Friday, January 16, 2015

Belgium? Where is that?

People ask me all the time (because I have an accent) "Where are you from?"
they can't figure it out that I can't say "th" and a "tree" is the same as a "three".

It follows with my answer "I am from Belgium, the Flanders where the poppies grow!"

Many Americans then look at me with a blank face.
They have no idea where Belgium is.
One man said (I promise this is a truth) "Oh in China!"
I guess I now also look Chinese.
Guess Bejing sounds like Belgium?
Guess the man needs a bit more geography.

A lot of Americans never hear news from Belgium either.
They will hear and know about the Netherlands and then jump over that small country and make France
the new neighbor to the Dutch.

Unfortunately today they will read and hear all over TV that indeed there is a Belgium, not a long ride to Paris from the Belgium boarder and that the Belgian Police is now also under attack by terrorist.
Terror found Belgium. Did the police also design obnoxious cartoons?
Are the Jews in Belgium again in danger? Antwerp ,the diamond center of the world, better be on tripple alert.

It makes my head spin , I liked it better when no one heard about Belgium and just bought Godiva chocolate thinking it was made in Middle America.

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