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[Opinions] Re: Olga and Karlo
I wasn't trying to be snobbish in my comments. I work with students who are immigrants, and spend time in classes with American students. I've seen what they are lie in class. Either they don't want to appear smart, or they really don't bother remembering things because someone else could tell them again later. Also, for world history classes, the names of everyone in a royal family isn't important. Just the ruling monarchs are, and occasionally a spouse if the marriage was an important political one. Knowing the names of Nicholas II's children (Maria, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, and Alexei) isn't that high on the list of things to learn because they didn't do much to affect history.
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...I'm not starting an argument, but re: the names, that was exactly what I was saying. There's no shame in not knowing Nikolai II's children, as they weren't exactly politically or historically interesting or important in the great scheme of things. I specifically study Russian language and society and generally study European culture and history as part of my course, so I kind of know these things already. Besides, I think it's a bit unfair to paint every "immigrant" student with the same brush and label them as you have in opposition to, for example, 'hard working and talented' American students. I'll refrain from repeating what some ignorant people have to say on such matters. None the lessss... I think we're going to have to agree to differ and leave it at that. This was about names, not politics... although I have an unfortunate opinion to be heavy handed and clueless on these matters and bring them up where not needed or wanted. My apologies for that fact.

This message was edited 5/23/2011, 7:56 AM

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I wasn't trying to start a fight either. I majored in Russian (unfortuantely I haven't used my Russian degree at all since graduation). I wasn't talking about the immigrants- they are learning so much more that their classmates that they can't remember everything, but all students in general from what I've seen. There are far too many who don't want to learn. I'm fine with agreeing to disagree.
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