tirsdag 24. juni 2008

Shopping, Czech style!

Well. You probably all know that I'm a typical nordic person. Blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin. And every summer I do the same mistake. I never learn! I really wanted to have my time in the sun today. And I got burned. I'm look like a new-boiled lobster. Pink, someone?

So, what to do? A good idea is to buy some sunscreen. And aftersun. So I went shopping! And you know what? The drugstore had both aftersun and sunscreen left! SPF 16 on the sunscreen, perfect! The seller showed the bottle to me, and asked if this was the one I desired. Yes, thanks, I'll take that! How much does it cost? It's the last one. It's not for sale!

This is typically czech. A year ago, two of my schoolmates went to buy dresses for the big faculty ball. They found the perfect dresses. Krasny, krasny, the seller said. Good, we'll take those! Not for sale!

The people of Czech Republic doesn't understand capitalism...

And by the way, I failed my histo final today. I'll make it on the retake. I hope.

5 kommentarer:

Anonym sa...

That's strange, indeed!

Somehow they seem to think that it's better for business to keep the last bottle than to sell it. They might be right, but it's still odd behaviour.

I would be convinced I was on candid camera if that happened in Sweden.

Anonym sa...

I would say you just didnt get what the shop asssistent was trying to tell you, both stories are improbable to happen, Czech people arent that weird after all.

Or is your Czech after one year of learning it so perfect?

BTW its your right to be open and express your opinion on life in the Czech rep, but I dont think you know this country and people so good and I feel Czech people would find many of your remarks offensive and unfair (because of your ignorance), youre not staying now in some underdeveloped third world counntry, are you?

Good luck with your exams and nice holidays.

Astrid sa...

Fantastic! You're welcome to my read my perception of czech republic and the people of this country.

No, my czech is far from perfect. But the situation was not to mistake. I asked for sunscreen, the shop assistant showed a bottle to me (the very last one on the shelf), and I asked for the price. It costed 156 KC, I think.. Yes, please, I'll by that one. And then she said: No! I know that this doesn't happen in big shops, and probably not in Prague. But it surly happend in my "hometown". My best friend here (also norwegian, second year) was there with me. She is supposed to take her czech final exam these days.

Also a third norwegian student here confirm this habit of shop assistants in smaller shops and drugstores here. She is the best in czech in her class (second year, too), and even got a czech boyfriend...

Czech repulic is not an underdeveloped contry. But it's very different from what I'm used to, in some situations. And these "unnormal" situations is those who makes it to my blog, you see?

If you have read most of my posts here, you'll see that I also write about situations which where people react somehow normal, but where the situation itself is uncommon.

You know it from the news.. Ordinary situations never makes the headlines..

/M sa...

The last one, not for sale?
Hahaha, allow me to laugh.
Kunden har alltid rätt.
Punkt. ^^

Anonym sa...

i think they do it from a syndrome called "will-not-sell-it-to-you-itis"..something they get from rashes caused by foreigners ;)