Just for Americans

One other thing about leaving the country, now to fly anywhere outside the U.S. you have to have a passport, you can still drive to mexico and cross the border or sail to the islands ( carribean) without one, but to fly, a passport is required, that deters a lot of ppl from traveling as much as they once did...

Charleh said:

I've heard that most Americans are as patriotic about their home town/state as they are their own country. Can you confirm?

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Guess it depends on how you are using the term "patriotic." The way I interpret the question is do people consider themselves to be, say Chicagoans and/or Illinoisans, more so than Americans? Given that interpretation, I'd say I'm sure there are some who do, but can't see it being more so, or even on the same level as those who consider themselves as Americans first and foremost.

Your question did remind me of a discussion I had with colleagues from the UK regarding how much more intensely they (and other nations) follow and root for their national sports teams compared to the US. The fact the average American could not care less about the national soccer, rugby or Olympic team to them somehow related to a lack of patriotism.

Paulm said:

One other thing about leaving the country, now to fly anywhere outside the U.S. you have to have a passport, you can still drive to mexico and cross the border or sail to the islands ( carribean) without one, but to fly, a passport is required, that deters a lot of ppl from traveling as much as they once did...

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You now have to have a passport for Mexico as well.

Back to where have I been? Mexico once...briefly. Wasn't the best experience of my life. Otherwise I've lived in Indiana, Georgia and Florida. I've traveled all over the US in a 40 foot Class A RV...another not the best experience in my life but the country was beautiful. So many different climates and terrains.

Charleh said:

I've heard that most Americans are as patriotic about their home town/state as they are their own country. Can you confirm?

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I don't see it as "patriotic". It's simple pride in being from a place you love with people you care about who live there with you. I'm always talking about being from Da Region, because it fills me with great and loving memories of a fantastic place that I grew up and lived in.

Debi said:

You now have to have a passport for Mexico as well.

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Same with Canada. There is the "passport card" option, however. It's significantly cheaper than a full up passport, but is only accepted in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Duke said:

Same with Canada. There is the "passport card" option, however. It's significantly cheaper than a full up passport, but is only accepted in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

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Aren't those called nexus cards?

Duke said:

Same with Canada. There is the "passport card" option, however. It's significantly cheaper than a full up passport, but is only accepted in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

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Debi said:

You now have to have a passport for Mexico as well.

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I thought that was only if you were flying in,...supposedly the new enhanced drivers licenses were sufficient if you were just driving across the border, or sailing the islands...... Ha ha....good thing I don't travel....lol.

Charleh said:

Aren't those called nexus cards?

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They are apparently two different things. Looks like the nexus card grants expedited entry through US customs.

Paulm said:

I thought that was only if you were flying in,...supposedly the new enhanced drivers licenses were sufficient if you were just driving across the border, or sailing the islands...... Ha ha....good thing I don't travel....lol.

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I can't even get a "real ID" license! If a woman has been married before, she has to come up with her divorce papers or marriage license from the first marriage. Well, here's the story. I have a black out of that time period of first husband. No lie. I can't tell you dates of marriage or divorce, or even his DOB or middle name! He went poof into thin air and not seen. And it's a really common name. I have no way of finding this paperwork. It was a very very very short marriage but lots of trauma. I will never fly as of 2020 when that becomes mandatory, nor will I be allowed into a federal building. Guess they will have to come to me.