My OperaBloody Banks!
Friday, January 5, 2007 6:15:27 AM
Trying to get some cash sent over is a terrible ordeal over here!
My mum went to the bank back in England to send some cash for me, and she got told she can't do it without a Swift Code, IBAN, or BIC code, whatever they are.
So I had to find out what they where, EVEN THOUGH I had given her all the details that I have been given my bank. I would have thought that, being in the banking business, the staff at the bank would have been able to find out themselves, but unfortunately not. PLUS they didn't even offer fries and a milkshake. Bloody MacJobs.
So, I went to the nearest ATM (cashpoint to us English speakers), where there was a phone and got in touch with someone on the other end, who unfortunately did not have a clue what a Swift Code, IBAN, or BIC code was, and also could not connect me to any branch of UFJ (my bank) as she actually had nothing to do with the bank (so why the feck am I being directed to speak to you if you have nothing to do with the bank?!?!)
I asked her where the nearest bank was and she told me to go west from the subway, to which I laughed. How the hell am I supposed to know which way west is when I am underground? I'm not a bloody mole! She just told me to ask someone when I get there. Bloody helpful.
I got to the bank, and ended up with this woman who looked like my ex-mother-in-law (who also works at the same bank), just looking totally phased as I explained what Swift Codes and IBANs and BICs where, whereupon she came back with my branch number, which I already knew, God bless her cotton socks. With a second explanation, using exactly the same words, she ran off and came back with a load of numbers which were different from the ones I got off the internet the night before. The only unfortunate thing about this lot (besides the waste of frigging time) was that she did not know what order the numbers were supposed to be put. I would assume it would be 'country number' + 'bank number' + 'branch number' + 'account number', but she couldn't even tell me that. I was also a little annoyed that I was not offered fries and a milkshake.
Bloody banking system in this country is stuck in the Middle Ages. You get charged for everything. You get charged to take money out. You get charged to put money in. You get charged to send money. You get charged to change money. And you get no interest (sorry, correction, you get a massive 0.02%). I even found out today that if you want to find out how much money you have in the bank, using the internet rather than going to the bank, you have to pay, and they even have the nerve to proudly proclaim that it is cheaper than it would normally be, because their connection is suitable to broadband. Robbing bastards!
Bloody ridiculous! Here is the advert for my lovely bank: UFJ Bank
A nice little ad to show how I feel about my lovely bank: Bollocks
Scouse Mouse:doh:
My mum went to the bank back in England to send some cash for me, and she got told she can't do it without a Swift Code, IBAN, or BIC code, whatever they are.
So I had to find out what they where, EVEN THOUGH I had given her all the details that I have been given my bank. I would have thought that, being in the banking business, the staff at the bank would have been able to find out themselves, but unfortunately not. PLUS they didn't even offer fries and a milkshake. Bloody MacJobs.
So, I went to the nearest ATM (cashpoint to us English speakers), where there was a phone and got in touch with someone on the other end, who unfortunately did not have a clue what a Swift Code, IBAN, or BIC code was, and also could not connect me to any branch of UFJ (my bank) as she actually had nothing to do with the bank (so why the feck am I being directed to speak to you if you have nothing to do with the bank?!?!)
I asked her where the nearest bank was and she told me to go west from the subway, to which I laughed. How the hell am I supposed to know which way west is when I am underground? I'm not a bloody mole! She just told me to ask someone when I get there. Bloody helpful.
I got to the bank, and ended up with this woman who looked like my ex-mother-in-law (who also works at the same bank), just looking totally phased as I explained what Swift Codes and IBANs and BICs where, whereupon she came back with my branch number, which I already knew, God bless her cotton socks. With a second explanation, using exactly the same words, she ran off and came back with a load of numbers which were different from the ones I got off the internet the night before. The only unfortunate thing about this lot (besides the waste of frigging time) was that she did not know what order the numbers were supposed to be put. I would assume it would be 'country number' + 'bank number' + 'branch number' + 'account number', but she couldn't even tell me that. I was also a little annoyed that I was not offered fries and a milkshake.
Bloody banking system in this country is stuck in the Middle Ages. You get charged for everything. You get charged to take money out. You get charged to put money in. You get charged to send money. You get charged to change money. And you get no interest (sorry, correction, you get a massive 0.02%). I even found out today that if you want to find out how much money you have in the bank, using the internet rather than going to the bank, you have to pay, and they even have the nerve to proudly proclaim that it is cheaper than it would normally be, because their connection is suitable to broadband. Robbing bastards!
Bloody ridiculous! Here is the advert for my lovely bank: UFJ Bank
A nice little ad to show how I feel about my lovely bank: Bollocks
Scouse Mouse:doh:
(100%)
hungryghost # Saturday, January 6, 2007 3:15:40 AM
The Japanese Banks sound wayyyy worse than the North American ones, and I thought they were bad enough.
Hmmm. probably beats the days when I banked with Barclay's back in the late 70s and the bank clerk would have to look up your account on a microfiche...and if you were trying to withdraw money from another branch, they'd charge you for the phone call...
I'm v. grateful for cashpoints these days...
E-Man in JapanScouser # Saturday, January 6, 2007 8:13:19 PM
I remember the days when I was first here, 15 years ago. I had to get money transferred from my Lloyds account, but Lloyds wanted me to FAX my bank details (couldn't tell them over the phone) from my bank here in Japan, but the people at the bank told me they couldn't do that because the FAX machine was new and no-one knew how to work it yet.
In those days, banks closed at 3pm (as they still do), but even worse, cashpoints closed at 5pm and weren't open at weekends or on national holidays, which meant you just had to take out loads of cash beforehand, something which I always forgot, and working a 9-5, Mon-Fri job, it was basically impossible to take money out unless you went during lunch break, which always took about half an hour, even though it was literally across the road from my workplace (thousands of other people all had the same idea, plus crossing the road in Japan is an ordeal in itself - just try it).
These days, however, I can say I am thankful for my bank's cashpoint being open 24/7, which is only a recent thing and it is only my bank that does it.
Scouse Mouse
hungryghost # Sunday, January 7, 2007 6:05:25 AM
I'd die if ATMs didn't exist here....
The thing about taking gobs of money out before holidays and stuff - reminds me of the UK a few years back when you simply HAD to buy gobs of food before Christmas - enough to last you through the New Year as most supermarkets would just either close or not have deliveries in between the two holidays. The first time it happened to me, I was completely taken by surprised - v. glad for the local chinese takeaway then!
E-Man in JapanScouser # Sunday, January 7, 2007 9:01:12 AM
The more money they have, the higher the salary for the CEOs.
They only employ women at banks over here. The reason is, women get paid half of what men get, as they only work 9-5, which in this country is considered part-time, because the men work such long hours that most offices even have a bedroom. Not only that (but unrelated) when a woman sends her resume, she has to put a photo on it, because if she's not cute and looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp, she won't get a job.
Mind you, it's the same as English teaching. If you don't look like Brad Pitt, then you're knackered.
English teaching should be like it was in the old days:
Zulu
Just joking, I was just dying to find a way to add that scene into the blog, as it's one of my favourite films!
Scouse Mouse
hungryghost # Monday, January 8, 2007 12:13:15 AM
Oh my - zulu - haven't seen this in years!