While I lived there there was a newspaper report of a white man 'reduced' to sweeping the leaves in the park. There was a general outcry from the white community that such a thing could not be allowed - it was a disgrace for the white community and he was immediately offered several jobs.

This is the kind of mentality that has bred this idea that in the west you only have to ask and it will be given. And I think this is where *some* of these posts are coming from.

I also have a lot of family from Pakistan who are international grad students - but that's a different country and awareness of western procedures and education is much greater. You can't really generalise about international students but for the sake of those who are genuinely out in the twilight zone, I would council patience.

No Simo - you misunderstand me completely. I think that some posters may have that mentality because I have met it many, many times.

And you can't have it both ways - if it's not a cultural misunderstanding - then it's just stupidity plain and simple.

WELL JUST READ YOUR LAST POST.

and for those who dont know my natinality I am zimbabwean.

I am not too eager about discussing what zimbabweans think abt the west. I am jus one of them and not representative of the whole country.
There was a time when the britsh pound and the zim dollar were 1:1 now one as to 200 million, so I agree we had our good times and we lived better than most westerners. the house, the servant the works as a mere cicil servant.
But contrary to the posted suggetsion, most zimbabweans never even wanted to hear of immagrating to the uk, because they knew that life wasnt as easy here.

I have been here 6 yrs and I know as such

Smilodon,

Thanks for your post, as it is an excellent potential explanation of why certain international students make "awkward" postings about pursuing a doctorate.

My view in this case is that our invective may cause the poster to reassess their views and come to an understanding that they have committed a faux pas. However, as silence teaches nothing, polite ignorance of these posts are potentially worse than getting an earful from hard bitten PhDers.

Well I'm just telling my experience to see if it helps give some perspective.

That is a point Badhaircut - but perhaps not too harshly pointed out?

I think I have sympathy for what you are saying, the problem is that were are posting at the same time and so I put up my hands I misunderstood you completely.

Anyway, I can only speak for my nation, we work for every thing that we get.

Speaking of patience , i was a bit statled when I read your post because I wondered if I had given you my name.
I am called Patience Simuzosha

A good friend of mine is married to a Zimbabwean called Patience. I well know that it is easy to sound patronising with this kind of talk which is why I generally don't try it unles face to face when you can properly explain yourselves. I truly don't wish to offend anyone. Perhaps when you come up to Cambridge we can continue this discussion over a bowl of sadza and a beer!

That would be nice, I get all to defensive sometimes and I apologise.

Would love to make you a sadza meal, as long as you go to the gym after.

True. One can infer my harshness reflects the climate that we work in within academia. At least my (and others) brashness is overt, rather reflective of the covert politicing and undermining that often goes on.

Simuzosha,I don't recall reading anywhere that this was a fucking therapy group. People come here for advice, venting and to find out something resembling the truth. Posters here tell it like it is, and thats why I am here. You dont like it, there are another billion internet pages you can go to where everyone is politically correct, uncritical and "nice".

How about I just cycle home

Badhaircut

WAY OUT OF LINE

Badhaircut - are you the Simon Cowell of this bb

You do tell it like it is that's for sure - but has anyone ever suggested that you are overly blunt, tactless and unfeeling?

Or am I the first