Studying in Texas

Hi Adauyo,

Please note that i created a new topic with your previous post on the Texas forum in order to add a bit more clarity to your subject.

Have a nice day !

Priscilla
Expat.com team

Studying in any state is very different depending on what city you are in and the particular school district you children will attend. A private school is a different as well. We would need a lot more information to be able to answer your questions. Like which city you were looking at? What activities your children are involved in? What are your priorities for their education?

Though I have not lived in Texas I do know that their overall curriculum has a lot of testing involved.

Nothing at all like studying here in Brazil. In North America the schools are all high quality education, the streets are relatively safe compared to Brazil.

The only real danger of studying in Texas it that horrible Texas accent/drawl, which if you after listening closely to George Goss "Ain't No Honky Tonks in Jail" and can't understand what he's saying, just gets worse from there on out!!! The only people who can understand what Texans say are other Texans.

If your girls are studying there long enough to pick up some of that accent nobody will understand a word they're saying. I'd recommend some other state that isn't so famous among the other 49 for it's terrible accent.

Thank you Priscila, I appreciated your help.

Hello wjwoodward, thank you for your informations.
Do you know others cities that you recomend for hi-school?

Oi amigo....

First off, please do not presume everyone from Texas talks with southern twang.

In fact, Texas is a very populated state and it is very ethnically diverse. If you live in a small town way outside Dallas, Houston, Amarillo, Austin, etc. you are going to see rednecks at their best (accent n'all). Since you are from SP, you and/or your kids might be unhappy in a small city.

I would be more concerned about Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia.

As far as your question about schools in Texas, what exactly do you need to know? First and foremost do your kids speak English?

Hello my friend,
My childrens have a good english but they are improving.They will be very good in the middle of next year, when we are planing the course.
But IŽm studing where the better place to study. It will be a good experience for them.

Adauyo wrote:

Hello my friend,
My childrens have a good english but they are improving.They will be very good in the middle of next year, when we are planing the course.
But IŽm studing where the better place to study. It will be a good experience for them.

You might want to prepare them for Texas by watching the movie  "The Alamo"

Adauyo, ignore the remarks of some people. I sent you a PM. I would be happy to chat with you more.

Hey mugtech, watch the Three Musketeers.

Thank you my friend . But donŽt worry, there are place for all kind of people, each one with your lifestyle and thinking.
Besides, its very good try new challenges and to know good people.
We are keeping moving.
I answered your request.

wjwoodward wrote:

The only people who can understand what Texans say are other Texans.
.

That would explain Rick Perry's terrible showing in the Republican presidential primaries last year.

Perhaps Mr Woodward slightly over emphasized the Texas accent.  No one in the USA speaks the King's English, at least not since the revolution, There are regional accents all over the USA.  I have heard Southerners complain that everyone up north speaks with an accent.

mugtech wrote:

wjwoodward wrote:

The only people who can understand what Texans say are other Texans.
.

That would explain Rick Perry's terrible showing in the Republican presidential primaries last year.

Perhaps Mr Woodward slightly over emphasized the Texas accent.  No one in the USA speaks the King's English, at least not since the revolution, There are regional accents all over the USA.  I have heard Southerners complain that everyone up north speaks with an accent.

I can understand Mr. Willian . He has a respectable curriculum that allowed him experience and knowledge. What is right is that for children that intend to be in contact with other people is better to avoid all kind of accent. It is a care that befits every teacher
But I do not believe that to have accent is an impediment to study. Moreover, itŽs part of the culture.
IŽm very interested in the Texas accent to improve my english.

No, normally an accent shouldn't be an impediment to one's fluency. That said, the Texas accent and vernacular is so different as to be almost impossible to understand.

English is spoken with a number of different accents, British English of course, numerous American accents, Caribbean English, Australian and Kiwi accents, India also has a very distinct accent and we all manage to communicate and understand one another.

Strangely enough my country, Canada really does not have "regional" accents like the USA, with the possible exception of the east because of the French language influence. However the rest of the country speaks English without any discernable accent. I guess that's why most to the famous news anchors, commentators and narrators for US television have traditionally been Canadians.

