Even though North Dakota isn’t the most visited state in the country, we do get quite a few tourists passing through. Sometimes you can easily tell they aren’t from here. It might be things they say or do, anything that any real North Dakotan probably wouldn’t fit. If you are trying to figure out if someone is or isn’t from this state, try asking yourself these 11 questions:
- Are they surprised when they come during summer and don’t see any snow?
the.waterbird/Flickr It’s not winter year round, we aren’t THAT far north!
- Do they struggle to pronounce things like “knoephla” or “kuchen” correctly?
Jimmy Emerson/Flickr Don’t even try to get them to pronounce “fleischkuekle.”
- Do they question why North Dakotans don’t seem to have a thick accent that they are apparently supposed to have?
Ethan Kan/Flickr Yah, you betcha!
- Are they only here for the Medora Musical?
Roderick Eime/Flickr I suppose the most popular tourist attraction in North Dakota would have some tourists. There is a lot more to see than just the one show, though.
- Do they fail to do the two finger wave when passing on a country road?
Andrew Filer/Flickr That’s just rude in general, it doesn’t matter if you know who you’re passing or not. You just do it!
- Are they unsure of why there aren’t bison roaming around everywhere?
Albert Lynn/Flickr Not the whole state includes “where the buffalo roam,” believe it or not.
- Do they call it “soda” instead of “pop?”
Mike Mozart/Flickr Soda is for baking. It’s obviously pop.
- Can they pronounce towns like “Minot” correctly?
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr A surprising amount of outsiders think that this should be pronounced in a French way with a silent “t” at the end. If “Why Not Minot?” doesn’t rhyme, then you’re doing it wrong.
- Do they plan to head out at a certain time to beat traffic?
Jerry Huddleston/Flickr There’s usually no traffic to beat, so they shouldn’t have to worry.
- Do they underestimate how fun a good bonfire is?
fjlehners/Flickr Probably a tourist. We know that standing around a big fire with friends is an experience most of us would never turn down.
- Are they amazed at how many stars are in North Dakota’s night sky?
Justin Kern/Flickr This is a luxury us North Dakotans are pretty used to but not everyone else has. I know whenever I travel I must look like a tourist because I’m surprised by how many stars are NOT visible in other places.
What other ways can you easily pick out a tourist from a crowd in North Dakota?
the.waterbird/Flickr
It’s not winter year round, we aren’t THAT far north!
Jimmy Emerson/Flickr
Don’t even try to get them to pronounce “fleischkuekle.”
Ethan Kan/Flickr
Yah, you betcha!
Roderick Eime/Flickr
I suppose the most popular tourist attraction in North Dakota would have some tourists. There is a lot more to see than just the one show, though.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
That’s just rude in general, it doesn’t matter if you know who you’re passing or not. You just do it!
Albert Lynn/Flickr
Not the whole state includes “where the buffalo roam,” believe it or not.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
Soda is for baking. It’s obviously pop.
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
A surprising amount of outsiders think that this should be pronounced in a French way with a silent “t” at the end. If “Why Not Minot?” doesn’t rhyme, then you’re doing it wrong.
Jerry Huddleston/Flickr
There’s usually no traffic to beat, so they shouldn’t have to worry.
fjlehners/Flickr
Probably a tourist. We know that standing around a big fire with friends is an experience most of us would never turn down.
Justin Kern/Flickr
This is a luxury us North Dakotans are pretty used to but not everyone else has. I know whenever I travel I must look like a tourist because I’m surprised by how many stars are NOT visible in other places.
One of the main indicators is probably the words they use for certain things or the way they pronounce things. Most North Dakotans would probably look at you pretty funny if you used these words, for instance.
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