thahappycamper
Level 3
To tell you the truth, pot made me stupid.
Scared...
- Thread starter thahappycamper
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Can you explain this?
That's why I won't touch it, not even for the sake of increasing my points on Flappy Bird.
I strive, I just don't strive hard. I hope that makes sense.
thahappycamper
Level 3
But I smoke a boat load of it though, one joint now and then aint gonna hurt no one. I literally smoked 7-10 pounds of the stuff in my entire life. It was my bads but at the time, I felt like it was my only option to get away from anger or stress. I regret it.
10 lbs? Damn! How long did it take you to overcome the habit?
thahappycamper
Level 3
Until I moved to my new place about 2 years ago, and basically start over. I would say 7-10 lbs over 15 years.
iampheng
Commoner
The high achieving students I knew are cutthroat competitive to the point of actively sabotaging one another. They were better at hiding what they really thought too.
thahappycamper
Level 3
I totally believe you on this. I been through it myself, but it wasn't with fellow students but close family members. How does sabotaging one another help their cause? I don't get it, but I do believe you.
thahappycamper
Level 3
Iampheng, come play Flappy Bird with us!
Hope i'm in the same topic. I didn't read all the comments but personally i think Khmer people like to act like "ah kmao" be like a "ah kmao", talk like ah kmao and etc both male and female in the east coast. What's wrong being normal, talk normal, and dress professionally. Get some education cuz u won't have to worry of getting kill when some day u walk outside.
thahappycamper
Level 3
lol....not all Khmer people get to go college man.
thahappycamper
Level 3
Like what pheng? What you know about khmer people? Can you name a few reasons, I alway enjoy reading your comments, they're so well written and interesting to read
. Of the top of my head, I think most khmer people, generally speaking, don't like to learn lol, and there's always exception so I'm not trying to offend anyone, especially you educated khmer folks here. It be interesting to read about other member's ideas on this topic. Instead of what, I want to know why. I think lack of money is a major issue. College at the university is very expensive, most Khmer folks can't afford it. Another reason is that most Khmer people rather start families than pursue an advance degree like what Iampheng is doing (Kudos, btw), another thing, like Hamster said, they have inferiority complex issues, and for that reason, they never strive. I don't know, I really like to hear thoughts on this from Iampheng, Rei, Hamster, and Hunnie.
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iampheng
Commoner
I read in an article by Wayne E. Wright that mentioned that a large influx of the refugees that were re-settled after 1983 were scattered to the poorer parts of urban centers and not given the appropriate resource support from the local governments to ensure a decent urban living standard (i.e. not poor). The government of the U.S.A received millions of refugees but were unprepared to provide access in the form of ESL and schooling services , community-based programs, and other social welfare and health-related programs, or Khmer translators to address the needs of the Southeast Asian populations. Cause you know, it wasn't just us, it was also the Vietnamese, Lao, Mien, and Hmong who were brought here.
That is a very simplistic explanation. Basically, we got dumped here and some people fared better than others as we were left to fend for ourselves.
Honestly, it is very hard to make it to college if you live in a poor neighborhood and go to a poor school (since schools are funded by the housing taxes, so low-cost housing = lower taxes = lower funding for local schools), and you have poor teachers. On the topic of schools, I'd bet that back in the homeland before 1975 - there wasn't a whole lot of systematic formal K-12 schooling and very few colleges and universities. A Ph.D. itself is a new concept to modern Cambodia. It is hard for our parents, especially the ones that did not even go to school in our homeland to understand the schooling system in the United States.
I think every parent wants their children to be well-educated, but wanting something and having the ability to help your child gain access to these resources are very different. Even my parents struggled to get me here - I'm mostly here by LUCK! LOL
That is a very simplistic explanation. Basically, we got dumped here and some people fared better than others as we were left to fend for ourselves.
Honestly, it is very hard to make it to college if you live in a poor neighborhood and go to a poor school (since schools are funded by the housing taxes, so low-cost housing = lower taxes = lower funding for local schools), and you have poor teachers. On the topic of schools, I'd bet that back in the homeland before 1975 - there wasn't a whole lot of systematic formal K-12 schooling and very few colleges and universities. A Ph.D. itself is a new concept to modern Cambodia. It is hard for our parents, especially the ones that did not even go to school in our homeland to understand the schooling system in the United States.
I think every parent wants their children to be well-educated, but wanting something and having the ability to help your child gain access to these resources are very different. Even my parents struggled to get me here - I'm mostly here by LUCK! LOL
Since there were many of us during the moment of the wars or what not, there isn't any way that the government can dump us in the nice neighborhood where the rent is 2 grand for a family to live there. It isn't fair for the wealthy to work for that kind of rent and we get the free housing that most refugee were offered. There were paperwork and there was help, according to 1984 when my parents came here, my parents were provided many helps from the government to live a decent lives without having to pay back besides having to work and pay for taxes. There's financial help because those Chinese who struggle to get here did get their education. I felt that how you are raise makes a differences of where and who you become.
