leave USA

[Deleted]

I used to travel abroad once a year for my vacation. Nothing bad ever happened, but since last year I have been thinking I would rather vacation is good old U S of A. I don't know if I am getting old or what. I like to go warm places during our winter.

Are you comfortable leaving the country?

[simser]

Absolutely. I leave the country 3-4 times per year on vacation (I'll drive to Mexico or fly to various countries).

I feel safer in other countries than I do in the US. In the US I feel too comfortable and I make some dumb decisions. And in other countries people feel so bad since I'm by myself that they all collectively look out for me. At least that's what I've found.

[NancysSummerSip]

Sure, why not? You cannot completely base a decision to travel on world events.Obviously, you check with the Department of State for advisories and pay attention to the news, but to deny yourself the joys of going new places, eating new food and seeing how more of humanity doesn't live like us is a wonderful thing.

You also take proper medical precautions and get whatever vaccinations you need for where you are going. Other than that, you can only do so much. I remember my mother traveling to Israel in the mid 1980s, during yet another period of Arab-Israeli conflict. I worried about it; she didn't. She knew it would be her only opportunity to go, and made arrangements for burial in Israel, if the worst happened. It didn't and she said she felt safer there than the streets of her home town of NYC.

[Bonny]

We would if we could.

Right now one of our kitties is requiring frequent medical treatment so we can't leave for more than about 5 days unless we bring both of our kitties. Therefore, no overseas trips for now.

[mmhmm]

Aug 25, 2014 16:39:38 GMT -5 Bonny said:

We would if we could.

Right now one of our kitties is requiring frequent medical treatment so we can't leave for more than about 5 days unless we bring both of our kitties. Therefore, no overseas trips for now.

I'm sorry about your kitty, Bonny. I hope he/she gets better soon.

Like Bonny, I can't leave the country right now. Heck, I have to plan pretty well just to get to the grocery store with mother here to care for. I would go, though, if I could. I've had wonderful experiences abroad and really enjoy meeting new people and seeing new things.

[cronewitch]

I would if it seemed safe enough and I had a passport. My brother's wife and daughter just got back from Belize were they had a great time and said the people are very nice.

[Deleted]

Heck, yes. I wish I could go more often but it's not in the budget since DH can't handle long-haul flights in Coach anymore. I'd avoid war zones, areas that might be volatile (too bad- I'd love to visit Ukraine someday) and places where women are harassed if they show a bit of ankle, but everything else is fair game.

[souldoubt]

I have no problem traveling outside the country and would prefer to do more of that now while seeing more of the US in my later years.  As others said I'm not going to plan a trip somewhere that's not safe but there's a hundred plus other countries I'd feel fine traveling to.  

[wyouser]

I love to travel outside the country. If I wasn't self employed and married to this business I'd be travelling a lot more.

[Deleted]

Mostly language is my standard for comfort.

I'm tranquil as long as I have the basics of at least one of the major languages in an area.  Knowing how to ask where a bathroom is and being able to read signs and be polite is important to me.  With high school and college French I did some traveling to France and did a home stay in Quebec.  I was also going to do a class in Senegal, but that fell through.  Right now I'm working on Spanish, since our move to south TX has been confirmed for November 1st, and I'd like to see a lot of Central and South American countries.  

That said, I do really want to see a lot of the USA too.  We're kicking around the idea of heading north to see Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial and the Badlands.  We've never been east of Oklahoma, so there's a whole bunch that way too. 

[Bonny]

Thanks mmhmm. The super-sized Siamese has kidney failure so no real prognosis of him getting better but he's in good shape and seems to be tolerating the subcutaneous fluids alright so we'll keep it up as long as he's doing well. He's 15 and we've been doing it for about a year.

Given that he was the kitty who got bit on the head by a rattlesnake about 10 years ago I'd say that we've been darn lucky to have him as long as we have!

[mmhmm]

Aug 25, 2014 18:01:03 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Thanks mmhmm. The super-sized Siamese has kidney failure so no real prognosis of him getting better but he's in good shape and seems to be tolerating the subcutaneous fluids alright so we'll keep it up as long as he's doing well. He's 15 and we've been doing it for about a year.

Given that he was the kitty who got bit on the head by a rattlesnake about 10 years ago I'd say that we've been darn lucky to have him as long as we have!

Sounds like you've been more than lucky, and so has he! I've had two cats with kidney failure, so I know what you're facing. I did as you're doing. As long as the fluids were allowing a happy life, we continued. Had one go a little over a year before we decided it was time to let him go. The other didn't last a year. Kudos to you for putting his needs first! They're like family members, aren't they?

[Deleted]

There is nothing in any other country that I would care enough to see that would make the hassle of getting there worth it.

[Opti]

Aug 25, 2014 18:01:03 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Thanks mmhmm. The super-sized Siamese has kidney failure so no real prognosis of him getting better but he's in good shape and seems to be tolerating the subcutaneous fluids alright so we'll keep it up as long as he's doing well. He's 15 and we've been doing it for about a year.

Given that he was the kitty who got bit on the head by a rattlesnake about 10 years ago I'd say that we've been darn lucky to have him as long as we have!

Just realized the like might be misconstrued.

I like the last paragraph and wish the kitty and you well.

Very good of you to do the fluids for him.

[swamp]

I go to Canada all the time. Does that count?

