Fingerings--not just altering the airstream--will occasionally change on some wind instruments, depending on the key you're playing in and the tone you're after. When playing the saxophone, an A# is not always a Bb, even though you'd think they should be precisely the same: it's not a perfectly tuned instrument. As a result, there are slight variations in tone, brought about through different fingerings, that just sound better on wind instruments when playing in certain keys. This is a more in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 6:40 AM on June 27, 2008

It's my understanding (as someone who's applied for a bunch of UK student visas) that you can only apply for a visa from a country that you are currently resident in. From my dealings with UK High Commissions, you're not likely to get a visa in a country where you're a visitor - it's likely they'd assume that there's something you're trying to hide or that you're trying to play the system. I was strongly discouraged from applying for a visa from a country where I was not resident. I think the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:20 AM on June 1, 2008

If I recall correctly, a lot of pay as you go phones/plans are country-specific (I know that my UK one certainly is, but the UK can be kind of funny like that sometimes). So, if you buy a SIM card in France, you'll wind up paying roaming charges for calls/texts/data when you use that phone in Austria. I had a quick look at orange.fr, and there do seem to be add-on plans that you can use to minimise roaming charges but the charges are likely to add up.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 1:53 AM on May 15, 2008

I'm not really a fan of advocating strategic alcohol consumption to reduce inhibition; however, when speaking other languages, I've found that a glass of wine or two can really really help. I tend to overthink things like grammar or vocabulary choices when nervous and stone sober (and trying to speak in another language) and a bit o' booze seems to help get conversation flowing!
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:44 AM on April 30, 2008

When you register, you may need to bring proof of address along with you to prove you're in the cachement area. This can include things like bank documents, utility bills, etc. Everyone else has nailed it: register and go see your GP.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 7:05 AM on March 19, 2008

Different health care systems can be confusing, I know, and it does take some time to learn to navigate them! I hope you check back in this thread. Not all walk-in clinics have doctors as they've been designed to decrease the load on hospital A & E departments by treating people with minor ailments who really really really don't need to be taking up emergency space. This may be why, as someone with non-critical joint pain, you were told to take painkillers and then sent away.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 12:29 PM on March 29, 2008

I've had a couple of orders tied up for months since about September. Before, if the order was going to be delayed because of one item, it seems to me that it'd be split into multiple deliveries quite promptly. I'm not sure if this is the case anymore, though my experiences are very admittedly anecdotal!
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 3:39 AM on March 13, 2008

The UK has changed things slightly for international students through its International Graduates Scheme. Non-EU students who complete degrees in the UK (not just science or engineering degrees, as before) are eligible to stay in the UK for 12 months to gain work experience. At the end of this period, they become eligible to apply for a work permit according to EU rules (which becomes somewhat easier to get if you are already in regular employment). Other EU countries may have similar schemes... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:06 AM on March 6, 2008

When arranging really long-haul travel, I've found that travel agents are still the best bet and, in some cases, can find fares that are substantially cheaper than anything you'll be able to find anywhere on the internet. Last Christmas, for example, I flew from New Zealand to the middle of Canada via Sydney for NZ$1600 return (leaving just outside of the peak travel period), thanks to a really good travel agent. I'm reasonably competent in finding cheap airfare on the internet and I couldn't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 11:21 AM on October 28, 2007

Jessamyn's right - my least pleasant trans-Pacific flight (by far!) was on an American airline. The flight from LA/SF to Sydney is somewhere between 14 and 15 hours and that's a very very long time to be on a plane. In my opinion, it's best to fly with an airline that specialises in this kind of travel, like Qantas (though I haven't flown with them) or Air New Zealand. An extra $100 or $200 dollars for a more comfortable flight with better, personalised inseat entertainment is well worth it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 4:09 PM on October 28, 2007

Find areas where it looks like trouble is threatening to break out, pull up a chair and chat. This is especially effective before full scale (food) fights occur. Keep it informal, shrug off any insults or slights, find out how their days have gone, etc. You don't want to appear over eager or as though you're trying too hard; you just want to chat.

I've found this to be an effective way of keeping students under control (especially once you know their names). Granted, my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 5:38 AM on September 21, 2007

To be fair, a lot of the comments about monopolising conversation, going on about extra reading, talking incessantly about one's personal life etc could apply to any annoying student (and there's always one in a class), regardless of age. I guess that I think it's a bit unfair that annoying mature students are more likely to be remembered than all of the other oh so annoying students that go to university.

