If someone gave you a geography quiz, would you be able to name all of the 50 states? Lately I have been wondering about this since we have been running into people that do not know where New Mexico is or that it is even a state. Poor New Mexico or maybe good because then people won’t move there. Hmmm… Anyway, below are some exchanges Bill and I have had in preparing for our move.
This exchange was between one of the packers from the moving company:
Packer: “Where are you moving?”
Bill: “New Mexico.”
Packer: “Aren’t you scared?”
Bill: “No.”
Packer: “Well, they are having that swine flu problem right now.”
Bill: “No, we are moving to New Mexico.”
This exchange was between Bill and a customer service associate at Lowe’s:
Bill: “I have been fixing my house up since I am moving and this is stuff I didn’t use.”
CSA: “Where are you moving?”
Bill: “New Mexico.”
CSA: “Are you in the Air Force?”
Bill: “Yes.”
CSA: “My fiancee is going into the Air Force and I had no idea he could be stationed in Mexico.”
Bill: “No, it’s New Mexico.”
CSA: “Where’s that?”
This exchange happened between me and a lady at the Children’s Aid Society:
CAS Lady: “Wow, that is a lot of food.”
Me: “Well, we are moving to New Mexico.”
CAS Lady: “Are you sure you will be okay there? I don’t think I could live in Mexico.”
Those are just a few of the exchanges. I have heard and read about stories about New Mexico and it being confused for Mexico and students applying for college only to be told they are international students. I look forward to sharing more as we continue our journey to the Land of Enchantment.
Ahhh…ignorance is bliss. Or perhaps all those ATM’s in spanish everywhere, have confused them to their whereabouts…because sometimes I would swear this is Mexico too.
When Curtis tells his co-workers that he is from Utah, they know were that is, but they all ask him how many kids and wifes he has.
That is hilarious and sad at the same time. My sister-in-law had to gain citizenship in this country and I’ll bet she knows more than most of us do about our country.
Isn’t it 4th grade or 5th that we had to learn all the states and capitols? We had to learn a song . . . so yes, I could name them all (in alphabetical order, no less), but I’d have to sing them to you!
That is crazy and extremely sad.
After we moved to Georgia from Utah I remember my dad talking to someone on the phone and they asked where he has moved from, he said Utah and they said, Utah? What’s a Utah? (with a very thick southern accent) My Dad told them it was a state, they said, hmm…you learn something new every day don’t you!
I am please to annouce that I can name every state and locate them on a map!!!(well, perhaps a little difficulty may arise for those New England state-but I know they go up along that north east coast somewhere!!!
We got the same crazy type of statements when we moved to North Dakota. Seriously sad that people don’t know what state all belong to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!
Leading up to the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta a man called the ticketing number to get tickets for the water polo matches. While giving his address he told the agent his state was New Mexico which caused the agent to stop everything and tell the man that he was unable to help him further and that he would need to contact his home country to get tickets to any of the events he would like to attend. The man protested say but I live in NEW Mexico this is my home country. The agent said sir whether it is New or Old Mexico you still need to go through your country’s Olympic committee to buy tickets.
Eric and I decided after reading your post that you should have told people you were moving to Albuquerque!! Funny though!
I hope you give us a call when you get to ” New Mexico”. My nephew told his second grade class that he has cousins that live in Mexico. We get that all the time from my family. We are in Rio Rancho, where are you guys moving to? Please let us know so we could help get you moved in. Good luck.