Perceptions

[Peej]

So, I have some stories of Iraqi and Afghani peoples perception of things that are kinda crazy.

1. Iraqi think that the sunglasses that American Soldiers use have xray capabilities. Even when given to Iraqi children to look through they start yelling "turn them on!! turn them on!!"

2. Afghanis that live out in the countryside are scared to death of black people, especially black females. They are under the impression that if they piss off a black women then the black woman will eat them! :eyepop:

3. One of my friends was with his platoon doing a foot patrol out in the middle of no where in Afghanistan. They had to make it to this small village before the sun came up. They started walking into the village just as the sun was coming up and all of the villagers upon seeing them freaked out. When they finally managed to calm them down and get an interpreter to ask why they were so scared they explained that the U.S Soldiers were "demons. You are demons because you appeared out of no where with the rising sun". :blank:

Pretty strange, huh? anyone else have some similarly strange stories to share?

[羽之助]

You are demons because you appeared out of no where with the rising sun

It would have been awesome if you had had a Japanese flag at that exact moment and were fiddling with it.

All my stories are rather mundane, I'm afraid. If I ever take a trip to the Deep, Deep Countryside I'll be sure to let everyone know what the villagers believe.

[Jetsetlemming]

I've spent some time in the deep south. Deep as in scary. Number one reflection on the people: teeth are overrated. I don't think there was a single night I didn't hear random drunks shooting off into the air.

[c-rex]

We tell people from New York City that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. Sadly most of them accept it as the truth. More recently a number of them have said "Oh, so those cows are genetically modified?"

Also people from the city seem to have the perception it is safe to pee on the electric fence. This perception normally ends rather quickly.

[japanat]

Now, that's a classic! What did Elvis call it - Burning Love?

edit: A New York girl once asked me if we rode our cows to school (she wasn't joking). I told her that if we rode really fast, we'd have butter when we got there. think about it

[Dresh]

Also people from the city seem to have the perception it is safe to pee on the electric fence. This perception normally ends rather quickly.

http://dontwhiz.ytmnd.com/

I don't have any stories I'm afraid, but that was just begging for a Ren & Stimpy reference.

[MNJetter]

I've been asked before when visiting the southern United States if I live in an igloo.

I'm Minnesotan, not Alaskan, and I'm of European descent, not Inuit. Not that there are even a whole lot of Alaskan Inuit folks who are still living in igloos. :P

I have had the occassional Japanese person assume that Americans eat at home the same way we eat at restaurants - huge portions of some nameless meat or potato product swimming in deep-fried grease, every day.

....and there was the office guy at one school, who assumed that I was dating a rock musician. o.O
I have no idea where he got that from. My boyfriend is a technical writer, raised by farmers! :P
I guess all blond American females must automatically be dating famous people.

[kilreli]

http://dontwhiz.ytmnd.com/

I don't have any stories I'm afraid, but that was just begging for a Ren & Stimpy reference.
wow...i remember that episode like it was just yesterday. in fact, if i went up to one of my friends and out of nowhere sang, "dont whiz on", there is a 99.9999% chance that he would respond with, "the electric fence" :D

[haterllnation]

Being from California and living in the Midwest just called for it going back. I get the whole "Are there lots of cowboys and farms?" to "You grow something back home?" Boy do I! Funny shit is, I really didn't see farms or cows up close until I went back to California.. Explain that shit.

[Jetsetlemming]

I've been asked before when visiting the southern United States if I live in an igloo.

I'm Minnesotan, not Alaskan, and I'm of European descent, not Inuit. Not that there are even a whole lot of Alaskan Inuit folks who are still living in igloos. :P

There are some parts of the south where they look apon snow like someone from the midwest would consider the ocean. *shrug*
I thought of another strange place I've been. Amish country, a larger than expected area of southern central Pennsylvania where the average people live side by side with amish communities. I'm sure many people's first reaction would to think them boring or dumb, and really, they are a bit boring, but some of them are quite perceptive for having never been 20 miles from their birthplace or even met anyone who's been 20 miles from their birthplace. :) I lived in the area when I was a younger teenager.

[Candyvan Stan]

I'd like to talk to an Amish one day.

Anybody here who has never seen the ocean or snow up close?

I know I haven't ever been in a desert, some of you may find that strange.

[/|/@/|/@し]

There are some parts of the south where they look apon snow like someone from the midwest would consider the ocean. *shrug*


Anybody here who has never seen the ocean or snow up close?



Having lived in Florida for all of my life save a handful of months, I've only seen it -really- snowing, close up once when I was 18 and traveling. (I'm not counting the ice stuff that melts and freezes.. which I've seen only a few times) I was running around, throwing snowballs, and all that stuff you'd stereotypically expect. If I ever see it again I'd probably have the same wide-eyed reaction. ...Although I didn't think people found it that odd when someone has never seen snow??

[Shishio]

Well, there's the classic "Cameras steal your soul," belief.

I hear a lot of people in Asia think McDonalds is healthy.

And of course, how can I forget the wonderful people that think Canadians are a bunch of dumb, hockey playing rednecks that say "eh" all the time?

As for oceans, snow, and deserts, I have never seen an ocean up close, or a desert. The biggest body of water I have seen is Lake Ontario. I am quite familiar with snow, however.