Kevsh

Okay, first off I'm completely mobile phone-challenged, so bear with me if this is a stupid question.

I surfed around a bit but came away more confused.

I am looking for any kind of mobile phone that I can use globally - I'm not talking the Himalayas or Afghanistan, but something that will work in Europe, Ukraine (going in a few weeks), USA, etc. - without major hassles. I see some have "roaming" but is that necessary - changing cards, etc.? (Again, excuse my ignorance!)

I don't care about itunes, watching videos, etc. etc. I assume it would have SMS. Beyond that, just a phone that works *almost* anywhere.

Any ideas? Suggestions?
Thanks