Now, I get the enhanced security we get through the debit/credit cards with a chip instead of the magnetic strip but here is my question or concern.
I recently got my replacement card (with a chip) but it still had the magnetic strip, so I asked my bank why the strip is still there and they told me it's because most visa ATMs and machines in the country will not adapt in time and I might lose out if I travelled to a country that's still on the strip. So my question is, how have they solved the problem by bringing in the safer technology while retaining the unsafe one as an option?

So, you mean that expensive chip wasn't that necessary?