Company lets U.S. travelers 'Go Canadian'

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-- Company lets U.S. travelers 'Go Canadian'

Posted by ShadoWolf on Dec-07-2004 17:58:

Company lets U.S. travelers 'Go Canadian'

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/ameri...s.ap/index.html

Company lets U.S. travelers 'Go Canadian'

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) -- An American T-shirt company has a solution for their fellow citizens who want to vacation in Europe without having to answer questions about U.S. politics -- pose as Canadians.

For $24.95, T-shirtKing.com offers the "Go Canadian" package, full of just the kind of things an American traveler needs to leave their country 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, New Mexico-based company known for novelty T-shirts it sells worldwide on the Internet.

"It's not meant as a slight against the United States or Canada," explained T-shirtKing.com President Bill Broadbent. "It was meant as something Republicans could give their Democrat friends to say 'C'est la vie.' ... But maybe not c'est la vie because that's a French word."

The "Go Canadian" idea sprouted after one of 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 T-shirtKing.com's Web site November 12 and the company had sold a couple hundred in the first two weeks or so. Many of the out-of-state buyers were in Michigan, Illinois, and the Seattle area, Broadbent said.

When lifelong Democrat Dani Delaney saw the package, she was immediately sold. After the general election, she said, "if I could move to Canada, I would."

"I admire their liberal, progressive stand on things," said the 57-year-old, part-time writing instructor at the University of New Mexico. "And I thought, 'Well, that's a good way to peacefully protest.'"

Sylvia Dawson's boyfriend has been joking that she needed to find him a Canadian flag for an upcoming 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."

Posted by Zild on Dec-07-2004 18:15:

I definately need one of those shirts.

Posted by Yohan on Dec-07-2004 18:49:

Lame

Damn Yankee posers.

Posted by beats and beeps on Dec-07-2004 20:55:

wattage.

Posted by Matt on Dec-07-2004 20:58:

t-shirt or not, they still can't pronounce foyer.

Posted by CynepMeH on Dec-07-2004 21:19:

Well... I'm wearing either Russian or Ukrainian attire... though it is a shame... that beacause of one moron in the White House the entire nation is treated like we're all wankers. Keep in mind - Bush only made it by a narrow margin. And if our voters had a spine, we'd probably see something similar to what we're seeing in Ukraine.

Oh well.... it is sad though, if you think about it...

Posted by Orbax on Dec-07-2004 21:25:

I met a lot of Americans out there doing that when i travelled.

I was so fucking annoyed with it I was almost in your face American just to make up for the balls my countrymen were missing.

I didnt get fucked with once. in the 2.5 months i was there ONE time at a bar a drunk guy said "I dont like your president" and I said "Thats awesome, I like beer" and turned around and kept drinking with my friends i had met there.

I still love america, i still love our people. I make no apologies about us.

The only people I hear who get bothered are the people who go over there meek'r than shit and hoping some big badass european wont hurt them becasue theyre american. You start off as a victim before you even leave the country!

Victim isnt a word I choose to associate with this nation. Its bothersome that some do because of relatively minor things. You still get to hop in one of your family's cars, put food in a food disposal (most people dont have that ), and watch tv thats actually funny.

anyway...like I said, i dont make excuses for being an American. I got nothing but respect for being proud while on the road.

Maybe its because im not a fucking idiot like most PEOPLE, this isnt a nation based statement, are. Too many idiots believe shit for no reason. Then they cant defend it. Yeah, dont be political if you dont know politics. Maybe you wont get your ass handed to you.

/rant