A couple random insights.

Ok, so I do feel like writing now, so here's a couple things I think people might find interesting.

Last weekend I went to a South African reunion party on the other side of the city. It was about 25 South Africans, one Korean, and me. Obviously the Korean didn't fit in, but I stuck out about as much. South Africans have a very distinct accent that I can't even come close to duplicating. Not to mention that about 1-10 words they say is Afrikants(another language) and is something I've never heard of before. So I just wore a "Proud to be African" pin, and they all accepted me. It was a pretty good time, but after you got all those Africans together and fed them some booze they got REALLY hard to understand. It's like a British/Australian accent I suppose. Still fun though. Weekends always are.(If only they weren't so expensive) Most of the time I'm find understanding Alex, Tazz, or Erin-who are the people I hang out with on the weekends-but there's some definite gaps. Like when they say they got stopped at the robot(stop light). Some of the slang I've taken on-I do prefer "Getting pissed" over "Getting drunk"

The night before was actually really interesting too. I went to a little pub(the same one in the pictures from a couple of weeks ago) with some friends and got to talking to a British couple who've been to almost 60 countries. Almost every country I want to go to-they've been to. It was really helpful. For the most part he confirmed things I already thought. Budapest is the best city in the world. The Croatian beaches are the place to go for ocean. Ulan Batur is amazing(Mongolia). Etc. It's great talking to people who have done the things I want to do-it's nice reenforcement that people do do it and it is possible. Though his stories about getting into fights with the Romanian police because they want a bribe or theyre going to put you in jail are a tad worrisome. Guess I'll just avoid Romania.

Another interesting thought I've had. You know when the NHL had those North America vs. the World hockey games. I always thought that seemed like an unlikely division of the globe, but it's really not. Even more so it's almost like America vs. the World. When I meet new people it seems like they generally treat me differently because I'm American. If you're from anywhere else in the world there's this general brotherhood-which I think mostly stems back to a feeling of connection to the British Empire-and the fact that they play the same sports. But it seems there is a definite American/Not American division in things. I think I'm respected a little less buy other Westerners for being American, but whatever, it's a stupid stereotype on their part.

As for actual difference, yes, I can tell an American/Canadian from any other English speaker in about half a second. There's just a whole different personality aura around the person. Americans seem much brash and boisterous, but the others seem much more suave and arrogant. For the most part, it seems the stereotypes of both sets of people hold true. (Probably why theyre stereotypes)

Thats enough for now. More later of course.