The reverse also applies, try asking similar questions about the US of average Aussie's in the street, I suspect responses would be enlightening.

Santa wrote:

---

The reverse also applies, try asking similar questions about the US of average Aussie's in the street, I suspect responses would be enlightening.

---

Gday...

I should do a bit of digging and find the evidence ... but there have been a number of surveys of Strayan public about their knowledge of Straya ... disappointing how very little our own mob know about our own great land.

Cheers - John

So why single out Americans Ive worked in a number of countries over the years where the ordinary person in the street wouldnt have a clue about Australia - I felt lucky if they even knew where it was. People in Australia only know more about America because like me for 61 years I have been constantly bombarded with their movies, tv shows, music, products etc.

BB

Aus-Kiwi wrote:

---

Yep unlike the vids we watch from Asia !! Sorry . Lol

---

 Ha ha AK, sometimes I worry about you.

Aussie Paul. 

-- Edited by aussie_paul on Monday 5th of March 2018 02:09:56 PM

On my first trip to the USA some decades ago, we had to explain how far away Australia was as no-one had any idea. The astounding thing was the regularity of then being asked, "How long did it take you to drive that far?"

Last year I accompanied my daughter to a university in Wisconsin and she was sceptical that such ignorance would exist today. Especially with university students.

She was amazed to have to report at the end of the trip that she was asked that same question three separate times. By university students no less.

Jim

Kisha wrote:

---

Having lived in the USA and Europe I know many knowledgeable people thoroughly acquainted with Australia, USA, and their own country, knowledge obtained through study or experience or driven by their desire to know.  Yes they are  interesting communicative people and thats a quality I like. 

On the other hand there are people in every country that show little knowledge of Australia, including Australians themselves.  To say Americans are a self centered Nation is really not nice.......Kisha

-- Edited by Kisha on Monday 5th of March 2018 12:24:01 PM

---

Well said Kisha, and of course very true.

You know Kisha I had a similar exchange with a young man on a checkout at our local IGA yesterday, asked him how he was enjoying the cooler weather, he replied that spring is his favorite time of the year, I reminded him we are now in Autumn.

Worked with a chap in the 1970's in Mordialloc. He was approaching 50 and had basically never been off the Nepean Highway. He'd been into Central Melbourne a couple of times. Worked in Mordialloc, lived in Frankston and holidayed somewhere between Rosebud & Sorrento. He didn't know where Footscray was other than a Football team was based there. Then he got sent on a work assignment to Tennant Creek.

My wife and I have spent approx. 6 months in total travelling through- out North America by car (approx. 70,000 kms. ) using cheap motels etc. for accomodation. 

We can only say that it is one of the easiest, cheapest ,friendliest  and most spectacular countries we have travelled in. We have never "booked" any accomodation and have travelled in "peak times." (summer)  We spent very little time in big cities .

The country areas have so much to offer as far as sights and attractions are concerned and  coupled with the locals  friendliness and  hospitality towards Australians, it just makes it a dream place to travel. Roads are excellent and mostly uncrowded particularly in country areas and also access to the unending number of spectacular  National and State Parks is excellent with excellent facilities. 

Easily the most common comment  against coming to Australia that I hear from "US domestic travellers" (sort of the equivallent of our Grey Nomads) is  THE POISONOUS  SNAKES and SPIDERS that inhabit Australia . I think that some of these TV Nature Shows have done Australias Tourist Industry a big "disservice" by not explaining things from an Australian residents point of view.(really the snakes etc. are not a problem if you use a bit of "common sense" ) Americans use "common sense" when travelling in areas inhabitated by bears or rattle snakes and it is just a part of life for them.

A "self-centred, loud, unworldly " everyday  American would hard to find ,especially in the country.

We will be going back as there is still plenty more to see.

KB

 

 

 

 

 

Santa, I have to agree with you. Why should Americans know about OZ? They may well be politically self-centred but most I've met are nice people.

Why should they know that much about OZ or anywhere else outside the US?

Roy E

Roy E wrote:

---

Santa, I have to agree with you. Why should Americans know about OZ? They may well be politically self-centred but most I've met are nice people.

Why should they know that much about OZ or anywhere else outside the US?

Roy E

---

 Me too Roy. 

Aussie Paul. 

Americans from what I can see are fond of Australians and there great allies, We have Canadian friends and there culture and politics are a mirror image of ours ,and personal option here there better than yanks 

Some people seem to like taking one comment about something and then expand that comment much larger than was intended.
My observation that many Americans have little knowledge of basic world geography was just that. Nothing more.

I know stuff all about Slovakia for example. Can't name its capitol nor what language they speak. But, I do know its in Europe and that there is a very large ocean between us and them. That's a more direct comparison to Americans not realising you can't drive from Oz to the USA. There is no need to then ask how much Slovakians know about us? I'll bet they at least know we're across an ocean or two from them.

Personally, I love the American people. Incredibly friendly, especially in the country areas. "Small Town" USA has much the same type of people as we do in "Small Town" Australia. Just with a different accent.
In L.A. Chicago or San Francisco....not so much. Detroit? Somewhere in between.

The day to day food is nothing short of amazing. I could eat it all day, every day. (Although my chances of living to a ripe old age would probably diminish somewhat.) Yes, they put sugar in absolutely everything but the taste is amazing.
Their coffee is terrible however. To our taste at least.

Not all American ignorance should be attributed to intelligence however. EG: 99% of Americans will confidently tell you WW2 started in Dec 1941. That was when it started for them. It's what they have been told all their lives right through school.

At the end of the day, (Apart from it being midnight ) I believe its fair to say that general knowledge of the world as a whole is far less in the USA than in any other part of the developed world.

Cheers
Jim

In younger years I lived and worked in the USA and then in later life have returned for quite a few visits.

 

I find the American people simply brilliant. They are in general very polite, friendly and extremely welcoming to visitors. They do not know a lot about Australia, but why should they. We are not as important as some of us like to think. The comment by DD is just plain ignorant.

 

Just think back a bit over seventy years ago. Do you think we would towing our caravans around in this great place if they had done nothing.