Strange New People

Hello! Today was a good day.  I had 2 classes. My seminar this morning was very interesting.  First of all, there were 6 people there today.  I think that's some kind of  a record for that seminar.  I was really impressed by this.  Second, Snape wasn't there.  We had a Phd student from Tennessee.  He was awesome.  He made lots of American references that nobody understood.  Needless to say, be bonded over our American-ness.  This was another instance where nobody in the class enjoyed him nearly as much as I did.  He had a really prominent Southern accent, so they were kind of cruel about that.  But this guy was great. He was the kind of American that made some really racist remarks that probably give Americans a bad name, but I found his humor funny. I've never had such a good seminar.  Here are some of my favorite quotes.  This really just sums it all up. (We were discussing different types of fans.  That might help to explain some of this.)

(Note: You have to imagine this with a really strong Southern accent.  It really just makes it all that much better.)

1.) (quote context: We were going around the room saying where we were from.)
Kid in my class:  "I'm from Glasgow."
Tennessee: "Wow really?  You've been here 15 minutes and you haven't tried to stab me yet.  I think that's some kind of a record for Glasgow.  And you don't have any scars on your face.  You must win the fights."

2.) (quote context: talking about crazy fans)
"You know how there's cat people. Well, dysfunctional fans are like cat people.  They make cats less fun for the rest of us.  God, I just hate cat people."

3.) (quote context: I have no idea where this came from)
"I hate how there's all of these Asians here that think they're so poor. I mean they tell you that they swam across the [censored] pond to get here for a better education.  And then, you see them pull up in their M3s like it's no big deal.  Just go home."

Well, I think he probably offended most of my class, but hey I found him entertaining.  This was my last LEI seminar, so I was happy to leave it on a high note.  Also, I had a great experience about my quiz.  Here is how this went.

Glasgow Kid: "I got a 5F (F) on my quiz"
Girl 1: "Yeah I got a 3D (C-). I barely passed it."
Girl 2: "Wow, well at least you passed it.  I got a 4D (D). I think that means I only got 5 answers right."
Girl 3: "Yeah, I got 4C (D) on mine."
Girl 4: "Me too."
Everyone looks at me.
Me: "I got a 2F (B-)."
Silence
Girl 1: "Wow, that's the highest score that I've heard and I've talked to about 15 people."

I mentally patted myself on the back for that one.  Then, I had my PMA lecture.  This was yet another interesting experience.  Neither Frazzled nor British Unibrow were there today.  No, we had the craziest man on Earth.  I'm pretty sure he was tripping on acid and is the type that tries out electro-shock therapy on the weekends.  He was a weird one.  He came into the room and immediately started in with this...

Dr. Jekyll: "The NHS is going to have to cut 30 million pounds this year.  HOW ARE THEY GOING TO DO THAT?"
(Looks at girl)
Girl: "I don't know"
Dr. Jekyll: "I WILL tell you how!!!!! They are cutting jobs.  The jobs of 1,000 people who make 30,000 pounds.  All of them gone.  WHO DO THEY CUT. Tell me, WHO DO THEY CUT?"
Girl: "Um...1,000 people who make 30,000 pounds?"
Dr. Jekyll: "YES! YES!"

This is how the entire lecture went.  He had a lot of passion in his soul for the NHS.  I came into the lecture knowing these facts about the NHS.

1) The NHS stands for National Health Services
2) It's free at the time of delivery
...yep, that's about all I knew.

Here's what knowledge I left with...

1) The NHS stands for National Health Services
2) It's free at the time of delivery
3) Don't do drugs.

He was seriously crazy. He explained point number 2 like this. "This weekend I walked into a tree branch (yeah, maybe this is a sign that you should take it easy on the narcotics). I went to the hospital and received "free" (complete with finger gestures) services for my injuries.  BUT!!!! It is not free!!!!! You who are sitting in this room paid for it...in...your...TAXES!"

And he spent most of the lecture focusing on his hatred of the American health care system.  Everyone in my class just kept looking at me because he kept saying things about America that was really biased.  This is one man who I do not want to discover my nationality.  He's the kind that would ask questions.  Lots of questions.
So, I am now an in-the-closet-American.  I hope I don't have him for my PMA seminar, because I don't want to get attacked.

Tomorrow I don't have any classes.  So, I guess I'll spend the bulk of my day bonding with the NHS since I really can't count on the next 4 lectures by Dr. Jekyll to be any better.  Let's just hope I get through those 4 lectures without requiring the NHS's services.