Random times or places you've become overwhelmed in America...

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

writing a check to pay our rent .

My husband still doesn't really understand how to write out a check. *sigh*

[Divs 35]

My husband still doesn't really understand how to write out a check. *sigh*

Hasn't he ever written out a check in India? I'm from India, and I know I have!

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

They pump your gas for you in Oregon

I'm sure they do in other states as well but not in Ohio.

My point was it was something he never thought about in India as it was always done for him.

Hasn't he ever written out a check in India? I'm from India, and I know I have!

Nope, he said he always used cash or more rarely, a card.

[Pheebs1201 269]

I'm sure they do in other states as well but not in Ohio.

My point was it was something he never thought about in India as it was always done for him.

Yes I understood, my post was intended as a jokey suggestion that you could move there so he doesn't have to pump gas.

When my OH left Oregon for the first time he had the same dilemma so I do sympathise!

Hope he feels more settled soon!

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

Yes I understood, my post was intended as a jokey suggestion that you could move there so he doesn't have to pump gas.

When my OH left Oregon for the first time he had the same dilemma so I do sympathise!

Hope he feels more settled soon!

Oops sorry! I guess that's what your winking face was meant for! Haha!

I walked him through it the other day and he kept looking at me desperately like "what do I do next?"

He says he's worried he's going to put diesel in by mistake one day! I just keep telling him green is a no go!

[jjbandero 39]

Hate cheques!

I've been here 10 years (initially for work only, now married to a USC) and small things still catch me off guard. I opened a bank account on my 3rd day here, and I was shocked that the bank's customer service rep recommended a checking account. I asked her why and she looked at me like I was crazy, "so you can write checks of course!" "Who accepts checks?" "Can you show me how to fill one out correctly?" "Which country did you say you were from?" That's when I realized we have an expectation gulf, she thought I came from an under developed country where cheques are not an option, but really no one in Australia uses personal cheques, I had never filled out one out. She was rather shocked that we basically used phone and online banking ALL THE TIME

Making friends is not always easy, I particularly found it hard with the logistics of organizing a get together in LA, everyone lives so far from each other and you are always at the mercy of the freeways. I ended up meeting a lot of friends through colleagues at work, but in general, community activities, volunteer events, fitness clubs are the places that I've heard most people say had allowed them to meet like minded people.

I find the whole medical care situation here very scary, I work for a large company so we are able to have a little more bargaining power when it comes to negotiating for better policies, but trying to use your benefits is always fraught with confusion and risk of having claims rejected.

People generally understand my accent, however, they don't always understand my word choice e.g. "fortnightly" vs. "bi-weekly", "efficacy vs. effectiveness", in my experience, many American English speakers do not seem to focus as much on specificity or accuracy, so I often have to explain myself, which really defeats the purpose of using the right words to be concise

Edited November 18, 2014 by jjbandero

[S-C 21]

Hate cheques!

I've been here 10 years (initially for work only, now married to a USC) and small things still catch me off guard. I opened a bank account on my 3rd day here, and I was shocked that the bank's customer service rep recommended a checking account. I asked her why and she looked at me like I was crazy, "so you can write checks of course!" "Who accepts checks?" "Can you show me how to fill one out correctly?" "Which country did you say you were from?" That's when I realized we have an expectation gulf, she thought I came from an under developed country where cheques are not an option, but really no one in Australia uses personal cheques, I had never filled out one out. She was rather shocked that we basically used phone and online banking ALL THE TIME

Making friends is not always easy, I particularly found it hard with the logistics of organizing a get together in LA, everyone lives so far from each other and you are always at the mercy of the freeways. I ended up meeting a lot of friends through colleagues at work, but in general, community activities, volunteer events, fitness clubs are the places that I've heard most people say had allowed them to meet like minded people.

I find the whole medical care situation here very scary, I work for a large company so we are able to have a little more bargaining power when it comes to negotiating for better policies, but trying to use your benefits is always fraught with confusion and risk of having claims rejected.

People generally understand my accent, however, they don't always understand my word choice e.g. "fortnightly" vs. "bi-weekly", "efficacy vs. effectiveness", in my experience, many American English speakers do not seem to focus as much on specificity or accuracy, so I often have to explain myself, which really defeats the purpose of using the right words to be concise

The first time I used the word fortnightly Chelsea laughed and said I talked like an 80 year old man hahahah

I also thought that people writing cheques was weird. Given the level of fraud and likelihood of the cheque getting lost, I would have thought internet banking would be bigger. Blew my mind when I found out you still have to write a cheque AND deliver it to certain water companies and such.