James, please stop stealing potential immigrants from the USA forum

Don't cha know eh?

I recall hearing this accent frequently in states bordering Canada. My dad has very strong accent.

usmc_mv wrote:

James, please stop stealing potential immigrants from the USA forum

Don't cha know eh?

I recall hearing this accent frequently in states bordering Canada. My dad has very strong accent.

Hey my friend, What does " donŽt cha know eh? " mean. I have never heard this expression!!!!

wjwoodward wrote:

No, normally an accent shouldn't be an impediment to one's fluency. That said, the Texas accent and vernacular is so different as to be almost impossible to understand.

English is spoken with a number of different accents, British English of course, numerous American accents, Caribbean English, Australian and Kiwi accents, India also has a very distinct accent and we all manage to communicate and understand one another.

Strangely enough my country, Canada really does not have "regional" accents like the USA, with the possible exception of the east because of the French language influence. However the rest of the country speaks English without any discernable accent. I guess that's why most to the famous news anchors, commentators and narrators for US television have traditionally been Canadians.

Willian, what is your opinion about studing in Boston? I saw people from different countries with different accents there, and we could understand each other well. I'm wondering with a direct interest in the studies of my daughters.

Okay Boston has the hardest accent to understand. Especially if it is really strong. Thing ca for car. Honestly it is harder than a Texan accent. Though being a big city you do meet a lot of people who are not native so their accents are not as strong.

Have you ever watched the movie Fargo??? donŽt cha know eh? means Don't you know.

Adauyo wrote:

usmc_mv wrote:

Don't cha know eh?

I recall hearing this accent frequently in states bordering Canada. My dad has very strong accent.

Hey my friend, What does " donŽt cha know eh? " mean. I have never heard this expression!!!!

usmc_mv was just using a common expression of Canadians to show that they also have their own way of speaking English, their own accent.

The interrogative word "eh?" is something uniquely Canadian, we all say it and it is what instantly gives us away as being Canadians whenever we're abroad. Americans (not even those in border states) don't use the word, but I'm sure they've all heard it since they all make jokes about our using EH?

We use is to ask questions or as a stand-alone one word comment that we didn't hear something said.

So you're a Canadian, eh?         Eh? What did  you say?        Don't cha know, eh?

Think of it like the cultural trademark equal to somebody from Minas Gerais saying "Uai" or "é memo?" (mineiros can't say MESMO), or from Bahia "Ué" or "Oxente" or Rio with their pronunciation MEU DEUSHHHHHHH, DOISHHH, TRÊSHHH.    rsrsrsr

But we use this expression in the same meaning!!! ItŽs very common to say something and finish with Né???
What I have not understand is the expression "cha".

cha = you

Happy new year for all

Do you know any company in Canada and states of USA that could help me to meet families who come forward to receive foreign children?

Texas ranks their schools based on test scores. The school or district will receive one of four possible rankings: Exemplary (the highest possible ranking), Recognized, Academically Acceptable, and Academically Unacceptable (the lowest possible ranking). In rare instances, the category Not Rated: Other will be used.

You can check your local public schools to see how they rank. Your other option is a private school. Most of the private schools are run by the Catholic Church and in general offer a higher-quality of education. They usually don't have a problem accepting non-Catholic students (I know non-Catholic friends who went to Catholic schools) as long as the parents are ok with their children participating in Catholic activities.

Jakejas,

Thank you for sharing this information!

Adauyo wrote:

Do you know any company in Canada and states of USA that could help me to meet families who come forward to receive foreign children?

Do you mean host families for an "intercambio"? If that's what you're looking for you can contact the Student Travel Bureau:

www.stb.com.br

Adauyo wrote:

But we use this expression in the same meaning!!! ItŽs very common to say something and finish with Né???
What I have not understand is the expression "cha".

Yes, "né?" is exactly the same sort of thing as our good old Canuck, "eh?"

cha.....  think of your Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation.... noite = noi - tcheeee, well it's pretty much like that with cha, which is "you" the way it often gets pronounced following a word ending with T..........  don't cha      won't cha      got cha     etc.

It's pronounced simply as "ya" following other words.....  could ya       will ya       do ya    etc.

wjwoodward wrote:

Adauyo wrote:

Do you know any company in Canada and states of USA that could help me to meet families who come forward to receive foreign children?

