JAMIE: Jumbo.
Dee: Dee Jumbo. You're Jamie, right? The math teacher.
JAMIE: That's right. Hey, you've only been in Nairobi for a couple of weeks. How are you settling in?
Dee: OK. The staff and students are great.
JAMIE: Have you been out to explore much? Have you been to the marketplace?
Dee: Yes. It was a little overwhelming. The sellers kept crowding around me and asking me what price I'd pay for an item I was looking at.
JAMIE: That's how it's done here. So much fun. You should learn the art of bargaining.
Dee: I'm not up for that. I just want to know what something costs upfront.
JAMIE: Hey, can I see your watch for a sec?
Dee: Sure.
JAMIE: Let's say I'm selling this watch. And you walk by and I see you look at it. Now you check to see if it has a price. Now I know you might be a buyer. So I'll ask a couple of questions to build on rapport. And then I'll say, "What will you pay?"
Dee: Yeah, I've heard that a lot. I kept asking for a price.
JAMIE: So when you ask the seller, me, I have to name a figure. I'll throw in a big number to give us room to negotiate, and then you throw a number back.
Dee: So if you say the equivalent of $50, then I'd say, "How about $30?"
JAMIE: Too much. You'll say more like $10. And I'll say $25. And then we'll go back and forth until we both agree.
Dee: It sounds confusing.
JAMIE: It's a dance. I mean, if we can't agree, then we can't agree. But if we do agree on a price, then you have to honor it and buy the watch. Got it?
Dee: I think so.
JAMIE: How about we go out into the marketplace later on today to try it out?
Dee: Sounds good.
[LAUGHING]
Thank you.
JAMIE: No problem. Anytime. You'll do great. Don't worry about it.