Mapping the globe
This Washington Post article, ’40 maps that explain the world’ I found really interesting. Basically, it is just a bunch of maps with highlighting for different things. Maps include, where people are most and least welcoming to foreigners, gay rights around the world, who loves and hates America etc. I have travelled a lot, so I’d say I’m quite map-literate. Therefore, I find this article intriguing, because I for one can actually identify most of the countries involved. I have definitely learnt a vast amount of my geography through travel, but I still did know a lot of it prior to travelling. I cannot believe how many of my private-school educated friends and aquaintances are so lost when it comes to a world map. When I told my friends about going to study abroad in The Hague, they literally had no clue where that might be. Fair enough- it is a small city. However what amazed me was that I would then explain that it is a city in The Netherlands, thinking that would explain everything. It definitely didn’t! The amount of people that thought I was speaking Deutsch, in Denmark was astounding. On Skype my friends would often say, ‘so how is everything going over in the…over there?’ I had to explain countless times the following, which if you are reading this, will maybe teach you a thing or two also (as apparently it is uncommon knowledge):
I studied in:
The Hague (or in Dutch, Den Haag)
Which is a city (the 3rd largest) in The Netherlands. Also known as Holland. It is a country. In Europe. Next to Germany and Belgium, across the waters from England. No it is not in Scandanavia. You might be thinking of Denmark…
The language spoken is Dutch. The people are also Dutch too. Confusing? No. In England the people are English and speak English. Ok, so maybe in an ideal world the country would be called Dutchland to make life easier, but it’s not. Deal with it.
So, in summary, where in the world was I?
The Hague/Den Haag. A city in The Netherlands/Holland in Europe where the people are Dutch and speak Dutch.
Eenvoudig! (Simple. Unlike the Dutch language :S )
I love this picture. Many of the stereotypes did prove to be true. (Source: http://www.creativecultureint.com/going-dutch-on-stereotypes/)