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GTIR
19,072 posts
135 months
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I was asked by two middle aged business Yanks, that I picked up from the airport, what the white fluffy things were in the field that they saw as they flew in. When I told her "sheep" she said "Oh, you have those here!". The husband also asked what season we were in.  Another time two Yanks asked why the farmer had dug all all the rocks out of the field and piled them up. "It's sugar beet" I'll give them that one as they'd probably never even heard of it! I've not fabricated any of that. That's verbatim. Not really making a point. Just amuses me!
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TheHeretic
67,822 posts
124 months
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You know the UK plays a very large part in their own history, don't you? It is where the pilgrims came from, Fremch Indian war participants, George Washigton fought for them, war of I dependence, (hopefully they will know where France is, as they owe them a great deal for their independence), war of 1812, the World Wars, and so on... Uganda played very little part in their history.
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kambites
32,857 posts
90 months
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TheHeretic said: ... hopefully they will know where France is... I wouldn't bet on it. To be honest, I think I've probably met British people who don't know where France is. 
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otolith
19,344 posts
73 months
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The affinity between the US and the UK is cultural as well as political. See, we are shown separately on the official map; 
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kambites
32,857 posts
90 months
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TheHeretic
67,822 posts
124 months
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kambites said: I wouldn't bet on it. To be honest, I think I've probably met British people who don't know where France is. You probably met them whilst they were stacking shelves then?
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kambites
32,857 posts
90 months
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TheHeretic said: kambites said: I wouldn't bet on it. To be honest, I think I've probably met British people who don't know where France is. You probably met them whilst they were stacking shelves then? To be honest, I don't often have reason to get into geographical debates with people who are stacking shelves.
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TheHeretic
67,822 posts
124 months
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kambites said: To be honest, I don't often have reason to get into geographical debates with people who are stacking shelves. You should try it. I've often whiled away a midweek afternoon arguing the finery of man made borders, and their location relative to other man a,de political, and territorial entities with shelf stackers.
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pilchardthecat
5,894 posts
48 months
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If i lived in the US i'm not sure i'd have a passport either.
If i did, the closest i'd come to Europe would be flushing the toilet in the 747 as i flew past it at 30k feet on the way to somewhere more interesting
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kambites
32,857 posts
90 months
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pilchardthecat said: If i did, the closest i'd come to Europe would be flushing the toilet in the 747 as i flew past it at 30k feet on the way to somewhere more interesting Funny but I feel much the same way about the US. 
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TheHeretic
67,822 posts
124 months
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pilchardthecat said: If i lived in the US i'm not sure i'd have a passport either.
If i did, the closest i'd come to Europe would be flushing the toilet in the 747 as i flew past it at 30k feet on the way to somewhere more interesting Everywhere in the world is of interest. Whether you are used to those interesting things, thus find other stuff interesting is another issue entirely.
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Xaero
2,763 posts
84 months
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It's nice to see the statistic improving. Doesn't surprise me though.
Saying that every American I've met not in America have been very nice with a worldly and educated view with a genuine interest in other cultures. Oddly I've found the most of them in Japan, part of the geek or military culture out there. Never met any in the rest of Asia or Australia. A few go around europe though, especially France/Italy and UK.
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Otto
737 posts
85 months
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So turning this around, how many people from the UK could tell where Arkansas is? How about Wyoming? Note these states are larger than a lot of countries in Europe, and are populated by our European ancestors, so you should of course all know this.
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P-Jay
3,612 posts
60 months
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kambites said: Even not knowing where the UK is is hardly a heinous crime... it's about the same size as Uganda; what proportion of British adults could point to Uganda on a map? I bet a significant number wouldn't even know what continent it's in. Yeah, but the UK is much easier to find. We're right deadset in the middle, near the top...
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marcosgt
6,180 posts
45 months
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pilchardthecat said: If i lived in the US i'm not sure i'd have a passport either.
If i did, the closest i'd come to Europe would be flushing the toilet in the 747 as i flew past it at 30k feet on the way to somewhere more interesting Yeah, what's 5000 years of history got to offer...?  On topic, I used to be surprised, but it's not that surprising geographically when you think about it, it's a HUGE place. The downside is that many Americans have a very provincial view of the world because they're never exposed to other cultures (even a trip around Europe will give you this), although a trip to North Carolina will introduce you to Neanderthals... When they do travel, many (like many Brits sadly) just want it to be like home! M
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kambites
32,857 posts
90 months
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P-Jay said: kambites said: Even not knowing where the UK is is hardly a heinous crime... it's about the same size as Uganda; what proportion of British adults could point to Uganda on a map? I bet a significant number wouldn't even know what continent it's in. Yeah, but the UK is much easier to find. We're right deadset in the middle, near the top... Are you sure the Americans haven't reprinted their maps with them in the middle yet? Wouldn't put it past them.
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TheHeretic
67,822 posts
124 months
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Otto said: So turning this around, how many people from the UK could tell where Arkansas is? How about Wyoming? Note these states are larger than a lot of countries in Europe, and are populated by our European ancestors, so you should of course all know this. I know. Mind, I did live in the states for years. Of course knowing where a country is, is a little different to knowing where a state, or a city is. I'm sure you know that.
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marcosgt
6,180 posts
45 months
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kambites said: P-Jay said: kambites said: Even not knowing where the UK is is hardly a heinous crime... it's about the same size as Uganda; what proportion of British adults could point to Uganda on a map? I bet a significant number wouldn't even know what continent it's in. Yeah, but the UK is much easier to find. We're right deadset in the middle, near the top... Are you sure the Americans haven't reprinted their maps with them in the middle yet? Wouldn't put it past them. Is there any real reason why you wouldn't? Nothing says the 0 meridian needs to be in the middle does it? M.
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TheHeretic
67,822 posts
124 months
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marcosgt said: Yeah, what's 5000 years of history got to offer...? On topic, I used to be surprised, but it's not that surprising geographically when you think about it, it's a HUGE place. The downside is that many Americans have a very provincial view of the world because they're never exposed to other cultures (even a trip around Europe will give you this), although a trip to North Carolina will introduce you to Neanderthals... When they do travel, many (like many Brits sadly) just want it to be like home! M I've found travelling Americans to be pretty decent. The US navy coming into Jebel Ali to the Seamans mission being an exception!
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marcosgt
6,180 posts
45 months
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TheHeretic said: marcosgt said: Yeah, what's 5000 years of history got to offer...? On topic, I used to be surprised, but it's not that surprising geographically when you think about it, it's a HUGE place. The downside is that many Americans have a very provincial view of the world because they're never exposed to other cultures (even a trip around Europe will give you this), although a trip to North Carolina will introduce you to Neanderthals... When they do travel, many (like many Brits sadly) just want it to be like home! M I've found travelling Americans to be pretty decent. That's nice M.
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