[Pheebs1201 269]

Oops sorry! I guess that's what your winking face was meant for! Haha!

I walked him through it the other day and he kept looking at me desperately like "what do I do next?"

He says he's worried he's going to put diesel in by mistake one day! I just keep telling him green is a no go!

Haha that's exactly the same concern my OH had! But then he came to visit me in England and green means regular unleaded here so that just added to the confusion...

Anyway he's a pro gas pumper now in multiple states/countries!

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

The first time I used the word fortnightly Chelsea laughed and said I talked like an 80 year old man hahahah

I also thought that people writing cheques was weird. Given the level of fraud and likelihood of the cheque getting lost, I would have thought internet banking would be bigger. Blew my mind when I found out you still have to write a cheque AND deliver it to certain water companies and such.

Our apartment community charges $25 to pay your rent online while writing a check and hand delivering it to the office is free.

I don't know why anyone would waste $25 just for the convenience. It's absurd that they even charge that ridiculous fee.

[S-C 21]

Our apartment community charges $25 to pay your rent online while writing a check and hand delivering it to the office is free.

I don't know why anyone would waste $25 just for the convenience. It's absurd that they even charge that ridiculous fee.

That is just so silly. Why wouldn't they want the money directly into their account with absolutely no chance of that payment bouncing?

[M and C 32]

Our apartment community charges $25 to pay your rent online while writing a check and hand delivering it to the office is free.

That's strange. Even if the bank charges them for the transaction (which, in itself is unusual), $25 is still a huge amount to pay for the convenience.

[jjbandero 39]

The first time I used the word fortnightly Chelsea laughed and said I talked like an 80 year old man hahahah

I also thought that people writing cheques was weird. Given the level of fraud and likelihood of the cheque getting lost, I would have thought internet banking would be bigger. Blew my mind when I found out you still have to write a cheque AND deliver it to certain water companies and such.

I got that too! Of course I countered with, "bi-weekly" could be interpreted as "twice per week"!

Cheques are beyond ridiculous, I was told by the bank that if I receive a cheque, and try to deposit it, I must not sign on the back until I am just about ready to deposit, this is because if you sign it, the cheque becomes pretty much made out to "cash", so anyone who gets their hands on it can cash it. I was like are you serious???

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I got that too! Of course I countered with, "bi-weekly" could be interpreted as "twice per week"!

Cheques are beyond ridiculous, I was told by the bank that if I receive a cheque, and try to deposit it, I must not sign on the back until I am just about ready to deposit, this is because if you sign it, the cheque becomes pretty much made out to "cash", so anyone who gets their hands on it can cash it. I was like are you serious???

Yes, basically.

Although, most places won't deposit it unless the pay to is the same as the person depositing it into their account or there is an additional line written under the signature on the back assigning the check to a different party.

But, yes, don't leave signed checks laying about.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I got that too! Of course I countered with, "bi-weekly" could be interpreted as "twice per week"!

I never knew that.

Full Definition of BIWEEKLY

1

: occurring twice a week

2

: occurring every two weeks : fortnightly

Cheques are beyond ridiculous, I was told by the bank that if I receive a cheque, and try to deposit it, I must not sign on the back until I am just about ready to deposit, this is because if you sign it, the cheque becomes pretty much made out to "cash", so anyone who gets their hands on it can cash it. I was like are you serious???

Just write on the back

FOR DEPOSIT ONLY

acct 123456

Signature

Then it can only be deposited in your account.

My bank is cool. I use their app, take front and back photos of the check with the phone, and it deposits into my account without ever leaving home.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

I'm amazed how cheque crazy the USA is! When we opened our new account I was given a full book of cheques for my account for free. In canada meanwhile I had to pay 10-20$ for them and wait 10 days or so to receive personalized ones in the mail.

The photo deposit thing intrigues me. I often wonder how simple it is for people with multiple accounts at multiple banks to defraud the system.

And one other thing I find missing here in the south is the tap feature on a debit card. It sure did make life simpler when I had my TD account to use it. I feel like I'm playing a game of 20 questions when using my debit card at some machines.