USC Clueless Families?

[Koakland 0]

Yes, I went to school in the U.S. If you came out of school being taught how "awesome" the country is, then your experience was quite different from mine.

Ditto...

Oh and the United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain consists of Scotland, England, Wales, and a few other surrounding tiny islands.

And England consists of well...England.

Not so difficult if one takes the time to explain it.

Oh, but P.S. some from Scotland, Wales and Ireland don't like to be called British, even though they are... LOL

I went to wikipedia to look it up yesterday and then posted my new found knowledge on thefacebook and all my friends were happy that I shared the info with them.

[Soancika+Brian 0]

If somebody doesn't know where my country is ,all they need to do just ask. I will do my best to explain where to find it,but don't try guessing...Oh Lithuania it's Transilvania right? Soo do you guys still have vapires in your country?...

[Shad and Dani 3]

If somebody doesn't know where my country is ,all they need to do just ask. I will do my best to explain where to find it,but don't try guessing...Oh Lithuania it's Transilvania right? Soo do you guys still have vapires in your country?...

The funny thing is that Halloween isn't really celebrated in the Balkans. I've been wanting to travel to Romania forever to see Dracula's castle, but Bulgarians could care less about going there. Plus they complain about all the Romanian gypsies

[Laura+Tom 2]

Yes, I went to school in the U.S. If you came out of school being taught how "awesome" the country is, then your experience was quite different from mine.

Ditto...

Oh and the United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain consists of Scotland, England, Wales, and a few other surrounding tiny islands.

And England consists of well...England.

Not so difficult if one takes the time to explain it.

Oh, but P.S. some from Scotland, Wales and Ireland don't like to be called British, even though they are... LOL

I worked with a Welsh guy, and whatever you did you didn't call him British!

[Brad and Vika 129]

If somebody doesn't know where my country is ,all they need to do just ask. I will do my best to explain where to find it,but don't try guessing...Oh Lithuania it's Transilvania right? Soo do you guys still have vapires in your country?...

The funny thing is that Halloween isn't really celebrated in the Balkans. I've been wanting to travel to Romania forever to see Dracula's castle, but Bulgarians could care less about going there. Plus they complain about all the Romanian gypsies

Actually, the Castle Bran (I think that is the name of Dracula's Castle) is really not that big a deal. Less than an hour to go through it, and hours to get there. And vampires in Lithuania? Too funny

[Brad and Vika 129]

Belarus isn't exactly a well known country. I already knew a lot about it even before I met my wife because my mom's parents were born there. My wife is a Belarusian citizen, but was born in Russia. She is ethnic Russian. My grandparents were ethnic Belarusians. What is the difference? I can't really tell any major differences and have traveled in both countries. Belarusians have attempted to revive the Belarusian language, but most Belarusians speak Russian and don't even know the Belarusian language. Russians, Belarusians, and Ukrainians were the Slavic peoples within the USSR. I have found all three to be very similar to my American eyes.

When Americans ask my wife and stepdaughter where they are from they just tell them, Russia. It is a lot easier than trying to explain the geography, history, and peoples of the region.

I don't know about Russia, but I see lots of differences between the average group of Belarussians walking around Minsk, and the comparative in a place like Odessa. Ukraine has been a kind of cultural crossroads historically, so you see the influence of Slavic, Asian, Middle Eastern, and even African in different parts of the country. That cultural diversity is present in the people, mode of dress, body language, and even the architecture a little. I agree though that for most Americans, it is VERY tough to explain any of that.

My cousin was going to take me from Belarus on a trip to Kiev several years ago, but I just didn't have the time and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to return to Belarus from Ukraine with the Belarusian visa I had. My departure flight to the USA was out of Minsk. I would like to visit Ukraine some day just to see it. Unlike Belarus and Russia, a visa is unnecessary unless a US citizen wants to stay more than 90 days (or so I heard).

My stepdaughter's boyfriend is a Ukrainian and lives here in Houston. He has been a US citizen for several years. I've met several other Ukrainians here in the Houston area. Some of my mom's relatives in Belarus have Ukrainian surnames, but are Belarusian citizens. Some of my other Belarusian relatives have Russian surnames too. My mom's parents both had Belarusian surnames. That is why I say that there are little discernable clues in appearance, because they all have that Slavic look.

I'll have to take your word on the cultural diversity of Ukraine. I don't know much about the Ukraine except from books. I've never been there.

From what I have seen of European Russia and Belarus it is mostly Slavic. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Minsk I saw only a few foreign students from Africa and China around the university areas. Occasionally I saw a few peoples from the Caucus' or the 'stans of the old USSR. My wife calls them "people from the south". Otherwise it was 99% Slavic from what I saw in Belarus and Russia.

