I grew up in Florida, so I get this. Also, we all aren’t living in a retirement community on the beach next to WDW.
I read somewhere about a hotel guest in central FL who insisted he should be able to see the ocean from his window because FL is "so skinny" on the map.
I have definitely explained to people that New York is both a city and state. And (more understandable) New York City is not the capital of New York State.
My favorite thing is the result of a poll that was put out during the Obama administration with all the birther crap. Apparently 8% of Americans either "don't think" or "aren't sure" Hawaii is a state.
The beginning of freshman year of college people who came from other parts of the country used to ask when we were going to go to the city, yeah i went to college 4 hours from the city. New York is a big state!
And in grad school (in florida) someone asked me if i knew this other guy in our dept who was also from new york. Im from just north of the city, hes from buffalo or something. So no lol
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Nov 30, 2018 14:44:07 GMT -5
An old job of mine involved talking to a lot of attorneys all over the country. I can't count the number of times and I attorney from some southern state (usually Texas, oddly) would snicker and ask me what the weather was like in the middle of summer.
They were genuinely shocked when I answered something like "about 90 degrees right now." Like, thinking I'd lament how cold it is and they could brag about their perpetual summer.
I have definitely explained to people that New York is both a city and state. And (more understandable) New York City is not the capital of New York State.
My favorite thing is the result of a poll that was put out during the Obama administration with all the birther crap. Apparently 8% of Americans either "don't think" or "aren't sure" Hawaii is a state.
The beginning of freshman year of college people who came from other parts of the country used to ask when we were going to go to the city, yeah i went to college 4 hours from the city. New York is a big state!
And in grad school (in florida) someone asked me if i knew this other guy in our dept who was also from new york. Im from just north of the city, hes from buffalo or something. So no lol
My husband grew up in NYC and when he went to Austin, TX for college, someone asked if he knew “Tom” who also grew up in NYC. Of course he started to tell her that NYC is huge blah blah blah then she tells him Tom’s last name and oh yeah, they went to school and camp together. LOL
The beginning of freshman year of college people who came from other parts of the country used to ask when we were going to go to the city, yeah i went to college 4 hours from the city. New York is a big state!
And in grad school (in florida) someone asked me if i knew this other guy in our dept who was also from new york. Im from just north of the city, hes from buffalo or something. So no lol
My husband grew up in NYC and when he went to Austin, TX for college, someone asked if he knew “Tom” who also grew up in NYC. Of course he started to tell her that NYC is huge blah blah blah then she tells him Tom’s last name and oh yeah, they went to school and camp together. LOL
I have definitely explained to people that New York is both a city and state. And (more understandable) New York City is not the capital of New York State.
My favorite thing is the result of a poll that was put out during the Obama administration with all the birther crap. Apparently 8% of Americans either "don't think" or "aren't sure" Hawaii is a state.
The beginning of freshman year of college people who came from other parts of the country used to ask when we were going to go to the city, yeah i went to college 4 hours from the city. New York is a big state!
And in grad school (in florida) someone asked me if i knew this other guy in our dept who was also from new york. Im from just north of the city, hes from buffalo or something. So no lol
Honestly Montana is a huge state, but I have probably known or know the family of about 60% of the random, "Hey, you're from MT, do you know so-and-so from other city?" So I have a warped idea of how people might just randomly know someone else I know from that same state. Even happened on the phone once for a insurance call... woman in Georgia knew one guy in my state and I had just met him at a talk in my city two days before. So weird.
But the driving thing cracks me up... in 2ish hours I can be in Canada, but we really do drive so far all the time for events. All our sports teams don't balk at driving 6+ hours (400+ miles) for one match and then 6+ hours back in the bus in one day - totally not weird in our state for a weekly competition at high school level.
The beginning of freshman year of college people who came from other parts of the country used to ask when we were going to go to the city, yeah i went to college 4 hours from the city. New York is a big state!
And in grad school (in florida) someone asked me if i knew this other guy in our dept who was also from new york. Im from just north of the city, hes from buffalo or something. So no lol
My husband grew up in NYC and when he went to Austin, TX for college, someone asked if he knew “Tom” who also grew up in NYC. Of course he started to tell her that NYC is huge blah blah blah then she tells him Tom’s last name and oh yeah, they went to school and camp together. LOL
That's hilarious! I've had that happen with a friend from Texas. "Oh, I work with a guy from Texas. Scott something, I'm sure you don't know him." Yep, they played soccer together.
I have a friend in FL who gets all pissy when talking to people about how far it is to get to the Keys from where she is. People don't realize how big FL is.
Actually, I get that a lot from people from the East coast. They just don't understand how far away things are from each other in other states.
See also, California.
"You're from Fresno? Isn't that near LA?" "Sure, if by near you mean 5hrs away."
Guilty as charged. But in my defense, I did not realize Devin Nunes was from Fresno and always thought he was from SoCal, so when someone said he represented Fresno I started to doubt that Fresno was as north as it is.
Also guilty as charged being an East Coaster and not really being able to wrap my head around how big many states are. New York State is big, but doesn't feel so big to me, even when traveling to Buffalo. You know what eastern state feels too big? Pennsylvania. Driving across that state is the worst and then suddenly Pittsburgh surprises you and you are eternally grateful to have found civilization after several hours of driving.
I met a girl from Alaska at this youth leader thing when I was 12. She was so grateful that I knew Alaska was part of the US and didn't ask her if she lived in an igloo, we became instant friends and were pen pals for the next 5 years until we lost touch in college.
