Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since this thread is being buried in the "General US" subforum after just one reply, I probably decided it would be better to post this under the "World" subforum as I figured it may get a much better response here than there!
Anyway I have been wanting to post this question here on City Data before but it kept slipping from my head, and the desire to do so got especially stronger after the recent study on state-by-state passport ownership rates was released earlier this year (URL: How Many Americans Have a Passport? The Percentages, State by State « Grey's Blog) and how they vary greatly.
So with this in mind, I am curious to note which US states' residents do you guys encounter most when travelling abroad (when I mean "abroad" for this thread I mean outside the USA and its Territories, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean so please remember this when posting ). Anyone know? Please feel free to discuss your experiences while abroad so I can see which US states' residents are the most well-traveled. Any discussion on this topic is welcome. Thanks.
I read somewhere that 1 in 7 Americans are Californians.
Being that I'm living in Asia, I tend to meet more West Coast people - Oregonions are another that stands out.
If I were in Europe, that might be completely different though.
Actually most of the time, I don't notice any particular state more than others. Even if statistically 1 out of 7 times, an American person will be Californian, it still means that 6 out of 7 times, you'll meet someone randomly from almost anywhere.
The other catch is people like me. I grew up in Michigan. But I also lived in New York and California, and at different times I've just told people I'm from CA or NY to simplify things. Contrary to popular opinions, non-Americans really have no grasp whatsoever of American geography (even though they think it's the other way around). If I say 'MI', than somehow I'm explaining Detroit and cars...than have to go to 'it's near Chicago', 'MI is close to Canada', 'it's cold' and a half dozen of other descriptors.
I agree that Californians (of which I am one) make up the largest percentage, partly for the simple fact that we're such a big state - pretty logical, LOL. I also seem to encounter many people from Texas, Chicago, New York, Boston, and all the other big areas. And yes, I realize two of those are cities, but that's how they introduce themselves.
at least half of the americans i encounter in SE asia are californians, myself included.
no other state even comes close or is even worth mentioning for that matter.
I encounter mostly students from California who vacation in my area from the schools they attend elsewhere in Euroe. As for vacationing Americans, they seem to be mostly Texans, but that my be because they have the babit of shouting at each other even when just having breakfast conversation across a small table from each other.
The vast majority of Americans I have met in the UK were from California, and New England ( mostly MA ) A few from Arizona, Texas and New Mexico too. And the occasional person from Florida .
I am amazed though how many people from Maryland I have met . For such a tiny place they seem to get around...
In fact, while I was in Bangkok I met this girl at a bar and was talking to her and she happened to be from the same small town in Florida I am from and even went to the same highschool I did but graduated 2 years before I did. It was pretty crazy.
Overseas (meaning across the Atlantic or across the Pacific), definitely Californians. Especially young Californians.
In Canada and Mexico, you obviously mostly see people from neighbouring states. Mainly New Englanders in Atlantic Canada, and so on following the states across the country as you move westwards.
at least half of the americans i encounter in SE asia are californians, myself included.
no other state even comes close or is even worth mentioning for that matter.
Spoken like a true Californian! ;-)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). Anyone know? Please feel free to discuss your experiences while abroad so I can see which US states' residents are the most well-traveled. Any discussion on this topic is welcome. Thanks. 
