"You're a Foreigner. You're going to get ripped off. Full Stop."

Angela said this to me the other day. We were hiking and I was talking about how tiring it is to have to concentrate so hard not to get ripped off by people.  That was her answer. "You're a Foreigner. You're going to get ripped off. Full Stop." All in her lovely Welsh accent.  She added, "It's the national pass time, isn't it?" And then she proceeded to tell me that everywhere they've lived it's been the same. It made me feel a bit better really; that I'm not just stupid, or some overly smiley American looking like an easy target. It happens to everyone.

What happens usually is this. I stop to buy some fruit, and ask for 1 kilo. The man at the stand measures out more than one kilo, talking all the time, "Is this okay? 1.4 kilos?" It's already in the bag at this point, and he's using his calculator to figure out the cost. Then he shows me the calculator, and I pay it. I get into the car, feeling slightly uneasy, as if I've forgotten something. I have-- the rest of my money!! Damn-- happened again. I am always adding in my head on the ride home, realizing too late that I've been had again.

At lunch one day (have I become a lady who lunches? It's the end of school and people are leaving, so I've been lunching a bit more to say my goodbyes.) people were talking about being ripped off. One woman told us when they first arrived her husband was unclear on the currency, and paid a taxi driver 30,000 forint instead of 3000 forint (about $150 US dollars instead of $15) Her husband apologized for not having a tip to give the driver. The driver looked disappointed and said "It's okay...."  Another woman said she repeatedly got ripped off at the gas station. She would give them a 20000 forint note (we all agreed we hated them because of the potential to lose a lot of money in one go). She said the cashier would count out the change to make it up to 10000, but not give the other 10000 note. She'd drive away and then realize it. But too late. The cashier had No Idea what she was talking about.

Last week, I gave Nate a 20000 note at the gas station. We put 10000 of gas into the tank and he and Jack each wanted an ice cream. I said "Count the Change!!" He came back to the car and said that the change was wrong (Well, he had counted it, just not done anything about it when it was wrong.) Not that I blame him-- it's hard to speak up and you question whether you're really in the wrong. We went into the gas station to talk to the attendant. She looked perfectly lovely and respectable. I showed her the money, and said "Nem jol." I'm usually much more articulate than this.... My limited Hungarian really makes it hard to have a conversation. "Not good" or "Not right" is all I could come up with. She said something that I had NO IDEA about, probably swearing at me the whole time, and looked like we were all set now, and that I should leave. I said it again, "Nem jol." Then I actually managed to say "ten thousand for gas, and 2 ice cream." I fanned the money out again and said "Nem jol." She handed over 1 thousand forint. I said "Thank You." and left.

I feel triumphant!!! I realized it BEFORE we drove away. A first!!!!