Lost in Translation

[fip & jim 452]

I received an email this morning about our interview in two days. There were instructions and links about getting to the embassy, what's required, etc, which of course I have already looked in to. One link was about confirming the appointment, which I dutifully clicked on. The page was a dead end. I couldn't find any way to confirm our appointment again. I know I've already confirmed the appointment and paid the fee and chosen courier delivery, but part of me is thinking " They've sent this email, I must need to take action", like a dutiful person. I spent 20 minutes searching around with no joy so I decide to call the embassy to check our appointment is on. 

I didn't expect to interact with an actual person without first going through the automated answer service, so I wasn't going in to this experience naively. I listened to the options. None fitted what I was asking. After listening twice I plumped for "non-immigrant visa", "scheduling an appointment". Then I was asked to enter our account number (What is that? Is that the WAC number, the A#, the LND case number, the IRV number? Not once in this process has an "account" number been mentioned) followed by the pound sign. Forgive me, but this is the UK. A pound sign here is £. My mind is like  by this point. There is no £ on a telephone keypad. After hanging on the line trying to figure this out the automated service cuts me off. So I call again and try another route. Same thing - enter the pound sign. ????!? So I try again. No joy. I am nearly crying thinking 2 years of preparation will be for nothing because I don't have £ sign on my phone keypad. I sent them an online query because there was no way I could get through on the phone. I got a reply in a few minutes - your request will be responded to in 3 - 4 business days. 

When my fiance wakes up and calls me (I sure won't miss the abyss of mornings of waiting for him to wake up) I explain what's happened. Guess what? Pound sign in the US is also #. How are Brits meant to know that? How can an embassy make such a mistake with understanding the language in the country they are operating in? # is hash, pound is £ !!

 

I logged in to our account and our current status is "Attend Appointment", so I guess it was unnecessary and my instincts were right. They sent a generic email that isn't updated to current procedure. 

 

So I pinged off another online message to the embassy - 

 

"Hello,

 

I sent an enquiry earlier today about getting through to the embassy via phone. I had an issue about the automated menu asking for customers to press the pound sign after entering their account number. I am pointing out how ridiculous it is that a telephone service in the UK would use the term "pound sign" in a country where the pound sign means this - £, a currency symbol. After speaking to my American fiance I understand the confusion. In the US pound sign means #, in some archaic way. Are British citizens expected to know that our everyday terminology for our currency means something entirely different in the US, but not commonly. Isn't # internationally known as hash?

 

Please update your service and avoid this confusion! It's ridiculous."

 

We'll laugh about it someday. 

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by fip & jim

[Boiler 43,636]

Americans say they speak English, but not really.

[fip & jim 452]

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Americans say they speak English, but not really.

 

Not sure if I agree with the premise of this program 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08qxd02

 

I'm more 

 

 

Love you guys! 

[jskibo 588]

Two countries only separated by a common language.  At least they didn't say Fanny Pack

[MLR14 37]

I knew that pound in the USA meant #. Maybe they assume that since you're set on moving there you'll know some of these things or at least have the intuition to think "hmm since no standard phone keyboard has a £, it must mean * or #" and Google it!

[fip & jim 452]

7 minutes ago, MLR14 said:

I knew that pound in the USA meant #. Maybe they assume that since you're set on moving there you'll know some of these things or at least have the intuition to think "hmm since no standard phone keyboard has a £, it must mean * or #" and Google it!

Thanks for that. I was more pointing out how stress affects our ability to think clearly. Ha, ha! Funny isn't it? English humour. 

[MLR14 37]

1 minute ago, fip & jim said:

Thanks for that. I was more pointing out how stress affects our ability to think clearly. Ha, ha! Funny isn't it? English humour. 

Oh I was certainly a changed person between filing and approval! You'll certainly laugh about it in times to come! I just thought your email to them was a little extreme considering there was no harm done