Who's never traveled outside of the United States?

[SC Maintenance]

There are McDonalds, Burger Kings, pizza joints, and equivalent local places all over Europe. For example, when in Ypres Belgium, where the World War One Flanders Fields are located, grab a meal at Ypres Burger.

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When I first went to Europe 30 years ago or so, it was very different from here.

Last time I went (Germany only last trip) it was really not very different. I mean different brands, but its clean, modern, fast food slop everywhere, all the younger people speak English - and just naturally start speaking English to you, I think maybe its the common language amongst Europeans at this point. I am sure there are some out of the way places that are more traditional, but not the big cities.

Calle Ocho in Miami is more foreign than much of Europe at this point.

 

[y_p_w]

You probably should research a bit before making comments like that. 3/4 of McDonald's locations are NOT in the US, 1/2 of Burger Kings are outside of the US, there are KFCs in 130+ countries, and so on.... You wouldn't starve.

Maybe not in the 80s, but these days it's ridiculously easy to find American fast food chains in lots of different countries. In addition to that, kiosk ordering gets over the language barrier fairly easily, as most of kiosk equipment can be set for English.

 

[SC Maintenance]

... But have you ever thought how much better tacos are in Mexico or how much better egg rolls are in Vietnam? Or the women in Puerto Rico? Or the bacon in Canada?

You should have stopped at the egg rolls...

Also, my local tienda sells traditional Taco's - so I don't even need to travel. But if you order in English you get the Gringo version.

 

[Kruse]

I was in Durango and Mazatlan, Mexico for a week right before Christmas 2024. It was the first time I'd been outside of the U.S.
The food was good, the people were very gracious and I had a really good time.
That said, there are things that you take for granted in the U.S. that are different in Mexico. For example, we were probably stopped ten times in Mexico for no reason, other than the police were trying to stop the flow of drugs and people. Our passports were radioed in and we were questioned extensively, just because we were in an extended van. Our driver spoke fluent Spanish and that was a big plus. They also had quite a few late night/early morning driver alcohol checks where the driver just blows into a tube while doing a 3-second stop.
We were told tourist traffic was way down at Mazatlan, just because of cartel violence against tourists.
It was a good time, but was happy to be back on American soil.
Oh, yea. We also saw a lot of American fast food businesses there, but why bother giving them business?

 

[DirectRejection]

Fiji. British Virgin Islands. Mexico (if Tijuana counts).

 

[Pablo]

Go to Italy.

You will never go to MacDonald's again.

 

[Ausfahrt]

Travelling abroad expands your horizons and lets you contemplate. The world does not revolve around us here in the USA.

My wife and I love to travel and we just returned from a trip to Germany a few days ago. Here is a shot of me in Ireland from '22.

 

[chainblu]

If I went somewhere outside the US I probably couldn’t get fast food as easy meaning I’d starve on the trip because I don’t eat anything else when I travel.

I was in Nova Scotia for several days last month. We got off the highway to get gas and decided to have lunch. The food choices at that exit were Tim Hortons and Wendys. I had already had Tim Hortons that morning, so we went to Wendys and I swear the Wendys food was better in Canada than the US. And while I didn't eat there, the Subways in Canada have several different items on the menu than a US one. Granted, Canada is a neighboring country, but I'm sure you would be just fine there.

 

[stormgol]

currently on a traveling spree. just coming back From Brazil and Argentine, Currently in Boston and in a week, leaving for Vietnam Cambodia and Thailand for 2 months. i am traveling with a very good friend that recently lost his wife of 30 years. he needs to travel to stay alive, just like Neil Peart did on his mega motorcycle trip. i am proud to be his mate in these difficult times. we will travel the world together for some time. we have plans for Peru, Alaska, Newfoundland, the Philippines. this year. Traveling is like power leveling in a video game.

 

[wings&wheels]

I never have and don’t ever plan too. One thing I won’t step foot on an airplane but also I have no interest in traveling by air or anywhere outside of the US. I do want to at least visit 48/50 states though so far I’ve visited I think 17 states. They gave us the option to go to Paris, Rome and somewhere else in high school but hardly anyone went and I would never go anyway. I’m perfectly fine with staying in the US and traveling by car or I’ll do trains but nothing else.

