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Non-American bloggers wanted!

Posted by Sebastyne • 10/21/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: africa, asia, australia, bloggers wanted, contributors, europe, non-american

I just had an idea. As I find myself wondering where are all the non-American bloggers and people online, I started a new blog. I have no idea how the idea will be received, but let me explain what I thought about.

I have found that online the biggest and most popular websites are mainly populated by Americans. That is no big surprise really. As much as I like you guys, it would be interesting to create a place that gave space for the rest of the world.

I am not thinking of a travel blog. I am interested in what makes a nation nation, what is in the core of the culture, what is their every day life like. American culture was based on the British, yet they are so different in the core. With all the attention on America lately, Europe is starting to seem foreign even to the Europeans themselves. Sure we know our own country inside Europe, but jumping over the border from Finland to Sweden for example... Not so clear any more, not to mention Russia.

I am thinking of a feel good blog that hopefully gives people pride over their own country, and a sense of belonging and appreciation. May the spot light be on the other parts of the world for a change.

Anyone interested in writing about their country? Just one blog entry will be totally welcome, but more is even more so.

To find it: sebastyne.net/non-americans/ To contribute; sign up and start blogging. (Signing up will make you a contributor by default & you can post a piece after which I'll check it and publish it.) All contributors will get a link (or two) from the site to their own blog.

User Comments

10/22/08

kirat92

sounds good.

kirat92.blogspot.com

drop me an email, im interested... kirat92@gmail.com

[reply]
10/22/08

silverpeak

If this counts, my personal entries are from a Canadian perspective. The sample I am posting below is about one of my many trips into our wilderness. I'll check out your link... and sign up.

Many Europeans call us "Americans" which is far far from accurate. When I cross the border a mere hour from my home I am truly in a different place.

www.silverpeak.ca/spblog/2008/03/28/night-sky/

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1. 10/22/08
  
  Friday13
  
  Depends on the meaning you give to the word. When I think "America", I think of the whole western hemisphere, as one continent. That's the original meaning of the term, and how it's taught here and in many countries.
2. 10/22/08
  
  deunadiana
  
  @silverpeak:
  I'm a Canadian in Germany and I know exactly what you mean!
  
  @Friday13:
  Out of curiosity, which country do you live in? I know that many Europeans use the term "American" for both US and Canadian citizens. I have not yet heard Mexicans or South Americans referred to simply as "American".
  
  Canadians are very proud of what distinguishes them from US citizens (i.e. the whole "Canada is a tossed salad and the US is a melting pot" analogy). For more examples watch this:
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnpVH7kIb_8
3. 10/22/08
  
  dosyrosie
  
  I can say no one I know (in Britain) considers Canada as part of America, USA is America, so don't worry not everyone thinks its all the same!!
4. 10/22/08
  
  Friday13
  
  deunadiana: Dominican Republic.
  
  Of course, in most (or all) English-speaking countries, the term America will be used to refer to the U.S. and its citizens, but that is not necessarily the case with other countries. For example, here and in Latin America and Spain, the term estadounidense (roughly United Statesian) is used. When needing to use demonym, americano is sometimes used colloquially to refer to those from the U.S., but when used as a name (America), it's used for the whole continent.
5. 10/22/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  We in Finland don't consider Canada as a part of "America" quite the opposite. I think we feel you are a little like Finns are between Sweden and Russia, often mistaken as a state of one or the other. We don't want to be grouped together with either one, any more than Canadians want to be grouped together with USA, even though we would appreciate the other nation.
  
  When referring to the continents of Americas, we either stick the s in the end or separate them with North-, Middle- and South- prefix.
  
  Having said that it would be VERY interesting to get an Canadian point of view on the blog!
6. 3/19/09
  
  Seabuckthorn
  
  @dosyrosey: When I lived in London, practically every Brit I met mistook me for American, and most of them were pretty rude about it too. I wonder if it was feeling embarrassed about being wrong, but they'd say, "What part of America are you from?", and I'd say, "None, I'm Canadian!", to which they'd reply, "Oh, no difference. You're just Americans with an inferiority complex.", to which I'd reply, "Yeah, and Scots are just Englishmen in skirts, and Englishmen are just Irish with jobs. Disrespecting national pride is great, huh?"
7. 9/16/09
  
  crazyTsu
  
  Canada IS America. You dont see a long "discussion" of whether say "srilanka" is America, do you?
8. 9/16/09
  
  Sebastyne
  
  I realize Canada is on the continent of North-America, but Canadians, as well as any South-American nation doesn't refer to themselves as Americans. Only people from USA do. I don't know why that is, but that's how it is. Maybe because it's really hard to say "United State of Americans" or USAns. Maybe they should start refferring to themselves as "Staties".
10/22/08

ModelElaine

I am from Russia and I can write (in Russian too). I'll take you up on your offer.

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1. 10/22/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  Excellent Elane! I'll be very interested hearing your writing - especially from the Russian Way of Dating would be super duper to hear from you!
10/22/08

papshmir

Mexico locates in Central-America, not South-America ... I only call Americans to the people that are from the USA...

I wonder : Why the Americans always think that Portugal is a region of Spain ???? Portugal is an independent country !!!

