Only 36 percent of Americans hold a passport. That means nearly two-thirds of Americans have no plans to travel internationally. While some of the Americans who don't have a passport probably did at one time, it's unlikely that number is very big, since most people with passports renew them. Compare this with the U.K., where 70 percent of the people usually have a passport. The bottom line is that U.S. citizens don't travel outside the country very often, so those Americans who do travel outside of the U.S. are a rarefied breed.

Once you have a passport, it is natural to think about the possibilities. Will you fill it with stamps? Will you finally make that trip to Japan or Egypt? Who will you take with you? Will you have any life-changing experiences while you are away? As you begin to travel the world, your perspective may shift. You may learn to see others' ways of life as being superior to ours in some way, or you may learn to appreciate home in ways you did not before. Travel opens new worlds to us, and the more you travel, the more travel will leave its indelible mark on you. Do you think we can guess how many countries you've been to? We think we have what it takes.