The Fine Line between Hoarder and Expat

The world is increasingly global....I can now find some of my favorite Thai food products in the store in Germany and I can buy Cheerios worldwide. But i can't find sugar-free Jello in Germany, and my Cheerios cost $8 per box in Bangkok. While you can buy marshmallow fluff and Pop Tarts in the grocery store, most American products have a 50-100% markup in Germany and it's a bit of a craps shoot as to freshness.

Travel takes on new dimensions when you live abroad. It becomes not only a chance to see family and friends, but also a chance to stock up on the essentials.  It's an eye-opening experience to discover about yourself (or others) what really is "essential."  This revelation came to me almost 10 years ago in a Dallas Sam's Club, pushing a large cart full of dinner napkins, jelly beans, tampons, Cheerios, Sudafed and Skoal. An odd combination of things that we couldn't buy in Bangkok, or the local products were such poor imitations as to be unsuitable substitutes. But I had a list of things I and friends and colleagues needed, and "random" is the only word that captures it.

At the time, our company allowed us one huge shipment per year. I made some big orders from drugstore.com and asked my parents to box up some other things, including napkins, paper towels (non-existent there at the time), cereal, and Mac & Cheese. Dad very kindly did that and more, sending two entire flats of paper towels from Sam's and I think 27 boxes of cereal.... Those paper towels had a long world journey, to Bangkok, back to Dallas and then to Germany, where I finally used the last roll a few months ago!

It was great having a few important comforts of home, but my walk-in pantry in Bangkok was neck-high in paper towels and cereal, and boxes of shampoo, hair products, lotion, etc.

When I moved to Germany from Dallas, I was a bit wiser and packed from the start things I thought I'd need. This time it was great products like Lysol Kitchen Wipes, single-serve pita chips and Nabisco 100 Calorie Snack Packs....and lots of random stuff the movers packed up from the kitchen. Including boxes of toiletries (and the paper towels) remaining from living in Thailand.

The pita chips and Snack Packs didn't last long (Stacy's Pita Chips in Sea Salt, how could they last???), but I've found myself reversing course in the past year...trying to use up everything rather than accumulate more. I've used up almost all of the things left from Bangkok and am down to just 2 boxes of things from the move here. But still the closet has a couple containers of Lysol wipes, Dryel, Lubriderm lotion (doesn't burn on just-shaved legs!), and tasty low-carb protein shakes.

These days it's more about buying the things that are super expensive here...mostly clothes and shoes, English books, and DVDs. And only a few of the other essentials that do not exist here....Chocolate Chips, real vanilla extract, sugar free jello, cheap tissue tees from Target, those disposable toilet cleaner things, and warm clothes for the long winter. Winter hiking pants for $25 at Target or €100+ in Munich? Not much of a contest!

I've made major progress using up the stockpiles, but it's still a fight not to (over)stock up on goods while home for the holidays. There is just so much available and the prices much lower. Luckily the increasingly strict airline baggage policies and the European apartments' lack of storage space help combat that urge and keep from crossing the line into hoarder territory.

The (evil) Zahlteller

In the article on my Corporate Cafeteria, I noted that my company has a small convenience store on site.  It is here that I met my arch enemy.  The old check out lady with the “zahlteller”.  I will battle against her and the forces of crappy customer service until my last breath.

The On-Site Convenience Store

First I will say that it is nice to have a small convenience store on the corporate campus.  If someone has a birthday, there are cards, streamers, paper plates/plastic utensils, and snack foods & drinks available.  Breakfast buns and muffins are available, and if you miss lunch you can get a sandwich and something to drink.  There is an ice-cream freezer for summer treats and a generic section with toiletries too.

Actually, the beverage section is pretty interesting for its location on a corporate campus.  Check out the wine & prosecco selection - it"s probably 15% of the entire tiny store!  

The beer cooler is not huge, but they do have major brands of Helles, Weissbier, Pilsner, and alcohol-free.  Even better, you can pre-order cases of beer for an office party.  I’ve attended a few where the celebrant ordered three cases of Augustiner, another three of Fransiskaner, added six bottles of prosecco, and had the cafeteria cater with some warm snack food.  Nice!

 

On-site convenience, decent selection of goods… so what’s the problem?

The Zahlteller Experience

Let me introduce you to the “zahlteller”, literally, the “counting plate”.  The zahlteller is near the end of the conveyor belt on which the groceries move, between the belt and the scanner in reach between both the customer and the cashier.  (Of course, you do know that in Germany you always bag your own groceries, right? And hurry up, the customers behind you are waiting impatiently!)  You'll see it at the bottom of this photo:  

 

This plate comes in many shapes and sizes, and usually has a brand or product printed on it.  In this case it is for a German brand of chocolate, Milka.  Some acrylic ones allow stores to change the advertisement.  I’m guessing the stores get these free or possibly even receive a small stipend for using a specific type or ad.  Some are flat, some curved, some simple, some fancy.  

