Strange things you're not used to

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I suppose credit checks are useful if an employee has any responsibility for a budget. I suspect people who can't run their own personal finances do less well with someone elses.

[athena_ny 1]

And I have a right to say that I think you're wrong for saying she's wrong...?

Sure...

What Brazilians fail to see is that we have a lot in common with all the other Latin-American country. The only thing we don't share is a common language.

I really don't mind being called a Latino, specially because we call ourselves Latin-Americans down there, why would it be different here?

I believe the word in question was Hispanic.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Well, the previous given definition of hispanic is true for all places but the US, and there's the root of the misunderstanding, and maybe shock if you are not from the US. From wikipedia:

Definitions in the USA

During the 1970s, the United States Government defined the term "Hispanic" to identify Latin American individuals, and their descendants, living in the U.S., regardless of race.[4]

The ethnic label Hispanic was the result of efforts by a New Mexican U.S. Senator, Joseph Montoya, who wanted a label that could be used to quantify the Spanish-speaking population for the US Census. The label Hispanic was chosen in part because in New Mexico, people of Spanish descent such as Montoya referred to themselves as hispanos which was anglicized as "Hispanic".

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget currently defines "Hispanic or Latino" as "a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race".[5]

I feel weird too with the term hispanic. Argentina census shows that 86.4% to 97% of the population is european descendant (source)

(I'm 3/4 spanish, 1/4 italian). I always considered myself white

But, I'd still rather not be labeled. race is such a weird label at that. I'm not hispanic or white, I'm 100% Caro

Saludos,

Caro

[DakotaK1 1]

I am finding some things very strange here that I am not used to

They have driveup everything here,you barly need to get out of the car for anything.

If they had drive through supermarkets I bet the people would love it here LOL

Edited January 25, 2008 by DakotaK1

[Marilyn. 340]

I am finding some things very strange here that I am not used to

They have driveup everything here,you barly need to get out of the car for anything.

If they had drive through supermarkets I bet the people would love it here LOL

yaeh, they even have drive thru pharmacies

[Reynaldo 0]

I believe the word in question was Hispanic.

Does it really matter?

[de_sjiem 0]

Bad credit score does not always mean bad character... It can mean that someone had a hard time recently in which they were unemployed or underemployed and couldnt pay their bills. It happens to good people too. Bad credit is very easy to get, and extremely difficult (and lengthy) to repair. And often no credit is seen as the same as bad credit which isn't fair either.

[Simply_Uno 1]

Bad credit score does not always mean bad character... It can mean that someone had a hard time recently in which they were unemployed or underemployed and couldnt pay their bills. It happens to good people too. Bad credit is very easy to get, and extremely difficult (and lengthy) to repair. And often no credit is seen as the same as bad credit which isn't fair either.

I know that, I was merely explaining what/why employers perform certain screening activities and how the results are interpreted by employers. What it can mean "only applies to a persons peers," how it is interpreted by employers and used as a judgement criteria is at the descretion of a potential employer. And don't think an employer wont ask you "could you please explain such and such descrepancy on your credit record?". Some government jobs, as well as high end dept. stores will not higher you based upon your credit score.

[athena_ny 1]

Well, the previous given definition of hispanic is true for all places but the US, and there's the root of the misunderstanding, and maybe shock if you are not from the US. From wikipedia:

Definitions in the USA

During the 1970s, the United States Government defined the term "Hispanic" to identify Latin American individuals, and their descendants, living in the U.S., regardless of race.[4]

The ethnic label Hispanic was the result of efforts by a New Mexican U.S. Senator, Joseph Montoya, who wanted a label that could be used to quantify the Spanish-speaking population for the US Census. The label Hispanic was chosen in part because in New Mexico, people of Spanish descent such as Montoya referred to themselves as hispanos which was anglicized as "Hispanic".

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget currently defines "Hispanic or Latino" as "a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race".[5]

I feel weird too with the term hispanic. Argentina census shows that 86.4% to 97% of the population is european descendant (source)

(I'm 3/4 spanish, 1/4 italian). I always considered myself white

But, I'd still rather not be labeled. race is such a weird label at that. I'm not hispanic or white, I'm 100% Caro

Saludos,

Caro

And THAT is exactly the reason *I* have a problem with it. It came into popularity only so we could further marginalize people.

I believe the word in question was Hispanic.

Does it really matter?

Yes. There is a difference between the two (as we've discussed, Latino/a encompasses more people), and a lot of people prefer one over the other.

