Ahh, Minnesota, land of farms and lakes. A place where holes in the ice can get on the news, and a pro wrestler can be governor. Not that I have any problem with you, Mr Governing Body, sir. I have no problem with Minnesotans, either. Overall, they are very nice people. No, it's just that this all seem strange to this poor little Californian girl. I would guess that I am suffering from culture shock. I would also guess that "shock" is an understatement.

Minnesota may as well be it's own country. Minnesotans speak in a strange dialect that includes words like "hot dish"(cassarole) and "pop"(soda). Let's just take on phrase as an example
When a Minnesotan says "Yah, sure, you betcha!", it could mean...
literal translation As used by speaker
  • You're welcome!
  • I agree wholeheartedly
  • Yes, yeah, or uh huh.
  • Follows a thank you from you
  • Follows a statement, from you, such as when it is 30 below, and you say "It is frickin' cold out here!!!"(Minnesotans are only partially impervious to cold.)
  • Sound like this: "You want a pop?" "Yeah, sure, you betcha."
Of course there are many other interesting things that Minnesotans say, like "the hanging 'with'." The locals are commonly heard to say things like "Are you going to come with?" and "He's going to go with." I guess this makes it harder for nosy people, like me, to understand their conversation, but it drives me crazy, nonetheless.
But enough about the Minnesotan accent, how about the cuisine? I will begin with the ever-present "hotdish."
"Hotdish equals Cassarole" or at least that's what it seems like. But hotdish is something different, something more formless. Almost anything can become a hotdish. Defined as "some meat, vegetables, noodles, and some kind of sauce," hotdish has a million variations. One of the more common varieties is The Tater Tot hotdish, which contains bacon, cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and tater tots. Interesting, but I've never tried it.
Hotdish?

Of course, I have no problems with Minnesotans, or Minnesota. It's a beautiful place, filled with friendly, trusting, kind, and suprisingly WARM (considering the winter environment) people

. Click for Dent, Minnesota Forecast

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