28.6.07
everything has a price
Today I went to the bike shop to fix something with my bike. The guy quoted me a price and said he'll do it while I wait. About 30 seconds later has this proposal: "Instead of that, how about I do it for two tall Budweisers?" Aha! The bartering system! I am very familiar with that. I did just come back from the 3rd world, after all.It was a great deal for both of us.
posted by a girl @ 15:13
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27.6.07
welcome back to new york
There is something special about coming back to New York after travelling for a while. Last time I was gone for a significant period of time, I flew into Newark with $5 in my pocket and an empty stomach. I calculated bus fare and went to one of those overpriced airport delis."What can I get for 3 dollars and 50 cents?" I asked the guys. I was used to London attitudes. To my complete suprise, they opened up a plastic bag and started filling it with stuff: water, chips, a sandwich... It was such a warm welcome to the country!
The next day, I had a huge culture shock when I went into a supermarket in Bay Ridge and saw people who were so overweight, they had to move around using one of those mechanical carts. There were other culture shocks that followed, but one at Newark Airport was definitely the best one.
A couple of days ago I returned from another longish period of travel. At immigration, the guy looked at my passport.
"You're from ______ [former USSR republic] ?"
"Yes."
"I meet all these girls from ______ on the internet. They all want money. The first thing I tell them is, you're not getting any money from me!"
"You should tell them you don't trust them."
"Yeah... welcome back!"
posted by a girl @ 14:44
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