One thing I forgot to mention the first time: Most people around the world seaching for online resources from outside the US would likely be looking for "Tetraplegics" not Quad/Quadriplegics... another language barrier we N. Americans (mostly) helped create. :-)
Best! --Tod ---- Lori Michaelson <[email protected]> wrote: > I agree with Tod (below). And now we find that we have some members from > Jordan, Ethiopia and South America. All of these places are pretty much > considered third world countries but now we see* they do* have access to > computers. > > So the with more advanced countries (and there are plenty of them) I would > certainly think quads from all over would stumble upon this group very much > like the rest of us did. I know that we are the laughing stock of the world > as a nation right now but I think a quad would overlook that to be able to > get more information or share more info about all the problems and solutions > that we quads share as a whole. > > In the school year of 1994/1995 - we hosted a foreign exchange student from > Jakarta (Indonesia). OMG! The actual city of Jakarta is *very* affluent. > It is the outline areas/islands of Indonesia that are even worse than third > world countries. However, that works really well for those living in Jakarta > because the foreign exchange student we had - his parents hired *a maid, a > cook, a gardener and a chauffeur* for only about $30 or $40 in American > money. I can't recall if that was for a week or a month but I am pretty sure > it was/is for a week. What happens is that so many of the families in > Jakarta are so well off compared to the outlying areas of Jakarta -- that > those third world Indonesia country people will do anything to be able to > move in and live with and do those jobs for so very little money. > > So, when the foreign exchange student came to live with us he was used to > having their maid fix his breakfast and lunch and dinner and so on and so > forth. Talk about spoiled! LOL > > His father worked at a very large company - which was also a company that > worked *with* the United States. I can't recall the name of it. Grrrrrrrr. > After the foreign exchange student left - I kept in contact for a little > while with his father using the father's e-mail at work. But that was almost > 15 years ago so, I highly doubt they do not have computers in their homes. > > I lost touch with his father and then lost his e-mail or I would certainly > try talking with him on a semi regular basis. If anything, interested in > where his son (our foreign exchange student) ended up working, etc.. We > really, really, really, really enjoyed having him that school year. I know > that he went to the University of New Orleans for a couple of years and then > planned on getting a job with the company that his father works for and, as > a result, finds jobs for Jakarta students whose parents work at that > particular company - either in Jakarta over here in the United States. > > Just one example. > > Tod mentioned Australia and, in addition, so very many other places are are > techno-advanced. Further, Tod was right about learning English. In so many > countries English is required in high school or grade school through high > school. Living near the border here in Tucson Arizona and having a couple of > home health aides that grew up in Mexico - they have said that English was > to be taught and learned in school. Of course that is certain areas of > Mexico but I am talking about plenty of areas! > > In 2006 I began to be interested in digital art and joined an online > community to share our work. I talk with people all over the world who are > interested in the same thing and, for the greater part, they all speaking > English. > > Anyway, I didn't expect anyone to have the answer like I said. Just > thought I would bring it up and see what people thought. It's called the > World Wide Web for a reason! LOL. > Lori Michaelson > Age - 45 > C4/5 complete quad, 29 years post > Tucson, AZ > > On Sat, Aug 15, 2009 at 5:16 PM, Tod E. Santee <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Not many Aussie quads have been here and they don't fit #1 or #2. And only > > one person from the UK and one from South Africa (both English-speaking > > [mostly])...? > > > > I think it might be more to do with quads in physical proximity to a > > computer with internet service. Without access, no communication. Many > > places lack such widespread internet service to homes. So the > > infrastructure and culture must support the ability of quads to get to > > universities. > > > > Of university-level students, most have mandatory English language > > classes... even in China, India and Japan -- 2/5th the world population -- > > but culturally, those with disabilities aren't seen much, they can be quite > > secluded (many quads in Indonesia, too). > > > > I think there are many more reasons than than language and dislike. > > > > Best to All, > > --Tod > > > > > > ---- "John S." <[email protected]> wrote: > > > They mostly do not like Americans, (#1) and they don't speak english with > > comfort. (#2) > > > > john > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Lori Michaelson <[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2009 1:30:15 PM > > Subject: [QUAD-L] Where are ALL the quads? > > > > > > > > I have been meaning to bring this up for many moons but whenever I think of > > it I'm not at the computer or going to the computer to ask. > > > > Over 99% of the quads who are on this list, and who have been on this list, > > are from the United States. We have Shahidul Alam from South America. And > > Peter from the UK. And I think there is one other person that I am > > currently forgetting? > > > > But for all the other civilized countries and with the World Wide Web being > > in almost everyone's homes now -- I wonder why we never hear from any quads > > from Japan, Scandinavian Countries, so many European countries and so many > > more? Japan beats us, and almost every other country, in technology but that > > still leaves a whole big host of many other countries whereby I'm sure there > > many many more quads. > > > > I got on this list in 1995 but I think Jim started it a little before that. > > > > Essentially just a rhetorical question that I have always wanted to bring > > up. Any thoughts? > > > > Lori Michaelson > > Age - 45 > > C4/5 complete quad, 29 years post > > Tucson, AZ > -
