(no subject)
Today I'm going to discuss the trials and tribulations of living in a new country, one especially that doesn't share a language or a common culture. In other words, this entry will comprise of every issue I rambled to Phillip about.
For a quick moment, he deserves this: Thank you for listening to me call you from four thousand miles away, not to say, "I miss you," over and over (which I do!), but to complain and whine about how much my life in Europe isn't really sucking as much as I'm making it out to be.
I'll start simple: electric hair grooming devices. I brought a hair dryer over, knowing it would probably die at some point, but I also reasoned that I had acquired an extra through the British girls, so I at least still had not lost out on money or my ability to dry my hair back home. Also: I had used a hair dryer with my original converter back in high school, so I figured it had a fighting chance. Also, that converter states on it, "Use with: Irons -- Steamers -- Hair Dryers." My guess is that the following line about 1600W or other probably applied to the hair dryer, as it went out almost immediately with a huge spark. Sucked, but I anticipated it and look good with curly hair. However, I'm sure it would look good straight, too.
Problem: I own regular CHI straighteners and never splurged on the travel set like I had intended because my sister has Corioliss. I had decided to trade straighteners with her for a month because the mall kiosk lady tried to sell me a pair because it was international. Well. I checked the website, and it doesn't say a damn thing; I asked my sister to investigate in person, and she thinks I'm screwed. I might do more research to see if the converter may be possible; there is a voltage converter in my Samsonite one. Lots of research.
So, two electronic items go to rot. Plus side: more space in the suitcase; I'll post the straighteners back if I buy a lot of things here. Also, Jess has a pair I could borrow when I visit her in Newcastle. So my hair will look great in er, sunny old England. Sweet.
As a revision after writing this entry, I need to emphasize that I do not have internet at my place. The laundromat is my closest internet down the block, but there are internet cafes down on the nearby Americka street I can use. Therefore, I am not very accessible, especially after the hours of 5PM EST. (These places might stay open till 23:00 or even 24:00.) Therefore, I cannot SKype with my friends and family like I had intended. I would now need a headset to talk when I had a perfectly good working microphone built into my laptop.
Now I'll talk about the converter, because it's been annoying and particularly ongoing but is fixed. So I bought a laptop before I left because I needed to communicate, research, and upgrade from the dying desktop I had throughout my undergrad. I already had a universal charger from when I first went to Europe in addition to my UK adaptor. I figured that would be sufficient; I could let my laptop run on battery while my cell phone charges or while I (theoretically) did my hair. In Heathrow, I remember even staring at the 9.99GBP two-pack and thinking that last sentence. However, when I went to plug in my laptop, I realized that converter was US two-prong female, when my laptop plug was three-prong. Simple fix: Find a three-prong plug.
That Sunday night, I went to Cafe Blatouch to get my course information and send emails until the battery died.
Monday morning I left the house about eleven, leaving an hour before school. I went to the first electronic store across the street. The man was very nice, understood when I apologized for not knowing any Czech and that my first lesson would be Tuesday, and he didn't sell me anything because he said it wouldn't convert voltage. I even tried to get him to sell me a converter, but he said it wouldn't work for voltage purposes. I bought a large T-Mobile SIM card from him instead. Then I went a block over to the next place. I ended up buying that converter he wouldn't sell because I saw it had the three prongs. I went straight to school. However, I took several wrong turns on the way to class, found my way to Wenceslas Square, and in the process realized I had left my school schedule (and address!) at home, in my laptop bag.
Well, I knew how to get to the street and remembered the number was 23. So I found 23, but it was the Kiwi bookstore. I talked to the rasta guy there, he told me I was in the wrong place, so I switched SIM cards, typed in the passwords in my packet, but I couldn't figure out my second password. Meanwhile, I was already fifteen minutes late to class and had been standing on the correct street the whole time. I tried back at the Kiwi place, convinced that the connected travel agent really was ITTP, that he must be wrong, that he could help me with my phone. No dice. He stands out in my mind as the worst. On the verge of tears, I went to T-Mobile off the main square, waited twenty minutes in line, and was told it had to be unlocked.
Not really knowing what to do, I went back to the main street and found a sign for an internet cafe. They had desktops for use, so I ordered a latte and went into their basement. Of the five computers, only three worked. Two had people at them -- a British man who I chatted with later as my nerves calmed and a man who I think is mentally challenged. (I'm never sure the PC way of writing it.) BUt I'm quite sure, because he kept saying someone was actively using the empty computer, and I think it was an imaginary friend. He seemed real uneasy that I sat at that computer. I emailed the course guy, and found out this:
The street number is 32, not 23.
