Do Americans know nothing about the Balkans?
Posted by mikewazoski59@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 218 comments
Posted by mikewazoski59@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 218 comments
CasualLavaring@reddit
I have made it a point to educate myself bout history and geography, but most Americans are clueless. I do think that the average American would be familiar with the collapse of Yugoslavia at the very least.
Suprasegmentality@reddit
Americans don't know anything about any other country.
trisul-108@reddit
And Balkan people don't know anything about 40 of the 50 US states.
Designer-Touch9263@reddit
Why would I know something about US states? Balkan countries have bigger history then all 50 US states combined...
GlasanPrdac@reddit
A single older building in the Balkans has longer history than the whole US.
trisul-108@reddit
That is exactly how most Americans view the Balkans.
themegabattle@reddit
You can't compare countries to states. Most people don't know the provinces in China but they know China exists, same thing with the USA
icancount192@reddit
Arguably California is more important than half the countries in the world
Worldly-Character-59@reddit
And everyone knows about California.
icancount192@reddit
I doubt that everyone know about California.
The point is the US is 350 million people, huge economy, military superpower, cultural hegemon. And China is getting there in the next 20 years.
Virginia is more important than Tajikistan, Delaware more important than Djibouti. Knowing the US states is not superficial unnecessary knowledge.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
Virginia and Delaware have zero importance whatsoever. They're arbitrary administrative slices of the United States with no particular cultural or economic uniqueness that warrant them being known.
We could draw a line encompassing bits and chunks of a handful of states, call it Flibobia or whatever, and there would be zero importance whatsoever in being aware of Flibobia because it's not real - it's just an arbitrary chunk of the US, which everyone knows about the importance of.
America is New York, California, New Orleans and many Clevelands.
icancount192@reddit
They re not ust administrative units. They are entities with their own self funded police, school, hospitals, courts, everything but military.
And you know nothing about the US as well. You mentioned New Orleans but no Chicago or Houston.
And you're like the typical American you make fun of. Ignorant, but proud and thinking that because you don't know something therefore it's not important.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
I am American.
icancount192@reddit
This is not what administrative sub units do. This is what federal states do.
Attica can't decide what to teach in their schools. Bucharest can't have distinct laws on marijuana that the rest of the country. London doesn't have its own congress.
You can say that about Canada, UK, Germany. And yeah, Bavaria is much more important as well than Bhutan. By a factor of 100 at least.
Tennessee Williams wrote this 100 years ago when SF was the largest city in the west.
And if you say "Who ston" I doubt you're American. I doubt you have ever seen a map fo America if you say the Houston Metro with a population larger than Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia combined is "Who ston,"
Active-Radish2813@reddit
Only by the same token that Flibobia is more important than whatever nation-state it just so happens to have more of muh GDP than, or any random and arbitrary 1/Xth of the United States can be imagined as a distinct subunit more important than whatever country has less of muh GDP than it.
Flyover country is flyover country wherever you find it. America's dozens of Clevelands are all indistinguishable, whether they're in Utah, Virginia, or what have you. There are only a handful of places that have any profound uniqueness within the wider Borg of American culture and society.
Foreigners should probably know what and why a swing state is, and what the swing states happen to be this year. They should know New York and California, and that New York/California are very different from Cleveland and flyover country. That is 20% of all knowledge pertaining to the United States containing 90% of the value.
icancount192@reddit
Yes, if Florida has in any metric numerical or cultural over Uruguay them Florida is 100 times more important than Uruguay.
Swing states are also irrelevant in this discussion and more more this year, they are more relevant in Presidential years.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
Swing states and the EC are such an unintuitive, ridiculous and poorly conceived accident of the oversights of America's founding (this will be self-evident to anyone who actually understands the course from selection of electors by the legislature and various methods allowing split apportionment of electors to the present system of winner-takes-all statewide popular votes) and the president is uniquely important in that it bears understanding these things far more in general than knowing about the Governor of Wisconsin or Mayor of NYC or whatever - the latter are both simple to understand and have little importance except to their constituents.
icancount192@reddit
Yes, irrelevant to the discussion and irrelevant to this year.
We are talking important in terms of human capital, culture, economy and anything.
