Aargh it makes me so angry how some people are so arrogant with knowing where places are!sejintenej wrote:The UK Post Office is little better even with post codes - my town has the same first letter as Birmingham (but I think almost all the the other 8 are different) which is where they have consigned letters in the past. You have to remember that the US education and information systems are a bit different to ours; the next state is abroad, the other side of the pond is equivalent to Mars. Many of them simply have not heard of the United Kingdom as an area not controlled by Bush or Iraq. As for Ireland - one of then actually asked me which state it is in . International director of one of the biggest New York bank had to ask where Marrakesh is (the conversation related to a banking conference there).Wuppertal wrote: A few months ago a friend in Ireland sent me a letter addressed to "Hartland, Devon, United Kingdom". It went to "Hartland, North Dakota, United States", before being returned to sender. And my postcode was on it! On the second attempt it got to me
OK call me a complete geek but I can locate any country in the world if you gave me a blank map. That's not something I ever did on purpose but an interest in political geography and world affairs in general just led me to be able to know it without me planning it. But seriouslty and from a less personal point of view, I think it's important just to have a general awareness of what's going on and where places are - it seems quite small-minded and selfish and ignorant to not care what is happening outside your own village or something like that. I just find it depressing that some people have no idea what country is next door to theirs, or thinking Iraq is in Australia, or that Swiss people speak Swedish, or the Ireland is part of the UK, or millions of other examples...OK rant over and apologies to anyone I have offended!