Receiving a Money Transfer (Novice-Intermediate)

Practice on Your Own

Imagine that you are studying or traveling in a country where the language is spoken. You are running out of cash, and you are not able to use your credit or debit card in this city. You have asked a family member or friend back home to send you some money through Western Union or a similar money transfer service. Now you need to go pick up the money.

• Think about what you need to bring with you (tracking number, ID, etc.).
• Think about the information you will need to provide to the agent.
  • Tracking number
  • First and last name(s) of the person who sent the money
  • City and country the money was sent from
  • The amount that was sent
  • Your first and last name(s), address, and telephone number
  • Possibly a password or the answer to a security question selected by the sender
• Practice stating the required information. Also think about what greetings and polite expressions you might use. You should make sure to get a copy of the receipt and count the money to verify that it is the right amount.

Practice in Conversation Session

• To warm up, tell your conversation partner and fellow students what city you are in, who is sending you money (it doesn’t have to be a real person), and the amount of money.
• Be prepared to role play picking up your money from the money transfer service. Use culturally appropriate greetings, provide all the required information, show your ID, get a copy of the receipt, and count the money to make sure it is the right amount. Use polite expressions (“please,” “thank you,” etc.) as appropriate.
• Discuss typical prices for goods and services such as food, lodging, toothpaste, etc. How much money would you be likely to need while traveling in that country?