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Panda
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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 Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:36 am Post subject: So I am not staying ABROAD? |
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So 5 min ago, I was talking to an American friend online.
We exchanged greetings and he asked me how I had been.
I said: sometimes life is stressful, but I have to learn being a strong woman while living abroad.
He then pointed out I was not abroad because I am Asian.
And further made an example saying that he lived in Atlanta, if he lived in other states, it was not "abroad" because he still lived in the U.S
Then I said: but Korea is not my country, what about if you lived in Canada?
He said: then that is abroad, because it is not the U.S
I was just so confused.
He added: because Canada and America are not continents
I said: so are not Korea and China
He said: but they have a continent which is ASIA
we don't have a continent
we have city and states
Korea nor any other part of Asia has states
Asia is divided by countries, where as the US is divided by states.
I am just so confused~ 
Can anyone explain this to me? |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:46 am Post subject: Re: So I am not staying ABROAD? |
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| Panda wrote: |
So 5 min ago, I was talking to an American friend online.
We exchanged greetings and he asked me how I had been.
I said: sometimes life is stressful, but I have to learn being a strong woman while living abroad.
He then pointed out I was not abroad because I am Asian.
And further made an example saying that he lived in Atlanta, if he lived in other states, it was not "abroad" because he still lived in the U.S
Then I said: but Korea is not my country, what about if you lived in Canada?
He said: then that is abroad, because it is not the U.S
I was just so confused.
He added: because Canada and America are not continents
I said: so are not Korea and China
He said: but they have a continent which is ASIA
we don't have a continent
we have city and states
Korea nor any other part of Asia has states
Asia is divided by countries, where as the US is divided by states.
I am just so confused~
Can anyone explain this to me? |
I am sorry to say this, but your friend is not being 100% logical in his reasoning. Most people define living abroad as living outside the country where you were born or have citizenship.
Continents have nothing to do with it. Even if continents were relevant to the discussion, there is the North American Continent which comprises Canada, the USA, and Mexico.
Now, to go deeper into what he was probably thinking, he seems to think that Asian countries do not have political subunits. Of course, this is silly a thing to assume. He is probably just thinking this because in most other places, the political subunits are not usually called states. Instead, they are given the equivalent names such as provinces or prefectures. |
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Bloopity Bloop
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul yo
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:49 am Post subject: |
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| Your friend sounds like a funny guy. |
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chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:51 am Post subject: |
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South Korea is effectively an island, & more 'abroad', from China, than Canada will ever be from the US. You can't drive there. Your ethnicity has absolutely nothing to do with it, imho. It's where you were brought up & educated that counts.
Canada and America are not continents. Correct.
Korea and China are not continents. Correct.
"we don't have a continent" Incorrect. Canada & the US make up the bulk of North America, which is a continent.
Asia is divided by countries, where as the US is divided by states. Misleading.
North America is divided by countries, whereas China is divided by provinces. |
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Panda
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:54 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the useful information. |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:59 am Post subject: |
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| Panda wrote: |
| Thanks for the useful information. |
You are welcome, Panda. |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:01 am Post subject: |
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If you are not Korean and not from Korea and you are living in Korea, then you are living abroad.
Your friend is just wrong. |
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hockeyguy109
Joined: 22 Dec 2008
Location: Daegu
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| Your friend is an idiot. He should move to Afghanistan and then talk about what its like to be "abroad". |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:27 am Post subject: |
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| hockeyguy109 wrote: |
| Your friend is an idiot. He should move to Afghanistan and then talk about what its like to be "abroad". |
No, not Afghanistan. If he wants to be a broad he should try Sweeden. |
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chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:30 am Post subject: Abroad |
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| Or Cuba! |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think of living in Canada if you are American as living abroad. I guess it technically is though. |
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Carla
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:47 am Post subject: Re: So I am not staying ABROAD? |
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| Panda wrote: |
So 5 min ago, I was talking to an American friend online.
We exchanged greetings and he asked me how I had been.
I said: sometimes life is stressful, but I have to learn being a strong woman while living abroad.
He then pointed out I was not abroad because I am Asian.
And further made an example saying that he lived in Atlanta, if he lived in other states, it was not "abroad" because he still lived in the U.S
Then I said: but Korea is not my country, what about if you lived in Canada?
He said: then that is abroad, because it is not the U.S
I was just so confused.
He added: because Canada and America are not continents
I said: so are not Korea and China
He said: but they have a continent which is ASIA
we don't have a continent
we have city and states
Korea nor any other part of Asia has states
Asia is divided by countries, where as the US is divided by states.
I am just so confused~
Can anyone explain this to me? |
Usually I don't like to be quite so blunt, but your friend sounds like an idiot. That's like when Koreans say we should eat Korean food in Korea because we're in KOREA, but when they travel to USA or Canada, they should still eat Korean food because they're KOREAN. Um... you're friend makes no sense.
And to clarify for your friend, tell him the main use of the word means to be outside of one's country, but that is only the most common definition. It also means just "away from one's home" without mentioning any political units.
So, if your friend lived in Atlanta and then VISITED.... San Diego, he would be abroad by one definition of the word, just not the most common one. Just tell him you're friends Merrim and Webster assured you that you were indeed living abroad.
And just because Asia doesn't have states means nothing, they have provinces just like most of the rest of the world. I'm pretty sure the number of countries with provinces outweighs the number of countries with states. As a matter of fact, Canada doesn't have states. In North America, Canada has provinces, and the United States of AMERICA and the United MEXICAN States (aka Mexico) have states. Unless you count the fact that any country is a state. So, Canada is A state, but not made of states.
Another point, you're friend seems a little racist... all asians are the same? Koreans are the same as Chinese? |
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Panda
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:37 am Post subject: |
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This is not a big issue. I am not a hair splitter usually. But he claimed me to be stubborn when I tried to defend my understanding yesterday, which really pissed me off. I felt an argument with him pointless. That's why I posted here instead of confronting him.
Thanks, everybody. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:39 am Post subject: Re: So I am not staying ABROAD? |
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| Quote: |
| Another point, you're friend seems a little racist... all asians are the same? Koreans are the same as Chinese? |
That wouldn't be racism. Good god that word is overused. |
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Countrygirl
Joined: 19 Nov 2007
Location: in the classroom
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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Living abroad means living overseas. Canada and America are not overseas from each other. Therefore an American living in Canada cannot be considered living abroad.
By the way, your American friend's explanation sounds like he thinks the US is a continent on its own. What do states and cities have to do with anything?
Next time your friend claims to be an expert on something and tries to make you feel stupid, remember that he's dumber than your typical 4th grader. |
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