During my semester abroad in Europe, I had many opportunities to travel around Germany and neighboring countries. Nearly every country I visited used the Euro, so exchanging currencies wasn't a problem. The adventures came when deciding how to pay.
I began my semester with American Express traveler's checks. I'd never traveled abroad, and traveler's checks were my safest bet. They were insured, which meant that American Express would replace them for free if they were lost or stolen.
I cashed them into Euros at a bank in Freiburg and happily lived off those funds during my first month. Later I opened a bank account. I used the bank's ATM to withdraw cash throughout the rest of the semester.
In Freiburg I found credit cards unhelpful; most of my purchases were small and from small stores. Cash was easiest. And because Freiburg is a small, quiet city, I didn't feel any danger when I was carrying cash. This was not always the case in other countries where I traveled.
Grammar Gym
safest bet: smartest option
... and traveler's checks were my safest bet.
- Taking the metro to the airport is your safest bet if you don't want to be stuck in traffic.
- It's very hard to find drinking water in the mountains; your safest bet would be to get it from your hotel.
Info Cloud
Cash or charge?
在美國買東西, 店員常會問: Cash or charge?
這是尋問客人付款的方式, 完整的講法是:
Would you like to pay in cash or charge the purchase? 您想付現或刷卡
cash 現金/ charge 用信用卡付帳
刷卡的另一個口語說法:
pay with the plastic 用塑膠付款 (信用卡的卡片是塑膠做的)
plastic money 信用卡, 金融卡, 現金卡
Language Lab
currency n. 貨幣
/ˈkɚrənsi/
1 a : the money that a country uses : a specific kind of money [count]
1 b [noncount] : something that is used as money
2 [noncount] : the quality or state of being used or accepted by many people
3 [noncount] : the quality or state of being current
- Western currencies are not usable in this remote place.
西方的貨幣在這個偏遠的地方是不能使用的
- The currency exchange desk is packed with tourists.
兌換外幣的櫃台擠滿了觀光客
- Banks buy and sell foreign currencies to make a profit.
銀行買賣外幣來賺取利潤
insure v. 保證,確保,投保 [in 字首-使如何如何... / sure 確定]
1 a : to buy insurance for (something, such as property or health)
1 b : to provide insurance for (something, such as property or health)
2 US : to make (something) sure, certain, or safe
- All the passengers on the bus were insured.
巴士上所有的乘客都保險了insure against [phrasal verb] 保什麼樣的險
1 insure against (something) : to make (something bad) less likely to happen usually by planning and preparing
2 insure (someone) against (something) : to protect (someone) from (something bad)
- The house is insured against fire, theft and floods.
這個房子保了火險, 竊盜險, 和水災險
ATM n.自動櫃員機, 自動提款機 [automatic teller machine]
a machine that people use to get money from their bank accounts by using a special card
- Tommy used an ATM near his home to deposit his salary.
Tommy 去他家附近的提款機存入他的薪資
purchase n. 購買
1 : an act of buying something [count]
- Mary's purchases were all done on-line, because she was too busy to go to the store.
Mary 所有的購物都是透過網路完成的, 因為他沒有時間去店裡面買
2 [count] : something that is bought 購買的物品
- All the purchases are refundable within seven days.
所有購買的商品七天內都可以退貨
3 : a firm hold or grip that makes movement possible [singular]
- The ice made it impossible for the car's wheels to gain/get a purchase on the road.
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