New York might be solid blue, that doesn't take anything from its importance and that it will always be more important than Luxembourg.
Fred_Neecheh@reddit
I too like to think my random knowledge of US states and even state capitals is useful
Look up who has military bases in Djibouti tho you d be surprised at how important it is
icancount192@reddit
I know, everyone has bases in Djibouti, even China
Still Delaware is more important in every sense of the word
docthelettuce@reddit
if shit goes south in djibouti, we will have suez block 2.0. you are aware of this, right?
icancount192@reddit
Yes, totally irrelevant to what were discussing.
Unless you think that nuking Delaware will be less consequential.
docthelettuce@reddit
nuking ANYWHERE is more relevant than ANY country simply existing. but nuking djibouti makes you an enemy of ALL of the world, not just USA
icancount192@reddit
Nuking anywhere is not the same as nuking Delaware. if you muke Fiji or Solomon Islands, nothing will be different.
Worldly-Character-59@reddit
US states can't act as independent actors. Most of the countries can.
I think that knowledge of the US states by people outside of the US reflects importance of those states. For example, 3 most well-knows states outside of US are California, Texas and New York. And it just so happens that those 3 are most important states in that country. US has very strong cultural projection around the world. If those random states were important, we would all know more about them, that's for damn sure.
icancount192@reddit
I don't think people care to know about Illinois or Ohio or Georgia even though they might have multiple times the population of their country.
Yes they're not independent, but is Djibouti independent? They have bases from all over the world and they can't have a sovereign policy unless they want to be bombed. You can make this argument about a lot of countries.
It's good to know what the Superpower consists of, its history and culture. And I say this as fervently anti-American when it comes to foreign policy.
PhastasFlames@reddit
I’d argue that it’s the exact same thing. The US as a whole should be compared to the EU. Each state should be compared to each individual EU country. This works when talking about the US because each state has its own laws as well as the federal laws of the whole nation. The countries in the EU also have their own laws and the EU as a whole has some too.
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit
One difference id mention is that differences between EU countries are massive compared to differences between us states
Mean_Build@reddit
Don't think so mate.
trisul-108@reddit
Great ... my idea was to get people to think.
Mean_Build@reddit
YHeeeh? You had an idea? Thats rare for murricans
Own_Organization156@reddit
How much dose avrege american know about Missouri.
trisul-108@reddit
There are few Americans who have not heard of St. Louis, the Gateway to the West or Midwestern culture.
Adogg03@reddit
I know way more abt BiH than Missouri
Active-Radish2813@reddit
Americans think states are countries 😂
narisha_dogho@reddit
I haven't met all of balkan people, but i bet they ALL have had such a decent education that they know what a state is, locate at least 70-80 countries on a globe and know the capitals of at least half of them.
Mean_Build@reddit
They do.
Barbak86@reddit
It's this more or less, but in reverse. There is no reason that an American who is not actively reading international news would know anything about Latvia, Slovakia, Serbia or Albania.
Glittering-Poet-2657@reddit
I know they’re American. Checkmate.
Roadkilll@reddit
Probably Americans don't too
RestepcaMahAutoritha@reddit
Do you know anything about Russian oblasts? Or Canadian territories? What about Romania's județe? No? Good because no one from another country should give a crap.
There's a US state called New Mexico, how many Americans do you think believe that New Mexico is in Mexico? If you answered most you're correct.
Face the facts, Americans are geographically illetarete because they don't take any geography classes in 12 years of school. Why? Insert conspiracy theory here.
RoastMary@reddit
Insert the nick young meme here.
Many-Rooster-7905@reddit
RoastMary@reddit
Nah, it is this one.
One_Artist6770@reddit
They barely know anything about their own
fk_censors@reddit
Most people don't know anything about anything. And it's a global phenomenon.
GlasanPrdac@reddit
Better so. We don't want their stupidity here.
FamouStranger91@reddit
It's exactly how it is in my mind too
UsernameNineBillion@reddit
Americans are pretty shallow society.
They only teach and are interested in places that have high GDP and money in general. And the places ofc where all EVIL comes from - Russia, China, Middle East.
If you even ask them whats so evil about China, they wouldn't even be able to tell you.
Recently they learnt about Southeast Asia "find a wife" paradise.
