Feeling Minnesota

12/30/00: 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!