Back from South Africa!!!

[epicstruggle]

Actually been got back about a week or two, havent posted until i caught up with all thats being going on around here. I had an incredible time there. The weather was fantastic, and just being with my wife again (after months of being away due to immigration problems) was just unbelieveable.

Anyways, somethings about my month long vacation in South Africa did suprise me:
-South Africans by and large distrust american media/govermnent/people
-They whole heartily believe that the US only is interested in oil in Iraq.
-After a heated discussion with friends of my wife, I found out that they believe (all graduates of universities) that the US started WW2 against Japan/Germany. Apparantly they also hate us for dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

well Ill post some more later, need to set up my computer to fold for team beyond3d!!

later,
epicstruggle

 

[Mariner]

I found out that they believe (all graduates of universities) that the US started WW2 against Japan/Germany.

I just knew that the US were behind it all! They obviously forced Germany to invade Poland.

Seriously, though, who wrote the history books they use at that university?

 

[Silent_One]

Welcome back Epicstruggle!

 

[Humus]

Welcome back!^2 8)

 

[Mr S.]

Well, I live in South Africa ( Have done all my life ) and I dont have any of those views and neither do the people I tend to hang around.

-South Africans by and large distrust american media/govermnent/people

South Africans by and large are poor, live in shacks or squat, dont have jobs, have aids and dont care about american media/govermnent/people.

-They whole heartily believe that the US only is interested in oil in Iraq

So does most of the world, although I dont believe it is so. I believe one reason is they just need to get rid of military surplus so they can invest in new stuff occasionally Although, I'm only interested in oil in Iraq, the rest of the country is all crappy and brown by all accounts. Nothing else really.

-After a heated discussion with friends of my wife, I found out that they believe (all graduates of universities) that the US started WW2 against Japan/Germany.

I'm sorry, but thats just stupid, how the hell did they get that idea into their heads. I'd convince (force) your wife to get new friends Although, to be fair, they didn't graduate from University with a degree in History now did they. Actaully that is not even a valid excuse, they are just "ignant"

 

[epicstruggle]

Well, I live in South Africa ( Have done all my life ) and I dont have any of those views and neither do the people I tend to hang around.

-South Africans by and large distrust american media/govermnent/people

South Africans by and large are poor, live in shacks or squat, dont have jobs, have aids and dont care about american media/govermnent/people.

Im sure thats true, the people I was with didnt feel that way though! However, while there they had protests almost on a nightly basis at either Wits(university), outside the US embasy, or some march or either. Asking friends of my wife whether they believed anything from CNN, got a big reply that they did not.

-They whole heartily believe that the US only is interested in oil in Iraq

So does most of the world, although I dont believe it is so. I believe one reason is they just need to get rid of military surplus so they can invest in new stuff occasionally Although, I'm only interested in oil in Iraq, the rest of the country is all crappy and brown by all accounts. Nothing else really.

Well, I guess your right that most of the world holds the same view as south africans. I guess that im always suprised when people believe stupid propaganda(sp?).

-After a heated discussion with friends of my wife, I found out that they believe (all graduates of universities) that the US started WW2 against Japan/Germany.

I'm sorry, but thats just stupid, how the hell did they get that idea into their heads. I'd convince (force) your wife to get new friends Although, to be fair, they didn't graduate from University with a degree in History now did they. Actaully that is not even a valid excuse, they are just "ignant"

Many of my wifes friends from Wits are muslims or indians and both groups apparently have a very skewed view of world history. I was shocked to learn that they did not have to learn anything about WW1 !!!!!!! And only learned the most basic elements of WW2 with much time spent on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. I guess when you do that youll have a very slanted view of the US.

My wife and I are both Hindus (indians) and so we pretty much spent our time with her family and friends who are mostly Hindus also. Most of my time I was in Johanesburg, with a trip to Cape town and Durban. The country in itself is quite beatiful and already miss it (my wife is still there )

well will write more later,
epicstruggle

 

[Mr S.]

However, while there they had protests almost on a nightly basis at either Wits(university), outside the US embasy, or some march or either.

We can never resist a protest, 3rd world countries tend towards chaos Although, I guess we're not 3rd world, we're some kind of 1st/3rd hybrid.

So how did you meet your wife, if you're not South African ( I assume )?

 

[epicstruggle]

We can never resist a protest, 3rd world countries tend towards chaos Although, I guess we're not 3rd world, we're some kind of 1st/3rd hybrid.

I was very thrown off by this too. Parts of that country really reminded me of a 3rd world country, however most of the cities/suburbs are just like ones here in the US.

So how did you meet your wife, if you're not South African ( I assume )?

Well were both Hindus, and we mostly still keep to the tradition of arranged marriages. Although now we (people getting married) now mostly have the power to say no to getting married. However after going to SA to meet her in person I was charmed off my pants when we had our interview and said yes to marrying her when asked later that day and so did she.

Actually I was born in Johanesburg but have lived about the last 17 or so years in the US out of my 27 years. THe other 10 I lived in Brazil.

later,
epicstruggle

 

[Deepak]

Although now we (people getting married) now mostly have the power to say no to getting married. However after going to SA to meet her in person I was charmed off my pants when we had our interview and said yes to marrying her when asked later that day and so did she.

epic....that means you are not married yet....???

 

[Saem]

If he's calling her his wife, then she's his wife. As opposed to his fiancee.

 

[Deepak]

In Indian community.....fiancee = Wife!

 

[epicstruggle]

Although now we (people getting married) now mostly have the power to say no to getting married. However after going to SA to meet her in person I was charmed off my pants when we had our interview and said yes to marrying her when asked later that day and so did she.

epic....that means you are not married yet....???

sorry for the confusion. I am married. Got married last year March 3rd (we meet in person in August 2000). I must say I was extremely intimadated/nervous, the wedding was held primarily in my native language (gujarati) and I am not very good at it . Fortunatly the priest was forgiving of my ignorance and tried to explain things when I had to do something or other.

Ahh, married life is so good, or at least the 4 or so months that we have actually been together out of the 14 months of marriage have been good.

Damn the terrorists for making it harder on anyone to get a visa to come to this country. She would have been here permantly already if it wasnt for all the stupid new rules that they have in place.

later,
epicstruggle

 

[Deepak]

Ahh, married life is so good,

Lucky guy////

One more confusion...

She would have been here permantly already if it wasnt for all the stupid new rules that they have in place.

You mean SA or US....?

 

[epicstruggle]

US.

 

[Saem]

In Indian community.....fiancee = Wife!

I'm from Pakistan with my dad from India/India before the split, these things are foreign to me. I understand what you were getting at, however.

 

[Deepak]

Western culture is so boring....everything is too open...!

 

[Mr S.]

She would have been here permantly already if it wasnt for all the stupid new rules that they have in place.

That would definately not be S.A. We'll take anyone we can get our hands on. Terrorists cant out match our local car thieves anyway, so no worries

That immigration problem must suck big time, seeing as you're not even muslim.

 

[Sxotty]

Although, I'm only interested in oil in Iraq, the rest of the country is all crappy and brown by all accounts. Nothing else really.

Did youguys see pictures from northern Iraq, I was shocked it was green and beautiful, I had always thought it was a big waste of desert except in the fertile crescent I was very surprised.

 

[Mr S.]

Yeah, northern Iraq is quite decent, thats probably why the Curds live there, and why the Iraqis hate the Curds ( dont you prefer this simplistic view, rather than bringing in hundreds of years of complex religious situations? )