You have never been THERE?!

@AmbiePam (84628)
United States
September 29, 2010 6:35am CST
A lot of non U.S. residents are seemingly shocked when they find out I've never been to Canada. They ask how could you not visit a country to close to you. Here's why: look at a map! lol I'm in Oklahoma, and that is far away from Canada. The closest foreign country to me is Mexico, and I have been there several times. Both my parents have been to Canada, but they were visiting New York with a youth group when they were teenagers. I have never had the occasion to be that close to Canada. I used to live in California, and that is probably the closest to Canada that I have ever been. Do you ever get that? Australia residents, do people ever think you are odd for never having been to New Zealand (if you have in fact never been to New Zealand)? Just because it is "next" to you? Those of you in England, do people assume you have been to Ireland, Wales or Scotland, because is supposedly "near" you?
10 people like this
31 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28719)
• United States
29 Sep 10
No, I don't hear that much. I live in NY and have been to Canada many times. Toronto twice, Ottawa a few times.. and the border a few times as well. What I get all the dang time is every time I say I live in NY, people (unless they too live in NY) automatically assume I mean NY City. I don't. I live 5 hours away from the city, and have actually only visited it twice in my life. So I get in the habit of saying I live in Central NY.. meaning the center part of the state. I actually once had someone ask me if Central NY meant Central Park! Seriously people, there is more to NY than just the stinkin city! Ever heard of Syracuse, home of the Orangemen.. a pretty darn good college basketball team? Ever heard of Buffalo, home of the Bills? Ever heard of the Adirondacks? Yeah, those are all part of NY too!
1 person likes this
• Canada
29 Sep 10
Yes, my dear I have heard of Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and also that NY is a state as well as a city. I have also been to a few of those places. I guess some Canadians do not travel a lot and were never that good in geography. This goes for Americans as well. I have been to the US many times and do not want to repeat some of the idiotic questions that I have been asked about Canada. I can tell you one thing though. Since 9/11 it is increasingly difficult just to nip across the border to Buffalo to a home game of the Bills or to just have a meal there and go back home. Border agents of both countries are quite suspicious if you tell them you want to go for lunch.There is a specialty in Buffalo. It is called beef on weck. A lot of the Canadian border guards don't know this and only half believe you. The Americans are just as suspicious. So very sad.
• United States
29 Sep 10
I can't stand that you now need a passport to cross the border. My best friend lived in Ottawa until earlier this year, and we used to love to drive up and visit her.. it's a 5 hour drive, but we'd stay with her and would need no other money aside from gas.. so it was a nice, cheap vacation. One time I was mad at my hubby so I packed the kids up and went to Ottawa for a weekend, lol. Even if my friend still lived there I can't do that anymore.. I can't afford a passport for myself let alone my entire family She's in Nova Scotia now and I'm hoping to get a passport and plane tickets and fly out to see her.. of course I'll be going alone, but I deserve my own vacation!
1 person likes this
• Canada
29 Sep 10
Indeed you do deserve a vacation on your own. Also please note that it was the Americans who first demanded a passport from Canadian travellers, first for air and ship travel. but now for all border crossings. Then the Canadains as of a couple of years ago demanded the same thing. So very sad.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
29 Sep 10
When you live sort of in the middle of the country, it is a long ways to anywhere. I am not surprised you have not been to Canada, but then, I grew up in Oklahoma. I made it to Mexico when I lived in California, and I have been to Canada when I was sponsoring a youth trip to upstate New York. Other than that trip, I had never been to the east coast either. I have traveled more in the last thirteen years than I ever had in my whole life. I am sure you also meet people who think Native Americans walk the streets where you live.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
30 Sep 10
Boy, I am tired. I was not making sense of the comment. She wanted to know how many miles between houses in Oklahoma. I was thinking she was asking how far your home was from hers. LOL. Hubby's grandma thought that there were "wild Indians" in the area where he was growing up. Grandma lived in Middletown, RI, just outside of Newport. Hubby and his family were living in the UP of Michigan. His dad let Grandma continue to believe that, it kept her from visiting.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
30 Sep 10
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
29 Sep 10
One person asked me once, and she was serious, how many miles apart our homes were. Miles apart? Believe or not the Pony Express doesn't deliver the mail anymore! lol
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
9 Oct 10
I've been to Canada only because of my husband's sister lived in New York and he wanted to show me the Niagara Falls. Other than that, I've never been before or since. Not that I don't want to go again, just that I haven't had the chance and it's as far into the country that I went. I'd love to see more some day and maybe I will but just because the country is next to us doesn't mean we've been there. Like you've been to Mexico, where I don't dare to go, I haven't. I'd like to go once it's deemed safe but until then, I'll stay where I'm at.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
13 Oct 10
The last time I went to Mexico was 7 years ago on a cruise. Nothing like the climate today. Today I wouldn't even go on a cruise to Mexico.
