I'm past 30. I grew up (29 yrs) in stick city. How far? no electricity no paved roads. Just a few farm familiies and a gas station/post office. We were largely cut off every winter.
I'm in the city now. I'm learning what you take for granted. I shop the supermarket now, can't believe how intimidated I once was.
I shop the dept store for clothes what a selection!
Recently was treated to a bar visit, when to pay, how much and when to tip, I got it down now.
More to learn...movie house, resturants simple, resturants fancy. The pace seems so fast at B king etc, I picture myself being too slow looking foolish.
So imagine you're explaining to a complete alien being, what's the detailed procedure for eating at plain and fancy places. where do you sit, when do you pay.
I wish the local movie house was small, but it shows 10 movies at once, it's huge.
Originally posted by Basic
I'm past 30. I grew up (29 yrs) in stick city. How far? no electricity no paved roads. Just a few farm familiies and a gas station/post office. We were largely cut off every winter.
I'm in the city now. I'm learning what you take for granted. I shop the supermarket now, can't believe how intimidated I once was.
I shop the dept store for clothes what a selection!
Recently was treated to a bar visit, when to pay, how much and when to tip, I got it down now.
More to learn...movie house, resturants simple, resturants fancy. The pace seems so fast at B king etc, I picture myself being too slow looking foolish.
So imagine you're explaining to a complete alien being, what's the detailed procedure for eating at plain and fancy places. where do you sit, when do you pay.
I wish the local movie house was small, but it shows 10 movies at once, it's huge.
Thank You new neighbors
Wow, where did you grow up that had no electricity? Somewhere way up north?
Do you have any close friend who could go with you to these places and kind of show you the ropes? You can also learn a lot just by watching what other people do.
How can a "no electricity no paved roads. Just a few farm familiies and a gas station/post office. We were largely cut off every winter" be called a city? Sounds more like a small village to me.
Well anyway, Basic I am happy you found your home in a bigger city. I am a "concrete child" and love huge cities with high buildings.
To the rest, Better for me to say I grew up off the power grid. Public utilities not avaliable.
Our electric came from hydro, wind and a little solar. We had propane as well.
Frankly my home/ semi public education is much better than public education. I know my computers very well.
I'll give you an example of what I was trying to say. My 1st day at work, I had to find and read the instructions posted on the sandwich vend machine (Yes! I have met soda machines before, there everywhere) It took me a full minute to get my sandwich, it took the next guy 3 seconds.
I just hate looking slow-dumb when doing things for the 1st time.
I'm not going to ask anyone face to face to show me, look at the jokes here.
Ok, I walk into say Wendy's order a burger and coke, then find a seat. I assume I paid up front, do I leave a tip?
It's my understanding that at better places I find a seat, order there....do I pay at the seat to? Do I finish the meal B4 paying or pay 1st. Definatly a tip, but how much?
You don't tip at fast food joints and yes, you pay up front.
In restaurants (often they have a sign up that says, "Wait to be seated," but not all the time), you are seated, order there, eat and then the bill comes. You usually pay the bill to the waiter/waitress/server, but not all the time. It tends to be the places like Denny's (diner type restaurants) where you would go up to the counter to pay when you are finished. This paying business isn't always clear to the rest of us either...
Tips should be 15% (I assume you are in the US). I have waited tables, therefore I always tip 20%. Unless you get really bad service then you can make it 0 to 10%, depending on how truly awful it was. I've only left 0% once at the age of 36.
Tips go to hairstylists, servers and taxi cab drivers. Oh, valet parkers, bartenders, and the guys at the airport and the hotel who carry your luggage too.
Depending on where you live, a movie ticket can cost anywhere between $8 (matinee) and $15 a piece. That's just where I live though.
Hope this helps. Oh, I have been to places such as you've described, so I've chosen to take you seriously. They (off the power grid) do exist in the states, and lots of other places around the world.
Shamen gave some great tips. If you have more questions, just ask, don't feel bad. I think the only reason you got some of the responses you initially got was because on the internet/forums like these, it's surely not uncommon for people to post strange things and try to pull our chains.
