Negotiating Skills - in a second language

For those of us that don’t have the privilege of owning a vehicle we have a few options to get around the wonderful city of Lima.

:::The combi’s – If you’ve read my previous posts/emails then you know what I’m talking about here – a cheap, adventurous trip in a cramped bus with twice the legal capacity of passengers. It’s good if you’re in the mood to participate in a rugby scrum, on a bus, on the way to work.

:::Walk – I enjoy walking and I use it as my main form of transportation.

:::Taxis – I don’t despise taxis, I just dislike the inevitable conversation that happens every time I get in a taxi. Which is to say they find out my life story before they charge me at least 50 percent more than the normal cab fare. Why are you in Peru? What do you do? Will Barack Obama save the world? The usual.

In Lima, taxi fares are negotiable. You flag down a taxi… or the taxi just follows you slowly as you walk until you turn and give him some attention. After the initial step of choosing the right taxi, here is how a typical conversation goes:

Brian: Hola, buenas tardes.
Taxista: Hola gringo, buenas tardes.

(Already off to a bad start... he's calling me a gringo, or white guy in English, which implies that he's going to overcharge me)

Brian: Conoces Colegio Santa Maria? Esta en Chacarilla.

(Keep in mind, a normal 10-minute taxi ride here in Peru would cost me maybe 1 or 2 dollars.... or 3 to 6/7 Peruvian soles)

Taxista: Si, amigo. Para ti, 12 soles.
Brian: (my response is always the same) Claro, 4?
Taxista: 8
Brian: Ya, OK, vamos.

The word “okay” or O.K. is used as frequently in Spanish as it is in English. And just imagine if the taxista doesn’t know where Colegio Santa Maria is located. However, luckily there is always a taxi waiting behind another negotiating taxi just in case an agreement is not reached. I’ve learned that I’ll get a cheap rate if I mention well known landmarks instead of the specific location; and hopefully as my Spanish improves I’ll be able to negotiate even lower rates. But until then, “Claro, 4?”

Chau chau

-BJM