Random Rants XLII: The Four-Part Plan

[_random_]

So you'd say that a normal conversation is not really possible?

Depends on how you define that, but it's certainly very difficult. I find myself having to clarify my points a lot. When we talk through text, I don't really have any visual cues, which makes it harder to see what they're getting at. And when we talk in person, I tend to speak fast, which usually isn't a problem with native English speakers, but requires me to slow down my speech consciously, which makes me feel like I'm being condescending. Gah.

And I assume that both come from a cultural distinct background?
Okay, then this will be tough :/.
Good luck with them.

They're both Korean, yeah. Thanks.

 

[Takhisis]

Language barriers with foreign exchange students are causing me a variety of frustrations.

They don't speak English especially well; it's not just the accents. And one of them I've become an English tutor to, which I'm not really prepared to do. It doesn't help that my school assigns pretty crappy literature. The other is a cute girl who seems like she might potentially be into me, but my suspicion is that she doesn't quite get how she's coming across due to unfamiliarity with English and American culture. And then I worry that I'm being condescending and underestimating them completely. .

Oh, rearning Engrish is very good, thank you much _random_.

 

[Kennigit]

I wish I had the whole week off for thanksgiving (that's another worthless 'murica holiday, for you nonmuricans).

instead I got like 5 assignments due in across the next 3 days and I am not ready to tackle them. go poor decisions/planning!

 

[Joecoolyo]

I wish I had the whole week off for thanksgiving (that's another worthless 'murica holiday, for you nonmuricans).

Hey!

Its not worthless!

Its delicious!

 

[sophie]

We have some of the most restrictive border controls in Europe. Naturally, the UK is still drowning under the weight of illegal and Eastern European immigrants stealing our jobs, repressing Anglican white people and imposing Sharia law on Great Britain.

Yeah. When I first came into the country I had to spend 6 hours in a holding cell and they told me they were going to put me on a plane back home. Thankfully I was able to change their mind. This time around almost exactly the same thing happened, just minus the holding cell...and it was at 4 in the morning. To say my passport stamp pages are now a giant cluster[copulation] would be a gross understatement.

 

[The_J]

Depends on how you define that, but it's certainly very difficult. I find myself having to clarify my points a lot. When we talk through text, I don't really have any visual cues, which makes it harder to see what they're getting at. And when we talk in person, I tend to speak fast, which usually isn't a problem with native English speakers, but requires me to slow down my speech consciously, which makes me feel like I'm being condescending. Gah.


They're both Korean, yeah. Thanks.

How long is this now going on?

At the beginning of my master studies, I've had a practical course, with a chinese guy as team mate. Once we've found ourself in a situation where we've discussed for a quarter of an hour, just to find out that we were basically agreeing. There were multiple instances, where it took more time than necessary to understand each other, despite the fact that the English was not really the problem. Begins even at simple things, at stuff like names (you can't really ask for somebody's first name if that culture writes the names the other way around), or the numbering system (a chinese 1 looks like a minus symbol; bad if you have to use also the minus symbol for marking), end at your own screwed up mind ("kleen?"...what does he mean with "kleen?"...1 minute later, after waving around with hands..."ah, clean! I'm a moron ").
After the first week I had been pretty desperate. But it became better. Not perfect, but good enough.
Now I don't know how long you've been teaching them, hopefully you don't say "a half year", or so.

 

[Camikaze]

Where I've worked for the past five and a half years, the predominant language is Cantonese (which I don't speak a word of). But no-one has gotten food poisoning yet, so it seems to work just fine.

 

[Tee Kay]

I thought with exams done (for now) I'd feel a bit better. Nope.

Worst thing is not knowing what I can do to make things better.

I miss him so much.

 

[Borachio]

First thing you think of when waking up?

 

[Tee Kay]

First thing I think of when waking up, and last thing I think of when going to sleep.

I'm hopeless.

 

[Borachio]

Nonononono. Not at all.

This isn't going to cheer you up at all, I know. But I had this sort of experience, myself. It went on for about 25 years before it began to fade, iirc.

It took a while before I wanted it to fade.

 

[Tee Kay]

If I can help it, I am not just going to wait for it to fade.

 

[JohannaK]

Rant: I read the word "exam" and now I remember how I have already and inevitably failed 2 subjects for the whole year and probably I will fail another one or two, and how this will have been a waste of a whole year, 365 days thrown away yay! Sometimes I wish I lived in America.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Rant: I read the word "exam" and now I remember how I have already and inevitably failed 2 subjects for the whole year and probably I will fail another one or two, and how this will have been a waste of a whole year, 365 days thrown away yay! Sometimes I wish I lived in America.

Why, you still can fail subjects here?

 

[madviking]

Maryland is leaving the ACC.

 

[NickyJ]

Yeah, that does not sound like fun.

I'm already worried about going to college, and I'm only 16! I'm just not thrilled with it. My older brother is in it, and he's acing just about every class it takes. Now, not only am I not looking forward to the classes I'd have to choose from (Chemistry and pretty much everything mathematical is dull and mind-numbing; I suck at creative writing assignments; I'm not that interested in computers themselves and how to make programs), but I also feel like I'm living in his shadow. I feel like I'm expected to do as well as he does, which is just not possible. After that, I'll have to decide what career I'll want to pursue. Again, I feel like I'm living in my brother's shadow because he's set to go into computer work, a fairly promising career. I'm being given not-so-subtle suggestions that I should follow in his footsteps. And on top of all that, money is tight, so it'll be hard to get to college. If I decide not to go to college, not only would it be suicide for any chance of a good career in this economy, but it would also be a major disappointment to the rest of the family.

In the meantime, I don't know what I'll do. My dream job would be to write sports articles for a newspaper, but not only is that unlikely to ever come to pass, but I have my doubts about whether someone could actually make a living off of that. (Yes, I know I said I stink at creative writing assignments, but like I said, it's assignments. I love sports, not writing essays on random subjects.)

Finally, in the same vein as what I said above, I have to write a character sketch by tomorrow about a character from the book, A Tale of Two Cities. I enjoy books, but I simply don't enjoy writing essays about them.

 

[Borachio]

I think we all screw up. Such is life.

 

[NickyJ]

NickJ: If money is tight and you don't even know what you want to study, I would suggest trying out community college first. Take some survey classes (pretty much any 101-level course) and see what you like. Don't necessarily rush to go to University unless you have to for some reason.

Don't worry about standing in your brother's shadow either. Though it is natural to draw comparisons, you're very young and you will differentiate yourself from him in time no matter what course you take.

Actually, I was already talking about community college. There's a greater chance of a white-out blizzard in Hell than me being able to afford an actual university.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Actually, I was already talking about community college. There's a greater chance of a white-out blizzard in Hell than me being able to afford an actual university.

You can get a loan to go to community college. Yes, loans suck and have interest. But considering it may be your only option and you shouldn't have to borrow more than 4K a year, it's not that bad of an option.

 

[NickyJ]

Perhaps, though I do hope to get some government grants. Still, I just don't feel the drive to go to college, which makes me feel nervous, for lack of a better word, to go to college. I feel like I'd be going more out of expectation and necessity than an actual desire. I don't know, maybe I'm still too young to be looking towards college, but I just can't help but feel worried.