May 292007
I glanced at my Frappr map the other day and noted with satisfaction that several more readers have marked their locations. A big hello to my fans in Uganda and Togo. But South America, Asia, and Australia remain blank. Clearly, I need to do more to increase my international appeal. Hmm. I’m already strongly critical of Bush. I know jack about soccer–er, football–so that’s out. I could try writing something en francais, but I don’t think that will attract people in Argentina or China. I guess I’ll just have to depend on my charm and good looks. Think of me as more humble, more respectful, more well-informed mirror image of all those ugly Americans that come traipsing through your countries with their fanny packs and baseball caps.
Belgium is a tiny almost invisible country on the world map, and if it weren’t for Catherine Verfaillie and her stem-cell research at the university of Minneapolis, you might say absent-mindedly when visiting it, like some American tourists do: “If it is Tuesday, this must be Brussels. ”
I find it quite understandable some people from abroad even mix up the name of the capital and the name of the country. It makes us humbler tahn we would be in normal circumstances.
My town called Izegem is not big either, it’s old, a bit bleak, and it has lots of old-fashioned tiny houses (obviously most of the inhabitants in the 19th century were workmen) and some narrow winding streets.
An American friend once asked if my house was medieval! In fact it was built in 1925.
Don’t misunderstand, I’m not making fun of Americans! I got to know a special specimen lately, whose idiosyncracy is his wit, and who writes in a funny way about matters of importance.
His way of writing English is a marvel. Guess who ..
Mieke.
Hey — I emailed Kristen (Broitzman) Kajiwara (who lives in JAPAN) and asked her to put herself on your Frappuccino map so you finally have an Asian friend.
Even though she’s not Asian.
Anyway, what good is this map when you never come to visit those of us who only live a mere 6 hours away, and without whose support you would never have gotten to where you are today? Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but I still think you cheated off me in Pennington’s class.