[tcu2003]

I love traveling abroad, and yes, I'm comfortable doing so from a safety standpoint. Right now, I either need to get DS a passport, or wait until I'm comfortable with DH and I both leaving him for at least a week.

[TheHaitian]

I guess since we were not born or raised here it makes it easy for us

We LOVE and I mean LOVE to travel. Within and outside the US.

That is one thing we are not waiting till we are retired to experience.

[Ombud]

I go abroad once or twice a year. Got back 7/21 (just Mexico from NOLA) and going in 2 weeks (just Canada). Trying to get back to Turkey in November after I get laid off 10/15 or 10/31. Just the calmer areas now

[Phoenix84]

Depends on where the destination is, but in general, yes.

[Ava]

Like The Haitian, I was born outside of the U.S. and I love to travel!
I wish I could travel more often, both in the U.S. and other places.
I don't get scared easily, but there are certain countries (a few) or certain areas I wouldn't consider visiting (war-zones, etc.)

[nutty]

I am very comfortable leaving the US, I love to travel and don't think that will change anytime soon. Planning and executing a trip gets my blood pumping.

[wvugurl26]

Obviously there are certain places I'd avoid but I feel fine traveling abroad. I'd love to go to Australia. All my currently planned trips are domestic. I don't cover everything but I do a good bit in the eastern United States. My current wish list is NYC again. I haven't been since I was a freshman in college.

Travel and training funds look better for work these days so maybe I'll get to visit some new places soon.

[MJ2.0]

Aug 25, 2014 18:12:29 GMT -5 swamp said:

I go to Canada all the time. Does that count?

no.

[HoneyBBQ]

Of course. I haven't traveled abroad much lately because I have a 2 year old but I have absolutely 0 problem going overseas.

If you're looking for warmer places, most of the 'warm' places aren't in the US.

[Apple]

I love to travel, and aim to go overseas every other year (more affordable once DS moves out).  I've walked in Edinburgh after midnight, and felt perfectly safe (there were people everywhere, some in groups, some by themselves).  I've walked in Dublin and London at almost midnight, felt safe.  When we were in London, DS was hungry, but I was not, so I let him walk a couple blocks to a seafood restaurant we had passed earlier, he was 14.  Later that week I sent him to the store to buy laundry detergent and some groceries, again, a couple blocks away.

I want to do foreign travel while I can, and save the states for later.  I'd love to take a year after I retire with a pickup and a camper and drive through the states, but for now, I'm going overseas whenever I can.

[movingforward]

I want to do foreign travel while I can, and save the states for later. I'd love to take a year after I retire with a pickup and a camper and drive through the states, but for now, I'm going overseas whenever I can.

 

[happyhoix]

Aug 26, 2014 10:33:49 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

Are you comfortable leaving the country?

Even in countries with safety issues most tourist zones are pretty safe.  I did read this story which surprised me though:


www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-14/the-paris-syndrome-drives-chinese-tourists-away.html

Not a surprise to me! Parisians are notoriously rude. Which is stupid of them, because they get so many tourist bucks every year. Apparently they aren't worried about killing the golden goose.

I have to visit Paris occasionally for business, and found that you really have to learn some French and try to use it - they get very testy with people who don't at least try to use their language. If you make an attempt, even if you speak it poorly, they are much nicer.

[lynnerself]

Aug 26, 2014 13:43:01 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

Aug 26, 2014 10:33:49 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

Even in countries with safety issues most tourist zones are pretty safe.  I did read this story which surprised me though:


www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-14/the-paris-syndrome-drives-chinese-tourists-away.html

Not a surprise to me! Parisians are notoriously rude. Which is stupid of them, because they get so many tourist bucks every year. Apparently they aren't worried about killing the golden goose.

I have to visit Paris occasionally for business, and found that you really have to learn some French and try to use it - they get very testy with people who don't at least try to use their language. If you make an attempt, even if you speak it poorly, they are much nicer.

I know it is the stereotype, but we didn't experience it at all in Paris.

Twice random strangers stopped to help us figure out the metro. Everyone we tried to speak to in French responded in English (our French was probably that bad LOL), and people we stopped on the street for directions were more than happy to help, even when addressed in English.

[happyhoix]

Aug 26, 2014 16:11:05 GMT -5 lynnerself said:

Aug 26, 2014 13:43:01 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

Not a surprise to me! Parisians are notoriously rude. Which is stupid of them, because they get so many tourist bucks every year. Apparently they aren't worried about killing the golden goose.

I have to visit Paris occasionally for business, and found that you really have to learn some French and try to use it - they get very testy with people who don't at least try to use their language. If you make an attempt, even if you speak it poorly, they are much nicer.

I know it is the stereotype, but we didn't experience it at all in Paris.

Twice random strangers stopped to help us figure out the metro. Everyone we tried to speak to in French responded in English (our French was probably that bad LOL), and people we stopped on the street for directions were more than happy to help, even when addressed in English.

Well, not all Parisians are rude. I've been there six times, some visits as a tourist and some as a businessperson, and most of the time didn't run into rude waiters or blank stares from store clerks - but sometimes I did. More often than I have in, say, New York or Chicago. However when I've been outside of Paris, in smaller cities or the countryside, I haven't run into that kind of attitude at all, so it may just be a Parisian thing. And my French co-workers have always been very polite - when I was introduced to one young man, he bowed slightly over my hand and said 'enchante.' Never got that from an American co-worker!