The Old Folks Home

[ozexpat]

:yiipchick  Call on me!!! I know!!! I know!!!

Somehow our conversation at work one day centered on geography. I mentioned a country in South America. Someone said it wasn't in South America. I challenged that I could name every country in the western hemisphere and their in relation to their neighbors. I won a lot of money that day.
I just have never been able to do the same with Africa, though I've tried.  Europe and Asia are a cinch.

Reminds me of when Suriname won gold in the Olympics and the announcers did not know where it was.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It's ALL about the beer. Just sayin'...

Tecate is my cerveza of choice.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Many in other parts of the world know much more about US geography than most of the Americans I know.

They at least know most of our states, cities, rivers and mountain ranges and their orientation to one another.

95% of Americans one would question about cinco de Mayo would say it is the Mexican independence day. Not true, it's September 16. El Dia de los Muertos (all saints day)is a much bigger celebration in Mexico than cinco de Mayo.

http://www.boredpanda.com/americans-place-european-countries-on-map/

What's particularly funny is that many Latinos of Mexican ancestry say he same thing?

I don't want to know where many Americans place European countries on a map. I am still recovering from the guy who asked me where I was from in a state far to the east of here. When I told him "Oregon" he asked me if that was in northern or southern California....

 

[ozexpat]

Its a terrible waste to spend the cost of a university education on doing algebra and English 101

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Knowledge of English grammar was going to be my other point.

Well, don't get me started.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

All you mentioned I learnt about in junior high school. In most western countries there is enough general education in high school not to require general Ed subjects in college.

When my kids finally get here, I will be very active in their education.

Yes, but I took something like the equivalent of a full year of upper division credits in college history and spent a heck of a lot of time going into extensive depth on some of these areas of history. In high school it was an over view; in college I was sitting down and reading Chinese Gordon's dispatches and paying serious attention to historiography. I received two separate undergraduate degrees concurrently at commencement.

 

[ozexpat]

When I was first being interviewed for a job in the USA I was asked by a nursing director where am I from. I said Australia. She told me I speak American very well.....

 

[ozexpat]

Yes, but I took something like the equivalent of a full year of upper division credits in college history and spent a heck of a lot of time going into extensive depth on some of these areas of history. In high school it was an over view; in college I was sitting down and reading Chinese Gordon's dispatches and paying serious attention to historiography. I received two separate undergraduate degrees concurrently at commencement.

As I said you are different than most

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Reminds me of when Suriname won gold in the Olympics and the announcers did not know where it was.

A friend of mine's father is from French Guiana. He happens to be Black and comes from the Maroon culture. You would not believe how many people think French Guiana is in Africa - and not just Americans.

 

[ozexpat]

Knowledge of English grammar was going to be my other point.


Well, don't get me started.

I ain't got no problems with speaking proper