【Self-Introduce】All those who've lived long-term abroad

[Aeshattaer 10]

Actually I don't really know whether people stare at me or not when I read english novels on the MRT, I usually get so engrossed in the book that I ignore everything around me (good thing that my usual stop is the last one = ="" )

[abtvctkto61 10]

O sure you feel those stares........

[Aeshattaer 10]

Not really, my sixth sense is really underdeveloped...

[Krislih 10]

weirdos...= =

sometimes i would think that people who've lived long term- abroad are quite brave i think...(not sure the correct word for it :P). traveled to another cuntry to live/speak their language..., like me bored in germany to grew up there then moved to taiwan for a while and i am here in the US.

However, sometimes those people( have lived long term abroad) would say they miss home...it's kind of sad but on the other hand it's obvious that they dont really"fit" in that culture/ society. something that we all shoud think about...

[MikiRei 10]

it's obvious that they dont really"fit" in that culture/ society. something that we all shoud think about...

Well, this will be something EXTREMELY interesting for me because I do have culture confusion going on. I lived practically most of my life in Australia so yes, I'm quite Australianised - but here's the interesting thing.

To my parents and any other Taiwanese relatives, I'm Westernised. Too westernised they say but then I argue that I can still read and speak Chinese (and no accnet- woohoo!) so no, I can't truly be THAT Westernised.

To my friends, they reckon I'm still Asian. I can still speak the language - better than any other Asians in my siutation and I have a strong sense of pride of being Asian (Taiwanese - same thing) so they reckon I'm still Asiany - though they don't deny the fact that I'm quite Westernised too.

So which am I? One friend who's half fillipino, half Australian asked that question once to herself and came to the conclusion she would discard one half of her culture and take up the other - in other words, ditch Fillipino. I, on the other hand, decided I'm half and half. There's no denying and there's no point trying to suppress one from the other and as far as I know, I do think I fit into the culture here at Australia - we've far too many immigrant families that we're all used to the fact seeing Asians rattling on in English then picking up the phone and speak in Western-accented Chinese to their parents. It's the norm - it's the culture in Australia now - though some (eg. the rioters last November - shame to Australia I say) might disagree with me.

As for people who actually come here as overseas student, yes, I do realise that some don't blend in. More like, they REFUSE to blend in. At UNSW, most of them just hang out with fellow overseas students as well. What's funny, they try practice their English with eachother but I'm like, "Does that work? None of you can speak it properly! (no offence) Go to some Western club and talk with people there! You'll improve in an instant!" But they don't. I try convincing one overseas friend to do it but no, never happened. It's as if they refuse to leave their comfort zone. The other argument they give me is that they're intimidated by Westerns. However, we all argue that it's because the overseas student never come to us. Anyways, so most of them just stay within their group of friends who are in similar situation and never venture any further. The result is they learn practically NOTHING about the culture in which they're living in or at least have a VERY shrewd idea about it - but obscured. One example will be when I asked an overseas friend to come watch a concert at the Opera House with me. Her reaction was, "The general public can go into the Opera House?" I nearly fainted with dismay and this is exactly what I'm talking about - many overseas student don't venture ANYWHERE NEAR the culture in which they're staying to the point they know possibly as much as the next tourist docking at Sydney Airport!

At the end of their degree, they all go back - some with English only ever so slightly improved since they don't mix with Westerns to improve their English. Their knowledge of the country? Only ever slightly more knowledgeable than people who never came to the country.

Anyways, what's my point here? I don't know. I think my point is, to anyone who ever thinks of living abroad in another country, please, please, VENTURE OUT A BIT! Don't just mesh around with people in the same situation. If that's the case, what's the point of coming overseas? Of course, this doesn't apply to people who are already doing that.....

*sigh* Anyways. I think what I said above only largely applies to people who come during their university years....at least that 's what I noticed. I can be wrong of course...

[Krislih 10]

i agreed with you, although we might be wrong obviously.

Borned and grew up in Germany is totally the same scenerio, I grew up with Africans, Asians, some western Euros, an Eastern Euros.