My advice would be to relax and participate appropriately. You... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:14 AM on September 17, 2007

Can you do an honours after degree in something related like, say, history? or sociology? This might be one way to raise your GPA. That being said, I think that stellar performance in a terminal MA is probably your best bet - you'll be able to show that you're motivated, can achieve academically, and (if you play your cards right) should be able to get some good recommendations.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 11:54 AM on September 16, 2007

You can get lunch for £3.30 at Boots. This includes a decent sandwich (or sandwich alternative - wrap, sushi, salad, etc), drink and a snack. The food isn't the greatest but you can make up for it by getting a nice drink (innocent smoothies!) or snack. As a bonus, Boots outlets are everywhere.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 1:36 AM on September 16, 2007

As much as I hate to point this out, students in classes are on the wrong side of a well-established power differential. I agree that your professor's disclosure of your condition was highly inappropriate and unprofessional; however, I would be concerned about possible repercussions if you were to pursue this at a higher level.

I'm not suggesting that your professor would react maliciously but it wouldn't be unusual for her to, say, not grant you the benefit of the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:18 AM on August 21, 2007

Sainsbury's also has tortillas in its "Be Good to Yourself" line of products. Like everyone else has said, they're most likely to be found near the pittas in the bread section.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 8:36 AM on August 2, 2007

I found Michael King's A Penguin History of New Zealand (Amazon) to be an excellent and informative read. The country may be small and not uber-populated but there's a lot worth knowing and at least some of the history (probably a lot of it, really) informs what's going on in New Zealand today.

There are some smaller practical matters that it's worth being aware of. It's quite offensive/culturally insensitive to sit on tables, put your feet on tables, etc in many parts... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 6:00 AM on July 11, 2007

Is it a fear of failure? I mean, if you train or work hard right until the end, the result you wind up getting is the result you earn or deserve. If you slack off near the end, you're able to tell yourself 'well, had I worked/trained harder, I would have got that top end result that I'm capable of getting.' Slacking off means that you know that you're going to fall short and, as a result, it means you're able to avoid falling short of what you're really capable of doing. I've seen this in a few... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 1:19 AM on June 29, 2007

Ooo! I loved loved loved the
Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland (wikipedia). They're small and peaceful and feel like they're in the middle of nowhere, a nice contrast to the crowds in London and New York, and big on nature and history (though not so much when it comes to food). You could fly over to Galway from London, spend a couple of days there (it's a fun and very Irish place) and then head over to an island of your choosing.

I stayed on Inis... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 4:11 PM on June 28, 2007

Just because you can bring 140 lbs of stuff each trip it doesn't mean you have to bring 140 lbs of stuff with you each trip. I do understand where you're coming from - if you've already got the stuff and you have room in your luggage, why wouldn't you bring it instead of buying new in Austria? That being said, as a student who has now moved overseas to study three times, I'd quite strongly recommend bringing as little with you as possible for the very simple fact that it will... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:11 PM on June 14, 2007

Though it may be too late for this to be of relevance, there's no service today on the district line between, i think, earls court and acton town (so making it to richmond could be tricky!). that being said, your own booze beside the river would be very very nice!
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:12 AM on June 2, 2007

Also, frequent and/or savvy fliers clamour to get bumped on any trans-oceanic flights. In my experience on overbooked trans-oceanic flights, there are far far more volunteers to be bumped than the airline requires. I imagine the payoff makes it well worth while, whether it be in complimentary upgrades, free flights, status miles, etc.

I'd be more concerned about getting from Gatwick to Heathrow than any of your other connections. The fastest way between the two airport... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 7:45 AM on May 30, 2007

To contradict missmagenta and though this may very well not be the case at other UK airports, Heathrow is very strict with its one bag policy. I flew out of Heathrow a couple of weeks ago and security guards were kicking people out of the queue to clear security if they were unable to conglomerate their carry-on luggage into one bag, even if the second bag was small. As mentioned in my previous comment, they weren't even letting people bring a separate plastic bag from the shops through with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 8:37 AM on May 30, 2007

Anecdotal, but my recently graduated friends are getting jobs in Alberta. Granted, these jobs are often in small towns outside of larger centres but they are indeed jobs.

(I'm sure that someone will chime and say there are no teaching jobs to be had in Alberta. I would imagine that competition for available jobs is fierce but I do know recent graduates that are getting hired and I do know that the job situation has improved.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 3:34 PM on May 29, 2007 marked best answer

I went to Catholic school and was quite happy with my education. I'd guess that probably one third of students weren't Catholic, though some of them may have been members of other mainstream Christian denominations, and there were heaps of non-practicing Catholics among the rest.

