experienced more diversity driving around the US and Canada and Mexica and they don't put on the pretensions.

It's a good conversation and I suspect most people wouldn't take issue with it unless it's an ego blow to them.

Stripes - "It's Czeckoslovadia, it's like Wisconsis, we just zip in and zip out."

Edit: I wasn't necessarily talking Europe, but that's the typical example for small tightly packed countries. And I would love to travel Europe. It's second on my list after Oz and NZ. It would be hugely insightful (my family is from there - German, Swedish, Danish, French, most of the rest of the scandinavian countries in there)


...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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I am, what I call, a TRUE American. (A mut born in New York):P

been to: Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Holland, Spain, France, Dominican Republic, Canada.

I think thats all of m... much more to come though:P
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this space for rent.

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but, this was not the original question of this thread.



Ah, but part of my reason for starting the thread was my curiosity about the notion that Americans are generally less well-traveled than Europeans. :)
And what do most people consider "well-traveled?"

If you have been to all 50 U.S States but have never been outside the U.S., are you less well-traveled than someone who has been to a couple of different countries?

Is it mileage or exposure to vastly different cultures that makes a person "well-travelled?"

Just food for thought.

I have not been that many places yet:

Mexico
Greece
Italy
Singapore
Australia

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I haven't left the US - yet. Lived within 2 hours of the US/Mexico border for a few years and got within 2 hours or so of the US/Canada border once but didn't cross either one

A trip to Europe (long list of countries I want to visit/see) is on the "gonna do before I die" list, as are a trip to South America and a trip "down under."

I have traveled within the US. In no particular order I've seen at least parts of the following states -

Born and raised in California.
Currently live in Florida
Arizona
Nevada
New Mexico
Texas
Alabama
Tennessee
Kentucky
Arkansas
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Georgia
Louisiana
Utah
Colorado
Kansas
Missouri
Illinois
Iowa
Nebraska
Wyoming
Oregon
Washington
Maryland
Washington DC
Pennsylvania
Virginia

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The 50 different states do have vastly different cultures.

We need someone (unpretentious) who's done both. Unfortunately all my international travel has been in the orient (vastly different cultures, though between those nations). A lot of fun.

It's less where you've been but more how you take the differences you see and make them a part of how you deal with people.

Someone could be all over the world and also all over within a couple large nations and still not get it and expect everyone to think exactly as they do on subjective issues.

Another person could be from Boston and then visit the Bayou and learn that some differences truly are fundamental but people are the same deep down.

Some kid in New York could travel through all the buroughs and truly get to know people in every area and learn to make friends and deal in the different environments.

Another person could visit all the countries of Europe over a summer and leave feeling like they are much superior to all these others.

Of the four, who's better 'educated' as a result of their travels? who just moved around a lot?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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Just for rough info:
I'm born in Germany, my father took his family over to Canada when i was 3 yrs. returned to Germany with 16 yrs. with 19 to GB, married over there.

back to Germany for few years, another man (a foreigner, too), we left for Far East for about 10 years. (with breaks for returning back to Germany to raise up my son)

so i enjoyed various "points of view" seeing the world or the US.

this just BTW. anyhow, it's never q question of few hours to discover new countries.

regarding the mentioned "one-size-fits-all" theory: probably, you are right on this point.

but only by reading the American forums on this site, certain differences within the US and its states are to be seen. i was able to notice this several times.

and: Maine lobster and California or Chile wine:
woudl be a great idea for tonight B| over here in my small, tightly packed country

:D:D

dudeist skydiver # 3105

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US citizen

Have traveled to:

Canada
Bahamas


Not nearly enough countries on my list (YET) and my passport is calling to me to use it. Was hoping to make it to the Herc boggie this year, but then we figured out what it'd cost us. [:/] Can't afford it this time around, but....


I've been to quite a few states in the US. Those include:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nevada
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Rhode Island (born there)
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Wisconsin
Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

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Oh boy. Let's see if I can remember without my passports handy...

Australia
Austria
Germany
Belgium
The Netherlands
Switzerland
Italy
Kenya
Tanzania
Zimbabwe
Namibia
South Africa
Mexico
Brazil
Argentina
Paraguay
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong (pre-takeover)
China
South Korea
Japan
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
Canada
Belize
Guatemala
Bahrain
Oman
Saudi Arabia

Work beckons....I think I skipped a few from Asia...

Beers to all,

Vinny the Anvil
:)
Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

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The countries i've been to...

US
Chile (born there)
Mexico
Canada
Spain
Wisconsin



:D:D Hey...Wisconsin isn't it's own country. :D Texas is. :D:P:D
Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

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notion that Americans are generally less well-traveled than Europeans.



who's idea is that?

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If you have been to all 50 U.S States but have never been outside the U.S., are you less well-traveled than someone who has been to a couple of different countries?



impossible to answer that question but, i would love to travel all states (only saw 3). depends on what you are doing on such a trip:

just crossing the states, or living there for a certain time, meeting folks, talking to them, spend your time with them: this is pure discovery.

and depends on one's own money. [:/]

there is are tons to be considered in your thread.

very good one.


]

dudeist skydiver # 3105

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I'm from Ireland.

I've lived in England, The US, Bermuda, St. Lucia, Grenada and the Cayman Islands.

I've been to France, Spain, Wales, Antigua, Trinidad, Barbados, Cuba, Martinique, Puerto Rico.

Want to get to Italy, Oz, New Zeland and Canada. Hopefully before I'm 20B|

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I was borned in Vietnam, came to the States when I was 10...became a citizen and been here ever since. However I love to travel, mostly to Asia...some of the countries I've traveled to are:

Asia
Thailand
Hong Kong
China
Singapore
Indonesia
Japan

Mexico

U.S.
Hawaii

Places I would not go back
Singapore
Indonesia

^_~
"Love is doing small things with great love."

Lacrosse: Legally beating men with sticks since 1492

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Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Morocco, Spanish Saraha.

I'm from Dallas, TX
The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

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From the US. Been to Bahamas, Costa Rica, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Monaco, Italy & Greece.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

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