Which of you owns a passport?

[tombarr]

I just read an article and associated research that said that less than 20% of Americans owned a passport!

The highest percentages of passport holders were in large coastal cities on both coasts.

Certainly makes America seems like a very insular country.

Of course there are many comparisons with others, and reasons for this statistic..... location of the country with the rest of the world, the length of a trip to travel outside the country, the expense of travelling internationally, the short holiday periods Americans have annually vs. other countries, the vast size of the country, the built in cultural diversity of the country, etc.

Europeans travel internationally more because many countries are a train ride away and thus have a higher percentage of passport holders.

It is interesting also to see that in America, the cities with the higher passport numbers tend to be in States that usually vote Democratic, with the recent exception of Florida... and the areas of the countries more inland, with less passport holders, are painted solidly red.

Is there any correlation in the way people think, accept diversity, understand, vote, and the number of passport holders in the USA?

Wonder if we did a survey by country what percentages of GWW members had passports by country.

I have one from USA. Where are you and do you have a passport? Do you travel outside your country?

[chadknowslaw]

I have a USA passport--my 3rd.

I asked the State Department for the version with extra pages --total of 48 pages instead of 24. I got my new passport in January 2006 and already have six and a half pages filled of the 40 available for stamps.

[Squirt]

I'm American and have a U.S. passport and have lived overseas in Australia now for 4 years.

It is interesting also to see that in America, the cities with the higher passport numbers tend to be in States that usually vote Democratic, with the recent exception of Florida... and the areas of the countries more inland, with less passport holders, are painted solidly red.

Is there any correlation in the way people think, accept diversity, understand, vote, and the number of passport holders in the USA?

This is a really good point.

If more Americans travelled and realized how hated we are, even in our allied countries.. they'd vote democratic and demand a strong internation stance by politicians and want more internation news as well :groovy:

It's one thing to visit a country as a money packing tourist, and completely another to live amongst the people as an American citizen in their country :3ymca:

[maxpower]

America is a big place and we really do not need a passport to go to Canada or Mexico. Your DL will get ya though the boarder, as far as most other countries well I really don’t care that much. Other countries are ok I guess but I have no grate need to spend more that a few days in any of them. If I want to have to boil the water, or take a tour of some 200 year old ghetto I can do that around here I know thier is more to see, but I am sorry I can not survive with out a wide verity of real “American” food. If I had to pick to far off places to go it would be Alaska in the sumer, and this Amazon tour, and one of them is in the US too

[chadknowslaw]

Tom, I think your point has been proven~

[basschick]

perhaps a crash course is spelling is indicated??? :wtf:

will get ya though the boarder

I have no grate need

I know thier is more to see

with out a wide verity of real “American” food

[Squirt]

Tom, I think your point has been proven~

Which one?

[maxpower]

Ya sorry I will watch it more but only say something after a long day already my eyes hurt, and at the point I dont carre. Its not like I read what I say or care that much at alll, I only care about the site I am creating Nothing Else Matters

[tombarr]

Which one?

The one about Americans generally being insular... Isolated points of view of the world. out of touch with the reality of the rest of the world.

[CJ-KJCash]

I think it is a good thing that some people dont have passports, as illustrated in this thread. We are already hated enough without giving more reason.

I have a passport and have lived outside the country for the past 5 years. And up until last year, I think I was the only one in my entire extended family that had one. I finally talked my parents into getting passports so they could come visit, that took months to bring about. They thought it was a very complicated process and saw it all as really mysterious. I explained how simple it was, and I think the hardest thing for my dad was writing the check for them hehehe.

But they still have failed to use them. They are getting up there in years and have back and hip probs they think will make it too uncomfortable for such a long flight. I think the real reason is they are just afraid to go outside their borders.

I know that international travel for me has been a real eye opener and learning experience about the rest of the world. But I guess lots of people would rather go through life with blinders on.

[Lippi]

Ya sorry I will watch it more but only say something after a long day already my eyes hurt, and at the point I dont carre. Its not like I read what I say or care that much at alll, I only care about the site I am creating Nothing Else Matters

No comment...

[maxpower]

Yes Spelling has never been my strongest area I am dyslexic a bit, but my memory for things I see or hear is better :karate: I will also take a shot in the dark and say this is not very unusual, this is a very visually dominated industry.

[Squirt]

The one about Americans generally being insular... Isolated points of view of the world. out of touch with the reality of the rest of the world.

Ah ok good

Was a shock to me learning this from my travels

and if you think about it... how do Americans describe Russia, China and North Korea? "Isolated points of view of the world. out of touch with the reality of the rest of the world." hhhmmmm

[Squirt]

I know that international travel for me has been a real eye opener and learning experience about the rest of the world. But I guess lots of people would rather go through life with blinders on.

and that's the shame of it all

If us Americans were more like the Europeans or Australians where international travel is a right of passage... what a world of difference that would make in American politics and policy.

Things can always change but I'm very lucky to have been born in a country where I have the ability to travel around the world and where my son has had the same ability. The knowledge he's gained at 12 years old travelling to over 7 countries... has opened his eyes to reality, not the propaganda of any one given government. :groovy:

[DEVELISH]

I do have a passport and use it quite frequently - not as much as Chad - but yes I use it.

About the impression "the world" has about Americans it is true: the world thinks that Americans in general do not know where on the globe their contry is, that they do not know where the rest of the world is located. The world thinks that Americans are not aware of anything which is NOT happening in their contry and not capable or willing to "check things out" without being serverd for them in little chunks on the TV - in a spectacular way of presenting even the most minor drop of a sack of rice in North Korea (North Korea because right now the gov't has an issue with them).

While I was in Plano, Texas, which is just about 1 or 2 hrs away from the border of Oklahoma, I had a few friends in high school who were NOT ONCE in their life outside of TX, not to mention outside of their contry.

For myself I did find however that this very city of Plano was very well educated. People knew where Europe was, where Germany was, knew that Hitler was dead a long time now, knew we had fridges, cars, electricity...
Why am I telling you this? During a week of school I spend in San Antonio I was asked these questions: "Do you have fridges... cars... electricity" or "Dude, where does Hitler live?"

Coming from a few preparation weekends here in Germany I was aware that those questions MIGHT arise but until then I would not believe how close mindet and short sighted Americans can be if the theme of conversation reaches the state's border.

Again, Plano itself is VERY openmindet and they are able to look WAY beyond their own fence - hence I don't understand how someone who lived in Plano is so narrow mindet - but maybe he was too young to apprehend.

I believe for my 29 yrs I travelled long ways which I have to thank my parents for - they were working their ass off in order to show us the world (us = mom, dad & me).

To show you that I think I know what the world thinks about other countries lemmy tell you this: I have been to half of the continental states of the US (some of them multiple times) and Alaska, Yukon, Mexico, Colombia (visited an exchange student from high school there), Venezuela, Spain, Italy, France, England, Austria, Turkey (we even own an appartement there and have it for 15 yrs now), South Korea, Fiji, Australia (and Tasmania). Everywhere I try to get in touch with the locals and talk to them about everything and the world. I ask them what they do in their country, what's it like, what they love or hate.

This is no bragging but I am rather VERY MUCH thankful that my parents made it possible for me to see so much of the world - my eyes are wide open for the world that way. It gives you the chance of being able to see your own position more clearly, appreciate what you have, and gives you the ability to see the world from another point of few except your own.

Travelling opens your mind.