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Girlfriend United States |
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Colin Clake - US Trainee Hyperinflation can be a pain in the arse, but most of us here are millionaires every month. One of the advantages of being a foreigner is that people look at you differently.� At a sales meeting, for no apparent reason other than that I am foreign the prospect asked if I was running the company while our General Manager was out of the country.� Of course my answer, "I'm in Romania full time, our General Manager is currenlty alternating between countries" didn't exactly allude her to the fact that I am only a trainee. As a foreigner you are also an easy target for a scam.� There is only one person less punctual than a Romanian, and that is Mayra, an Ecuadorian trainee who doesn't even own a watch.� A bus conductor tried to fine her 600,000 Lei for having an invalide ticket.� Although her ticket was valid, even if it wasn't the real fine for such an offence is 150,000 Lei. Last weekend I woke up to somebody banging on my door.� Still half asleep I stumbled out of bed, pulled up my boxers, and opened the door.� A very shady character in a garbage man's uniform, asked me for something.� "Sorry mate, I don't speak Romanian." In perfect English the garbage man replied "I am responsible for the apartment maintenance, it is contribution time, I need 300,00 Lei." Sure you are I thought.� "You do a great job Tiger, keep it up.� But I am just renting here, you'll have to take it up with the landlod." "I need a 50,000 Lei contribution for the apartment maintenance."� The first rule to remember in sales is to never drop your price immediately.� You look desperate. "Mate, I am sorry but I can't help you.� You are going to have to take it up with the landlord.� I'm going back to bed."� I shut the door and left him in the corridor to proceed with the neighbours. Kevin and Colin have also had numerous shady encounters, Mormons, pimps, and passport scams, just to name a few.� Here is Keven's version of the time they were detained by the military and acused of being CIA: It was a beautiful night, full moon, slight breeze, and just a couple of clouds in the sky.� We were on a street we'd never been on before and looming just over a hill was a 19th century German style mansion.� The perfect opportunity to take a photograph. Two heavily armed guards came running across the street and began yelling in Romanian.� "We're American tourists we are just here for a couple of months.� What's wrong?"� The guard continued to berate us in Romanian.� I pleaded, "We don't speak Romanian." The guard responded in a deep monotone voice, "I don't believe you, come with me." I nervously asked the less senior of the two guards, "Are we in trouble?" "Yes!"� They took us to the local headquarters where they woke up their superior officer.� After taking our contact details and making several phone calls they eventually sent us home with a slap on the wrist and a verbal reprimand. Last week I asked Kevin and Colin, "Why are we living in this country?"� Neither of them replied.� I don't know either.� Maybe it is for the experience.� Maybe we see it as a challenge.� Maybe we feel like we can make a difference.� I would like to think I can make a difference. No matter what the reason is I have grown to like Bucharest enough to miss it.� Colin leaves tonight, back to his GIRLFRIEND in the UNITED STATES, and we are all going to miss him.� Well maybe not all of us.� The Romanians who he continually insults might be glad to see him go.� But Kevin and I will.� We love your obnoxious humour.� So mate, if you ever miss starting your conversations with I have GIRLFRIEND UNITED STATES, and feel the urge to travel again, maybe you should track me down for a beer.� Perhaps Portugal, I hear there is a great Sports Marketing company there. |
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