Stuck Between PTO and a Plane Ticket?

In partnership with

Let’s start with the uncomfortable truth:
Most Americans will never see the world. Not because they can’t — but because they’ve convinced themselves they can’t.

Only 45% hold passports. Most will visit just three countries in their lifetime. And we’re not talking Bhutan or Argentina. We're talking Mexico, Canada, and a Caribbean cruise port.

Why?

1. Comfort Has Replaced Curiosity

The U.S. is big. We have deserts, cities, mountains. But seeing more of the same operating system doesn’t change your thinking.

Going from Phoenix to Tampa doesn’t challenge your worldview. Flying to Portugal, Morocco, or Vietnam does.

Travel teaches you how other societies educate, eat, relate, move.
It shows you that your culture isn’t normal — it’s local.

2. The Bubble Is a Choice

We’re not a nation deprived of opportunity — we’re a nation addicted to routine.

The average American household has:

• Two cars

• Five streaming subscriptions

• A garage full of stuff

• But no exposure to how the rest of the world actually lives

That’s not budgeting — that’s misplaced values.

3. Time Off Isn’t a Luxury. It’s Leverage.

Europeans take 30+ days off. Australians disappear for months. Americans? They hoard PTO like it’s gold and then feel guilty using it.

This isn’t work ethic — it’s cultural dysfunction.

Travel is not time wasted. It’s perspective gained. It’s long-term strategic thinking. It’s learning at the speed of life.

💬 But Jeff… Travel Is Too Expensive Right Now!

Gas, food, child care, rent — all up. Fair. But let’s examine this rationally:

• Netflix + DoorDash + Starbucks = 2–3 international trips/year if redirected

• Drive the 8 year old Toyota Camry = 2 weeks in Asia, flights included

• Southwest + Google Flights + Marriott points = $400 trip to Mexico

• 4 days off + a weekend = 6-day trip

This is not about privilege. This is about intentional reallocation.
You’re not broke — you’re busy spending in ways that don’t expand you.

4. Global Thinking Is a Competitive Advantage

You want your kids to be smart, adaptive, open-minded?

Then show them what normal looks like elsewhere.
Not through YouTube. Through real, messy, beautiful exposure.

You want to innovate, lead, or invest differently?
Then see the systems the U.S. doesn’t teach you.
Healthcare in Switzerland. Urban planning in Copenhagen. Education in Finland. Community in Ghana.

You can’t build the future if you’ve only seen one model of the present.

🧭 Closing Thought

Americans have optimized everything — schedules, apps, credit card points.
But they’ve forgotten to optimize for the one thing that truly moves the needle:

Exposure.

Travel isn’t a reward. It’s a responsibility.
Not to escape your life, but to expand it.

The world isn’t flat. It’s layered. Go see it.
While you still can.

⚠️ Quick Note

This message won’t resonate with everyone — and that’s okay. If you’re in survival mode, you don’t need a lecture on international travel. But if you’re spending $75K+ a year and feel stuck or uninspired… this is your nudge.

✈️ Want to travel more without blowing your budget or PTO? Start here:

• Use Google Flights with flexible dates + airport filters

• Always join hotel and airline loyalty programs (they’re free)

• Subscribe to newsletters like Daily Drop, Going, and this one — they do the scouting for you

If this challenged or inspired you, forward it to one person who needs the reminder.

– Jeff
Founder, The World Unfolding

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