I moved to Colorado from England in 1995, oh how everyone loved that British accent. They loved it so much that my daughter (she was nine years old) picked up an American accent as soon as possible. She got tired of people asking her to say something again so they could listen to the way she said it. After almost 20 years, I still have my British accent, too old to change. No one ever forgets me!
Back in 2000 I flew to Kansas City with my daughter, we were going to a the ‘Kansas City Royal’ horse show. I called ahead of time and booked a rental car at a great rate so when I arrived to pick it up I was astounded to find that rate had tripled.
“I booked this car three weeks ago.” I said indignantly, “we fixed the rate on-line.”
“Ma’am I think there has been some mistake. You have to purchase insurance in this country, along with………(the list went on).”
“What do you mean in this country?” I asked.
I was tired and irritable, and wanted to be on my way. A recent ice storm had made the roads dangerous and the last thing I needed was to argue with this man.
“Look, here is my driver’s license, here is my Amex Gold, which provides extra insurance, here is my proof of insurance along with my AAA membership. Now I would like to talk to your supervisor and find out why you quoted one price on-line and now want to charge me triple.”
The customer service gentleman examined my Drivers License etc. and looked embarrassed.
“Oh you’re an American Citizen!” He said.
“Yes, I am.”
Yes my accent had worked against me. He thought I was a tourist, right off a flight from England. The price of my rental car decreased again. Tourists beware…….you are paying more than anyone else!
Travel Tales and Mishaps 