Yanks still have difficulty recognising Australia.

[Geegeela]

Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist Questioned by TSA | Frequent Business Traveler

Looks like they find it difficult to recognise an Australian and not European could gain a Nobel Prize.

Maybe this post should be in the "Bit of Humour" section.

 

[drron]

They don't even know their own history.Just saw a show asking when Columbus discovered America.1 out of 20 got it right and half the answers were sometime in the 20th century.

 

[moa999]

The guy deserves all he got by answering the question that way.

 

[777]

FWIW although he is naturalised Aussie, Brian Schmidt was born in America (hence the Grandmother) and still speaks with an American accent. I can't imagine this has anything to do with him being an Aussie.

 

[Geegeela]

FWIW although he is naturalised Aussie, Brian Schmidt was born in America (hence the Grandmother) and still speaks with an American accent. I can't imagine this has anything to do with him being an Aussie.

"Transportation Security Administration stopped Nobel Prize laureate Brian Schmidt at Hector International Airport in Fargo, North Dakota, on his way back to Austria last week."

 

[777]

"Transportation Security Administration stopped Nobel Prize laureate Brian Schmidt at Hector International Airport in Fargo, North Dakota, on his way back to Austria last week."

Oh... I read several other reports of this. None of them got the country wrong!

 

[Denali]

Austria seems to be a fav for the yanks. We had a project 2yrs ago and had to email our US office a map of the world, showing where Austria and Australia was. And 2yrs later, they still get it wrong as Im always getting requests to pop over to the France office for meetings.

Last visit to the US, a conversation with a waitress:
Her: Where are y'all from?
Me: Australia
Her: Oh I would love to go there. The mountains, the snow, singing just like Heidi.
Me: That's Austria.

Only last week I was explaining to a US co-worker that Australia has time zones and Sydney time and Perth time was different. She didn't believe me.

 

[dajop]

We always love to hang it on the Americans who can't tell the difference, but I bet there are a lot of Australians who wouldn't know the difference between Mali and Malawi or Slovenia and Slovakia ....

 

[samh004]

We always love to hang it on the Americans who can't tell the difference, but I bet there are a lot of Australians who wouldn't know the difference between Mali and Malawi or Slovenia and Slovakia ....

But I bet those places come up less in conversation

Loved his answers, seems he's a bit full of himself wish I could say the King of Sweden gave me something to carry for him on a plane

Other than that, this news story doesn't contain much news? He was stopped, and then after a mix up of countries and him making a joke the TSA didn't get, he presumably continued his journey.

 

[Denali]

....him making a joke the TSA didn't get, .....

If the TSA did get the joke and laugh, would that have been newsworthy?

 

[juddles]

.....If the TSA did get the joke and laugh, ...

Who says they didn´t? I have only seen the OP´s linked article. It says he said something trying to be funny, but it doesn´t say anything about the staff ¨getting¨ or ¨not getting¨¨it¨. Are there more/other articles?


And who reported this? The guy himself?


As for the Australia vs Austria thing, hardly a biggie. I live now in Colombia and I bet the vast majority of the learned frequent flyers on this fórum still think it is Columbia

 

[samh004]

As for the Australia vs Austria thing, hardly a biggie. I live now in Colombia and I bet the vast majority of the learned frequent flyers on this fórum still think it is Columbia

A good friend of mine is getting married there in January. You think they'd let me in to attend the wedding?

 

[straitman]

As for the Australia vs Austria thing, hardly a biggie. I live now in Colombia and I bet the vast majority of the learned frequent flyers on this fórum still think it is Columbia

juddles,
We are sailing from Puntarenas, Costa Rica to Lima, Peru on 10-12th Dec so will wave as we go past.

 

[juddles]

juddles,
We are sailing from Puntarenas, Costa Rica to Lima, Peru on 10-12th Dec so will wave as we go past. 

Straightman, I don´t know if you have ever been to Peru before, but I have some strong advice: DO NOT EAT CEVICHE - that is the fish marinated in lemon juice.

Why not? Because it is just too bloody good! I am addicted. Luckily there is a high quality Peruvian restaurant near me here in Medellín.

In any case, I shall position myself on the coast on the 11th and throw rocks at any southbound vessels

 

[juddles]

A good friend of mine is getting married there in January. You think they'd let me in to attend the wedding?

samh, you should try and go - it would fill a small gap you have in your flight map!

For you or any other AFFer, I have lived here now for almost 4 years and am only too happy to assist/give advice for anyone considering travel to this beautiful corner of the world.

 

[Warks]

As for the Australia vs Austria thing, hardly a biggie. I live now in Colombia and I bet the vast majority of the learned frequent flyers on this fórum still think it is Columbia

I was in British Colombia... er Columbia last week.

I haven't visited Columbo, Sri Lanka though.



You know I've heard people tell the Australia/Austria stories with many a traveller to the US saying he has subsequently been greeted with "Guten Tag*" but nothing like it has ever happened to me in many many encounters with Americans there and elsewhere. Just unlucky I guess.

*(the pedants will say they should have said "Gruess Gott!")