<p>"wow, i'm really sorry you have to go through that. it must be hard to know not even your parents support what you want to do in life. my family supports me in that sense, but is otherwise quite dysfunctional... so yeah, i'm really excited to leave."</p>
<p>Lol,Its not as bad as it sounds. They do care about me immensely. The thing is that over here in India, anything other than engineering, medical and commerce means nothing. If I ever became a writer or archaeologist there would be no money at all. So I understand what my family's so scared of. </p>
<p>But the way I see it, as long as I have food in my stomach and a roof over my head, I don't care how much money I have as long as Im enjoying my work.</p>
<p>you make many good points. i'm not saying that america is a much more "intellectual environment", but that in general, in the united states, success, ambition, and competence are seen as good things, and are rewarded. in sweden any attempt at differentiating yourself from the masses, be it through ambition, achievement, or any such thing, is frowned upon--because you "shouldn't think you're in any way special". i can't speak for the whole country, obviously, but it's true in my experience and according to many others i've spoken to. i don't have statistics for this, but i'm pretty sure the percentage of the population with graduate degrees is MUCH lower in sweden than in the united states. higher learning isn't valued, because it's seen as "putting on airs" and "trying to be better than everyone else". although i admit to being fairly sheltered, in terms of the life i have here, i haven't encountered that particular brand of hostility in the united states.</p>
<p>Wow, that's very interesting. Over here in the U.S., there are a lot of people dissatisfied with the way our governmental/economic system works. We've always been so capitalistic and appreciative of people of pull themselves up, while looking down on people who ask for welfare, etc. I know many people who deeply admire countries like England and Sweden for their socialist systems. I find it interesting that individual achievement isn't valued. I mean, it isn't totally surprising under socialism, but still...I didn't think socialist viewpoints reached that far.</p>
<p>I can say that education is at the same time good and FREE in Moscow, but there's three reasons USA's the better choise:
1) The better climate (as Joethemole sayd) - when the sun is shining, you feel better, when you feel better, you can work harder.
2) Serious attitude to science - :) our, russian scientists work for their own money and they are really surprised when you say that in America scientist are payd for this.
3) An opportunity to live in USA. If you do the same work in USA and in Bosnia, for example, the difference in the ammount of money you get is so big, that if you send 3% of your money to your bosnian friend, he can live a month on this without working :)</p>
<p>Haha that's awesome, Martin! Get your Russian butt over here! We'll be sure to pay you well.
Although it does sadden me that the immensely talented Russians (and others from other countries) have to leave Russia for the US to make good money. Kind of hurts Russia when the cream of the crop leaves? A country needs the smart people, but can't keep them. Oh well. You certainly cannot blame the scientists/others from leaving in search of a good life.</p>
<p>Hmm... judging by my black hair, dark eyes and all the things my parents told my butt is armenian :) but I can tell you Russia is a country that has people that are VERY smart in solving problems (that what made russian science great) but also VERY smart in making problems for themselves</p>
<p>:) by the way in russian a word "Irod" means something like freak or ugly creature. And thanx for mentionong IIT. Now I know one more collage in USA.</p>
<p>"And thanx for mentionong IIT. Now I know one more collage in USA."</p>
<p>Lol, theres an IIT in Yanquiland as well, but I was refering to the Indian Institute of Tech. in which the serial overachievers are hooked onto a Physics textbook by this Russian Prof. called I.M.Irodov.</p>