Comparative Geography

[livingdeb]

It's fun when other people visit your place and tell you about the contrasts they notice because then you can learn about their place.

For example, I learned from a roommate from Belgium that you do not get large drinks or ice in drinks in Belgium. And you don't get wide roads or access roads or U-turn lanes where you don't have to sit through lights. Or Walmarts. Or white chocolate-covered Oreos. These were the things she would miss when she got back.

You can learn a little about Australia by reading agirlnamedlucky's journal of her whirlwind tour of the US. This is her Boston entry, where you can read about patriotism, "the new puke green" in Australia, and you can read about insularity versus undervaluing your own country.

Comments

Smart Cars

[mac-the-mike.livejournal.com]

Apropos your Belgian roommate commenting on the lack of wide roads in Belgium, I thought you would be interested in this segment of Public Radio International's "The World" on how the tiny, half-size, cars they have in Belgium called "Smart Cars" are being imported to the U.S. by a company unaffiliated with their manufacturer:

http://audio.theworld.org/wma.php?id=06238

Re: Smart Cars

[mac-the-mike.livejournal.com]

Looks like the manufacturer wants to get in on the action:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/06/26/smart/index.html