Do you mean host families for an "intercambio"? If that's what you're looking for you can contact the Student Travel Bureau:

www.stb.com.br

It is not "intercambio" because I will not recieve a children in my home.
I got some information about a program in that we can send our children to stay in a family home for a year, doing the hi-school. I have to pay for it.
As much I pay I can choose about the school. But I am thinking about a public school.
I am not confident yet.

wjwoodward wrote:

Adauyo wrote:

But we use this expression in the same meaning!!! ItŽs very common to say something and finish with Né???
What I have not understand is the expression "cha".

Yes, "né?" is exactly the same sort of thing as our good old Canuck, "eh?"

cha.....  think of your Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation.... noite = noi - tcheeee, well it's pretty much like that with cha, which is "you" the way it often gets pronounced following a word ending with T..........  don't cha      won't cha      got cha     etc.

It's pronounced simply as "ya" following other words.....  could ya       will ya       do ya    etc.

My friend, I have a lot to learn.

jakejas wrote:

Texas ranks their schools based on test scores. The school or district will receive one of four possible rankings: Exemplary (the highest possible ranking), Recognized, Academically Acceptable, and Academically Unacceptable (the lowest possible ranking). In rare instances, the category Not Rated: Other will be used.

You can check your local public schools to see how they rank. Your other option is a private school. Most of the private schools are run by the Catholic Church and in general offer a higher-quality of education. They usually don't have a problem accepting non-Catholic students (I know non-Catholic friends who went to Catholic schools) as long as the parents are ok with their children participating in Catholic activities.

Actually I am looking for a program that let me calmer to send my daughters to study in the United States. They are 16.

I think what you are looking for is a "boarding school". That is the term used to describe a school (usually a private school) that offers a place to stay in addition to classes. If they attended a boarding school, they would live on the school campus under the supervision of the school staff.

jakejas wrote:

I think what you are looking for is a "boarding school". That is the term used to describe a school (usually a private school) that offers a place to stay in addition to classes. If they attended a boarding school, they would live on the school campus under the supervision of the school staff.

I am not looking for a boarding school. I prefer that they are in a family home, subject to American culture. To live in a second family.

Are you looking for a student exchange programme?  I would imagine this must be arranged by your childrens' current school.  Unless there is some system whereby people can find host families online, like Craigslist.  But sending off your children to live with somebody you found on Craigslist would be criminal.  Or at least should be.

MiaCulpa wrote:

Are you looking for a student exchange programme?  I would imagine this must be arranged by your childrens' current school.  Unless there is some system whereby people can find host families online, like Craigslist.  But sending off your children to live with somebody you found on Craigslist would be criminal.  Or at least should be.

I am look for a student programme and I will never send my children to a unknown person. I love them so much.
Thank you for the worry.

MY daugthters are choosing The state to study. Nowadays we are discussing about The safety and Best clemate to someone that belongs fom The tropic. Any suggest?

Adauto wrote:

MY daugthters are choosing The state to study. Nowadays we are discussing about The safety and Best clemate to someone that belongs fom The tropic. Any suggest?

Hawaii

mugtech wrote:

Adauto wrote:

MY daugthters are choosing The state to study. Nowadays we are discussing about The safety and Best clemate to someone that belongs fom The tropic. Any suggest?

Hawaii

Hawaii has one of the worst crime rates in the nation. 

Adauto,

It all depends on where in the city you will live. Just like Sao Paulo there are good barrios and bad barrios. Climate wise anything in the south will be warm, to include the island of Puerto Rico and USVI. Truthfully I think Florida would be the best place for your kids due to the proximity of flights and Brazilian population already in the state. The farther south you go in Florida the less accent. I am in central Florida and there are some people that sound like they came out of the backwoods. It only gets worth the more north you go. I do not think you should be too concerned with the accent - I would be concerned with finding a good school with a good reputation.

Matt-

Matt, thank you again.
my daughters can only opting about The state. The American goverment Will decide about The City.
The cities Will have at minimum 200 people and maximum 200.000.
than, they are thinking only about The state.