An experience of dealing with banks in London

I left the University for my first appointment in the UK. This transaction is important for me because I need to open a bank account for my convenient living here. Thanks to Mr. Steve's permission, I had much time to go to the Lloyds' branch in Commercial Road which took me about 1 hour and a quarter traveling from the University by all means of transportation: on foot, by bus, by overground train, by DLR train and by bus again. When I met a "big" lady, I thought she was over 50 years old, working for that bank, a difficulty arose. I think it is a stupid situation I have never witnessed before. As you know, this difficulty stemmed from my name. It is clear that my name is written differently in Vietnamese and English: NGUYEN NHU DUC, compared with NHU DUC NGUYEN as in English. The bank lady looked at my passport and also the University letter of introduction. Unfortunately, she discovered the difference between two ways of writing my name as above. She asked me again about my surname. "NGUYEN is my surname" - I answered. It looked differently because It was written by different ways - in Vietnamese and English, I explained.

She then walked out to consult her senior manager, I guessed. About 7 or 8 minutes later, She got back and talked with me about my case that my name should have been written or copied exactly the same like It was done in my passport, therefore, She asked me to bring back another letter of introduction with a changed name on it. She ignored every explanation that I tried, at the end, I felt very angry with the way of doing business like this in the UK. I think she is as conservative as Great Britain, maybe with this kind of conservativeness, Great Britain is becoming the Great Backwardness in EU in particular, and even it will be facing a collapse some day in the future. I saw her eyes and attitude showing that she wanted to see me off immediately when I said angrily: "The letter is not wrong, my name is written right in English and Vietnamese". At that moment, I wished my English was so good that I could express my anger softly. I left the bank in a bad mood, but I could not do anything to make the situation better. Even if I spoke more, the situation would have deteriorated. So I'd better leave. Oh, my God.

I came back the University and got another letter of introduction to Lloyds bank with the changed name as I wished. I decided not to come back the bank branch of Lloyds TSB in Commercial Road. I wandered around to ask somebody how I could find a Lloyds bank branch near the University. Finally, I got the answer: there is one at the beginning of Holloway Road. Fortunately, I went there and got another appointment easily, but on next Wednesday, at 3.00 pm. It is likely that I am not lucky and maybe, I was browbeaten in a civilised and highly developed country with "a good record of human rights and nondiscrimination" in the world. Even in my dream, I would not be able to think of that situation. But it is a fact now, and I have to accept that because it is the UK. I do not know if Mr. Steve has ideas about this situation. I went back home late in the afternoon with some confused thoughts about the UK and its businesspersons. In short, today, I had traveled a lot, 5 hours by London transportation means: foot, bus, train, and the result: an 0. Tomorrow, I will go somewhere, maybe some historical landmarks of London to witness the greatness of the UK. Maybe, it will be a different Great Britain tomorrow.