Retail Chatter

I find that my inability to speak Mandarin often frustrates me most in small situations, such as engaging in small talk with a cashier, perhaps it’s from many years being on the other side of the register. In working a variety of retail jobs, I often enjoyed stirring up a light conversation of talk about the weather, the holidays, the busyness of what was going on at the time. Not that today was a break through by any means, but as I left Vanguard this evening, I said, “sheng dan jie kuai le” to the cashier as she handed me my change and receipt. She smiled and said “Merry Christmas”, in English, in return. It made me smile.