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To: spetznaz
Thank you for the insight into the other countries... I've always wondered if they dealt with things in the same way we do.
17 posted on 08/11/2002 10:04:11 AM PDT by goodieD
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To: goodieD; ChasingFletch; mhking; All
Part of the reason why i always tell my friends that when they do decide to get kids they should try their very best to either homeschool them or if that is not applicable (or they are not able to do that for underlying reasons ....eg work, or the fear their kids will not get 'adequate social exposure) then they should take them to private school.

The reason for this is in my experiences i have seen some stuff that has totally shocked me! Totally.

For example this professor giving examples of war torn African countries (on a lecture on why some American companies are adverse to investing in parts of Africa) and continuing to mention Slovakia and the Czech Republic as examples (i thought of putting up my hand, but when i saw the rest of the class so engrossed, and obviously oblivious, i decided to let sleeping dogs lie). Another example was this person who totally believed going south would be faster than going north (his logical progression for that assertion was because 'gravity would assist him when heading south').

Anyway that is why in my studies i can say that although i have managed to maintain a 4.0 in Finance i have still noticed there is virtually no challenge! Actually there are several exams i have done the calculations by hand just to see if i still have the edge while the rest of the class is struggling with their Graphical calculators (and what is funny is that i finish long before they do, and score the answers correct. Which is why i always say ....a calculator may give you extra speed, but if you do not know how to solve the problem in the first place you are in a quagmire. It is like buying a Ferrari Modena but not knowing how to drive, and having no gas).

And what is even funnier is that even when i first came in the mid of '99 i was more versed in everything American than these guys were! Everything from American pop culture to American politics to American history! The only thing that differentiated me was that my accent was British(back in Kenya many of the educators in my school were Scottish or British), and that i dressed in clothes i considered appropos (instead of jeans hanging off my knees and some other atrocious garb that is referred to as 'clothing' by some in college). However the most shocking thing was the amazingly low drive these kids had. Most had no real inclination towards success, and many did not even know what they wanted to do once they 'grew up.' Imagine seeing a Senior who is still undecided when it comes to his major! Yet my peers from 'outside' have already started making connections! One of my pals from my country has already started purchasing realestate in Florida, and as for myself i have hhoked up with a pal to establish a financial linkage business that will be incorporated in the US.

Personally i think the problem with my American pals is public highschool somehow messed up many of them. Highschool here is too PC, too diluted, teachers fear overburdening kids with the workload they deserve, and when these kids go to college they face competition from kids from overseas who did the stuff they are being 'taught' in college in 10th grade! And i will not even mention work ethic.

However my point is public highschool is the bane of many a college student. And if you see my previous post (no. 5)you will notice why even Ritalin is prescribed to these kids (another symptom of an atrophied high school education system).

And the ironic thing is that in my opinion American universities are the best in the world (because they do not only teach but also establish the ability to incept and develop communicative skills which are extremely important). However the public higschools (based on the people i have met) must be atrocious!

28 posted on 08/11/2002 1:19:07 PM PDT by spetznaz
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