what do you know about foreign countries? stereotypes vs. reality

brainofme

I’d like to know what people from all over the world think about foreign countries. What is the language spoken there? Where is the country? Famous people? Stereotypes?

With all you people from all over the world, I think this could be interesting. We get to know some things about different countries and cultures and can tell the world a little bit about our country.




So to get this thing started: .....what do you know about Austria?

The funny thing about being from Austria is that a lot of people - mainly from America ;-) -think Austria is Australia, and that we have kangaroos…well, this is so not true

MattCameronKicksButt

brainofme wrote:

I’d like to know what people from all over the world think about foreign countries. What is the language spoken there? Where is the country? Famous people? Stereotypes?

With all you people from all over the world, I think this could be interesting. We get to know some things about different countries and cultures and can tell the world a little bit about our country.




So to get this thing started: .....what do you know about Austria?

The funny thing about being from Austria is that a lot of people - mainly from America ;-) -think Austria is Australia, and that we have kangaroos…well, this is so not true

Dear, God. Not much but I know it's not Australia. Do people really think that? I immagine evryone to have a nice accent.

eMMI

Austria eh?

Mozart! he's from Austria isn't he?

though I don't think it was called Austria back then.. same place though.


EDIT: oh and nice thread!

Heineken Helen

hmm... arnold schwarznegger... oh and the alps and the sound of music and I'd imagine you have pretty decent beer for some reason . I imagine it's really pretty actually.

Byrnzie

brainofme wrote:

I’d like to know what people from all over the world think about foreign countries. What is the language spoken there? Where is the country? Famous people? Stereotypes?

With all you people from all over the world, I think this could be interesting. We get to know some things about different countries and cultures and can tell the world a little bit about our country.




So to get this thing started: .....what do you know about Austria?

The funny thing about being from Austria is that a lot of people - mainly from America ;-) -think Austria is Australia, and that we have kangaroos…well, this is so not true

I know that you have lots of beutiful trees and wooden houses, and that it looks quite pretty in the winter. I also know that lots of Nazis took refuge there after the war, and that every year a bunch of S.S get together in a secret hideaway in Austria for a bit of back-slapping and talk of the 'glory days' e.t.c.
Hmm, other than that, I know that Vienna is famous for it's architecture and classical music.

Byrnzie

O.k, my turn.....

What do you think Korea is like?

I remember what I thought it was going to be like before coming here. And it turned out to be nothing like how I'd imagined it.

Heineken Helen

Byrnzie wrote:

O.k, my turn.....

What do you think Korea is like?

I remember what I thought it was going to be like before coming here. And it turned out to be nothing like how I'd imagined it.

I'd imagine it's quite like the pictures you posted that you've taken

I'd say really really friendly and hyper... and HOT!

cropdustress

Mozart was born in Salzburg.
Strauss family is also Austrian, lots of other composers too.

I've been to Vienna on several occasions, I love the city, but I'm sorry, the people there are just so uptight...I don't really like them

I enjoyed my time in Salzburg area, people are much more relaxed and fun. It's close to Bayern so I guess thats the case

I love Inspektor Rex, the tv show
And Falco too. Another great artist, late unfortunately, but
had some pretty good hits in his time.

Thats from top of my head, I got more on Austria, I'm sure

Oh oh, when I was in Salzburg, we went to see the original Silent Night Chapel, where the song was
written and all. Wow, it was pretty cool to see where that famous song was created.

cropdustress

Byrnzie wrote:

O.k, my turn.....

What do you think Korea is like?

I remember what I thought it was going to be like before coming here. And it turned out to be nothing like how I'd imagined it.

I have no clue, and I'm very curious.
I mean, lots of people, tourists especially
and I know one lonely PJ fan there looking for other PJ fans, like you.

Asian countries are a mystery to me, I'd love to visit to see for myself so
I don't have to guess what they're like.
But I guess that's pretty much the case with every country one has never been to...

So, what do people know/think/would like to know about Croatia/Croatians?

