When I first moved to Stockholm, all I could notice were the differences between living in Sweden and living in the US. One of the things that at first confused and then amused me, was the regular need to take a number to wait for your place in line. I get that it’s very orderly and helpful, it was just not something that I was used to having to do at the doctor’s office, the bank, pharmacy, immigration services, deli and fish counters, for instance. It made me feel like a sheep.
The first time I went to Systembolaget (the state-run store where you have to purchase wine and other alcohol), it was one of the stores where all the alcohol is behind locked glass doors and you have to place your order with a cashier. And of course, I had to take a number before I could go to the cashier. I did not know any of that that.
After I had finally figured out what to do in terms of selecting wine, I picked a counter and went up to it. (Note that I was already sweating at this point because I was going to need to pronounce Swedish numbers.) Of course I now know that I was butting in line. But then, I did not. An old lady yelled at me. In Swedish. I’d only been here a few days, so I did not understand anything. The man working behind the counter luckily took pity on me and my confusion and pointed at the number machine. Then I had to wait my turn for a very. long. time. So you can imagine that I never made that mistake again. Now I take a number as soon as I walk in and then go and figure out what wine I want. It’s made life much easier.
{ 2 comments }
How embarrassing – but then it is possible to be confused even in your own country. When I first married I moved to a small village here in England where the butcher had his own abbattoir and kept all his meat out back. I walked in expecting to see rows of beautifully presented cuts of meat for me to choose from, as in a supermarket. Instead I got shouted at for not knowing exactly which joint I wanted and wasting his time – he would cut the meat as it was asked for! That was when I realised why the queue was so long.
Jane,
That’s a great story too. I would have no idea how to specify what meat cut I wanted! I would just have to “copy” someone else.
Comments on this entry are closed.