I am proud of myself being an Asian& German.

Right now im studying in a college called Concordia University, it's in Seward, Nebraska.

there's like...including myself about 6international students attend this college, besides myself none of them are from Asia.(that's fine with me.)

The 2nd weekend here in NE, i went to a TSA of UNL( Univ of Nebraska in Lincoln, the Taiwanese student association i think) party, pretty much everyone was introducing themselves, trying to impress new students, blah blah blah(im tired of that.) I really can tell they hang out a lot, and they dont hang out with the locals, well...maybe seldom times :P.

The point is that they dont even try to fit in... and then they end up with such memories like these...."oh the Americans are weird(somehow yea...XD), i studied a lot, this place is like crap and i got nothing to do,...etc. " I tried to get them out of the little circle of TSA during the weekend to other stuff with my friends here in Concordia Univ, but they refused and told me that they go too much work, or they are too lazy to get out.... . It's just depressing to see how they spend their leisure time on....i dont know :P

PS. i mightbe wrong as well, since i grew up in Europe and then moved to Taiwan for jr. high then here the US, so i might see things differently and probably did not notice how stressful it is to study a subject in another language...plus i got cross country an soccer to do for my school... that's what i called stressful...again i might be wrong.

[abtvctkto61 10]

I don't really fit in here cuz I've only been out of country for 3 years, but watev.

I was in Flagstaff, AZ for 3rd grade. There were 4 Asians in the whole school, my bro, my cousin, me, and another girl (I don't even know her). True, I tend to stick to my cousin, who was in the same grade as me, but we actually socialize. Probably because we were still kids and cared not for cultural differences? I don't know.

My 4th grade was spent in LA. There were tons of ABCs there. They're freakish. I stayed away from them XD.

5th grade was my best and last year to study in the US. I lived in the dorms of the school, which gave me many friends and good memories. My best friends were a Jap and a Jew. Cutural differences weren't mattering a lot, except for the fact that it was easy for me to make friends. The school (Ojai Vally School if anyone knows) is pretty small. There were 200 or so, from preK to 8th grade, so it was like a big family :) . There were other Asians, too, but no little groups or anything like that.

I do have US nationality, but I feel great with double nationality. Nothing went wrong just becasuse I am Asian or American. But I came back to TW 6th grade, so I can't say for anything beyond that.

[MikiRei 10]

The 2nd weekend here in NE, i went to a TSA of UNL( Univ of Nebraska in Lincoln, the Taiwanese student association i think) party, pretty much everyone was introducing themselves, trying to impress new students, blah blah blah(im tired of that.) I really can tell they hang out a lot, and they dont hang out with the locals, well...maybe seldom times .

The point is that they dont even try to fit in... and then they end up with such memories like these...."oh the Americans are weird(somehow yea...XD), i studied a lot, this place is like crap and i got nothing to do,...etc. " I tried to get them out of the little circle of TSA during the weekend to other stuff with my friends here in Concordia Univ, but they refused and told me that they go too much work, or they are too lazy to get out.... . It's just depressing to see how they spend their leisure time on....i dont know

Yes - I get that feeling too. My mother's trying to push me to join the TSA club in Sydney. Ok, I did enter but their activities are always clashing with my work. However, I do occassionally talk in their forums. My brother (5 years older) have also been the editor in chief back in his uni days. However, as I see it, yes. They don't venture out or hang out with any of the locals. They stick to their tiny little groups and yes, many a time I'll be eating in an Asian restaurant and I'll hear comments from overseas students like, "The westerns are so lazy," or "The Westerns are all so rude." etc.etc. (I beg to differ about the lazy part. People are lazy when they're not doing things they like. When they do, there's no stopping it. The problem is 80% of the world's student population are NOT doing what they truly like. They're all forced into university due to social norms and have to choose SOME subject out of a hat and hardly any ever get a jackpot). In other words, they STILL have stereo-typical ideas of Western - and this is after living in the country for 3 years!!

