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China Time:

 


Travel Date: 1/13/2009
Subject: Baba Speaks

What we did today:
You must be wondering by now if you were ever going to see a posting by me. Most the time it is just easier to let Lara do the posting. (Besides, as you know, she is a much better story teller than I am.)

We are learning our way around Chongqing or at least the few streets around the hotel. We sent two disposable cameras to Huidong (Keziah) to take pictures of her friends and familiar places. One she was allowed to use to take pictures the other the nanny used to take pictures of her and some friends. Huidong’s film was exposed during processing and nothing was recoverable. The other has pictures that look like they could have been taken the day we first met her before she left the orphanage.

Our guide, Charlie, took me to a photo shop just down the street from our hotel. We dropped off the film around 10:00am and would pick it up later that afternoon when we retuned from completing the adoption paperwork.

Charlie was to go with me to pick up the film but when we returned Huidong was car sick and not feeling well so we just went up to the room. Once there I realized we had not picked up the film.

I decided to go it alone to pick up the film. After all, how hard could this be? I had already paid for it. I still had my receipt. All I had to do was walk down the street to the photo shop and pick up the film. I was probably the only American that had been in there all day so they would certainly recognize me. I walked down the street to the next corner. I missed the shop. How could I? It was just down the street from our hotel. I started walking towards the hotel again. I was back to the corner by the hotel again. I started back the other way, still no photo shop. By this time of the day street venders were setting up shop to sell dinner. Anything and everything was put on long sticks to be deep fried for a tasty meal. Resolved that I would just have to wait until Thursday when Charlie was coming back, I start towards the hotel one last time. Then, for some reason enough people had moved in just the right way I found the photo shop. It was quite the adventure.

But not nearly as exciting as trying to convert our US dollars for RMB. (China’s currency) After Charlie and I went to the photo shop that morning we went straight to the Bank of Agriculture to change my money. It was cold in there. The doors to the bank were open and people were in and out. They had about 10 automated teller machines and only four tellers working behind a class window. I could see others working behind the tellers but had no idea what they were doing. It felt very strange and lonely to be at a place that I could not understand what was being said or read anything around me. After taking a number and waiting for about 20 minutes, Charlie explains what we are doing to the teller. They told us that they could not exchange the full amount and that we would have to go to another bank to change the rest. However, part of the money was being deposited into the orphanage’s bank account. So they gave a slip of paper that basically said we had change a sum of money and that we would be returning with the rest.

Then we when to the Bank of China. On the steps, as we went in to the bank, were people standing trying to get anyone’s attention they could that was going into the bank. You see, they want to exchange your money at a “better” rate than the bank. We went straight into the bank.

The Bank of China’s lobby was much smaller but it was warm. There were three tellers and one person stationed at what looked like a help desk. Then there were four bank employees just standing around the help desk. I tried to ask Charlie what they did but I don’t think he understood my question. I never received an answer.

So back to the first bank, finish making the deposit and then we were headed back to the hotel to get ready to go complete our paperwork for Huidong.

I could have never figured out how to do all the business we did without Charlie’s help. I felt like a kid depending on a parent to take care of me. I truly appreciated his help.

Photos... (click image to enlarge)