• Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

When we meet people, they invariably ask us where we´re from. We say “the United States” and sometimes they´re content with that answer. Other times they want to know more. So we say “Minneapolis, Minnesota.” This is usually met by a blank look or perhaps a perplexed smile.

So, if prompted, we begin an explanation that may include one or more of the following descriptive statements:

• It´s in the very middle of the country, in the far north.
• It´s next to Canada.
• The closest big city is Chicago.
• We have more than 10,000 lakes, including Lake Superior, one of the world´s largest.
• The Mississippi River originates in our state.
• It´s the home of Hercules (the TV series was filmed in NZ, so actor Kevin Sorbo is considered a big star here).
• It´s the home of Prince.
• It´s the home of Aveda.
• We have the largest shopping mall in the world—and it has a roller coaster inside!
• Our winters are long and cold and it snows a lot.
• Guys from our town invented RollerBlades and Magnetic Poetry (both commonly found in NZ)
• It´s the place depicted in the movie Fargo.
• No, we don´t really talk (quite) like that. But those hats with earflaps? You betcha!