@Monkeyrose (2840)
• Canada
3 Oct 10
This is kinda funny. I'm from Canada and I have been to the states many many times. However, I live a 45 minute drive from the border. I've actually seen more of the states than I have of Canada. In Canada I've been all over BC, and a little bit of Alberta. I went to MOntreal for 3 days but haven't seen anything else of the East Coast. I've been to Bellingham Washington for shopping at least 10 times. As a child my family took a two week driving trip to Disney Land. We drove down the coast of Oregon and California. We saw the Redwood Forest, sea lion caves, oregon caves, san diego zoo, alcatraz(san fransico), disneyland, and universal studios. I took a trip to cannon beach oregon with my ex boyfriend 5 years ago. I drove down to Las vegas a couple years ago with a girlfriend. We drove through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada. We stayed in Boise overnight. Last year I flew to San Antonio Texas for a wedding and then took the greyhound to Phoneix Arizona and hiked around the Grand Canyon. I also took an overnight trip to Seattle a couple years ago to go to Pike's Place market and see the first Starbucks. I've been to : Washington Oregon California Nevada Idaho Arizona Texas
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
4 Oct 10
I've been to 33 of my country's 50 states. I haven't been to Washington D.C. either, but that's not really a state. I wouldn't want to go there anyway. Lot of landmarks, but lots of crime!
1 person likes this
• Canada
4 Oct 10
lol well you have seen a lot then. I've only been to 3 out of 12 of mine
2 people like this
@jerzgirl (9208)
• United States
29 Sep 10
It does seem that our overseas friends do take more opportunities to travel while we appear to be more homebound. But, I do think that is in large part because they are given much more time off than we are and traveling is simply easier for them because of less red tape than it is for us. Then there is that issue that seems unique to us of being "afraid" of anything "foreign". I'd never been to Canada until 10 years ago. I've been twice now. But, despite living less than 25 miles from the Mexican border for two years, I've still never been to Mexico. I also never saw the Grand Canyon despite living in bordering states for 19 years. It just happens (or, rather, doesn't.)
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
29 Sep 10
The U.S. is so big that we could travel states away, and go farther than some European countries do when visiting the country next to them. I've been to 33 out of the 50 states in America. If I did that amount of traveling in Europe, I would have seen several other countries by now. But it's been years since I've been anywhere lately. Money is the issue for me, I would go somewhere if I could afford it.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9208)
• United States
29 Sep 10
Same here. And, since my traveling companion lost his job and went bankrupt, we're not doing much traveling at all!
1 person likes this
@Christoph56 (1504)
• Canada
7 Oct 10
I live in Canada, up in Vancouver, Canada, actually, and I've been down to the US quite a few times... maybe even up to 20 times or so. I've been all the way down the west coast, from Seattle to LA, I've been out in the desert, in Arizona and Nevada, and Texas, and I've been over to the south-east coast of Florida, even as far down as the Florida Keys... and you know what? Everytime I've been out there, I have been really happy to get back into Canada, and in Vancouver. There are lots of great places down in the US, but Vancouver has been in the top 5 cities to be in, in the entire world, year after year after year. So, seriously, how could you not be coming up here to see what its like?
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
9 Oct 10
Money! I don't have any.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
29 Sep 10
i am in canada and about an hour away from ny state so i have been to the US many a time but have not ever been to Florida, and are going at Christmas time so that will be fun. Where abouts are you?
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I live in Oklahoma. Florida is very nice, especially when it isn't so hot, and it won't be around Christmas time. Which city are you going to? I haven't been to Florida in years, but the last time I was there, I really enjoyed it.
