It's "Chilean Culture"

Imagine you are in the mall, checking out the fall's collection. I haven't shopped in… 6 months. Why?

As soon as you walk into Falabella, Ripley or Paris (Chile's 3 department stores - think JC Penny, 3 times), you are not greeted, you are bombarded. "Te atiendo?" No, quiero mirar. 

These women are all dressed the same: pants, button-down shirt, vest and a keychain around their neck. All the same color, same pattern. Same. It's a uniform to work in a fashion store. That makes no sense. So maybe the store isn't about fashion. It's not about the experience because they are on you like ants. Who thinks ants crawling all over them is a fun experience? I just want to browse, try on some clothes for fall weather and move on.

The instant you touch a piece of clothing, you are theirs. Be aware: if you pick something up and carry it with you, you'll have one of them, let's call them Consumerism Zombies….In a are no bigger than your kitchen there are 3 women. Multiply that and you've got 20 women, all dressed the same with no style and not even wearing the clothes they are selling, all up in my business.

Try something on and like it? They know. They are waiting for you when you leave the dressing room. Mind you, the girl that watches the dressing room is texting her boyfriend, and doesn't care if you take a number. But those Zombies, they don't leave you any breathing room or think time.

What really got me pissed off was I was waiting, patiently and with no reason to be rushed, to pay. This Zombie grabbed my goods and asked me how I am going to pay for them. Not if I liked everything, or if she could take the clothes from my hands. Then she started to walk away. To another register with another line. WHAT?

She basically pushed the women working off the register, while someone was paying for her new clothes AND was going to "jump" the line and get my money, but another woman was waiting - patiently - for her turn.

I told her, "Pase, llegó primera y eres próxima." She smiled, then laughed and told me, "Ugh, Chilean culture." She's Chilean.

Why take my things, walk me to another line, cut off you co-worker and not even attend to the women in line in front of me. Sidenote: half of my memories of Santiago are the inefficiencies of: Queueing. If she earned commission off walking my 3 items 50 meters away, to hand them to her co-worker, I'm mad because the women was not nice or friendly but too damn pushy and rude. Let me be!