Another Easter

I've mentioned before how Americans don't eat Hot Cross Buns. You can get them but they're iced and you certainly can't get choc-chip ones. So I made some chocolate Hot Cross Buns myself; two batches, in fact.

I don't know if I've mentioned but they don't have large Easter eggs here. The largest ones are about 10cm tall, most common are the little 2cm ones. Certainly no 1kg eggs. I thought everything was supposed to be bigger in America. Maybe they have 3lb eggs in Texas.

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Was it something I said?

Today we went to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles so that Cindy could do her driving test (she passed). While I was there I decided to update the address on my licence. As she was processing it on the computer, the woman asked me the usual questions, "Do you still want to be an organ donor?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Would you like to register to vote?" she asked.

"I can't," I explained, "I'm not a citizen." Then, being too curious for my own good, I asked her, "What would you have done had I said yes? Would you have asked for a birth certificate or would my licence have been enough identification for you to enroll me?"

"That's a good question," she replied as she walked away to confer with her supervisor.

When she came back she informed me that, as an alien, the documents I had brought were insufficient to change the address on my driver's licence. I would need not only the old licence and proof of my new address but also all my immigration documents, despite the fact that they sighted them when giving me my original licence. I never did get an answer to my question.

It'd be nice to get a say in who will be elected king of the world in November this year but I don't think it would be worth the risk of getting deported.

Glossary of Academic Terms

I wrote the post below in normal English but I could also have written it in 'Merkin. Here's some of the differences I've noticed:

American	English
college (abstract)	undergraduate education
grad school	postgraduate education
college (concrete)	institution that awards only undergraduate degrees
university	institution that also awards postgraduate degrees
commencement	graduation
regalia	academic dress
diploma	testamur
B.S., M.S.	B.Sc., M.Sc.
M.D.	M.B. B.S. or M.B. B.Ch.
J.D.	L.L.B.
dissertation	doctoral thesis
faculty	academic staff
staff	administrative staff
school e.g. School of Business	faculty e.g. Faculty of Science
department e.g. Philosophy Department	school e.g. School of Philosophy
department chair	head of school
professor	lecturer of any rank
assistant professor	untenured lecturer
discussion section	tutorial
letter grades: A, B, C, D, F	grades: high distinction, distinction, credit, pass, fail
Fraternity/Sorority	combined residence hall and drinking club
proctor	to invigilate

I Am the Master

I picked up my testamur today. I opted out of the graduation ceremony. Apparently I'm not missing much because they don't even call out everybody's name (not unless you're getting a doctorate).

So after my name I can write: B.Sc., B.A.(Hons) UNSW, M.A. Indiana. More importantly, Cindy no longer outranks me so I don't have to salute anymore. Now I just have too keep working on the PhD bit.

After I mentioned not bothering with the ceremony, Cindy told me that she never got one. They don't have them in France, or academic regalia of any sort. They're missing out on a fun costume party! But she'll get her chance in a couple of years, it can go on the list of American experiences (along with Halloween, rodeos etc.).

We don't have a pool room but Cindy and I were wondering about how to display a testamur without seeming like a tosser. We decided that in a house with a water closet, that would be the best place. But our apartment has the toilet in the bathroom and I don't think shower steam would do it any good.