Carlie
CltrAltDelicious
- AKA
- Chloe Frazer
Do you have maple syrup?
I have maple syrup and I live in the Caribbean.
I'm off to North America, bai
- Thread starter Lex
- Start date
I have maple syrup and I live in the Caribbean.
Lex
Administrator
Don't tell me you actually believe that big oil conspiracy theory shit,. Goan wear your tin foil hat, wierdo!
It feels less like a conspiracy theory when you've come from a country that is pretty much only allowed up to 2.0 Litre engines due to emissions and the petrol is - in equivalent money - literally more than twice the price. The average car here is like 4.0 engine or something (and I'm not talking about the pick-up trucks, I'm talking about a regular 5-door hatchback) it's insane. Given that engine size affects the amount of petrol consumption directly, it stands to reason that the government allows the petrol guzzlers on the road because they sell more petrol.
I reiterate my shock that they're even allowed on the road, with the addendum that I spent yesterday driving a 5.7 litre pickup truck and never want to give it back. Humanity
Check my FB for a load of photos from Niagara Falls. Did the tour behind the falls, it was amazing. Waved to Buffalo across the river again.
Today, I set foot in the USA. Provided I don't get too nervous and do something stupid like try to make a joke when they ask me "have you ever been a member of a terrorist organisation" at the border, because I swear yesterday I had a vision of me sayin "oh no, my al quaeda membership card totally lapsed last year and I forgot to renew it". You're all about to find out how stringent the checks are anyway, because you know if it's too annoying I'll never stop moaning about it on here
Ami
Playing All The Stuff!
- AKA
- Amizon, Commander Shepard, Ellie, Rinoa Heartilly, Xena, Clara Oswald, Gamora, Lana Kane, Tifa Lockhart, Jodie Holmes, Chloe Price.
On the topic of maple, I had some on my gammon today and thought of you.Englandians.
Are you proud of me?
Lex
Administrator
I've been through the Canada-USA border a couple of times now and I'm amazed at the difference between the two places. It's immediate. The accents are different, the second you cross into the US there are "call 1-800 find God now" billboards everywhere. The people are different. Tbh I was really shocked at the number of Canadians who just outright said "I can't stand Americans" before we went over. I assumed there'd be some mixing at the border, but it's not so. Since I was prepared for general lack of manners in the US, it didn't surprise me. It wasn't terrible by any means, but definitely in terms of service or customer interaction Canada has it beat. Two standouts were the border guy questioning me before I went in, who was asking me about the referendum, and the gay guy working in the sunglass hut.
I've had Tim Hortons every single day without fail.
Most Canadians have managed to guess Scottish. One person in the US guessed Irish, which is acceptable, another said English, which is not. I corrected them both. When the person who guessed English tried to argue that the accents were similar, I wanted to punch her. No they're fucking not. I can get mixing Scottish and Irish, because there's some overlap there. Fuck you Rosanna from Michael Kors (great sales for memorial weekend btw, got my mum a nice purse at 80% off with American dorra).
Might be going back over to go to the native reservation for cigarettes, which is the place to buy them apparently.
I've had Tim Hortons every single day without fail.
Most Canadians have managed to guess Scottish. One person in the US guessed Irish, which is acceptable, another said English, which is not. I corrected them both. When the person who guessed English tried to argue that the accents were similar, I wanted to punch her. No they're fucking not. I can get mixing Scottish and Irish, because there's some overlap there. Fuck you Rosanna from Michael Kors (great sales for memorial weekend btw, got my mum a nice purse at 80% off with American dorra).
Might be going back over to go to the native reservation for cigarettes, which is the place to buy them apparently.
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
Well...it depends. The Canadian/American border is a continent long, and even in the USA, the difference east/west can be even more pronounced than north/south of the border. Washington is quite different from say, Michigan, but they both border Canada. Where did you cross into?
As a city boy the concept of 'manners' sometimes eludes me, a bit. I have trouble distinguishing the difference between actual courtesy and dishonest passive aggressiveness, and like many people from NYC can tell you for example; it's infuriating.
Canada is famously polite. I love Canada and the people are awesome; except when they cross over down here to buy shit; then they can be fucking pricks.
