Money

With modern banking, it should be no problem getting money from the ATM. I am, however, in a part of the world that does not function as we do. I have an account at the Bank of Transilvania. We all know that I will be keeping that account open forever. Apparently, in this country, only businesses can have checks. Individuals can only get an ATM card to withdraw lei, the Romanian monetary unit. One dollar equals about 2.5 lei. That is new lei, or RON. In old lei which are still used, it is several million lei. It makes me think of those Depression era pictures of people bringing wheelbarrows full of paper bills to buy a loaf of bread.

The bank issued me two cards. A blue one to use only in Romania, and a yellow one to use out of Romania. I have yet to understand the difference. Of course, there are additional charges to use other ATMs.

I have always had issues with using my ATM card in Europe. I seem to have the only one that has an automatic shut off. I have emailed the bank, stopped in to tell them personally, written letters, and phoned various departments in the past to let them know my travel plans. I cannot be the only person that goes away for the summer. But every year, without fail, I get where I am going, use my card a few times, get confident, and WHAM! It gets shut off because I am in another country. Of course, they call my house and leave a message that someone is using my card in Europe and I should call to let them know if it is alright. I, of course, am not at home to receive the call until weeks later when it no longer matters. And so I have learned that cash is a good thing to have in my pocket at all times.

This year, though, the bank has come through with flying colors.

There are three banks in town – two are Romanian and one is German. I tried my card at my bank and it was denied. Of course, I cannot read what the slip says, but it does not spit out any money and so it is not working for me. I try the other Romanian bank another day. Same story. Fortunately, this has happened to me so many times, that I don’t really need any money as yet. I am just trying to find a way to work the system. It is raining. Again. I am about to board the minibus to go home when I soy the German bank across the circle. Why not? I am already wet. What is another disappointment? I trudge over to the automatic teller. It is outside with a six inch awning. It doesn’t even keep the machine dry. In goes the card. I press the key for the British flag. English instructions!! I key in my password. It makes all sorts of noises and I figure my card is gone. But, no. Out pop brand, spanking new lei! Do I want another transaction? No, just my card back thanks.

The bills here don’t feel like money. They must be some sort of plastic as every denomination has a see through, plastic image to the left of center. There is what looks like the German eagle, a musical note, a painter’s palette and brush, and an eagle. The best one is the 100 Lei bill which has the happy/sad faces of the theatre on it. The each bill is a different pastel color and a different size. It is easy to tell which is which. Unfortunately, it is also difficult to hang onto as they slide easily. So far I haven’t washed any yet, so I don’t know what happens then.

We have certainly built our lives around convenience in America. Here, you have to go to the water company, stand in line to pay your bill every month with cash. You have to go to the bank, use the ATM or go to the teller to take out the cash, go to the electric company, stand in line, and pay your bill. And it is the same for the internet and the cable, and the gas, and whatever else there is. You will spend hours doing this several times a month. I am living in a cash society. My Visa card is getting dusty because it is useless here as no one accepts them. We just sit down for five minutes, write the checks, tear off the stub, out them both in the envelope that is provided, put a stamp and return address on it, and pop it back into the mailbox and raise the flag. The trusty mail person will pick it up later in the day and send it on its way to the appropriate mailbox to be handles and posted to my account.