Current Events > So you're American and you never leave your birth state

(+) Yeah! (+)

Your whole life.

It sounds like it would suck but many people do so.

I don't have any kind of numbers to back it up, but I'm guessing that the number of people who never let their birth state even once, are probably fairly small.

I've been a couple states in every direction. Most North is New York, furthest South is South Carolina, and the furthest West is Ohio.

The Atlantic Ocean is East.

I know a handful of people who have never left the area I went to high school with and it is a SMALL area of the Midwest in the middle of farmland.

Like I left and joined the Navy to get away for awhile and travelled the world multiple times over, not to mention before I ever got out of high school I had been to like over 40 of the 50 U.S. States.

I came back home and many people were still here doing the same thing. Had gotten married, started having kids and simply never left the area.

But to be fair it is the minority. Most people left the area. Or at least left it for their college years and did some travelling and came back. I myself came back but only after extensive travelling.

What's so wrong about it?

That's the story for the vast majority of humans in history. Unless you were a sailor, tradesman, or soldier off to war, you likely never left the immediate area.

Bass_X0 posted...

Your whole life.

It sounds like it would suck but many people do so.

I've been to other states but also my home state is so large you could fit multiple EU nations inside it. So it's not like I need to travel outside it.

Not everyone has the opportunities to go places that arent in their immediate vicinity

I've been to or through more than half of the US states.

If you count over there are only a handful I suppose that I haven't been to.

I've lived in 3 different states. With my birth state being the least lived in.

I never had the money or motivation to visit other states. I was stupid and didnt learn any other languages fluently so that I could travel abroad (admittedly, I know a non-zero amount of Spanish and could maybe visit a Spanish-speaking country and get by). Because I was broke, I just commuted to a state university for education.

I did spend half a year in another state, but I didnt really interact with the locals and mostly just hung out with people who were doing the same program as me.

I also went on vacations as a kid.

As an adult, I cannot imagine spending money traveling and pretending that doing so would be a worthwhile expenditure. I see so little cultural value in the USA that I wish to interact with. Theres like one other state Id willfully live in if I needed to move to another state, and I guess NYC. Thanks to media, NYC seems like its over-hyped.

A quick Google search indicates that about 11% of Americans have never left their birth state. A high number, for sure, but not remotely close to typical.

It also probably depends on whether you live in a small state or close to state lines.

Have been to many places in the Midwest area but have never left it. Planning to someday travel outside of it.

When I lived in Washington state, I worked with someone who claimed to have never left Washington. They were in their 40s too

MangaBroski posted...

I never had the money or motivation to visit other states. I was stupid and didnt learn any other languages fluently so that I could travel abroad (admittedly, I know a non-zero amount of Spanish and could maybe visit a Spanish-speaking country and get by). Because I was broke, I just commuted to a state university for education.

I did spend half a year in another state, but I didnt really interact with the locals and mostly just hung out with people who were doing the same program as me.

I also went on vacations as a kid.

As an adult, I cannot imagine spending money traveling and pretending that doing so would be a worthwhile expenditure. I see so little cultural value in the USA that I wish to interact with. Theres like one other state Id willfully live in if I needed to move to another state, and I guess NYC. Thanks to media, NYC seems like its over-hyped.

The US is so big and has so many different biomes and cultures that many countries dont.

I would absolutely recommend traveling through around the country if you get a chance. There really is a lot of incredible stuff to see and do in this country.

Last time I was out of state was maybe 2007. Went to Cedar Point in Ohio. At least my family did. I don't like that shit, so I stayed at the hotel.

moving is expensive, and lucrative jobs arent exactly falling off trees

Dungeater posted...

moving is expensive, and lucrative jobs arent exactly falling off trees

There's a lot of reasons someone could leave their home state that doesn't involve moving.

ItsNotA2Mer posted...

There's a lot of reasons someone could leave their home state that doesn't involve moving.

oh, simply leaving the state doesnt inherently mean anything or impart anything, so ig i assumed tc meant more

I can drive 12 hours east to west and still be in my birth state.

I can't wait to try and travel but that shit ain't cheap

MangaBroski posted...

I was stupid and didnt learn any other languages fluently so that I could travel abroad

Why do some people actually think this? I can only really speak English and have been to tons of countries.

I dunno California is a pretty great place I wouldn't make fun of someone for living there their whole life.

In my city many people never even leave the city. I grew up in a military family so I've lived in various states as well as countries. I consider it one of the greatest things that contributed to my development and worldly view.

I've never left the house I was born in. Does that put me in the 1% or something or is it even greater than that?

I left the country years before I ever went to another state.

VideoboysaysCube posted...

I've never left the house I was born in. Does that put me in the 1% or something or is it even greater than that?

Are you an agoraphobe or you mean in terms of residence?

Born in Washington D.C., raised in Maryland, moved to South Carolina and then back to MD, now live (and plan on remaining) in Washington State

bsp77 posted...

Why do some people actually think this? I can only really speak English and have been to tons of countries.

