CULTURE QUIZ - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 343

option. In a small shop, customers generally do not remove
items from the rack themselves. This is the domain of the
shopkeeper, whose job is to help you. (This holds true of fruit
markets as well—let the marchand or shopkeeper pick the
fruit for you. Unless a sign says libre service ( self-service),
do not help yourself or paw through the fruit.) If you want
to be left alone while you are browsing, go to a department
store, as in answer , where there are fewer salespeople
per customer and where the personnel have a less personal
attitude. Answer will work against you if you eventually
need the salesperson's help in finding or trying on an outfit,
or if you plan on coming back to this store again.
SITUATION 3
There is a group of people standing haphazardly at one
of the vegetable stalls at the marché (market). Someone
approaches the stand, pushes to an empty spot closer to
the front and winds up being served before you. What do
you do?
Make a fuss about it. As no one seems to be doing anything
about it, the salesperson will probably allow others to
jump queue as well, so you better speak up and point out
the injustice.
Do nothing. The person who has jumped the queue has
disrupted the order of service for the others as well; if
there's anything to say, let someone else do it.
Gently say to the marchand as he finishes his transaction
and before he serves the client who has not queued, “ Je
pense que c'est à moi, monsieur ”, reminding him that it
is now your turn.
Look out for any empty spots near the front and quickly
position yourself behind the person being served. In Paris,
unless you assert yourself, you will never get served.
Comments
This is a good opportunity to learn how to be patient.
Making a fuss will get you nowhere nearer to being served,
so answer is of no use. First try , letting others in the