Saturday, April 09, 2005

My Name Isn't Luka

When you go shopping in the local markets, the vendors each occupy a closet-sized space where they hawk their wares. Imagine a 5-story indoor flea-market where no one speaks your language, but will attempt to attract foreigners by yelling, "Looka! Looka!" or "Lady!Lady!" Vendors will often grab your elbow and forcefully pull you into their area, ask you to pay 10 times what a local would pay (yet still cheaper than the States) and then argue that their boss would be upset with them if they gave it to you at the price you wanted (which is still more than the locals pay).

What I think is most humorous is that a lot of vendors know the word "sir," but "ma'am" is always replaced by "lady." So as I walk down the aisle with my wife I hear:

"Sir, you like wallet?"
"Lady, Lady, looka, buy this purse."

Very subtle.

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