def get_int(c):
    if(c == 'a'):
        return (200 + ord(c))

    if(c == 'e'):
        return (250 + ord(c))

    if(c == 'i'):
        return (300 + ord(c))

    if(c == 'o'):
        return (350 + ord(c))

    if(c == 'u'):
        return (400 + ord(c))

    return ord(c)

def get_name_meter(name,  cache={}):

    if name in cache: 
        return cache[name]

    print('getting from expensive calculation')

    chars = list(name) # name.split won't return chars

    meter = 0
    for c in chars:

        meter += get_int(c)

    cache[name] = result = meter
    return result

get_name_meter('Toronto')

getting from expensive calculation





1807

get_name_meter('Canada')

getting from expensive calculation





1168

get_name_meter('Montreal')

getting from expensive calculation





1634

get_name_meter('Montreal')

1634