Friday, December 28, 2007

beszél angolul?

Doing any task that we would consider a rather simple procedure back home is no longer such a simple procedure. I have written many such posts about these sorts of things previously, such as figuring out how to work the washing machine or the oven, going to the grocery store and shopping for food, or navigating your way by car on unfamiliar roads in a foreign language. The list could go on and on as I am constantly learning new things as I try doing new things while being unable to speak the language. Fortunately I am able to laugh through most of it!

Today we had such another adventure that actually turned out okay. We went to buy a new fridge using our landlord's money. We knew which one we wanted, but finding someone who spoke English at Electro World was another story. We are getting fairly good at asking "Beszél angolul?" We received many "Nem" replies, and we weren't exactly sure how we were going to buy the fridge and communicate that we needed it delivered to our flat. Then there was a customer in the store who came up to us and said, "What do you need?" He must have overheard us asking every sales person in the store if they spoke English. (By the way, where are the sales people when you actually need them? They are swarming around you all the time when you don't need them, but then when you need some help, they are no where to be found!) We told him that we wanted to buy a fridge and have it delivered. He had to go but before he did, he communicated that to a sales woman who ran around like crazy then trying to find the one sales person she discovered who spoke English. We are indebted to that good Samaritan who helped us out. I don't think we would have walked away having accomplished that huge task tonight without his help. Electro World can't deliver the fridge until next Saturday, but I am just SO thrilled to be getting a new one. And I have to say that getting things delivered here is considerably cheaper. It only cost $15 or so!

3 comments:

Aimee said...

YAY for new refrigerators! :) Glad you guys were able to get one ordered... even if it won't be there right away. How cool is it that God provides an English-speaking person JUST when you need him?! I'm sure you many more stories like that to share :) Love you!

Kristin said...

Kristen, you have such a good attitude about all the difficulties you face. Thank you for sharing and being a great example to me!

Nina said...

It's soooo true about Sales people!! Lowe's and Home Depot are the worst (personal experiences clearly). They assume a girl in a store like that must need help and yet when you truly have a question it turns out you know more than they do---and, yes, i do know the difference between a tool box and a tool chest. (And I now know who is the tool!)