What's your country like

[jerseydevil]

Okay - I got this idea in the "anti-American sentiments" thread. Maybe for a little while we can foster some understanding between countries. Remove some of political talk and just try to learn what each other's countries are like.

People can share things like what types of foods they eat, what tourist attractions are around, famous people, etc.

I've been all over the US - only have 10 states left to see. I won't add anything here at this time really - other than a link to my website - AboutNewJersey.com and to the official NJ website - State of New Jersey.

Oh and to all the Canadian mooters - I promise I won't comment that your just the 51st state.

America's Story from America's Library

This webpage I thought was rather interesting since it's an article on what books the person would give to newly arriving immigrants so they can understand the history of America and what makes Americans what we are today - THEY'VE ALL COME TO LOOK FOR AMERICA

[Andúril]

Hmmm....South Africa....

Nelson Mandela, gold, diamonds, Table mountain, birthplace of the almighty J.R.R Tolkien.....

Thinking of others....

[HOBBIT]

better than yours

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by HOBBIT
better than yours

Be nice HOBBIT. This is supposed to be a CIVIL forum. No arguing politics or whose country is better.

[emplynx]

Originally posted by jerseydevil

Oh and to all the Canadian mooters - I promise I won't comment that your just the 51st state.

I will, Canada is the 51st state!

[afro-elf]

anduril

I've encountered a few people from south african and have never felt any prejudice from them in any way. however the affects of aparthied still seem to plague your country.


What are your thoughts on this descrpency

[jerseydevil]

Hey - this is supposed to be nonpolitical and nice. We're not supposed to bring up the negatives about the countries - those can be covered in other threads.

And all canadians - please ignore the 51st state jokes.

I personally would like to hear about South Africa. I really don't know much other than Apartheid and the Hard Rock Cafe bombing. Really I want to hear what I would do if I went there and what type of food would I eat, etc.

[Andúril]

Sorry AE, gotta abide by the rules....

But a short answer anyway:

The effects of Apartheid will probably never disappear, as much as our government (and the extremely vast majority of the country) try to counteract it. There are those, however, who have chosen to continue their policy of segregation, in the small ways they can, i.e. in certain inland areas there are still a few "white-only resorts".

[jerseydevil]

Well you stayed within the rules Anduril - becuase it's interesting (yet sad) that there are still "white only resorts". I could never stay at a whites only resort.

The rules basically are - keep it to things that you would want to share with someone that is thinking about visiting your country o rthat someone would want to know if they were going to visit.

[Andúril]

Well, these "resorts" were the subject of one of our investigative journalism shows (Carte Blanche) sometime last year, and there was a huge outcry. It is entirely possible (and probable) that they have been shut down, but I wouldn't know for sure.

[afro-elf]

I could never stay at a whites only resort.

neither could I

I guess I was just thinking how did aparthied affect the psyche of the "avg white south african"

I know you were young when things changed but most of the people I've met have been around my age or older and the treated me like as an equal.


Is there a different view of South African Blacks vs non SAB

I'm not trying to make a political statement. Just curious about the way people think.

I have never wanted to go to South Africa because I felt people would assume I'm a native and that I'm be in "trouble".

BUT my experience with white south africans outside of south africa has only been positive

[Andúril]

Well, I really wouldn't be able to speak for anybody but myself. And even then, I don't have much of an opinion in this matter.

I will say that I have witnessed very few racial incidents, and those were quite a while back, i.e. last century. If there is any negative sentiment between people of differing colour it is very rarely shown or acted upon. Our laws are strict in this regard.

[Andúril]

Oh, and SA has the world's biggest man-made hole...

[Comic Book Guy]

Northern Ireland, has the largest lake in the UK, Lough Neagh.

It has the Shipbuilding business Harland and Wolff, that created the Titanic.

There are three main mountains, the Mourne, Sperrin and Antrim mountains.

There are a lot of interesting historical places to see, such as Derry/Londonderry, which still has it's walls from the 17th century intact.

I don't know what else to add really, feel free to ask though.

[afro-elf]

How Does Northern Ireland compare with ancient Ulster?


Is it EXACTLY the same? If they differ how?

I believe that CuCullin was mosty centered around Ulster.

What about Foinn Mc cool?

[Comic Book Guy]

Ancient Ulster consisted of the counties Donegal, Derry, Antrim, Tyrone, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Armagh, and Cavan. Northern Ireland is consists of the above except Donegal, Cavan and Fermanagh.

Finn Mc Cool (Fionn MacCumhail) the Giant, does have a lot of myths surrounding Ulster, such as the story of the Giants Causeway or the Creation of Lough Neagh.