Ok-Release-2354@reddit
Old Mexico 🤣
Zinc-Roof_22@reddit
One time, my spouse used the term "Balkan" on a historical topic on the Balkans with 2 other people, and a random American assumed they were using some sort of racist slur for black people...
19SlimShady90@reddit
Most of them don't even know CR7 i think.
Adogg03@reddit
I’m a huge soccer fan so I do. I also dated a Serbian girl who got me interested in the history of the region. Now I’m taking my first trip to the Balkans next week :)
David_Aaron_Finck@reddit
Actually, I am totally not with sports, don't watch, play, have no sympathy. But, I always wondered, why people in US calls Football - Soccer. I have no idea is the word Soccer have some meaning, because Football is something you play with feet and the name is very logical. Otherwise, the sport they calls Football in the US is not playing with the feet and it has nothing to do with logic to rename existing sport, where people kicking ball with feet, just to use the name Football for other sport, where people are carrying ball with the hand. I understand, it's so called New World and probably they did it for some reason, but it is still very philosophical question...
Possible-Activity-44@reddit
Bruh same reason they don't t use any European measure like Kilometers kilograms or even Celsius....they are just very full of themselves.
Adogg03@reddit
I actually have an interesting historical tidbit if you care to read! Basically, the English ruling class in the UK started calling what I know as soccer football, and in rebellion, “lower class” and working class people started calling it soccer. However, as time went on, soccer was kinda just phased out as football became more synonymous in the UK. So there’s actually some grounds for people calling it soccer! But I don’t know why we call American football football. There is a portion of the game where you do kick, but you aren’t kicking for like 95% of the game 😂
David_Aaron_Finck@reddit
This world is never ending source of interesting information and I never stop to get amazed, day by day, by the diversity of the place we live in. Greetings from Sarajevo.
Slow-Hawk4652@reddit
you are fake:) nobody is interested in this slump...except some soviet kgb alcoholics...
creepy009@reddit
You are more than welcome! I just hope you are not vegan 😅
Adogg03@reddit
😂😂😂 not by a long shot! Very excited for ćevapi & burek
neckke@reddit
Come to Novi Pazar, i promise you that will be the best Ćevapi you ever tried!;)
Adogg03@reddit
My friend, I will remember this. For this trip, I am visiting Albania, N. Macedonia, Montenegro, & BiH. Next year Serbia 🇷🇸 ❤️
ElectricalPicture922@reddit
Slovakia or some shit
Fancy_Ad_53@reddit
For Greece it's probably Santorini instead
GimmeThatRyeUOldBag@reddit
They know what Ireland is, though. They probably think they're from there.
PerfectAd418@reddit
Actually they don’t know anything about mainland Greece, just Mikonos and Santorini
ElectionOk5626@reddit
There’s way to many down in Crete as well
Savings_Dragonfly806@reddit
So true.
Bourbonmmm@reddit
Americans know Dracula and Yugoslavia.
silly______goose@reddit
As an American, I disagree. I now nothing about Yugoslavia.
trisul-108@reddit
It was somewhere between Venice and Vienna. Now you know.
KPlusGauda@reddit
Now you now*
Bourbonmmm@reddit
How old are you? Yeah probably any American born after 1990 knows nothing about Yugoslavia.
superaspro@reddit
I'd say, unless they were part of military operations in Jugo, the general adult American audience at that time knows nothing about the Balkans anyways.
No_Mistake6689@reddit
Now and then
RestepcaMahAutoritha@reddit
Americans know of Dracula from the movies, they think Transylvania is a made up place somewhere in Germany. They know absolutely nothing of Romania.
inokentii@reddit
But they know Borat
Commercial_Handle418@reddit
I'm not balkan, my balkan ancestors were from very long ago, and I'm not American either, but if im not wrong vlad the impaler was actually a good person by fighting communism although he was brutal by stuffing poles up people's asses
Kapanol197@reddit
What is a Transylvania, is it Pennsylvania but trans? 🤔
KulshanStudios@reddit
I believe Tim Curry sang a whole song about exactly that, yes
trisul-108@reddit
Yugoslavia? Nah ... Venice, Vienna and Dracula.
screeeeeming@reddit
they do not know yugoslavia if they are young enough to not have been aware of the war
Business-Act-1238@reddit
I'm portuguese and I had to explain what Yuguslavia was to a friend of mine that was also born in 2003...
