| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Off topic: What don't you miss about your home country? Thread poster: Robin Ward
|
|---|
Amy Duncan (X) 
Brazil
Local time: 12:03
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| American living in Rio de Janeiro doesn't miss much! | Jul 5, 2004 |
I surely don't miss the endless winters in New York, although I used to enjoy the occasional blizzard.
What I really don't miss are all the rules, rules, rules, in the U.S. Seems like someone is looking over your shoulder all the time. Unfortunately, it's starting to get like that a little here, too.
Don't miss the racism, either...not that we don't have it here, but it's not nearly as aggressive.
I don't miss the bad cable TV (ours is great here).
... See more I surely don't miss the endless winters in New York, although I used to enjoy the occasional blizzard.
What I really don't miss are all the rules, rules, rules, in the U.S. Seems like someone is looking over your shoulder all the time. Unfortunately, it's starting to get like that a little here, too.
Don't miss the racism, either...not that we don't have it here, but it's not nearly as aggressive.
I don't miss the bad cable TV (ours is great here).
I do miss spring and fall in Central Park, but I soon forget it as I head to Copacabana beach!
I also miss the broad variety of foods - it's very hard to find either decent Mexican or Chinese food here, and impossible to find the ingredients in the market. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Pollution of all kinds. | Jul 5, 2004 |
I left Russia in 1989. And when I think about the brown (and opaque) tap water, the equally brown (and equally opaque) air, the stink of bus exhaust, cigarette smoke, and all sorts of other substances, the pesticide-laced poisonous food, etc etc etc - I'm glad I live in California now. Nothing stinks here, and the air and water are transparent.
| | | | lien
Netherlands
Local time: 17:03
English to French
+ ...
| The Netherlands | Jul 5, 2004 |
Sanmar wrote:
... not being able to rent properties where the rent does not correspond to your income (i.e. if you have a high income you can only rent expensive properties etc.).
Of course, if the rich would live in cheap houses, where would the poor live ? They could not afford expensive rent.
| | | | | Hierarchy and Kännchen Kaffee | Jul 6, 2004 |
Great idea, Croky! First I thought: not much missing here.
But you all teach me being critical and staying alert.
I am German living in Cloggieland for 7 years
First of all: I live in the Easternpart far away from the RANDSTAD:not overcrowded and really friendly bus drivers.
- I do not miss the so called "bike paths" because they are great swindle
- I do not miss harsh and arrogant family DOCTORS (notabene: German dentists are less arrogant than Dutch ones ... See more Great idea, Croky! First I thought: not much missing here.
But you all teach me being critical and staying alert.
I am German living in Cloggieland for 7 years
First of all: I live in the Easternpart far away from the RANDSTAD:not overcrowded and really friendly bus drivers.
- I do not miss the so called "bike paths" because they are great swindle
- I do not miss harsh and arrogant family DOCTORS (notabene: German dentists are less arrogant than Dutch ones in my region and even practising here in the borderland with great succes)
- I do not miss short of disobey
- I do not miss entiteling Guten Morgen, Herr Rechtsanwalt.
- I do not miss HIERARCHY at the workplace, a lot of Dutch people
are astonished about this phenomena. I've worked in German factories with harsh Vorarbeiter and gloomy Meister. Deutsche Post was really creepy.
- I do not miss moaning TEACHERS cause they earn much more in Germany than in the NL and many of them are much more rigid (refuse further training)
- I do not miss POLICEMEN with lack of humor
Bureaucracy in the Netherlands is similar to Germany but the "Politieagenten" are much more relaxed, some of them even charming (posting letters for you)
Almost forgotten:
- I do not miss Kännchen Kaffee (But I DO miss KUCHEN especially Muttis Sekttorte cause in the Netherlands they take a great fancy to sugary appeltaart) ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
IanW (X)
Local time: 17:03
German to English
+ ...
| Dear old dirty Dublin | Jul 6, 2004 |
The main thing that I don't miss about dear old dirty Dublin is the woeful public transport system. Naturally, most people - having spent hours crawling along in a bus watching tortoises thundering past - tend to buy a car, thus making the problem even worse. Hurrah! On the bright side, a light rail system is currently being built, but I can't imagine the chaos that the building work is causing in the meantime.
Apart from that, I'm with Alison as regards the beer (apart from Guinnes... See more The main thing that I don't miss about dear old dirty Dublin is the woeful public transport system. Naturally, most people - having spent hours crawling along in a bus watching tortoises thundering past - tend to buy a car, thus making the problem even worse. Hurrah! On the bright side, a light rail system is currently being built, but I can't imagine the chaos that the building work is causing in the meantime.
