Better Understood

One of the biggest surprises that even English-speaking expatriates will have to come to terms with once they move to America is that they cannot be easily understood by many Americans. A British expatriate who goes to a restaurant and has to spend ten minutes trying to make themselves understood by their waiter or waitress as they ask for a glass of water and an orange juice can be result in an incredibly frustrating experience. After all, they may reason, aren't they speaking the same language as Americans? But even if you are a native English speaker, as an expatriate living in America, you will not always be understood as you speak English. Some expatriates just re-state what they have said and hope to be understood at some point, while others take it more to heart and drop their accent while around Americans so that the locals can understand them more easily.

Blend In

For expatriates who hate to stand out like a sore thumb, using an American accent when speaking can help them feel like they are blending in more easily. It will certainly do away with the “where are you from?” questions. But be warned, Americans can often tell if you are mimicking their accents and can become quite offended at the impersonation. Look at the situation in reverse. Would you want someone to mimic your British accent in an effort to be accepted by you?

Expatriates will face the accent issue again and again. But how they choose to tackle it is entirely down to them to decide. Over time, many expatriates will lose their native born accent and sound more like an American than a fellow countryman. But they must also consider how they will then blend in when they return home. They may face the same issues that they did when they were living in America and have to re-invent themselves all over again. The most important thing that an expatriate can do is to remain true to who they are and that means preserving their accent as far as it is possible.

My husband recently made the suggestion that we visit Quiznos. I had never eaten at a Quiznos restaurant before, and I did not know what kind of food was served at Quiznos. For some reason, I imagined that Quiznos was a pizza parlour such as Anthony's Pizza or Pizza Hut. But as we approached Quiznos, my husband explained that it sells sandwiches, such and he compared it to Subway. I liked the idea of a light dinner and looked forward to seeing what kind of sandwiches would be on offer.

Quiznos was not busy when my husband and I arrived. I was glad about that, as I sometimes feel pressured to make up my mind quickly when there are others waiting in line to order as well. We took a few moments to make our selection. There were so many sandwiches to choose from such as Honey Bourbon Chicken, Tuscan Turkey, Classic Italian, Deli Tuna, a wide selection of salads, soups and even flatbread sandwiches.

I finally settled for a regular sized Veggie, which consisted of guacamole, black olives, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, cheddar, and a red wine vinaigrette dressing. I was happy with the ingredients, but I was not sure if I would like the red wine vinaigrette, which is why I opted out of that. I also informed staff that I did not want any mayonnaise or any other kind of dressing. I asked if they had any herbs instead to sprinkle over the top of my sandwich.

My husband ordered a regular Classic Sub, which came with bacon, turkey, ham, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Our total bill came to $12.14, which was inclusive of tax.

I was looking forward to trying my sandwich. It was a very substantial sandwich, which made me feel more at ease with paying over $12.00 for two sandwiches. But instead of the taste of herbs, I could only taste the vegetables that had been added to my sandwich. It turns out that the herbs had been added to my husband's sandwich instead. But we both enjoyed the taste of our sandwiches. I was surprised at how full up I felt about eating my first Quiznos sandwich. My husband and I will probably not eat at Quiznos again, but the taste and quality of the sandwiches at Quiznos in Yuba City are outstanding.

Location

The hotel is located at 3850 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109, which is on the strip and close to many other local attractions and sites in Las Vegas. The hotel is just 1 mile from McCarran Airport. To make a reservation call toll-free at 1-877-750-5464. The hotel is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The check in time is 3:00pm and the check out time is 11:00am.

Age Restrictions

As the Excalibur Hotel & Casino provides gambling facilities, guests must be 21 years of age or above to be able to book and check into a hotel room, even if the reason for the visit is for non-gambling purposes. Underage minors cannot book their own hotel room, but can only accompany their parents or other adults they are with at the time.

My husband and I have visited the Excalibur Hotel & Casino twice and stayed in it once. It was a good choice for a hotel, as it was close to so many sites on the strip and the inside of the Excalibur Hotel & Casinohad lots of great shopping opportunities and various eateries to choose from.

Rooms

There are almost 4,000 rooms in the Excalibur Hotel & Casino designed to suit different budgets and personal requirements. As you peruse the Excalibur Hotel & Casino site you will be able to view slide shows of the rooms available to give you a better idea of what you might like to book. You can choose from King, Queen, King Spa or Suites. 

Amenities

All of the hotel rooms offer basic services such as an alarm clock, cable TV, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, a shower and swimming pool access. However, there are no coffee pots, microwaves or cookers provided for guests to use. Although high-speed Internet access is available, it does not come for free. It costs $11.99 for 24 hours.

Recommendation

The Excalibur Hotel & Casino was a nice hotel to stay in. I am not a gambler, but I did appreciate the shopping facilities and there were some good restaurants to choose from. The hotel provided basic amenities and services. But the hotel can be quite expensive in the summer months and rooms can go fast, so it is best to check availability and book your rooms in advance.

