Cultural Exchange (Page 1 of 3)

Meh. Altho I'm from a small town to the south, I tell people I'm from South Bend, Indiana, because they maybe have heard of that (Notre Dame University and all). But when I went to the Netherlands I told people I was from "around Chicago". You adjust to your audience.

I'm rather more knowledgeable about the UK than the average Joe because I'm steeped in English literature and British comedy. Even so, I view all of Europe like vintage Universal horror movies: an English-speaking, tweed-wearing, castle-owning, steam-train-riding pastiche.

On the other hand, more than one Dutchman said to me, "Chicago? Oh! Al Capone!"

Last edited by Zarban (2013-10-29 03:28:28)

Yeah. I asked this guy from Nigeria which part of the country he was from, just because I wanted to get an idea if he was by the sea, or in the north, or what, and he launches into this HUGE discussion about the history of the country, and all the prejudices involved, and complains about how no one knows anything about Africa…which is all kinda pointless, because he's the only Nigerian I know and probably will ever know. Meanwhile, if I tell him I'm from North Carolina, I get a blank stare. Most people, I just say I'm from the east coast of America. But if I meet someone from the South, I get more specific.

The world's a big place, it's really impossible to keep all the borders and townships at a moment's remembrance.

I'd rather be a guido than a ladymouth.

I'd been getting this wrong my whole life, and only recently decided to study up on the English/British thing.   (But I maintain that my confusion of Angles and Saxons and Normans in the M&C commentary was just a misspeak.  I meant to say Normans, I really did.) 

But now I can say with certainty - until an actual Brit shows up to correct me  - that "English" applies only to someone from the actual country of England, while "British" includes Scotland and Wales (which along with England are collectively "Great Britain).    So a Scot is British, but not English.

And "The United Kingdom" is all of the above plus Northern Ireland. 

And finally the "British Commonwealth" is all of the above, plus a bunch of their former colonies including: (the rest of) Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, etc.   

I'm pleased that I now finally know this.  I feel all worldly and shite.

An advantage of being an American is our own history is the easiest to learn in the whole damn world.  We had a war with England and became a country and then we had a war with ourselves and stayed a country and then we had a war with Germany and Japan and won, the end.   The rest is just cars, rock and roll, and a moon landing.   

I can only imagine how much harder it is to learn British history, for starters there's two thousand more years of it. Criminy.

Then again, instead of just having to know one area's history Americans should know the details on why certain major immigrations happened to the US, and that tacks on quite a bit. All of British, European, Aztec, Mayan, and Native American history is to American history what the Old Testament is to the New Testament. Sure, you can ignore it, but you kind of need it to actually get the right meanings from newer books.

(my dad taught Jr High American history, so I'm a bit of a history nerd)

That's the jist of it, there are plenty of people who will go out of their way to confuse you by insisting that they are not British when they infact are, due to a misplaced sense of patriotism. "Grrr I'm not British I'm English!"

Scotland and Wales now have their own parliaments, which helps to confuse matters, as well as Scotland having its own bank notes.

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure Canadian history is a little simpler.

A shit ton of different explorers landed all over the place, they fucked with the Natives, white man took over, then a bunch of dates when the provinces and territories joined and then a few small revolutions here and there (Mostly the metis whining), plus us kicking the Americans ass a couple of times and then a shit ton of Premiers who no one remembers.

We have a very low key history not to mention we have about a hundred years less of it than you guys do.

ALthough I will admit, I barely know much about my own history (Mostly cause it's very much all the same) let alone a ton about other countries. I could probably walk you through the broad strokes of the various major wars, but outside of that I am unfortunately ignorant of a lot.

Oh yah. It was a helluva sunday too. We had a nice big bonfire, roasted some hotdogs afterwards, cooked up some smores. It was a great time.

So much so that  - I suddenly realize - it was  immortalized in an often-covered country song.   So that's what "The Battle of New Orleans" is about...

Go figure, most of my knowledge about the war of 1812 comes from a Charlie Daniels cover of a novelty tune.

I know you posted this a while ago, Trey, but I've just seen it, so I'll reply-

Yup, I am Scottish/British, not English/British It annoys me so many times when people, mostly Americans, say 'I hate the British' when they mean English. The Scots and Irish have done nothing to you guys, you know. 

Points to Trey for using the word shite

Yeah, Scotland's had a war or two with England too (see Braveheart). Some say we are still at war with them as some Scots still want independence.

I remember last year listening to one of the fxguide family of podcasts and being blown away that Mike Seymour didn't know the significance of the Fourth of July.

Not so much about the fact that he didn't know, as the realization of my own unconscious ethnocentrism in just assuming that everyone did.

I agree

Wow, I have been brainwashed. Who knew?  From personal experience though, when some americans over the years thought I was English, I did get a lot more shit from them until I said I was Scottish.

Yeah, total Independence isn't a good idea.

That is very true. I can't name all of the American states, so why should I, as a foreigner expect Americans to know anything about any where else? I live in a town called Lanark and apart from a very fleeting mention in Braveheart, it'd be stupid for anyone to expect Americans (hell, or even the English) to have heard of it.