Discoveries from my first week in the UK

1. "Pants" in American means "underwear" in British.  All the years I've come over here, and I never knew that.

2. It's apparently unusual for people to move to the UK without being transferred by their company, posted by the military, or married.  The look of surprise everyone gives me when I tell them I'm here because I want to be here gives it away.

3. My credit rating does not exist anymore.  The UK doesn't check anything I did in the USA.

4. I cannot get a cell phone plan until I have a bank card.

5. Unlike US banks that give you a temporary debit card for immediate use after opening an account, UK banks make you wait about a week before you get it.

6. UK bank cards have a chip instead of a magnetic strip (I already knew that), and they also come with a pocket sized machine to be kept at home.  That machine generates a new code (that is not your PIN) every time you insert the card.  Both my pin and that temporary code are needed to log into online banking.  The temporary code is invalid after a few minutes.

7. UK bank machines can either dispense cash or they can accept deposits.  They cannot do both.

8. UK post codes are hyper-specific.  It's like having a zip code for every block.  Sometimes a single building will have a post code all its own.

9. The original Office has Martin Freeman.  And it's really damn funny.

10.  A Chorus Line is an amazing musical.

11.  Sometimes, when you buy the cheapest ticket way in the back, you get randomly changed to an awesome seat in the 5th row upon arrival.

12. London has a overabundance of beautiful women.

13. My school schedule is quite complex.  Every single day is different in a two week cycle.  I need a planner as much as the kids do.

14. Every student and parent at my school is assigned a school email, and it's integrated into my gradebook.  Efficiency!

15. There are an incredible variety of Doritos in the store.  However, the flavors are all different than the US, and the colors don't match what I expect from back home.  First world problems.

16.  There is free wifi everywhere, but to use it, they must text me a code.  That doesn't help when I don't have a working phone yet.

17. Coke cans have "Share with" and someone's name printed on them.  The names are all different.  People go sorting through cans to find names they like or know.  It really slows things up.

18. There is absolutely nothing at the cinema I have any desire to see.  This is the worst summer selection of movies I can remember.