Class had ended by one; it was 1:15 when I arrived. I met Alena, apologized profusely, and bought a phone card. (The middle amount, just in case THAT didn't work out either.) Came back, met my coursemates (another post), walked up the 101 steps to the school, and finished classes. During our next break, I cut the converter out of its plastic and emailed my mom and sister about the phone/flat iron.
Walked back home. Go to charge my laptop -- wait for it -- and the third prong was too wide for the plug. This was when I gave up and called Phillip at work. He calmed me down (just by listening and loving. mush). Thankfully soon after, my neighbor-until-tomorrow Ellen came home and let me borrow her converter to charge mine up. It came in handy after another jet-lagged night of nonsleep in my room.
Then I saw that the codecs required for my movies wasn't innate. So I just listened to three episodes of Ouran High School Host Club repeatedly until seven. I also called my mom to ensure she got the email and knew its urgency; she called me back soon after and should email me directions on unlocking my phone to the international world soon.
But my converter nightmare still wasn't over. I gave Ellen the converter back come morning, figured I'd have enough battery for the breaks in class, and then I'd just carry the plug around in hopes of testing an adaptor before purchase. I ran late to class, so I couldn't get it in the morning. My professor, Mila, suggested a place, but I forgot it immediately. On the walk back, I tried a place off the Square that advertised as such, but it looked more like a drogerie (toiletry/perfumery) than anything, so I gave up. Tried the Samsonite store, they were lovely and suggested Tesco. It was a warm day, so I decided to go home and drop my coat to go for more of a search without the heavy load on my shoulder. I tried the electronic shops near the house again, but the converters didn't fit. The nice man suggested the computer shop for a replacement laptop cord, but I ignored that idea and went home. Went then on the way to Tesco, and passing the computer shop, thought, "What the hell," and went in. The guy took a look at my cord after realizing what it was and pulled out an equivalent Czech cord. I was skeptical, but took it (for cheaper than that adaptor was, mind you -- 200CZK, which is about $10). And now I can type in my room. And I downloaded a codec at school (after the girls went to lunch, so it didn't take up loads of bandwidth, thank you). So now I can watch movies.
And now I'm getting this temporary life back on track.
So now I need to make up two lesson plans because I teach for the first time back-to-back tomorrow!
For a quick moment, he deserves this: Thank you for listening to me call you from four thousand miles away, not to say, "I miss you," over and over (which I do!), but to complain and whine about how much my life in Europe isn't really sucking as much as I'm making it out to be.
I'll start simple: electric hair grooming devices. I brought a hair dryer over, knowing it would probably die at some point, but I also reasoned that I had acquired an extra through the British girls, so I at least still had not lost out on money or my ability to dry my hair back home. Also: I had used a hair dryer with my original converter back in high school, so I figured it had a fighting chance. Also, that converter states on it, "Use with: Irons -- Steamers -- Hair Dryers." My guess is that the following line about 1600W or other probably applied to the hair dryer, as it went out almost immediately with a huge spark. Sucked, but I anticipated it and look good with curly hair. However, I'm sure it would look good straight, too.
Problem: I own regular CHI straighteners and never splurged on the travel set like I had intended because my sister has Corioliss. I had decided to trade straighteners with her for a month because the mall kiosk lady tried to sell me a pair because it was international. Well. I checked the website, and it doesn't say a damn thing; I asked my sister to investigate in person, and she thinks I'm screwed. I might do more research to see if the converter may be possible; there is a voltage converter in my Samsonite one. Lots of research.
So, two electronic items go to rot. Plus side: more space in the suitcase; I'll post the straighteners back if I buy a lot of things here. Also, Jess has a pair I could borrow when I visit her in Newcastle. So my hair will look great in er, sunny old England. Sweet.
As a revision after writing this entry, I need to emphasize that I do not have internet at my place. The laundromat is my closest internet down the block, but there are internet cafes down on the nearby Americka street I can use. Therefore, I am not very accessible, especially after the hours of 5PM EST. (These places might stay open till 23:00 or even 24:00.) Therefore, I cannot SKype with my friends and family like I had intended. I would now need a headset to talk when I had a perfectly good working microphone built into my laptop.