Lex
Administrator
So yeah it was northern New York State. The polite one was the guy who wanted to put his dick in my holes, who invited me to the gay retreat in northern New York. Everyone else was a bit of a dick by Scottish standards. So the chat is; it's probably just cultural differences. I.e. So far every opinion I've had about people in North America has been vindicated by behaviour exhibited so far. Canadians probably seem like dicks in the US because they expect better service and don't get it. Since I expected rudeness and that's what I got; I didn't give a shit.
Anyway, Canadian dick = just as likely to be genitally mutilated as American dick. Still tasty though <3
Also, may have met a bit of a soulmate of sorts. Someone in the same field and really cool dude. Wants to teach me about the continent a bit hahahahaahahah
I'm drunk, take all this with a pinch of salt
Anyway, Canadian dick = just as likely to be genitally mutilated as American dick. Still tasty though <3
Also, may have met a bit of a soulmate of sorts. Someone in the same field and really cool dude. Wants to teach me about the continent a bit hahahahaahahah
I'm drunk, take all this with a pinch of salt
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
Geez, that's a bit of an unfair assumption, isn't it? Much love man, and I know first impressions means a lot, but you've spent all of two seconds here.
On the scale of rudeness, I wouldn't even put the US on the top 10 of Western countries, much less countries in general, especially when I think of my own travels. In fact, the US has a pretty big perception among tourists to be very friendly!
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Lex
Administrator
Nah I don't think it's an assumption, more like a conclusion based on testimony from a shitload of people. I want to experience more of the US and I'm not saying this is an absolute thing, but the general perception from your immediate neighbours is that statistically only 14% of your people even leave your country and are kept ignorant by being kept poor. That's the Canadian borderlands opinion. I haven't made my mind up officially yet, but I can't deny that I didn't shit my pants the minute I left the board and saw all the "1-800-CALL GOD NOW" signs the second I left Canada. It was what I expected.
And I mean... I want to live in places like San Francisco and New York and elsewhere in the US to see what it's like. But I'd be lying if I didnt say my expectations of General American people hasn't been met.
I've always seen you guys like outliers and I've pretty much been vindicated by the cumulative 43 hours-ish I've spent there. Not saying my mind's made up, just that it's how I expected it to be. Friendly people to be sure, ignorant people also to be sure. Zero surprises.
And I mean... I want to live in places like San Francisco and New York and elsewhere in the US to see what it's like. But I'd be lying if I didnt say my expectations of General American people hasn't been met.
I've always seen you guys like outliers and I've pretty much been vindicated by the cumulative 43 hours-ish I've spent there. Not saying my mind's made up, just that it's how I expected it to be. Friendly people to be sure, ignorant people also to be sure. Zero surprises.
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
I suppose! I can't take your experience away from you, man. Keep in mind that the U.S. is a massive place, surrounded by oceans, and we don't have the luxury of visiting tons of countries like our European neighbors do. It costs just a train ticket for a European to visit his neighbor. Two neighbors. Three neighbors! For the average American to visit anywhere that isn't Mexico or Canada it costs a hundreds of dollars, up to a grand plane ticket, at least.
Its more than a matter of 'we're too poor'! Come on, man. What's the unemployment rate in Europe proper again?
Its more than a matter of 'we're too poor'! Come on, man. What's the unemployment rate in Europe proper again?
Jason Tandro
Banned
- AKA
- Jason Tandro, Doc Brown, Santa Christ, FearAddict, Thibault Stormrunner, RN: Micah Rodney
RE: Customer service and general niceness in America:
This is seriously a state-by-state thing. Larger urban areas I've found customer service to be lacking and the people to be generally ruder (Boston, MA and the surrounding suburbs have it bad.)
Rural areas tend to have nicer people, but they also tend to have the more ignorant people. Like customer service here in Virginia (except Comcast and the power company) are really pretty superb because of the code of ethics the south has of "Southern Hospitality"
Unfortunately that doesn't apply to treating dem dang queermosexuals like people.
RE: Americans traveling outside the country.
This shit is drilled into our heads as youths. Our education system is all about "AMERICA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY WITH FREEDOM, WE ARE THE BEST COUNTRY, WE NEVER LOSE ANY WARS AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE JEALOUS, IF YOU LEAVE AMERICA YOU MIGHT HAVE YOUR FREEDOM STOLEN AWAY BY THE EVIL FREEDOM THIEVES AND COMMIES"
I am fortunate enough to be in that 14% who has left the country though I've only spent a grand total of about one week outside my home country (3 days in Canada and 4 in Japan. Add like 4 days of International Waters Travel Time for both trips).
