So, the international joke goes… at least the way I remember it:

Heaven is:

• French food
• German engineering
• Italian fashion
• British police
• Japanese wife

Hell is:

• British food
• Italian engineering
• Japanese fashion
• German police
• French wife

I’m sure I’ve just offended many with this type of stereotyping. I’ve even heard great debates spawned from telling of this joke. So, it got me thinking about what “MY” favorite and least favorite elements from having traveled to different parts of the world. How would I tell this joke? Well, here is my very subjective view (purposely absent of any explanations) — with tongue in cheek ;).

My perceived favorites would be:

• Austalian sense of adventure
• French dinners
• American optimism
• Brazilian sensuality
• British sense of humor
• Japanese teamwork
• Vietnamese pampering

The opposite would be:

• Vietnamese sense of adventure
• American dinners
• French optimism
• British sensuality
• Japansese sense of humor
• Brazilian teamwork
• Australian pampering

Apologies to all… I must have a real writer’s block.