And I was feeling so comfy and confident, like people might mistake me for an Australian until I start talking. So I went to pay at the grocery store, and as I'm holding my card out to the guy, he goes "Cash out?" What does that mean? Was he asking if I want to pay in cash, even though I was holding my card out to him? Was he asking if that was definitely the last of my groceries to confirm it was time to cash out/close out my bill, even though my grocery basket was clearly empty and done? Or was he asking if I wanted cash back? This is how the conversation went:
Grocer: "Cash out?"
Me: "Um.... what?"
Grocer: "Cash out?"
Me: "...sorry, I can't hear you."
Grocer: "Cash out?"
Me: "Come again?"
Grocer: "CASH OUT?"
I thought maybe he'd add more words if I kept asking, but no. So then I was just like "um... just please take my card."
And I'd thought I'd gotten a hang of paying by card already. The process everywhere else seems to be; "Debit or credit?" Credit. "PIN or sign?" Sign. Easy. This guy didn't even ask me PIN or sign. He just put the keypad out in front of me for me to put in my PIN, and I don't know my credit card PIN, so I had to ask "Can I sign?" This guy just totally threw me off my game. I don't think I can shop there again.
But this was my first opportunity for a real thorough grocery shopping experience, so now I have food! Like actual meat and vegetables and stuff, yay! I no longer have to deal with cheap pasta and crappy stir-through sauce, or "just add water" curry pasta. (the little grocery store right next to me is quite crap)
Real food! And now I shall feast.
I don't know what that means either! Do you have an account at an Australian bank? If you get one of their cards, maybe you'll figure it out?
ReplyDeleteHow far is the nice grocery store from your apt.? Did you have a long walk carrying all your groceries?
I'm just using my HSBC Bermuda card. I don't think I'll get an Australian one. If anyone else asks me "Cash out?", I think next time I'll be upfront and saying "I'm sorry, I'm new here and we don't use that term where I come from. What does that mean?"
ReplyDeleteThat grocery store is like a 10 minute walk, no big deal. There is one in the city that's pretty close to the train station, though, so I think I might use that more often and just pick stuff up after work when I'm on my way home.
Haha, that's the worst... the same thing happened to me in Jamaica when I didn't understand the woman at the register and she just kept repeating the same thing, only louder. Arghhh...
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