Navigating the system...more stories!

Paying for stuff
Europe is further along "electronically" than the US. This has been a difficult transition for us. Where in the US we pay for many things with bank checks, no one does that here. In fact, you can't pay for things with checks here. They just aren't accepted. Instead you need a Mister Cash card (also called a debit card). To pay using these you slip your card into a reader and transfer the money. Alternatively, you can use a transfer slip where you fill out your bank account information and the company you would like to pay's information and bring it to your bank. They then transfer the money to pay a bill (phone bills, water, electricity, rent, etc.). Credit cards are allowed at most major stores but either cash or Mister Cash cards are required for most small stores or for bills. Online banking is also very popular.

The Mail
So we have been waiting for our Mister Cash cards to come in the mail so that we can get our heating oil delivery (cash or Mister Cash cards only and we didn't want to get that much cash out). We didn't get any mail for two days and couldn't figure it out. Howard finally called the bank and it turns out that our commune (Braine-L'Alleud) has had a postal strike for the past two days. Not understanding the language these things just pass by us!

Speaking of mail. The mail is delivered either by bike or by small motor bike. The delivery people don't wear uniforms (neither do the postal works in the branches). So the first time we saw our mail delivery person we thought, who is that grubby person messing with our mailbox? He was dressed in an old T-shirt and shorts. No mail is delivered on the weekends.

Shopping
The other afternoon an unexpected van pulled down our driveway. I was trying to figure out who it was and had a moment of anxiety. I opened the door to an older gentleman with a bottle of milk in one hand, half dozen eggs in another, and he didn't speak any English. Oh, our milkman has come by to drop off some samples. Yes, we have a milkman. Glass bottles and all. He and his wife drive around and service the greater neighborhood providing high quality dairy products at great prices.

Then there is shopping- Howard took five trips to the local hardware store (Brico) to buy parts to attach the dryer vent pipe. Every time he returned with either the wrong sized part or something different than what he thought he bought. I have been no help since I break out in peals of laughter each time. I know I'll have my turn. He then had to navigate the return desk, over and over again. Finally he just bought duct tape and taped the ill fitting parts together and called it a day (or week). We had dinner with friends from Howard's work the other night. They were impressed that Howard actually figured out how to return the items. Apparently they have an entire closet full of the wrong sized parts that they never returned!

Food shopping has gotten easier. Initially it took us about two hours because it was so challenging to find things. Now we've gotten it down to one hour. It would just be 30 minutes or so but we get everything but three items and then need to spend 30 minutes trying to find those last things. We got stuck on corn starch yesterday. We found "everything corn" in the entire store. Howard was convinced that a box of polenta was corn starch. I get laughing so hard at our efforts and I know the locals must just think we are crazy. I have discovered that if I look long enough, I can find almost anything we want. It is currently a little like a treasure hunt and I get a great sense of satisfaction when I find the item. Corn starch (after 30 minutes of hunting) is in the sauce thickening section (Belgians are big on sauces). Of course!