Letters to the Editor
Betsy1
Published Letters: 28 Editor's Choice: 5
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Problem with the interpretation of statistics
[Read the article: Gender disparities in healthcare]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The post says that "preventable deaths account for 32 percent of deaths for women and only 23 percent of deaths for men." It infers that this means that "preventable deaths strike women more often than men." But this does not necessarily follow. If there are more deaths in a given age group for men, then it could mean that exactly the same percentage of women and men are killed by preventable causes, but many more men are killed by OTHER causes, thus making preventable death a smaller percentage of all male deaths. This might not be the case, or it might be a combo of the two, but either way, the logic that led from the numbers to that statement is flawed.
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Been there, overcame it, have suggestion
[Read the article: I'm wasting my semester abroad watching TV in my apartment]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Dear Letter Writer,
I'm not normally moved to respond to these letters, but I have concrete experience in the situation you describe. I also spent a semester in Europe when I was a junior in college, and it took me longer and was harder to adjust than I'd anticipated too (I don't think I felt excited or happy for about a month, maybe a little longer). But it ended up wonderfully well, and in April I'm going to go visit two good friends I made there, lo these 7 years ago.
The key for me was this: youth hostels. These are wonderful places to meet interesting, fun people who are traveling alone and open to meeting and befriending strangers. I was in Ireland, and I didn't have much success befriending locals - they were all busy with their own lives. But I stayed in a youth hostel when I first arrived and became friends (eventually) with a number of French, German, Dutch, and Danish people my age, all of whom were in an unfamiliar place. So - if you don't have a social life in the city where you're living, go travel every weekend, if you can afford it. It doesn't have to cost much - train or bus fare, plus a couple nights in a hostel, plus minimal groceries (bread, peanut butter, yogurt, bananas, etc.). You will meet fun people and have a blast. I also second Cary's suggestion for getting involved in student group activities - for me it was hiking. Your university probably has an Outdoors club or something like that, and if you join, you might be surprised at how easily you can make friends.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
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"African women" not all the same
[Read the article: Naked bodies as protest signs]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Um, maybe we could not talk about Africa like it's monolithic, and that the women in it all have the same customs, beliefs, and traditions? 'Cause, they don't.
Mamiwata, I appreciated your contribution, which was about specific people and groups, not the whole damned continent. Jeez.