Regional Forums

[Mags 112]

Personally, seeing the sheer amt of moved threads even in just the UK regional forum is dizzying and a little depressing.

That's the main reason I started this thread to be honest.

I personally love the regional forums, looks like I'm in the minority here, but as I've said before the UK forum is a wonderful place to be at the moment, I love the feeling that everyone gets along there. Most of the people in there seem to post elsewhere so I don't think of it as cliquey at all.

Just my $0.02c.

Edited April 6, 2007 by mags

[JenT 0]

I always just 'view new posts' with no particular concern over which forum I'm responding in... except to say that I avoid a few.

Jen

[featherB 1]

Personally, seeing the sheer amt of moved threads even in just the UK regional forum is dizzying and a little depressing.

That's the main reason I started this thread to be honest.

I personally love the regional forums, looks like I'm in the minority here, but as I've said before the UK forum is a wonderful place to be at the moment, I love the feeling that everyone gets along there. Most of the people in there seem to post elsewhere so I don't think of it as cliquey at all.

Just my $0.02c.

I don't know if you're in the minority or not, but I most definitely agree with you... I don't think there's any 'harm' in the regional forums (at least, not from my experience of the UK forum), and I don't think their existence stops people posting elsewhere and mingling with people outside their 'region'. I agree, it's not (to my mind) cliquey, it has a really nice feel to it, and I think once I get to the US in a few weeks I'll appreciate it even more, being able to go and post a load of stuff about Marmite and bacon and British TV and whatever else we go on about in there. And I've already said what I think about consulate-specific questions... there *are* questions relating to medicals, interviews, etc, that are surely better off in the appropriate regional forum, if they're going to have any hope of getting an answer that's in any way relevant, rather than 20 well-intentioned but inaccurate ones, before they drop off the page. Obviously this is just from my experience of the UK forum, but there seems to be a similar feel to the other regional forums I've wandered into, based on shared experience etc... I like 'em. They're good.

[rebeccajo 14]

Personally, seeing the sheer amt of moved threads even in just the UK regional forum is dizzying and a little depressing.

That's the main reason I started this thread to be honest.

I personally love the regional forums, looks like I'm in the minority here, but as I've said before the UK forum is a wonderful place to be at the moment, I love the feeling that everyone gets along there. Most of the people in there seem to post elsewhere so I don't think of it as cliquey at all.

Just my $0.02c.

I don't know if you're in the minority or not, but I most definitely agree with you... I don't think there's any 'harm' in the regional forums (at least, not from my experience of the UK forum), and I don't think their existence stops people posting elsewhere and mingling with people outside their 'region'. I agree, it's not (to my mind) cliquey, it has a really nice feel to it, and I think once I get to the US in a few weeks I'll appreciate it even more, being able to go and post a load of stuff about Marmite and bacon and British TV and whatever else we go on about in there. And I've already said what I think about consulate-specific questions... there *are* questions relating to medicals, interviews, etc, that are surely better off in the appropriate regional forum, if they're going to have any hope of getting an answer that's in any way relevant, rather than 20 well-intentioned but inaccurate ones, before they drop off the page. Obviously this is just from my experience of the UK forum, but there seems to be a similar feel to the other regional forums I've wandered into, based on shared experience etc... I like 'em. They're good.

"Clique" may not have been the right choice of words. It seems to be drawing a negative connotation.

The only concern I have with immigration related posts being in the regional forums is that fewer people will see them. Traffic in those areas is lighter. Pure and simple - my hope is always that we can help the most people.

I'm also not sure that you will get the best answer by going to a Regional Forum. In my opinion you might be narrowing your learning curve. There are knowledgeable members who don't frequent the Regional forums who can answer. And perhaps they can do one thing better than give an answer - they can actually add to the discussion in other ways which helps the learning process.

[TracyTN 237]

Personally, seeing the sheer amt of moved threads even in just the UK regional forum is dizzying and a little depressing.

At the end of the day...I don't think people here are dumbazzes. I feel that there's a reason it was posted in the forum it was. I think if they post in a regional forum they're doing so because of the familiarity and camaraderie with couples going thru the same consulate, not out of ignorance. And that's not such a bad thing. Maybe they didn't want the thread elsewhere

E knows how I feel about all these new vj changes. I think all this new hoo ha is much ado over nothing...but hey, if it makes people feel needed, then the rest of us have no choice.

Oh, hi and bye everyone....been so fricken busy haven't had time to post lately.

Everyone was given the chance to comment on the changes in the very long and drawn out thread that I started (which I suppose started the melee of moving).

Personally, I am limiting myself to moving threads from the K1 to the new forum. Or unless something is obviously in the wrong place, or I see someone posting and asking it to be moved. I didn't ask for the title of 'organizer' to appear in my member info - so take that up with Ewok.

Hi and bye.

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Personally, I've moved ONE thread..yes, one, so far! There have been so many already moved I didn't need to. I wouldn't have moved some of the ones that have been, but that's just me...doesn't mean people were wrong for doing that...it's that "gray" area we keep talking about. Cap said he's going to post something about more specific things to move/not move so that should hopefully please help clarify... :)M.