Apart from that, I'm with Alison as regards the beer (apart from Guinness and Murphy's). Oh - and overpriced supermarkets: there was an Aldi in Dublin when I was there a few weeks ago, Nearly brought tears to my eyes ...
Winick the Cynic
[Edited at 2004-07-06 09:13] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | German living in China | Jul 6, 2004 |
In my post on the German forum I had said that I missed the occasional game of Schafkopf (a card game played in the south of Germany) whenever I am outside of Germany (or actually even outside of Franken).
And that I'd miss real bread and other bakery products (what you get here is soggy white foam stuff).
But there are definitely things that I do not miss about Germany. They are:
- You have to have an opinion and discuss about EVERYTHING (for exampl... See more In my post on the German forum I had said that I missed the occasional game of Schafkopf (a card game played in the south of Germany) whenever I am outside of Germany (or actually even outside of Franken).
And that I'd miss real bread and other bakery products (what you get here is soggy white foam stuff).
But there are definitely things that I do not miss about Germany. They are:
- You have to have an opinion and discuss about EVERYTHING (for example Schroeder's dyed hair).
- There are rules for everything and people don't take it very nicely if you don't obey them.
- In my village, the post office is open 3 mornings and 1 afternoon a week. It never bothered me much, but coming back from China where every shop is open 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, Germany's shop opening times are really very inflexible.
- Everything is expensive. I normally wouldn't even buy some CDs or books, only second hand. Don't even get me started on TRAIN TICKETS! They are ridiculously expensive. A friend of mine once rented a car to drive from Wuerzburg to Berlin for a weekend. I was cheaper for the two of them than going by train.
- I used to complain a lot about German bureocracy. But actually it's not that bad. Other countries are worse, I think.
Hm... I think that's all for now. I'll be back with more if I can think of anything else.
Cheers,
Stefanie ▲ Collapse
| | | | Özden Arıkan
Germany
Local time: 17:03
Member
English to Turkish
+ ...
| I don't and ever won't miss | Jul 6, 2004 |
the congested streets, the noise, the public transportation, the pollution, and especially the predominantly male crowds in some areas of Istanbul... and sometimes the unnecessary personal touch in communications (this last one depends on the situation though, living in Germany at the moment, sometimes the impersonal way of communication works better for me, and sometimes not!)
Everything else I miss, especially the sea, the people, the vitality, and yes, the food (and no, don't tel... See more the congested streets, the noise, the public transportation, the pollution, and especially the predominantly male crowds in some areas of Istanbul... and sometimes the unnecessary personal touch in communications (this last one depends on the situation though, living in Germany at the moment, sometimes the impersonal way of communication works better for me, and sometimes not!)
Everything else I miss, especially the sea, the people, the vitality, and yes, the food (and no, don't tell me that there is Turkish food in Germany). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Randa Farhat
Lebanon
Local time: 18:03
English to Arabic
+ ...
| amazing global study on early 3rd millenium people | Jul 6, 2004 |
Krokodil! you just initiated a great sociological study worldwide!
Kuwait, originally from Lebanon
i don't miss plenty:
power cut-off,
administrative whirlpool,
qualification by surname,
narrow streets,
stormy winter winds,
disappointing beaches,
limited market,
etc.. etc.. etc..
| | |
|
|
|
Monika Coulson
Local time: 09:03
Member (2001)
English to Albanian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Judgment and non-accountability | Jul 8, 2004 |
I for sure do not miss judgment. Maybe it is something that was inherited from the socialist way of thinking (just a mere statement - please, I am not open to any political discussion here) but most of the people in my country (Albania) think that they are perfect and are quick in judging others.
Another thing that I do not miss at all is non-accountability. I have seen this with many people, that if they do not like something in themselves, they do not hold themselves accountable, ... See more I for sure do not miss judgment. Maybe it is something that was inherited from the socialist way of thinking (just a mere statement - please, I am not open to any political discussion here) but most of the people in my country (Albania) think that they are perfect and are quick in judging others.
Another thing that I do not miss at all is non-accountability. I have seen this with many people, that if they do not like something in themselves, they do not hold themselves accountable, but it must be everyone else's fault, so they start pointing to everyone else.
However, I do have a lot of things that I miss a lot about Albania, but since this is not the right topic, I will save them for another time.
Monika
[Edited at 2004-07-08 04:26] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Currently in home country (USA), used to live in Germany and Austria | Jul 8, 2004 |
When I lived in Germany and Austria I did not miss
- crazy people running around with guns (we were seconds away from witnessing a drive-by shooting in Chicago the summer we got back to the States, did see the poor guy lying in the street)
- lack of good public transportation
- those infernal plastic shopping bags - you end up with at least 10 every shopping trip
- SUVs cutting me off in traffic - I don't drive when I'm in Europe
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » What don't you miss about your home country? | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