               

The theoretical purpose of the teller is to make counting money easier, especially coins.  One party would place either payment or change on the plate, and the other can quickly count it and slide it off onto their hand.  Basically a process step for quality control.  I don’t have a problem with the concept, it’s the implementation.  My first experiences went like this.

Cashier:  [your total is] 5 euros and 40 cents (puts her hand over the plate)

Me:  (puts the payment in her hand, 6 euros)

Cashier:  Danke.  (slams the change on the zahlteller)  Next please!

I scrape the coins off the plate and the person behind me gets on my ass to encourage me to move along (no matter how fast you are, it’s never fast enough).  I’m left wondering:  is the plate only for her to use?  Why not me?

So the next time I purchase something, I blatantly stretch out my arm with an open hand to get the change.  Without looking, the cashier slams the change on the plate again.  The time thereafter, I place my open hand DIRECTLY OVER THE PLATE, and she takes considerable effort to slide her hand under mine and put the change on the plate again.

Finally, on the fourth go-around, I prepare lots of small change (rather than pay with a bill) and when she tells me the total, I went under her hand and slammed the change on the plate.  Her look was daggers, and the exchange went like this:

Cashier:  Put it in my hand next time.

Me:  But I always have my hand out and you never to that for me.  Why is it good enough for you but not for me?

Cashier:  (Glowering)  Next please!

It’s funny that when I was looking for pictures for this post that I found this from Switzerland.  That’s all I wanted!  I later found that this is similar in Italy... and those in the industry have a different take altogether. 

          

Links:  Change Plates in Italy, and thoughts on Point-of-Sale Chang Management 

Not surprisingly, the American firms here don’t do this mutch (e.g., Starbucks).  Many German shops also have let the practice go, so perhaps it was a generational thing.  Or perhaps this specific store had some customers complain about getting wrong change so they force their cashiers to stick to such a process.  In any event, for the next time you see a zahlteller, you have been warned.

Late Night Shopping Festival

At the end of September, we did something highly unusual in Germany…we shopped at night.  Yes, once a year in central Munich, it's shopping till midnight.

Because the food generally is fresher and has fewer preservatives here (I’m a big fan of that!) and the refrigerators are the size of an average college student’s dorm fridge (not a fan!), you’re at the grocery store/baker/butcher pretty often.  All of which close by 8pm and on Sundays. So, there’s usually a mad rush at 7:45pm to hunt and gather dinner.  That leaves Saturday as shopping day for all your other wants and needs. (I won't even try to describe the chaos of a Friday night when Saturday is a holiday!)

But one night a year, Munich residents can go out for dinner, drinks, and THEN go shopping.  Even better, it’s basically a giant block party so we can do all three at once! With bands, beer gardens, fashion shows, circus acts, and of course portable ATMs since many places do not accept credit cards.

Acrobats above the cosmetics department at Ludwig Beck

I’m not sure why the merchants don’t ask for this more often…nothing helps stimulate consumption like mixing beer gardens and shopping.  Obama wants the Germans to buy more? Talk to Angie about having more “Culture – Shopping Nights” in Germany! 

But this night is more than just later closing hours...it's an event, a real festival to celebrate this ordained breaking of the rules! There are bands, entertainment at many major stores, and outdoor beer gardens. Really, it's a big block party, but with a set schedule of events.  The crowds were quite impressive and in late September you never know if this will be the last warm day of the year or not.

The highlights:

“Authentic American Music” (acoustic country and bluegrass) at Ludwig Beck department store

Cuban and “Fiery Salsa” at the bedding store

“Modern Nostalgia” with lounge music and a vintage VW bus at the Eyewear store

And at the womenswear store, a capella cover versions from Elvis to Michael Jackson.

And “Cowboy and Cowgirl Feeling” with a Bull-riding competition at the denim store

Truly something for everyone…

I've learned to find most of the things I need here, but whenever someone asks me what I miss from home, the answer after "friends and family" is "Wow, I miss going to Target at 10pm and loading up the car with a month's worth of supplies and groceries."  Alas, today you find me walking to the store almost daily and carrying it home in environmentally friendly reusable fold-up shopping totes. But at least I have some cool shopping bags - and, for the record, I never make Herr J carry the pink Hello Kitty one. 

UPDATE:

Apparently Dresden has us beat, by taking it one step further and having an annual Sunday Shopping Day...oh, the heresy....and I so want to go!