i was in a market......in the middle of the city...(see photo)....i dont really get time to hang out - most of my time when im not actually teaching is spent organizing stuff - and trying to solve the complex maze of chinese "red tape"....im not kidding.......! it really is a complex society...i was in a bank today - changing money - ha! You might think that this sounds easy - they wanted proof of where the money came from........so i had my contract faxed to the bank.....this simple procedure took 45 mins...all for under $400 - then i went to a differnet bank to send the money......Im sending $ to Cecilia (my fiancee) so she can get her ticket.(to come here)...Its been booked - Then Wow.....The Bank could not do it - so then i went to the main post office "China Post" they are open till 8pm - but the person who does the western union (the money senders) stuff wasnt available till 6pm - so i waited - then when i got to see her - i was told - (thru an interpreter) that western union doesnt operate after 5:30pm.......and it is new at the post office!! Anyway - so they suggested i go to a bank - no not the same bank a differnt bank - the bank shuts at 5pm!
wow! So ill send the money tomorrow! ha! i also had an argument (sort of) with the forign affairs - guyat the school that I'm teaching at, a prick who does nothing - and orders around his young assistant - he told me that only the president of the school can get a soft seat on a train......all the other seats are like park benches........so i offered to pay the difference in the price - (maybe 12 yuen) ha! If it was a short journey i wouldnt care but - im talking 18 hours on a seat! (They dont have beds for anything less than 20 hours!!!) ha!!! Man......Thats why i like travelling - it makes us - count our blessings......(No - im not kidding) Rant Rant Rant..........
photo. mhobbs