So How Many States/Countries Have YOU Visited?

In My Humble Opinion
41

Okay, here are mine, states: AL, CT, DC {if that counts}, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VI, VR, WV

Countries: British Virgin Islands, Mexico, Martinique, Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Lucia,Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, France, Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Canary Islands, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Belarus, Corsica,Netherlands,Kenya & Crete.

Has it influenced me? Immensely. I barely feel American anymore. I spent 10 years abroad and when I returned had to seriously re-learn how to be American…it was a huge culture shock. Even now I find a lot of my attitudes don’[t fit into any one culture and once in a while I do things and forget that I am back in the US of A…I am probably definitely more accepting of other cultures, maybe a bit more suspicious of activities that might be suspicious of teroristic activities, I will eat virtually ANYTHING, sleep pretty much anywhere and can find my way around in some pretty amazing circumstances.

42

OKay, let’s see…I’ve lived in OH, WV, IN, and CA.

I’ve visited IL, KY, TN, GA, FL, AZ, NM, KS, IA, WA, OR, and NV.

Country-wise, I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, Germany, Hungary, and Romania.

So…I’m not a particularly well-traveled person, but I’ve seen a good share.

43

Der…I’ve also been to Jamaica. You’d think I’d remember where I honeymooned!

44

Lessee:

US: WA, OR, CA, ID, MT, UT, NV, WY, CO, AZ, ND, SD, MN, IO, NE, TX, WI, IL, PA, DE, MD, MA, NY, FL
Other places: India (New Delhi and Agra), Ireland (Dublin), Australia (Sydney), Singapore, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Canada (Toronto, Victoria, Vancouver), Mexico (Tiajuana)

I have been to the following places via airport only: Japan (Tokyo), Denmark (Copenhagen)

45

You should definitely remedy that. It’s a beautiful state.

US: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, North Dakota, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Virginia, D.C., Massachussetts, … and I think that’s it but I may have missed one. Oh, Hawaii, but only airport.

Abroad: Australia, Hong Kong (pre-handover), China, Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, Canada (B.C. & Quebec), Mexico, Iceland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic.

Soon to be added: New Zealand, Tahiti & Islands.

46

States: New York, Massachusetts, Florida, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Washington.

Countries: Ireland (home), UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Andorra, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Holland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, USA, Canada, Cuba, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Croatia.

I’ve also had a couple of airport stopovers in states/countries.

I’m not sure at all about the extent to which travel broadens the mind. I generally find that tourists/travellers just find further evidence to support the worldview that they already hold (myself included). One person’s vibrant, bustling culture is another person’s third world shithole. In fact, some of the most narrow minded people I know are some of the most extensively travelled. And narrow-mindedness is not the preserve of the jingoists - cultural supremacism works both ways. Someone who goes to a Buddhist monastery for an afternoon and decides that they need to unlearn everything western society has taught him/her suffers just as much from tunnel vision as the person who visits the same monastery and comes the conclusion that the residents are a bunch of shaven headed layabouts.

I reckon it’s important not to be too precious about travelling. Basically, I’m a tourist and cannot hope to do much more than scratch the surface of the country I’m visiting. There’s nothing more annoying than those who feel that getting around a bit gives them a monopoly on informed opinions. I love to travel and I love to meet people but I don’t feel I’m enormously ‘improved’ as a result. I just have a few more friends and many happy memories and that’s enough for me.

47

Hm. I used to be a flight attendant, so I’ve got quite a list - but I’ll only include the places I actually had time to look at.

North America:

USA:

NJ (lived there), NY, CT, PA, DC, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL (lived there), AL, MS, TN, LA (Other than that, I did an East Coast Trip :slight_smile: )
CA, AZ, WM, CO, UT, NV (West Coast Trip :slight_smile: )

Canada: Ontario & BC

South America:

Mexico (Yep, Cancun - but I also went to Chichen Itza which was spectacular), Costa Rica, Panama

Europe:

Germany (live there), UK, France, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican City, San Marino (go look it up, I think it’s about a foot wide :slight_smile: ), Spain, Czech Republic, Yougoslavia (It still was when I visited, my father was born there, today I guess I’d have to say Serbia, Croatia AND Bosnia-Herzegovina why do I feel the sudden urge to add “12 points”?) , Russian (Then-Leningrad. Boy, was it ever beautiful)

Asia:

Turkey, India, Japan

Africa:

Egypt

Caribbean:

Bahamas
Dominican Republic (It’s Germany’s Cancun)

As to how travel broadens the mind, there’s places where I just went to relax for a vacation and places I really wanted to get to know. I think what expands your worldview is actually living in a foreign country. If you just visit for however long you’re just a guest and automatically fall in with the other tourists - if you’re trying to distinguish yourself from the masses, you’re just a tourist who’s not going down already trodden paths, but still a tourist.