TwentinQuarantino@reddit
I have the same experience, younger people in my family also don't know Yugoslavia, they know just Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia etc.
eferalgan@reddit
They know Dracula and Yugo
amazingamy19@reddit
That is the same thing
trisul-108@reddit
Americans know about the Balkans about as much as Balkan people know about North Dakota.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
"Americans know as much about this collection of countries as its people know about an arbitrary, imaginary administrative unit within America"
This is exactly true, but it is NOT the point you meant to make 😂
trisul-108@reddit
You mean it's not the point you wish to be made.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
If America's literacy rate was better you'd understand.
trisul-108@reddit
You assume way too much, I am European, not American.
SlabsForDays@reddit
American here, and we were not taught anything about the Balkans. Any information I got about the region came from my mom and grandparents (great grandparents/grandparents immigrated from the region).
BalkanTrekkie2@reddit
Shouldn't you ask that on some US sub?
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
Why would you ask Americans about a map clearly made by a disgruntled European?
BalkanTrekkie2@reddit
The hint is in the title of the post.
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
Not really. It presumes that the map accurately reflects how the average American sees Europe. It actually represents how disgruntled Europeans would like to imagine how Americans see things.
BalkanTrekkie2@reddit
Right so the logical step was to ask "disgruntled" Europeans what "disgruntled" Europeans would like to imagine how Americans see things?
This is obviously and thats the point.
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
You finally got it. Bravo
BalkanTrekkie2@reddit
Whatever that means? Bye now
Altruistic-Stress-31@reddit
whenever i visit my family in greece (mainland), the reaction from americans is, “i’ve been to santorini!” and is usually followed by, “everyone was soooo hospitable”
disneyplusser@reddit
To be fair, they see the UK as “England”.
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
So do Polish people. It's all "Anglia".
jhonnytheyank@reddit
Tbf england sees UK as england.
RoastMary@reddit
No. They see as London, the wild north, sheepshaggers and orange people.
Ok-Brief5764@reddit
80% of Americans never left US.. so go figure
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
71% of Americans have traveled abroad.
Taliskerhu@reddit
Not a single one of you fools would care to know a damn thing about the Balkans if you were American.
It's crazy to think people should know too much about the Balkans. Know what about Albania, or Bulgaria? Romania is Dracula. Why, what you know about Laos or Cambodia? Noodles?
masterkuki007@reddit
Yeah, like i know nothing of Africa. Why would they care about some random small nations that they believe are still in middle ages.
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
People know about richer/bigger countries than their own, and know close to nothing about smaller/poorer countries, esp if they're farther away. This is a universal rule.
Ontorio8@reddit
Nothing!
Worried-Owl-9198@reddit
Damn, Greece owns a massive Black Sea now lmao.
Puzzleheaded-Box-432@reddit
Noo, it's ok like this, let them don't know about Romania or other wonderfull european countries, we don't need american companies to get in and sell us stupid things
Outside_Resist_8319@reddit
Like Procter&Gamble? Pampers, Ariel, Lenor, Always, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Oral-B, Fairy, Tide, Bonux, Braun,.....
Or Pepsi, Coca-Cola with their tens of different brands
Seems already too late mate
No-Championship-4632@reddit
Luckily no Hershley's though. Not sure why they had to invent chocolate that tastes literally like vomit.
Active-Radish2813@reddit
It's not as bad as it could be
Worried-Owl-9198@reddit
Perfect-Mind831@reddit
thank u, komsu
Thick_Knowledge5566@reddit
Only NBA fans know about the Balkans.
Superb_Beyond_3444@reddit
Not false
Defiant-Equipment-93@reddit
Pretty much how it is. Balkans - nobody even knows we exist
Thalassophoneus@reddit
In Turkey it should say "cheap hair transplants".
Plastic_Bus2662@reddit
This map is wrong. Portugal is Ronaldo Spain is spanish (they don't know spanish comes from Spain) Transylvania is Dracula Greece is Plato or Socrates(they don't know anything about himexcept that they are suppose to be smart) Turkey is that it's named after a bird And All of the Balkans is Nikola Tesla
apoprosanatolismos@reddit
CR7 for Portugal? Are they ignorant about Balkans?
