📙 Part 2: Describe a time you bought something from a street market

This episode's vocabulary

Uprising (noun) - an act of opposition, sometimes using violence, by many people in one area of a country against those who are in power.

To take someone's mind off something (idiom) - to stop you from worrying or thinking about a problem or pain, often by forcing you to think about other things.

Impromptu (adj.) - done or said without earlier planning or preparation.

Stall (noun) - a large table or a small shop with an open front from which goods are sold in a public place.

Initially (adverb) - at the beginning.

Afterwards (adverb) - after the time mentioned.

To haggle (verb) - to attempt to decide on a price or conditions that are acceptable to the person selling the goods and the person buying them, usually by arguing.

Purchase (noun) - something that you buy.

Revelry (noun) - a situation in which people are drinking, dancing, singing, etc. at a party or in public, especially in a noisy way.

To negotiate (verb) - to have formal discussions with someone in order to reach an agreement with them.

Trader (noun) - a person who buys and sells things.

Once-in-a-lifetime (adj.) - a once-in-a-lifetime experience or opportunity is very special because you will probably only have it once.

Inaccessible (adj.) - very difficult or impossible to travel to or reach.

Local customs (plural noun) - the way that something is done in a particular place, especially when unique or typical of that place.

Questions and Answers

R: Well, to be honest, I don't really like going to street markets and buying things there. I think it's a bit of a waste of my time and money. This is just how I feel about it. Other people can do what they like. But quite a few years ago now I was in Haiti, and I had the chance to pick up some local art and craft work, now I remember it. I think it was in the spring of 2018, and we had been evacuated to the south of the country due to this kind of uprising in the capital city, which was where we were staying. And the place we went to was called Jacmel. And we were staying at the house of a man called rather fittingly, Jacmel Joe. And basically, he's like a local celebrity. Jacmel is home to this sort of famous art commune. So we went to visit one day and take our minds off the riots in the northern part of the country. Part of the impromptu tour involved a walk by the seaside, where some local artists had set up their stalls in a small street market. I didn't have a lot of room in my case that I'd taken with me. But there was enough to buy a bracelet made of some shells that this guy was selling. And he picked them up and decorated them. So I thought they would make quite a good gift for my parents. Anyway, while I was happy with what I got initially, afterwards, I felt a bit embarrassed because I'd forgotten to haggle. It's like a common practice with all the street market purchases in the country. And it's part of the sort of good-natured revelry of these places. So you like negotiate the price and then they bring it up and bring it down and you argue with them. Needless to say, because I had forgotten and this was, I was so focused on getting everything done and dusted. I think I might have accidentally offended the trader. I suppose it was worth it, though, ultimately, since it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. And I think the country is pretty inaccessible now. So I'm unlikely to have that opportunity again. If I had to do it again, though, I definitely would, though. I try and make sure I remember the local customs and to respect them

M: And do you often go to street markets?

R: No, like I said, I'm not a big fan.

M: Hey, thank you, Rory, for your lovely story!

Discussion

M: So, dear listener, if you've never been to a street market, what should we do here? Of course, lie. Okay?

R: I didn't lie though. I've been to one. Just a very long time ago.

M: Yeah, but you should understand the difference between a street market and, well, a shop and a shopping mall. So a street market is usually in the street. It could be in the open and could also be in a closed space, right, Rory?

R: Yeah. Although, all of the street markets I've seen have been outside in the open.

M: Usually, they are kind of like markets at the weekends and people sell all like vegetables, some clothes, perhaps. Yeah, like cute little markets, like weekend markets. So Rory started off with I don't really like going to street markets and buying things. Okay? Well, you can start off with, ooh, I love going to street markets and buying things. Rory thinks it's a waste of time and money. Okay? So it's a waste.

R: For me it is, but other people have their own opinions.

M: Yeah, I love going to street markets, for example. When I was in London, I went to a street market, it was a weekend market. Oh, it was so cool... Yeah, and also like in South America we always went to street markets, in Greece, in Europe, and kind of one type of market is called a flea market. Rory, what's a flea market?

R: I think... Is it not a place where people sell their old unused goods?

M: Yep. Yep. Like vintage stuff, secondhand stuff, like all kinds of stuff. Yeah, it's called like a flea market. So I used to visit flea markets all over the world. Yeah. Pretty cool stuff. So you can say like a few years ago, a couple of years ago, some time ago I had the chance to pick up some local art from a street market. So I had the chance to pick up. Pick up local arts? Like you buy local art. Yeah? Or once I went to a street market and I had the chance to pick up some vintage clothes, and Rory was... Where were you at that time?

R: I was in Haiti. It's a country in the Caribbean, I suppose it's the best way to describe it.

M: And Rory bought some local art and craft work. So craft, was it made of wood? Crafts.

R: There were different kinds of craft on display, but the ones I was most interested in were the local seashells. I quite like seashells.

M: The place was called Jacmel. And before that, Rory said that he had been evacuated. Okay? Because there was some uprising, dear listener. So almost a war in Haiti at that time.

R: I think there still is, to be honest. I'm pretty sure that was the beginning of everything that's happening there now. But I could be wrong. I'm not an expert on the country's history.

M: Oh, wow. So it was dangerous in the capital. And he had to go to the south of the country.

R: It was dangerous in Jacmel as well. We visited this art shop, and I distinctly remember it because there were two men in the back of the shop who were loading up guns and getting ready to go to the riot. So I was just like, okay, this is obviously a very unstable situation.

M: Wow. Messed up.

R: Oh, yeah, it was like a really crazy situation. I've not been in a situation like that for a long time.

M: And when you describe a street market, you can say that local artists, local people set up their stalls in a small street market. So at a market. In a market or at a market?