Byrnzie

Heineken Helen wrote:

I'd imagine it's quite like the pictures you posted that you've taken

I'd say really really friendly and hyper... and HOT!

Hmm, I remember getting dragged to the cinema by a girl to see 'memoirs of a Geisha' not long before I came here, and I thought that Korea would be something like that - white faced damsels floating across the bridges of pretty 'Japanese style' rock gardens e.t.c.
I also remember receiving an e-mail from the girl I used to work with who came here first, and who gave me the idea to come here too, and when she described her job, e.t.c, for some reason I imagined that she lived in a wooden hut on a mountain side.
I'm a bit of a dumbass ya know?

eMMI

cropdustress wrote:

I love Inspektor Rex, the tv show

ooh! It's Austrian? I love the show too!!

Byrnzie

cropdustress wrote:

I have no clue, and I'm very curious.
I mean, lots of people, tourists especially
and I know one lonely PJ fan there looking for other PJ fans, like you.

Asian countries are a mystery to me, I'd love to visit to see for myself so
I don't have to guess what they're like.
But I guess that's pretty much the case with every country one has never been to...

What struck me more than anything else when I got here - and it may seem like a trivial point - was the climate felt just like England. I mean, when you get off a plane in America, or even Spain, the first thing that hits you is the heat. Wheras here I kind of felt at home straight away.

cropdustress

eMMI wrote:

ooh! It's Austrian? I love the show too!!

Yes, the show is Austrian and filmed in Vienna mostly.
Austrians have a different accent than Germans, I guess if you don't know the language, you can't really figure it out, but there is an accent...Accents actually, but I'm not THAT good distingusing different types of accents according to regions, haha.

Rygar

"Say, that's a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?"
"Austria."
"Austria! Well, then. G'day mate! Let's put another shrimp on the barbie!"
"Let's not..."

eMMI

cropdustress wrote:

Yes, the show is Austrian and filmed in Vienna mostly.
Austrians have a different accent than Germans, I guess if you don't know the language, you can't really figure it out, but there is an accent...Accents actually, but I'm not THAT good distingusing different types of accents according to regions, haha.

oh how cool.

I wish they'd start airing the show again here!!

lalalalaaaaaaaa

I heard that in Scotland, men yell "GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!!!" when they're peeing.

cropdustress

Oh, the original title is Kommissar Rex
I love that dog.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lhpaT2EZv04

brainofme

well, not that bad ;-)

MattCameronKicksButt wrote:

Dear, God. Not much but I know it's not Australia. Do people really think that? I immagine evryone to have a nice accent.

yeah, i've actually heard, that the mail is sometimes shipped to australia instead of europe. back in school we had an american teacher for a couple of month, and he told as that a lot of americans don't know about austria, so we bought him a t-shirt "we don't have kangaroos in austria".
a friend of mine was in california for a year, and she told me that a lot of people think that we still drive in coaches and wear "Dirndls" and "Lederhosen" all year round.

eMMI wrote:

Austria eh?

Mozart! he's from Austria isn't he?

though I don't think it was called Austria back then.. same place though.

yeah, Mozart is from Austria, actually from Salzburg (pj played there in 2000). he's one of our famous classical composers. so if you come to austria you can find Mozart-Kugeln (chocolate balls with marzipan) and other Mozart-souvenirs everywhere (as well as "Sissy"-souvenirs - the former empress of austria)

Heineken Helen wrote:

hmm... arnold schwarznegger... oh and the alps and the sound of music and I'd imagine you have pretty decent beer for some reason . I imagine it's really pretty actually.

our beer is good, that's true!

arnold schwarzenegger is from austria: true as well. it was very strange when he got the governor of california. i always had seen him as the terminator and muscle-man. hehe..

Byrnzie wrote:

I also know that lots of Nazis took refuge there after the war, and that every year a bunch of S.S get together in a secret hideaway in Austria for a bit of back-slapping and talk of the 'glory days' e.t.c.

well yeah, that fucking bastard with the black moustache actually comes from austria. worst part of our history.

