Thanks a lot 
I went to UF! 
I cannot remember the name of the building or how frequently they did this, but the Food Science department gives free samples to students who agree to be test subjects for their research. The only downside is that you don’t get to choose what study to be a part of. My friends convinced me to go there one day for free food samples and, of course, the test they were doing that day was on grapefruit! 
GO GATORS!
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Fun/interesting fact about my hometown is that we have a witch tower! And that my high school is a castle ! Go check out Idstein on Instagram or Wikipedia. its a cute little city in beautiful Hessen and i miss it a looooot
Regional stereotypes definitely exist and are annoying! For example people always think that only old people live in Florida hahahaha
i would love to visit Florida and more of the south of the US…one day
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A witch tower?! I had never even heard of that before and had to look it up. How cool! 
Did you feel like you were attending Hogwarts? 
Especially since you have a witch tower in your town. 
Idstein looks so charming. 
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This is such a great article @Asamibug! 
I loved reading all these cultural facts and bravo for the survey idea!! 
My favorites are numbers 3 and 10, it really gives a local and popular insight 
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@Asamibug Thank you for sharing with us about things that are not so common to know. I think stereotypes are normal, but if people are interested in a culture, they should always dig up a little and discover how it really is.
A fun fact about my hometown is that we don’t have a subway, although it is a really big city 
.
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Thank you very much! 
Hi, @27sp.sandra! Do you think your city will ever build a subway system one day? How do people usually get around?
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This was a super interesting read! Thanks for posting 
I’ve been to Florida twice, but both times were very brief and it was only really to go to Disney.
I think I should add Florida to my bucket list, and spend a bit more time there on my next trip!
When people find out that I am from South Africa, they often ask whether animals roam free through our cities/towns. Some people also wonder whether we actually have cities in South Africa, and whether we have electricity. 
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Thank you very much 
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People usually get around large buses called Transmilenio but they are always packed and one can notice something bigger and efficient is missing. Sadly we have been waiting since the 70’s for the subway 
to arrive and every time we have a new major he/she promises a lot but they just steal our money and never do anything 
. Maybe one day 
.
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Fun post @Asamibug, and hello from a neighbor from your north (I’m in Atlanta and studying French). While I’m proud to say I knew most of these Florida facts, I did not know about it being the lightening capital or about the manatees! Fascinating.
But nothing made me happier than seeing Pub Subs on your list - I can attest to the addictive draw of these delicious sandwiches. 
And the oranges are truly amazing - much better than California’s, I must say.
Even as a visitor, there are so many unique regions and vibes to Florida. We have frequently taken trips to Miami, Orlando, 30A, Palm Coast, and Key West – they are all very different from each other, and all really fun in their unique way. One thing is certain though: Floridians love to have fun no matter where they are.
I love regional differences (if not stereotypes) in the US - for me, it’s just part of being a really large, really diverse country. I’ve lived in New Jersey, Louisiana, California, Washington, and Atlanta - some of the most unique places in the US!
New Jersey has some of the most enduring stereotypes of these places, mostly being known for mobsters (The Sopranos, filmed where I grew up, is a good primer) and overcrowded, ugly, industrial landscapes (also accurate; Bugs Bunny once described the moon as “like New Jersey, but with more trees”). Most people only know it for the large airport in Newark, which serves much of the air travel to NYC. I can’t deny though that New Jersey does have some beautiful places in the northwest, west, and south.
(Including obligatory cute-kid picture of my daughter at the famous LC-39 launchpad at Kennedy Space Center.)
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I’m glad you liked the post, @ChereeKr! 
It is common for people to go to Florida just for Disney or for Miami. I think it is challenging to see other sights if you fly there and do not rent a car. Exploring Florida requires a lot of driving. 
One of my good friends lives in Cape Town! He recently taught me about South Africans having braais any chance they get. 
That was definitely an interesting part about South African culture that I didn’t know before.
Ah, what a pity, @27sp.sandra! I hope they build a subway soon. 
I wish more places in the USA are connected by trains as well.
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Hi, @mgm! Thank you for your lovely reply. I love Atlanta! My best friend lives there. 
I’m happy to read that you were able to explore different parts of Florida.
I was surprised you didn’t mention Jersey Shore as one of the stereotypes. I’ve never been to New Jersey, but I’d like to visit. Any recommendations of must-sees?
Your daughter is adorable! She looks so determined. Maybe a future astronaut one day? 
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@Asamibug you’re so right, how did I overlook Jersey Shore?! That’s probably one of the odder aspects of New Jersey, that it’s referred to as “the shore” rather than “the beach”.
Honestly I wouldn’t recommend putting NJ on your to-visit list unless you have a friend who lives there. A really good friend. The shore of NJ does not hold a candle to the beautiful of Florida!
As for northern NJ, it does have the best views of Manhattan – I can recommend Hoboken, and specifically Castle Point as having the best views. NJ also has incredible Italian food - whether proper meals or the notorious sub sandwiches. Quite different from your pub subs! The fresh mozzarella – “mutz” in NJ speak – is the best.
Thank you for the kind words about my daughter - and you are very perceptive! She is extremely determined. I don’t think being an astronaut is in her future, but she’s very focused on being a writer, and I have no doubt she’ll do anything she sets her mind to! 
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This was a great post - the fact about flip flops was excellent - I am nut sure that I would last through the Berlin Winters without my winterboots though!
Kiru
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Thanks for your recommendations, @mgm! Italian food is one of my favorites so I wouldn’t mind swinging by New Jersey just for that. 
That’s amazing that your daughter already has a love of writing! 
That is not so common with little ones nowadays.
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I’m happy to see you enjoyed the post, @Kiruba.berlin! Berliners must know how to pick out a good pair of winter boots. You can be sure to leave those boots at home though if you ever visit Florida. Even in the winter time, it never snows! 
Some Floridians have never seen snow in their lives.
This was very interesting , Thanks for sharing. 
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