Currency and Phone Service

What if the Vincents are not from America.

What if they’re from England or some other country.

Well then we have some other things to deal with.

So let’s say that Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Lydia and David are from the UK and their phones do not work in the United States.

And I’m thinking about this because because of me I’m not me Luke.

Sorry Luke is thinking about this because he’s a very thoughtful person.

So he asks them or needs to talk about whether or not they need to get SIM cards in the airport one good place to get a SIM card is the airport.

You don’t have to if you need to get a SIM card you might go to maybe a shop in the downtown area that might be OK too.

Maybe it’s cheaper there but let’s just look at how we can describe that if we need to.

How can we ask Mr. and Mrs. Vincent about this.

So here are the questions.

Do you have phone coverage here.

Coverage is what we use when we talk about whether or not we’re able to get a signal and it doesn’t have to be going to another country.

It could mean for example that there’s no signal where we are now even if we’re in our own our own country.

Maybe because we are out of range or underground we’re in the desert whatever.

There’s no coverage here there’s no coverage.

Maybe in the desert I can’t get a signal underground.

So anyway we can say it in this case.

Do you have phone coverage here.

Here means maybe if they’re from another country this means in the U.S. A because they’re in New York.

Or do you need a local SIM card.

While we’re still at the airport this suggests still at the airport that this is a good place to get it.

It’s a good place to get it.

We’re still here means we’re going to leave soon.

We’re still here.

That means we’re about to go.

Does your SIM card work in the States.

Sometimes we call America just the states the USA.

We just say the states the United States of America.

Does your SIM card work in the States.

Does it function.

Does it function in the States.

OK so this is a common question that we will ask in this sort of situation.

Or if you have maybe a friend who is a guest in your country and maybe they’re staying at your home whatever similar situations you might need to help them and you’ll ask this question.

These three are quite common and you can ask variations of these as well.

Now this might come after we’ve started walking to the car.

So just want to mention by the way if it’s time to do that right we’ve done the introductions.

We’ve talked about how the flight was.

We’ve said the plan.

Well then we’re going to say all right all right well well I’ve I’ve got the car parked outside.

Shall we.

Shall we.

That means shall we go now.

It’s a very common question when you want to recommend what we do.

Well I’ve got the car parked outside.

Shall we.

Or are.

Are you ready to head head out now head out just means go.

So we could just say that or we could add to the the car.

You ready to head out to the car.

Or or when we could say shall we.

Shall we go.

I’ll take that.

I’ll take that Lydia.

Take what.

Her bag.

She’s carrying a bag.

It’s very polite.

If you pick someone up at the airport to take especially if it’s a lady to take a lady’s back.

Very polite.

I’ll take that video.

Or can I take that for you if you want to ask it.

Can I take that for you Lydia.

She might say oh no that’s OK I’ve got it I’ve got it.

Ah it’s no trouble It’s no trouble.

That’s OK.

Thanks anyway.

If you want to refuse someone politely thanks anyway thanks anyway.

I’m OK.

I’m OK.

Finally we could say please follow me.

We can go out to the car.

Please follow me please follow me.

Or sometimes after me please.

After me please.

Or if you want to be very informal.

Well let’s go let’s go.

Although that is pretty informal usually we use let’s go with friends.

Ready.

Yeah.

Let’s go let’s go.

So anyway we are walking along in the airport and I’ve asked the question do you need a local SIM card while we’re still at the airport and one of them answers.

Maybe it’s Lydia.

Actually I think we will need to get at least one and then she might turn to her husband and say Right David.

Or maybe he says actually I think we will need one or maybe two.

Do you need one.

Maybe they need to talk with each other as well.

OK.

But I think we will need at least one means.

Yes.

Let’s stop and buy one here at the airport.

We’re okay actually means they don’t need one.

We’re okay.

Actually our plan works abroad.

What does plan mean.

Well your plan refers to what you have in your home country either for internet or your phone.

It’s often called a calling plan or sometimes it’s called a data plan or sometimes it’s called a service plan.

The company that provides your service is sometimes called a service provider.

Sometimes in America for example T-Mobile.

AT&T.

These companies are also called carriers carriers cell phone carriers.

Anyway we’re okay actually.

This is a way to say no.

Would you like some chocolate.

I’m OK actually.

Would you like a piece of pizza.

I’m okay actually.

Do you need me to help you with that bag.

I’m okay actually it’s a great way to say no very politely.

We can also say I’m good but that’s less formal.

We can say I’m fine.

Actually it means no.

It’s very very nice way to say no.

And it’s really easy.

OK.

Our plan is what we pay for each month to our carrier maybe maybe for our phone abroad works abroad abroad.

Just means in other countries not your own country not your local country not just domestically domestically.

Just means in your own country.

Domestically we may also need to maybe ask a question about exchanging currency exchanging money exchanging cash if they haven’t done that before.

Before they left.

If they haven’t exchanged their money into for example U.S. dollars then they may need to do it on arrival to ask that Luke will say Do you need to exchange any cash or money or currency while we’re here again.

Same question while we’re in the airport it’s a good idea to do it before you get out of the airport.

That’s a travel tip.

Actually yes I’d like to says maybe David.

Yes I’d like to.

Again if they’ve already done it David might say no.

We already have some local money or we’ve already done it or we did it before we left.

Maybe they’re very responsible.

Prepare well.

Actually yes I’d like to.

Would you recommend using an A.T.M.

or going to an exchange counter.

So sometimes you can get cash using a credit card even if it’s not in your country.

Go to the A.T.M.

put it in credit card and you get local currency it takes it out of your own maybe credit from from your own currency.

Maybe there’s a fee.

That’s what I usually do.

By the way cause I’m a little bit lazy about that kind of thing.

OK so would you recommend using an A.T.M.

or going to an exchange counter.

This is the one that you usually find in the airport.

Now it’s probably better to do exchanging in the airport because you don’t usually find exchange counters around around the city.

Sometimes depending on where you are but the airport is a good location for it.

OK now what should we recommend.

Well we could say I would recommend or my suggestion is we could say.

My suggestion is or would be to just use the A.T.M.

it’s very convenient.

Just use your credit card or hide.

I would recommend going to an exchange counter because it’s just over there.

It’s just over there.

Or there’s one right over there.

Sometimes we say right over there if it’s nearby right over there.

The exchange rate is pretty good.

Exchange rate means the amount of local currency you get from your own currency means money.

Right.

The local currency you get and the exchange rate goes up and down.

If we say it’s a good exchange rate that means you get more money from your money.

Basically if it’s a bad exchange rate then kind of lose money.

And also we could talk about fees the exchange rate is nothing about what you pay to the people at the counter.

The exchange rate is just the value of your money compared to the value of the money you’re getting.

The fee is what you pay extra.

So I could say if I want to talk about fees the exchange rate is pretty good right now and maybe the fees the fees they’re over there at that counter are low.

The fees are low that means they don’t charge very much.

Okay thanks.

That means he has.

David has accepted my recommendation.

So this is something that comes up sometimes not as often maybe as the phone situation but whenever you need to help somebody who’s come to your country.

This is how you would express basically whether or not they need to get local money.