[BelwinMills 0]

Perhaps even a question or a situation you really didn't want spread all over VJ, but needed the opinions of peers who were more likely to have been in the same situation.

Also a valid point.

I love the regional forums for this point alone. I probably wouldn't use VJ a lot if I couldn't talk to fellow people from our country.

[Otto 83]

Quick Regional Discussion Forum Observation

Is it just me? or does anyone else wonder why so many countries are jammed into single Regional threads while others have their own? Doesn't this kind of 'tilt' the balance and spirit of our community? As an example, the UK Forum and the Europe/Eurasia Forum. What is the line of thinking that separates 50+ countries from the UK?

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that those from the UK have a community forum to call their own (I wish I could say the same for Germany), but are the topics of travel, moving, eating etc., so much different in the UK from those in the rest of Europe? Likewise are those same topics so similar in Turkey & Switzerland (or any of the other 50+ countries) that they simply must be kept in one forum?

With all this talk about Community and Organization - should the UK forum be merged with it's European neighbors? (No) Should there be a more organized Europe/Eurasia Forum (by country)? (Yes)

(This should apply to other areas as well, I'm sure those from Jamaica - for example - would love to have a forum to call their own and not have to share a (pinned) 'Yardies part 3' thread that's 100+ pages long or those from Brazil who's thread is 200+ pages long.)

Additionally, if the Regional Forums were to be moved/recreated into the Embassy section should/would this same matter-of-fact distinction be applied there as well?

"I'll put on my flame retardant suit now."

[TracyTN 237]

What you are suggesting is more change - more change! Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh I must run away now and hide - its madness, mayhem and confusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

/sarcasm

[Mags 112]

Quick Regional Discussion Forum Observation

Is it just me? or does anyone else wonder why so many countries are jammed into single Regional threads while others have their own? Doesn't this kind of 'tilt' the balance and spirit of our community? As an example, the UK Forum and the Europe/Eurasia Forum. What is the line of thinking that separates 50+ countries from the UK?

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that those from the UK have a community forum to call their own (I wish I could say the same for Germany), but are the topics of travel, moving, eating etc., so much different in the UK from those in the rest of Europe? Likewise are those same topics so similar in Turkey & Switzerland (or any of the other 50+ countries) that they simply must be kept in one forum?

With all this talk about Community and Organization - should the UK forum be merged with it's European neighbors? (No) Should there be a more organized Europe/Eurasia Forum (by country)? (Yes)

(This should apply to other areas as well, I'm sure those from Jamaica - for example - would love to have a forum to call their own and not have to share a (pinned) 'Yardies part 3' thread that's 100+ pages long or those from Brazil who's thread is 200+ pages long.)

Additionally, if the Regional Forums were to be moved/recreated into the Embassy section should/would this same matter-of-fact distinction be applied there as well?

"I'll put on my flame retardant suit now."

Well, everyone knows that Europe hates the UK, we are kept separate for our own safety! Plus there are more UKers marrying USCs than there are other European countries; hence more people in that particular forum. Wouldn't want to over-run the other forums with Brit stuff now would we?

For a more definite answer why don't you PM the Captain?

Edited April 7, 2007 by mags

[Fandango 1,439]

What you are suggesting is more change - more change! Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh I must run away now and hide - its madness, mayhem and confusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

/sarcasm

I'm so sad this turned into sarcastic pizztakes for having a differing opinion.

[mybackpages 0]

Plus there are more UKers marrying USCs than there are other European countries; hence more people in that particular forum. Wouldn't want to over-run the other forums with Brit stuff now would we?

Maybe if you brought over some real cadbury, the over-running wouldn't be seen as such a bad thing!

[TracyTN 237]

What you are suggesting is more change - more change! Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh I must run away now and hide - its madness, mayhem and confusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

/sarcasm

I'm so sad this turned into sarcastic pizztakes for having a differing opinion.

Just as I'm sorry that apparently you're not allowed to express a differing opinion via sarcasm.

Look, I get it. You were gone, things changed - its something that can be argued about and over dramatized. Its hard for me to take that impulse seriously, sorry! My standard response to such things is sarcasm. They don't call me the instigator for nothing!

Edited April 7, 2007 by TracyTN

[Fandango 1,439]

What you are suggesting is more change - more change! Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh I must run away now and hide - its madness, mayhem and confusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

/sarcasm

I'm so sad this turned into sarcastic pizztakes for having a differing opinion.

Just as I'm sorry that apparently you're not allowed to express a differing opinion via sarcasm.

Look, I get it. You were gone, things changed - its something that can be argued about and over dramatized. Its hard for me to take that impulse seriously, sorry! My standard response to such things is sarcasm. They don't call me the instigator for nothing!

You can be as sarcastic as you want, really. Messageboards=drama, someone once said that. And you know I'm sarcastic as well, just seems a bit rude when I was trying to be serious and express something I felt was important to me.

Don't worry, I'm over it

[TracyTN 237]

Me too!

Edited to say - Lisa, I thought your comment earlier in this thread about the regional forums was spot on. I love the UK forum for just those reasons, too.

Edited April 7, 2007 by TracyTN