In the past month I've experienced this phenomenon 3 times. But before I tell you what it is, let me first say that we hoard U.S. dollars. The Belize dollar is not an openly traded currency, we are not a part of the IMF, it does not float, it is artificially pegged 2 to 1 to the U.S. dollar, and guess what its worthless beyond our borders, hence hoarding U.S. dollars that come into the store. Needless to say, we don't give out U.S. dollars as change usually, unless we are completely out of Belize dollars, or someone has a gun to my head. Well, 3 times this month when I've had to use U.S. cash, its been refused as change. Refused? Yes.
The exchange has gone like this: I hand the young yur-o-pean woman her change and she hands back the U.S. dollars with a sick-horrified look on her face and says, "Uuuuuggghhh! Don't you have something else?" with a shudder.
"Sure," I say, and hand her a cup full of Belizean shillings. "Money is Money."
The first time it happened, I just blew it off to hippy chic fickleness. The second time it happened, It piqued my interest, although I was NOT interested in asking WHY? Its obvious WHY. The third time it happened, I'm wondering is this a grass roots movement? The only other person that I know of in te world that doesn't want U.S. dollars, is Fidel Castro.
O.K. now talk amongst yourselves, I'm getting ready for the big Caye Caulker Cool Art & Tastefest this Saturday.
As a side note, I was on the radio this morning (about the Tastefest) and Supergirl said I didin't sond like too big of a hillbilly. I think that's great, being that I'm FROM THE NORTH and have been a DAMN YANKEE my whole life.
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