learnteach (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
learnteach) wrote2004-10-07 08:51 pm
learnteach) wrote2004-10-07 08:51 pm
Culture difference notes: Whine included
Having a little bit of culture shock. Done correctly, could be funny.
Am currently in an internet cafe, drinking a latte and listening to the dance music (madonna? close, anyway.) Wasn't until I was in here 5 minutes that I realized that the people at the bar are trans, and that the bartender is extremely gay. Why didn't I notice? HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS! Who cares? But going upstairs to the computer, the lady coming down in 4" heels who I gave way to (heels on stairs? ain't makin' her back up) said thanks in a voice about my timbre... Nice cut on the calf, no surprise!
Feeling very disappointed with the SHOT conference; that's the sound of expectations breaking. It's the union meeting of History professors with graduate students. Talked to one who said right out "Look, it's academia. If you're working outside of it already, you're going to face a HUGE change. No money, to start." Four conversations later, all anyone had talked about was money, the lack of it, how retirement benefits sucked, the lack of respect the community got. After the first two speakers, there was a lot of face to face meetings, often of grad students meeting profs they've applied to work under or more likely near.
It appears that most History of Technology is East Coast US, with some in Wisconsin and some in Minn/St. Paul if you do computers. ANd that it is a lot more history than technology.
And based on the questions, that there are clueless history professors too...No, the presenter from Uraguay who was calling for a more critical view of history (that is, critise and improve) and that we need to be more vulgar (examine day to day objects) asserted that the mass of history of technology focuses on WHiteUpperSECEuropeanMales because that's the author audience until recently. The question:
Since you're from Uraguay, what about the Aztecs?
(Ok, help me. DId the Aztecs make it that far south? Did we care about their technology? Answer: No, and not really...)\
ANYWAY, the other instance is that because I did not prepay using a fax with my registration, I cannot join any session that is catered because they have given the counts to the hotel. NOw, since I registered, I thought there'd be a slot available, and that the hotel would love to take my money, especially for a buffet. BUT this is Europe, and that's not the way things are done here. And the event is being run by local graduate students, who are wincing everytime I turn up to ask if I'm allowed into a function after I paid my 185 Euros, when they know I shouldn't ask.
I did point out that credit card over fax is very insecure, and that they did not present any other options. That's not the point to them.
In Europe, it seems, you get a space when you pay with your reservation, and it's very rude of me to expect anything else. In America, we're happy to take your money.
THe real kicker? They're discussing among themselves if they'll be able to meet the hotel contract obligations on various issues due to lack of attendance. \
It's a cultural thing. Plus, the SCA experience means I've run events 10 times the size of this, and worked with people who've run up to 100 times the size...how strange.
ANYHOW< talked with one gentleman who said forget the IT route; much better to consult and do the degree full time--just go for summer projects.
Lots to think about. THink I'll go catch some sleep (if I can after the latte)
But damn--if I can't go to the lunches, the field trips, the special interest brunches, meeting people gets tough. Fuck.
....
I was hoping that I'd feel at home with this group of people, but they're very tight knit in their own special ways, and also segregated--like motorcyclists, from the inside the general class they're all different. And if you haven't published, you don't have any cred. And what the hell is an engineer doing at a history conference (except the history of computing guys, they're used to engineers.)
Am currently in an internet cafe, drinking a latte and listening to the dance music (madonna? close, anyway.) Wasn't until I was in here 5 minutes that I realized that the people at the bar are trans, and that the bartender is extremely gay. Why didn't I notice? HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS! Who cares? But going upstairs to the computer, the lady coming down in 4" heels who I gave way to (heels on stairs? ain't makin' her back up) said thanks in a voice about my timbre... Nice cut on the calf, no surprise!
Feeling very disappointed with the SHOT conference; that's the sound of expectations breaking. It's the union meeting of History professors with graduate students. Talked to one who said right out "Look, it's academia. If you're working outside of it already, you're going to face a HUGE change. No money, to start." Four conversations later, all anyone had talked about was money, the lack of it, how retirement benefits sucked, the lack of respect the community got. After the first two speakers, there was a lot of face to face meetings, often of grad students meeting profs they've applied to work under or more likely near.
It appears that most History of Technology is East Coast US, with some in Wisconsin and some in Minn/St. Paul if you do computers. ANd that it is a lot more history than technology.
And based on the questions, that there are clueless history professors too...No, the presenter from Uraguay who was calling for a more critical view of history (that is, critise and improve) and that we need to be more vulgar (examine day to day objects) asserted that the mass of history of technology focuses on WHiteUpperSECEuropeanMales because that's the author audience until recently. The question:
Since you're from Uraguay, what about the Aztecs?
(Ok, help me. DId the Aztecs make it that far south? Did we care about their technology? Answer: No, and not really...)\
ANYWAY, the other instance is that because I did not prepay using a fax with my registration, I cannot join any session that is catered because they have given the counts to the hotel. NOw, since I registered, I thought there'd be a slot available, and that the hotel would love to take my money, especially for a buffet. BUT this is Europe, and that's not the way things are done here. And the event is being run by local graduate students, who are wincing everytime I turn up to ask if I'm allowed into a function after I paid my 185 Euros, when they know I shouldn't ask.
I did point out that credit card over fax is very insecure, and that they did not present any other options. That's not the point to them.
In Europe, it seems, you get a space when you pay with your reservation, and it's very rude of me to expect anything else. In America, we're happy to take your money.
THe real kicker? They're discussing among themselves if they'll be able to meet the hotel contract obligations on various issues due to lack of attendance. \
It's a cultural thing. Plus, the SCA experience means I've run events 10 times the size of this, and worked with people who've run up to 100 times the size...how strange.
ANYHOW< talked with one gentleman who said forget the IT route; much better to consult and do the degree full time--just go for summer projects.
Lots to think about. THink I'll go catch some sleep (if I can after the latte)
But damn--if I can't go to the lunches, the field trips, the special interest brunches, meeting people gets tough. Fuck.
....
I was hoping that I'd feel at home with this group of people, but they're very tight knit in their own special ways, and also segregated--like motorcyclists, from the inside the general class they're all different. And if you haven't published, you don't have any cred. And what the hell is an engineer doing at a history conference (except the history of computing guys, they're used to engineers.)
Tourism!
Re: Tourism!
no subject
Chin up! Onward with the contemplations! And watch out for those HOT trannies. (:
no subject
If not train to Brussells and eurostar to london,.
no subject
Feeling better today
no subject