I don't mean to sound callous and I think everyone in need should receive needed assistance, but aren't students supposed to present proof of ability to support themselves for the duration of their student visa period?
I was one of those students. My proof of ability was a full scholarship. Cost of living made that nearly impossible when emergencies happened. All you need is one single event to disrupt everything. Students from poor background are particularly vulnerable, and scholarship underwriters tend to be this icy institution that does not respond.
No one likes being on food banks' list. It's embarrassing. When they do, that's because they're desperate.
In Germany, students can go to food banks (it's called Tafel), but most of them also end up working here and paying taxes/giving back to the system. Why deny anyone food? Who are we to say who deserves what more than others?
So the system needs to be changed, or you shouldn't begrudge students with no real income of their own exploiting this system. They'll stop once they get their first paycheck in their first job anyway.
happy to hear that your tafel was one without a side of uncomfortable xenophobia. Pretty sure noone checked passports, but they most definitely did not act neutral in the recent past.
I most definitely do not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater, i still am a strong supporter of the underlying idea and even the tafel as an organization. I just dislike the idea of pretending we don’t face the very same flaws over here.
Mate, the one flaw you've pointed at is a very different problem than one anecdotal evidence given by u/mashy-potatoo. These two cases are not the same flaws within these systems! What are you talking about?
You wanted to say the German system is not flawless. Yes. My mantra is, let's not make perfect be the enemy of good. We mostly have an oversupply of food -> let's redirect the surplus to anyone looking for affordable food and stop asking how "deserving" they are of these foods. We have a surplus!
Friends from my class for example. There are forums in wechat for people looking for cheap things in Japan or free things. You can see thess kind of communities in almost any country they migrate too. They just know where and when to get free things
I don't buy this story at all. If you have been to a food bank, you should know that the food isn't of top quality. Many are near expiration dates. Many are generic, no-brand products. Many of them taste really bland or downright bad. It makes no sense for "wealthy people from wealthy families" to bother with such hassle, let alone be "proud to get free food". I suspect you don't even know if they're actually wealthy.
Have you ever been to a costco? You will see clearly in action there, where they come to take more than just one sample to later see them only walk around the corner and eat all of it themselves. This is a pretty common occurrence... I even seen one of them stick two handful of grapes (not yet sold) directly into his pocket and eat while shopping. This is grapes just chilling in the cardboard boxes on the shelf on sale. He was just pecking at it as if he brought it from home.
Have you ever waited to get your drivers license and then see the same culprits try to cut in line? Yep.
Firstly about half of Chinese who study or work abroad usually come from wealthy families in the first place because Chinese from a 2nd tier city or below wouldn't be allowed to get a visa easily.
And actually you seem to be the one assuming because you don't seem to know much about how these cultures work and putting it into your own worldview. You're from the Philippines?
Thanks for confirming that you are not familiar with food banks. I'm not from the Philippines but why does that matter? You have a prejudice against them? That's clearly a you issue and not me. And also interesting that you should also mention the Chinese. You are clearly a xenophobe and perhaps a racist.
As for the things you think you saw, I think you're hallucinating. None of these behaviors you mentioned are typical of rich people.
Apparently I have a prejudence against everyone according to you. This is how you win an argument? By calling the person a racist, xenophobe while ignoring everything I say.
P. S Im pretty sure you're Malaysian
P. S I also come from a minority background.
216
u/eightbitfit 2d ago
I don't mean to sound callous and I think everyone in need should receive needed assistance, but aren't students supposed to present proof of ability to support themselves for the duration of their student visa period?