More Amusing Episodes in my Adventures Abroad

Technology Hates Me
If you read about my Oxford, Cardiff, and Stratford-upon-Avon adventures a few weeks ago, you might remember that incident which involved me falling on the sidewalk?  Well, apparently I also broke the hinge off of my laptop.  After staring at it for a couple of weeks, I took it to PC World to see if I could get it fixed.  They told me something along the lines of, "We can't fix this, never seen anything like this before, it would be expensive just to get it looked at, etc."  Followed by, "As long as you don't touch that wire that's exposed you'll be fine."  Suddenly concerned about the exposed wire, I took it to another PC World where I was told, "Oh, it's fine.  I've never seen this before, but just don't touch that wire, just to be safe."  That still doesn't inspire confidence in me!

Last week, I went to my bank to see why my check still hadn't cleared.  I was told, "I don't know, everything looks fine, it's just not showing up.  This has never happened before."  Then, I went to the cell phone/mobile store because I'm trying to transfer to a contract since it's cheaper.  It wouldn't work on the first try due to a system error so I had to come back the next day.  On the next day, I was told there was a different system error and to come back in an hour.  In an hour I came back and was told, "Oh, I've never seen this before."  I replied that I really wasn't surprised.  I have that impact on technology.

The doors where you tap in to get on the tube also hate me.  One day last week, I was talking to a friend and forgot to tap in.  One of the workers came rushing over to explain how to tap in.  No, really, I've been riding the tube multiple times daily since September.  I know how, I just forgot to, you know, actually tap in.

Today, I somehow tried to tap out on the door that said 42 and it turned red instead of green.  I had to go to a TFL agent who (after stating that he'd never seen that happen before) let me out. 

QMUL Plus and Yahoo Email has been very temperamental lately for me.  I tried to log on to my UCCS portal last night for the first time in ages, and was told it didn't recognize my username. I went through the password reset process.  I got an email stating that my password was not allowed because it was under ten characters.  I know math(s) is not my subject, but I think I can count to ten.  This process happened three times before I finally managed to reset my password.  Unfortunately, the same thing happened all over today!

Numbers Don't Work For Me
Before class yesterday, a fellow English degree and I went to get coffee before class.  She paid and the barista said, "You overpaid by twenty p," and handed her back a coin.  I very carefully confirmed that I had the proper change.  She said, "You overpaid by twenty p." So neither English major can count well enough to pay for coffee.  That's why we're English degrees!

Amusing Conversation with Brits, Part II

Brit: What does "shotgun" mean in the American language?
Me: You want the front passenger seat in a car.
Brit: My sister was actually right!  We needed American confirmation.
(Hi Lydia and Lydia's sister, good job!)

The following are just conversations I forgot about in my first post on amusing conversation with Brits.

After purchasing a water bottle that was in a glass bottle that looked like a wine bottle:
Me: Look at this water bottle! It's so cool, it's made out of glass!
Brit: That sounded so surreal in an American accent. I'm used to hearing Americans say really important things.
Me: ...Glass water bottles are important.

Brit: *sings Coldplay lyrics*
Me: Are you singing Coldplay!?
Brit: Yes, I'm obsessed with Coldplay.
Me: Me too, I have nine hours of Coldplay on my iPod.
Brit: *long pause* Maybe not that obsessed.
Me: Maybe I shouldn't go that far next time?
Brit: That might be a good idea.
Brit's friend: It's okay, we'll just overlook that.
(Why does my music taste always get me into such interesting conversations?)

Walking down Oxford Circus the other day:
Brit: We'll sort this all out later, after everyone has had their tea! (Is that not as cliché as it gets?)

I Still Hate Elevators
So when I was in Majorca, I preferred to take ten flights of stairs instead of the lift.  Usually when I take the stairs instead of the lift, I get there first.  In Majorca, I was inevitably on the ninth floor when the lift arrived.  Lately, I've found myself at Covent Garden, Goodge Street, and Russell Square much more often than usual.  Instead of taking the lift, I take the emergency stairs.  By taking the stairs, I also get a nice workout in as I got up 193 stairs (and due to the massive queue for the lift, I also save time).  I find it amusing that by the stairs it says, "For safety reasons, please take the lift."  So a tiny metal box hanging from a cable with no escape route is safer than stairs how?

British vs. American English
My notes include both British and American English, depending on the word.  For example, I cannot spell "traveller" without the extra "l" anymore.  Likewise, I cannot spell "enrolment" with an additional "l".  I say, "colour" and "favourite."  But I still say, "realize" the American way.  Yesterday, I emailed my American advisor and my British professor.  To the American I used, "traveller" and "enrolment."  To the Brit, I used, "realized."  Now they both probably think I'm an English major/degree who does not know how to spell simple words.

Amusing Sign
Diversion traffic signs are almost as common as "Mind Your Head" and "Mind the Gap."  They are quite unhelpful, however, and sometimes tell us to drive into the mural that still says, "Season's Greetings."