Now I'll talk about the converter, because it's been annoying and particularly ongoing but is fixed. So I bought a laptop before I left because I needed to communicate, research, and upgrade from the dying desktop I had throughout my undergrad. I already had a universal charger from when I first went to Europe in addition to my UK adaptor. I figured that would be sufficient; I could let my laptop run on battery while my cell phone charges or while I (theoretically) did my hair. In Heathrow, I remember even staring at the 9.99GBP two-pack and thinking that last sentence. However, when I went to plug in my laptop, I realized that converter was US two-prong female, when my laptop plug was three-prong. Simple fix: Find a three-prong plug.
That Sunday night, I went to Cafe Blatouch to get my course information and send emails until the battery died.
Monday morning I left the house about eleven, leaving an hour before school. I went to the first electronic store across the street. The man was very nice, understood when I apologized for not knowing any Czech and that my first lesson would be Tuesday, and he didn't sell me anything because he said it wouldn't convert voltage. I even tried to get him to sell me a converter, but he said it wouldn't work for voltage purposes. I bought a large T-Mobile SIM card from him instead. Then I went a block over to the next place. I ended up buying that converter he wouldn't sell because I saw it had the three prongs. I went straight to school. However, I took several wrong turns on the way to class, found my way to Wenceslas Square, and in the process realized I had left my school schedule (and address!) at home, in my laptop bag.
Well, I knew how to get to the street and remembered the number was 23. So I found 23, but it was the Kiwi bookstore. I talked to the rasta guy there, he told me I was in the wrong place, so I switched SIM cards, typed in the passwords in my packet, but I couldn't figure out my second password. Meanwhile, I was already fifteen minutes late to class and had been standing on the correct street the whole time. I tried back at the Kiwi place, convinced that the connected travel agent really was ITTP, that he must be wrong, that he could help me with my phone. No dice. He stands out in my mind as the worst. On the verge of tears, I went to T-Mobile off the main square, waited twenty minutes in line, and was told it had to be unlocked.
Not really knowing what to do, I went back to the main street and found a sign for an internet cafe. They had desktops for use, so I ordered a latte and went into their basement. Of the five computers, only three worked. Two had people at them -- a British man who I chatted with later as my nerves calmed and a man who I think is mentally challenged. (I'm never sure the PC way of writing it.) BUt I'm quite sure, because he kept saying someone was actively using the empty computer, and I think it was an imaginary friend. He seemed real uneasy that I sat at that computer. I emailed the course guy, and found out this:
The street number is 32, not 23.
Class had ended by one; it was 1:15 when I arrived. I met Alena, apologized profusely, and bought a phone card. (The middle amount, just in case THAT didn't work out either.) Came back, met my coursemates (another post), walked up the 101 steps to the school, and finished classes. During our next break, I cut the converter out of its plastic and emailed my mom and sister about the phone/flat iron.
Walked back home. Go to charge my laptop -- wait for it -- and the third prong was too wide for the plug. This was when I gave up and called Phillip at work. He calmed me down (just by listening and loving. mush). Thankfully soon after, my neighbor-until-tomorrow Ellen came home and let me borrow her converter to charge mine up. It came in handy after another jet-lagged night of nonsleep in my room.
Then I saw that the codecs required for my movies wasn't innate. So I just listened to three episodes of Ouran High School Host Club repeatedly until seven. I also called my mom to ensure she got the email and knew its urgency; she called me back soon after and should email me directions on unlocking my phone to the international world soon.
But my converter nightmare still wasn't over. I gave Ellen the converter back come morning, figured I'd have enough battery for the breaks in class, and then I'd just carry the plug around in hopes of testing an adaptor before purchase. I ran late to class, so I couldn't get it in the morning. My professor, Mila, suggested a place, but I forgot it immediately. On the walk back, I tried a place off the Square that advertised as such, but it looked more like a drogerie (toiletry/perfumery) than anything, so I gave up. Tried the Samsonite store, they were lovely and suggested Tesco. It was a warm day, so I decided to go home and drop my coat to go for more of a search without the heavy load on my shoulder. I tried the electronic shops near the house again, but the converters didn't fit. The nice man suggested the computer shop for a replacement laptop cord, but I ignored that idea and went home. Went then on the way to Tesco, and passing the computer shop, thought, "What the hell," and went in. The guy took a look at my cord after realizing what it was and pulled out an equivalent Czech cord. I was skeptical, but took it (for cheaper than that adaptor was, mind you -- 200CZK, which is about $10). And now I can type in my room. And I downloaded a codec at school (after the girls went to lunch, so it didn't take up loads of bandwidth, thank you). So now I can watch movies.
And now I'm getting this temporary life back on track.
So now I need to make up two lesson plans because I teach for the first time back-to-back tomorrow!