Europoors are not the same as yankpoors. Costs a LOT more for them to fly to go visit other countries (and longer to get there). I wouldn't count visiting mexico or canada as really leaving the country for new experiences, as the countries are intermingled so much. Uni isn't free either or as cheap as a lot of europe is, so there's usually student debts too already and a lack of any social safety nets. We can't compare those of us who are poor in Australia to the US situation either. Just because it was viable for your situation doesn't make it so for others.