--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I do miss is foreign travel, because…" description: "\"What I do miss is foreign travel, because there really is no substitute for showing up somewhere and representing the United States.\" — Ben Rhodes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ben-rhodes-7180_foreign_what-i-do-miss-is-foreign-travel-because_770107.jpg" --- # What I do miss is foreign travel, because there really is… ![“What I do miss is foreign travel, because there really is no substitute for showing up somewhere and representing the United States.” quote by Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ben-rhodes-7180_foreign_what-i-do-miss-is-foreign-travel-because_770107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ben-rhodes-7180_foreign_what-i-do-miss-is-foreign-travel-because_770107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ben-rhodes-7180_foreign_what-i-do-miss-is-foreign-travel-because_770107.jpg) > “What I do miss is foreign travel, because there really is no substitute for showing up somewhere and representing the United States.” [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes the unique diplomatic value of personal presence abroad to represent national interests. **In simple terms:** Personal presence abroad uniquely represents a nation. Key Takeaway Travel to engage directly. Themes diplomacy representation travel Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - foreign service - international conferences - public diplomacy - government delegations Key Concepts soft power cultural exchange Questions to Reflect On - How can virtual tools complement in‑person diplomacy? - When is travel essential versus optional? A Different Perspective Personal presence cannot replace digital diplomacy entirely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foreign travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-travel/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [There's really no substitute for being able to sit across from someone, have eye contact, see and read their body language, hear the inflection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-brennan/there-s-really-no-substitute-for-being-able-to-sit-across-from/) [Margaret Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-brennan/) > [You can't go around chasing your own plays and showing up every time somebody does one somewhere. You just cross your fingers and hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-can-t-go-around-chasing-your-own-plays-and-showing-up-every-time/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [It's been great to travel because I really enjoyed being 'Elektra', so it's not a problem talking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elodie-yung/it-s-been-great-to-travel-because-i-really-enjoyed-being-elektra-so/) [Elodie Yung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elodie-yung/) > [Before we had the kids, my husband and I were traveling a lot and working and really enjoying our lives and each other. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/before-we-had-the-kids-my-husband-and-i-were-traveling-a-lot-and/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [When you travel with the president, especially when you are traveling to foreign countries, the people that you travel with really become your family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-mastromonaco/when-you-travel-with-the-president-especially-when-you-are-traveling/) [Alyssa Mastromonaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-mastromonaco/) > [Life is a journey. How we travel is really up to us. We can just flow with the tide or follow our own dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/life-is-a-journey-how-we-travel-is-really-up-to-us-we-can-just-flow/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The actual process of travel I really like, because that time on planes and in airports makes me feel like I'm moving around like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/the-actual-process-of-travel-i-really-like-because-that-time-on/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [In my fantasy I travel really light, but in reality I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-fitzgerald/in-my-fantasy-i-travel-really-light-but-in-reality-i-don-t/) [Tara Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-fitzgerald/) > [As much as I love live performance and as much fun as it can be to travel around, it really is nice to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/as-much-as-i-love-live-performance-and-as-much-fun-as-it-can-be-to/) [Paul F. 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And I put my mind to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-schmidt/how-far-a-woman-could-travel-if-she-really-put-her-mind-to-it-and-i/) [Sarah Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-schmidt/) ## More by Ben Rhodes > [As people who know me know, probably to a fault, I am usually not without thoughts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/as-people-who-know-me-know-probably-to-a-fault-i-am-usually-not/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Following one of the most violent conflicts in human history, the United States and Japan built a deep and abiding friendship - an alliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/following-one-of-the-most-violent-conflicts-in-human-history-the/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Our Cuba policy was a major obstacle to getting things done in the hemisphere and a source of tension around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/our-cuba-policy-was-a-major-obstacle-to-getting-things-done-in-the/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Americans will forever be proud of the brave men and women of our armed forces who served in World War II, and we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/americans-will-forever-be-proud-of-the-brave-men-and-women-of-our/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [I found people I really wanted to work for; I made myself available to do whatever I could with the skills I had; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/i-found-people-i-really-wanted-to-work-for-i-made-myself-available-to/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Irrespective of our foreign policies, for decades, other nations and peoples could see, in the United States, a strong democracy that could maintain social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/irrespective-of-our-foreign-policies-for-decades-other-nations-and/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > ['Make America great again,' is not that different from Putin's nostalgia for the Soviet Union or tsarist Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/make-america-great-again-is-not-that-different-from-putin-s-nostalgia/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [The Benghazi attack was one of the more confusing, chaotic days that we had at work because you had these multiple violent protests taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/the-benghazi-attack-was-one-of-the-more-confusing-chaotic-days-that/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Our basic assessment was that if America keeps going down these rabbit holes in the Middle East, we're just going to put ourselves out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/our-basic-assessment-was-that-if-america-keeps-going-down-these/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [To be sure, the United States will be eternally proud of our civilian leaders and the men and women of our armed forces who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/to-be-sure-the-united-states-will-be-eternally-proud-of-our-civilian/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Since taking office, President Obama has pursued a policy that focused more American resources and engagement in the Asia-Pacific, a region that will increasingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/since-taking-office-president-obama-has-pursued-a-policy-that-focused/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [The fact that there were discreet channels of communication established with Iran in 2012 is something that we confirmed publicly. However, we did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/the-fact-that-there-were-discreet-channels-of-communication/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Downturns in migration almost always prove temporary, as people adjust to changes in American enforcement. What doesn't change is the basic human impulse to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/downturns-in-migration-almost-always-prove-temporary-as-people-adjust/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [When I think of the things that Trump has done, ironically, everything is sort of - we care so much about Cuba and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/when-i-think-of-the-things-that-trump-has-done-ironically-everything/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [I think one of the critiques of me is that I thought I knew it all. But I was learning from the enormous resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/i-think-one-of-the-critiques-of-me-is-that-i-thought-i-knew-it-all/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) [Explore all 94 Ben Rhodes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) ## More Foreign quotes > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. 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