Misconceptions

[cherrymoose]

What about Berkeley, CA?

Most people assume everyone is a stoned-out weirdo (which is true for some of the population), but it's a college town so there are tons of smart "normal" people from all walks of life.

The city does have some peculairities, though. Like the consensical ramblings of many homeless people, and the fact that you can sometimes smell marijuana smoke downtown (not all of downtown, maybe just half a block).

See, even I have stereotypical misconceptions against Berkeley.

But yes, you're right, we do have plenty of 'normal' people, professors, scientists, etc. And then we have the strange ones-- but that's not a bad thing, that's what makes Berkeley... Berkeley.

Hahah, that reminds me of when we first moved up here, and my aunt came to visit. She was walking along Telegraph, and started freaking out.

"There's marijuana! There's marijuana! Should I call the police?!?!? I'm calling the police!"

 

[brighteyesphotos]

What about MI?

 

[GrayFox]

In Massachusetts, we are all "Massholes", so says people. Also in the town I live in, it was the one featured in "A Civil Action", so I also had to deal with everyone asking me how my water was.

 

[Tangerini]

mountains, skiing, cost of living much higher than Dallas, Columbine, people instantly can spot a Texas accent, lots of snow & ice.

Let's see...
Mountains: yes.
Skiing: yes.
Cost of living much higher: um I know it's higher, but I don't know by how much.
Columbine: I'm guessing that (sadly) you mean the school shootings and not the flower, and unfortunately yes.
Spotting Texas accents: Can't everyone?
Lots of snow & ice: Well if you go by this winter then yes, but typically we have over 300 sunny days a year.

 

[Puscas]

Before I came to NYC, I thought New York would be intimidating, busy, inspiring and fast. It's all that, but it's not scary.
I think the general misconception in Europe about Americans is that they are shallow. Having seen quite a few states the last 8 months, I can say that's really not true.






pascal

 

[GoM]

Canada.

Loft above a really great house party.

.....

There's no 'mis' in this conception...

 

[GoM]

I'm in Tennessee...what do you think?

Poor bastard

 

[Efergoh]

Well, I assume many think that all of Germany is Bavaria, and people are dressed in Lederhosen all the time, eat nothing but Wurst and Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes and drink lots and lots of bear, and the table cloths are always checked, the duvets huge and the girls big-bosomed.

Not counting the Lederhosen, that sounds an awful lot like the bar down the street.

Wow...I could really go for a Beer and a Brat right now, too.

 

[LaFoto]

When I talked to Julie Comparini, the solo alto singer who acted as our "Irene" in the staged Händel Oratorio "Theodora" back in November, she told me that she actually is from San Francisco. And in that same conversation she healed me from a misconception I had about San Francisco, i.e. that it is always warm there, San Francisco being in California. She said it is NOT so. San Francisco had a micro climate of its own that is quite different from the rest of the state. (And she said many tourists were healed the hard way, by bringing flimsy clothes and getting very, very cold - so at first they got a cold, and then could be healed ... from both: their cold and their misconception ).

When I think of California, I think of blonde, bronzed YOUNG people jogging along the beach. How about that?

And we were healed from the misconception that Texas is always hot when our plane landed in Houston and the pilot said prior to landing that temps were at about 3°C (which is barely above freezing point). We were not PACKED for those temps, oh dear!!!

The man in the breakfast bar of our hotel on Galveston Island did have a drawl, too true, and my husband was all lost, but I understood what he said well enough.

 

[darich]

what about the lepricans? Or is that Ireland.

Leprichauns are traditionally Irish.
:mrgreen:

 

[darich]

just go to Fort William

The further north you go the more Tartan shops you see and the more Tartan Shortbread there is for sale!!!

 

[darich]

That must be the Highlands and Islands. I thought you lot were all deep fried Mars bars and Glasgow kisses on a Friday night :lmao:

Deep fried mars bars can be had at pretty much any chip shop. For the lfe of me i can't imagine how someone thought it would be a good idea and it almost makes me sick thinking of eating one. I've never tried one and don't ever want to!!
As for the glasgow kiss - that's generally a glasgow thing rather than a scotland thing (hence the name). And it's not only on a Friday!!
Seriously though, it's pretty safe in the city centre and most people do their own thing. The occasional nutter does want to fight but most of the times he has pals with him who dissuade him by giving him more beer!!!
:lmao:

 

[Rayna']

what is a chip shop?

 

[Mitica100]

Transylvania=Dracula and Dracula=Vampire.

Two of the most heard misconceptions that I hear when I tell my friends about my mother being born and raised in Transylvania.:lmao:

Actually Vlad the Impaler (who was the inspiration for Mr. Bram Stoker's Dracula and possibly Macchiavelli's The Prince) had very little to do with Transylvania, save for a castle or two. He didn't reign there but rather in Wallachia, which is S and SE of Transylvania.

Also, although he was an unusually cruel ruler, he wasn't a vampire.

But... We love myths and legends, don't we?:lmao:

In spite of that though, the Romanian government entertained the idea of a huge amusement park based on Dracula the Vampire. I guess money speaks... :lmao:

 

[Alex_B]

I wear leather trousers, eat lots of Bratwurst and Sauerkraut and I drink beer the whole day ...

Well, I am exaggerating of course ...

But I once heated up some Sauerkraut in our kitchen at work in England ... and people were really disgusted there by the smell and the idea to eat half fermented Kraut