the USA thread -

[rahvin]

I dont mean to criticise rahvin's choices nor did I mean to imply he was an underachiever, I just wanted to know where his elitism or lectures came from.

For the record, I accept the "underachiever" label when it comes to my job. While I don't think life had led me ashore without any effort on my part, I'm sure I could have been higher in the social ladder if I had put more energy into climbing. As mentioned in another thread, I don't focus my ambition or passion on my career: other things interest me and absorb a lot of my time, and what I do for a living is mainly a means to have the money to do what I like. I wasn't even pissing on LBRH's parade out of disrespect for a high-brow/low-brow choice: that's really not where or how I flex my elitist muscles. Never would I go "LOL you want to be a rocket scientist but you cannot do your math please become a streetcleaner!", which is proven by the fact I mentioned architecture as an alternative. It didn't cross my mind that LBRH might be too big for his breeches, just that he's picking the wrong career path.

My elitism comes from school, I guess. That's where I figured out most people were horrible idiots. Later I learned not to take myself so seriously, but the damage was already done. I don't necessarily believe I meet my standards to be a decent person, but I certainly think those standards are very high. As for the lectures, I'm definitely smoother in real life and can avoid a confrontation by carefully pretending to either listen or care or have mild opinions. But message boards are not really tailor-made for discussion: everything fades quickly and without long-term consequences. To a long argumentative post about the pro's and con's of being a translator I prefer a quip suggesting I feel nothing but disdain, in much the same way as people are more wont to tell others to "fuck off" on the Internet than they are in face to face conversations. I know this is admitting the defeat of this medium, but I have. You can punch me if you want. Through the Internet.

 

[stardrowned]

That you would retort with a quip about my language proficiency further testifies to your arrogance. You're a horrible poster, and since you usually contribute nothing I can only hope you get bored of this soon.

What sort of "contribution" do you want us to make?

 

[rahvin]

What sort of "contribution" do you want us to make?

Posts add something to a topic when they contain information, questions, or an articulate point of view.

There are obviously exceptions, such as the Now Playing thread or polls, and it's also a matter of proportions: no one is expected to always contribute to a discussion and jokes / flames / requests for midget porn are allowed, but out of all your monthly posts, a healthy quota better contain something at least remotely interesting to read.

Note that I don't go around banning people who don't follow these rules - although the trend in online communities is to enforce stricter discipline than two or three years ago - so take this as a suggestion only. Personally, I believe that users who seldom post with something specific to say or ask are a waste of bandwidth and I'd be glad if they disappeared.

Sometimes (not often) I say so and some forum drama ensues, with regulars equally divided between those who call me a fascistic, arrogant prick, those who complain that they've done nothing wrong and only tried their best and please, Sir, can I go to my room now?, those who laugh and go "HAHA, yeah, rahvin, make 'em shit their pants, I'm having an erection thinking about your manly fingers pounding on your keyboard", and those who keep lurking or get scared of posting for the following fifteen years because I clearly hold the power of life and death in my hands. The bottom line is you can safely ignore all of this and keep posting the way you always have.

 

[Kovenant84]

So, the US?

(Just kidding. The above back and forth was quite interesting, but I agree it should probably be taken elsewhere.)

I'd be interested to know something. Those of you who do not live in the US (or its nearer territories - Canada, I'm looking at you), and who have visited at some point, how did the experience differ from what you expected? Or, if it didn't differ, what were your original expectations?

~kov.

 

[stardrowned]

@Rahvin: Alright. I can't see much "contribution" here. All I see is Arch and Plintus making fun of each other like 3rd graders, hyena writing Hamlet II, and Undo taking care of the bootlegs thread.

 

[hyena]

@Rahvin: Alright. I can't see much "contribution" here. All I see is Arch and Plintus making fun of each other like 3rd graders, hyena writing Hamlet II, and Undo taking care of the bootlegs thread.

nah, it's macbeth: almost all of my posts can be subsumed in hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

(and anyway, how is that my reflections are not a "contribution"? maybe not an "intelligent contribution", but i guess that there is content to what i write, except for some silly one-liners which i consider funny)

 

[stardrowned]

(and anyway, how is that my reflections are not a "contribution"? maybe not an "intelligent contribution", but i guess that there is content to what i write, except for some silly one-liners which i consider funny)

Naaa I'm just joking. A lot of people here on the forum are awesome, like Danny, I don't know why "Rhavin" ( ) thinks he's or a brat or something.

 

[Makaan]

I'd be interested to know something. Those of you who do not live in the US...

