So, it's been exactly one month since I arrived in China (plus a couple of days) and everything is still very new and slightly confusing. I'm still not used to the staring that I get every time I go somewhere, but now I just smile and laugh about it because it makes you feel like a celebrity. I'm definitely not used to the Chinese language as I have just realized that I tune it out most times, which isn't good when I'm trying to learn it. I'm not used to the spitting, smoking, peeing and pooping everywhere, nor do I think I ever will be. I'm also not used to crossing the busy streets, as I still imagine I look like Frogger trying to avoid cars. I'm not used to shopping, although I am getting better at understanding how to ask for what I want using my hands. And lastly, I am not used to the vagueness in answers, meaning when I ask someone what should I do I get passed along a train of people that usually go full circle back to the original person and it goes around again; I'm not a confrontational person but it gets very frustrating when something doesn't get done. A lot of things are hard to get used to but I believe that I am adapting well, as I have not had any panic attacks since arriving here. I'm having fun learning about China and its culture, but I was also planning on having bumps in the road where adapting would be difficult. Although, the things above are nothing I can't handle.
It's been almost 5 months since I've been paid and well my bank account is dwindling to its last bits of money. Not having money in a foreign country is scary, but having friends and co-workers willing to help out is always a nice reassurance. I get paid on Monday, Oct. 15th so I only have to last a couple more days which should be easy since I went grocery shopping just in case I ran out of money to spend. I was warned before I came to China that I should bring over $2000 but I had to a good supply of medicine that would last me a couple of months just in case. I brought about $1000 to Cambodia and that turned into about $500, which after paying for my bags turned into $300. It's true that when you first move someplace saving money is very difficult and damn near impossible. I even bought some medicine here, which was great because that's the one I was the most worried about finding ( the other I haven't found yet, so that also worries me, but I two vials of that one left). Some things I didn't need to buy, of course, but we all have those days where we regret the things we bought and wished we could have saved better; although I try not to dwell on it too much.
On pay day, they usually transfer your money to your Chinese bank account, which I tried to get today, but since I don't have my passport (it's being processed by the Residence Permit Department) I couldn't get one. So, hopefully, I will get paid in cash and when I get my passport back I can go apply for my Chinese bank account. I should get paid around $5,000 RMB, which equals to about $796 USD (usually it would be around $900 USD/$6000 RMB but I took out $1000 RMB for an advance, so I wouldn't be broke mid-month). Thankfully my fiance has been helping me out financially as well (and my grandma who puts the money my fiance sends, into my account), so it makes the burden less difficult I believe. I don't like to rely on others for things, so it is very hard for me to ask people to do favors for me, even when they say it's okay to ask.
School loan payments are also right around the corner (one payment is $300 something a month, which I might have to make into a smaller payment >.<), so it is also a scary thought of how will I send some Chinese money to the US and then have some exchange it then put it into my bank account there... It is very confusing and frustrating, that the world has not figured out a way to make international money exchange between banks easier or at least possible. I will probably send money to my fiance and have him just keep putting money into my account through my grandmother.
Life is complicated, it always has been and it always will be. We can't ignore life and what it delivers to our doorsteps or to our mailboxes, we have to keep moving forward and pushing though all the frustrating moments and worries that we have in order to see all the awesome moments that will pass us by if we don't let those worries and frustrations go for just a little while.
That is my rant!
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