Banking in Costa Rica, no easy task
Why are Bankers around the World such Jerks?
I thought that once I left North America for Costa Rica I would find a Utopian place in the valley, not too hot and not too cold, spicy food, blue skies, oh, earthquakes only when I’m sleeping, and not over two on the Richter scale.
This was not to be. Mosquitoes still pursue me, there are days when the rain won’t stop and I have no choice but to deal with the banks in Costa Rica. Worst of all, the bankers here in Costa Rica sneer at you in a line, make you play musical chairs until it’s your turn to deposit, and won’t help you when your card is stuck in a machine or refuses to disgorge the requested few measlydollars.
I also dislike the “no Engleesh” response despite watching the said Costa Rican banker having a friendly chat in “Americanese” just a minute earlier with a Gulf Coast bottle blonde.
Case in point, I travelled to downtown San Jose, by taxi at rush hour to the Banco Costa Rica, the BCR “negro” (Still referred to as “Black”…although the building is blue. I guess it was repainted years ago, but no one wants to change the name…it’s just like the missing Coca Cola building…but that’s for another day) All taxi drivers, and most Ticos (Costa Ricans) know this building as a landmark, as there are no street numbers in Costa Rica, all directions are for example: “100 meters north of KFC, 50 meters west of the church, and 300 meters east of BCR negro” as an example.
I asked to see the bank manager to find out why my card was refused despite lots of money and my willingness to pay the exorbitant fees.”No se” (I don’t know) was the response, a big help for sure, and I was still unable to get any cash. I did get a big smile and shown the door,down a hall with a big crash door to exit through before I could kick up a ruckus. We all don’t want a scene now, and why would there be? The bank security guards all have pump up machine guns.
All around the world bankers all seem to be pried from the same mould, big smile, fancy white shirts and state of the art ID cards. Then they hold onto the dough like it was their own and their lives depend on it. After all, I could be an international terrorist trying to withdraw my $455.88 for world domination. I guess the solution is just buy a bigger mattress and to hell with the banking system. Don’t even get me started on the fact that they caused the most recent worldwide recession and how governments bailed them out and they still got big bonuses at Christmas time.
I have yet to meet a banker I did like. Are all they cloned?
Why can’t things be like the good old days when the banker knew your name, your account number had three or four numbers in it, and you got a free calendar and fruit cake at Christmas time?
More to chat about later…..oooohohhhhhhh… I really don’t like bankers, especially this nonsense at the bank in San Jose Centro, Costa Rica.
Banking in Costa Rica
Posted by Loss Leader on 2/20/11 • Categorized as Commentary,Travel
Banking in Costa Rica, no easy task
Why are Bankers around the World such Jerks?
I thought that once I left North America for Costa Rica I would find a Utopian place in the valley, not too hot and not too cold, spicy food, blue skies, oh, earthquakes only when I’m sleeping, and not over two on the Richter scale.
This was not to be. Mosquitoes still pursue me, there are days when the rain won’t stop and I have no choice but to deal with the banks in Costa Rica. Worst of all, the bankers here in Costa Rica sneer at you in a line, make you play musical chairs until it’s your turn to deposit, and won’t help you when your card is stuck in a machine or refuses to disgorge the requested few measlydollars.
I also dislike the “no Engleesh” response despite watching the said Costa Rican banker having a friendly chat in “Americanese” just a minute earlier with a Gulf Coast bottle blonde.
Case in point, I travelled to downtown San Jose, by taxi at rush hour to the Banco Costa Rica, the BCR “negro” (Still referred to as “Black”…although the building is blue. I guess it was repainted years ago, but no one wants to change the name…it’s just like the missing Coca Cola building…but that’s for another day) All taxi drivers, and most Ticos (Costa Ricans) know this building as a landmark, as there are no street numbers in Costa Rica, all directions are for example: “100 meters north of KFC, 50 meters west of the church, and 300 meters east of BCR negro” as an example.
I asked to see the bank manager to find out why my card was refused despite lots of money and my willingness to pay the exorbitant fees.”No se” (I don’t know) was the response, a big help for sure, and I was still unable to get any cash. I did get a big smile and shown the door,down a hall with a big crash door to exit through before I could kick up a ruckus. We all don’t want a scene now, and why would there be? The bank security guards all have pump up machine guns.
All around the world bankers all seem to be pried from the same mould, big smile, fancy white shirts and state of the art ID cards. Then they hold onto the dough like it was their own and their lives depend on it. After all, I could be an international terrorist trying to withdraw my $455.88 for world domination. I guess the solution is just buy a bigger mattress and to hell with the banking system. Don’t even get me started on the fact that they caused the most recent worldwide recession and how governments bailed them out and they still got big bonuses at Christmas time.
I have yet to meet a banker I did like. Are all they cloned?
Why can’t things be like the good old days when the banker knew your name, your account number had three or four numbers in it, and you got a free calendar and fruit cake at Christmas time?
More to chat about later…..oooohohhhhhhh… I really don’t like bankers, especially this nonsense at the bank in San Jose Centro, Costa Rica.
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