@bardgirl (362)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I haven't been to Canada either so you're not the only one. But I wouldn't mind going after all Supernatural is filmed there and damn it I want to know why those two hotties suffer from shirtoffaphobia which is just a crime.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
1 Oct 10
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Sep 10
hi ambiepam so many people do not realize that the U S is a much bigger country than most of the countries they come from. I have been to Canada just once as I went on a vacation trip to British columbia with my parents way back when I was twenty. I have been to Mexico the baha part twice as we did live in Arizona a nd were really close to the border. i have lived in the US all my life but have not seen a lot of the other states either. no southern states, nor the New England states either. I have been in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, Calif and Ariz and Oregon but thats about it for my own country.oh yes also Iowa and Illinois too.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I've been to many states, but Montana and Wyoming are not on that list. I would love to visit those two states! I bet they are beautiful!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
29 Sep 10
People can be soooooo silly about things. I have never been to canada or anywhere else out of the u.s.I have never been anywhere very much but glad i have been to some of the surrounding states. i'm just an o0l' tennessee hillbilly but i'm proud to be that. U GET TO CANADA NOW, LOL.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
1 Oct 10
I love Tennesse. I always said if I couldn't live in Oklahoma, there would be three states I'd consider living in and they are Texas, Colorado, and Tennessee.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I get that too on occasion. I've lived in California all my life and have never gone to either Canada or Mexico. The closest I came to visiting Canada was a long long time ago (over 10 years) when my family went up to Washington for a wedding. It was a large group of us and we wanted to go but decided against it at the last moment because some of the party couldn't cross the border. Some people are shocked to hear that I've only been to Oregon and Washington. They assume that I've visited other states since it is the same country. I always end up laughing and mentioning how huge this country is.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
1 Oct 10
Exactly.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
1 Oct 10
I appreciate what you mean, I live in Australia and I have never been to New Zealand, our next door neighbours nor Bali which is Australia’s playground! In fact I have only ever visited two other states in my country because it is such a big place. The reason I no longer travel is because of finances and responsibilities. I get it a lot especially in regards to Bali because every person I know has been there. “Whaaat? You’ve never been to Bali???”
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
1 Oct 10
It's ridiculous, isnt it?
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 10
Well I have been to Canada twice in my life but I know that I have been asked a few times if i have ever been to New York because we are only about 2 hours away and I always say no and people look at me like I am strange because how could I have never gone to visit such a great place when I live so close and I like you dont understand why they dont understand...there are a few reasons why I have not ~one is that even though it is only 2 hours away it is still two hours away and that is too far of a drive for me to go to visit someplace, two is I like my small town living and going to New york just for a visit is way too fast paced for me. I dont think there is anything worng with not visiting another city or state just because you live close to it...
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
1 Oct 10
If I lived close to Canada, I would go. But I don't at all.
@sjlskl (3382)
• Singapore
5 Oct 10
It is natural that people will assume that you have visited the country that is closest to you. For myself, I have visited the country to the north but I have yet to visit the one on the south.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
6 Oct 10
But Canada is NOT the closest country to me. Mexico is, and I have been there.
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
29 Sep 10
No, I am not surprised that you have never been to Canada. Like you say just look at the distances. North America is just so massive in land mass. When you go to Europe you can visit more than one country in one day. Wehen you live in a certain city in Switzerland you can walk across the border to GErmany or France just when you are out for a Sunday afternoon stroll. I live in Canada and I know many people who have never been out of their own province because it is bigger than several European countries put together. I myself would like to see New Foundland but it is a 2 day drive and then a six hour crossing by ferry. All very costly, and so is a plane ticket. Actually most of my friends have not been there either. I have to various places in the USA that are just as far, however there are deals to be had from time to time on plane tickets or package tours.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
29 Sep 10
You are exactly right!
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
30 Sep 10
not sure why they say that LOL I have never been to the US either and it isn't far from here I could cross over Niagara fall and I'd get there ! it really doesn't matter near or far I'd rather spend money fly to England then to the US the quote is actually cheaper :) plus my in laws are there I want to visit all places here first before going out of the country I think it's pretty fair that way
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I've been to Canada, actually more than Mexico, well, twice to each, but just over the border in Mexico and actually spending nights in Canada. But, while I was born in NJ and used to go up there when I was a kid, I've only been to western Canada. Oh, and remember, I'm further south than you are!!!
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 10
I have never been THERE. My brother-in-law just came for a visit, and he is from THERE. No shame, dear. No big deal. It would be nice to go THERE. Yet, there are times I am just happy cozying up to a good book. I love a good book. Just ask yourself this. How many people do not read? How many people say they are so bored and have been to Canada but don't read. More than you think.
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
29 Sep 10
I've never been to Canada OR Mexico. I was only out of the country one time, on a cruise I won. We were sailing around the Virgin Islands and went down to Tortola, one of the British Virgin Islands. We didn't even need passports! So, if people are shocked because you've never been to Canada, just let them know you're not the only one, and I live closer to Canada than you do! Having so many of these stupid surgeries has done a lot to hinder me from having a real life. I was all set to visit Ireland when I was 19 when I found out I had cancer so that trip was cancelled and I've never had the opportunity to reschedule it.
@AmbiePam (84628)
• United States
30 Sep 10
That's a crying shame. It would be so cool to go to Ireland. Maybe someday. You never know. I never thought I'd win a trip to Australia, and I told you about that. It was ten years ago, so I'm more than ready to win another one!
• Canada
4 Nov 10
Don't feel bad. I live in Canada and have been to both ends of the country but yet I have never traveled outside of our boarders. My friends laugh at me because they have been all over the globe and I had a friend that was a pilot (R.I.P) that used to fly everywhere he could. I plan on leaving the country someday!lol
1 person likes this