Alright, alright, lesson learned. I have been officially bitch slapped. I made the random, naive and insanely stupid mistake of posting an enthusiastic, Pollyanna type question on a New Zealand web board hoping upon hope that good old fashioned Kiwi's would give me great advice for fitting into my new home. Well, hell hath no fury when you are a web poster scorned. Or some such shit.
I was officially called a Troll because several of these folks actually did not believe that my post was genuine. Which I found odd. Why would I post a question on a New Zealand run webboard if it wasn't a genuine question? Who has that kind of fucking time? My questions was simply: I am moving to Auckland and the world hates Americans, anything I should know before I debark from the plane?
Another lesson: once you post one of these things, you no longer own it. It mushrooms and grows into something that you never intended.
I have been officially smacked down to reality. I have heard so many wonderful things about New Zealand and it's people that I actually *forgot* that assholes live in every country and are not just isolated to New York. I was actually Ernest enough for a moment to allow my Pollyanna to come shining through. Stupid me. Which I guess was a good lesson to learn before I actually got there. Someone once said "you can leave what you want behind but you still look at yourself in the morning". How very true. I can leave a few things behind here in the States that I am looking forward to shedding, but I will always have me. Which was never the reason why I wanted to do this NZ thing in the first place by the way. It was always about adventure. It was always about the opportunity for more. But the one thing I will have to take will me is a small bit of my New York pessimism so I don't get myself in trouble.
And I am now officially Google Group devirginized.
28 September, 2005
21 September, 2005
The Education System - She's Not So Good
Random conversation with fellow Big Bank Worker leads me to question the intelligence level of my country and the quality of the education presented in this country.
Me: So, moving to New Zealand, blah, blah, blah, blah
Him: New Zealand, is that like near Holland?
Hand to G-d, I swear this conversation took place. Which got me thinking. Enter Diatribe:
The higher education system in the United States is probably the most expensive education in the world. Our education costs continue to rise every year, our University system is ever at war with each other trying to lure the best and the brightest and the standard cost for an education went from $2,000 in 1980 for in-state tuition verses today's $20,000 for in-state tuition. Don't even get me started on private and out-of-state-colleges.
However, I do believe that those that are educated in the United States are not the most well educated in the world. Nor are we even slightly worldly. Personally, I think that the Germans our kicking our ass in education. Consider that my young cousins all under the age of 10 already speak three languages.
Or perhaps this lack of world view has nothing at all to do with our higher education system and everything to do with our elementary education. Get'em while they are young and some stuff might actually stick.
So are we in the United States under-educated? Perhaps the only reason that we continue to be the domineering country is because everyone else is coming here instead of staying there. Do the math. The influx of intelligence workers as immigrants into the United States is staggering. Other countries will continue to educate their community and those individuals will continue to emigrate here.
So, will Americans be able to continue competing in a world market?
Me: So, moving to New Zealand, blah, blah, blah, blah
Him: New Zealand, is that like near Holland?
Hand to G-d, I swear this conversation took place. Which got me thinking. Enter Diatribe:
The higher education system in the United States is probably the most expensive education in the world. Our education costs continue to rise every year, our University system is ever at war with each other trying to lure the best and the brightest and the standard cost for an education went from $2,000 in 1980 for in-state tuition verses today's $20,000 for in-state tuition. Don't even get me started on private and out-of-state-colleges.
However, I do believe that those that are educated in the United States are not the most well educated in the world. Nor are we even slightly worldly. Personally, I think that the Germans our kicking our ass in education. Consider that my young cousins all under the age of 10 already speak three languages.
Or perhaps this lack of world view has nothing at all to do with our higher education system and everything to do with our elementary education. Get'em while they are young and some stuff might actually stick.
So are we in the United States under-educated? Perhaps the only reason that we continue to be the domineering country is because everyone else is coming here instead of staying there. Do the math. The influx of intelligence workers as immigrants into the United States is staggering. Other countries will continue to educate their community and those individuals will continue to emigrate here.
So, will Americans be able to continue competing in a world market?
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