next time I'll know better

In Brisbane

When preparing for this trip I studied my destinations - guidebooks, the internet, talking to people who had been there. Silly me. Turns out what I really should have been studying was Canada. In addition to wanting to know about me and the reasons for my trip, the main thing people seem to want to talk about is Canada - questions and discussions about Quebec, Canadian culture, history and politics, occasionally entertainment and sports. And about the USA, our beloved neighbour - especially politics. When the discussion veers into areas I don't know much about, I mostly end up talking in generalities, changing the subject back to Australia (or whatever country the person is from) and occasionally, outright faking it. People don't like to hear that you have been too wrapped up in your own little world to find out what the Quebec separatists are currently up to, or that you can't tell them about the effect Trudeau had on the country. And if all else fails, I ask them to explain cricket and why people would want to play a game that lasts 5 days. The discussion will get rather boring after you've heard it from the fourth or fifth person (well okay it wasn't that spellbinding the first time as it is never a short answer), but it gets them safely away from the topic of my ignorance/apathy. So, if you are going travelling and plan on spending time with locals, brush up on all things Canadian.