Today's Culture Shock

In Ulaanbaatar clothing shops, they make the most of their space. No big fancy fitting rooms with doors, that's too much sq. footage. Many shops are in a flea market kind of arrangement. And at those you have a friend hold up a coat or something for you to change behind... yup. Today we were in a place one level up from that. They had a cubby in the wall with a curtain hanging at half way. I didn't realize it and turned as a man with no shirt on stood up....

We were out hunting for an ink cartridge for my office printer. We looked in over 7 stores, no luck. Finally Chaz relented and we caught a cab back to the part of town we just moved out of. We went to the printer store. I showed a picture and the salesgirl told me no, they didn't have any. I assumed lack of language and kept browsing the store. Eureka! JOY BLiSS!! I found my printer cartridges! Exactly what I need and they had several! I planned to purchase two. I came with cash! These are fairly expense replacement cartridges, not the refillable kind. This is an upscale, for business store, praise God I found it finally!

I called her over, showed her what I need and asked for two! She looks at me and says "tomorrow". ..

Seriously?!??!

I have been walking for two hours in and out of stores, finally cabbing, and you want me to come back tomorrow!??

No amount of persistence was able to change her mind. I asked her to call someone and get a price. She went and conferred and they all agreed that was not possible. I was my most demanding, American, entitled shopper self. "Come back tomorrow."

Since it's the ONLY place selling my particular brand of cartridge, we'll be buying it from them anyway.

Ridiculous!

Jean

June 4, 2017