Job Discussion Forums

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Stephen Jones]

My experience of Americans is that most of them are exceptionally quiet and superfically polite at least. There are a minority that go to the other extreme and they, togehter with Hollywood movies, make the stereotype,

Years ago a Spanish friend of mine had a teenage American come to stay wih his daugher on an exchange vist. He confided his fears in me, and I told him that they were almost certainly groundless, and that most American teenagers I had met were quiet spoken and infuriatingly polite towards their elders.

When the summer was over and I saw him again I asked about the exchange student. "Oh, yes," he said, "she was just like you said she would be, very quiet, polite and no trouble at all. But, of course, she was the exception!"

[Ben Round de Bloc]

What's good?

~ Climate. No cold Midwest winters (originally from Iowa.)
~ City's size. Population about a million. Not huge but big enough to have most of the wanted conveniences.
~ Locals who are friendly or at least not aggressively unfriendly (except when driving. )
~ Decent public transportation.
~ Easy access to the Mayan ruins.
~ Music. I like a variety from classical to pop, but I especially like cumbia and salsa music.
~ Low-pressure job compared to teaching in U.S. public schools.
~ Beer? I've never really been much of a beer drinker, although an ice-cold Sol, Corona, Dos Equis, or Superior does go down pretty smoothly on a hot afternoon at the beach. I prefer Bacardi rum with Coca Cola and bit of lime juice myself.
~ Family bars in the afternoon, where you pay for your drinks and get all the food you can eat free. I like Yucatecan food. Much better than a Happy Meal!

Best wishes!

[Steiner]

What is good about rural China? Right now I'm listening to the frogs singing in the rice paddies on a cool spring night. They're just outside my window and the stars are bright tonight.

[dan]

all the tremendously fat people in milwaukee who make me feel skinny. this is especially nice after 2 years in china where my 5'10'' 165pds was the subject of constant student speculation and ridicule

[buffy]

Sitting in a hot spring bath outside, with a small floating tray of sake being kept warm in the bath, snow falling all around.

[scot47]

When you sit in the hot bath are you "in the buff" ?
(Britspeak, colloquial, for NAKED) Sorry, couldn't resist it !

[TEECHER]

SCOT47, I sympthize. Seem to be a lot of different pish and opinions flying around. I don't blame you for reverting to "grouch status" amongst some of those with such inflexible ideas and attitudes. I left a lot of pish and shit behind in my own country...specifically to try the pish and shit here in China. If a person doesn't like the pish and shit the rest of the world has to offer.....stay home and quit pishing the rest of us off. Bye for now

[itslatedoors]

"By George , she's got it , she's really got it....." (ref 'My fair Lady.').Coors,Miller,Bud............great beer....and the pope's a muslim...from Wales......'Gee, which state is that in?'

[Seth]

They don't call 'em poms for nothing!

[itslatedoors]

Oh yeah, I forgot the Australian contribution to enhanced global welfare.Think of Aussie film greats...erm...'Crocodile Dundee'. T.V.....erm 'Neighbours'.Think of beer..erm 'Castlemaine','VB' and 'Swan'.Comedians ,....'Paul Hogan'? Out here in the Middle East it's hard to tell who is an Australian.They let in just about anyone these days.Excellent at sport ...yes certainly...excellent at being barmen in London..... great....generally all round good 'uns' without a doubt.Don't be fooled however Seth they don't all live like Les Hiddins,(aka Bush Tucker Man).Aussies do whinge a lot too....especially the Iranian and Egytian ones you get out here!!

[Seth]

Aye, I had the pleasure of working with about 20 or so Aussies when I lived in Britain. A loud bunch but uproariously fun to drink with. And you're right, every pub in London has at least two of them behind the bar. Dinkum, ay!

[slaqdog]

Some of the best things=
People who have NO idea who the beatles/Elvis are/were/whatever
People who think you are exotic just 'cos you flew 8000 miles to earn peanuts
Working with some of the weirdest misfits, or even sharing a flat with them
Living in places where either the streets have no names, or they have changed the name so many times an address becomes a history lesson(cool if you like history). Oh yeah and where YOU have to tell the taxi drivers where to go even when you are from a different continent( or planet)
And of course cheap beer or expensive beer and bars full of men or bars full of women.
Killing flies
Eating the best food in the world in ...........(fill in yerself)

[Sunpower]

Yakinku on Saturday night at Maruki in Kichijoji or Shimokitazawa.
Yakitori in Inokashira park, Kichijoji.
Tall Sapporo bottles of beer.
Quiet Japanese neighbors.
Clean Japanese trains.
Yamanote line.
Drinking beer on the train ride home after work in Japan.
Asian Girls.
Raman.
Hot/Cold wet towels used to wipe your hands before eating meals in Japan.
Hot Springs.
Casual attitude/dress code of the Chinese people.

[Mike_2003]

- Being able to buy a snack from a cafe without it costing a week's wages.
- Students takng you out for dinner or even inviting you for free holidays.
- Everything being delivered to your house if you are too lazy to go out.
- Cheap public transport.
- EPL on terrestrial TV.
- Extensive black market for books, CDs, tapes etc.
- Free banana from the local grocer everytime I walk past.
- Lots of free time and a low-stress but decent income.