Most Americans are ignorant to the way the rest of the world works (big surprise) because they don't experience it first hand. Like seriously, I have no first hand account of how MOST OF THE WORLD DOES THINGS. Because America lives in its little bubble and even knowing what I know about our country's general fuckery I still am anxious about spending a prolonged time outside the country.
The devil you know, I suppose.
Even my Dad, who has seen the world (in the Military), has this overly romantic notion of America being God's literal gift to the fucking world.
This is seriously a state-by-state thing. Larger urban areas I've found customer service to be lacking and the people to be generally ruder (Boston, MA and the surrounding suburbs have it bad.)
Rural areas tend to have nicer people, but they also tend to have the more ignorant people. Like customer service here in Virginia (except Comcast and the power company) are really pretty superb because of the code of ethics the south has of "Southern Hospitality"
Unfortunately that doesn't apply to treating dem dang queermosexuals like people.
RE: Americans traveling outside the country.
This shit is drilled into our heads as youths. Our education system is all about "AMERICA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY WITH FREEDOM, WE ARE THE BEST COUNTRY, WE NEVER LOSE ANY WARS AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE JEALOUS, IF YOU LEAVE AMERICA YOU MIGHT HAVE YOUR FREEDOM STOLEN AWAY BY THE EVIL FREEDOM THIEVES AND COMMIES"
I am fortunate enough to be in that 14% who has left the country though I've only spent a grand total of about one week outside my home country (3 days in Canada and 4 in Japan. Add like 4 days of International Waters Travel Time for both trips).
Most Americans are ignorant to the way the rest of the world works (big surprise) because they don't experience it first hand. Like seriously, I have no first hand account of how MOST OF THE WORLD DOES THINGS. Because America lives in its little bubble and even knowing what I know about our country's general fuckery I still am anxious about spending a prolonged time outside the country.
The devil you know, I suppose.
Even my Dad, who has seen the world (in the Military), has this overly romantic notion of America being God's literal gift to the fucking world.
Lex
Administrator
I think it's more about Americans thinking no other countries exist rather than being unable to actually visit other countries? I mean you have Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, but you're all made to believe Mexico is a poverty whorehouse and Canada is just a slightly American Britain.
I say this again as a person who generally likes American people and prostrates myself before many of them as a general rule of enjoying men and sex. This is just the general gist of what I'm getting at the minute from the Canadians who have lived on the border their whole lives. Obviously not a rule for the whole country because not every state borders Canada or this may be just an opinion from this specific part of Canada.
I love the US in some ways. I loathe the ignorance we all know exists. It's the ignorance republicans prey on to pretend they're selling independence when what they're actually selling is money-raping the poor. And there are poor people who have been brainwashed that believe this craziness. Canada seems to generally be aware of this, which is something I respect.
So far that's how I feel anyway.
I say this again as a person who generally likes American people and prostrates myself before many of them as a general rule of enjoying men and sex. This is just the general gist of what I'm getting at the minute from the Canadians who have lived on the border their whole lives. Obviously not a rule for the whole country because not every state borders Canada or this may be just an opinion from this specific part of Canada.
I love the US in some ways. I loathe the ignorance we all know exists. It's the ignorance republicans prey on to pretend they're selling independence when what they're actually selling is money-raping the poor. And there are poor people who have been brainwashed that believe this craziness. Canada seems to generally be aware of this, which is something I respect.
So far that's how I feel anyway.
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
I don't really think that has much to do with our lack of travel, though (I don't even think that's true that people believe that, especially for the younger generation). Even some of the most jingoistic assholes of America are still marginally interested in other places.
Like I mentioned before, America is huge, and isolated, travel is just not geographically, and by extension, economically feasible to Americans like it is to a European of the same wealth; it's apples and oranges.
And you can't see how the second part of that sentence lends to the mindset of the first?
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
A lot of Southern people have visited Mexico, though. Hell, a lot of Southerners are Mexican.
(also we don't border South America, Mexico is not South America)