5 ms·

ALSO. the people you are describing are (I'm guessing) immigrants. Meaning they are a subset of people from their home country with the internal initiative, dri

ALSO. the people you are describing are (I'm guessing) immigrants. Meaning they are a subset of people from their home country with the internal initiative, drive, and resources to move halfway around the world and make their way in a culture besides the one they grew up in

chairmanwow1 7y ago
This is under appreciated. I spent significant time living and working in China and it’s HARD. I came back to the US with a MUCH deeper respect for any immigrants I work with. Everything is much more confusing and frustrating.
- safog 7y ago
  The language / the cultural barrier isn't as high as it is for an American living in China though. I've grown up speaking English and watching a lot of American / British movies and TV, reading a lot of english literature. I assume this is not the case for most Americans with Chinese culture. There's definitely a culture shock when you first move here and are figuring stuff out - How do you order food at a subway or a chipotle? (not a big deal anymore given the explosion of these restaurants in India in the last few years). Why is called Cilantro and not Corinander? How do I get a phone when I don't have any credit history at all? What is a turn-pike?
  - xtracto 7y ago
    I lived in both UK and Germany for about 4 years on each. My native language is Spanish (Mex) and I found it more difficult to adapt/blend with Britons than with Germans. Even though my English is Ok and my German is terrible...
    - ahartmetz 7y ago
      It probably depends on the particular place and environment. In general I think the UK does a better job at integration, for historical reasons.
    - krn 7y ago
      As someone born in Eastern Europe, I also felt more at home living in Germany than in the UK, despite not knowing any German.
  - drKarl 7y ago
    I'm curious, what is a turn-pike?
    - TuringNYC 7y ago
      A turn-pike is usually a toll road, a road that you can use only if you pay. There are often slower or less convenient roads running mostly in parallel which are free.
      - drKarl 7y ago
        Thanks, yeah I know what a toll road is but hadn't heard the term turn-pike.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
    - DebtDeflation 7y ago
      It's how we geolocate in NJ. "Oh you live in Jersey too? What exit?"
  - dreamcompiler 7y ago
    > Why is called Cilantro and not Corinander? You probably know this, but in the US Cilantro is the leaves and Coriander is the seeds of the same plant. Possibly because only the leaves are used in Mexican cooking, and a huge amount of US cuisine these days originates from Mexico, or pretends to.
thwerw4234 7y ago
Parent is also an immigrant.

chairmanwow1 7y ago

This is under appreciated. I spent significant time living and working in China and it’s HARD. I came back to the US with a MUCH deeper respect for any immigrants I work with. Everything is much more confusing and frustrating.

safog 7y ago
The language / the cultural barrier isn't as high as it is for an American living in China though. I've grown up speaking English and watching a lot of American / British movies and TV, reading a lot of english literature. I assume this is not the case for most Americans with Chinese culture. There's definitely a culture shock when you first move here and are figuring stuff out - How do you order food at a subway or a chipotle? (not a big deal anymore given the explosion of these restaurants in India in the last few years). Why is called Cilantro and not Corinander? How do I get a phone when I don't have any credit history at all? What is a turn-pike?
- xtracto 7y ago
  I lived in both UK and Germany for about 4 years on each. My native language is Spanish (Mex) and I found it more difficult to adapt/blend with Britons than with Germans. Even though my English is Ok and my German is terrible...
  - ahartmetz 7y ago
    It probably depends on the particular place and environment. In general I think the UK does a better job at integration, for historical reasons.
  - krn 7y ago
    As someone born in Eastern Europe, I also felt more at home living in Germany than in the UK, despite not knowing any German.
- drKarl 7y ago
  I'm curious, what is a turn-pike?
  - TuringNYC 7y ago
    A turn-pike is usually a toll road, a road that you can use only if you pay. There are often slower or less convenient roads running mostly in parallel which are free.
    - drKarl 7y ago
      Thanks, yeah I know what a toll road is but hadn't heard the term turn-pike.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - DebtDeflation 7y ago
    It's how we geolocate in NJ. "Oh you live in Jersey too? What exit?"
- dreamcompiler 7y ago
  > Why is called Cilantro and not Corinander? You probably know this, but in the US Cilantro is the leaves and Coriander is the seeds of the same plant. Possibly because only the leaves are used in Mexican cooking, and a huge amount of US cuisine these days originates from Mexico, or pretends to.

thwerw4234 7y ago

Parent is also an immigrant.