For my brother, after he entered uni, I never see him with any Western friends anymore (he used to have quite a few back in high school). It's all Taiwanese friends - fair enough but again, I guess I'm saying these culture communities in university tend to restrict any overseas student from meshing with people of other cultures more frequently.

Of course, I'm not saying ALL. The overseas friend I have is a little more adventurous than most. She reads English novels for pleasure rather than to learn (we recommend books to eachother) and she's more than willing to chat with my Western friends (she actually finds it interesting).

Anyways...*shrug*

[abtvctkto61 10]

Is the condition in university really that bad? Maybe they should revert to elementary school:D

[MikiRei 10]

Is the condition in university really that bad? Maybe they should revert to elementary schoo

....I don't quite get what you're asking.....condition? What condition? Who's condition?

I can only say that they are several overseas students that can't string one sentence together properly despite being here for 3 yrs (tutors included - which just annoys me because you don't understand what he/she is saying and hence can't learn ANYTHING properly - it gets on your nerves even more if they don't try and make an effort to get their point across - which, again, many don't bother so in the end, you feel like chucking something to the lecturer for choosing such crap tutors) and leaves most students gobsmacked because we just don't get how they've managed to get into uni, let alone going through their degree (which they do manage - but again, I'm bewildered as to how they managed to do it)

[abtvctkto61 10]

The condition of Asian people staying in their own circle, instead of going to the outside world.

[Krislih 10]

yeah, and they try to be like the local people around there like.... listen to rap and speak slangs.... oh boy, they dont even know what do the words mean and still trying to use them... :P

[Cest La Vie 11]

Maybe he didn't have a choice? It says that he's in junior high school on the profile which means he'll be around the range of 12 to 15. I don't think one is able to make any sort of independent choice at this time of age. Even if you were to make a choice, parental consent is crucial.

I'm 20. Cheers!

Oh

well

What's matter with your title under ID representing" = - = "like a face

[evenstar 10]

Oh

well

What's matter with your title under ID representing" = - = "like a face

I think that either means she didn't put her college name down, or someone in the administration forgot about it. haha.

[MikiRei 10]

The condition of Asian people staying in their own circle, instead of going to the outside world.

I see~~~~yes, quite a lot of them are like that. Then comes graduation day and they all fly back to their home country and I'm like, "So what was the point of that?" *shrug* A lot of them just come due to the stereotype of there's-a-better-future-with-overseas-education = =' Hardly any really thought about why the'd like to go overseas. Some just think it'll be fun, some just going with the flow and some are forced by parents.

引用:

作者: Cest La Vie

Oh

well

What's matter with your title under ID representing" = - = "like a face

I think that either means she didn't put her college name down, or someone in the administration forgot about it. haha.

Yes...I remember I've placed "somewhere in Australia" for that field. I wasn't too happy with the forum asking so many personal questions (yes, school is a personal question. Sites like "Name database" who gives you the service to search for high school friends is already freaking me out, I mean, they have my school's name AND the year of my graduation AND my full name - and possibly, my contact details. That's far too much detail for my likings and I reckon that site should be sued and shut down) so I didn't give a direct answer.

yeah' date=' and they try to be like the local people around there like.... listen to rap and speak slangs.... oh boy, they dont even know what do the words mean and still trying to use them...[/quote']

A common scene in Asian music = =' Of course, if they do know what they're using (David Tao, Lee Hom Wong) then fair enough but most of the time, they don't, and you're like, "huh?????"

[Cest La Vie 11]

Yes...I remember I've placed "somewhere in Australia" for that field. I wasn't too happy with the forum asking so many personal questions (yes, school is a personal question. Sites like "Name database" who gives you the service to search for high school friends is already freaking me out, I mean, they have my school's name AND the year of my graduation AND my full name - and possibly, my contact details. That's far too much detail for my likings and I reckon that site should be sued and shut down) so I didn't give a direct answer.

So Mysterious ...

well.....I think that might be a security control ...This Forum is a student forum..

