Mobile Phone

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh! Absolutely hate hate HATE cell phone. I know Mom, hate is a strong word, I'll stop using it. But it is impossible for any international visitor to set up an account with stupid, terrible, horrible black lump of coal which is currently sitting on my desk next to me. I think this is what the Study Abroad staff were meaning when they talk about the second stage of culture shock. Amusing excerpt from our Pre-Departure handbook reads:

"I often tell people that culture shock is walking out the door, being greeted by a neighbor and wanting nothing more than to shout obscenities at them."

In this case, I wanted to smash little black phone with a hammer, screaming at the kind automated British woman: "You are LYING to me and I DETEST you!" In reality, she probably recorded these messages years ago, and now works with a psychiatric hotline, calming all of the poor souls who tried to set up with the Orange network. Awww... I'll bet her voice occasionally triggers a break-down.... hahaha. In an informal and very unlikely way, I'd like to apologize to said woman for my being so extremely angry. Eventually I was put through to a real person who worked wonders and fixed all of my problems. Whew.

On a personal note, love everyone at home and miss them bucketfulls. Personal PERSONAL note to Gaidos: beep, beep.