December 07, 2004
When is a Canadian not a Canadian? I protest.Dec. 7, 2004. 07:46 AM
American tourists urged to pose as CanadiansSpoof 'Go Canadian' package includes language primer
LESLIE HOFFMANASSOCIATED PRESSALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An American T-shirt company has a solution for fellow citizens who want to vacation in Europe without having to answer questions about U.S. politics: impersonate Canadians.
For $24.95 US (about $30 (Cdn)), T-shirtKing.com offers the "Go Canadian" package, full of just the kind of things an American traveller needs to leave home and its politics behind.
There's a Canadian flag T-shirt, a Canadian flag lapel pin and a Canadian patch for luggage or a backpack. There's also a quick reference guide — "How to Speak Canadian, Eh?" — on answering questions about Canada.
It's the brainchild of employees at the Mountainair, N.M.-based company known for novelty T-shirts it sells worldwide on the Internet.
The Go Canadian idea sprouted after one of company president Bill Broadbent's colleagues heard of someone being harassed about U.S. politics during a recent overseas trip.
Some people might not mind, but others "just want to be on vacation," Broadbent said. "So we were joking that they could just go as Canadians, and that just kind of evolved."
The package went up on the company website Nov. 12, and sold a couple hundred within weeks.
Sylvia Dawson's boyfriend has been joking that she needed to find him a Canadian flag for a coming trip to Spain. That's after his daughter, who is studying there, warned that he might be questioned about politics when he comes to visit.
So she bought a package.
"I said, `What are you going to do if someone asks you about the prime minister of Canada?' And he said, `I'll study up,'" Dawson said.
Such questions are the reason for the package's quick reference guide, which offers tips in case an American in disguise gets quizzed on Canada.
When it comes to sports, the guide suggests: "This is easy to remember. There is only one real sport in Canada and it is called hockey. Regardless of any trivia question, the answer is Wayne Gretzky.
If a Canadian says he had to "deke out of a meeting," it means he avoided the meeting. If someone is headed to "Hogtown," that's Canadian for Toronto. A trip to "Cowtown" means the person is going to Calgary.
And in all cases, the guide advises: "If your vacation is to be stress free, leave those heavy politics behind and travel with a light heart and quick wit, Canadian style."
› Need Gift Ideas? Save 50%! Subscribe
- clubs -
- blogs -
- travel tools - - travel blogs - - travel links - - france - - air - -newspapers- -Travel Magazines- - cameras & things - - sports - - financials - - archives -
Glencoe District Lions
blamblog
meredith
Ice Queen
Government of Canada Consular Affairs-Warnings and other useful info
USA Bureau of Consular Affairs- Travel Information
Southwest Middlesex
Weather Underground
World Time
Travel Maps
Restroom Ratings
Translation
Currency Calculator
Slow Travel
Top Travel Blogs
TravelBlog
Vagabonding
Aircanada Vacations
Bel Air Travel
Book It For Less
Commodore Travel Oshawa
Elderhostel
Exit Travel
Flight Centre
Itravel 2000
LastMinuteClub
Renaissance Travel
RedTag Vacations
Sears Travel
Travel Discounters
Vacations to Go -Cruises
Bonjour Paris
TVG
The BUS
The Bus
Apt.Rental La Clusaz
Ski Pass Reservation
Ecole de Ski Francais
Tourist Office of La Clusaz
National Tourist Office-France
Hotel Reservations-France
Air Transat
Skyservice
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Detroit Free Press
The Globe and Mail
The Guardian
The London Free Press
MAIL & GUARDIAN S.AFR.
Montreal Gazette
Cape Times,Cape Town
Los Angeles Times
LE MONDE
FIGARO
LE PARISIEN
La Repubblica
Toronto Sun
Washington Post
London Times Online
Have Children Will Travel
Connected Traveler
Journey Woman
Ticked-Off Tourist
TimeSharer Magazine
Transitions Abroad
Travel and Leisure Mag.
Travel With A Challenge
digital camera reviews
Sharper Image
PGA
NBA
tsx
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
March 2009