Requiring user's school name is very usual thing. You dont't want to people to know

which school you are studying at..That's your personal freedom alright...

but in my opinion I think whether you place in that field(school), there is very few people knowing ...

(Maybe nobody cares?)

And how about u think If any person attempting to disturb this fourm , he can submit any

unidentified personal information indicating that he is living abroad and the others data is

reserved.. (Orz) so once he get the access to this fourm he can post any essay or "CP"

which will cause some problems (We never know....)

making many chance to those stranger on internet.

Do you know the biggest BBS in Taiwan=>PTT(Professional Technology Temple)

The PTT requires less personal info so it produces a lot of problems. (Not serious...

just sometimes got reported on news..making some intresting story XD)

Anyway... I want to ask some questions :p

Where is your native land? Are you Taiwanese? and Why did you emigrate to Australia?

Excuse for my poor English and unpolite.

[MikiRei 10]

You dont't want to people to know

which school you are studying at..That's your personal freedom alright...

It's not that I don't want people to know where I'm studying at. It's more that I don't feel comfortable to disclose ANY type of personal information on the internet. I understand that it's probably some sort of security control but quite frankly, if someone REALLY wants to do some harm to any type of forum, all security control are futile. Anyways, I HAVE disclosed my school once in one of the thread. I refuse to fill in that field more because I don't want my information on someone's DATABASE. It's probably the side effect I got from getting too many calls from Indian telemarketers. They know you're parents full name and our address. One even once suggested that they will come visit the next morning and all the while, I'm like, "Where did you get this information?!" In the end, it just boils down to the fact that I refuse to jot down information that will be saved in someone else's database. I know the administrators in this forum are cool people but that doesn't mean some hacker can't hack into their computer and extract information. I apologise for being such a fuss pot, but the amount of information about me that's already floating around in the internet is less than comfortable for me.

Do you know the biggest BBS in Taiwan=>PTT(Professional Technology Temple)

No. This is probably the only Taiwanese forum I talk in.

Where is your native land? Are you Taiwanese? and Why did you emigrate to Australia?

I am Taiwanese. Born in Taiwan but raised in Australia. We migrated because my dad wanted to. My mum was complaining the whole time because most of her relatives are in the States and she really wanted to go there but my dad hates the States so Australia it is. Dad reckons Australia has a better education system than Taiwan and that it's safer and has a better environment than both the States and Taiwan. So yeah, here I am.

The PTT requires less personal info so it produces a lot of problems. (Not serious...

just sometimes got reported on news..making some intresting story XD)

lol - seriously, Taiwan reports the most insignificant news ever. If it's not politicians ripping eachother's eyes out, it's some lovers who didn't gain recognition and killed themselves. If you want problems, you should check out some of the big Western forums. Abuse pops up once every 3 days but provided you're in a good forum, administrated by good people, it gets placed under control pretty quickly. Basically, abusive threads get shut down (always do because there's always one or two members that gets sick of the abuse and report it to the administrator) and abusive members get banned (forever). Of course, there are certain bad forums where you might get a few pedophiles or such but generally, avoid dodgy sites is what I say. (I once ran across a pro-white forum with forum rules that ALLOW racial and religious abuse. Now, THAT'S one dodgy forum you should avoid)

I usually talk in VERY small forums, ones that have a small sense of community. It's quite fun. :D It's the big forums that usually have problems because, well, the crowd just gets too big and you're just BOUND to get a few idiots here and there.

[evenstar 10]

It's not that I don't want people to know where I'm studying at. It's more that I don't feel comfortable to disclose ANY type of personal information on the internet. I understand that it's probably some sort of security control but quite frankly, if someone REALLY wants to do some harm to any type of forum, all security control are futile. Anyways, I HAVE disclosed my school once in one of the thread. I refuse to fill in that field more because I don't want my information on someone's DATABASE. It's probably the side effect I got from getting too many calls from Indian telemarketers. They know you're parents full name and our address. One even once suggested that they will come visit the next morning and all the while, I'm like, "Where did you get this information?!" In the end, it just boils down to the fact that I refuse to jot down information that will be saved in someone else's database. I know the administrators in this forum are cool people but that doesn't mean some hacker can't hack into their computer and extract information. I apologise for being such a fuss pot, but the amount of information about me that's already floating around in the internet is less than comfortable for me.

haha.

