Paperwork must be my least favourite word. I hate pushing it around other people and I hate having to go through the torturous process (and often people who can't smile and don't know what they are doing-Keeping in mind that they are likely not smiling because they themselves spend their lives pushing around paper.) Luckily, Having once lived in Qatar, I have built a resilience to strange and inefficient procedures. If I can handle that, I can do just about anything!:)
I have to say that my last two days have not been as much frustrating as amusing. I got a job and want to open a bank account. Seems easy enough, right? You just go to a local branch and ask to open an account!!!! Well, in France, you need a rendezvous to open a bank account. That's when I have to explain that three weeks from now is simply not good enough since without a bank account here, you can't anything from getting a gym membership to finding a place to live. That's when the bank clerk explains to me that I can do all of it over the phone but the only disadvantage is, I can't go to the bank to do my banking..."You mean I never have to leave my house to do this tedious -pain in my behind- stuff? Hmmmm... hardly seems like a disadvantage!!!"
So, I go home and I call and I get an answer that goes " Hello, Welcome to HSBC telephone banking. How may I help you?"
ME: "Hi, I'd like to open a bank account?
AGENT: "Do you have an appointment?"
To speak to customer service representative...essentially...I need to book time.
Well I did finally get my banking appointment and I suppose it is small price to pay when you consider that every morning I get to eat fresh baked baguette from the bakery and the awesome wine is as cheap as water!:) At least, after a day of getting my feet blistered and running from one government bureau to another, my glass of Cab Sav is waiting for me when I get home!
I have to say that my last two days have not been as much frustrating as amusing. I got a job and want to open a bank account. Seems easy enough, right? You just go to a local branch and ask to open an account!!!! Well, in France, you need a rendezvous to open a bank account. That's when I have to explain that three weeks from now is simply not good enough since without a bank account here, you can't anything from getting a gym membership to finding a place to live. That's when the bank clerk explains to me that I can do all of it over the phone but the only disadvantage is, I can't go to the bank to do my banking..."You mean I never have to leave my house to do this tedious -pain in my behind- stuff? Hmmmm... hardly seems like a disadvantage!!!"
So, I go home and I call and I get an answer that goes " Hello, Welcome to HSBC telephone banking. How may I help you?"
ME: "Hi, I'd like to open a bank account?
AGENT: "Do you have an appointment?"
To speak to customer service representative...essentially...I need to book time.
Well I did finally get my banking appointment and I suppose it is small price to pay when you consider that every morning I get to eat fresh baked baguette from the bakery and the awesome wine is as cheap as water!:) At least, after a day of getting my feet blistered and running from one government bureau to another, my glass of Cab Sav is waiting for me when I get home!
