I recently was discussing education with someone close to me. They were studying at a Lebanese university (my Alma Mater) actually… and were going through some tough time. The quality of education, and my gratefulness to what I recieved from (Lebanese American University) LAU notwithstanding, it’s a very heavy burden to jump from highschool and immediately go into university. Having to chose a major before experiencing anything, and the trouble associated with changing majors halfway through (I did something like that, a very minor change, but very troublesome still), including having to live with the idea that you backed out, gave up, etc… can be strenuous. Still, the fact that it was an American academic system allowed me to experience various fields, and to move relatively easily to my new major.

That said, I got my B.Sc., then went straight to Germany and got my M.Sc. and will soon start on my PhD and i’m only twenty-fucking-three. That may not seem too young, but when bundled with the fact that one big reason why I’m going for a PhD is that I’m not ready to join the ratrace makes it evident that something went slightly awry. I should have had a leisure year, or some experimental year where I could (at the expense of sounding hippie-ish) discover my self, my inner self. I still managed to do that, living alone and sad in Hamburg, but it wasn’t quite the same, and it almost ruined a whole academic year for me.

Germans take their time. They start uni much later, many of them jump around from one major to the next, until they settle on something, or until they realise that they’re too fucking old to be starting something else, and then sit down and get their degree. Of course, one main reason for this is that they have less financial pressure when compared to Lebanese youth. It’s the societal expectations and the structure of families here and there that leads to this.

It’s not all bad, here or there, the german system promotes and really develops the students ability to work independantly, and to produce high-quality research and papers, the Lebanese system (mine at least) promoted success under pressure, a very pleasurable learning experience, open classes with lots of discussions and idea-sharing, etc.

This brings me to America. The war-mongering, cultureless people that are Americans once again show the rest of the world how it’s done. It may be the case that American students aren’t as succesfull as their counterparts in Europe or elsewhere, but the American university system is top-notch. The structure of degrees, the general university requirements which touch on subjects from across the spectrum of fields, the interaction during lectures and providing high-end equipment and resources really is a credit. Students have a freshman year where they’re taking very general courses, prepping them to pick a suitable major without wasting time, and allowing them to get comfortable with university life is a major plus. Furthermore, students finish at a timely pace and are qualified enough to deal with the industry or area they specialised in as well as the real world.

Enough about education. I love America, and you who disagree already know what you can munch on (for you newcomers, it’s my taint).

I have an american flag in my room in my new flat. It’ll be hanging there for all to see, and I was warned that I would have to pay the price for that in broken windows. Who cares. My US flag is a fireproof one. It’s a statement.

Fuck it. I adore America. In what other country in the world does the vice president shoot someone in the face while hunting, and gets asked during an interview, soon after the incident, whether he “actually got the bird”? Fuck yeah.