Most US citizens know the following: (i) where the nearest McSlop franchise is located, (ii) where the nearest petrol station is located, (iii) where the nearest shopping mall is located. What else is needed? As for your recurring conversation, I have to say I was impressed. I would have thought something like this was more typical: "You study geography! Way cool! So, uh, what do geos look like anyhow? Do they have wings like in Harry Potter?"