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I'm curious about your French Foreign Legion comment; can you elaborate?

themgt 11y ago
From my not incredibly extended experience, the problem was the FFL attracts exactly the sort of people in op's situation - those with criminal records and/or nowhere else to turn. You're then basically a mercenary in a group of other very fucked up mercenaries, and from the outside it appeared a great way of reinforcing the worst aspects of one's personality. By contrast if you simply go live in South America and teach English, you'll just be any other expat, and immersed in a normal local culture much more likely to help you become a sane, well-rounded human. (for reference, I spent two weeks in a hostel in Marseilles with a creepy Algerian criminal in the FFL who'd been wounded/furloughed and was trying to obtain French citizenship along with a 19 year old in-denial gay Mormon who was attempting to join. The Algerian wound up making violent/rapey comments to at least three female friends)
- nether 11y ago
  Not to mention, isn't the FFL more selective in physical ability than the US Army Rangers? You don't just sign up.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
- zobzu 11y ago
  to join the legion you gotta be mentally and physically tough. if thats not the case there is no point in joining. the expat idea seem good.
- secfirstmd 11y ago
  Yeh I know a few people who went into the Legion and I think it's whole methodology messes you up way more than a conventional military and/or commando unit in a place like the UK or US. A lot of guys I now regret going to the Legion for this, instead of Royal Marines or SEALs etc.
crdb 11y ago
You might enjoy: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-hardest-thing-you-have-ever-done/answer/Rory-Young-1 https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-hardest-thing-you-have-eve... Also worth reading Legionnaire by Simon Murray, although he seems to be more positive about the long term impact on his life.
- fapjacks 11y ago
  I know the legion is hard, but this guy is just one of those people that AWOLs, for whatever reason. These people are usually fragile of mind to begin with. That experience couldn't have helped any. It was a very interesting read, though. Thanks for posting.

From my not incredibly extended experience, the problem was the FFL attracts exactly the sort of people in op's situation - those with criminal records and/or nowhere else to turn. You're then basically a mercenary in a group of other very fucked up mercenaries, and from the outside it appeared a great way of reinforcing the worst aspects of one's personality. By contrast if you simply go live in South America and teach English, you'll just be any other expat, and immersed in a normal local culture much more likely to help you become a sane, well-rounded human. (for reference, I spent two weeks in a hostel in Marseilles with a creepy Algerian criminal in the FFL who'd been wounded/furloughed and was trying to obtain French citizenship along with a 19 year old in-denial gay Mormon who was attempting to join. The Algerian wound up making violent/rapey comments to at least three female friends)

nether 11y ago
Not to mention, isn't the FFL more selective in physical ability than the US Army Rangers? You don't just sign up.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
zobzu 11y ago
to join the legion you gotta be mentally and physically tough. if thats not the case there is no point in joining. the expat idea seem good.
secfirstmd 11y ago
Yeh I know a few people who went into the Legion and I think it's whole methodology messes you up way more than a conventional military and/or commando unit in a place like the UK or US. A lot of guys I now regret going to the Legion for this, instead of Royal Marines or SEALs etc.

crdb 11y ago

You might enjoy: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-hardest-thing-you-have-ever-done/answer/Rory-Young-1 https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-hardest-thing-you-have-eve... Also worth reading Legionnaire by Simon Murray, although he seems to be more positive about the long term impact on his life.

fapjacks 11y ago
I know the legion is hard, but this guy is just one of those people that AWOLs, for whatever reason. These people are usually fragile of mind to begin with. That experience couldn't have helped any. It was a very interesting read, though. Thanks for posting.