Small World - How Many Countries Are You Connected To? How Many States Do You Know?

 How many countries are you connected to? Statistics may surprise you? How many places are on your list for been there, done that? How many are on your wish list. 

1 Which Country Are You In Now?

The first country you learn to identify as a child is your own. Then the capital city. Or the biggest city.  Or the most important city. If you are in the travel trade you know the most historic city or the one visitors should take a trip to see. Or the landmark. And the flag. Then the summer city for escape from your city to a beach or mountain top. 

For example, if you live in the USA you learn that Washington DC is the capital. New York is the magnet. 

You might wish to tell the world. You may prefer to keep it a secret. Just make a mental note. I am in such and such a country and such and such a city. Plan your elevator speech, what you would say in an elevator for two minutes, as if you were a tourist board representative meeting a foreign visitor in an elevator (in the UK we say a lift). 

Where do you live now? 

Which cities or tourist sights have you seen in the past year? Google is tracking you and advertisements will tell you. Your websites will be adapted to where you and your computer and mobile phone are or were

2 Where have you travelled? 

Your passports, identity cards and visas and bus and train tickets can tell you your story. Stickers on your luggage, and luggage labels, may act as reminders. 

3 Have you lived overseas? 

Are you an expat? 

I am. I live in the UK and Singapore. But I also lived in the USA. I lived in Maryland near Washington DC and travelled all over the USA at weekends and on travel press trips.

If you are in the USA, or have visited the USA, add the states. 

That might keep you busy for a while. Some people do scrapbooking and keep an album, a picture book of their travels with photos, stickers, flyers, printouts, Italic writing for headings and pretty borders and national flags and colours. 

4 Holiday Lists

Count up every country you have visited on holiday. Add the stopovers. Maybe another list or another colour. 

5 Ancestors

Add the places your ancestry or

Add anywhere you have

Then list every country where your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents lived or were born.

6 Planned Trips and Wishlists  

Useful Websites

Free map creation

https://traveltip.org/countries_visited

123 Ancestry (Currently 59 US dollars plus extra for postage)

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/dna

About the Author

Angela Lansbury was born and bred in Britain, and has lived in the USA and Singapore. Her family have worked in or lived in Spain and Switzerland. She is a member of Toastmasters Clubs meeting on Zoom with visitors from the UK and USA, India, Sri Lanka, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Through the Toastmasters mentoring program Angela has connected with individuals in Vietnam and Romania, a different connection each month. Please come to the next BHA Toastmasters meeting on the 3rd Saturday afternoon every month.