How has your hometown influenced your personal development and character?
I'm from Kentucky. Many, especially those on the coasts, tend to look down on us because they have been fed a media-diet of stereotypical hillbillies, barefooted in overalls, smoking corncob pipes and toting shotguns to shoot a `possum for dinner. In actuality, I grew up in Louisville, and despite it's other features, I received a first-rate education in elementary and high school. I can spell "correctly" correctly, and I know the difference between "two," "too," and "to," and the proper uses of each. It grates on my ear when people say "Me and Joe did thus and such," or "It happened to Josephine and I." Thank God I don't own a gun! Knowledge of the proper usage of the English language isn't everything. I also learned the value of a friend, and the importance of the truth. I also learned that just because it was a nice place to grow up didn't make it the greatest spot on earth. I also learned the value of brevity.
Do you consider your hometown as a cultural spot?
My town is a "college town" and the college is one of the ones that are the epitome of liberalism in our society. Other than the college, you have older couples and quiet families dotted all over. The college-kids are known all over the county as lazy, slow and dim-witted; the college makes a point to hire gays even if they are not nearly as good as straight teachers; instead of encouraging virginity they encourage "protection" all over the campus; they don't allow right-to-life groups on the campus to help pregnant girls because supposedly they care more; it goes on and on with filth and idiocy. My town's college shows what culture is dragging my once (long before my time) wonderful, small, peaceful State, and the entire nation into. It's a sad future to look forward to, and sadly, my hometown represents it quite clearly.
What would you consider your hometown?
Well, that is a great question. I have been curious to know about technicalities of what it was too until later I found out that it is where you grew up. Reasons why I say it is this, first, where you were born don't mean that it felt like home if you don't remember it. Second, the town you grew up in is where most people would say because they have history there and it feels like home. It is where you go back to and look for that "security blanket" because you are comfortable and know what to expect from it. It is somewhere you would go back to visit old friends, extended relatives, other people you were associated with, and somewhere you go to remember how things use to be. I was born in Anchorage, Alaska. Left there at about 3 weeks or 3 months old and never returned there. Moved to a few states before the age of six and finally settled down for nine years in the south end of Columbus, Ohio. I stayed on the east side of Columbus until I broke up with my long time boyfriend of ten years then decided to move to Florida. I considered my hometown Columbus, Ohio because I have known, felt and been through so much there. Ohio and I have history. You get the feeling of that place that you called home for so many years and you can feel like you can do anything. A place where everyone knows your name even if you are just walking down the street and come across someone that says "Hey! I remember you from High School! How you been?" or "Hey we use to work together or be friends!". It could be anywhere that makes you feel like you are home! That choice is really up to you. Now that my Grandparents have passed on, I feel more like home here in Florida. I am in the greater Bay area and it is great. I just wish I knew more people but some faces are becoming familiar and I know this place just like I knew Columbus! I found a new sence of home but Columbus will always be my hometown!
Do you consider the place you were born to be your hometown?
Yes. Ironically, I actually have spent only a small portion of my life in my home town of Corpus Christi, Texas. In fact, at age 64, I’ve had over 20 homes or residential addresses in my life. Even so, Corpus Christ is how I usually answer: “Where are you from?” For a person like me who has lived a gypsy-like existence nothing else seems to be a suitable reply.
I didn't get into university...I feel like a failure?
I'm 17, just graduated high school, and in February I applied for a very competitive nursing program at this university in my city and got put on a waiting list (which means my marks were good enough but they didn't have enough spots). Yea, technically I still have a chance to get in, but they only accept 42 people to this program and hundreds of people apply, so if you do the math, I'm not getting in. Plus I don't think anyone would turn down an offer of admission from them because it's a really good program with high prestige. I live in Canada and I don't really want to move across the country for uni when I could go to a good one in my very own city. There's only one uni here btw. Now I just feel like an absolute failure, like all the hard work I put in during high school etc. amounted to nothing. I've always wanted to be a nurse but I guess I'm not good enough. A lot of my other friends who are doing other programs already got in to theirs, and they're all excited to start while I'm just like "yea...I got rejected to mine". My parents were nice about it, they told me that I could just take a year off and apply reaally early for next September and I'd probably get in. I just can't shake the feeling of being a failure though...how can I stop feeling like this?
Have you ever experienced reverse culture shock?
I have, and I know what you mean, it's not very fun. See, my hometown is this little place at the top of the mountains with only 2000 residents. I wanted out, I went to college in a city with more students in some of my classrooms than in my entire graduating class. I had a nice escape, made tons of friends, and really liked it. The only problem is, when I came home for the summer, I kinnda forgot how...white, over 40, living on a ranch, and conservative...everyone was. Not to mention I also had to work a minimum wage job and have not be able to see firends for three months. I usually keep to myself most of the time, so I don't have a hard time reading or playing games or whatever with myself. Not that that's easy to do forever. I got through the summer mostly though because I got into taking care and knowing everything there is to know about fish. Not that I probably wouldn't have settled for any other animal, it just ended up being fish, and that took alot of time off my hands. I'd also so I tried to look somewhere to hang out and meet people, but in a town of 2000, that's hard. But maybe it's an option for you? If you do your research first. Otherwise meeting and chatting over the internet works too, that kept me busy for a long while as well. Now I have a handful of good friends I've never seen in person, and we don't plan to change that, but talk to weekly or hang out with via video games on occasion, or mostly just talk over MSN. If you do your research about that.
If the interviewer asks you "Why is travelling your hobby?" what would be the perfect answer?
For an interview, you can mention the skills which you acquire while travelling. I would answer as given:Travelling helps me connect with new people, which helps to improve my interpersonal skills.Based on the geography we meet people from various races, regions. It helps to understand their background and connect with them. This acquired skill helps when we work with a distributed global team.Travelling makes me independent and build my confidence.It's like food for the soul which is necessary to de-stress and then get back to my day job with new renewed vigour.For a year full of work, projects, ratings, traffic, tensions travel is like a fresh dose of much needed oxygen!And that's why it's my hobby.
Why do rappers brag about being from the worst neighborhood?
Wow, a great question for once. I think they need to rap about bad stuff cause it makes them "cool", to whom, I'm not sure, unless it's other Ghetto people. They love to wear their jewel, and the "bling"..........but they still insist on rapping about the neighborhood. You'd think they'd send a message out to the kids in the Ghetto by saying you can better yourselves. You can crawl out of a hole, but they glorify the bad. It's rather sad to me. ~~~