Fuck Exchange Programs

TDK · 09-09-2010, 02:44 PM

Okay I'm all for mixing of cultures, but this is just ridiculous. I had a chemistry class today, and the TA, who was in charge of all of the students mixing chemicals, barely spoke passable english. I understood almost none of what she said, and apparently, despite having at least an undergrad degree in chemistry, she did not know the word "milliliter".

We were mixing hydrochloric acid, and she asked me "how many chlorine" I put in the solution.

It was extremely tempting to answer her question literally and say something like "32x10^23 of them." but I resisted.

Like seriously, this chick got hired by a goddamn university despite barely knowing enough english to have a conversation. I would go so far as to describe it as 'broken english'.

And yet she is expected to instruct a few dozen people on how to mix dangerous chemicals, including, in this case, ammonia and hydrochloric acid in fairly strong concentrations.

This is

I don't even

Has anyone else experienced stuff like this? I understand that the language barrier is something that has to be overcome and without people correcting you, its hard to pick up a language from being in a culture that speaks it, particularly english...

But you'd think for this particular position, they might consider someone who's just a LITTLE more fluent.

Edit: Originally the title was "Fuck foreign exchange programs" but that's not the kind of program my particular case is referring to.

This one just sounds dirty though.

Fifthfiend · 09-09-2010, 02:44 PM

Totally not what I thought this thread was going to be about.

Oh well, back to Craigslist.

Specterbane · 09-09-2010, 02:54 PM

Hah! Welcome to college. She's probably here studying for a MS or PhD and TAing as a way to earn rent/scholarship money. If I'm not mistaken that's pretty common. I went to a smaller program at my college and even there we had plenty of professors with heavy accents. From "Wheicals" and "Wessals" to "Marchineing Centers" it happens.

My best advice is to be patient, they're trying their best to be understood so try to meet them half way by getting used to the accent. And if you need to correct her about something politely, have some tact about it, but it'll help everyone out.

Professor Smarmiarty · 09-09-2010, 02:58 PM

Lab supervision is pretty much exclusively done by apathetic pHD students who are paishit all to be there. But you're expected to be able to mix standard chemicals by the time you get to uni and I doubt they'd give you anything really dangerous. And shit , they're probably bein paid only slightly above minimum wage espite their years of training , don't be hard on them.

Seil · 09-09-2010, 03:20 PM

The only problem I've ever had with people speaking foreign languages is not when they're in control of my grades, so... yeah.

I actually don't think I've ever had a major problem with not understanding someone's language. When we had exchange students in Japanese, way back in high school, they were mostly young Asian girls, who all laughed and gave me email addresses.

Magic_Marker · 09-09-2010, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifthfiend

Totally not what I thought this thread was going to be about.

Oh well, back to Craigslist.

Haven't you heard?

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk · 09-09-2010, 06:59 PM

Pfft, that's nothing, you should have seen my high school physics teacher, he wasn't even foriegn and he was still more dangerous than that chick. He allowed people to open up gas taps and set them aflame directly. And the tables. And any deodorant cans that people felt like running around with shooting at each other. The man just didn't give a shit if we blew ourselves up, he was only doing a year until he had enough money to go on a rock climbing instructors course, where he could presumably be really dangerous to people.

I wish I was making this shit up.

CABAL49 · 09-09-2010, 08:04 PM

I had an English teacher from Belize. I was the only one who could understand her but I loved that class.

Azisien · 09-09-2010, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

Lab supervision is pretty much exclusively done by apathetic pHD students who are paishit all to be there. But you're expected to be able to mix standard chemicals by the time you get to uni and I doubt they'd give you anything really dangerous. And shit , they're probably bein paid only slightly above minimum wage espite their years of training , don't be hard on them.

I dunno what the lab standards are in your country, but I was paid $26/hour to be an undergraduate TA. Graduate TAs got $38/hour.

Some people just stayed TAs actually, didn't even bother getting full professorship or anything.

batgirl · 09-09-2010, 10:32 PM

I hear you, but welcome to college. I had a chemistry professor from China who couldn't pronounce the differences between "alkenes," "alkanes," and "alkynes." Considering that was a big deal, it frustrated the entire 400 person class to no end.