Don't feel badly if it takes you longer to do things that most people can do quickly...it's all about learning and once you've done something once I'm sure you'll be much quicker at it the next time! People watching is a good way to learn, too..........
Don't be hard on yourself, either - when you live in a big city, nobody really pays too much attention to one another, you know? and if you do something wrong or screw up, chances are you'll never see those people again anyway....just laugh it off and don't let it hold you back.
I'm in my mid 30s, in a profession where I have to be very assertive, I didn't grow up a place like you did.....but yet there's still things I've never yet done (and everyone else has been doing forever) and I'll avoid doing those things because I don't want to make a fool of myself - I think most people are like that to some degree.
Do you have any friends or family where you live now? It's often easier to learn new things when you're with someone you trust - you can learn things together.
Thank You both very much. Yes, I'm US born and raised. I'm along way from home so family and friends aren't an option right now.
There's a Subway store near work that I wouldn't mind grabbing a bite at, it's very busy at our lunch time.
Correct and advise me on this please......I'll walk upto the cash register to order(?) pay them right away or do I wait for them to prep the meal? Do I move aside then for the next customer or hold my ground till the food is handed to me?
Then (thanks Sha) I move on to dine area and don't leave a tip.
And whats this that some fast food places don't hand you a soda, you have to self serve this? so I guess I pay up front, then find the fountain, is there a limit on refills or just an honor system?
I can handle the aprox $8 movie price
Sorry for the what must be silly questions to you, I appreciate it.
Well at the Subways here in Canada (which I imagine are no different in the U.S. as to how things work there), when it's your turn in line - they make your Sub with whatever you want on it.....sort of like an assembly line. Generally because they're making it as you're standing there.....as they're making it, you're telling them what you want on it......and you just keep moving down the counter as they're making it. By the time you get to the end of the counter, where the cash register is, it's finished...they just have to put it into the wrapper/bag.......and you just pay then. They really only make one Sub at a time so you shouldn't have to worry about waiting to pay. I just stand there at the till (cash register) until they are ready to take my money.
As for the places where you get your own soda.....yes, I believe you pay up front when you order your meal.........they'll generally give you whatever sized Cup you paid for (whatever size soda you ordered)......and then you find the fountain (it's usually close-by) and serve yourself. As for whether there's refills, that I'm not sure.....I guess it depends on the place. If ever in doubt, just ask when you're paying "are there free refills on soda?" Generally if there ARE free refills, you'll see that advertised on their Menu board (the big board up on the wall behind the counter, that lists all their items and such). If EVER in doubt about anything, just feel free to ask - there's never a stupid question, believe me.
The best thing to when you are not sure about things is to act natural. There is nothing wrong if you don't know something, just ask and trust me no one will laugh and they will tell you.
I have been to new countries, new cities and I always face this kind of problem, how to get the metro ticket, how to find the platform and to make things worse most of the time there is this language problem as well. The best thing is that I approach someone and ask about it.
There is nothing to be embarrassed about it.
Ciao
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Love!!~ WTF is that ???
The best thing to when you are not sure about things is to act natural. There is nothing wrong if you don't know something, just ask and trust me no one will laugh and they will tell you.
I have been to new countries, new cities and I always face this kind of problem, how to get the metro ticket, how to find the platform and to make things worse most of the time there is this language problem as well. The best thing is that I approach someone and ask about it.
There is nothing to be embarrassed about it.
Ciao
That's exactly right - even though you're English speaking, for all people know, you may have grown up in another country where things were done very differently - yep, just ask questions whenever you're not sure - and if you get some strange looks, who cares - really........that's the beauty of living in a large city, everything goes there, there's all kinds of different people - nobody gets too bent out of shape by someone asking questions, they likely don't give it much thought.
Thank You both.
I've oft thought it would be nice to appear forien to excuse my ignorance of certain things.
I really appreciate the detailed Subway report, I think I would have done it a little backwards.
Canada: I'm speaking from educated semi ignorance here (if that makes sense), I assume you're more open to the concept of remote, off the power grid living than the more populated US. Plenty of small, remote areas here, I just assume you have more.
At any rate, for whatever reason... I'm glad you're helping me.
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clarification
Thanks Sha and Shy
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