Richmond, Virginia .....

[marilyn morning]

Hi Wini,

I was thinking about your son last night, because there was a nasty rain storm in the DC area, which is headed up the coastline toward Rhode Island now and its going to ruin all our Football games scheduled for today I'm happy he arrived safe and sound.

Regards
Marilyn

P.S. Queen Elizabeth is planning a visit to Jamestown next May http://today.reuters.com/news/articlene ... -QUEEN.xml

[wini]

American Television programmes, at least the ones we get here in Australia, do not give a good impression of the American People.

Since my son has been in Richmond he has been overwhelmed by the kindness, politeness and generosity of the people he has been in contact with.
He managed the "wrong side " of the road fine.
He has been to a Hockey game and was amazed that although the crowd was raucous he did not here one profanity, which here in Australia is almost unheard of.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Virginians for showing us a very different American from the Ugly American that many Television programmes depict

wini

[SarahND]

Hi Wini,
I would hope that we don't judge the people of any country by their television programmes! It's a bit like judging everyone in the U.K. by the tabloid newspapers

As far as profanity goes, don't forget that the U.S. was originally settled by Puritans and that ethic still runs deep in the national consciousness. Someone shouting profanity in public would be regarded as either very very angry or mentally unstable, i.e. out of control. It is true that many of the college students now use the "f" word every other sentence in casual speech, but still, I think, would not shout it in public unless in a crowd consisting only of other people of their own age. It's not necessarily any better, but is just a different culture.

Hope you get over there some day to judge for yourself! And we can compare notes if I ever get the courage to go amongst all you descendants of convicts in Australia ... heh heh

Stereotypes aside, we're all

All the best,
Sarah

[wini]

Won't say anything about the British Tabloids, Rupert Murdoch the well known American Ha! Ha! has a lot to answer for.
But seriously Sarah, to the less well travelled a country and its people can only be judged externally and the "Medium is the Message",
Marshall McLuhan I think and I think it is really good to get first hand information on a country and its people.
I have met a few Americans in Australia and they have been exceptionally nice people, they were probably Scots descendents.

Don't take me too seriously, I just wanted to pass on the great impression the Richmond folks have made on my son.

Merry Christmas to you and your family

wini