On a slightly vexed note...

[oloriel]

I totally understand that the post office clerks are taught to use polite address. And I know, I should be honoured that the post office clerks at least pretend to treat their customers like the people who pay their wages here. But honestly? I find it hard enough to understand him without having to pick my way through all the passive constructions and mitigation and circumlocution, and when I have to ask him to repeat what he said for the third time, it's no longer estimation but rather humiliation.

And I refuse to believe that it's impossible to send chocolate to Germany because there's milk in it. Fine, so the honourable German customs does not allow milk to be imported. I still refuse to believe that the lactose, milk powder and emulsifier somewhere in the chocolate actually fall under that ban. I have been sent chocolate from outside the EU, and the friends who sent it declared it on the customs form, too, and it apparently was not a problem. So, dear post office clerk, no matter how polite you were, I think you're STUPID. THERE. Now that's plain language, isn't it.

Argh. And of course I couldn't muster the words for discussing the matter with him and meekly took the chocolate ouuut of the package so the rest could be sent. Eh. >_> Perhaps I'll try with a different post office tomorrow. I looked up all the bloody kanji by now and there really is nothing remotably akin to raw milk in there.

I hate my perfectionism. I'd probably have less problems talking to people if I weren't so bloody afraid of producing a less than perfect sentence.
*sighs*

Comments

[starlin-elvea.livejournal.com]

You're in Japan, right? Might be the Japanese character or sth :) When I was in China, my mom sent me chocolate several times, and I sent some edible stuff home, too (like dried sweet potato). But that's China... a different world :)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

See, that's why I checked all the Kanji. No it isn't. The only stuff that has to do with milk is lactose, milk powder, condensed milk powder, and emulsifier. If I understand the customs page correctly, these should not be a problem. It's not like I'm trying to send a bottle of genuine fresh Hokkaido milk.

[starlin-elvea.livejournal.com]

Sorry, by "character" I meant the precision of the Japanese ;) At least the stereotype is that they do like to abide by the rules... Dunno if it's true. Anyways, this kind of situation sucks.

[fusselbiene.livejournal.com]

Holy carp! Now that`s what I`d call senseless.
...
But, erm... you really told them the truth about what`s in there...? What about the magic word "book" up front, and nothing about foods and booze?

[gaharr.livejournal.com]

when I have to ask him to repeat what he said for the third time, it's no longer estimation but rather humiliation

jip, I know how that feels, I`m dying of happiness when they manage to remember that it helps talking slower when you want the silly foreigner to understand you.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

If I'd known the chocolate would pose a problem, I wouldn't have mentioned it. I just... didn't expect it to be a problem. Well, you live and learn... I'll send more books in the future ;)

(I... couldn't resist the icon. >_>)

So how did the scary debate contest go? O.o

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Aaaah. Yes, that definitely makes sense. My impression so far is that they at least like to appear to stick to the rules. Whether they actually do it is a different question ;)