Originally posted by stevebrot The contributors are a very funny bunch.
Steve
(...as my mother used to say, "funny ha, ha, or funny strange..."
Hey!
I resemble that remark!
Originally posted by j2photos I'm more on the strange part of that statement.
Originally posted by dansamy Me too, but that's OK.
Originally posted by Jean Poitiers Me, three ... and OK over here, too. I am used to the "strange" label for me... after more than 17 years in France, I still find this place strange at times ... and vice versa.
Also in French, I was an "étranger" (read, foreigner without nationality) ... but really closer to "stranger" in my books.
Well then, it appears that we are all OK with our uniqueness. But of course.
We are all Pentaxians.
Not Canikons.
And that makes us very unique indeed.
Originally posted by tim60 Ever notice how when you travel to another country, in immigration you are always classified as "not something" - not a local, so you are a foreigner. But you are not any particular kind of foreigner, to reflect where you did really come from.
Originally posted by savoche True, although I'm sometimes classified as being from the EU - which I'm not. But that usually makes things easier, so I'm not complaining
And other times you'll be classified as something stuck under the immigration officer's shoe. I prefer to be a foreigner, really...
Which is another reason to stay away from the K-3.
Originally posted by Jean Poitiers True. "Foreigner" ... been there, done there ... a lot. I like the term "alien" best, as if you came from another planet. I had exchange student "foreigner" status once. Didn't matter where I came from, label = foreigner ... but, got a lot less hassle by being an American, as opposed to someone from like North Africa.
The only "foreign" country I have ever been to is Canada. I have always wanted to travel abroad, Japan and France have been on my "list" about as long as I have been aware of the world beyond the shores of my home, the United States of America. Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland have also been part of my "dream" for World Travel.
*sigh*
But travel is expensive.
And being American I am hated and despised by just about everyone the world over, because of what my government has done for far too long.
If I do ever travel abroad, I will pretend to be Canadian, as at least they are looked down upon like Americans.
Originally posted by Jean Poitiers When my wife and I got married, I was "technically" an illegal alien/foreigner in France ... No valid temporary nor longer term visa (expired). The Mayor that married us was cool and "overlooked/didn't ask" about my official status in France ... Later we had troubles when the immigration laws changed upon us, and I had to back to the States for a short period of time, despite the fact that we were married ... (long, complicated story) ... Anyway, got my "papers" fixed and applied for and receive French nationality ... it makes getting a job in France much, much easier. So, it's double nationality for me, but not true double nationality by birth, like my three daughters ... but still feel like a "stranger" here at times. Some things you never quite get your head around
... J
Jean, out of all the members here, I like you the best. Surely I have made many great "forum friends" as there are a lot of really great people who are part of this community.
I dunno, maybe it is because we are fellow countrymen. Maybe it is your friendly nature. Maybe it is because you always have a good word or three to say.
Maybe it is because you like beer and cheese.
But you truly are a great guy.
Originally posted by dansamy I think I would miss home far too much to go ex-pat. I know that eventually, your new country becomes more home-like, but I don't think I'd ever truly settle in.
I'm thinking that being able to go to a different country and become part of it would be much easier when one is younger, before you fully develop your true self. That way, as you grow into adulthood you do so in the society where you have chosen to live and work.
As we get older, we get into routine. We get a job and commit to a career. Start a family. Become part of the fabric of a community.
Put down roots.
Trees do not do well when ripped out of the ground and placed elsewhere.
I think humans have the same problem.
Originally posted by Jean Poitiers I can understand. A lot of things I do not miss ... exception being so far from family and long-term friends (ie, from grade school days ..) It's weird watching your friends' kids grow and change via facebook. I think that I have settled in long ago ... at what level, oh let's say about 95% now ... still hate French drivers as a general rule. J
95%?
You're almost there.
I bet you even dream in French.
Originally posted by Jean Poitiers Another reason not to get a K-3 ... it would change none of this situation ... and like I said before, soon it will be labeled the "K-3 Classic" just like SPAM Classic. Can we talk more about SPAM now, or has that one been all hashed out?
From my travels "abroad" to Quebec.
First, some French Canadian Spam for my friend from FranceLahoma:
And some cupcakes:
And candy:
Can't forget the cookies:
Especially the Pirate cookies!
Originally posted by savoche
But I would never want to leave the safety of home (both as in personal safety and as in social security).
Apart from that I think I could settle quite well somewhere abroad. (Not taking family bonds into account...)
And there it is right there. The family bonds would be the toughest part of pulling up stakes and settling in a different part of the world. It's not like you can just hop in the car and drive a day or two to go say high once in a while.
And consider what things will be like when man finally figures out living in space. Traveling to other countries is one thing. Traveling to other worlds something quite different, a completely different game. When living somewhere besides Mother Earth does become commonplace, entire lifetimes will be spent living away from here.
And a K3 will not help.
Not at all.