[Reba 2]

Sounds like I am lucky - Jeremy gets med insurance through work and when we get married I am entitled to his insurance as well - he has good benefits with his job even if it is just in a fast food restaurant I think we will struggle to get by at first but things will even out

And yeah - I can't believe the two weeks holiday thing either - I think it is disgusting!! Will defo be looking at teaching jobs over there I would love to set up my own business that can eventually justify employing people with decent wages, holidays etc Who knows what lies in store for me?!?!?!

I "get" insurance thru work as well. But I have to pay $400+ for premiums per month for me and my husband. If I only had to pay for myself, my premiums would only be about $70 per month or so. And my deductible would only be $500. For the two of us however, the deductible is $1500, so we still pay for every doctor visit until we've paid the deductible. Having to pay for doctor visits is foreign to me, I never had to in Canada (except for "alternative care" like chiropractor or accupuncture, which was only partly covered by provincial plans). I'd have a whole lot more money every month to keep up with bills if I didn't have to pay so much for insurance and still have to pay for doctor visits I tell ya!

You may want to get your husband to check and find out how much it'll be to add you to his insurance. With most employer subsidised packages it costs a few hundred dollars per month to add a spouse.

As to the race questions prominent on a lot of US forms (employment, marriage licenses, bank accounts, etc etc) it is strange to us foreigners because in our countries it is illegal to even ASK those questions on a form, whether or not its optional to answer it. Just the fact that its even there is strange to us. Which is after the all the title of the thread. We're not used to seeing it, so therefore we posted it here.

[athena_ny 1]

Sounds like I am lucky - Jeremy gets med insurance through work and when we get married I am entitled to his insurance as well - he has good benefits with his job even if it is just in a fast food restaurant I think we will struggle to get by at first but things will even out

And yeah - I can't believe the two weeks holiday thing either - I think it is disgusting!! Will defo be looking at teaching jobs over there I would love to set up my own business that can eventually justify employing people with decent wages, holidays etc Who knows what lies in store for me?!?!?!

As to the race questions prominent on a lot of US forms (employment, marriage licenses, bank accounts, etc etc) it is strange to us foreigners because in our countries it is illegal to even ASK those questions on a form, whether or not its optional to answer it. Just the fact that its even there is strange to us. Which is after the all the title of the thread. We're not used to seeing it, so therefore we posted it here.

Understandable. I know I just wanted people to know they didn't have to answer if it made them uncomfortable.

[vbtbmrt 2]

well you know america wants equal right for all races and as the canadians said it should be illegal to even ask that question it shouldnt matter. but with the discriminations that goes on in america it is there. alot of appl. are just round filed because of that part of appl.

[JoeCanuk 3]

Sounds like I am lucky - Jeremy gets med insurance through work and when we get married I am entitled to his insurance as well - he has good benefits with his job even if it is just in a fast food restaurant I think we will struggle to get by at first but things will even out

And yeah - I can't believe the two weeks holiday thing either - I think it is disgusting!! Will defo be looking at teaching jobs over there I would love to set up my own business that can eventually justify employing people with decent wages, holidays etc Who knows what lies in store for me?!?!?!

As to the race questions prominent on a lot of US forms (employment, marriage licenses, bank accounts, etc etc) it is strange to us foreigners because in our countries it is illegal to even ASK those questions on a form, whether or not its optional to answer it. Just the fact that its even there is strange to us. Which is after the all the title of the thread. We're not used to seeing it, so therefore we posted it here.

Understandable. I know I just wanted people to know they didn't have to answer if it made them uncomfortable.

Answering it isn't what makes me uncomfortable. The fact that they ask it is what makes me uncomfortable.

[athena_ny 1]

Sounds like I am lucky - Jeremy gets med insurance through work and when we get married I am entitled to his insurance as well - he has good benefits with his job even if it is just in a fast food restaurant I think we will struggle to get by at first but things will even out

And yeah - I can't believe the two weeks holiday thing either - I think it is disgusting!! Will defo be looking at teaching jobs over there I would love to set up my own business that can eventually justify employing people with decent wages, holidays etc Who knows what lies in store for me?!?!?!

As to the race questions prominent on a lot of US forms (employment, marriage licenses, bank accounts, etc etc) it is strange to us foreigners because in our countries it is illegal to even ASK those questions on a form, whether or not its optional to answer it. Just the fact that its even there is strange to us. Which is after the all the title of the thread. We're not used to seeing it, so therefore we posted it here.

Understandable. I know I just wanted people to know they didn't have to answer if it made them uncomfortable.

Answering it isn't what makes me uncomfortable. The fact that they ask it is what makes me uncomfortable.

So ignore it. Maybe it'll make you more comfortable.

[bora bora 1]

Oh, health care in the United States....don't get me started .