R: Well, things are located in the market. So if you think about the market as a closed space, then in. And if its just being present at the space, then at the market.

M: So they were stalls, there are stalls in a market. Stalls? They're kind of like kiosks, like little tables, for example, where they have their stuff. Yeah? So, local artists set up their stores. Rory didn't have a lot of room in his suitcase. Okay? So he couldn't buy many things at the market.

R: But I could buy a tiny bracelet. And I did.

M: Yeah, so I bought a bracelet made of shells or made of wood from a guy who was selling bracelets, okay? And here if you name something, like what what it is that you bought, and you should say what it is that you bought, you should describe it. So it's made of, it's a handmade thing. Maybe it was very expensive. It was nicely decorated. Okay? It was a piece of local art. Maybe it was a craft, a piece of work, a unique piece of work. When you talk about your feelings, you can say that I was happy at first. Like, initially, I was very happy.

R: So I was like, yes, I've got the bracelet.

M: But then I felt a bit embarrassed. So why were you embarrassed? Why did you feel embarrassed?

R: Because I'd forgotten to engage in one of the local customs of haggling, which is very important in some parts of the world. And I'd completely forgotten about this.

M: Yeah. And usually, we do this in different markets. Like, you go in there and you say, oh, how much is it? Like $100? No. I'll buy it for $50. I'll give you $50. And the seller goes no, $80. And then you kind of, you start haggling, dear listener. In a shop, you normally don't do this. But at a market, because we are in the street, you know? Okay, can you give me a discount? And you start haggling. So Rory forgot to haggle. Maybe he doesn't know how to haggle. Because some people like really don't enjoy haggling. Like I love haggling, actually. It's fun. And also like I think sellers like it. And sometimes it's part of the culture. Yeah? And it's a common practice with all street market purchases. Purchases? A purchase is something you buy and also to purchase is to buy. I purchased a picture, yeah, a photograph. Or I bought a picture. The purchase is a bit more formal. Okay? Usually, we say bye. Can I say it was a good buy?

R: Yeah, it was a good buy.

M: Or if you paid very good money. Kind of not a lot, not too little, you say, oh, that was a bargain. That was a good deal. So I bought it at a very reasonable price. So it is kind of like haggling is a common practice with all street market purchases. Like it's part of the good-natured revelry of the places. What's a revelry?

R: It's like the atmosphere.

M: So can you use it in a sentence?

R: Yeah, it's like a really pleasant atmosphere in a place. So there's revelry at a super... Not a supermarket. There's revelry at a street market. Because everyone is haggling and having a good time doing it. But it could also be about your thoughts as well, actually, thinking about it. Like when you're daydreaming.

M: So like, I go to a street market. Can I say like, oh, like, the street market was so bright and lovely? I was lost in the revelry or I was lost in revelry.

R: Yeah. Or in the atmosphere.

M: In the atmosphere. I was lost in revelry. So kind of you soaked up the atmosphere of the street market. And usually like it's a buzzing place, everybody's walking around, eating something, buying something. This is like music playing. So, it's usually very nice. I was focused on getting everything done and dusted. So Rory knew what he wanted to get. So he was focused on getting what he wanted. So you can say like, oh, I was focused on getting everything done and dusted. Done and dusted is an idiom.

R: Just for getting things finished.

M: Yeah, I was focused on getting everything finished. So he forgot to haggle. Even worse, dear listener. Rory accidentally offended the trader.

R: Well, I might have. He didn't look very happy. But then maybe he was just having a bad day.

M: Right. So because you forgot to haggle? Or you did do something else?

R: Because I... Well, the only thing I didn't do was haggle. And that's what everybody else did. So I'm assuming it's because of this.

M: And you can say like, I might have accidentally offended or I might have played more than it was. It was worth it.

R: It was worth it. It means that the effort was a worthwhile experience, or it wasn't a waste of time.

M: Yeah, it was like good value in terms of price. Like, okay, I bought a nice dress, I paid $50. It was worth it. Okay? So it's like reasonable for this price, or the whole experience. Kind of interesting, and important. So I went there, it was worth it. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Or it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For example, I went to Greece, in Athens, we went to a flea market on the weekend. And it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience because I saw many local people, like local crafts, I could buy some vintage things, you know, so like, it was authentic. So it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. How did you organize this answer? Could you also comment on the adverbs you used? Like initially, ultimately.

R: Oh, wow. Yes. Um, so, well, I organized the answer just according to how it is the task once again. But I did give a bit of a preamble to explain why I don't really give much detail or talk at great length about street markets normally. So it's sort of like preparing your listeners in advance for what they're going to hear. But I covered everything in a logical order when it was, where I was and what I bought in more detail. And then I had a bit of time at the end. So I talked about the alternatives. If I had to do it again. However, adverbs... Hmm. Well, there are not many I don't think. Or were there?

M: A good one is initially.

R: Yeah, initially. So while I was happy with what I got initially, at first. And then... Is afterwards another adverb?

M: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

R: So initially is at first, and then afterwards is, well, after this period at the beginning.

M: And then ultimately.

R: Ultimately is before the end. However, I also said accidentally, which is saying that you did something by accident, you didn't mean to do it. But ultimately is like the final word on the matter. Ultimately, it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. And it was worth doing because of this.

M: Yeah, about feelings. You can also say like, okay, I was ecstatic. Like, I was excited that I bought this thing. I was very pleased with myself. Yeah? Or maybe I was anxious, and nervous because you are in a crazy street market and you have to haggle. Okay? Negotiate the price.

R: Well, maybe.

M: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Stay with us. And we'll get back to you in speaking part three about shopping and street markets. Bye!

R: Bye!

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