Your first time overseas

emergencytennis
emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
in Chit-Chat
How old were you the first time you travelled abroad without your family? I was 16, my husband had graduated so 21yo+, my daughter went on a school trip at 17.

We are just about to send our 11yo off to Japan for 2 weeks and the jitters are starting. Ours, not his!
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Replies

  • gecikedi
    gecikedi Posts: 12
    I went to Kindergarten in the Philipines. Since then I have lived overseas on and off. I guess it would be half overseas and half in the States. My children also grew up overseas. It made them very rounded as they experienced other cultures.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Old lol...my family was poor. :laugh:
  • Bucky83
    Bucky83 Posts: 1,194 Member
    I was 7 when I first travelled overseas WITH my family.

    I was 27 when I first travelled overseas alone. I had 5 nights in Paris, 2 nights in Salzburg, and then had 3 weeks in Italy doing an Intrepid tour.

    I'm counting down the days until I head to Spain for 2 weeks! I'm having a week to myself in Mallorca and then staying with a friend (who is also Aussie and going to a wedding in Portugal) in Barcelona for 8 nights before I make the long flight back to Oz.

    Can't wait!
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    Well, I grew up in Michigan, right across the street from Canada. So the first time I ever traveled ABROAD without them, I was about 13. But I don't know if that counts. As far as overseas, I guess that would be 2 years ago when I first moved to Hawaii. I know it's still in the USA, but it's in the middle of the ocean and we're closer to Asia than North America, and it's definitely a different world here. Never been to Europe or Asia, but we're hoping to save up some money and go to Thailand soon!
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    HS trip to Paris, Nice, Arles, and Rome.

    I saw strippers in Paris, got wasted and skipped stones all night in Nice, Arles was pretty forgettable, but the Roman aqueduct we went to near was the highlight of the trip for me. Rome was really meh, though seeing the Vatican was awesome.
  • xvxCelticWandererxvx
    xvxCelticWandererxvx Posts: 2,890 Member
    First time I went, I was on my own at age 30. So liberating!! :drinker:
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    canada and mexico dont count right? so late 20's to Paris.


    my niece who is 5 just did the Disney Mediterranean cruise(Monaco, Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey). she has also been to Hawaii, Disney World, Disney Landx2, Disney Cruise to Castaway Key(Bahamas)x2 along with smaller trips to New York City, Sante Fe Balloon festival and many other small trips.

    thats a lot of traveling for a 5 year old. i was in my 30's before i had done that much. :D
  • sleepingtodream
    sleepingtodream Posts: 304 Member
    I was 15 when I went to Spain for a month during the summer (school exchange trip). I traveled to Canada and the Caribbean when I was younger for family vacations. When I was in college I studied for a semester in Rome. While there I was able to visit quite a few different countries. Loved it and love to travel. We value travel and hope to take our kids overseas when they are older. At this point we are starting to take some U.S. road trips. The world is a big place and there is so much to see:)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I arrived in Spain on my 32nd birthday for my honeymoon (last October). We left Barcelona on a 12 day cruise to Monaco, Croatia and Italy.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    Old lol...my family was poor. :laugh:

    ^ This.

    I've been lucky enough to see several of the states, but I'd love to go to Europe or Italy. They'd need to hide all the food though, pretty sure I'd eat it all.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    I grew up about 45 minutes from Canada, so I don't count that. My first time abroad was in 2003 when I visited friends in Belarus and Poland. Now I have a travel addiction.
  • freddykid
    freddykid Posts: 265 Member
    When I was 18, I spent a year in korea with the Army but I was never even on a plane until I was 17.
  • ScatteredThoughts
    ScatteredThoughts Posts: 3,562 Member
    Old lol...my family was poor. :laugh:

    Same here. I didn't go overseas until I was an adult, while in the military.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    By myself...16 I believe. It was a mission trip that I spent about 9 months raising funds for....ironic because I'm not in any way religious anymore.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    I travelled the first time overseas in my second year of university as an exchange student to the US.
    In 1972 I did my internship after my MA in Chad in a hospital as a social worker for Caritas. I think that was the base for a life long career in International Humanitarian Aid. I have been living and working abroad ( 16 countries ) since 1976 and never have regretted my decision.
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    The first time was 8 years old, we visited family in Hungary. We went back each summer after that until I went to college. We would base ourselves at my Grandmother's in Hungary and then travel all over Eastern Europe from there. Then in college I got to spend some time in Western Europe.
  • Ocarina
    Ocarina Posts: 1,550 Member
    England and Scotland through my university just a couple months ago, I was 24!

    My family LOVES traveling all over the world. I went on my own and wish I could of brought my husband but 10 grand was way too much. (Was a gift from my dad anyways)
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    I've never been overseas. :frown: :frown: :frown:
    But I'm planning on crewing at sea for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society soon. If they accept me I'll be traveling the seven seas stopping whaling and overfishing!
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    My parents travelled across Europe with me when I was 4 months old. Crazy hippies. :laugh:

    You survived :smile:

    I was 7 when I went to America, had my 8th birthday at Disneyworld which I will NEVER forget.
    Went on my own to America when I was 22/23.

    I'm wanting to travel again but I've got a 3yo & a 11 month old. I couldn't imagine taking them any where right now.
  • Sylvitryinghard
    Sylvitryinghard Posts: 549 Member
    my mom took me on trips overseas when I was 3 months old and we always went there where my dad worked. she said I was a cute baby the stewardesses always had a great time with me and I never cried. I had an awesome childhood I kept all my old passports which are full and Im very thankful for all the experience I made till now.
  • minisumo
    minisumo Posts: 301 Member
    I was 9 or 10 when I went on my first school trip to France. My first time abroad without 'adult supervision' was to Sri Lanka when I was 24. That's quite sad actually! I grew up in the UK so could have travelled fairly easily to other countries in Europe but didn't. Now I live in the Middle East, it's not so easy (i.e. cheap!) to do :frown:
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Had a school trip to France when I was 13. After that I had to wait until I had graduated, had a job and could afford to take myself overseas so I was 23.
  • ummlovelovesyou
    ummlovelovesyou Posts: 1,024 Member
    I was 15 and went to Europe.

    Italy and France to be specific.

    :glasses:
  • majasmi
    majasmi Posts: 133 Member
    i was born outside of my home country and have been living in a different country ever 4 years. i dont think you need to worry about it ;)
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    I went to Paris as part of the foreign exchange program at 16. It was a fantastic experience, and since then I had in the back of my mind that I would live in Europe someday, and now I do.
  • runner2runner
    runner2runner Posts: 1,937 Member
    I was 14! I went to live in the UK for three years.
  • KxCoyote
    KxCoyote Posts: 122 Member
    :( I've never been overseas. Too poor. Though I would absolutely LOVE to go to So many places overseas, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Japan, So many places.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Born in France, moved to Mexico at 11 months old and traveled a lot since.

    My first trip out of Mexico, that I remember, I was 5 or 6 with family. Very vague memory of hotel room and damage done (we where left alone, lol).

    Travelled by myself for the first time at 10-11 years of age from CA to Mexico.

    My daughters travel regularly between France and Germany at 9,10 and older and have flown from France to the US and Mexico alone (at various ages).

    Just plan the details, make sure enough time for connections, contact lists, local currency, food for trip, etc. It isn't easy but the maturity of most kids at 10-11 makes it possible without issue and the airlines have good services for this type of travel.
  • bernied262
    bernied262 Posts: 882 Member
    I was 14, I went on a skiing trip with the school, to Italy.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    My family toured around Europe when I was 10, but the first time I went overseas alone was when I was 19. My son was flying internationally by himself at age 13, on a regular basis. He did great! He's grown into a very independent and confident young man. All the airlines took great care of him when he was young, by the way.

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