I´m thinking about visiting the US some day, due to the fact that I keep throwing shit at the coutry and parts of the population without never having been there. I don´t really know which parts I´d like to visit though, perhaps New York, but there isn´t really any part that I really would like to visit. I´m finishing secondary school in 2 weeks, and after that I´m going to work and save up a bit of money to travel with, though I don´t think the US will be the first place I go to though.

When I finallly go there i intend to do the trip by mainly using couch surfing, or a similiar hospitality site to meet more non-tourists.

Naaa I'm just joking. A lot of people here on the forum are awesome, like Danny, I don't know why "Rhavin" ( ) thinks he's or a brat or something.

He definetly ads a bit of color to an otherwise quite grey forum

 

[Dark_Silence]

So, the US?

(Just kidding. The above back and forth was quite interesting, but I agree it should probably be taken elsewhere.)

I'd be interested to know something. Those of you who do not live in the US (or its nearer territories - Canada, I'm looking at you), and who have visited at some point, how did the experience differ from what you expected? Or, if it didn't differ, what were your original expectations?

~kov.

thats a question for me.

I was disapointed. I first didnt think i would land in a small village, and that there wouldnt be any public transport. The food wasnt as good as in Europe, and the mentality was quite different.

I was in a small school where all the people knew each other since elementary school or maybe kindergarten. They talked to me but didnt often invite me to do something. I though they were superficial people.

At one point, i was asked if there were mc donalds in Belgium and if we had cars. Or if Belgium was a part of Germany

I though that the school system was a bit weird, i had the impression that one could finish high school having only taken easy classes.

And the Rotary (organisation with which i did my exchange year) was way more strict about the rules than they does in Europe. I couldnt travel alone (in Belgium, exchange students are allowed to do so if they have a letter from their natural parents saying that they are authorized to do so, and that the club in which they are hosted agree (They agree most of the time).

CDs and clothes are cheaper in the US (good thing )

 

[Kovenant84]

thats a question for me.

I was disapointed. I first didnt think i would land in a small village, and that there wouldnt be any public transport. The food wasnt as good as in Europe, and the mentality was quite different.

This is kinda what I was wondering - what about the mentality seemed so much different? (And yeah, I think I might agree on the food.)

I was in a small school where all the people knew each other since elementary school or maybe kindergarten. They talked to me but didnt often invite me to do something. I though they were superficial people.

I will agree that many schools tend to be very clique-ish, especially smaller ones with local populations. Perhaps it's just my experience from having gone to an all-boy's high school, but you probably would have been fought over.

At one point, i was asked if there were mc donalds in Belgium and if we had cars. Or if Belgium was a part of Germany

Unfortunately, I cannot explain away stupid.

I though that the school system was a bit weird, i had the impression that one could finish high school having only taken easy classes.

Truth be told, you can. The public school systems usually put a huge burden on the student to be motivated enough to actually take the harder classes. My high school was much more rigid in its class structure, and I really only got to choose my classes (Aside from choice in language in our first year) in my last year, which given my tendencies wound up being my easiest.

And the Rotary (organisation with which i did my exchange year) was way more strict about the rules than they does in Europe. I couldnt travel alone (in Belgium, exchange students are allowed to do so if they have a letter from their natural parents saying that they are authorized to do so, and that the club in which they are hosted agree (They agree most of the time).

Having never done study abroad (something I fully intended to do, but instead decided to go to a college that occasionally attempts something akin to it - and never actually gets it off the ground), I can't really speak to the experiences of USians overseas, but I'm rather surprised at the rules you had to endure.

CDs and clothes are cheaper in the US (good thing )

Yes.

Thanks for all the input, DS! Any others?

~kov.

 

[hyena]

Well, I first visited the US when I was all grown up, so it probably does not count. Anyway, now my arms hurt from lifting and I will go to sleep, but I will post more tomorrow. And I found out this afternoon that I'm going to be in the States for the best part of the Summer, specifically at George Mason University - any Americans care to tell me how it ranks in terms of coolness? I know it's not top 20, but I wouldn't know whether it's top 40 or top 200. Thanks!

 

[Dark_Silence]

This is kinda what I was wondering - what about the mentality seemed so much different?

Maybe it was just my education, i dont know. I didnt have any problems with my first host family. But with the second, it was not that great. They said i didnt say "thank you enough", or they reproached me, when they were upstairs in the morning, not to scream "oi, i m leaving for school" from downstairs.
They also reproached me not to ask them many questions about themselves. But they worked all the day, came back at 5, we ate dinner at 6 (and they were talking from their own things during dinner), Then they read a book or watched some tv. I never felt like there was a time were i could speak/ ask stuff, etc.