Boshcu@reddit
Maybe it's best we keep it that way. They're loud, arogant and obnoxious. Especially as tourists.
Imilisnoob@reddit
yes
tawhite2@reddit
americans know about Jokić im pretty sure
Independent_Weight53@reddit
They never heard of some guy names Dončič?
Bata600@reddit
and Gavrilo Princip. And Djoković.
SarcasmRevolution@reddit
Are the Benelux just drowned by the ocean?
ConstructionNo63@reddit
Good to be invisible to USA, maybe they leave us alone
ohwowthen@reddit
Americans have no idea about Istanbul lol
Archelector@reddit
I am American, I think relative to most Americans I know a lot about the Balkans. Most of it is bc the girl I like is Serbian but I’ve been trying to learn more about Romania and Yugoslavia as a whole, as well as the Serbian Empire and Habsburg/Ottoman eras.
I’m not an expert by any means and of course I know more about French German and Italian history than I do the Balkans.
And said girl has said she’s open to me visiting her grandparents with her in Belgrade after we graduate from university so that’s a possibility in 2028
ElLoboTurco@reddit
accurate lol
Barbak86@reddit
I was in the US 20 years ago. Most of the intellectual people surprisingly knew even about Kosovo. Your normal average Joe knew nothing, or maybe a few random names of the states (always Yugoslavia, never the smaller entities).
One of them had a valid point that left an impression on me, which was "you wouldn't know all the names and locations of the states of the US, that's how it is for us"
ilovemangos3@reddit
may be copium ask a colombian or dominican what they know about the balkans for example, you’ll probably get similar answers, but i promise not all of us are geographically unaware lol
VortexOfPandemonium@reddit
I like it when my gf kicks me in the nuts
ThinkHog@reddit
MAMMA Mia is the quintessential Greek experience film. Trust me I'm an American mid 20s hot and smart girl traveling the world by having men paying to have me next to them
AlbanianCatholic@reddit
Should add Romania as "Dracula" and Albania as "niche tourist destinations"
Active-Radish2813@reddit
This recent wave of American expats is ruining Vlora.
8NkB8@reddit
Most Americans haven't heard of Romania and certainly not Albania.
Hefty_Jaguar4305@reddit
and be shocked when they heard white muslims exist like albanians, bosnians....for them every muzzie is a middle eastern.
AlbanianCatholic@reddit
Honestly, shouldn't even call Albanians Muslims at this point.
5% of them attend mosque, 7% pray, 15% even consider religion as something important.
In practice, the significant majority of them are a lot more similar to Cultural Christians than actual Muslims.
Hefty_Jaguar4305@reddit
should. because kosovo and north macedonian albanians are muslims.
Not this topic again.
It's not about whether they're cultural Muslims or devout Muslims.
You know exactly what it's about.
So, not always this approach.
It's getting boring.
Don't always add that...better...
Wrong-Title549@reddit
Albania is a majority christian country. Not sure about us tho .
Substratas@reddit
White…
https://i.redd.it/qx10sw2tsswg1.gif
Hefty_Jaguar4305@reddit
Kosovo Albanians and Bosnians I know are white for me. Becuase Im a Turci Tigani mix.
so yes they are white.
8NkB8@reddit
Right. Most American Muslims come from the Middle East. Albanians and Bosnians didn't move here until recently.
Hefty_Jaguar4305@reddit
To be fair, there are also a lot of stereotypes about Americans in Europe. I only have fond memories of Americans from my childhood; they were kind and always brought us candy. And many Americans are interested in exploring or listening to new cultures and countries. I like you. Americans, in particular, have often helped people in wars. You were saviors in times of need. Yes, I admire you. You are my heroes. A German cousin of my mother married an American soldier in the 1970s
RoastMary@reddit
There is no way a random person in kansas knows what albania even is.
