Funny perspectives about one's own country

By Wreybies · Nov 1, 2013 · 875 · 10
  1. I still keep up with Banzai (former mod) via Facebook. He's a great chap. We often discuss the things that embarrass each of us about our respective countries. He's in the U.K. and I'm in U.S. (well, sorta')

    One of the things we've hashed over (and has been hashed over here in the forum more than once) is the way we see the physical and paradigmatic set up of each other's countries. If you take away the verbiage each of uses, you see a set-up that is actually pretty similar. The U.K. is comprised of countries that make up a kingdom. The U.S. is comprised of states that make up a federation. In the U.S., when a child becomes savvy enough to notice that a U.S. state is veeeeeeeeery similar to a country in other parts of the world, out comes the ruler, smack go the knuckles. That kind of talk is no-no territory. So, I understand when royal subjects get annoyed that Americans don't see the U.K. as being comprised of different countries, not states (lower case s), even though to us it looks like exactly that. You have to forgive us, we've had years of heavy indoctrination that those words are not to be used.

    And with that said, a funny perspective of America from an Aussie's POV. I love the bit about the two Washingtons. He's right. Why did we do that?

    [​IMG]
    KaTrian, Daniel, Okon and 2 others like this.

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  1. obsidian_cicatrix
    Good question. I used to live in small town in WA. When I tell people, I get asked questions like,

    "Did you get to see the White House?"

    Uh... no, the White House is in D.C. I lived about 50 miles or so Northeast of Seattle."

    "But you said you lived in Washington."

    Aghh!
    obsidian_cicatrix, Nov 1, 2013
      Andrae Smith likes this.
  2. minstrel
    This is approximately hilarious!
    minstrel, Nov 1, 2013
      Andrae Smith likes this.
  3. Andrae Smith
    I couldn't help but laugh at this! Your commentary about the states being apart of the whole is hilarious, and the map reminded me of my thoughts back in AP U.S. history. We were told to study the map over the summer, then for our first quiz, we were given a blank map of the states and told to fill it out. I can say my thoughts were very similar lol! Though I am a Californian, so I knew it well, and I knew DC was on the east coast. Given the test again, I think I'd go from 48/50 to about somewhere between 20 and 30 (maybe more) and I've been here all my life!
    Andrae Smith, Nov 1, 2013
  4. Andrae Smith
    Andrae Smith, Nov 1, 2013
  5. obsidian_cicatrix
    How well did I do?.... pretty crap really. I got twelve wrong. :rolleyes: And worse still, I've driven through 6 of them. (Or was reading a map at the time which makes it even worse.) I'm Scots Irish, so I have a completely valid excuse. I messed up on the New England ones, and the Central ones the most. The more obscure ones I fared better with were in close proximity to the ones that stand out shape wise. Texas is a great one for that. Knowing where D.C. is gives me Virginia, the Carolinas etc. But for all those wee hokey East Coast states, I can name them, but point to them on a map...uh...no.
    obsidian_cicatrix, Nov 1, 2013
      Andrae Smith likes this.
  6. Andrae Smith
    Yeah I had to look at a map myself to figure out the New England states! I just can't keep them memorized. And the Midwestern states that are all freaking RECTANGLES! -_- Come on now lol. I did better than I thought and ended up getting 44 right the first time because I've driven across country before, but Man lol!
    Andrae Smith, Nov 2, 2013
      obsidian_cicatrix likes this.
  7. obsidian_cicatrix
    lol... yup the rectangles are a pain. North and South Dakota aren't so bad, 'cos they're grouped together and are of roughly the same proportions, but as for the rest. *tuts*
    obsidian_cicatrix, Nov 3, 2013
      Andrae Smith likes this.
  8. KaTrian
    KaTrian, Nov 11, 2013
  9. Wreybies
    Ha! :) There are actually quite a few of those maps which I find very interesting, sociologically speaking. The Europe according to Latin America is telling in that it calls Ireland Puerto Rico, as in, "is that its own thing or does it belong to someone else?" ;)
    Wreybies, Nov 11, 2013
      KaTrian and obsidian_cicatrix like this.
  10. KaTrian
    Wrey, that's hilarious x) no dancing!
    KaTrian, Nov 11, 2013
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