5 ms·

Exactly. Looking at it from both worlds, I don't think a European adequately understands how large a country like the US (or Canada for that matter) is. Likewi

Exactly. Looking at it from both worlds, I don't think a European adequately understands how large a country like the US (or Canada for that matter) is. Likewise an American would never understand the smallness of being, say, a Luxembourg citizen and travelling to France within a day. Totally different worlds. I always tell people to travel outside their comfort zones purely for this insight. One you experience how another culture lives it is hard to be close minded again.

aylons 13y ago
I live in Brazil, a continent-sized country just like the US and I don't see this phenomenon here. I don't think this is the problem.
- Hannan 13y ago
  The phenomenon only presents at 9 million km^2 and above. ;)
- seestheday 13y ago
  I live in Canada. A significantly bigger country than the US. I don't think of Canada as being the world, nor does anyone I know. I think it actually has to do with the American media. It used to be worse. I remember seeing US news programs (we get them here in Canada) reporting on the weather, and they only showed the US. It was kind of funny, it was like weather patterns were dropping in from a void "up north".
tripzilch 13y ago
> Likewise an American would never understand the smallness of being, say, a Luxembourg citizen and travelling to France within a day. Luxembourg even borders France, so you could "travel to France" in five minutes by just stepping over the border. Just like you could "travel to Mexico" .. or maybe that's a bit harder than five minutes because of border controls, maybe Canada? No? And, Luxembourg is so tiny, if you'd spend a day travelling "from Luxembourg to France", I'd argue you actually spent max half an hour travelling "from Luxembourg to France", and the most part of your day travelling "in France" ;-) Your point stands, of course.

5 ms·

Exactly. Looking at it from both worlds, I don't think a European adequately understands how large a country like the US (or Canada for that matter) is. Likewi

by typicalrunt 13y ago

aylons 13y ago
I live in Brazil, a continent-sized country just like the US and I don't see this phenomenon here. I don't think this is the problem.
- Hannan 13y ago
  The phenomenon only presents at 9 million km^2 and above. ;)
- seestheday 13y ago
  I live in Canada. A significantly bigger country than the US. I don't think of Canada as being the world, nor does anyone I know. I think it actually has to do with the American media. It used to be worse. I remember seeing US news programs (we get them here in Canada) reporting on the weather, and they only showed the US. It was kind of funny, it was like weather patterns were dropping in from a void "up north".
tripzilch 13y ago
> Likewise an American would never understand the smallness of being, say, a Luxembourg citizen and travelling to France within a day. Luxembourg even borders France, so you could "travel to France" in five minutes by just stepping over the border. Just like you could "travel to Mexico" .. or maybe that's a bit harder than five minutes because of border controls, maybe Canada? No? And, Luxembourg is so tiny, if you'd spend a day travelling "from Luxembourg to France", I'd argue you actually spent max half an hour travelling "from Luxembourg to France", and the most part of your day travelling "in France" ;-) Your point stands, of course.