Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

Mallaien

I was born and live in the Unted State's and I always wondered how people thing of us. so I got a few questions. ill give you my answers allso.

1) what do you think about the things my governemt is doing?

My answer: " I love my country, but I feel embarased, like someone would if there parents were doing crazy things infront of there friends."

2) What to you think of Americans you meet in person or online?

My answer: Well everyone I meet from other countries I find to be nice people. Its better to understand diffrent people when you meet or talk to them, rather then get a impresson based on what I see on TV.

ClarissaMach · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:13 am Post subject:

1) I deeply disagree with the things Bush is doing. He's putting too much effort in the war against the Middle East in order to take control over their oil, whereas he could be investing in alternative sources such hydrogen fusion or biofuels... why is he doing so if America has the best scientists and entrepreneurial universities like no where else in this world?

2) I haven't met so many Americans, but the ones I did seemed fine. One was a new yorker who was spending his holidays on Rio e Janeiro. He was very polite and gentle. He disliked Bush a lot and said he had voted for Al Gore in that controversial election of 2000.

I felt very embarassed when we were at Lapa (a famous point of Rio de Janeiro, known by it's bars and bohemian atmosphere) and he found out that there was a street-seller sending a drink named after "Osama Bin Laden". It was only a joke, it meant to be that the drink was too strong, but I noticed he was slightly schocked, a feeling of "if they had seen what I saw". Poor one, I felt sorry for him....
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Stormy Weather.

Mallaien · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:18 am Post subject:

DarkAngel · Joined: 07 Jul 2006 Posts: 6

Sinceraly I don't follow politics.. but I hate war like the most of us I think..
And so, I also hate those who make war only for personal interests. I think it's impossible make PEACE with WAR... I try to defende peace in my own small way.. I often think of those who wake up in the morning with the fear of loosing their parents and being alone... I couldn't think if there was a war in my country... We have to try to defende always peace.. Do you agree?

As regards the second question I haven't never been in the USA even if I would like.. But some days ago I knew a Californian girl on vacation here in Italy with her family.. She was very kind and frendly.. I have heard by one friend of mine who went to the USA that Anericans are all so gentle and helpfu!! I am sure however that in every country, also in Italy of course, there are some kind people who can help you and some arrogant... and you can often judge an entire country only from one impression... And it shouldn't be so!
I hope you have understood what I mean!! Bye Wink

flying_pig319 · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 369

Most Americans are fine people.
However, we always seem to elect losers like Bush, and that's what the rest of the world judges us on.

ClarissaMach · Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject:

Oh, we judge you on good things too! Wink

I can't forget one time when I was at my English course and we had just watched an episode of friends. Everybody laughed a lot at the series.

A few minutes later, I don't remember exactly why, we were discussing about what we thought of Americans. Almost everybody started to criticize them; their way of living, as well as their way of thinking.

I was a little surprised, for they didn't seem to notice how contradictory they were being. They had just had a nice moment watching an American TV show, and were criticizing everything about America.

I couldn't help pointing it out: "Wow! we were all having a lot of fun watching a TV Show conceived and produced by American minds, and now we're criticizing so much these same minds? What a surprise!".

Eventually, they got embarassed and began to talk about the good aspects of Americans....
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Stormy Weather.

Mallaien · Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:42 pm Post subject:

Please remember that what you see on american television is only a Ideal vision of america.

I you want to see how my life was growing up, watch Malcome in the middle.
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Visit my Blog on a Chinese web site. I discuss many things about American culture, and the site is getting quite popular. http://mallaien.blog.sohu.com/

flying_pig319 · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 369

Oh no, I think ClarissaMach makes a good point Smile

That was pretty hypocritical of your classmates.

ClarissaMach · Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:31 am Post subject:

Mallaian, I guess I wasn�t clear when I exposed my point of view; I know that the American lifestyle isn�t exactly like the way showed by TV, specially Friends� lifestyle (they are a bunch of yuppies!).

What I meant to say is that American minds created �Friends�; American minds shaped its wonderful personages; American minds thought those unbelievable dialogues that Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe had on the show; in other words, American minds conceived that unforgettable show! That�s what I meant!

I was bored with my classmates because they were criticizing Americans right after having had a great time watching an American TV show. Like flyingpig said, they were being nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.

BTW, Malcolm in the middle is another example of great American TV show. Although it�s classified as a comedy, I can�t help noticing a slightly criticism to some social aspects of American society behind it�s cruel jokes. It seems to me that joking is the way Americans deal with the unpleasant aspects of life; I appreciate this kind of humor.
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Stormy Weather.

aevi82 · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 55 Location: Moscow, Russia

aevi82 · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 55 Location: Moscow, Russia

flying_pig319 · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 369