Religious education classes were obligatory for all students but, to echo most of the above posters, they weren't particularly pernicious. Through elementary school, they focused more on bible... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 3:10 PM on February 3, 2007

What about an amazon.fr gift certificate? It's not particularly eclectic, but it would be useful: Amazon.fr seems to have a fairly wide selection of things (books, dvds, electronics, etc) and their prices and selection are probably better than FNAC's.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:32 PM on December 13, 2006

Before you ship anything, check the rates for excess baggage with your airline. Because flights to and from North America operate on a piece system (ie-you're allowed 2 pieces, each weighing a maximum of X kg), you may be able to bring along an extra piece of luggage for a flat charge.

Air Canada currently charges Can$175 per excess piece of baggage to and from international destinations. The allowed weight of the excess bag is not specified on the website, but you can... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 4:57 PM on November 21, 2006 marked best answer

Also not a native speaker, but you'd use para to express "in order to". So, if you're stopping in order to buy or get a coffee, I'd tend towards para rather than por (though jesourie's reasoning sounds good, too). Even though they both mean, roughly, "for", por and para have very specific usages and they can change the meaning of a sentence. More details can be found here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 3:46 PM on November 20, 2006

Stretch, slowly and purposefully. Drink enough water to ensure that you're rehydrated. The combination of cold and heat (hot bath! with bubbles!) is very effective. While in the hot bath, work very purposefully on relaxing and letting the tension accumulated in your muscles go.

While it can be hard to even think of doing anything active following a gruelling endurance event, I find that a bit of gentle, low-impact activity--like aqua jogging or swimming--can make a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 11:27 PM on November 19, 2006

Can I chime in about Edmonton? I lived there for five years (1999-2004) and mostly enjoyed my time there. It's a medium-sized sprawly city--the city proper covers more land than Toronto, Chicago, or Montreal and there are about a million people in the metro area. It can be really freaking cold during the winter (-40 C), though the summers are lovely and warm (but not hot), with long long days. Calgary's weather is much the same.

There's a bit of a rivalry between... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 6:08 PM on November 19, 2006

Okay. Stop and take a deep breath and figure out what the real problem is. If you're going to start complaining, you have to do more than say that you don't like your instructor. Your complaint must be solid and justifiable but you haven't given any justification here (which you may not want to do, given that AskMe is public).

It's most likely "within your rights" to send an instructor a nasty email; however, this course of action is not a wise one. There are... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 7:08 PM on November 17, 2006

Scarfies. While this movie is, at times, entirely ridiculous, it's a surprisingly accurate portrayal of student life at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Yep, I know that you were looking for portrayals of high school life; however, even though the characters in Scarfies are at university, some of them have just left home (it's a good look at that particular life transition) and, without being unkind, none of them are particularly mature.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 11:52 AM on November 14, 2006

Also - watch your posture. It's easy to slouch if you're sitting at a desk in front of a computer but slouching tends to make the pregnant look somewhat more pronounced.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:50 PM on November 3, 2006

I'd second Johnny Assay's recommendations of McGill or Concordia. Montreal would be a brilliant place to spend a year abroad: McGill is a very well-respected school where you'd be studying in English, the city of Montreal is vibrant, and you'll be exposed to a non-anglo culture and get to learn some French. If you're concerned about international reputation/ranking (and it can't hurt to be aware of this), McGill is probably the strongest university on your list.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:45 PM on November 3, 2006

While I understand your frustration with trying to track someone through a shelter system, there are--regardless of legality--very good reasons why shelters do not release information about people who have used their services. Domestic violence shelters are used, on the whole, as a temporary or stop-gap measure: rather than being designed for long-term tenancy, they're meant to help survivors of abuse start new lives. While there may be people who abuse these necessary services, it's important... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 5:20 AM on November 2, 2006

My academic career has been somewhat convoluted, so please take this with a grain of salt. When I stick to a fairly regular schedule and engage in regular exercise, I find my PhD enjoyable. I've very deliberately taken up activities outside of my program (rowing, choirs) in order to meet new people and keep some sense of perspective: while a PhD student, it's all too easy to forget that other people are doing intersting and important things, too.

I also refrain--as much... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 1:36 AM on November 2, 2006

After a long day travelling, I find that I'm often too knackered or, really, too lazy to cook (even a quick stirfry). If you get home and find that you just don't want to turn on the stove, I'd go with some rice crackers, fresh fruit, vegetables, and some tasty dips. I particularly enjoy carrots and hummus as well as the variety of flavoured rice crackers widely available. I'd also enjoy a smoothie of some sort, blending fresh frozen fruit with yogurt and ice cubes.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 8:15 PM on November 1, 2006

(noting from your profile that you live in Lethbridge and making the assumption that your father may be close by and is at least somewhat familiar with Lethbridge and its surroundings)

I think a fantastic and pertinent example for southern Albertans is the Lakeside meat packing plant at Brooks (a newly minted city!). It's also an example that most southern Albertans can relate to (if they love Alberta beef, that is). This plant--in the middle of rural Canada--employs... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:51 PM on November 1, 2006 marked best answer

If I recall correctly, United only serves complimentary alcohol in coach on its trans-pacific flights and no longer serves complimentary booze on its trans-atlantic routes. Air Canada serves free booze (at meals and when the beverage cart comes around) on all flights leaving North America. I know that Air New Zealand serves wine with dinner and would imagine that wine is available during beverage service; however, I'm just not a drinker on such long, long flights.

As... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:04 PM on November 1, 2006

Some medical schools have an upper age limit for admissions, especially those in the UK and other countries where universities are primarily government funded. If I recall correctly, it's generally somewhere between 40 and 50. My understanding is that this is to maximize the benefit the state puts into training doctors (because, even though students pay tuition fees, medical education is still primarily funded by the state). This may be something to keep in mind, although I'm not sure if this is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:52 PM on October 18, 2006

Leave almost everything electrical behind. Australia (and most of the rest of the world) runs on 220 V whereas North America runs on 110. This means that you won't be able to use your electrical stuff without a power converter which, in my experience tend not to work that well. I found it easier just to buy a new hairdryer, etc.

There are exceptions to this, of course. Anything with its own power converter like a laptop will be fine with just a plug adaptor. The range of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 1:30 PM on October 7, 2006

Do know that some UK universities are starting to crack down on DC++ hubs run on campus. Warwick, for example, has started to fine people using DC++ in residence halls and, in some cases, cut their internet access (they were last year, anyway, though things may have changed).
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 8:09 PM on September 26, 2006

Warwick has also throttled p2p bandwidth and, in light of fines being imposed for downloading/uploading files within the university, I'd be very hesitant to start sharing files outside of the university network. There are, of course, ways around this - the best of which would probably be heading to a friend's flat!
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 8:12 PM on September 26, 2006

Perhaps it's because I have a whack of sticker visas in my passport, but it's been my experience that I get stamps just about everywhere, even countries where I can enter freely (excepting Canada and the US; I'm a Canadian citizen). Unless you are a Brazilian citizen, you'll almost certainly need a pre-approved visa to get in to Brazil and, if leaving from the US, you may very well get an exit stamp at that end (as a visa national in the US, that is).
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 9:09 PM on September 11, 2006

As loads of people have mentioned above, it's okay to admit that you don't know the answer to a particular question. In these cases, it can be effective to turn the question back to the class as a whole by saying something along the lines of "That's an interesting point and I'm not quite sure of the answer. What do you (ie - the class) think?"

Sometimes the students will come up with something brilliant in response, sometimes this will start a roaring... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 2:35 PM on August 22, 2006

American Studies programs are sometimes marketed as allowing you to apply for either history or English jobs, but the reality is that you won't get hired for either, history and English PhDs will.

This has been my understanding, as well, and is precisely why I'm very hesitant to transfer into a PhD in the discipline. While I love what I do, I don't want to pursue something that could make me unemployable.

As Wolof indicated... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 12:59 PM on August 20, 2006

Does the University your supervisor is moving to have any kind of English Lit dept? Is this a possibility at all? You could have a 2nd supervisor there maybe so still having an English degree but maintaining contact with your primary supervisor

I'm looking quite seriously at this and it seems as though this would be the best possible outcome: I'll have a degree in a more established discipline while still working with my very good supervisor.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 3:29 AM on August 21, 2006

This has happened to me, too. A number of flights from Auckland to Dunedin are listed as direct--and, indeed, I only had one boarding pass for both segments--but stop in Wellington and require passengers to change planes. It seemed to me that this is done to decrease the number of frequent flyer points passengers can earn: a direct flight with a stopover in Wellington counts as one domestic flight whereas a flight to Wellington with a connecting flight to Dunedin would count as two domestic... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 3:22 PM on August 17, 2006

In my experience, this is one of those tightnesses/injuries that you need to stretch and stretch and then stretch some more. I spent a lot of time letting my heels hang down off of stairs (toes on the stair and heels below, similar to the first picture posted). Be gentle with yourself but also be perisistant - since the muscle has remained tight, stretch it even more.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 6:49 PM on August 10, 2006

Last summer I took a boxed bike on a National Express coach from Manchester Airport to Birmingham. If I recall correctly, they're not obliged to take it but I didn't have any problems. The driver didn't ask any questions or look the slightest bit disapproving.
posted to Ask Metafilter by lumiere at 6:28 PM on July 25, 2006