Yup just like Cest La Vie said, requiring people to fill out their schools and real names is a way to....prevent them from doing disruptive things.

XD but relax, the security system is pretty effective, and you are in good hands. Besides, even if people did get your school, what can they do? you are in Australia xd

[Krislih 10]

same reason for my infos, i dont know what to put down since im somewhere in the US for college and sports.

im still " discovering" what i wanna do in the future :P. gosh....freaking idiot, i dont know what should i put down for my infos since i was born wa raise in Germany then 4or 5 years in Taiwan for school then im here in the US :P

[MikiRei 10]

Besides, even if people did get your school, what can they do? you are in Australia

I'm not even sure what you're trying to say here..............What can they do? I'm in Australia? That makes no sense whatsoever to me (maybe we're not thinking in the same context). In fact, I think people are all missing the point I was trying to make (not that I WAS trying to put it across) and......I'm not bothering to explain anymore. Not disclosing my SCHOOL is NOT the issue here. *sigh* No, ok - I'm not bothering to explain. Whatever you like to think.....

[Krislih 10]

Privacy is the thing that im aware of, and i dont like those people added me just cuz they wanna

[Cest La Vie 11]

if someone REALLY wants to do some harm to any type of forum, all security control are futile.

Oh...the point I mentioned is not refered to HACKERS... I meaned just some people

"討噓" 引戰"(sorry I don't know how to express this in English..)

Taiwan reports the most insignificant news ever.

OTZ....That's why Taiwan's people usually say "chaotic media" "Taiwan media sucks"

"Brain-retarded" (腦殘) ....

--

Anyway, DB is the small fourm,and it is peace and most members are kind.

That's why I have "mixed "in DB for a long time .(And DB is only the fourm I joined)

Do you never think about making friends in this fourm? ^o) (you said

"sense of community" )

Maybe I will have more questions , So I would like to send PM to you ,OK? thx

:E

BTW...

I smelled some fume in your words(about Taiwan ) .You may have some misconception

Have some discussable space! (H) haha....

[MikiRei 10]

Oh...the point I mentioned is not refered to HACKERS... I meaned just some people

I knew it! We're thinking on different planes. I was talking about hackers really. Members here seem cool so I don't have much worry about them knowing etc. Let's just rest it at me being extra cautious.

I smelled some fume in your words(about Taiwan )

Fume? What fume? Whereabouts did you smell it? Oh, and when I say I was raised in Australia, I don't mean I've never gone back. Just that each time I go back, I feel less and less comfortable.

As for the Taiwanese news, I'm sorry - it's ridiculous! I absolutely don't understand why my dad feels like watching it everyday (not to mention he criticizes it too whilst doing so. Say that they keep repeating news and reporting irrelevant stuff) and absolutely don't understand why they bother making it an hour long. Australian news are 30 minutes long. Spend first 15 to 20 minutes talking about the news, the top stories usually global then the more local. Then the last 10 minutes is sports (since Australia is a sporty country) in which case, I switch to another channel. 30 minutes and done - no need to beat around the bush.

Maybe the "fume" (not that I'm sensing any) is my upmost disappointment with the media coming from my home country. I have been following it since I was 7 and as far as I'm concerned, it's going downhill....RAPIDLY (and may explain why I stopped watching after I turned 16 or 17)

[littlefish 10]

Go watch the Daily Show and see how Jon Stewart critisizes CNN, and you'll find out that CNN sucks. (Am i allowed to say sucks?)

[abtvctkto61 10]

News channels in TW are stupid....

We have like 8 or 9 news channels that put news on for 24 hours, 18 of them just repeating the same stuff. Among the 6-hour "news" 90% are not important to anyone but criticizers.

Seriously, they should be cut down to 1 channel, which is plenty if news is on 24/7.