When I shared the news with colleagues and staff that I was moving to Austria, there were a couple of people who did not know exactly where Austria was geographically (and yes, one staff member confused Austria with Australia).
I thought almost everyone could place Austria on a map. Yet, a few weeks ago a friend shared a depressing article summarizing a survey of Americans who were asked to complete a blank map of Europe. I don’t know anything about the survey sample or methodology, but it turns out I may have been incorrect in my assumption.
No, I do not live in “Slovakia.” This was a common map mistake in the survey, interestingly enough.
This respondent could likely not even place “Wiener Schnitzel” in the correct country.
The country I live in does indeed have a name, a point missed by several respondents.
No, I don’t live in Lithuania, the land of Borat, Romania, or Second Poland, either. Second Poland?
Nor has Austria invaded Poland. Lately.
At least this respondent was honest.
Perhaps it would have been better if these respondents hadn’t taken the survey?
Besttatung. This is the loose German phrase for “funeral services.” One of our elderly, and so very, very, very, very, very curmudgeonly neighbors passed away this week. The ambulances and police arrived at the house in the morning; then, later in the day the city Besttatung personnel arrived with the coffin for her. A little different protocol than in the U.S.
The deceased woman had pretty much since we moved in expressed her hatred for us, as Americans; expressed hatred for our children, as Americans; and expressed hatred for our dog, who knows why, on a regular basis. She has made living in our otherwise relatively pleasant complex, well, hell. I can only wonder how much her inner pitifulness impacted her life on Earth, and can only wish she is now in a place where there is no room for hatred.
April 24, 2014 at 21:48
Dear Victoria, I wonder why nobody answered your interesting post, so I felt
obliged to put things more accurate. First thing: if Americans aren't able to put
Austria correctly on a map, no harm done. Wer'e fly-shit in global geography.
And how many Austrians could stretch their indexes to the right spot when
Michigan was asked? Second: I deeply admire the fine eulogy you made about the passing of your abominable neighbour. You've got to be a forgiving person. But
finally I write to you to put things right: anti-americanism isn't the mainstream in
this country. I, at least, wept when visiting the war cemetery in Normandy. I saw
the birthdates of the American soldiers who died there – some of them 17 years
old. And they fought for my happiness: democracy, comics and jazz.
Ever thankful that there's your country in the world
reo
April 25, 2014 at 04:35
reo, in no way did I imply that there is widespread anti-Americanism in Austria, or in Vienna. For almost two years our neighbor had only been unkind to us, although we were are not the only non-Austrian family in this complex, nor the only family with children. Our neighbor spoke English to the other family, but spoke only German to our children. She seemed to have a special kind of dislike for us as Americans from the very start, and now all I hope is that she is in a more peaceful place.
As for Americans not being able to correctly place Austria on a map, I think that makes a embarrassing statement on my country and its education system. While an Austrian may or may not be able to identify Michigan on a map, I will wager that it would not be labeled as “Lower Canada.” 😉