Having never done study abroad (something I fully intended to do, but instead decided to go to a college that occasionally attempts something akin to it - and never actually gets it off the ground), I can't really speak to the experiences of USians overseas, but I'm rather surprised at the rules you had to endure.

The rules were maybe there for most of the latin american exchange students, because most of them are only 16 when they do their echange year. I was 18 and it pissed me off to be threated like i was 16. I mean, why not to try to be confiant in someone? you can more or less see who's actually going to cause trouble for sure and who is not... I was one of the older exchange students in the group of our organisation in Idaho. I think it would have been better to be younger to do an high school year, so you can gain experience, that can help you to chose what you want to study later, and not be pissed of because you are still threated like a kid. Or wait to do an exchange year when you're at university (we have an european program called Erasmus, that helps finance this).
Speaking of being threated liek a kid, i had the feeling that americans considers their children to be kids until they go to college. It was like that in the 3 families i had. In Europe (at least in Belgium and in Germany), parents give you more liberty and responsibilites sooner (maybe 16, sometimes a bit younger). My parents never really forbid me to do something, but i knew what was tolerated and what was not. I knew where i couldnt go too far.

There are also some weird laws in the US, like forbiding alcohol to less than 21 years old people. I think it is better to know what it does/the dangers it can bring when you drink too much step by step. Young people completely wasted driving home after illegal drinking around a bonfire in some pasture is quite a dangerous thing .Actually i had 3 cool host families about alcohol, because when they drank some beer, they would always let me have some too

Even though i was quite disappointed with some things, i still would like to visit some places i didnt get to see, like New York, LA, San Fransisco, Yellowstone (and it was not so far away from where i was..., yet none of my families took me there). But i do not have the money right now. And i prefer to wait until i am 21 (thats only in some 5 months from now ).
I had the feeling that they werent really motivated to show me their country. My first host family took me to Salt Lake City, to see a musical comedy. It was great! The second one took me to Mc Call, for snowbarding. The only family that really did a big trip with me was the family of an other exchange student: we went to Seattle to see the Music Experience Project (i think its the correct name, its the exposition woith lots of Jimmy Hendrix stuff). We even went to a concert from Satriani, which i found out, was taking place that weekend).

 

[stardrowned]

School is a piece of cake in the US, the stupidest person in the world can pass.

 

[Matse]

<-- finished high school during his exchange year with a 4.00 GPA (=Grade Point Average, 4 is the maximum). SAT: 1320, 760 in math and 560 in English

The one thing I didn't really expect was the degree to which some people in the US are religious. I knew they were more religious than Germans but I had grown up in completely secular family so I thought probably the people in the US would go to church every Sunday, pray every now and then and that's about it. I found out pretty quickly that I was wrong.

 

[stardrowned]

Wow, Matse! Impressive! Maths is pretty easy, English is the one that needs work, there are like 563478 vocabs.

 

[Kovenant84]

Maybe it was just my education, i dont know. I didnt have any problems with my first host family. But with the second, it was not that great. They said i didnt say "thank you enough", or they reproached me, when they were upstairs in the morning, not to scream "oi, i m leaving for school" from downstairs.
They also reproached me not to ask them many questions about themselves. But they worked all the day, came back at 5, we ate dinner at 6 (and they were talking from their own things during dinner), Then they read a book or watched some tv. I never felt like there was a time were i could speak/ ask stuff, etc.

Hrm. I'd like to chalk most of that up to having been stuck in Idaho, of all places. But that last bit about their evening life is pretty accurate, at least in my experience.

Speaking of being threated liek a kid, i had the feeling that americans considers their children to be kids until they go to college. It was like that in the 3 families i had. In Europe (at least in Belgium and in Germany), parents give you more liberty and responsibilites sooner (maybe 16, sometimes a bit younger). My parents never really forbid me to do something, but i knew what was tolerated and what was not. I knew where i couldnt go too far.

There are also some weird laws in the US, like forbiding alcohol to less than 21 years old people. I think it is better to know what it does/the dangers it can bring when you drink too much step by step. Young people completely wasted driving home after illegal drinking around a bonfire in some pasture is quite a dangerous thing .Actually i had 3 cool host families about alcohol, because when they drank some beer, they would always let me have some too

Also rather true, in general. And unfortunately, I can't say that most kids over here are very mature by the time they're out of high school. It's part of the reason we have 'party schools' over here when it comes to colleges. Unfortunately, its part of a vast wave of feeling amongst young people that don't want to grow up, because of how much things suck once you do, in a sense. They would rather remain blissfully ignorant than have to deal. (And I'll admit to being guilty of this from time to time.)

