+jmj+
Quick story before I leave for Switzerland. Yesterday, I was at a store trying to buy contact solution, but I had momentarily forgotten my PIN for my credit card. I had three attempts to correctly guess it, but with no luck. I didn't have any cash, so I went to my ATM just down the street to quickly withdraw some money, hoping the little walk would re-inspire my PIN.
I did successfully remember my PIN when I got to the ATM, but instead of kindly spitting out some euros, it ate my card! Apparently, because I had previously (but very briefly) forgotten my PIN, it thought that I had stolen my own card. Or something like that. So I freaked out for a moment, then gathered myself to go inside and explain what had happened, and beg for my card back. Going on vacation without a credit card was not what I was looking forward to!
So I went into the bank, and explained to the man at the counter that my card had disappeared into the ATM. Sensing my accent, he began speaking to me in very slow sentences of only 3 or 4 words. Now, I have dealt with too many French people speaking in very fast French in the past few months. I can hold my own in an argument and manage to get my way, but this man assumed I was a tourist with very little French. I was not offended, but rather amused. I was responding to him in very clear, professional French and yet he still treated me like a toddler. He demonstrated everything that I had to do (you know, in case I could not understand his already simplified French). It was almost harder to understand actually, than if he had been rambling away in slang.
I was basically told I had to come back the next day and prove my identity to pick up my card. Which I did, thankfully, so that I wouldn't have to leave for vacation without a means of paying for myself! So now I am officially off to catch the first of many trains for the next week!
pax christi.
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