Oh, to be in England
by Lucas Dié on 23/03/09 at 8:38 pm
I had forgotten how much fun it is to live in England, but also how time consuming it is at the same time. And daily life here makes me hear voices as well.
Let’s first address the voices I hear, just in case you thought I am going nuts. The voices I hear are those of my mother at her driest, saying ‘how very British’; the other one belongs to Aunt Pamela at her most defensive, saying ‘but we do things differently than on the continent’. Both comments have become running gags with my friends meanwhile. You may add either or both comments at the end of each paragraph.
My long absence from the net had a reason, too: I had a small problem with the eminently gifted staff at British Telecom to set up an internet connection for me. After only two months, they finally managed to open a line for me. They call it broadband, but it is about a tenth of what in Switzerland was called a private line and was free of charge there. Here it is quite costly, and don’t you think you get refunds for the frequent downtimes that are a daily occurrence at least.
But I do have loads of fun being here and get held up by many time wasting activities. At the start, there was the problem with the leaking shower. My landlord called in the guys to fix it. After 90 minutes they left, but the shower leaked as before. This process was repeated twice, before I had a look at this shower myself. I found the leak and had it fixed in 20 minutes, and this included the time it took me to go to the shop to buy the materials I needed. It took me something longer to fix the heating system because I had to read the manual first. Maybe the guys who came to fix it should have done that as well.
Then snow fell and a white dusting lay on London like sugar on a cake. It was so little snow, there was nothing to worry or even think about. But the eminently able Lord Mayor of London just closed the City down. No buses ran, no railways worked, and the tube was out of order. I am still trying to figure out how that snow got into the tunnels of the tube, but maybe British tunnels work differently from continental ones as well. But my laughing fits only started with that. There were even better jokes to come, and some.
Liked it
Inna Tysoe
Mar 24th, 2009
I have to say your (rather typically British) sense of humor had me chuckling all the way.
Thanks for that,
Inna
Stacey T Pollock
Mar 24th, 2009
Yes, it is definately a different experience living in a place than what is seen when on holidays. The reality sets in when a person has to work in with other people in a big city that is full of chaos. England attracts me to go on holiday, but I can imagine that to live there it would be a totally different experience, especially in a city like London.
I found it very nice that even amongst all that chaos you found such beauty as in the flowers and the sun that was shining.
Lovely article, thankyou for sharing!
Simon J R Holmes
Mar 24th, 2009
Amusing stuff – the snow was hilarious. I got two days off work though so am not complaining!
sophiemarie
Mar 24th, 2009
Thanks for the giggle
sophieca
angelonearth2001
Mar 24th, 2009
Very good article, but first for your phone line and internet I should propose your my services you will have low your expenses tremendously.
Anyway….great article I wish I had so much fun when I was visiting my daughter in England..except from the beauty of the architecture and the country…i had no fun with the temperature…. well maybe one day i will try back.
lindalulu
Mar 24th, 2009
lol…you made me smile through the entire story. I loved it and needed the joy today!
Irishgirl
Mar 25th, 2009
I’m from Ireland, but live in the States. I know what you mean about trying to get things done. Good luck!
Debra.
Mar 26th, 2009
A really good read for a chuckle here and there. I enjoyed it, no doubt!
Alina Beck
Mar 27th, 2009
You should definitely move out of London and experience British life somewhere else! In the north we are not afraid of a bit of snow, and it is our constant delight to laugh at all the softy southerners running indoors whenever a flake falls out of the sky.
Lucas Dié
Mar 27th, 2009
Thank you all
And Alina, I know, I used to live in Inverness for a time. But the panic doesn’t set in when there is a bit snow only, the busses start skidding off the road when you say the word snow aloud!
Moses Ingram
Mar 27th, 2009
This has been a joy to read, I was chuckling all the way through. I have never visited Britain but have a niece and a cousin living there. It is one country that I have always wanted to visit. I will have to check out more of your writings. Thanks.
Ruby Hawk
Mar 30th, 2009
Lucas, You should come to Georgia. You will experience very little snow here and computer hookup works well most of the time. We do have to pay a hefty price for it. Loved your article.
CaSundara
Sep 27th, 2009
LOL – This was a very funny and very appropriate description of life in the UK. Great reading.
CaSundara
Sep 27th, 2009
You’ve been stumbled!