As far as the alcohol bit goes, I know that it does often cause many more problems than it does good. The tendency at a young age is to want to do whatever is forbidden, because it's more 'cool', and so it's one of the reason why underage drinking is so prevalent in the US, especially in colleges. I'm not sure that just lowering the official age would really solve anything, especially in the short term.

<-- finished high school during his exchange year with a 4.00 GPA (=Grade Point Average, 4 is the maximum). SAT: 1320, 760 in math and 560 in English

The one thing I didn't really expect was the degree to which some people in the US are religious. I knew they were more religious than Germans but I had grown up in completely secular family so I thought probably the people in the US would go to church every Sunday, pray every now and then and that's about it. I found out pretty quickly that I was wrong.

Well, you beat me by 10 points in Math, but I edged you out in Verbal with a 750 . (I'm just good at standardized testing - no special secrets.)

Out of curiosity, though, where did you do your exchange year? The religious bit is very geographically dependent nowadays.

~kov.

 

[Dark_Silence]

I didnt take any tests when i was in teh US, because no one informed me about them. I just found out that they existed the day they actually took place.

I also remember something i found quite shocking: the fact that on papers you have to fill in for school, at some point it asked for your race, like caucasian, latin american, african american... thats something you would never see on any kind of paper here...

For religion, i found funny that there was a bible club in my high school , and that people saying that they believe in god every now and then is pretty normal. In belgium, if some young people say that he or she believes in god, people will look funny at him/her. In the US, it was more the comtrary actually. But none of my host families went to church regulary, so i didnt have to go either.

 

[Matse]

Well, you beat me by 10 points in Math, but I edged you out in Verbal with a 750 . (I'm just good at standardized testing - no special secrets.)

Out of curiosity, though, where did you do your exchange year? The religious bit is very geographically dependent nowadays.

~kov.

I guess it's pretty easy for someone who lives in the US to beat someone who just spends one year in the US in an English test so I'll just declare myself the better one .

First I ended up in Las Vegas. My family there was awesome but my exchange organisation had the great idea to send me to a private christian school because they were too slow to get me into a regular high school in time. I hated them they hated a longhaired blacksouled faggot like me so I tried to get into a different school. My exchange organisation messed it up and sent me to Oklahoma (hooray!). The family was ok, school was ok as well, I could barely survive it. The exchange organisation told if I don't like I have to go home. So I stayed.

 

[Kovenant84]

I didnt take any tests when i was in teh US, because no one informed me about them. I just found out that they existed the day they actually took place.

I also remember something i found quite shocking: the fact that on papers you have to fill in for school, at some point it asked for your race, like caucasian, latin american, african american... thats something you would never see on any kind of paper here...

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that. Ostensibly it's for survey purposes, but it's also put in for financial aid (i.e., minorities in need would get more) and such.

For religion, i found funny that there was a bible club in my high school , and that people saying that they believe in god every now and then is pretty normal. In belgium, if some young people say that he or she believes in god, people will look funny at him/her. In the US, it was more the comtrary actually. But none of my host families went to church regulary, so i didnt have to go either.

True, many people here claim to be religious, especially in the south and midwest. It can be a very big deal there, but once you hit major population centers in the north, it tends to just be a personal preference, and most people don't tend to bring it up all that much.

I guess it's pretty easy for someone who lives in the US to beat someone who just spends one year in the US in an English test so I'll just declare myself the better one .

....On a technicality only.

First I ended up in Las Vegas. My family there was awesome but my exchange organisation had the great idea to send me to a private christian school because they were too slow to get me into a regular high school in time. I hated them they hated a longhaired blacksouled faggot like me so I tried to get into a different school. My exchange organisation messed it up and sent me to Oklahoma (hooray!). The family was ok, school was ok as well, I could barely survive it. The exchange organisation told if I don't like I have to go home. So I stayed.

...Interesting... do you remember the name of the school? My fiance spent her first year of high school in Vegas and went to a Catholic school there as well. It would be rather funny if it was the same one.

~kov.

 

[hyena]

we had this discussion before, somewhere - maybe we can merge the two? i remember contributing to a thread about this kind of thing and i did remember d_s contributed back then as well.