After a great weekend in Shanghai it would be absurd to even think we would have an easy return to Ma'anshan. From Shanghai we took the high speed train to Nanjing. It only took 1 hour since it went 300km/hr. You can do the math if you want (convert into mph) or you can just trust me when I say it was FAST. So that part was easy.
The next part, Nanjing to Ma'anshan. A DISASTER. Where I went wrong- taking advantage of mom and dad being there and taking the "easy" way to get from Nanjing to Ma'anshan: by taxi. 1) There is no easy way to do anything in China. 2) I should have just gone with my gut and we should have all taken the bus. It takes the same amount of time and is 1/4 of the price. I don't know what I was thinking.
So the story... After bargaining with this cab driver he finally agrees on 200RMB to take us to the Crowne Plaza in Ma'anshan where my parents would be staying for the night. We had so much luggage and the trunk only fit one suitcase. So, the rest of the luggage was on laps. Real comfortable. This cab driver drives us maybe a minute and stops in the middle of the road and flags another cab driver down. It happens to be a woman. I don't think women are bad drivers, but in China, THEY ARE. It's hilarious. Anyway, were in the middle of the road and he starts taking our stuff out and putting it in her cab. We all get into her cab and we wait. We waited a good 3 minutes until I realized the guy was giving this women directions to get to Ma'anshan. SHE HAD NEVER BEEN. It is literally like 2 different roads you're on once you get out of Nanjing, but if you don't know where it is, you're never going to find it. There are no signs. After giving her directions, she gets in the car and drives around the block. In 10 minutes we had gotten to the other side of the train station. So finally I tell her (in Chinese) to take us back to the train station and that we are just going to take the bus because she has NO idea where she is going. She literally stops in the middle of the road and refuses to take us back. I mean busses almost hit us. I start yelling at her in Chinese, my dad starts yelling at her in English and it is a complete disaster. She didn't want us to take the bus because she split the 200RMB price with the other cab driver who gave her the job. Meaning, she paid him a 100RMB and then we would pay her the 200RMB when we got there. So basically, her not taking us meant she was out 100RMB. WELLLL.... I DIDN'T CARE! Why would you take a job when you don't know where you're going?!? I don't have all day lady! So she starts crying and we all get out of the car, take our things and walk along the highway to get back to the train station where we get the bus to Ma'anshan.
Lesson learned: go with your gut and always take the bus.
When frustrating situations like that happen, and unfortunately it's more often than not, it makes me wonder if I made the right choice to stay here another year. But then my dad sent me a text when we were on the bus saying, "It's just an adventure. It's the beauty of living in China" and that's when I knew I made the right choice.
These "adventures" that happen almost everyday are just part of the package of living in China. These adventures that have been so frustrating for me at one point, have somehow become part of the reason why I love living in China. Every single day is an adventure. Every single day is a challenge. And for some reason, I love all the adventures and challenges. Not only have they taught me how important it is to have patience (which I didn't have much of before moving here), they've also made me a stronger person. After living here for over 6 months, I've finally realized that the best solution is to just roll with the punches, look back and laugh. I know three years from now, I'll look back and laugh at the experiences I've had here, so why not laugh now? It's a hell of a lot better than being pissed off and letting it ruin my day. After all, at the end of the day, it's China and everyday is an adventure.
The next part, Nanjing to Ma'anshan. A DISASTER. Where I went wrong- taking advantage of mom and dad being there and taking the "easy" way to get from Nanjing to Ma'anshan: by taxi. 1) There is no easy way to do anything in China. 2) I should have just gone with my gut and we should have all taken the bus. It takes the same amount of time and is 1/4 of the price. I don't know what I was thinking.
So the story... After bargaining with this cab driver he finally agrees on 200RMB to take us to the Crowne Plaza in Ma'anshan where my parents would be staying for the night. We had so much luggage and the trunk only fit one suitcase. So, the rest of the luggage was on laps. Real comfortable. This cab driver drives us maybe a minute and stops in the middle of the road and flags another cab driver down. It happens to be a woman. I don't think women are bad drivers, but in China, THEY ARE. It's hilarious. Anyway, were in the middle of the road and he starts taking our stuff out and putting it in her cab. We all get into her cab and we wait. We waited a good 3 minutes until I realized the guy was giving this women directions to get to Ma'anshan. SHE HAD NEVER BEEN. It is literally like 2 different roads you're on once you get out of Nanjing, but if you don't know where it is, you're never going to find it. There are no signs. After giving her directions, she gets in the car and drives around the block. In 10 minutes we had gotten to the other side of the train station. So finally I tell her (in Chinese) to take us back to the train station and that we are just going to take the bus because she has NO idea where she is going. She literally stops in the middle of the road and refuses to take us back. I mean busses almost hit us. I start yelling at her in Chinese, my dad starts yelling at her in English and it is a complete disaster. She didn't want us to take the bus because she split the 200RMB price with the other cab driver who gave her the job. Meaning, she paid him a 100RMB and then we would pay her the 200RMB when we got there. So basically, her not taking us meant she was out 100RMB. WELLLL.... I DIDN'T CARE! Why would you take a job when you don't know where you're going?!? I don't have all day lady! So she starts crying and we all get out of the car, take our things and walk along the highway to get back to the train station where we get the bus to Ma'anshan.
Lesson learned: go with your gut and always take the bus.
When frustrating situations like that happen, and unfortunately it's more often than not, it makes me wonder if I made the right choice to stay here another year. But then my dad sent me a text when we were on the bus saying, "It's just an adventure. It's the beauty of living in China" and that's when I knew I made the right choice.
These "adventures" that happen almost everyday are just part of the package of living in China. These adventures that have been so frustrating for me at one point, have somehow become part of the reason why I love living in China. Every single day is an adventure. Every single day is a challenge. And for some reason, I love all the adventures and challenges. Not only have they taught me how important it is to have patience (which I didn't have much of before moving here), they've also made me a stronger person. After living here for over 6 months, I've finally realized that the best solution is to just roll with the punches, look back and laugh. I know three years from now, I'll look back and laugh at the experiences I've had here, so why not laugh now? It's a hell of a lot better than being pissed off and letting it ruin my day. After all, at the end of the day, it's China and everyday is an adventure.
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