At the UK embassy

[ticklish_frog]

An old gentleman with a huge paper bag wonders around for a while, listening to people, finally exclaims with a big surprise ``So you speak English?!'' and sits down. When it is his number to come to the window, I hear the following discussion: (G=gentleman, C=clerk, a nice lady in her 40ies)

[G]: I have a question. Indeed, I have lots of questions.
[C]: Yes. Sir, I will assist you.
[G]: But I am not comfortable discussing them in public.
[C]: Do not worry, most of our visitors do not understand English, step closer to the window, please.
G looks around and continues with a suspicious voice: I am a British citizen.
[C]: There's nothing shameful about this. I am British too.
[G]: But I want to move to Portugal.
[C]: That's perfectly legal.
She explains to him how he should renew the passport, vote, and all that, and gives his a booklet about Portugal. The gentleman sits down next to me and starts reading.

Meanwhile it's almost time to close the office, visitors are leaving, and two of us are apparently the only customers left. The security officer comes over and chats with me, complaining about people from Africa coming to the embassy and not knowing English. ``So they are asking me to help them to translate the documents, under the table, of course. But I can't. I really want to help them, but it's impossible.'' The gentleman [G] becomes nervous, listens to us speaking English.

When leaving, I really wanted to say something like ``I will report to Her Majesty about your cowardly pathetic attempts in no time'' :)

Comments

[maykov.livejournal.com]

I observed an American in Canadian Consualte in Seattle who wanted to immigrate to Canada and came in to discuss it. Americans can get a working visa in Canada if they have a job offer. So, he wanted an offical letter explaining this for his job interviews in Canada. However, I'd think it'd be illegal to cross the border with the intention of looking for a job. Most of americans are very naive when it comes to issues of immigration

[ticklish-frog.livejournal.com]

U.S. and Canada have a mutual agreement, NAFTA. It is used mostly by Canadians wishing to work in the U.S., they just need to get a stamp on the border and then they can work like a regular American (there are small details, but still). I presume this works either way.

[maykov.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is it