Culture Shock!

How does one write about Culture Shock? What does one write about Culture Shock? The first step, I would imagine, entails defining the “culture” which is doing the “shocking.” In this particular instance, I am defining the culture as “a certain member of the U.S. Banking system.”

As you have probably gathered from my previous blogs, my introduction to the city of Nice was one of being greeted with sunny smiles and beautiful weather which allayed my growing unease as a result of my experience with the “polite” ATM machines. My faculty adviser had thoughtfully placed an array of food items in the petite refrigerator, so I had no need to engage in the hunt for food on a Sunday afternoon. (Thank you, Madame!!)

Once the tour of my new home for the year was completed, I explained my experiences with the polite ATM machine in the States and with the currency exchange clerk in Zurich and that I had around 100 Euros total (taking into account the splurge of a cup of coffee at the airport in Zurich).

Given the full schedule of activities planned those first few days in Nice, which included a wonderful luncheon prepared and hosted by my Faculty Adviser, a tour of the city (my favorite: The Garden at the Monastery of Cimiez), and that I had arrived on a Sunday, the conclusion reached was “give the bank a few days.”

As agreed, I “gave the bank a few days,” and I plunged wholeheartedly into getting to know my “hood” or “ mon quartier.”

Would you like to know more? Stay tuned . . . Same Bat Time . . . Same Bat Channel.

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Destination: Nice

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember much at all about the flight from Zurich to Nice. I remember the layover. The landing was uneventful, and maneuvering with the heaviest carry on bags I thought I could manage was becoming less onerous. Having a couple of hours until my flight departed and refreshed from the night's sleep, I thought taking a walk around the terminal would be energizing (along with a cup of coffee).

I found it interesting the first “fast food” chain I happened to lay eyes on was Burger King!! There are not so many Burger Kings in the Washington, D.C. Area. The chain is more visible in Miami, which I believe is the home of its corporate offices. There were the usual luxury item boutiques, but I didn't explore them mainly because of the baggage I was carrying.

I soon spotted a currency exchange counter, and once again, I attempted to withdraw funds. This time, there was a real person, but the result was a repeat of the encounter I had with the polite ATM machine: Transaction Denied!!! It was at this point that my anxiety level was raised to the level of total alarm. I had no problems using my card just prior to departing Miami. I had informed the bank (who confirmed my status) prior to my departure to ensure there would be no misunderstandings. Yet, once again, I received the message “Transaction Denied,” but at least the clerk was kind.

Determined to remain calm (along with the knowledge I was unlikely to reach a person at said bank on a Sunday morning/Saturday night), I resorted to the past time of people watching. Curious to know how Europeans dress, I found a nice spot to people watch. Khaki colored trousers that zip off at the knee to convert to knee-length shorts seemed to be quite popular with both sexes. A few fashionably casually dressed businessmen types strolled by. The majority of the ladies were dressed with comfort in mind, but there was the occasional fashionista teetering by on high heels.

It wasn't long before the announcement came that my flight was ready to board . . .

Would you like to know more? Stay tuned … Same Bat Time... Same Bat channel.

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