# The Great English/Geography Postcard Project (AKA: help me, dopers of the world!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188 "2006-09-18T15:46:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/61 "2006-09-22T01:18:13Z")
Sending you two tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/62 "2006-09-22T06:49:57Z")
[QUOTE=Kyla] I am so excited. So far I have postcards coming from at least six countries! But none from Asia or Africa - and I _know_ there are Dopers on those continents. [/QUOTE] I can send a postcard from Malaysia, if you want. Check your inbox for my email. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/63 "2006-09-23T02:30:03Z")
My email is screwed up it seems, so I couldn’t send a message on what we spoke of previously. I’ll try it again tomorrow. But by Sunday some postcards and a little book on Kansas will be on their way. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/64 "2006-09-23T03:42:14Z")
[QUOTE=Kyla] Oh, absolutely. I’ll post some pictures of the finished product. So far I’ve had responses from at _least_ twelve countries. This is going to be so cool. [/QUOTE] I had a friend fill out one for Oahu so I could send one for Hawaii. She said she’d really like to hear from the kids. If they like they could send her an e-mail through you and me. Ohhh, that Kyla. Checking wikipedia … How interesting, both she and I are Slovak. Well I’m actually only a quarter. Here’s her [site](http://www.kylacole.sk/orphans/) which is work safe since it’s about an orphan charity she started. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/65 "2006-09-23T16:48:43Z")
5 cards plus written narrative explaining each picture mailed yesterday. I’ve also asked my pal in New Zealand to oblige ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/66 "2006-09-23T20:41:54Z")
Ok, I guess I didn’t need to post a link to her. It was just that it was interesting that she had a charity site. I dub me inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/67 "2006-09-23T20:45:21Z")
Four Columbus/Ohio postcards going out later today. This was fun. Let us know if you need anything else. GT ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/68 "2006-09-23T20:49:06Z")
Two postcards purchased – amusingly, the cost of the two cards was less than the cost of postage for one – and will be going out in Monday’s mail from Maryland. It’s not as exotic as New Zealand or Singapore, but it’s the best I can do right now! ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/69 "2006-09-25T17:50:04Z")
I have a postcard from Houston all stamped and ready to go - I’ve missed the outgoing mail today, so it will be mailed out tomorrow. This is fun! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/70 "2006-09-25T18:41:34Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Tiger] It’s not as exotic as New Zealand or Singapore, but it’s the best I can do right now! [/QUOTE] Trust me, anything outside of Stara Zagora Oblast will seem exotic to my students. An oblast is like a county. Stara Zagora is our “county seat”, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/71 "2006-09-26T11:39:17Z")
I got my first postcard! I am so psyched, I grabbed the computer away from my coworker to write this post. It’s from **Two Pieces of Eight** , who was kind enough to send a card from San Francisco, which is, coincidentally, my hometown. (I’ll flatter myself a little and think that my kids might find this especially interesting when I tell them that this is where I was born.) Whee! ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/72 "2006-09-26T16:51:45Z")
Card from Canada on its way. I found one with a Mountie on it, which the kids might like. I’ll try to send another if I can. (Suitable postcards have been surprisingly hard to find, but I’ll make a quick stop at one of the tourist-catering places downtown and should be able to find others.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/73 "2006-09-26T17:23:58Z")
Card is on the way. It’s from Atlanta. It was in my desk, left over from a trip several years ago. Show the kids on a map how far it is from LA to Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/74 "2006-09-26T19:42:23Z")
As I said in email I mailed a package yesterday, but it may be slow in arriving as I mailed it economy rate. I will also this weekend pack up those dictionaries and send them on their way. Let us know what elementary level English books or materials would prove useful. ---
**Author:** ![twopiecesofeight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5e9695/32.png) [@twopiecesofeight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twopiecesofeight)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/75 "2006-09-26T22:04:58Z")
/\* Reads Kyla’s post \*/ Holy Sourdough Clam Chowder Bowls! My postcard was the first! /\* Does the Happy Dance\*/ Never knew you were a San Franciscan. Let me know the next time you come back to town. I’ll get you a drink, although it’s probably nothing compared to Real Bulgerian Beer 🙂 By the way, the kids are welcome to send mail or ask questions. If you want, I can give you a postal address via e-mail. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/76 "2006-09-27T06:34:53Z")
[QUOTE=twopiecesofeightNever knew you were a San Franciscan. Let me know the next time you come back to town. I’ll get you a drink, although it’s probably nothing compared to Real Bulgerian Beer 🙂 [/QUOTE] Well, I’ve long since abandoned Real Estate Hell for a life of leisure (ha!) in Chicago. But my parents live in the Bay Area, so I go back a couple times a year. At least, when I’m not on the other side of the planet. I showed the 6th graders the postcard today. They seemed interested, especially when I told them I was born here, but I’m not sure they’ve ever heard of Alcatraz (although my counterpart had), so I’m not sure how meaningful it was. But when I pointed to San Francisco on the map, they were all astonished at how far away it was, and wanted to know how long it took me to get here from there. много време! (A long time!) My counterpart knows that there are more postcards coming, but the kids don’t. Hee hee. I’m really having fun with this. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/77 "2006-09-27T06:41:24Z")
This is like a quest! No postcards at all in the little village where I live. On Friday I finally located two stores that sold postcards in Pamplona; bought a bunch to have for the next time this kind of thing comes up. I’ve sent one with a view from the Citadel, a park and museum that used to be part of the “new walls”. This is stuff that couldn’t fit into the postcard: Pamplona used to be three separate towns, each with its own set of walls. During the XVI and XVII century, a fourth wall (prepared to withstand cannon) was built, enclosing the old three towns. Several of the town’s parks are parts of this “new” wall. Figured that trying to explain the giants and kilikis would be a lot more difficult… (just google for them and for sanfermines) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/78 "2006-09-27T07:12:01Z")
I trust your class know that a Bulgarian (Veselin Topalov) is playing chess for the World Championship (against Vladimir Kramnik of Russia). 😃 Link here: [http://www.worldchess2006.com/main.asp?id=918](http://www.worldchess2006.com/main.asp?id=918) Provided your computer can cope with a Java applet, you can follow the games live :eek: (and also play through the ones already finished). ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/79 "2006-09-27T07:17:13Z")
I’ll send you one from sunny Tel-Aviv 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188/80 "2006-09-27T07:21:26Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] Figured that trying to explain the giants and kilikis would be a lot more difficult… (just google for them and for sanfermines) [/QUOTE] Thanks! I guarantee you none of the kids will have heard of the Running of the Bulls. I’m just warning you, they’re now going to think the Spanish are all insane. (Or drunk. I mean, seriously. Running down the street with a bunch of bulls? Clearly an alcohol-based idea.) AFAIK, we don’t know squat about the chess, though. I haven’t heard anything about it. I even learned the word for chess recently, too. Hell, I haven’t heard anyone talking about the [go-ahead to join the EU](http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,,1881799,00.html), either. Well, whatever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-english-geography-postcard-project-aka-help-me-dopers-of-the-world/373188.md?page=5)