Belarus is a crossroads too. It was occupied by Germany in WWI and WWII. Napolean ravaged his way through there on his failed conquest of Moscow. The Hordes from the East rampaged through there in earlier times. Not much African activity that I have ever read about though.

I agree that Belarus is also a crossroads, but a Slavic/Scandanavian crossroads. It is also VERY homogenious since WWII, thanks to its foreign policy and lack of tourist industry. It has historically been a part of Russia, Poland, and the Duchy of Lithuania, so there is a certain sense of regional history and cultural influence, if you can sift through the remaining Soviet era and socialist flavor. I love it there because it is like stepping into a time capsule.

[Uncle Wally 2]

My signature looks like the Met Life building.

You know, I realize that. But do you think you might Photoshop some of those photos so they're side by side? I've gotta scroll down halfway to China to get to the post below yours.

[M.O 6]

ok guys..you are trying to be smart but do you know where Moldova is???i bet half of you have not even heard about it...

(Exception the ex- Soviet Union countries)

IF you dont know dont try to point at them(americans) .. i think its normal for them not to really be interested in other countries...and give a lot of love and pride for their own ..Comon...

yeah they might have an idea wheres at...all of your countries... but not exactly...like i do,like everybody does...we are not perfect...

i agree some of them dont have a clue...but not all of them...

We all are human beings...we dont know everything in this world...

Thats all

Take it as it is or leave...

Olesea...

[mox 298]

ok guys..you are trying to be smart but do you know where Moldova is???i bet half of you have not even heard about it...

(Exception the ex- Soviet Union countries)

IF you dont know dont try to point at them(americans) .. i think its normal for them not to really be interested in other countries...and give a lot of love and pride for their own ..Comon...

I wouldn't expect the average American to know exactly where Moldova is. But I *would* expect them to know that they should start looking in Africa Asia Finland Alaska Taco Bell Eastern Europe.

[NickD 202]

I was certainly clueless about Taiwan with all that cheap stuff coming here, neighbor is from Taiwan, her sister living there was trying to save $40,000 just to be able to rent, not buy, a small apartment.

A business associate came over from Germany, Dresden to be exact, a couple of years after that wall was torn down. Could only look in admiration at my 600 watt stereo system with 15" speakers, could never have that in his very small apartment, would blow the walls and the neighbors out. Did think for a huge country our then 55 mph interstate speed limit was stupid, could only reply, we think it stupid too. And a separate bedroom for each kid?

Wife couldn't believe we can drink water out of the tap, we do have some nice things here in the USA that we take for granted.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I told him that we don't have cars and that we ride dinosaurs.

Though to back up, I was surprised to see how many people were still using horses and carts in the far countryside. Sure there were cars, but also horses and carts. There was electricity, but few houses had running water, it all came from a well, one of those old fashioned draw types. Most of the old people we saw were dressed like I had seen in ancient Soviet photos of village people. The trains came to match, smoking Soviet era beasts. It was really weird to contrast that with what I saw of Lithuania from Vilnius and Kaunas. Like stepping back in time 60-100 years. Still, I'd recommend a visit to anyone who is ever out that way. I'd like to go back sometime.

[Marc & Solika 1]

I think, unless someone from ANY country is really interested in another country, they won't really have much of an idea where it is on the map, much less know about their climate or even what food they eat there. We here all have vested interest in another country and we probably know and have research that country a lot over your visa paths. Our everyday lives, as sad as some think, many times prevent us from know the world around us and that's why I think that all the members here are so lucky to know and share cultures from all over the world.......just my opinion

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Oh, but P.S. some from Scotland, Wales and Ireland don't like to be called British, even though they are... LOL

And some that come from England don't really appreciate it either. Hence my choice of flag (and yours )

[Brad and Vika 129]

ok guys..you are trying to be smart but do you know where Moldova is???i bet half of you have not even heard about it...

(Exception the ex- Soviet Union countries)

IF you dont know dont try to point at them(americans) .. i think its normal for them not to really be interested in other countries...and give a lot of love and pride for their own ..Comon...

I wouldn't expect the average American to know exactly where Moldova is. But I *would* expect them to know that they should start looking in Africa Asia Finland Alaska Taco Bell Eastern Europe.

Good to see legions of the faithful (some not even USCs apparently) defending the rights of all to be ignorant of geography

My signature looks like the Met Life building.

You know, I realize that. But do you think you might Photoshop some of those photos so they're side by side? I've gotta scroll down halfway to China to get to the post below yours.

No.

[Fandango 1,439]

people used to ask me if they celebrated Christmas in the UK