IDea

I don't really want a credit card.

OK, I guess I do. See, the thing is, if I use my American credit card, they charge me 12.99 to convert the currencies. How fucked up is that? I mean, it's a damn click of a button and it's converted. Why must I pay MORE to use the card??!

So, I tried the 'ol online credit card companies in Germany and I thought I submitted an application. Nice, I thought, that was surprisingly easy for Germany.

I was so wrong. They emailed mack to me a form with the information I entered and I was asked to take that form to a branch in my city so that they can verify the information.

So I did it but I wasn't happy that I had to do all the work for some service they are offering.

But ok, I did it.

Yesterday I got a letter in the mail saying that now I have to go wait in a line in some city government office to get a new copy of a perfectly valid document I already have proving my residence. How the hell can I prove to some city employee that I live where I live?!!? I have to go and wait in line and studder in my less than perfect German and try to convince some old fart that what I need from them is worthy of them getting off their asses and doing something about it.

*sigh*

And, to make matters worse, I have to also copy my passport and pay stub so they can verify what income I have. I understand this, but I did happen to tell them that I don't make a lot of money. When you choose the lowest income selection what proof do they really meed to give me a 500 euro credit??

So, in a world where service is really the defining element in anything we choose, this company sucks. I have to do all this leg work for them and, this is really the best part: I don't really need a credit card!

And I am always turned off by the complete lack of trust that exists here. You are always at a disadvantage when you need something here because you are automatically at the mercy of whoever you have to speak to to get the whatever you needand they never trust you. It's in their blood, I think. You are put in the position to defend and prove yourself—often for no reason that I can see—just to get what you want.

It's exhausting and it's not necessary, really. Germany doesn't understand that the customer is king. Here, the companies are king and the employees are told, it seems, to make your life as a consumer as miserable as possible.

No wonder no one I talk to here likes going to do anything that requires paperwork or effort.

No one trusts you here. And I guess with a country that gave us nazis and the stasi, I can't really blame them. But I still don't like it. But I have to deal with it.