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blue jay
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 119
Location: Vancouver, formerly Osaka, Japan
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 Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:55 pm Post subject: "Americans posing as Canadians in Europe" |
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - An American T-shirt company has a solution for fellow citizens who want to vacation in Europe without having to answer questions about U.S. politics: pose as Canadians.
The "Go Canadian" package which includes a Canadian flag-T-shirt with the words to that country's national anthem, "O Canada," a Canadian flag lapel pin, a Canadian patch for luggage and a quick reference guide titled "How to Speak Canadian , Eh?". (AP photo/T-shirtKing.com)
For $24.95 US (about $30 Cdn), T-shirtKing.com offers the "Go Canadian" package, full of just the kind of things an American traveller needs to leave home and its politics behind. There's a Canadian flag T-shirt, a Canadian flag lapel pin and a Canadian patch for luggage or a backpack. There's also a quick reference guide - "How to Speak Canadian, Eh?" - on answering questions about Canada.
It's the brainchild of employees at the Mountainair, N.M.-based company known for novelty T-shirts it sells worldwide on the Internet.
The Go Canadian idea sprouted after one of company president Bill Broadbent's colleagues heard of someone being harassed about U.S. politics during a recent overseas trip.
Some people might not mind, but others "just want to be on vacation," Broadbent said. "So we were joking that they could just go as Canadians, and that just kind of evolved."
The package went up on the company website Nov. 12, and sold a couple hundred within weeks.
Sylvia Dawson's boyfriend has been joking that she needed to find him a Canadian flag for a coming trip to Spain. That's after his daughter, who is studying there, warned that he might be questioned about politics when he comes to visit.
So she bought a package.
"I said, 'What are you going to do if someone asks you about the prime minister of Canada?' And he said, 'I'll study up,' " Dawson said.
Such questions are the reason for the package's quick reference guide, which offers tips in case an American in disguise gets quizzed on Canada.
When it comes to sports, the guide suggests: "This is easy to remember. There is only one real sport in Canada and it is called hockey. Regardless of any trivia question, the answer is Wayne Gretzky.
If a Canadian says he had to "deke out of a meeting," it means he avoided the meeting. If someone is headed to "Hogtown," that's Canadian for Toronto. A trip to "Cowtown" means the person is going to Calgary.
And in all cases, the guide advises: "If your vacation is to be stress free, leave those heavy politics behind and travel with a light heart and quick wit, Canadian style."
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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Oh no. 
Here we go again. |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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blue jay-
That's a nice Avatar.
If nothing else, some American people might learn something they didn't already know about Canada. That's not a bad thing. |
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blue jay
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 119
Location: Vancouver, formerly Osaka, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 12:36 am Post subject: |
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Hi GambateBingBangBOOM!
Thanks for the compliment..about my avatar! I like your nickname! 
Here are some of my reasons for posting the article:
1. Canadians have developed a certain sense of humour about being next door neighbours to Americans:
http://www.mentalstirrings.com/articles/canadian.htm
2. So many Canadians become comedians and make jokes about Canadians or they move south and make jokes about Americans:
http://www.canadiancelebs.com/act.html
3.
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| "Living next to you," Trudeau told an American audience in a speech to the National Press Club in 1969, "is like sleeping with an elephant; no matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt." |
4. There are generalizations about both Canadians & Americans by both Canadians and Americans...try this fun quiz..
http://www.textstyle.ca/blog/archives/000266.html
5. http://www.members.shaw.ca/maobrien55/canadian3.htm
God bless...
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justcolleen
Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 654
Location: Egypt, baby!
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:57 am Post subject: |
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According to the site Colleen suggested, if I were a country, I'd be . . .
Switzerland. |
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culfy
Joined: 17 May 2004
Posts: 41
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:26 am Post subject: |
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Apparently I'm Australia.
Which won't make me popular in a country full of New Zealanders. |
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denise
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:52 am Post subject: |
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How very interesting... I am Japan.
d |
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Shonai Ben
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 617
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:02 am Post subject: |
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I am Japan too.
Guess I'm living in the right country after all.....  |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:21 am Post subject: |
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United Kingdom (Britain) - One of the longest-standing nations in history, it has survived several centuries and kept its traditions alive.
Positives:
A Long History Full of Tradition.
Well-Renouned.
Strong and Respected.
Negatives:
Viewed as Pompous and Aristocratic.
Bitterness of Others About Past Transgressions.
Bad Teeth.
A bit of a coincidence, I'm a Brit |
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lucy k
Joined: 06 May 2003
Posts: 82
Location: istanbul, turkey
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 10:26 am Post subject: |
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I'm Iraq!  Did anyone else get that answer?
I guess that won't make me too popular back home in the good ol' U.S. of A., will it? |
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spidey
Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 382
Location: Web-slinging over Japan...
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 10:40 am Post subject: |
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I'm Germany...
...I guess I've still got a lot to learn. |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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South Africa - A very cultural nation with many modern-day strifes. Infested with crime, disease, and political strife, it faces a constant uphill struggle.
Positives:
Aiming for Change.
Global Support.
Very Unique Culture.
Negatives:
Crime and Political Strife Rampant.
Under Constant Scrutiny.
Very Hot. |
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ntropy
Joined: 11 Oct 2003
Posts: 671
Location: ghurba
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Switzerland?1?@$%? |
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The G-stringed Avenger
Joined: 13 Aug 2004
Posts: 746
Location: Lost in rhyme infinity
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm a European posing as an American in Canada. Talk about getting your wires crossed, eh? |
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