I don't have any any airline experience outside of the US but I do have a lot of world wide experience in another industry that is much more 'high tech', and dangerous, than being a pilot. The comments of the Americans in this thread pretty much mirror the comments all Americans make, in any technical industry, during their first experience working outside of the USA.
In the US we learn during 'On the Job Training'. We will gain a lot of experience in a short time. Don't ask me why it does it but when I push this lever this will be the result.
Europeans learn in school. They will not be given the opportunity to push the lever until they have completed years of school and written a dissertation on the result. They will still be surprised the first time they actually push the lever.
The Germans do complicated things very well. The problem is they make everything complicated. Americans are big believers in Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS principle) and common sense. Germans, when challenged, will demonstrate and understanding of common sense but then tell you it is not German. The English will tell it has been superseded by regulation.
If you are an American going overseas to work you better be ready to accept the fact you are the odd man out. The US doesn't even use the same measurement system as the rest of the world. In some industries we actually do things opposite of the rest of the world. In the maritime world our red and green channel markers are backwards from the international standard. For industries that are technically oriented you will find our education requirements are usually less than what the rest of the developed world requires for the same profession.
But the advice given in this thread worked well for me in a different industry. Swallow a little pride and apply yourself and you will do just fine and have a lot of fun. Just remember what Willie Nelson said about the English sense of humor when you are tempted to say something funny.
In the US we learn during 'On the Job Training'. We will gain a lot of experience in a short time. Don't ask me why it does it but when I push this lever this will be the result.
Europeans learn in school. They will not be given the opportunity to push the lever until they have completed years of school and written a dissertation on the result. They will still be surprised the first time they actually push the lever.
The Germans do complicated things very well. The problem is they make everything complicated. Americans are big believers in Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS principle) and common sense. Germans, when challenged, will demonstrate and understanding of common sense but then tell you it is not German. The English will tell it has been superseded by regulation.
If you are an American going overseas to work you better be ready to accept the fact you are the odd man out. The US doesn't even use the same measurement system as the rest of the world. In some industries we actually do things opposite of the rest of the world. In the maritime world our red and green channel markers are backwards from the international standard. For industries that are technically oriented you will find our education requirements are usually less than what the rest of the developed world requires for the same profession.
But the advice given in this thread worked well for me in a different industry. Swallow a little pride and apply yourself and you will do just fine and have a lot of fun. Just remember what Willie Nelson said about the English sense of humor when you are tempted to say something funny.
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