Brits March to History We Stumble

New York Daily News ^ | 4/9/02 | E, R, Shipp

[Utopia]

"You're the first American I've talked to who has even heard of it." I was mortified.

I experienced exactly the same thing when I returned. Not only did the vast majority of people never hear of Australia they didn't have the foggiest notion about the country, and its culture-- none could even recite any of the major cities. Yet all had heard of the kangaroo, but no idea where it came from.

Still, this ignorance is not relegated to Americans. When I was in Hong Kong (while it was still a British colony), I was waiting on my Dad who was getting a fitting from a Hong Kong tailor. As he was in another room, there was an Austrian gent looking over some merchandize and we struck up a conversation. He wanted to know where I was from. I said: "Australia". "Oh", he said, "you count as English". I let that insult go. Then it was my turn. "Where are you from?" "Austria" he said beeming with pride. "Oh", I said, "you count as German." He was absolutely horrified at the association, but immediately understood the point I was trying to make. I figure there's one less person on this planet that will be making that mistake again ...