BCE

"Sallust lived from 86 BCE until 35 BCE." The professor has to shout to beat the perpetual ringing of sirens. "Does everybody know what BCE means?" "It's probably Before Christ with an extra 'e'," I tell myself without speaking up. "Has anyone never heard this term before?" she asks. I decide to be honest, and raise my hand.

"It's short for before common era," the professor says. "Ah, now I get it, very politically correct," I say in a laughing voice. The girl in front of me turns around and gives me an angry look. "After all, the Romans weren't Christians either of course," the professor says without even a hint of irony. Being politically correct is no joke in the US.

I dropped the Sallust-course. Luckily there are a few other (British!) professors around who do still have the heart to refer to the year of the Lord. Amen.