I was a Baka Gaijin

In my last entry, I complained about a cashier who kept offering me a plastic bag.

Today, my mom laughed in my face as she explained to me that in the Japanese context, you don't say, "No (I would not like a plastic bag)." You say, "I do not need one."

I was confusing the cashier big time because I should have been responding with「いらない。」instead of 「いいえ。」

UGH!!!!!!! I was a stupid gaijin.