Are you ill suited for foreign travel?

No. I’ve had the good fortune of traveling a bit now and then. I enjoy it.

I’m not. I’m not well traveled, per se, but I’ve been to Mexico a few times and most of the Caribbean, plus a few other places.

I hate travel generally, though I do it fairly often for work. “Being there” is fine, it’s the getting there that isn’t much fun any more.

That said, I’m good at it. I adapt well to different cultures, and I’m interested without being overly chauvinistic, even when “the natives” assume that “since you’re from the States, this [whatever is on offer] must be much less than what you’re used to”. Most often, it’s not, but it can be difficult sometimes to convince my hosts that their efforts to feed, entertain and orient me are very much appreciated. Just don’t drink the water.

Coming back to the States can be a bitch, though. I think US Immigration and Customs must hire and promote based on “abrasive personality”.

Nope. I love the preparation and the unexpected adventures that come along during the trip. My sister, on the other hand, wants it carved on her gravestone that she died never crossing west of the Mississippi River in the US. It took her 10 years to get up enough courage to drive 20 miles alone across town to pick me up at the airport every time I flew in.

I’m very much suited for foreign travel. If I can’t speak the language, I draw pictures or I manage to communicate with gestures. I smile and get smiles back. I thoroughly enjoy exchanges with people. A man asked me to take a Polaroid photo of him. I did. Later in the day, I saw him again and he ran up and showed me that the photo didn’t come out. It was all black. I looked shocked and told him he was a ghost. (mostly with gestures and facial expressions.) We both started laughing and I took another picture. I like that.

@Sunny2 You are indeed one sunny traveler! : )

I’m an American and the only foreign countries I have been to are Canada, France, England, Italy and Texas. I had no problems anywhere except Texas, that was a little weird at first, but I grew to more than love the place over the 7 years I lived there. :-)

I would love to live in Rome. I think I am really a Roman at heart. Late start, long lunches, good food, lots of coffee and red wine and the men love, just love women over there, no matter what size, shape, or whatever. I could get used to that life pretty easily.

Edit: We took a trip to the Caribbean when I was thirteen. I forgot about that; that was fun. including Grenada, St. Lucia, etc. I can’t remember all the places we went, we spent the majority of the trip camping on St. Johns, in the U.S. Virgin Island, but if I look it up to jog my memory I will lose my editing window. I liked the islands a lot.

I’m well-suited for travel. I’ve already been around, but when I started, I already knew basic things that can be applied to going anywhere like manners and respect. I understood people aren’t supposed to cater to me, which is obvious because I’m in their country. A country isn’t a house you’re a guest in, where one might expect a host to cater to them. You have to assimilate yourself a bit by learning some of the language and knowing customs.

I’m not American, but I love foreign travel. I just don’t have enough money to do much of it. In the past I’ve been to Canada, the USA, Netherlands, Spain and the Czech Republic.

My best tips for foreign travel are to make an effort to learn the local customs and language, even if you have to read from a phrasebook, and take the time to enjoy local food, don’t just look for the same food you have at home.