There’s two kinds of tourists I hate. First (naturally), the obnoxious people who ignore local custom, are really rude and usually yell at everybody really loudly in their own mother language (because the louder you yell, the more foreign speakers understand you).

The other kind is the “backpacker”. These are people who pretend to be different. They’ll say: “Well, I’m not staying at a fancy hotel. I’m meeting the natives up close!!!” But all they actually do is hang around in youth hostels, brag about cheap deals they got, never get to experience anything (too expensive!!) and get on every native’s nerves (and noses, they usually smell bad).

48

Nevada, Arizorna, Virginia, Washington D.C., touched down in Maine but didn’t get off the plane, 2 hour layover in NYC on the way back from:

England, France, West Germany (at the time), Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, drove through Lichtenstein and Luxemburg and since I live in California with relatives in San Diego, I’ve been to Mexico.
I know that travel has broadened my views and increased my appreciation of other cultures and FOOD Food Food! I was the pickiest eater in creation until I traveled a bit.

49

**I really appreciate the feedback to my questions. I would agree that there is a huge difference in visiting as a tourist and actually living in a country. I lived outside the US for about 11 years and had the same experience as one poster related when I returned to this country. I felt out of place, and even now after being back for five years, I still can’t get used to the noise level in restaurants and other public places and the propensity for Americans to relate even the smallest and most personal details of their lives to total strangers (that and people passing on the right, but that’s a different thread).

Living in Africa was a revelation of sorts about human spirit, community and suffering. Living in a culture generally makes any stereotypes one may have evaporate. On the other end of the economic scale, living in Europe had its own revelations. I believe that I have become more reflective as a result of my travels, more tolerant of human foibles, and certainly more knowledgeable about the world and its creatures. The experiences provide mental escape when I’m bored, conversation topics galore, and I do feel my world view is much broader as a result of where I’ve been and what I’ve seen.

Oh, and I was born and raised in Alaska and now live here again after an absence of 30 years. Anyone who has not seen Alaska needs to make it a high priority.

50

Argghhh, forgot to close out the bold on my reply.

51

Jeez, stereotype much? Do you think only rich people should travel? (Although I will concede that anybody who says, “I’m a traveler, not a tourist” ought to stay home, but only a tiny percentage of the backpackers I’ve met fall into this category.)

52

As of this past weekend I have been to all the lower 48 states. I just came back from a trip to Montana and North Dakota. I have seen all 48 by motorcycle. I plan on getting to Alaska some day by motorcycle but living near DC it’s a bit of a hike and I need more time. When I can figure out how to attatch some propellers and enough gas I will take the bike to Hawaii.

I have also been to: Ireland, I spent a semester there. England twice. France, Germany and Russia. I have also spent about 30 minutes in Poland when I took a train from Paris to Berlin to Moscow.

53

States:
FL, GA, AL, SC, NC, TN, VA, WV, DE, NJ, MD, NY, CT, PA, OH, MI, MO, IL, KY, AR, NV, NM, SD, NE, IA, OR, WA, CO, UT, IN also DC

in Canada
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Alberta

other countries:
Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Monaco, Spain, Malta, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany (East and West, at the time) Denmark, Wales, England, Scotland, Russia, Jamaica, Brazil

54

States: All but Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and Colorodo.

Outside: Toronto, London (4 hour stopover, got drunk as hell in a pub), Germany (Berlin and Frankfurt), Tokyo, Rome, Paris, Moscow, South Africa, and my personal favorite Tawain.

The wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland and Amsterdam next year.

Mmm… sheep and drugs. Oh wait…

Rob… who might have embarassed himself in more ways than one.

55

states: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY (33) + District of Colombia and Puerto Rico

Countries: USA, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Ireland, UK, Italy, Vatican City, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia.

56

just so you know, none of those countries are in South America.

57

Arrgh - I opened up a World Atlas that had them all listed under South America and didn’t bother to think. So much for broadening my horizon, thank you very much. :smack:
To clarify, Fretful Porpentine, no, I don’t think only rich people should travel, but there’s a difference between backpacking because you want to see the country and bragging about backpacking all the time. I’ve had many conversations with backpackers that went like: “So, what things did you see today?” “I found this supermarket where you can get food really cheap!!! And then I hung around the youth hostel where I met people from my home country and we had some cheap beer and smoked some pot!”

It’s the “backpacking” as an art form I object to. That’s why I put it in quotation marks. My intention certainly was not to put down all people who are backpacking.

58

Been to Germany (5 times), England, France, Iceland, Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, The Netherlands and of course the USA where I reside.

Been to 48 US states, excepting AK and HI.

59

States: HI, CA, OR, WA, NV, AZ, UT, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, DC, OH, IN, IL.

Countries: Live in the US, been to Canada (several times), Mexico (several times), France, Spain and the UK (twice, lived there for a few months the second time).

Not done yet. Lots more places to go.

60

OK, fair enough. Thanks for the clarification :slight_smile: