Actually this was precipitated by the question, "Mom, do we live in the Dude belt?"

[senoritafish]

Courtesy "How the States Got Their Shapes" on the History Channel, and how states might have been shaped according accents...

Or, linguistics according to 12-year-olds.


Gareth: Don't Californians speak English properly?
Me: I've heard some people say we don't have an (American) accent.
Angus: No, only people from England speak English properly!
Gareth: Are you sure? Because the phrase "beans on toast" really shouldn't exist.

Now, now, when I was in Australia, people were horrified when I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Seriously though, I had far less culture shock in Australia than I did when I moved to New England.