I am an idiot. I bought some apples from a street vendor. He totally cheated me. It was the first time I'd done this. I was walking home from running an errand. I needed to get some apples. I didn't want to go to the grocery store with the hundreds of people and enormous lines. I had happened to walk by this guy and the fruits and veggies looked good. No one else was there. A quick stop and I could be on my way.
I forgot where I was and that in Marrakech they try to steal you blind and that you need to haggle. He told me the price and I was shocked by it, 42 dhirams which is about $5 and about 4 times what it should be. (I know Garren, I'm a moron) I can only justify my stupidity in paying this price with the explanation that I usually go to the grocery store where the prices are fixed and I just came back in London where I have no need to haggle. I stupidly paid him while still puzzling over the price and not realizing I needed to dispute it. As I walked away I immediately became angry at myself as I realized I'd played the role of the stupid foreigner perfectly.
In the scheme of things it's only $5 which if I was going to be robbed blind $5 is not the end of the world, but I just hate that I have to haggle (read argue/have a confrontation) with people. I hate that they just can't give me a fair price and let me be on my way. Maybe I'm just a naive Westerner (or really an avoid confrontation at all costs type of person) but I hate that buying a few apples can turn into a whole ordeal. Next time I'll let it turn into a whole ordeal. Next time I will be prepared for them to try to treat me like a dumb foreigner. Next time they had better watch out.
Next time I will go to the grocery store even with its immense lines to avoid having to deal with this.
ugh. idiot.
Aw. Man, I would SUCK in a haggling culture. I too hate the confrontations.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay, remember Garren's vaseline? It just takes a few moments like these to adjust to such a different place. By the time we come visit you, you'll be so entrenched there that you'll make us haggle you for how many pillow mints you give us.
you know what we have here in the states? free apples. yes, that's right. FREE. all you have to do is pay the 5 thousand to move all your stuff back. 5K or $5. i think you see the better deal.
ReplyDeleteon the plus side you'll be in Prague in a matter of days. No more haggling for awhile. Just really cold weather and really hearty food. You'll love it! Have a Mandarin Passion cocktail for me...I was obsessed with them when we stayed there.
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