I’ve never understood the appeal of wanting to go outside the US. If I went somewhere outside the US I probably couldn’t get fast food as easy meaning I’d starve on the trip because I don’t eat anything else when I travel.

I truly wish you would change your mind, however I completely understand your sentiment as I was the same growing up in a non-traveling (except for driving trips) family and a father that would not get on an airliner and had a bit of the "..'nough to see in the US" opinion. That is how I grew up.

Then I started traveling, truly traveling as in I filled a passport and then some. Mosty with work, when I would add in a day or two or a side-trip whenever I could but also pleasure. I did get to a point where the last place I wanted to be was on an airliner, but that took a long time , and that feeling passed.

Meeting locals, learning their culture, history and perspective, eating their junk food. Seeing the sunset from the Eiffel Tower, a live volcano off Japan, forests of Bavaria, WWII relics all over Europe, fleeing a crowd of young men with bottlles and sticks from a dead end*, in reverse, in a 3 cyl rental in Johor Bahru (couple wrong turns...laugh now, but this was bad)........all valuable experiences.

Went to a Subway in Dubai, unusual for me but I just needed to eat something before a meeting. A local businessman wearing a thobe was walking there at the same time, smiled and waved me to go first than said "..six thousand miles to eat here?".

Others have stated the benefits of travel better than I can, so I will not repeat but I will leave one thought; You won't know, can't know how enjoyable or valuable the experience is until you've done it.




*"You American? You lost, you lost!! You come here.....you come NOW!"

 

[Quattro Pete]

If I went somewhere outside the US I probably couldn’t get fast food as easy meaning I’d starve on the trip because I don’t eat anything else when I travel.

Sadly, fast food is everywhere these days. The US spread it around the world like a plague, although there are some local variations.

Alas, what's the point of traveling to another country if you're going to eat the same thing you eat at home? To me, exploring the local cuisine is one of the best things about world travel. But I wasn't always like this, so I get it - being comfortable with that you know and uneasy about giving new things a try. I was like this until about 20, and then I met my future wife and started exploring. Once you experience it, you'll understand.

 

[wings&wheels]

It’s a great big map and the US is only a small part of it.

If anyone takes anything at all from this thread, this is it

 

[miden851]

from my experience of just being born and raised for first 24years of my lifetime in foreign lands, sort to speak of, only less fortunate Americans do not get a chance of traveling and exploring the world out of the states

 

[LostInTransit]

/Me Raises Hand

 

[Hall]

I have no doubt there's some ignorance about how some people think they, as Americans, will be treated in other countries. In any civilized country, I assure you, you are wrong. They welcome you, they want to talk to you and learn about you or your family, and so on. By the same token, what I hear from foreigners who come to the US are mostly two common things, plus some, of course: 1) You Americans sure like your flag and 2) everyone is so friendly.

On # 2, look on YouTube for European travelers who visit the US. When we watch them, we find it hilarious, but to the travelers, they have the greatest times of their lives, whether it's going riding quads, shooting guns, going tailgating at a college football game, being invited to a barbecue, and so on.

 

[miden851]

If anyone takes anything at all from this thread, this is it

to his point

 

[scoot]

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to his point

You can't see the Great Wall of China from outer space

 

[Pew]

You should have stopped at the egg rolls...

Also, my local tienda sells traditional Taco's - so I don't even need to travel. But if you order in English you get the Gringo version.

Sometimes a man needs somebody spicy who yells at them all the time LOL.

Egg rolls are a Chinese-American thing. Now Vietnamese-style imperial rolls can be amazing.

Yea I'm not a fan of Chinese-style egg rolls. We make Vietnamese style ones but they're so tedious to make.

 

[Patman]

I love traveling and I wish I could do a lot more! I love Canada but I also love visiting the US (I have been to about 25 different states in my life) and I have also been to Mexico, Cuba, The Dominican Republic and Jamaica. I have never been to Europe but I would love to! I love meeting new people from other countries. I’m experiencing a lot of that right now since I started doing my Niagara Falls walking tours and I love spending time with people from different parts of the world. It makes me want to visit more of those places

 

[Pew]

I'm afraid of visiting Central/South America because I may never return. Latinas are my kryptonite.