Koana Islands a 93 millions d'habitants, est situé dans l'Océan Indien du Sud entre Madagascar et l'Indonésie, est composé de 32 iles et sa surface terrestre est à peu près grande comme l'Espagne et la Suède réunies.
On peut voir quelques cartes de M. Silva, ici ou ici.
M. Silva a inventé un pays dont les habitants, je le soupçonne, lui ressemble un peu (et me ressemblant aussi me sont d'emblée sympathiques):
Koanians generally have a relaxed attitude towards manners and dressing, and a visitor is unlikely to offend them by accident. Common sense is quite enough in most situations, but there are a couple of things one should keep in mind:
Koanians are a famously taciturn people who have little time for small talk or social niceties, so don't expect to hear phrases like "thank you" or "you're welcome" too often. The Koanian language lacks a specific word for "please", so Koanians sometimes forget to use it when speaking English, even when they don't mean to be rude. Also lacking in Koanian is the distinction between "he" and "she", which may lead to confusing errors. Loud speaking and loud laughing is not normal in Koana Islands and may irritate some Koanians. Occasional silence is considered a part of the conversation, not a sign of hostility or irritation.
All that said, Koanians are generally helpful and polite, and glad to help confused tourists if asked. The lack of niceties has more to do with the fact that in Koanian culture, honesty is highly regarded and that one should open one's mouth only when it is really to mean what one is about to say. Do not say "maybe later" when there is no later time to be expected. A visitor is unlikely to receive many compliments from Koanians, but conversely, they can be fairly sure that the compliments they do receive are genuine. In the more remote areas of Koana Islands, many locals will be glad to talk to tourists to find out what they think of the country. Koanians take immense pride of their country, and don't like unwarranted criticism. A good talking point is Baseball, in which the majority of Koanians support feverishly. Taking in a Super League game whilst staying in the Islands is a must-do.
Another highly regarded virtue in Koana Islands is punctuality. A visitor should apologize even for being late for a few minutes. Being late for longer usually requires a short explanation. 15 minutes is usually considered the threshold between being "acceptably" late and very late. Some will leave arranged meeting points after 15 minutes or 30 minutes (maximum). With the advent of mobile phones, sending a text message even if you are only a few minutes late is nowadays a norm. Being late for a business meeting, even by 1-2 minutes, is considered bad form.
The standard greeting is a handshake. Hugs and kisses, even on the cheek, are only exchanged between family members and close friends.
Et Siva ne dessine pas seulement des cartes avec une précision remarquable, il entretient un championnat de Baseball imaginaire dans son pays imaginaire.
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| L'une des cartes de Ian Silva - Copyright Ian Silva. |