Where is England?

[triple5]

Nobody here seems to know Some of the remarks I've had -

Is that in Latin America?
Is it next door to Lithuania?
Is it in London?
There's no such country, it's a town in America.

Seriously

Has England really become that insignificant on the worldwide map? Or is it just a lack of geography being taught in the schools here?

[nigel]

Maybe it is more commonly known as Brrritain! Brrrr! It's cold!

[KeithD]

Where is England?

In the football world ....A laughing stock

[Englishman2010]

Ask an American and they will probably think you mean New England

[maria_and_matt]

when i was talking to a few people online recently they asked me where i'm from i said england, and they asked me what state was that in

[complex]

This reminds me of a week ago when me and my wife was trying to send some money in an LBC office, a rather helpful lady who worked there but wasn't serving customers asked my Mahal where I come from, she said I was from London, the lady asked my nationality, wifey replied "British" and then the lady asked if I spoke English!

Wifey just reminded me of another incident, we was in a supermarket in Leyte and the check out girl asked my nationality, wife replied "British", check out girl says "ohh your lucky you can understand him" wifey said "yeah", Girl said "So you can speak Latin", my wife replied "NO! English is his language"

And its not the only times this has happened!

[johncar54]

When I was in California and said I lived in Spain, I was asked if that was out east (USA) somewhere !

I was also asked if we had TV in Europe !


On the whole I find Filipinos are more aware of countries worldwide than many nationalities, maybe its because there are so many working abroad that Filipinos, unlike say Americans, they have looked at a map of the world.

In USA I found most people thought the 'world' was their State or even their town.

[fred]

Or is it just a lack of geography being taught in the schools here?

You got it!! There is no Geography taught here..

[keithAngel]

You got it!! There is no Geography taught here..

I second that

[KeithD]

...and on the other foot, hardly anyone born after WW2 know where the Philippines are

[triple5]

...and on the other foot, hardly anyone born after WW2 know where the Philippines are

I've had a few comments where people assume it's part of Thailand

[complex]

You got it!! There is no Geography taught here..

My wife was taught geography at school, but says they only had one globe, and as she doesn't seem to remember much so I guess she wasn't that interested.

I think its like anything if you don't feel there is a need to know or retain certain information it will just get discarded.

I remember an episode of UK big brother where the "Blonde bimbo" Sophie, age about 21 had to place names of countries on a map for a task, Japan was placed in Africa, Iran on Australia, Iceland near the Black Sea, only two she got right was USA & Brazil and think it was a lucky guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG0gHNb5lFw

[Sim11UK]

I remember an episode of UK big brother where the "Blonde bimbo" Sophie, age about 21 had to place names of countries on a map for a task, Japan was placed in Africa, Iran on Australia, Iceland near the Black Sea, only two she got right was USA & Brazil and think it was a lucky guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG0gHNb5lFw

Jade thought East Anglia was abroad.

[KeithD]

Jade thought East Anglia was abroad.

I wish it was

[Englishman2010]

When I was in California and said I lived in Spain, I was asked if that was out east (USA) somewhere !

I was also asked if we had TV in Europe !


On the whole I find Filipinos are more aware of countries worldwide than many nationalities, maybe its because there are so many working abroad that Filipinos, unlike say Americans, they have looked at a map of the world.

In USA I found most people thought the 'world' was their State or even their town.

This is so true, a significant percentage of Americans do not have a passport and will never leave the USA. Americans are also very insular in their view of the world. America is the civilised world, so who cares about the rest of the world or where it is?

However, I'm sure the same can be said for many British people too, sure they might know where the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca are, but If you asked them to show you on a map where countries such as Bolivia, Taiwan, Madagascar, Guyana, Western Sahara, Slovenia or the Philippines were, I doubt many would even get the continent right.

From an early age I've always taken a keen interest in places, countries, geography and have spent many hours studying maps and reading about far flung places, which is probably why I spend so much of my time travelling or dreaming of going to places the average Brit would never consider going to.

[adam&chryss]

Yesterday my son went to his classmate to play... when he came back, he said ' Mummy, Thomas house is not in England'
Thomas lives in a different village where we live. Then I told him that his friend lives in England as well, he asked 'is it another England?' lolz!

[jam07]

This reminds me of a week ago when me and my wife was trying to send some money in an LBC office, a rather helpful lady who worked there but wasn't serving customers asked my Mahal where I come from, she said I was from London, the lady asked my nationality, wifey replied "British" and then the lady asked if I spoke English!

Wifey just reminded me of another incident, we was in a supermarket in Leyte and the check out girl asked my nationality, wife replied "British", check out girl says "ohh your lucky you can understand him" wifey said "yeah", Girl said "So you can speak Latin", my wife replied "NO! English is his language"

And its not the only times this has happened!

that was funny!

[complex]

I've had a few comments where people assume it's part of Thailand

This happens so often its really annoying, even with friends that should know better they often mention Thailand as if they think the Philippines is joined to, or a part of it!

[Steve.r]

I sometimes get comments from people I know, who I have held conversations with about my lady and where she is from, but they still insist on telling me she is from Thailand, I say "No!! she is from the Philippines"...to which they say.."well it's all the same isnt it" !!!!!!!!!! Makes me MAD

[Arthur Little]

Is that in Latin America?

Not SO surprising really ... when one considers that what is now England was once part of 'Roman Britain'. Many people from distant lands frequently confuse the British with Americans ... further complicated by Latin being the common [Italic] language of the ancient Roman Empire.

[Englishman2010]

I sometimes get comments from people I know, who I have held conversations with about my lady and where she is from, but they still insist on telling me she is from Thailand, I say "No!! she is from the Philippines"...to which they say.."well it's all the same isnt it" !!!!!!!!!! Makes me MAD

It drives me made too. As soon as I tell anyone my g/f is from the Philippines, they automatically assume she is a Thai 'me know you long time girl'. I wonder how they would react if I asked them if their British wife or g/f was a pro'

[adam&chryss]

I must admit that I find most Filipinos arnt very aware of anything that happens outside of their own country or world history.
When they come here they seem to learn alot about it. I`m not sure what they teach in the schools, maybe just Asian history and stuff about their heroes. The ones that saved them from a life of poverty................

[maria_and_matt]

I must admit that I find most Filipinos arnt very aware of anything that happens outside of their own country or world history.
When they come here they seem to learn alot about it. I`m not sure what they teach in the schools, maybe just Asian history and stuff about their heroes. The ones that saved them from a life of poverty................

we are very aware! and schools over there is much better than schools here. only not everybody can afford to go to good schools. elaborate on 'saved from the life of poverty?'

[pennybarry]

Or is it just a lack of geography being taught in the schools here?

Sorry Triple but they might be absent the day it was taught at school.

During our 6 years in our elementary we were taught about United Nations and we have yearly parade with costumes of each country. I still remember the date. Oct 24. ehehehe

And High school, we were taught about country profile and capital of each country. We have globe at home and we always played with it when we were kids.

[adam&chryss]

Its come up before and im sure theres good schools there but i`d rather my kids get educated here in England than there.
I have visited schools there before during my many visits.
Regarding the very aware all i`d say is i`ve never had to explain who Hitler is and what he did to the world. Or who his allies were during the 2nd World war, inc Japan. Something im sure Filipinos are aware of. I visited Bataan on one trip and saw the monument there.
Heroes, regarding the many heroes days and holidays there.
They`re heroes because they were brave and helped they`re country to acheive the status it has now.
They`re looked up to as a sign of hope for the common person.
Like Manny.

[maria_and_matt]

Its come up before and im sure theres good schools there but i`d rather my kids get educated here in England than there.
I have visited schools there before during my many visits.
Regarding the very aware all i`d say is i`ve never had to explain who Hitler is and what he did to the world. Or who his allies were during the 2nd World war, inc Japan. Something im sure Filipinos are aware of. I visited Bataan on one trip and saw the monument there.
Heroes, regarding the many heroes days and holidays there.
They`re heroes because they were brave and helped they`re country to acheive the status it has now.
They`re looked up to as a sign of hope for the common person.
Like Manny.

and whats wrong with looking for a little sign of hope in manny, he brings so much pride to our country. but it is not only manny.. theres benigno aquino, and theres heroes that are not seen in the news, in the form of working class people who works hard everyday to give their kids a better future.

and maybe the schools you have visited are not up to standards, my niece goes to montessori, she is only 2 but she speaks english has learnt good manners if i had a choice my son would go to university back home.

[Steve.r]

I don't think the education in Phils can be that bad, after all, what is the biggest export product in the Philippines? ....... manpower and woman power, cant argue with that. Also, can we expect all countries around the world to be to the same standard (whatever that may mean?) to schools in the Uk?

[triple5]

Is the UK education system really that good I'd say it's a long way behind the Philippines in a couple of aspects of teaching - respect & manners.

[fred]

I don't think the education in Phils can be that bad, after all, what is the biggest export product in the Philippines? ....... manpower and woman power, cant argue with that. Also, can we expect all countries around the world to be to the same standard (whatever that may mean?) to schools in the Uk?

Steve..Ive known kids that have had to finish their education in the UK after studying their whole life in Phils and from what they told me they found the Maths and Science GCSE`s very easy.
My kids do a little geography in social studies but mainly about Asia and ASEAN countries.The Maths and Science my kids are learning here really look advanced to me..(All Greek to moi)
My eldest son spent some time on Skype with my 12 year old doing Algebra..He reckons its GCSE material and that his standard would already get him a B+ in a maths GCSE exam...
Having said that we are really having to give them extra English tuition and make them write lots of interesting essays (as Teacher AL advised)
It can be a real challenge me constantly advising them to protect their Hertfordshire accents though as they have to compensate for the local kids that cannot understand Brit pronunciation..
Over all I'm very happy with their progress..

[johncar54]

Is the UK education system really that good I'd say it's a long way behind the Philippines in a couple of aspects of teaching - respect & manners.

Maybe UK classes are too small. If there were 100 or more to a class (as in my wife's sisters school) we would save money on teachers and maybe the children would learn to get on better with others around them. (This is tongue in cheek)