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jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

Expats of all nationalities are a funny lot! They move to a foreign land for money, adventure, change; but almost immediately set up a ghetto or join one already in place. While enjoying too much free time and searching for meaning in this 'home away from home' their world shrinks and balkanizes and soon they turn on each other with a vengeance of 'a jihad'.

Why is it that so few expats are integrated? Or try to integrate. Oh my God...sounds like a blog on a 'limit immigration' site.

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:55 pm Post subject:

Dear jdl,
Are you in - or have you been to - Saudi? The reason I ask is that you seem to think "integrating" into Saudi society wouldn't be too hard.
Well, it's not - it's totally impossible.
I never lived on a compound during all my time in the Kingdom, but in nineteen years, beyond attending a few engagement parties of Saudi colleagues and students, and a very few visits to the homes of Saudi colleagues, my "integration" into Saudi society was non-existent.
And I'm pretty sure that wasn't because I have halitosis or bad body odor, since I never knew ANY Westerner during all my time there who "integrated."
But, of course, Lawrence was before my time.
Regards,
John

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

I guess the plights of immigrants are universal. Even Lawrence and Bethune were not immune to say nothing of Dick and Jane.

12 Monkeys · Joined: 06 Apr 2009 Posts: 82 Location: paradise lost

Ahrrrr, There be daggers here in these moors' eyes. As far as I can see the integration depends on your nationality and religion. If you are North American Christian then very unlikley, if you are N. A. Muslim kinda sorta unlikley. If you are East Asian Muslim then off the chart unlikely. If you are North African Muslim or somewhere from the Middle East somewhat unlikely. Did I miss anything here? Well I may have but you get the picture.

Cornelius of the chimpanzee

12 Monkeys · Joined: 06 Apr 2009 Posts: 82 Location: paradise lost

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Nice avatar NCTBA, a change from the old DUFF BEER one.

Regards,

Cornelius of the chimpanzee

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject:

Dear 12 Monkeys,

"Did I miss anything here?"

My sole suggestion - the only qualifier before "unlikely" should be "highly" in every case.
Regards,
John

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

eclectic · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 1122

Stenches: raw squid and/or octopus being GNAWED ON by little screaming brats aged 9-12 while said brats BREATHE into your face and touch your big Italian nose with WONDER and DELIGHT!;

Trenches: the place where you get blamed for the principal's errors in English, such as when she is teaching a student how to memorize a speech in English, and is saying to the student: "Listen and repeat: The azaleas are in full moon in the summer," and you jump in trying to do the right thing and correct her, saying: "No, that would be in full "BLOOM", not full "MOON" ", and she says in a cranky bitchy voice: "Why didn't you correct this part of the speech yesterday as you corrected it?", MOD edit

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:05 am Post subject:

Sounds like ANOTHER bad Korean reaction...they're so rare...oh, so rare! Ever wonder why there's a separate Korean Board apart from the Asian Boards! Laughing

Funny that it was a Korean grocer that sent Michael Douglas' character over the edge in the movie, "Falling Down"! Laughing

NCTBA