Watching
TV the other night I heard a statistic that was incredible. I didn’t believe it, so I went online to do
some research and I found that yes – it was true. What was this mind-blowing statistic…that a
little more than thirty percent of Americans hold a valid passport. According
to the State Department, there are 113,431,943 valid passports in circulation,
which means 36% of Americans own a valid passport (and therefore 64%
do not).
Just over one third of Americans
actually have the necessary documentation to travel outside of the
country. Two-thirds of the citizens of
America have never left this country.
They have never experienced any culture other than our own.
I have always been the kind of person
who longs to travel. From a trip to
Europe when I was in college to the magical wedding and honeymoon I had in the
Caribbean this past year, travel has always been a big part of my life, and much of this travel has included places outside the U.S.
I know there are so many incredible
places to see and visit right here in the United States, and I have travelled
extensively across our country as well, but to limit travel to only places in America
excludes so much of the human experience and human history. America is a very young nation. Places in Europe and Asia have histories that
go back more than ten thousand years.
Walking through the Roman Coliseum is an experience like no other. Exploring the variety of languages, food,
and cultures across the globe helps to connect us to each other. Thousands of miles from home, across time zones and oceans, traveling show us the diversity of the human experience, and it also shows us how much alike we all are.
Get a passport & get out there - the whole world is waiting!
I'm not a traveler. I'm very much a homebody!
ReplyDeleteI actually see myself as a little but both, as you can tell I love to travel, but I also really value my time at home too. Thanks for stopping by my blog
DeleteI love to travel. I want to make sure I hit all 7 continents in my lifetime. Happy travels! E
ReplyDeleteThanks Elizabeth - me too obviously, although I'm not too sure about Antarctica. Thanks for stopping by my blog
DeletePeople should travel, as much and as far as possible. It has been my experience that actually mixing it up with a people in their local environments is educative. You learn that they, too, have their own version of humanity, usually with its own fascinating aspects if you care to go deep enough. You get rid of your (negative) preconceived notions.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, travel can really open your eyes and let you see places differently, thanks for stopping by my blog
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