For any student who has studied abroad...What were your bad, annoying, or even funny experiences?

Question

I'm an American student studying in France for 2 semesters. For anyone who has travelled or lived abroad,I would like to know your bad, annoying, or language barrier experiences. I had a really bad experience with a phone company here sending me a bill for €1600! My university doesn't have internet in the rooms so I decided to go out and get my own. Apparently I didn't understand the plan like I thought I did. Of course, I'm not going to pay €1600 for a week's worth of internet usage. Also, I don't like the university or banking system here. I've had 2 bank accounts since I've arrived and neither has ended well. I will not do anymore business in French. Annoying experiences: Ordering food and them giving me the wrong item. Once at McDonalds, I wanted the other type of fries but they gave me the regular one. Another time at a bar, I pointed to the beer on the menu that I wanted and they still gave me the wrong one. So share your bad, annoying, or even funny experiences.

Answer 1

French is hard to learn and some French people (not all the French) will enjoy getting U lost and giving you something that you didn't ask for...

You did not get any French friend to help you with bank and phone ?

If you got such a phone bill I think that you didn't get what was in the contract. what company was it ? SFR, Orange, Bouygues ? or Free, 9 telecom, tele 2, alice ?

When you are going to buy for telephone or internet ... ask a french friend to help you to understand

When I was in Finland, the only annoying thing we had was that the student appartment ( that you share with 2 other persons ) was awful and disgusting. There was a Korean guy that was about to leave ( fortunately ) and this guy does not understand the word Cleanliness. The kitchen would have make you puke for sure.

about what remains, we didn't have any problems ... we bought prepaid cards and we had internet the internet bill to pay with the rent and it was not expensive ...

When going abroad, try to find some local friends to help you =)

Answer 2

Haa, I studied in South Korea for the longest time (at least, that's what it seemed like..)

It was a cool, fall afternoon. Unlike most, it was free from humidity. I inhaled the colors of the fading trees, the sweet scents of the food stands nearby. I smiled to myself, knowing I would be in the bus, on my way to a party anytime now. I started to hum a little tune I had picked up in my foreign language class, when all of a sudden an old grandmother and her grandson walked right next to me. And then it happened.

This boy - not looking to be under 8 or 9 years old - pulls down his pants in a flash. I turned away as quick as I could. A trickling sound reached my ears.

After what seemed like an eternity had passed, I slowly turned my head. And, sure enough, there it was. A glistening pool of pee, shimmering in the light of the autumn sun. I steadied myself against the bus stop pole, only to find that a glob of gum had been stuck to it, and now, to my hand.

I winced as if I had been slapped. A kid had peed not 12 inches from my own feet, and I had a possibility for hepatitis clinging to my shaking right hand.

What. The. Hail.

And so, I went to the party, drenched in misery and gloom. I kept to myself, stayed in the darkest of corners.

And nobody knew what had happened to me that day.

'Til now.

SO YA'LL SHOULD THANK MEH - for sharing this... this... terrifying episode. D;

Answer 3

When I first moved to Ireland, I wanted to buy some food. I could not find a market in my section of town. No matter where I walked, no food shops. What to do? Finally, I had to ask someone, who told me that the local clothing store, on the bottom floor of the shopping centre, had a food hall in its basement. I'd never heard of such a thing! A clothing store, that also sold food?

Now, of course, this sort of store is everywhere, but at the time, I was amazed.