Byrnzie wrote:

Hmm, other than that, I know that Vienna is famous for it's architecture and classical music.

true, there are actually a lot of - mainly asian - tourists all year round in vienna and salzburg who come and see our nice architecture and because of the music.

cropdustress wrote:

And Falco too. Another great artist, late unfortunately, but
had some pretty good hits in his time.

"Falco", the only austrian musician that ever got no. 1 in the american charts (with "rock me amadeus"). we are actually still proud of him. hey, even mike mccready knows of him. ;-)

cropdustress wrote:

I love Inspektor Rex, the tv show

I didn’t know that “Rex” is known outside of the german speaking countries. That’s cool. haha..



Well, you actually know a lot, that’s cool!

cropdustress

brainofme wrote:

well, not that bad ;-)



yeah, i've actually heard, that the mail is sometimes shipped to australia instead of europe. back in school we had an american teacher for a couple of month, and he told as that a lot of americans don't know about austria, so we bought him a t-shirt "we don't have kangaroos in austria".
a friend of mine was in california for a year, and she told me that a lot of people think that we still drive in coaches and wear "Dirndls" and "Lederhosen" all year round.




yeah, Mozart is from Austria, actually from Salzburg (pj played there in 2000). he's one of our famous classical composers. so if you come to austria you can find Mozart-Kugeln (chocolate balls with marzipan) and other Mozart-souvenirs everywhere (as well as "Sissy"-souvenirs - the former empress of austria)




our beer is good, that's true!

arnold schwarzenegger is from austria: true as well. it was very strange when he got the governor of california. i always had seen him as the terminator and muscle-man. hehe..




well yeah, that fucking bastard with the black moustache actually comes from austria. worst part of our history.



true, there are actually a lot of - mainly asian - tourists all year round in vienna and salzburg who come and see our nice architecture and because of the music.






"Falco", the only austrian musician that ever got no. 1 in the american charts (with "rock me amadeus"). we are actually still proud of him. hey, even mike mccready knows of him. ;-)




I didn’t know that “Rex” is known outside of the german speaking countries. That’s cool. haha..



Well, you actually know a lot, that’s cool!

Rex has been aired here many years ago, of course we know it!
Croatia is not that far from you, you know

Oh, I forgot about Mozart kugeln, I ALWAYS get them when I go to Austria, even though you can buy them here too. But hey, thats a real souvenir. That gets eaten right away haha

brainofme

cropdustress wrote:

So, what do people know/think/would like to know about Croatia/Croatians?

well, i have to admit i always have problems with the east- and south-east european languages. i can't differ them. if you would speak, i would have no clue if your from croatia, the czech republic or poland. this is actually quite embarassing because these languages are probably very different and a lot of people from east- and south-east europe know how to speak german, but we are uneducated fools...

gabers

South Korea:

From what my buddies who were stationed there told me, so this is probably a warped view:

Korea

Cold as Hell in the winter, hot as Hell in the summer. I've heard the phrase "Coldrea". You don't notice the cold as much until you're sleeping in a tent for days on end in it. A friend told me he was once digging a foxhole and cried because it was just so miserably cold. Uhh, let's see, it's easy to get messed up on the soju, uhhh, watch out for the pagogi (or kagogi), I was told one is beef and one is dog. Umm, the hookers do crazy tricks that involve spinning from a contraction hanging from the ceiling while mounted on you and if you don't come in like 10 seconds it's free. Let's see, uh, a lot of the students despise the American presence. Oh yeah, and it was still practice (at least like 10 years ago) for parents to sort of sell off their daughters for marriage. Despite all of this debauchery, I would love to visit, and from what I've seen in pictures, the landscape is gorgeous. Seoul would probably be a great place to visit too.

Croatia:

All I know is that they have great beaches, the ecomony is still struggling to develop, and they speak a language (Croatian) similar to Russian. I have some ancestry from there and would love to visit some day. Just jump in a car and tour the country. Actually, Cropdustress, I've seen some of the pictures you've taken of the area you live in the winter and they are breathtaking.