Bank Saga Continues
Bank Saga Continues
As of yesterday, I was going to bite the bullet and pick HSBC. I hate to do endless research. At some point you need to put the baby to bed. The HSBC staff I've talked to in NYC are super nice, HOWEVER, they have given me incorrect information. ( I realize nice in NYC doesn't mean nice in Vietnam but it helps.) Thankfully, I called and found the truth which is that they charge. $1.50 ATM fee for non-HSBC ATMs + 1%transaction fee (and unfortunately, my first stop ChangMai doesn't have HSBC) which is a heck of a lot lower than Chase's $3 + 3.5% conversion fee, which is also not in ChangMai. Basically, I have yet to find a bank that is here and in ChangMai, oddly enough. Anyway, I was all set to go with HSBC when a Christina sent me a nytimes article, "How to Get the Best Exchange Rate (and Avoid Fees)" By DAVID A. KELLY Published: June 25, 2006. Now I'm confused again. Citibank seems to have a pretty good thing going but I am opposed to them for moral reasons (besides the fact that they are another money grubbing multinational banking corporation). When my then boyfriend, later to be husband, then ex-husband and I first moved to NYC we needed to open up a joint checking account. So being the intelligent consumer we want to shop around a bit (not compulsively like I'm doing now - just stop into a few neighborhood branches) . We stopped into Chase and they were nice and gave us answers. We went across the street to Citibank (now mind you this was Astoria almost 10 years ago) and the customer service guy looked right at Kevin (the boyfriend/husband/ex) who is black and said "You need ID and proof of address to open an account". This was even before he said anything. Kevin then asked for information on checking accounts and again the Citibank employee reiterate the need for an ID and proof of address without even providing the requested information. Meanwhile there were other customers with whom he was courteous and not so abrupt and demanding. We then went right back to Chase and opened an account. Maybe that was Chase's new marketing plan - wait and catch the refuges from Citibank. It was as if a black person (man) couldn't possibly a) have the proper identification for an account or b) be shopping around and just requesting information. He was a rude, racist M. F. We should've gone to the branch manager right then and there but although we had been together in Chicago, Upstate New York, and Florida, we were not prepared for the outright racism of NYC. That would come later. So, all these years later, I am not to willing to hop into bed with those racist jerks.
On a more positive note, while skipping my yoga class at Integral Yoga, I stopped into Bed, Bath and Beyond. I found a light weight bath towel for $18. It is the Aquis Microfiber hair and body towel 19"x39". I can't wait to try it. I got the beige. White just seems like I'm begging for nasty. I'll let you know how it works out. Should I wash it before I use it?
One of my latest concerns is immunizations. Everyone says you can just go to any doctor but come on. I live in NYC certainly there is someone here with experience with it. I can look it up on the CDC's website just as well as a doctor can and I actually care if I live or die or worse live for a long time with an incurable illness. I'd like someone who has an idea about infectious disease while traveling. Is that too much to ask? Additionally, I don't have a primary care physician. A few years ago, I was on a mission to find one. I picked a doctor at the Center for Health and Healing which is a clinic that theoretically integrates alternative and western medicine. When I looked at the website I thought Dr. Benjamin Kligler was the only one who took my insurance. So, I selected him in spite of his manhood. I went and saw him. He was fine. Then, a few months later I get a letter stating that he dropped my insurance which is ironic since we both work for Beth Israel Medical Center i.e. we have the same health insurance. So, now I am without a physician, again. I loved the design of the space but there was something not quite right about the staff. I saw on multiple occasions the front desk manager be really unprofessional (down right mean) with both patients and staff. I would've expected a more caring environment from the people who worked there. It was the case. Oops, I digress. So who should I see for the immunizations? Someone at Beth Israel recommended recommended David Perlman who is a "travel doctor" but he no longer does these immunizations. The receptionist recommended another doctor. Should see this guy who I know nothing about? or should I see some other random primary care type doctor? An allergist whom I once considered friend but no longer speaks to me? Or an AIDS doctor whom I went out to dinner with only to find out he was seeing a woman whom I actually knew. Getting healthcare you can trust seems to be a chore in itself.
I did make decision regarding a PDA. Have I written about this? Well it seems my choices are actually few. So, I am going with the Palm Z22 because it's small. I used to have a Sony Clie ( I hate Sony they have the WORST customer service) but I didn't use hardly any of the bells and whistles and it is too big to lug around while traveling.
Well, that's all for now. I'll keep you posted.