[Renille]

Since "what it is like in America" could get a little boring after awhile, I'm going to bore you alot with the state I share with no one else on the moot, Wisconsin. Here's a brief tour:

Trees.
Fields.
Cows.
More trees and fields
LOOK! A city!
Aw...you missed it.
Cows.

And that's pretty much it.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Renille
Since "what it is like in America" could get a little boring after awhile, I'm going to bore you alot with the state I share with no one else on the moot, Wisconsin. Here's a brief tour:

Trees.
Fields.
Cows.
More trees and fields
LOOK! A city!
Aw...you missed it.
Cows.

And that's pretty much it.

Sounds like Indiana and the majority of the midwest. Wisconsin is actually one of the states I still have to see. But you did forget - you are the"Cheese State"

Happy 4th of July everyone.

[BeardofPants]

Lol! Renille.

Hmm. Lets see. What to say about NZ? Well, we're stuck right at the bottom, far away from anywhere. We're part of the Australasian continent - no we're not an island! But we DO belong to the Pacific triangle. NZ was amongst some of the last regions to be "discovered" by pacific mariners - the best mariners in prehistory. Evidence suggests not just one great big migration by the people now known as the maori, but several "there and back again" journeys. Pretty good considering they had no compasses, etc. We have a myth pertaining to a culture called the moriori which has been really pervasive, as there has only been ONE influx of culture - the maori (but in several migrations). However, this old fish wives tale is still believed to this day.

The maori people came to NZ circa 1000AD, but there is some evidence that points to a possible earlier arrival.

The maori were a war like people, and the NZ land wars of 1860 were just a small window into the long history of clashing tribes. To counteract this, they build defensive sites called Pa. These were generally situated upon coastal region/mountainous regions. However in Auckland there are several volcanic sites which were utilised for agriculture and defence. One of the best examples of this is the site that used to be known as "One Tree Hill". Just to give you an idea on size, this volcano is roughly the size of the Chephren pyramid at Giza. It is estimated that it took the tribe in that region approximately 25 - 30 years to carve scarpings (downward sloping defensive walls of dirt, often barricaded with palisades made of the trunks of a specialised fern.), terraces (living and agricultural), ditches, and pits. One Tree Hill is now known by its maori name "Maungakiekie" which translates as "the totara (tree) that stands alone." This is because some daft bugger decided to cut down the "One tree."

There's also some pretty boring european history thrown in there, involving Captain Cook and a few other twats.

No less than 80% of NZ trees are endemic. That means that because New Zealand flora and fauna developed/diverged millions of years ago, these species do not occur anywhere else in the world. In terms of adaptative radiation, we have some of the rarest birds/trees in the world. We also have more species of birds than any other country - including the now extinct Moa.

We're also famous for the worlds biggest volcanic eruption in the last 7000 years. Where Lake Taupo is today, used to be Taupo Volcano, which erupted in 186 AD. It was so huge, that historians in both China and Rome have records of ash covering their skies during that time. This eruption had much to do with the shaping of the north island today - and is also responsible for much of the geo-thermal activity in the region.

New Zealand is also known for its west coast beaches - some of the roughest beaches around, but what makes them even more special is that they're black sand beaches. (And they're damned hot!) This was due to a volcanic eruption in the miocene era, and the volcanic plug (top) can be seen, and climbed at Piha beach.

Our ski fields at Tongariro national park, and Queens Town are pretty special as well. What makes Tongariro so amazing, is that in 1995 one of the volcanic peaks - Ruapehu - erupted right in the middle of ski season. It was an amazing sight.

New Zealand also has a couple of dodgy architectural contributions. The parliamentary building down in Wellington is called the Beehive, and for no small reason either. Built in the 70s I think, it resembles it's namesake, and it's a frickin' eyesore! The other example of bad taste is the phallic shaped Sky Tower in Auckland. The tallest building in the southern hemisphere, some edjit bungied off it fairly recently....

New Zealand has produced terrors such as Russel Crowe (born here, moved to Aussie fairly young), Rachel Hunter, Shortland Street, Lucy Lawless, Peter Jackson, the All Blacks, and Sir Edmund Hillary. We were the first country in the world to let women vote in 1890, and one of the first to have an elected female leader. We also have a cross dressing MP....

Finally, we're nicknamed kiwis after the Kiwi, one of the few remaining flightless birds.

[Khamûl]

Have you been to Alabama yet, JD? Since Renille told you a bit about Wisconsin, I guess I'll tell you a bit about Alabama. (Or at least my little section of it) I live in a one stoplight town. Actually, we don't really even have one of those - it's more like a flashing caution light. We have a hardware, a grocery store, a local cafe, a school, 3 Baptist churches, and a Methodist church. Every day that we have school, the population of the town basically doubles. Despite the smiley face, I'm not kidding. That's pretty much all there is to tell about my small area of Alabama.