If I cant read something, I dont want to be bothering someone who may not understand me with my questions unless. Why should my ill-preparedness be their problem if Im not their to do anything other than throw money at their economy?

Except that there are a solid number of states that are straight-up as large as big European countries.

That would mostly be true if I didn't live really close to the border between Virginia and West Virginia. The closest mall is across the state line, and we usually go check it out around Christmas.

Only been out of the state for special reasons outside of that. Like when my dad's aneurysm ruptured and he was flown to a heart specialist in Tennessee and I went with Mom in case he didn't make it.

I suppose to some its just to big a chore. Especially if you've already started a family. Of course living home for any extended period of time then is out of the question. And by the time the kids are finally out of the house then you're probably to old then.

Then theres the cost if you dont live near a large airport. Others traveling at least internationally is alot cheaper then people think.

iirc most people end up living fairly close to where they were born their whole life. at least in the USA, I'm pretty sure that's where the study I saw about this was based

I don't think that applies to never travelling outside the state at all even once, though

Traveling is nice but theres nothing wrong with getting enjoyment about less traveled local hidden spots.

Some people in low income areas especially never left the city they were born in.

Speak for yourself

Not leaving your immediate area is what spurs conservatism and sometimes radicalism. It's amazing how much more empathetic you become when you meet different people and see different places.

I have lived in six different states

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


I was born there. I make it a point to never go back.

Kradek posted...

Are you an agoraphobe or you mean in terms of residence?

Yes, in terms of residence.

I find it so bizarre that I, a Brit, have visited more US states than some Americans.

I moved away from my birthplace when I was 5 and never lived in the same home for more than 5-6 years. The average is probably 2-3 years.

Hopefully this or my next place is the last time I ever move. I'm kind of sick of moving every few years.

Euripides posted...

Not leaving your immediate area is what spurs conservatism and sometimes radicalism. It's amazing how much more empathetic you become when you meet different people and see different places.

Mark Twain continues to be right.

MangaBroski posted...

I never had the money or motivation to visit other states. I was stupid and didnt learn any other languages fluently so that I could travel abroad (admittedly, I know a non-zero amount of Spanish and could maybe visit a Spanish-speaking country and get by). Because I was broke, I just commuted to a state university for education.

I did spend half a year in another state, but I didnt really interact with the locals and mostly just hung out with people who were doing the same program as me.

I also went on vacations as a kid.

As an adult, I cannot imagine spending money traveling and pretending that doing so would be a worthwhile expenditure. I see so little cultural value in the USA that I wish to interact with. Theres like one other state Id willfully live in if I needed to move to another state, and I guess NYC. Thanks to media, NYC seems like its over-hyped.

You dont need to know other languages fluently to travel. Thats a really crazy take.

Glob posted...

You dont need to know other languages fluently to travel. Thats a really crazy take.

If I have questions because I chose to travel for leisure or recreation, why I should be bothering people when I inevitably get lost or need clarification?

MangaBroski posted...

If I cant read something, I dont want to be bothering someone who may not understand me with my questions unless. Why should my ill-preparedness be their problem if Im not their to do anything other than throw money at their economy?

This is just an excuse. You don't actually want to travel because this is not a barrier at all. You come prepared with where you will go and don't need to be asking questions. Worst case is being at a restaurant and they don't speak English. Can still figure out enough words with my phone to point. And of course I learn some polite phrases in their language beforehand.

Also, they are making money off of you traveling. It is fine. Just don't be obnoxious.

bsp77 posted...

This is just an excuse. You don't actually want to travel because this is not a barrier at all. You come prepared with where you will go and don't need to be asking questions. Worst case is being at a restaurant and they don't speak English. Can still figure out enough words with my phone to point. And of course I learn some polite phrases in their language beforehand.

Also, they are making money off of you traveling. It is fine. Just don't be obnoxious.

The amount of questions Id have alone at a restaurant is enough that Id never even go to a restaurant if I cant read the menu.
Ive worked with tourists who either dont speak English or speak so little they cannot get a full understanding of what is being presented before them. I am not going to put myself in that kind of situation.

MangaBroski posted...

The amount of questions Id have alone at a restaurant is enough that Id never even go to a restaurant if I cant read the menu.
Ive worked with tourists who either dont speak English or speak so little they cannot get a full understanding of what is being presented before them. I am not going to put myself in that kind of situation.

Then be less picky and stop asking questions. Seriously. I have one bad allergy (shrimp) and I make sure to learn that word if I will be in a restaurant that may have it and they may not speak English. Otherwise, just chill.

But the vast majority of restaurants have servers who speak English, at least in Europe. As long as you are polite, they don't mind.

MangaBroski posted...

If I have questions because I chose to travel for leisure or recreation, why I should be bothering people when I inevitably get lost or need clarification?

1. You dont need to be fluent in order to communicate in the local tongue.
2. Many people speak English in many parts of the world, even if it isnt their first language.
3. Google Translate makes it really easy to communicate these days even if you have no common understanding of language.

Its a complete non-issue.

Plus, on the getting lost front, google maps is your friend.