The project over, we have moved on to Vienna. We needed to get some Euros and were looking around for an ATM machine. Today, banking is international, it isn't necessary to visit a bank to exchange money. We use our American money cards to withdraw from our American accounts, and we get the local currency. The fees are pretty similar whatever way we change money.
I figured I could communicate-- my grandparents were German speakers, and I heard a lot of the language as a child. Besides, the sound system of German is easier for an English speaker than Czech's, and its vocabulary more similar.
So checking Rick Steven's German Phrasebook, I approached a gentleman and say carefully "Vo ist ein Bankomat ?"
The guy chuckled and responded "You'll find an ATM over there." Is it any wonder why we Americans are so lax about learning other people's languages?
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Vo ist ein Bankomat?
The project over, we have moved on to Vienna. We needed to get some Euros and were looking around for an ATM machine. Today, banking is international, it isn't necessary to visit a bank to exchange money. We use our American money cards to withdraw from our American accounts, and we get the local currency. The fees are pretty similar whatever way we change money.
I figured I could communicate-- my grandparents were German speakers, and I heard a lot of the language as a child. Besides, the sound system of German is easier for an English speaker than Czech's, and its vocabulary more similar.
So checking Rick Steven's German Phrasebook, I approached a gentleman and say carefully "Vo ist ein Bankomat ?"
The guy chuckled and responded "You'll find an ATM over there." Is it any wonder why we Americans are so lax about learning other people's languages?
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