The surface of the ball is covered with a thin film of water.   Well, not completely covered ... only about 70% covered.   Parts of the uneven surface stick out above the thin film of water.

This film of water, at its deepest point, is only 1/40" deep.   About what you'd get if you slid a sloppy-wet paintbrush over the surface.

On the dry surface (the part that barely sticks out above the film of water) are tiny, tiny creatures.   They draw lines on the exposed dry surfaces (the continents and the islands) for political boundaries, and get into fights about the lines.

Some of them say, "I was born on Exposed Surface A.   And I'm proud to be an Exposed Surface A-an!   It's the best exposed surface on the beach ball! Don't mess with Exposed Surface A!"   They write songs ... "God bless Exposed Surface A, surface that I love ..."

The tiny creatures look at the film of water, with its depth of 1/40", and say, "Look at the vastness of the ocean!   How wonderful and awesome it is!   We can't even see the bottom!"

Little do they realize how connected they are with all the other tiny creatures on all the other Exposed Surfaces.

Basically, they're all standing on the same ground.

What they're standing on is more connected with the other Exposed Surfaces than it is disconnected from them.