When I lived in Alaska I had more than one argument with companies who said they couldn’t ship there bc it was a foreign country. It was astounding.
Post by Velar Fricative on Nov 30, 2018 15:01:17 GMT -5
Also, even though I don't love big states, on the other end of the spectrum...does New Jersey really have to exist? Did we as Americans really have to give Chris Christie an opportunity to be the governor of somewhere?
Also, even though I don't love big states, on the other end of the spectrum...does New Jersey really have to exist? Did we as Americans really have to give Chris Christie an opportunity to be the governor of somewhere?
As someone currently living in nj, i couldnt agree more
My dad was born on NYE in Manhattan and people would always ask if his mom watched the ball drop and he would say no, but she heard the crowds! It always surprised them because they thought they were being such smart asses lol.
Post by oregonpachey on Nov 30, 2018 15:21:14 GMT -5
My dad, who lives in New Hampshire, will mention to people that he is going to the West Coast to visit his daughters. People will say "Oh you are going to California?". Most people are baffled when he explains there are two other states on the West Coast. Like they cease to realize that Oregon and Washington are in fact, states.
"You're from Fresno? Isn't that near LA?" "Sure, if by near you mean 5hrs away."
Guilty as charged. But in my defense, I did not realize Devin Nunes was from Fresno and always thought he was from SoCal, so when someone said he represented Fresno I started to doubt that Fresno was as north as it is.
Also guilty as charged being an East Coaster and not really being able to wrap my head around how big many states are. New York State is big, but doesn't feel so big to me, even when traveling to Buffalo. You know what eastern state feels too big? Pennsylvania. Driving across that state is the worst and then suddenly Pittsburgh surprises you and you are eternally grateful to have found civilization after several hours of driving.
I live in the Philly area, and for my last job had to drive out to our Pburgh office once a month. 5+ hours of nothing. Literally the most boring drive ever.
And also, I've driven from Philly to Miami. I was so excited to hit the Georgia/Florida border and so disappointed when it took like 12 more hours to get to Miami LOL
Post by downtoearth on Nov 30, 2018 15:36:53 GMT -5
I love all these anecdotes. So many are really funny, but it's also depressing how bad at geography we are in our own country... no wonder those of us in the United States can't understand world geography or issues as a whole.
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Nov 30, 2018 15:43:16 GMT -5
Oh, I have another one. I have a friend who moved here a long time ago but before she moved here, she didn't realize Minneapolis was an actual city. Like, with tall buildings and everything. She thought it was just a vast huge area of suburban wasteland.
I've since met several other people who thought the same thing.
I grew up in Florida, so I get this. Also, we all aren’t living in a retirement community on the beach next to WDW.
As someone in Pensacola, YES. No, I’m not near Orlando. When I say NW Florida I do not mean Gainesville. Yes, the Gulf Coast KEEPS GOING past Tampa. Yes, I am in fact in the Central Time Zone.
I was once asked what there was to do in Denver. I start listing off things, and the person stops me, "No, I meant in Loveland." Loveland is 50ish miles to the north of Denver. It's not a suburb, it's not Denver. "Well, where I'm from that's Denver." WTF? Is the whole state of CO "Denver"?
The beginning of freshman year of college people who came from other parts of the country used to ask when we were going to go to the city, yeah i went to college 4 hours from the city. New York is a big state!
And in grad school (in florida) someone asked me if i knew this other guy in our dept who was also from new york. Im from just north of the city, hes from buffalo or something. So no lol
My husband grew up in NYC and when he went to Austin, TX for college, someone asked if he knew “Tom” who also grew up in NYC. Of course he started to tell her that NYC is huge blah blah blah then she tells him Tom’s last name and oh yeah, they went to school and camp together. LOL
That happened to me in college! Someone's friend visited from UCLA and was all "oh! You're from Fresno. Do you know Chris?" I started to say Fresno is bigger than folks think, but no, I totally went to high school with him. It's the only time it's happened like that tho. lol
I grew up in Florida, so I get this. Also, we all aren’t living in a retirement community on the beach next to WDW.
As someone in Pensacola, YES. No, I’m not near Orlando. When I say NW Florida I do not mean Gainesville. Yes, the Gulf Coast KEEPS GOING past Tampa. Yes, I am in fact in the Central Time Zone.
I lived in florida and dont think i realized pensacola was central time. I know how far west it is, i just never gave it much thought. Or ever went beyond tallahassee.....
It was also in DC that I was first asked how I was enjoying my visit to the US (when I told her I lived in Alaska).
#notallEastCoasters for sure, but I do anecdotally experience more people from that part of the country who don't think about time zones or distance scales than from other parts of the country. I think if you live further West you're forced to reckon with them more often so they're more at the forefront of your mind, just based on where our capital and many major cities are.
I grew up in Florida, so I get this. Also, we all aren’t living in a retirement community on the beach next to WDW.
As someone in Pensacola, YES. No, I’m not near Orlando. When I say NW Florida I do not mean Gainesville. Yes, the Gulf Coast KEEPS GOING past Tampa. Yes, I am in fact in the Central Time Zone.
This reminded me - I used to work in El Paso, and one time took a call at about 7:50am from a woman in another Texas city. Her question needed to be answered by another department, so I told her I would transfer her to that department but that they might not pick up since the office didn't open til 8. She was already in a bit of a mood that I couldn't help her, and she said with what seemed to be all the snark she could muster, "It's EIGHT FIFTY," and I said, "We're in Mountain Time." And then she hung up on me! ?