puddle_of_chlorine@reddit
Yeah, Albania and Romania are probably some McDonald's sauces as most of them would think
MrSmoke666@reddit
I believe they link Dracula to Transylvania, but don't know where Transylvania is 😄
prehistoric_monster@reddit
Honestly I think they know, especially after the videos about the baned balkan subs but choose to ignore it and not recognise the only places more racist then them
vanoitran@reddit
Funny enough Americans also associate Greece with Mamma Mia
Dahlia_Hawthorne_@reddit
Americans can't distinguish Spain from Mexico
The most common mistake for Americans for some reason is to think that Spain is in South America, somehow xd
No_Welcome_6093@reddit
The only Tito that Americans know is Terry Francona
Zarktheshark1818@reddit
My mom is Serbian. Do you know what, I promise you, the most asked question was growing up? Wow, what's it like in Siberia? They thought Serbia was Siberia.
David_Aaron_Finck@reddit
I think, this is not an American thing, that's the situation with the world in general, that people have pity knowledge about the world we live in. BMO, it's individual thing, so we know what we want to know. I know probably the capital city of every country in Europe, I guess, I could count 45 - 48 American states, because the names appear in movies, literature etc. For example, Russia is also federal, but I don't know the states there, or in Mexico, or Brazil... Not long time ago I heard about the South Sudan, or Tuvalu. I know there is Micronesia somewhere, but no idea about. This world is not small...
ThrowRAMomVsGF@reddit
The map is wrong. I told an American once, somewhere in Long Island, that I am from Greece and she asked "where is that". I said "Do you know Athens?" she said no. I said "Mykonos?" and she's "Oh! It's in Mykonos!"...
Scalermann@reddit
Lmao most Americans cannot point to any of those countries in a map
Downtown-Figure6434@reddit
If they know this much it’s actually pretty good tbh
morbihann@reddit
Good, I prefer the eye of Sauron to look somewhere else.
Outside_Resist_8319@reddit
Yet it is busy with Iran. You will be next after Turkey.
Worried-Owl-9198@reddit
SwordofDamocles_@reddit
I once watched 3 people in my Spanish class have a debate on if Spain is in Europe or Africa, in front of a map of Spain
SwordofDamocles_@reddit
To be fair, both continents are technically correct
GreenPeace3112@reddit
Since Donald Trump's wife was born in Yugoslavia, I'd expect at least his supporters to know where to look for on a map.
bTwentyTwo@reddit
Small correction, replace Athens with Santorini.
Istar10n@reddit
Probably heard about Dracula and Transylvania. But I don't know if they associate them with Romania.
RangerSome9549@reddit
I live in usa n can say nobody knows dracula is from romania
eferalgan@reddit
I saw some Americans saying that Dracula originated in Pennsylvania instead of Transylvania
Ok-Upstairs-9887@reddit
I'm an American and some of those ppl are dumb. Yes a lot of Americans don't know their geography unfortunately but I'd say I'm better than most of my country lol. Ik Dracula is from Transylvania.
No_Mistake6689@reddit
Case to point
afewnameslater@reddit
Yeah we are the middle earth to them.
ApprehensiveGain2771@reddit
They probably know "AVERAGE GREEK VS. TURK DEBATE" video.
juju515@reddit
and that is all they need to know
Diamondhandd@reddit
That video blow up unexpectedly, Like my car in 2009
presolol@reddit
their knowledge extends to
romania = pickpocket
and if they have potentially heard of bulgaria / serbia = "oh isn't that like russia?"
exilevenete@reddit
Germany / Austria should be "The Sound of Music"
screeeeeming@reddit
they don’t really know anything about it. they seem to think croatia is bordering russia, ive gotten that one a lot. they also know its a great vacation spot.
Hour-Promotion-2496@reddit
Croatia borders Siberia no? They're both counties in Russia, or so I've heard..
ddeads@reddit
Wild of you to assume Americans know where any of these are in relation to each other in Europe, let alone the Balkans. When I tell people I'm Croatian they think Croatia is somewhere in the Caucuses (though of course they don't know what the Caucuses are, either). If I say it's right across the water from Italy I can see their brains trying to make sense if it, because they don't even know where Italy is.
