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Post by bookaddict on Feb 9, 2008 20:02:09 GMT -5
What is a misconception about your country?
I live in Canada and people assume it's freezing here. It's not that bad, and a lot of the US have the same weather.
I come from a small town (Gaspe Coast) and people are amazed that i'm english. It's a mostly french area.
Oh, not all Canadians pronounce "about" as a-boot.
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jobean
First novel published
Posts: 2,479
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Post by jobean on Feb 9, 2008 22:27:03 GMT -5
Hmm well people think Australians are laidback so I guess that's pretty true. We have a relaxed lifestyle I think. But people tend to think we speak like bogans (e.g. "G'day mayte, how ya goin' esque speak), and we DO NOT. The ACTUAL BOGANS speak like that. I don't think there's many misconceptions about Australia. The whole taking-the-piss-out-of-eachother thing is pretty true.
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Post by Dominique on Feb 10, 2008 1:02:46 GMT -5
Except that we have pet crocodiles/kangaroos and do nothing but "throw a shrimp on the barbie". But I don't think many people actually think that
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zeldafitzgerald
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
ancora imparo
Posts: 1,948
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Post by zeldafitzgerald on Feb 10, 2008 9:32:39 GMT -5
The U.S. is one of the most hated countries in the world. It's mostly because of our government, and I hope most people realize we're ashamed of our president and do not support him. Unfortunately, this is a hard case to make when he STILL won re-election in 2004. Even putting aside his decisions and policies, Bush just looks and sounds awkward whenever he's making a speech or meeting foreign leaders. I cringe when I see it. He makes Americans look like uneducated hillbillies.
I think many Americans are poor travelers too, which does not help our case. Traveling Americans have the reputation of being loud, rude, and unwilling to blend in with the cultures they're visiting. While this is true for some Americans, it's definitely not true for all. I'm proud that my alma matter has such a large study abroad program, and that they hold many classes before students travel to bring them up to speed with the language, culture, and customs of the country they'll be visiting.
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Ansku
First novel published
Posts: 2,010
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Post by Ansku on Feb 10, 2008 9:35:13 GMT -5
Well, I read somewhere that when Global warming goes worse, every polar bear will die in Finland. Funny part is, that we don't have any ice bears and we never even had. Some British artical calls us depressed people and we don't never meet anybody, we just sit inside and talk people by phone.
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oureternity
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
bam.
Posts: 1,568
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Post by oureternity on Feb 10, 2008 13:02:42 GMT -5
I live in Israel and there are way too many assumptions people just assume about my country that both saddens and makes me angry, like that we're primitive (which is less common but still exists) or the most ridiculous thought that we're constantly in a war and it's dangerous to be here, it really isn't like this (and all tourists are most welcomed! . If there's one thing that is true about us is that we're really influenced by the Western culture, we're beginning to look like the Jewish America, lol.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Feb 10, 2008 14:42:03 GMT -5
I have to agree with most of what Zelda said about the US. I think we are hated because we like to butt-in, and President Bush isn't very well liked. It's statistically proven that most Presidents loose popularity among the citizens the longer they're in office, but I think Bush is doing extra poorly.
And the traveling thing is right, too. I went to Edinburgh for a week and while cultures aren't too different between the UK and the US, we definitely stuck out. I've vowed that if I go to a foreign country, I'll defintely research their customs and stuff before I go, as well as their language.
I have to say I think many probably think we're wasteful, which we are. So, I guess most of the "misunderstandings" about the US are probably true. Unfortunately...
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Post by Carma on Feb 10, 2008 15:01:34 GMT -5
haha Ok, not everybody in Holland smokes pot (daily) and is on any other kind of drugs all the time.. we don't live in mills (at least.. not everybody) and we don't walk around on wooden shoes.. (well, again, not everybody) ehm.. any other?
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Wess
First poem written for Mother’s Day
Posts: 41
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Post by Wess on Feb 10, 2008 15:14:36 GMT -5
haha Ok, not everybody in Holland smokes pot (daily) and is on any other kind of drugs all the time.. we don't live in mills (at least.. not everybody) and we don't walk around on wooden shoes.. (well, again, not everybody) ehm.. any other? That's funny, I was reading this topic earlier today, but I didn't have the time to post, but I would've posted EXACTLY the same lol. I've got something to add; The Netherlands is known as a very liberal country when it comes to homosexuals, but I'll be honest, I think we're a lot less liberal than we like to portray ourselves.
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Post by Pilleriin on Feb 10, 2008 15:14:52 GMT -5
Some British artical calls us depressed people and we don't never meet anybody, we just sit inside and talk people by phone. I've heard the same about Estonians.
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Ansku
First novel published
Posts: 2,010
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Post by Ansku on Feb 10, 2008 15:18:07 GMT -5
Some British artical calls us depressed people and we don't never meet anybody, we just sit inside and talk people by phone. I've heard the same about Estonians. Well our countrys are neighbours. And we have Nokia.
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Post by Pilleriin on Feb 10, 2008 15:21:42 GMT -5
Yes, you have! I'm not sure, but I think we're looking for our "Nokia"
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Post by Carma on Feb 10, 2008 15:22:39 GMT -5
And Nokia rocks! I've got something to add; The Netherlands is known as a very liberal country when it comes to homosexuals, but I'll be honest, I think we're a lot less liberal than we like to portray ourselves. True, very true.. But we do have a lot of 'famous' people that we know about that they are gay.. and that doesn't matter.. (well, not to me..) Lot's of people get really weird about homosexuals... Like they got something to hide..
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oureternity
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
bam.
Posts: 1,568
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Post by oureternity on Feb 10, 2008 16:10:22 GMT -5
I have to agree with most of what Zelda said about the US. I think we are hated because we like to butt-in, and President Bush isn't very well liked. It's statistically proven that most Presidents loose popularity among the citizens the longer they're in office, but I think Bush is doing extra poorly.
And the traveling thing is right, too. I went to Edinburgh for a week and while cultures aren't too different between the UK and the US, we definitely stuck out. I've vowed that if I go to a foreign country, I'll defintely research their customs and stuff before I go, as well as their language.
I have to say I think many probably think we're wasteful, which we are. So, I guess most of the "misunderstandings" about the US are probably true. Unfortunately... I agree with you Kristie, but I think it really depends on what countries represent the US in that way. I think Bush is being blamed for a lot of stuff and he's done some mistakes, although I personally think that under different circumstances he wouldn't be doing so poorly. Then again the world is divided into teams kind of, and the US has made allies and therefore turned some other countries against it automatically. I can't say a hundred percent that the concept of the US all over the world is wrong, but it sure isn't right.
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Brunella
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
Posts: 1,441
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Post by Brunella on Feb 10, 2008 18:47:36 GMT -5
I don't think there are a lot of misconceptions concerning my country (Uruguay) because I guess not many people know us or can even point out the country in a map. But the once misconception I've heard of firsthand is that of people believing that we're some sort of addendum to Argentina, or that we're the same country as Paraguay... Oh, and the weather thing also, people think we have hot weather when we practically have the same weather as NYC, for example (minus the snow )
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