To all the haters, I actually have quite a few friends. I will admit however I do not enjoy and even cringe at many people in the general public. For the woman who mentioned that I probably have a lot in common with the general public, sure there are things in common but there are many difference which make a friendship impossible. I don't give a crap if you think I am an elitist snobby bitch, I enjoy my life.

Yes, it costs money to travel abroad. But I know people who drop more than enough for a trip to Europe on a beach house in Delaware for a week--and they haven't been abroad. I have a hard time understanding that. If you really want a nice beach, at least go to the Caribbean. In the summer especially, you can rent a house on a much better beach. But freaking Delaware? Sigh.

I just love all the posters who could never be friends with someone who doesn't travel abroad. I'm going to go ahead and hazard a guess that you don't have a lot of friends period because of your stank attitude.

I have a good friend who doesn't have a passport. With 4 kids and both parents working, they don't even take vacations that are any longer than a week, and usually not even that. Financially and logistically it just wouldn't work.

Anonymous wrote:I've been to Europe a couple times as a teen and young person but I don't have any desire to go back. For me it's more stressful than fun.

How about another foreign locale? Europe isn't the only place you can go.

Anonymous wrote:WTH? I traveled 4 continents and 12 states when I was an AP and not even counting all the places I went with the family I worked for.

I was on the $139.05 salary and my family back home is not rich.

It's a matter of priority. Don't say you can't when the truth is you don't WANT.

No. I WANT to travel abroad, I really do. I'd love to visit different countries. And someday I hope I actually will.

But fact is, I can't. Not right now. No time, no money.

People who refuse to be friends with others just because those others have not had a chance to travel are ridiculous, BTW.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:16:33 I am with you too, I just don't understand people like that and they also wouldn't understand much about my experiences. It's fine with me, not everyone is meant to be friends...

"People like that" ?? Besides being implicitly classist, it's silly to think that the occasional travel makes you unrelatable to the general population. I'm sure your daily life is just the same as most folks.

Probably not. And my travel is not occasional. If you aren't interested in having a global perspective, I'm not interested in you. It's not classist, it's about caring about the world around you.

Oh, my last trips were India, China, and Egypt. I hope my daughter inherits the same love of people of the world, and not sitting on her couch collecting "things"

I travel all the time but mostly in country. I have been out of the country several times, and so have my children, but that doesn't make us better or worse than anyone else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A coworker once told me they'd rather use the money to buy tangible things than to travel. So very sad.

Like food, clothing and shelter?

Actually, more like iPods, smartphones, and expensive tvs.

Learning about China is not "experiencing" China. Big difference. I respect your opinion and desire. However, do not fool yourself in thinking that reading/visiting China are the same. Reading about it may be enough for you but not for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:16:33 I am with you too, I just don't understand people like that and they also wouldn't understand much about my experiences. It's fine with me, not everyone is meant to be friends...

"People like that" ?? Besides being implicitly classist, it's silly to think that the occasional travel makes you unrelatable to the general population. I'm sure your daily life is just the same as most folks.

Probably not. And my travel is not occasional. If you aren't interested in having a global perspective, I'm not interested in you. It's not classist, it's about caring about the world around you.

Oh, my last trips were India, China, and Egypt. I hope my daughter inherits the same love of people of the world, and not sitting on her couch collecting "things"

yeah, but what did it really get you? some people don't have that wanderlust you do, they would rather go to the same place again and again as a feeling of home. I've been all over the world too, but now I take almost all of my vacations to Costa Rica. If I want to learn about China, I will read a book.

Came to US (legally) as a child. But could not obtain US passport due to some arcane law. It took years and lot$$$ to obtain passport.

WTH? I traveled 4 continents and 12 states when I was an AP and not even counting all the places I went with the family I worked for.

I was on the $139.05 salary and my family back home is not rich.

It's a matter of priority. Don't say you can't when the truth is you don't WANT.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:16:33 I am with you too, I just don't understand people like that and they also wouldn't understand much about my experiences. It's fine with me, not everyone is meant to be friends...

"People like that" ?? Besides being implicitly classist, it's silly to think that the occasional travel makes you unrelatable to the general population. I'm sure your daily life is just the same as most folks.

Probably not. And my travel is not occasional. If you aren't interested in having a global perspective, I'm not interested in you. It's not classist, it's about caring about the world around you.

Oh, my last trips were India, China, and Egypt. I hope my daughter inherits the same love of people of the world, and not sitting on her couch collecting "things"

No extra time or money to travel right now.

I love to travel abroad, in theory, and I have had wonderful experiences in other countries. But in practice it's expensive and exhausting. Time and money are two things i don't have a ton of, and I like to spend my vacations relaxing with family. I also believe there are many ways to connect with different types of people and learn about yourself and the world without ever leaving the USA.

To 18:12--you sound as if you have really taken the opportunity to see new places and not just done the tourist route and taken a bunch of pictures and purchased some souveniers. That is very awesome.