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Allie · 12-12-2008, 01:51 AM

Hi Cyzmra

I'd agree with you on some of your points

Halls of Residence in Universities are still OK but I tend to think that landlords/landladies who rent to students can be unscrupulous. There are moves afoot to end their less than benevolent practices and I hope they will work.

I was at University many years ago so don't know what the standards are now but I can believe that they have dropped. Having said that, my niece did the same degree that I did and I didn't see much of a difference so perhaps it depends on which subject you take? The drop in standards is, in my view, a direct result of 'targets' - this unwarrented move to push as many kids as possible into University when they aren't equipped for it. They often go for the wrong reasons. We need all kinds of skills and talents in the UK, not just degrees.

In terms of people - well, it's a shame you've experienced rudeness and so on, but we're not all like that.

I think people today are so pushed and stretched by a way of life that I think isn't found only in the UK. My friends in France seem to find time only to go to work and back again and so being alone is the only way they get some 'still' time. Much the same appears to happen here in the UK.

I think we will always find cultural differences - for example, in terms of people-friendliness, I found some bewildering experiences living in Germany in very much the way that you describe yours here. I was terrified by the visits I had to make to police stations to get my arbeitschein! I had one or two nasty moments.

Fasching I could never quite 'get' in terms of the way people came out of their shells and spoke to you at bus stops (or wherever) during that time but retreated back into them afterwards and stopped saying 'hello'. There was a formality that I didn't always understand. Still - I appreciate what you are saying about back-stabbing. In my view some of the reality shows we have had over here make harshness acceptable.

There are better places than London though. I hope you manage to get to some of them.

12-12-2008, 01:51 AM	#21
Allie Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 161	Re: How the UK has changed and not. Hi Cyzmra I'd agree with you on some of your points Halls of Residence in Universities are still OK but I tend to think that landlords/landladies who rent to students can be unscrupulous. There are moves afoot to end their less than benevolent practices and I hope they will work. I was at University many years ago so don't know what the standards are now but I can believe that they have dropped. Having said that, my niece did the same degree that I did and I didn't see much of a difference so perhaps it depends on which subject you take? The drop in standards is, in my view, a direct result of 'targets' - this unwarrented move to push as many kids as possible into University when they aren't equipped for it. They often go for the wrong reasons. We need all kinds of skills and talents in the UK, not just degrees. In terms of people - well, it's a shame you've experienced rudeness and so on, but we're not all like that. I think people today are so pushed and stretched by a way of life that I think isn't found only in the UK. My friends in France seem to find time only to go to work and back again and so being alone is the only way they get some 'still' time. Much the same appears to happen here in the UK. I think we will always find cultural differences - for example, in terms of people-friendliness, I found some bewildering experiences living in Germany in very much the way that you describe yours here. I was terrified by the visits I had to make to police stations to get my arbeitschein! I had one or two nasty moments. Fasching I could never quite 'get' in terms of the way people came out of their shells and spoke to you at bus stops (or wherever) during that time but retreated back into them afterwards and stopped saying 'hello'. There was a formality that I didn't always understand. Still - I appreciate what you are saying about back-stabbing. In my view some of the reality shows we have had over here make harshness acceptable. There are better places than London though. I hope you manage to get to some of them.