Valid 10 Year Passport

American tourists visiting the UK will need to hold a valid American passport that will not expire during their trip. A passport with a 6 month validity still left is usually required when visiting the UK. The UK has an agreement with the United States that allows visitors to enter the UK on a visa waiver programme for a visit up to 3 months in duration. If you intend to stay for a longer period of time, you will need to obtain the correct visa prior to your arrival in the UK, not after you get there.

The Weather

The British weather is very temperamental and hard to predict. It is possible that a bright, sunny day will soon turn cloudy and then rainy. Or a rainy day may quickly brighten up. The best way to tackle the British weather is to dress in layers. When packing, do not just keep up to date with what the weather is like two weeks or even a week prior to travel. Pack appropriately for every eventuality so that you can be prepared for quick changes in weather. Do not assume that the summer will be sunny everyday. The summer of 2007 saw torrential floods and very little sunshine across parts of the UK.

British English

The British and Americans share a basic common language, but there will be times that you will encounter some awkward situations if you are not conversant in a few words and phrases in British English. Pick up a good British travel guide for extra advice on British English, watch BBC America or visit British English websites that are designed to help prepare Americans for their trip across The Pond.

Travel Insurance

Are you prepared for every eventuality? Have you planned on what to do if your luggage is lost or stolen or you are seriously injured in the UK? It is wise to consider taking out travel insurance prior to your trip to the UK. While hospitals will not turn anyone away who has been seriously injured, hospitals will not treat you for free as they would if you were a British resident.

How to Reduce the Affects of Culture Shock when You Arrive in a New Country: Establish a Regular Routine Outside the Classroom

As a new EFL teacher you will have a regular routine you must follow for work purposes. But more is required to help make the adjustment than knowing you must be in school at 8:30am each day. To help reduce the affects of culture shock, you will need to work on building a routine outside the classroom as well. Perhaps you can buy your daily newspaper from the same corner shop on your way to work. As you do so, you will get to know the local traders in your area and you will start to fit in more easily than a tourist who is here today and gone tomorrow.

How to Reduce the Affects of Culture Shock when You Arrive in a New Country: Beware of Pessimistic Expatriates

As tempting as it may be to spend all of your free time with fellow expatriates, this will not always make you feel better as you get used to a new country and way of life. Think of how you usually feel when you spend time with pessimistic friends and then consider what it will do to your self confidence if you surround yourself with expatriates who cannot find a single good thing to say about their host country. These feelings can soon rub off on you too, rather than help you adjust to the stresses of culture shock.

How to Reduce the Affects of Culture Shock when You Arrive in a New Country: Keep in Touch with Family and Friends

To begin with, you will not know anyone when you first arrive in the new country, which can be a very lonely time. One way in which you can help yourself is to make sure you keep in touch with your family and friends from back home. They can help to provide you with the love and encouragement you need during this difficult time.

The main thing to keep in mind is to try and stay positive and not focus so much on the negative aspects of living in a foreign country. Think of why you moved abroad to begin with and how you have been able to expand the breadth of your teaching experience by doing so. This can help you to adjust to your new surroundings and overcome culture shock sooner rather than later.

Carry all your travel documents in your hand luggage

This may seem like common sense, but it is surprising to see the amount of people who end up stuffing all of their important travel documents into their suitcases and other checked pieces of luggage! So be sure to always carry your tickets, valid passports (for international travel) and unexpired photo ID for domestic flights. Then when you check in, it will be a much smoother and quicker process and you will not have to rummage through your luggage to find what you need! Remember that if you traveling to another country, your passport will need to be valid for at least a further six months. Some countries are very strict about this requirement and will not allow people to enter their country if their passport will be expiring soon.

Dress appropriately

Even if you are flying somewhere hot and exotic, it would be a good idea to dress in layers. Cotton is a good material that will keep you cool in the summer months and warm during winter. Choose clothes that are loose fitting that will not cut off your circulation during the flight. Planes are often quite cool, so if you are wearing shorts and a T-shirt you may end up feeling quite cold and uncomfortable.

Treat flight attendants with respect

A key to having a successful flight once you are on board a plane is to show the utmost respect toward flight attendants. They work hard and deserve to be treated well. If you have asked for a drink and they take longer than you expected to get you one, do not start abusing them. Flight attendants have other people to deal with as well as you, so be patient and remember to thank them for the services they provide.

Entertain yourself

Long flights can be very tedious and boring if you do not have any way of entertaining yourself. Take along a good book or some magazines to read on the plane. Alternatively, listen to some music. Many flights now have on board films that you can watch, which will help to pass the time more easily, if they are of interest to you.

Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol

When you fly, you will have a choice of drinks on offer to you. But, try to limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol, as they will quickly dehydrate you. Excessive alcohol consumption can also passengers more prone to violence and loud behavior. So try to be sensible when you fly. You would not want to face criminal charges for being drunk and disorderly once you disembark. If you must drink tea or coffee, make sure that you also drink a glass of water for each caffeinated drink, which will help prevent dehydration. Water is by far the best drink you can choose.

If you are sensible and are mindful of the rights and feelings of others, you will have a more successful flight. So try to put these tips into practice and you will find air travel one of the most pleasant forms of travel.