According to wikipedia "Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. (..) There are many reasons why people might choose to emigrate. Some are for reasons of religious, political or economic freedom or escape. Others have personal reasons such as marriage. Some people living in rich nations with cold climates choose to move to warmer climates when they retire."
Well, neither of these reasons apply to me, but nevertheless I decided to move from Germany to England where it always rains and the men are not really classified as the most attractive ones in the whole wide world. When you have lived in a foreign country before, you might know how different, awkward, funny and difficult your daily life can become.
Here are some highlights of my life in London Town.

November 22, 2012

LOL and other confusions, err acronyms

Do you remember earlier this year when Rebecca Brooks had to testify at the Leveson Inquiry and she caused amusement by revealing that Mr Cameron signed some of his texts LOL, thinking it meant Lots Of Love, rather than Laugh Out Loud. And then Ed Miliband picked it up:


Well, it seems like David Cameron is not alone here. Many of my English friends say their mums were making the same mistake. Malicious gossip has it that LOL actually means Lack of Language, though.

But while older acronym users get confused about the actual meaning, youngsters use it even literally. If you are a super cool English teenager nowadays you don't laugh anymore instead you just say "Oh, I LOL". Seriously!

On that note:
OMG, FYI am AFK now, because GG, but BBL, BFN!
If you don't know what I'm saying, here is the solution: http://www.wikihow.com/Understand-Chat-Acronyms
Posted by No comments:

November 14, 2012

Portsmouth & Southsea

I spent last weekend in Portsmouth & Southsea and fell in love with the English Seaside.
Of course, you knew already that the Isle of Wight, which is only a short boat ride away, is an island, but did you know that Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city?
It is also well-known for being a naval town. After arriving, I went on a boat tour across the harbour and saw famous ships, including the HMS Warrior and the Tudor carrack Mary Rose. One of the most impressive ships is Lord Nelson's HMS Victory, though:

 
Women were not allowed on a ship 200 years ago anyway, but I can assure you I would have not even lasted 2 days on that ship. It was so low, I could hardly stand upright, they ate in the dark, so they didn't see any maggots (yuck), they washed their clothes in their own err pee, if your leg was hurt they amputated it right on the ship (you can even see the tools a doctor used). 

If you want your own piece of history, go to the antique shop at the Historic Dockyard. You can buy helmets from WW1 and WW2 or a knight's armour or a diving helmet from the last century. It is definitely a collection of curiosities:
On a sunny afternoon, there is nothing better than a stroll along the beachfront. One of the most important landmarks of a seaside town is the Pier, so make sure you pay a visit to the fun fair at Clarence Pier and treat yourself with a rock. For all non-British people that's not a stone, but a candy.

If you still don't believe that Portsmouth is mainly an island, go up to Portsdown Hill and enjoy the view:

Posted by No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)