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Yoyo Bear Around the World Card Variations
In total there are 36 variants of the Country cards, with the majority of these due to changes made for the United States market. In all the images, the original UK version is on the left. The cards with changes to the front are shown first, and those with textual changes on the reverse shown latterly.
Last updated: 1st July 2019
Pictorial Changes
Finland (7:UK 7:USA)
Santa is not cool in the USA. Instead we celebrate the 'Air Guitar' World Championships. All mention of Santa has also been removed from the text on the reverse.
Denmark (8:UK 8:USA)
Not sure what the issue is with Lego in the U.S.A. I can't think of anything better to come out of Denmark - Carlsberg? The text on the back of the card has been totally re-written, with all the lego facts replaced by information about bicycles and happiness.
Zimbabwe (24:UK 25:USA)
The rainbow has a more realistic translucent look in the US version.
Ethiopia (32:UK 33:USA)
The Mersi tribeswoman with the big wide mouth has been usurped by a couple of goats dancing around after a major caffeine hit. The runner, Abebe Bikila, has thought better of running up the mountain and now favours the flatter terrain in the foreground.
Both these pictorial changes are complimented by a completely re-written text on the reverse.
Thailand (48:UK 51:USA)
The monkey in the foreground has run off. I can't think why this is important. Somebody enlighten me? There are also subtle changes to the text on the reverse, for example 'sweets' becomes 'candy' on the US card.
New Zealand (57: UK 59:USA)
It's the flag - again! I knew this would happen. The flag error (the stars should be red), was spotted in the earlier Spy cards, and obviously needed correcting again here.
Stop Press: Interestingly, there are two versions of the UK card, so it would appear this error was noticed way back, but then forgotten about a few years later!
Bolivia (66:UK 68:USA)
The picture of the mountain roads and the witch flying overhead, has been replaced by a more tranquil scene of a family on a bicycle riding in front of a thatched cottage.
On the reverse, all mention of the witches has vanished, but we learn about the special Salt Hotel.
Venezuela (68:UK 70:USA)
The variation occurred in the UK set, with the later version on the right. The US version of this card is the same as the one on the right, albeit with a different number. The colour of the snake in the two variants are red and olive green, with the red one being the most common. I assume the original version was the olive green which, although being a more likely colour for a snake, blended somewhat into the background.
Jamaica (73:UK 75:USA)
"We cannot be seen to condone participation in the bobsleigh, or any other sporting event, without the use of proper safety equipment". The Jamaican bobsleighers have forgone their traditional headgear.
Textual Changes
Most of these changes fall into specific categories.
1. Two nations split by a common language
Scotland (4:UK 3:USA); Ukraine (10:UK 10:USA); Japan (39:UK 41:USA)
Nowhere is this better illustrated than with the word "pants". For clarity, pants in the UK, are underpants in America. Furthermore, pants in the USA are called trousers in the UK. The image above is from the Japan card.
Cameroon (22:UK 23:USA)
For the US market, windy bottoms have become belching bottoms - what's wrong with farts? The reference to 2000 people and 3000 cows being killed as a result of a big belch at lake Nyos has been removed - perhaps it didn't happen after all?
Egypt (33:UK 34:USA); Vietnam (50:UK 52:USA)
Mummy becomes mom in the US version, but strangely only in the text and not the title. On the Egypt card, again, health and safety raises it head, as the US customers are informed that smearing someone with honey is dangerous. I guess in the UK, we are more likely to just eat the honey ourselves!
Antarctica (62:UK 64: USA)
Tea or Dinner anyone? In the USA, tea is just a drink, whereas in the UK its a meal to be eaten late afternoon.
Argentina (63:UK 65:USA)
Almost as confusing as 'pants' is the word 'football'. The Argentines are football (soccer) crazy!
2. Corrections to Historical wrongs
Nepal (44:UK 45:USA)
Sir Edmund Hilary is a great historical figure in the UK, famous for conquering Mount Everest. In more recent times we learnt that he had some help - notably from a sherpa called Tensing Norgay. This new found knowledge has belated been discovered by Bear too!
3. Let's not make it too gruesome!
Romania (11:UK 11:USA)
The reference to the wooden stake has been removed, and the vampire is no longer blood thirsty - aren't they though?
4. The world has moved on ...
D.R. Congo (23:UK 24:USA)
In 2018, the tribes of the Congo no longer send messages to each other by beating their drums - why would they when sending a text is so much quicker? Instead, we discover the Bonobo monkey.
Zimbabwe (24:UK 25:USA)
Back in 2013 a $100 trillion note would have bought you a couple of cows, in 2018 it is the price of a banana!
Australia (55:UK 57:USA)
A fairly major re-write of the description on the back, but without much change to the content, although the world's largest crocodile has aged - he is now 112 years old.
5. Health & Safety, and Diplomacy
Senegal (20:UK 21:USA)
The Dakar Rally was moved from Senegal to South America in 2009. Here in the UK, we know it was really because of dodgy gangs and bandits!
Fiji (58:UK 60:USA)
Didn't know that walking over hot coals involves an element of danger - for that small minority amongst us, it's risky. Don't try this at home!
6. Geographical, spelling and grammatical errors
Poland (9:UK 9:USA)
In the UK Version, the festival of "Smigus-Dyngus Day" is referred to as "Smingus-Dyngus Day".
Germany (12:UK 12:USA)
In the UK Version, Neuschwanstein Castle is incorrectly spelt Nueschwanstein.
Russia (37:UK 40:USA)
A variation to the spelling of colour, with the simplified 'color' used on the US version.
Mongolia (40:UK 43:USA)
A minor correction to the grammar, with the insertion of the word "as".
Indonesia (53:UK 55:USA); Panama (70:UK 72:USA)
A very minor change to the word spacing, but the words themselves remain the same!
Vanuatu (59:UK 61:USA)
A couple of improvements to the grammar, but the message is unchanged.
Papua New Guinea (60:UK 62:USA)
'Jungles' on the UK version becomes 'jungles' on the US version.
Belize (72:UK 74:USA)
A change so minor its hardly worth mentioning - one of the sentences has gained a comma.
Arctic (79:UK 80:USA)
Between 2013 and 2018, Bear discovered that the Arctic is not a continent.
Also the instructions on how to steer a husky are no longer highlighted in bold text.
7. All the others
Switzerland (16:UK 17:USA)
The most obvious change is to the title, which I think is mostly to do with not wanting the word "piste" to be mis-interpreted! If you don't quite see this, trying adding a comma after the word "piste", and all should become clear. Within the text the words "sniff out" have been omitted, and "tea" has been exchanged for "dinner".
Swaziland (27:UK, 28:USA)
I thought there was a chance that the country's new name of eSwatinii would appear but alas not yet. On the back of the card - don't mention that the Swazi king has 13 wives. Is this because he actually has 15 wives?
........ if anyone spots any more, please email me, and I'll add them to the site.
Continue to the next page, BUY AROUND THE WORLD CARDS.
