Americans know nothing about Canada

I am Canadian. I recently visited the US a few months ago. While I was there, I stopped at a gas station to fill-up. When I was paying, I put my wallet down on the counter... I noticed the cashier seemed confused. I asked her: "What's wrong?" She pointed at my wallet and asked me: "What's that green card in your wallet?" I told her: "It's my debit card... TD Canada Trust, one of the biggest banks in Canada." After telling her that, her jaw dropped and she said: "There's banks in Canada?"

I know that this is just one person out of millions, but I can recount many times that Americans have made complete fools of themselves by saying things about Canada that were complete nonsense. Such as Americans thinking that we have states… we have provinces and territories. Some have wondered how we sleep in igloos… less that 0.2% of Canadians live in igloos.

I encourage the US government to put Canada into their curriculum... and if it already is... increase the amount by a lot!

There are more morons in America than you would think.
And I'm American. Makes me ill the way this country (and, yes, most of its citizenry) behaves, not just toward Canada but the whole world. As if it were there "for" us.

I haven't been to western Ca for years, not since I was a kid on vacation. But it's the Maritimes I love and need to visit again soon. My best friend lives near Dartmouth; she is also American but won't admit to it.

We're not all dolts. Most of us, yeah. Sorry....

IAMCAN wrote:

I am Canadian. I recently visited the US a few months ago. While I was there, I stopped at a gas station to fill-up. When I was paying, I put my wallet down on the counter... I noticed the cashier seemed confused. I asked her: "What's wrong?" She pointed at my wallet and asked me: "What's that green card in your wallet?" I told her: "It's my debit card... TD Canada Trust, one of the biggest banks in Canada." After telling her that, her jaw dropped and she said: "There's banks in Canada?"

I know that this is just one person out of millions, but I can recount many times that Americans have made complete fools of themselves by saying things about Canada that were complete nonsense. Such as Americans thinking that we have states� we have provinces and territories. Some have wondered how we sleep in igloos� less that 0.2% of Canadians live in igloos.

I encourage the US government to put Canada into their curriculum... and if it already is... increase the amount by a lot!

Look it is a convenience store the standards are not high most of the time the employees are. OK
They give tests to determine drug use

Have you used drugs in the last 10 days.
How many drugs have you sold in the last 2 weeks
Have you ever killed anyone and gotten away with it.

By the way you can answer yes to some of these questions and they will still hire you.

IAMCAN: I agree many folks in USA are not too familiar with Canada and I accept that as -how would they know ? We Canadians know a bit about the US but I do not give much credit to my learning by school studies other than the origins of US. However; since a child the sat. matinees at the theater and fav.tv shows were all US shows so naturally we learned things (right or wrong) about the US. Nowadays a popular news channel is CNN- also- likely the US elections get as much coverage here as our own elections but doubt very many even know of our elections in U.S. I have had hilarious times in the states re Canada and actually led them on- did not see them as naive as how would they know. Heck I have had folks in NY ask me where Philadelphia is and I said in Canada and reply was-geez-did not know that but thought it was ! A very busy country of 300 +million to survive in does not cause a citizen to be much interested about other countries. However; try being from Atlantic Canada and visiting Ontario or Alberta- even worse as at least they are fellow Canadians -who think all we do here is fish and our capital is Lunenburg where our airport is--- I assure you Pat on AOL knows more bout us than many Canadians. Look- do not be offended- be reasonable and I assure you there are many things about the US you do not know and realize-HOW WOULD I ?? This does not; in my opinion, reflect dumb Americans-only reality! We are all solid friends if threatened!! Sorry, Boston born-Nova Scotia raised - the main issue is not ignorance it is the availability of the knowledge.

One thing about americans is they learn from their mistakes.

I am a Canuck and if not for the movies I would know zip about the Alamo(for ex.) and doubt many Americans would have::: as well(if not for the movies) I would not have known about Lawrence of Arabia despite the fact Arthur Kennedy lived only 45 kms away from me (he was the American reporter in the movie). The movies and TV shows have had significant roles in educating us about other countries and their peoples. A Canadian TV series did a reality show from campus of Harvard and requested many of the faculty to protest that Canada sends older folks out to sea on icebergs floating south. Yanks, Brits, Canucks- we are as good as they come !!

americans don't know anything about anything. you can blame that on our cirriculum which promotes ethnic studies, and all that crap.

To Coyote i agree with your statement that films did play a role in educationing people about other nations that is a good point to make.Let me tell you about two americans from virginia i was talking to last year.I mentioned that their state was named after Elizabeth the first the virgin queen.They asked me how did i work that out i replied it was Sir Walter Raleigh formed a settlement there in the late 16 centuary he named the surronding area virginia after the virgin queen hence virginia.The replie was a look of consternation.Well Coyote if that can cause consternation its a good job they did not come from Manchester.In latin Manchester means breast shapped hills now that would have caused consternation.

There is a french community nearby called Grosse Coques- Now imagine the chuckles from non french speaking folks who pass there. Another place there is an oceanside area called Balls Cove.

Only 20% of Canadians live in Igloos? I thought it was more like 50%!

But seriously, I live in Florida but visit Vancouver and Whistler Canada every summer. I've been doing that for the past 10 years. What surprised me the most was that you have to purchase beer and wine in a Liquor Store--not a grocery store. I got a chuckle when locals walked up to me and said they would give me a quarter for a cigarette.

Everyone should visit Wreck Beach in Vancouver and see Capitalism at its best. Everyone has their own jingle and they sell everything from marijuana brownies to sex on the beach (it is a drink) from nude vendors. It is also a nude beach.

Whistler is a great place to visit but I don't do cold weather well. They have great public transportation in Canada so I stopped getting the rental car and I use the public transportation.

I like Canada, but where are the igloos?

Jim: pleased you visit western Canada and enjoy it. I think there still are igloos a long way from your visitation area. I do not know but likely . 0005% would still live in igloos. Hey pal- try the convenience/inconvenience of finding a liquor outlet in Philadelphia !

To Coyote hello again iam catching up on what i have missed in these postings well the Grosse Coques and the balls cove gave me a chuckle or two well heres one for you Coyote in the Shetland islands there is a village called Twatt.

Imagination could formulate many origins for that name but likely safe to assume it was last name of the founder- dunno- maybe !! gotta stop !

Why should anyone give a damn about Canada? The only thing anyone needs to know about Canada is that it's north of the U.S. and they like hockey.That's sums up everything about Canada that you need to know.Any other information about Canada is meaningless.

I wouldn't be too surprised. Most Americans don't know much about the US either. (It's a public education thing)

Rebelheart wrote:

I wouldn't be too surprised. Most Americans don't know much about the US either.(It's a public education thing)

Pay no heed to this poster, he's a frustrated CFNM fetishist.

And here we go again with the real cfnm fetishist himself: tnmtndude!
It's not even a thread on nude swimming in school, but he still manages to bring up his deranged obsession with cfnm fantasies!
What a moron! What a loser! What a dumb-ass!

geez

It’s not just that we’ve become a nation of idiots, but the more shocking revelation that we really don’t seem to care. Intellect (and I mean by the most minimal standards) has actually become suspect; blithe imbecility is worshipped as a form of “authenticity.”
You got off lightly. I work with a guy who emigrated from India 40 years ago. He told me once about a conversation he’d had with a woman on a train one day. After informing her that he had come from India, she had remarked that it must be a new experience for him to have to wear clothes!

It was nice of her to inquire and be pleasant to the fellow. I hope he told her he bought them on the trans Atlantic railway clothing car.