Thought I had seen a thread on this topic but could not find it. Mods, feel free to move this to the appropriate place. Where are the most unique/remote places that you have exchanged I-L-L and I-N-I with someone? I just had one in line at the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam with someone in a Marching Illini sweatshirt.
Worldwide Illini
illini_minas
- Cary, NC
About 18 years ago I was wearing an Illini hat on the Acropolis walking toward the Parthenon in Athens. I passed by an elderly couple and got an "I-L-L". Totally caught me off guard and it took me a second to respond with "I-N-I".
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Last August 10, my husband and I (and our two Illini best friends) were at an outside cafe next to the sidewalk by the wharf (Lussen) in Stockholm, Sweden, and my husband yelled, “I-L-L” to a couple walking past us because the guy was wearing Illini gear. So when my husband yelled “I-L-L,” they had already walked past us, but they turned around and came back answering in unison, “I-N-I.” I asked them where they were from, and they said, "West Lafayette." I said, “And you're not Purdue fans?” And the guy said, "We hate Purdue.” The gal said, “We've learned to hate Purdue.” And then she said softly, “Our son is the AD.” I didn't think I heard her right, and I said, "Wait. You mean Josh Whitman is your son?" And the gal said, "Yes." I said, "Oh, my gosh. We LOVE Josh!" I tried to get them to join us and said we’d buy them a drink, but they said no...they stayed and talked for a good 10-15 minutes. They were staying in our same hotel. The next morning we saw them again as we were leaving the hotel and Sweden for Norway, and they were super friendly. It was SO cool! Illini Nation is everywhere!
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Shanghai, 2007. I was wearing an Illini baseball cap and got 2 I-L-L's on the SAME DAY!!! (from different people)