Ridiculous crap we make foreigners believe...

[BookstoreEscapee]

We all know Bruce Springsteen (actually, I know exactly which house is his...

Heh...the song "My Hometown" is actually about my hometown

[Lace Neil Singer]

I'd rather know Bruce Springsteen than the Queen any day.

[JoitheArtist]

Here's some from California, where I grew up

*Los Angeles covers the entire state

*The weather is always pleasant

*Earthquakes are like fun carnival rides

Heh. I currently live in SoCal. I find it's easier just to tell people I live in LA than try to explain that I'm partway between Disneyland and Hollywood. And unless they do damage, I *do* enjoy quakes!! Infinitely preferable than tornadoes.

More:

*That everyone here is blond and pumped full of silicone and collagen (though mostly true)

*That everywhere here is lush and tropical

*that Disneyland must get old if you live here (I want another pass, dangit! )

[Food Lady]

Good one; the teeth thing makes me laugh cuz they say the same thing about hillbillies. XD I hate tea; coffee = life.

I do have bad teeth, and I come from actual hillbillies, who were descended from the English. So there.

[powerboy]

Here's some from California, where I grew up

*Los Angeles covers the entire state

*Everyone is either a movie star or surfer

*Everyone is a gazillionaire (kind of true, housing is very expensive)



*The weather is always pleasant

*Earthquakes are like fun carnival rides


As for Virginia, where I live now

*Everyone is either a xenophobic bible thumper or crude white trash

Quoted, because that is what most people believe.

*Everyone from California is exceptionally good-looking

But that is true. Just look at the few of us on here

[BarbieGirl]

Seattle

It rains 360 days a year.

There is a starbucks on every street corner (oh wait that is true)

We are all grunge with greasy long hair and wearing of plaid shirts.

Everyone works for microsoft.

Nearly everyone one is depressed.

We all wear socks with our birkenstocks. (my brother actually does wear socks with his sandals)

[Becks]

When I was in NJ, I'd have people believing that I got kicked out of state for not being a Packers fan.

Oh, and that you can't graduate HS without showing proficiency in cow tipping.

[edible_hat]

Most ridiculous thing foreigners believe about Australians: We drink Fosters. In reality we export that shit and keep the good stuff for ourselves.

[KabeRinnaul]

I'd love to reply to this properly, but I'm from West Virginia and listing everything people think about us would just depress me.

Here's a quick rundown... overweight, uneducated, redneck, hillbilly, inbred, bacon-eating, moonshine-drinking, NASCAR-loving white trash. We're all poor, or miners, or poor miners...

Pretty much take every stereotype people have for all the rest of Appalachia, plus about half the ones about the South, and apply them to one state.

And then I once had a teacher tell me about a man she met in another state who was unaware we even existed as a state, and was thoroughly convinced that West Virginia was "somewhere around Raleigh."

[Nyoibo]

Seattle

It rains 360 days a year.

When I was living in the San Juan islands, every time I went down to Seattle it was frickin' raining.

Oh, and West Virginia scares the crap out of me, in the same 10 minutes I passed a massive white cross and a car sales yard with the initials KKK.

[sms001]

We drink Fosters. In reality we export that shit and keep the good stuff for ourselves.

VB? (Although I like a Tooheys (sp?) every once in a while.)

[edible_hat]

VB? (Although I like a Tooheys (sp?) every once in a while.)

There are so many great Australian beers that are unknown outside Australia. I mostly drink Coopers but that's because I live in South Australia.

[Damien]

for Japan, some idiotic misconceptions I have literally heard....

- we are a colony of the US

- we are not a democracy

- free speech does not exist (oh yes it bloody well does)

- everyone is corporate drones (look up the practical jokes to see how false this is)

- everything is expensive (I live in central Tokyo and pay less rent than I did in a country town in Australia and the food. for the most part is about the same as anywhere else)

- tsunami are daily events

- Sumo is the major sport (baseball is actually)

- plotting revenge against the allies (what total mf rubbish)

- corporal punishment is allowed in schools

- foreigners are treated like subhuman

- the Emporer is head of state

- the royal family ended after WW2 (I have been at a festival and heard the Emporer speak in English - very articulte and interesting man - a botanist)

- everything can be found in vending machines (almost true)

[Caveat Emptor]

(When I lived in Western NY)

It's an easy trip to NYC (250 miles!!!)

We go to Canada all the time (4-5 hours to Toronto. I've been there four times. In my life.)

We accept Canadian currency (partially true; pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters (up to a point, but not in vending machines.)

It's always cold here, and have to dig our way out of the snow frequently.

We can see Niagara Falls

[sms001]

There are so many great Australian beers that are unknown outside Australia. I mostly drink Coopers but that's because I live in South Australia.

Ditto here. Many people think Budweiser is all we make.

I'll keep my eye out for Coopers, although I gather they are just gearing up internationally.