Well, it is a study of ONE.

I met a 30 year old LEGAL immigrant to the U.S. He was born in and grew up in Nepal. He was able to get a visa to go to graduate school here and then got a work visa.

Here are some of HIS opinions of the United States:

"It is truly the land of opportunity. In Nepal, you are born in to a caste. It doesn't matter what you do or how much education you get or how good you are at something. If you aren't born in that caste, you can't get a certain job. You can never advance yourself or get ahead."

"When I came here I was amazed at the wealth. Even your "poor" people here live like kings."

regarding illegal immigration:

"I have SO many rules I have to follow. I have to be SO careful, because if I violate one, I can be sent back. If there is any way I can stay here, I want to stay here for the rest of my life. I don't understand. I follow ALL the rules, and then there are all these illegal people and they don't do anything to them, and people that do try to send them home are the ones that get into trouble."

regarding american society as a whole:

"You people are SO welcoming. Almost everyone will be nice to you and talk to you. It doesn't matter who you are or where you are from or what job you have."

regarding women and children:

"My wife and I are trying to have a baby, but haven't been able to yet."

Me: "I don't know your culture. Is it a big deal to have one type of baby versus another?"

"Oh, yes. A lot of people in Nepal, if it is a girl, they will just immediately kill the baby."

Me: "Why is that?"

"If you have a girl, eventually they will get married and move off into the husband's family. So you have no gain of someone in your family to help you, or to support you or take care of you later. You have spent all that money and food raising someone for someone else. If you have a son, they are expected to take care of you when you are old."

Continuing:

"Here, a woman can actually DO something. She can get a job! She can get an education. That wouldn't really happen in Nepal."


Yet there are some people who are embarrassed of and ashamed of our country. I never said and am not saying our country is perfect. Or best. Just great. And that is enough for me.

Yeah, they have some serious issues in Nepal.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIV...ala.nepal/index.html

I've always been thankful to have been born here. I grew up in poverty and my daughter is going to medical school next fall. I keep telling her that she's one generation away from poverty, but she has no way of relating to that. We take so much for granted.

quote Originally posted by carnut122: I've always been thankful to have been born here.

You and me both. I was born to blue collar, I'll be white collar (although I honestly have some apprehensions about it). I wouldn't trade living here for anywhere else...except maybe Florida, does that count?

~ Derek

Thanks for posting that.
At least I know he won't be out tomorrow marching lock-step with all of the uninformed fools.