I was a physics TA for a year and a half and let me tell you, some of the other TAs were really bad in terms of their accents. There were only 2 other girls who were TAs. One had a thick Russian accent, the other a thick Haitian accent. Amongst the guys, there were a couple of really heavy Indian and Chinese/Japanese accents. I'll tell you, after the first week of class, my and the other predominantly English speaking TAs' class sizes grew exponentially and the others shrank.

09-09-2010, 02:44 PM	#1
TDK Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reality Posts: 2,914	Fuck Exchange Programs Okay I'm all for mixing of cultures, but this is just ridiculous. I had a chemistry class today, and the TA, who was in charge of all of the students mixing chemicals, barely spoke passable english. I understood almost none of what she said, and apparently, despite having at least an undergrad degree in chemistry, she did not know the word "milliliter". We were mixing hydrochloric acid, and she asked me "how many chlorine" I put in the solution. It was extremely tempting to answer her question literally and say something like "32x10^23 of them." but I resisted. Like seriously, this chick got hired by a goddamn university despite barely knowing enough english to have a conversation. I would go so far as to describe it as 'broken english'. And yet she is expected to instruct a few dozen people on how to mix dangerous chemicals, including, in this case, ammonia and hydrochloric acid in fairly strong concentrations. This is I don't even Has anyone else experienced stuff like this? I understand that the language barrier is something that has to be overcome and without people correcting you, its hard to pick up a language from being in a culture that speaks it, particularly english... But you'd think for this particular position, they might consider someone who's just a LITTLE more fluent. Edit: Originally the title was "Fuck foreign exchange programs" but that's not the kind of program my particular case is referring to. This one just sounds dirty though.

09-09-2010, 02:44 PM	#2
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	Totally not what I thought this thread was going to be about. Oh well, back to Craigslist. __________________ check out my buttspresso

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09-09-2010, 02:54 PM	#3
Specterbane Safety First Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Land of Gumdrops and Ice-cream Posts: 746	Hah! Welcome to college. She's probably here studying for a MS or PhD and TAing as a way to earn rent/scholarship money. If I'm not mistaken that's pretty common. I went to a smaller program at my college and even there we had plenty of professors with heavy accents. From "Wheicals" and "Wessals" to "Marchineing Centers" it happens. My best advice is to be patient, they're trying their best to be understood so try to meet them half way by getting used to the accent. And if you need to correct her about something politely, have some tact about it, but it'll help everyone out.

09-09-2010, 02:58 PM	#4
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	Lab supervision is pretty much exclusively done by apathetic pHD students who are paishit all to be there. But you're expected to be able to mix standard chemicals by the time you get to uni and I doubt they'd give you anything really dangerous. And shit , they're probably bein paid only slightly above minimum wage espite their years of training , don't be hard on them.

09-09-2010, 03:20 PM	#5
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	The only problem I've ever had with people speaking foreign languages is not when they're in control of my grades, so... yeah. I actually don't think I've ever had a major problem with not understanding someone's language. When we had exchange students in Japanese, way back in high school, they were mostly young Asian girls, who all laughed and gave me email addresses.

09-09-2010, 08:04 PM	#8
CABAL49 Not bad. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Senatus Populusque Americanus Posts: 1,584	I had an English teacher from Belize. I was the only one who could understand her but I loved that class.

09-09-2010, 10:32 PM	#10
batgirl Aim for the top! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Infield Posts: 2,583	I hear you, but welcome to college. I had a chemistry professor from China who couldn't pronounce the differences between "alkenes," "alkanes," and "alkynes." Considering that was a big deal, it frustrated the entire 400 person class to no end. I was a physics TA for a year and a half and let me tell you, some of the other TAs were really bad in terms of their accents. There were only 2 other girls who were TAs. One had a thick Russian accent, the other a thick Haitian accent. Amongst the guys, there were a couple of really heavy Indian and Chinese/Japanese accents. I'll tell you, after the first week of class, my and the other predominantly English speaking TAs' class sizes grew exponentially and the others shrank.