Mobile/Cell Phone?

[these.city.lights]

OK I'm in two minds as to whether I should take my mobile phone to America with me.

It will be able to work over there if I got a sim card for it so if I did decide I wanted a sim it would be good to have the phone. But if I didnt its only uses would be:

1. To look at any photos of my family/friends etc I have on there
2. To store my numbers that I may need
3. To use back at the airport in England after camp
4. To sit there and beep at me cos its battery is dying.

I guess I want to take it really, but it means ANOTHER damn charger that I'll have to pack.

What are you doing?!

[Smudge]

If your camp is in the middle of the country side then you prob won't much reception for a mobile. I usually take mine to use at the airports in the UK and when I turn it off on the plane that is it until I land back in the UK - I just put it in the camp safe when I put my passport in. But then again I don't really use my phone at home and am more than happy to have it turned off and not use it during the summer.

[laurathistle]

I am not taking my mobile with me. I don't even know if it is Tri band or not. I quite like the idea of my mother not phoning me every hour on the our!

[these.city.lights]

Well I'm thinking I'd like it just incase, you know?

Off out in the middle of America on my own after camp, it might come in handy. And if I meet people who I may meet up with somewhere then its easier to ring them rather than email them. I'll give you a very Americanised example:

"Hey Bro, where you at?"
"Oh man, I'm round back"
"Sweet dude, I'll be there in an hour"
"Sweet!"
"Sweet!"
And then they hang up on eachother cos from what I've seen on films, Americans dont bother saying "bye" like us brits do.

[laurathistle]

That sounded like a Budwiser ad. Wassssssssssssssup?

Living the dream through films!

[these.city.lights]

Yup! Its gotta be done.
Do you know what I mean though about not saying bye? They just hang up when they're done talking. Its weird. I couldnt talk to someone and then just hangup. If I was hung up on by someone I'd be like "Hello?" for like 5 minutes.

[laurathistle]

Yes, but does that happen or is it just in movies and TV programes?
Business people and cops on Uk Tv do it too. Think Sir Allan Sugar!

[these.city.lights]

Well we shall see if they do it when we're over there.

Is Sir Allan Sugar the guy from The Apprentice?

[Smudge]

Yes he is.

My friend in American and she says bye.

[KiwiCRB]

HAHA! Don't believe everything you see on TV or in movies, most people I know say goodbye when they hang up the phone. And Donald Trump is the guy on the Apprentice... I'm not sure who Sir Allan Sugar is.

[laurathistle]

Allan Sugar does a british version of The Apprentice. He is like Donald Trump but with better hair. He is the guy behind Amstrad computers.
By the way, my brother has met Mr Trump!

[KiwiCRB]

Allan Sugar does a british version of The Apprentice. He is like Donald Trump but with better hair. He is the guy behind Amstrad computers.
By the way, my brother has met Mr Trump!
Haha, oh well that makes a lot more sense then!

[annknee]

going back to the original question I took my phone last year and got a US sim card at orientation. It was very useful for time off and post camp travels. I would recommend that you take it with you. Not everyone had one of course, but i felt it was easier to stay in touch with people at home (text only cos the alls are expensive) and people at camp.

[these.city.lights]

thanks for the advice annknee, i shall probably take it. even if i dont get a sim.

[annknee]

Good choice - I really would reccommend the SIM card they sell at the CCUSA orientation it was something like $39 and included $30 call time. If you are in the slightest way dependant on your phone you will have no idea how much you will miss it! The CCUSA one is incredibly cheap to text as well - it costs ten cents even to text ome, which as I pointed out to everyone (as I was so impressed) means that it is cheaper to text m friends in the UK from the other side of the world (virtually) than it is if we were sitting next to each other. It did, however cost me about $15 for a ten nimute phone call home, and no matter what network you are on it will cost you to answer. Aslo it is worth noting that absolutely no pay and go sim card will work in the UK - i looked into it when i went back to the US in feb, but apparently they havent managed to figure out that technology yet - strange really!

[these.city.lights]

Yea I know. But its good though cos the carriers would probably charge a fortune. I shall pick up a sim card I think.

Has anyone any experience in the portable email devices they sell at orientation?

[these.city.lights]

Has anyone any experience in the portable email devices they sell at orientation?

I can answer my own quesion here and tell myself that they suck...

[Smudge]

that is funny!

[laurathistle]

Those portable e-mail devices suck These City Lights.

[Smudge]

We CA people aren't offered such devices - we get the eKit phonecard that wasnt anything special - that being said I haven't been to an orientation since 2002 - and I only went to that one because my friend was going so I went with her.

[laurathistle]

I think the eKit phone card is good. I am still using it to call the US. It is even cheaper if you use the number on the website rather than the one on the card. It costs me about £2.50 an hour and that is to a mobile. Sorry, cell!

[these.city.lights]

The ekit phone cards ARE really good! Even if you dont use the secret number. Which, btw Laura, I used on saturday to call a store in Washington, and I was given 220 minutes and I'm pretty sure I had already used some of the credit :)

Thanks for the tip, Laura. PS if anyone wants the number you can just ask or find it on the ekit site :)

[laurathistle]

What did I tell you! Oh, how you disbelieved and mocked me! Now you bow at my font of knowledge. Perhaps I will impart further perils of wisdom in the future..if you are nice to me!

[these.city.lights]

I'm always nice to you!
I do not remember this mocking!

Its all lies :(

[laurathistle]

Yes, there was definitely mocking. It began with comments like "boo hiss boo" and slowly progressed to insults questioning my mental health status and the like.