Does your adult DC in their 20's know about the Channel Islands?

Well I'm in my 20s and don't consider myself particularly marvellous at geography, but I'm astonished that anyone wouldn't know all about the Channel Islands. And as for confusing Jersey and New Jersey!

Yes, definitely.
But we have been yearly for years except 2020 and 2021.
Must get on and book for next year.

Well I’m 31 and I don’t know anything about them.

This. The lack of general knowledge these days is gob smacking. Even younger presenters on the TV seem to know nothing about anything. Lack of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Yes they both know about the Channel Idles . They found out about them in history, when learning about WW2

I have no doubt DS knows about the Channel Islands. He's written them off as holiday destinations even though I had a nice trip there.

He's very good at African capitals as well.

It is. British Isles is a geographical term, not a political one. The Channel Islands are included (although I agree that on a common sense basis it would make more sense to include them in France but the King might object).

Why does it matter? Is Tiree on your radar? It’s the same size as Jersey almost but population of 600!
My kids aren’t teenagers but they all know where Jersey is.
Jersey was nice if a few too many people for my liking😆

I am not sure Jersey IS in the Green and Foggy Isles* to the north west of the continental part of Europe. The Channel Islands are part of France, geographically.

*even Nicola Sturgeon got told off on Twitter for using the term "British Isles"

Yes. I enjoyed a memorable holiday in Jersey for a week in my 20s.
Budget airline flight
Bought week bus pass
Visited the underground hospital, zoo
There was an airshow & the red arrows
Good weather

I certainly did - I went to work there in my 20s. My daughter who is 7 knows about them through me talking about that. Not sure if she would otherwise.

The Channel Islands are in the British Isles. They’re not in the UK though. Jersey has over 100,000 people on it so a bit more significant than a big rock!

I lived in Jersey for quite a while and a very large number of people have no idea where it is or think it’s American. An even larger number think it’s like the Isle of Wight and part of the UK. Some people think it’s French. Explaining what a Crown Dependency is would baffle many Jersey islanders themselves.

Bergerac is the touch point for most people over 40. WW2 occupation can spark things, or Durrell. Young people very often have no idea at all. The worst is when you have to explain things like the status of a Jersey passport, or talk to HMRC, or do anything remotely official in which the other person absolutely needs to understand the political/legal position of Jersey.

Obviously my children know all about Jersey but they were met with bafflement by most of their peers when we moved back to the UK and they tried to explain where we’d been living.

I’m 29, I know of them! Mainly when I worked in a shop and we would have people coming over from Jersey and getting the VAT exemption receipts!

Another interesting thing is that there is a significant Portuguese population on Jersey - from Madeira. Islands like islands :)

Well they need to be taught history in school then.

Yes whenever you do a google search you need to put Jersey CI to make sure you don't get the US hits.

Yes Bergerac did a lot for the Jersey tourist industry I think!

I love maps so know roughly where places are even if I've not been there.

Yes because we have had a few holidays there.

But my husband had a colleague in her 20s who'd never heard of them. Mind you he had a colleague who didn't know where Brussels was either (not the same colleague).

I went to Jersey when I was 8 and we had friends with relatives there, so I always knew about the Channel Islands, although I didn't go to Guernsey until I was an adult.

Edited: Jersey is my favourite - there isn't enough to do on Sark!

An awful lot of British people think Ireland is part of the UK. Look at all the nonsense said about it around brexit!

I lived and worked on Herm for a number of years so am familiar with most of the Channel Islands and visited many of them, Guernsey of course, since the only way to get to Herm is via the Trident ferry from Guernsey, and including Alderney, Sark, Jethou, Lihou, Brecquou, but never got to Jersey, sadly.

When I mention Herm to people, the majority confuse it with Herne and Herne Bay in Kent, unless they have had the experience of actually visiting Herm. Most are aware of the geographic location of the larger Channel Islands though, if not their status as a Crown Dependency

From my own experience- born and raised in Guernsey and lived for a few years on the mainland- people tend to know we exist but not much more. Most assume we're part of the UK, if not they think we're French, and they know sod all about the Occupation.

(Actually, the thing I found surprised most mainlanders is that we didn't get a vote in the Brexit referendum! That and the fact that we don't have any of the major chain restaurants, any fast food, or most of the standard supermarkets in Guernsey)

I love when people know the islands, though, it's always nice to meet someone who has been around Jersey and the Bailiwick. Sark seems to be everyone's favourite, in my experience, and I can't blame them!

We have 13 and 16 year old DC and both of them know about the Channel Islands. However they know about them because DH and I have talked about when we have been when we were younger.

I hope mine do because we spent ( a very wet) fortnight on Jersey when they were young. They may not remember it, but are hopefully still aware of the Islands in general. I spent a couple of holidays on Guernsey when I was young, and visited Herm. I doubt that they could locate them on a map though - their knowledge of the geography of the UK is appalling - can barely locate neighbouring counties!

I would hope that people are aware of the awful time the Islands had during WW2.

I think Jersey may become more prominent again with the remake of Bergerac hitting our TV screens soon.

I briefly lived in California - near Falkirk!

Know what about them? Their existence, or their history, etc.?
I know my nieces and nephew know about their existence, where they are, and that they were occupied during WW2; but not sure they'd know much more. They are 14, 15, 19 & 8 - so not 20s, but still young people!