I was dump in the ghetto with many other kids but I ended up going to college, getting straight A and perfect attendance. Living in a studio with my parents and two sibling at the times, I was grateful because America gave us a new lives. I didn't have to starve or live in a concentration camp with hundreds of helpless refugees. Getting a future for ourselves was our responsibility and if I didn't get there, I blame it on myself. Even if I ended up being a waitress for the rest of my life here, it beats getting shot somewhere in Cambodia or Thailand because I wanted to eat a piece of bread. Compare to Cambodia, America gives many individual lots of potential to get an education. We just has to grab it and stop partying with friends or having kids at a young age. Money for college shouldn't be an issue because there's financial aid for low income family. I apply for financial aid. My cousin makes loan to go to Devry University. My parent's not helping me through college. I don't live with them, I cook my own food day and night, if I want to eat out, I use my own money that I save from previous work. Everybody makes it sounds so hard to get a future, if that is the case, then I'm doing miracle all by myself. I know many Chinese students who still live with their parents and they complains about how hard school is. Why? They just needs to wake up and go to school. Their parents pay for everything.
I was dump in the ghetto with many other kids but I ended up going to college, getting straight A and perfect attendance. Living in a studio with my parents and two sibling at the times, I was grateful because America gave us a new lives. I didn't have to starve or live in a concentration camp with hundreds of helpless refugees. Getting a future for ourselves was our responsibility and if I didn't get there, I blame it on myself. Even if I ended up being a waitress for the rest of my life here, it beats getting shot somewhere in Cambodia or Thailand because I wanted to eat a piece of bread. Compare to Cambodia, America gives many individual lots of potential to get an education. We just has to grab it and stop partying with friends or having kids at a young age. Money for college shouldn't be an issue because there's financial aid for low income family. I apply for financial aid. My cousin makes loan to go to Devry University. My parent's not helping me through college. I don't live with them, I cook my own food day and night, if I want to eat out, I use my own money that I save from previous work. Everybody makes it sounds so hard to get a future, if that is the case, then I'm doing miracle all by myself. I know many Chinese students who still live with their parents and they complains about how hard school is. Why? They just needs to wake up and go to school. Their parents pay for everything.
iampheng
Commoner
I am lost - where did the Chinese come from? The Chinese international students?
But to your point - Actually, you are exceptional Hunnie, especially your mindset! Although we should all be grateful to not be in Cambodia (where there would be no college for me...) Personally, I'm not a huge fan of "pity-partying"...but we cannot overlook that as a collective diaspora, Southeast Asian Americans, and not just Cambodian Americans, are not doing as great as older immigrant groups such as the Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, and whatnot in regards to educational outcomes and overall socioeconomic status. In addition, "pulling oneself up by the bootstraps" or the expression that says we must be responsible for our own futures is unfortunately not fair - not fair when we aren't born into equal opportunities, or have equal resources, and especially not fair when when certain groups are criminalized by society - namely, to get back on the topic of the thread - the guys in this video.
Oh yeah, in general, I don't think any of us are supporting opposing ideas - its just that we have differing life experiences.
But to your point - Actually, you are exceptional Hunnie, especially your mindset! Although we should all be grateful to not be in Cambodia (where there would be no college for me...) Personally, I'm not a huge fan of "pity-partying"...but we cannot overlook that as a collective diaspora, Southeast Asian Americans, and not just Cambodian Americans, are not doing as great as older immigrant groups such as the Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, and whatnot in regards to educational outcomes and overall socioeconomic status. In addition, "pulling oneself up by the bootstraps" or the expression that says we must be responsible for our own futures is unfortunately not fair - not fair when we aren't born into equal opportunities, or have equal resources, and especially not fair when when certain groups are criminalized by society - namely, to get back on the topic of the thread - the guys in this video.
Oh yeah, in general, I don't think any of us are supporting opposing ideas - its just that we have differing life experiences.
I want to keep this conversation as a whole of all nationality in general and of course Chinese came into a comparison since I'm living around them. As for my own experience growing up, I never think it's just Cambodian that's having issue getting into college, it's all Asian in general. Not many Chinese are raise in a rich family either, but they make it to college.
I'm only comparing myself to people living in the ghetto like me which is Long Beach. If a girl can do it off on her own, I really don't see why it's not fair that they can't do it. I came from a very poor family, I'm not smart, I just work hard for it. I see those who are in better state of living that fails so I conclude that it's up to the person. To blame it on money issue or kids is a way of getting away from your own lack of motivation to get there. There are many moms attending college where I go. Government offers many benefits to moms attending school. I see many debates on why a person can't attend college, when someone step in to help, the person just fail to attend the class.
Happy's story for an example, he's put to strive on his own. He's in debt according to his story. But he still wants to better himself by paying for the university. His background isn't as great as anyone else, but he's trying to get that higher education.
I'm only comparing myself to people living in the ghetto like me which is Long Beach. If a girl can do it off on her own, I really don't see why it's not fair that they can't do it. I came from a very poor family, I'm not smart, I just work hard for it. I see those who are in better state of living that fails so I conclude that it's up to the person. To blame it on money issue or kids is a way of getting away from your own lack of motivation to get there. There are many moms attending college where I go. Government offers many benefits to moms attending school. I see many debates on why a person can't attend college, when someone step in to help, the person just fail to attend the class.
Happy's story for an example, he's put to strive on his own. He's in debt according to his story. But he still wants to better himself by paying for the university. His background isn't as great as anyone else, but he's trying to get that higher education.
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We have to be like Happy, he's in debt and he still wants to pay for a high cost university.