Talking Eurotrash

(I’m living in England but I’m from Ireland. I ring the foreign exchange department of an English bank to find the exchange rate for an upcoming trip home.)

Me: “Hi, I need the current exchange rate for euro, please.”

Foreign Exchange Employee: “What country, please?”

Me: “Ireland.”

Foreign Exchange Employee: “The currency in Ireland is sterling so there’s no exchange rate.”

Me: “Not Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland!”

Foreign Exchange Employee: “The currency in the Dominican Republic is the peso. Exchange rate is—”

Me: “Not the Dominican Republic! The Republic of Ireland! It’s the euro! How can you work in foreign exchange and you haven’t heard of the euro? It’s a huge currency!”

Foreign Exchange Employee: “…”

Me: “France. Just give me the exchange rate for France…”