Just don't ask questions.

There are some times when you just don't ask questions.  I've learned this over time but have seen this to especially be true when I don't speak the language of the person I'm working with.  Sometimes you can get great deals or something others don't just because they are not able to communicate well with you.  For example, when I didn't have internet at my apartment I was trying to ask Tour le Jours bakery if they had wifi.  I showed them my iPod touch and asked "wifi?" The man took my iPod touch and a few minutes later I had wifi.  That same day I met another EPIK teacher who lives in the building next to me.  She told me that they told her coteacher that they did not have wifi.  It's best not to ask questions and sometimes you get things that others don't just because you cannot speak the language.

But the best example of times when you don't ask questions, happened yesterday. After I finished my after school class, Shin teacher and I left to go to the bank.  KEB told me that I would receive my check card (debit card) in the mail but 2 weeks later I had not received my card so I was going back to the bank.  I asked Shin teacher if she would also help me get a phone since we would be leaving school early anyway.  She agreed.  Getting the check card did not take long and was an easy process.  KEB is a great bank for English speakers :)

After the bank, it was time to go to Olleh (KT) for a phone.  I had gone just over a week before to ask about the price of an iPhone 5.  This was just after Apple had introduced the new iPhones.  I wanted to know the price difference between a phone here and in the US.  I had considered having a phone bought in America and shipped to me if it was significantly different.  I was told that I could get an iPhone 5 for 650,000 won and that my bill would be around 89,000 won monthly but I didn't know how much data I would get.

When I arrived at Olleh, they talked a lot and then told me my bill would be around 130,000 won a month and that the phone would be 814,000 won and I would pay 67,000 a month for 5GB of data.  I was shocked and try to communicate what I knew and the price I was given.  They were shocked!  They had no idea how I was given the price of 650,000 won.  Well then they spoke a lot of Korean and obviously were thinking hard.  It was like they were pulling out their hair to figure everything out.  I thought they were trying to match the price I was given.  The next thing I know I'm being offered the phone at the price of less than 560,000 won for 12 months and to sign up for data for 24 months at 67,000 won for 5GB.  I was very confused.  I felt like I was missing something.  Shin teacher and I talked about going to another store but I was concerned about not getting that price again.  I have no clue how they came to that price but I knew it was a good price.  The two guys walked away for a bit so we could talk.  Shin teacher told me she didn't understand how they came to that price either.  I told her "just don't ask questions."  She started to laugh.  At that point, if I asked too many questions I was concerned that they would realize their mistake and change the price!

I asked for a contract and had it almost signed but then they said that the phone and data had to have the same length of contracts.  In some ways I feel like I got tricked into signing a 2 year contract instead of the 1 year that I wanted but at the same time, the price I am paying for the phone is an excellent price.  That and the monthly payments are now around 80,000 won because I am on a 2 year contract.  You just don't ask questions.

Oh and then they were working on signing me up and I was told that the fee for signing up would be waived.  But because of that there was the problem that my total discounted price was over 270,000 won which is a strict rule by the government that it not be above that.  So they raised the price of the phone to just over 560,000 divided by 24 months but only until February at which point they will put the price back to the original price for the remaining amount of my contract.  This bring my discounted amount below the 270,000 won.  Again don't ask questions, just say okay.

We got past that then I was being asked if I wanted a no finger print or an HD screen protector put on my phone.  I couldn't decide so they gave me both.  They put the HD on the screen while I was there and put the no fingerprint one in my bag.  Then I was shown basic cases and asked which I liked best.  they are basically a bumper case but its better than nothing at this point.  I really wanted to ask if I had to pay for all of these things but I figured at this point I shouldn't ask questions.  So I didn't, except to find out when my bill would arrive and if I owed anything that day.

So after a lot of Korean being spoken, almost 2 hours, and absolutely no clue of what happened, I left Olleh with an iPhone 5 with an HD screen protector, bumper case, a no fingerprint screen for later, and 5GB of data.  I don't know what happened but I am happy!

This paper is all the negotiations and attempts to explain the plans, cancellation policies, etc.

The offer for my phone for 12 months that was changed to 24.  Also you can see the 67,000 won for 5GB of data.

Sorry its sideways but this is the original offer where the phone cost 814,000 won.  I still can't believe the change is price.

Oh yeah, I was also given 2 dish cloths!

Screen protectors.

My iPhone 5 :)

Oh and as an addition, I was telling another coworker today the price they told me, she quickly reacted and said that there was no way that was the right price.  I told her it was on my contract.  She was shocked.  I don't believe it either but there are times when you just don't ask questions.