I´m Portuguese but I write in English because my blog reaches a lots of people around the world and I write about music ...

www.musichole.blogspot.com

[reply]
1. 10/23/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  A friend of mine spend a year in USA and some of her class mates asked where she was from. She said she was from Finland, and was asked a follow up question: "Oh, where is it exactly?" "North Europe" she replied. "Ah right, near Ohio!" The American's friend took part in the conversation: "No, no, Europe is in Michigan." My friend decided to help them along just a bit further: "No the CONTINENT. Europe." She couldn't convince them that there was a world outside of USA, so she left them to it, hoping that, after all, they were in a library, they would eventually think about finding themselves a world map.
  
  So yeah... Mistaking Portugal as a part of Spain isn't that big of a deal.
10/22/08

batteris

My blog is pretty much all about a Swedish perspective (my own) on England and my new life here.

batteris.blogspot.com/

[reply]
10/22/08

shun2u

Malaysian blog at www.shun2u.com

[reply]
1. 9/16/09
  
  deviki
  
  i'm a malaysian blogger too
10/22/08

Hangingonahyphen

I am from the Philippines, that tiny archipelago in the pacific with the best beaches and most affectionate people. I have posted something about the small town where I grew up. Here is the link... Your comment would mean so much to me...

hangingonahyphen.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-rain-dancing-days.html

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10/22/08

Kormin

I'm french and here is my blog

kormin.over-blog.fr/

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10/22/08

Achyut

I already put my post there...don't know under which topic it is but it is by the name Myriad Mumbai..
I am from India and have written about Mumbai city....
Do inform me if you check and publish it...
Thanks..

[reply]
1. 10/22/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  I read it and published it, I absolutely loved your style of writing. I added the Indian accent into it in my head, and it just got better! Thank you so much for posting it, and for the rest of you, do go and have a read!
  
  sebastyne.net/non-americans/2008/10/23/myriad-mumbai/
10/22/08

earthlingorgeous

sounds awesome...count me in... I'm not American I am a Filipino from the Philippines it's somewhere in South East Asia near Hongkong and China in case you don't know

[reply]
1. 10/22/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  Oh everyone knows the Philippines, that's where all the gorgeous girls are! I would be happy to have you post!
2. 10/23/08
  
  earthlingorgeous
  
  coolness... you know what I'd rather or I think it will be best to answer a question or questions about my country and debunk myths and stereotypes popularized about my country and people
3. 10/23/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  That would work fine for me. I have a list of suggested topics on the blog, and one of them is clearing up the stereotypes, so I'd be happy to hear of it!
10/22/08

Sebastyne

I will be linking all of the blogs mentioned here, just to create a type of directory to international blogs.

[reply]
10/23/08

mrwolf

@earthlingorgeous - debunking myths is good but describe the people too. There is a willingness to share and make others feel welcome. BTW every filipino event that I've been to has food. Is this a must do thing? Personally I love it, very similar to Puertorrican cuisine. :o)

[reply]
10/24/08

silverpeak

Thanks for posting my story!! I'll be keeping track of you blog to see what happens.

[reply]
1. 10/25/08
  
  Sebastyne
  
  Thank you for writing it!
10/25/08

aminhers

I follow You

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10/27/08

Sebastyne

Which way would you prefer? Write on your own time without invitation, or to be asked to do it? (That is, if you would consider it at all?)

[reply]
9/15/09

Hels

What happened to this idea? Was it ever taken up?

[reply]
1. 9/15/09
  
  timethief
  
  Yes I think she did start such a site although I don't see it on her BC Profile page. Why don't you drop a PM into her shoutbox and ask?
2. 9/16/09
  
  Sebastyne
  
  I started it yes, but I soon decided I didn't have the time or the energy to chase up writers for it. We already talked on the shout box, but if anyone else is wondering.
9/16/09

crazyTsu

How about my posts? They have no color, country or creed.. (not so far anyway)

[reply]
9/16/09

mattiasx

If you're referring to America, the continent, you need to specify (North or South)? Canadians don't refer to themselves as Americans.

[reply]
1. 9/16/09
  
  Sebastyne
  
  No I wasn't refering to the continent, but "Americans" as in people from USA.
9/16/09

osmkt

I'll show this to my Filipino friend, maybe he'll be interested.

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9/16/09

HOBO

Blog is known by content always. And if it is excellent no matter who the writer or who the reader, blog will be read.
Thankyou !

[reply]
9/16/09

Lorenza

comment removed by the community.

[reply]
9/16/09

Sebastyne

If you're interested in contributing, please join this group:

www.blogcatalog.com/group/bloggers-that-are-not-from-usa

I created it just for this purpose. As I mentioned earlier I started it, but finding writers was an issue, so maybe this helps. I would still like to give it another go if there is enough interest.

[reply]
9/16/09

mariosa

America is north, center and south and all is a big continent named America but angloxajons from north use the name America for only Usa, you have a very big ego but well I believe in individuals.

[reply]
9/24/09

ZXT

For me America is the US. If its Mexico then its Central America anything below then its South America. If its North America then its US and Canada. If you want it as a whole then you might as well call it Americas.

Anyways I'm from Asia and I just joined the group.

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