EphemeralOcean@reddit
I remember once when I was a kid, I told one lady my family was from Croatia and she turns to her husband and says, “look honey, this boy is from Korea!” 😂
ddeads@reddit
I've got the "Korea" thing before, too! 😅
TheReal_Elite@reddit
Not gonna lie as a Balkan Diaspora, I thought Croatia was a south-American + Latin country when I first heard of it.
Optimal-Broccoli6063@reddit
No they are kinda arrogant
Self-Bitter@reddit
Santorini and Mykonos are way more well-known than Athens not only in the USA but also everywhere outside of Εurope. I've met people in random (very poor) countries not knowing Athens but making faces of excitement when thinking of the "Greek islands" (probably the caldera and the blue domestic in Santorini is what they have in mind). I believe that the also ignore what "Balkans" is...
gotmynamefromcaptcha@reddit
Someone asked me once if Bulgaria is a type of cheese.
mariii95@reddit
I don't think they think of Athens. They probably think of the Parthenon next to Cyclades islands' style buildings (white with blue roofs), and ancient gods.
Adorable-Ad-1180@reddit
For Gree, e Americans know Mykonos and to some extent Santorini , just Athens for an extended day before their second leg flight to Mykonos.
hgaben90@reddit
You should try 'askamericans' or what
r3giment75@reddit
No one in America looks at Spain as old Mexico 😂
Motor_Reality_6@reddit
But to be fair, do balkan people know anything about the states within the US or countries in Latin America?
w1gw4m@reddit
I can name all 50 states and most of their capitals
SwimmingHelicopter15@reddit
I know every country from Latin America, but I can't name all 50 states.
Least I can do is recognize when you tell time they are states.
Hefty_Jaguar4305@reddit
None of you Balkandji's, especially not those in the diaspora, should be writing here about American ignorance. For example, if I explain my heritage to someone from Generation Z, they know absolutely nothing. If I say I'm of Danube Swabian and Turkish Gypsy descent from Ada Kaleh, they look at me like I'm from Mars...
OkoMushrooom@reddit
The word “Balkans” should be replaced with “Right next to pizza land” in their textbooks and it just might make a difference.
Fred_Neecheh@reddit
Wrong map tho
Americans with 0.0001 pct of Irish heritage would make a point of knowing where Ireland is on the map.
And no Americans would care about CR7
But yes, Balkans dont exist. Maybe some sports fans.
Kaiser-Kahan@reddit
They know Yugoslavia
Visible-Star-6079@reddit
Half of the gap between Italy and the Black Sea is Dracula. The other half Melania.
eferalgan@reddit
FOX_RONIN@reddit
They view Germany as NASA personnel spawn point
eferalgan@reddit
They don’t know UK, they know “London”
PaintSad8795@reddit
What do Americans know about anything? Ignorant people, who thinks there is no world outside the US borders. Once they asked my Irish friend where he learned English.
Smart_Pomegranate825@reddit
Tbh, as a European I wouldn't be able to map their states so... I mean I probably know more of their states than they know countries in Europe but geographically I would fail mapping them
Dull_Cucumber_3908@reddit
No they don't know what Balkans is, like most europeans don't know what midwest, heartland, breadbasket, etc are
Hefty_Jaguar4305@reddit
they consider istanbul as europe? normally they call turkey as middle east.
MrWeely@reddit
I'm shocked they know Iceland is in Europe
Flying_Trying@reddit
It's actually appeasing seeing Europe in such a simple way...
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit
Most americans have no clue what’s going on outside of the USA
kamarjera@reddit
Salut! Anybody from Romania here, who could genuinely tell me if those night excursions into the ‘haunted’ woodland of Hoia-Baciu are simply a tourist trap or really worth visiting? 🦇🌚
TheRoyalPepperoni@reddit
What is UK, I only know Liverpool and magister
tomatos_raafatos@reddit
The Benelux should be weed, canals, and the red light district (aka Amsterdam).
Guerrrillla@reddit
And these are some of the smart Americans
The average one can't point Europe on a map to save their life
jhonnytheyank@reddit
The average one literally comes from europe though.
Critical-Ad-8507@reddit
Vampires
Motor_Reality_6@reddit
Living in the US and "Germany bad ww2" is very accurate 😂
Familiar_Link_5131@reddit
do same map of USA with what europeans think about states
StudentMuch1491@reddit
Some of us, yes.