Our bank experience

After we settled into our piso and began school, we knew that one of the next important things we needed to do was open a bank account. One day, Maria and I headed to Calle Ancha to find a suitable bank to open an account. We went to a few banks and tried waiting for help. One of the banks sent us away. It is a large, popular bank in Spain. They told us we needed to put 2,000€ to open an account. We left immedietely, annoyed that they may have been lying so they wouldn't have to serve Americans. But come on, we work for the government people. WE ARE IMPORTANT. (That is actually what our program told us to think.)


Next, we walked into another bank. I thought it to be, oh how do you say, jank? Ghetto? We left that bank. Then we went to a third bank whose lobby was a chaos of people sitting and standing waiting for assistance. There was no help desk, no greeter to assist us, just four desks set up like stations. We waited for a few minutes and then Maria tried to ask a woman for help, to tell us where to wait. Instead of offering us help, the woman actually shooed us, as if we were homeless people begging for change. Terrible. I felt so annoyed and angry. Can't anyone help us? 


We tried a fourth bank, BBVA. We walked in and were pleased to find a large desk in the back of the room, where a few men stood helping customers. A man pointed to a line of desks and told us to wait for an open one. We sat down with Ana and she began to help us. She was friendly, approachable, and very pretty. She began with our process. After a few attempts at putting in my information, and about fifteen to twenty minutes of us waiting, she told us that their internet was down. Really? We were at a bank whose internet wouldn't work. WHERE ARE WE? Ana was very kind though, taking copies of our information. She told us to return the next week and sign everything, that she would complete the process and all we would have to do is sign. 


So we went back the next week. We stood in line for almost an hour. Finally Ana was available and we sat down. She immidietely asked us for our passports. What? Why did she need them again. She already took copies. Maria and I told her we would come back. 


Third time is a charm I guess. On friday before we left for Cadiz, we went to the bank and finally finished our process. We didn't just have to sign, we had to wait for about another half hour-fourty five minutes while Ana finished printing documents and having us sign multiple contracts. 


Finally, we were given our bank books. After three days of coming to the bank and about fourish hours, we finally had our accounts. FINALLY. The most annoying part? The banks in Spain, or at least our region, are only open till 2pm. So basically, if you want to do any banking, such as depositing money or cashing a check, you need to plan your entire morning around the lines and inefficiency of the banks. 


I guess this is something we need to get used to. How slow life moves here. All I know is, it would never fly back home, where people scream if they have to wait for five minutes and call managers if things like this go wrong. I mean, I can definitely get used to this laid back lifestyle, but I need to learn to not expect to get things accomplished in a timely manner. 


Oh, and I almost forgot, Ana told us to come back a week later to pick up our debit cards. Let's hope when I go to the bank on Friday that process is a lot quicker. 


OH DEAR LORD I HOPE SO.