Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Bank

Bank-October
On the Bank application there is checklist to determine if we have any personal limitations.
Some of the conditions you may check are:
Are you…
·         Blind
·         Illiterate
·         A Veiled woman!!!
The whole process of trying to open a bank account is a lesson in patience.
There was one chair available and the banker invited Phil to sit down.  There was no acknowledgement of my existence. I know this is culturally appropriate; however it just doesn’t  feel right. After spending about 40 minutes filling out forms, the banker told us, “Too many customers. I’ll try later to open your account.  Inshaalla.  God willing.  Mabye Monday.  I will try. Inshaalla.”
(it was Wednesday when we were there.)
After waiting a week, we went back in. There was no recollection that we had even filled out the paper work. So we started over again. It’s just the Saudi way. Everything has to be done many times. Once we completed the applications, Phil received his bank card about week later. Not me. We had to fill out an application again. When I went in to retrieve my bank card, he asked me (because I was alone, I presume he could talk to me) if I had filled out the application. I replied, “Yes, twice.” He asked me again. I repeated myself.  He couldn’t find it, so he looked in the mail on his desk, and lo and behold, Inshaalla, it was there.  Everything requires so much labor and persistence, that even the small accomplishments like getting a bank card, seem like a monumental triumph.  Above all, we must have a sense of humor or else we would go mad.

1 comment:

  1. Hello Liane! Merry Christmas to you and Phil. I do enjoy reading your posts. Anyway, I wanted to say hello and send you our annual Christmas letter. Please stay in touch!

    http://elfandmoose2010.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete