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Posts Tagged ‘money’

Thirsting for a Thursday and Second Dinner

12 Apr

As my loyal readers know, Thursday is my busy day at the university.  Thus, I need to eat loads of food. I had my standard sandwich and tea before my morning classes. For lunch, I ate two veggie baozi for 1RMB, the shandong jen bing (“egg pancake”) for 2.5RMB, and 2RMB worth of seasoned sesame flatbread from a new stall.

Before my afternoon class, I put money on my electricity card. My apartment is free; I need only to pay for the electricity that I use. At the start of this study I believe my electric meter read “173″. It drained down to “3″ and started making an unpleasant sound, so I knew it was time to re-up. After putting 150RMB on my card, it read “247″. What these numbers mean I do not exactly know. All I know is much energy is spent on heating my apartment in the winer. I use a Chinese appliance that looks like a very bright fan. The actual heater eats up energy (and therefore money) at an alarming rate.

Buildings north of the Chang Jiang (literally “long river; the Yangtze to us waigouren) have central heating; structures to the south do not have this luxury. I live approximately five kilometers south of the Long River.

Some good news- I brought the recpits from my hospital visit to the Foreign Affairs Office and was reimbursed 198.5RMB! It feels good to have health insurance. Especially as an American.

Dinner was an experience. I tried to call Jessie to invite him out, but I got no answer, so I bought myself a 1.5RMB ice tea, a 1RMB portion of pineapple-on-a-stick, and then visited my favorite Hui (Chinese Muslims who speak Putonghua as their native tounge) for the usual 6RMB egg-noodles with some onion broth on the side. Towards the end of this (significant) meal, Jessie called to say he was on his way back to the university after a workout in the gym. Knowing the following facts,

[1 He would be hungry

2 I can eat alot of food

3 It is my Chinese cultural responsibility to reciprocate his generosity]

I decided to invite him to dinner that night. I finished my First Dinner, and headed to another restaurant for Second Dinner. We got a huge bowl of spicy fish noodle soup, fried potatoes with deliciousness, rice, and some green veggies for 45RMB. We also had a great conversation about politics, culture, economics, and our own lives. Money well spent.

Daily Expenditure- 209RMB

Total Expenditure (Twenty-four Days) [Minus 198.5RMB Reinbursment for healthcare)] 2,219.4 RMB

 
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Standard Monday

23 Mar

I had to get up at eight to teach at the primary school for three hours. After my 6RMB taxi ride, I had to face (for one hour each) often naughty third, fourth and fifth graders. Luckily a Chinese friend taught me the invaluable zuo xia (sit down) and an jing (be quiet). These phrases, along with the strategy of singling out particularly rambunctious youngesters to repeat the rules I established, greatly helped to quell the unrest in my class. Some kids probably even learned a bit of English.

During the walk back, I was invited to lunch by a Chinese-American-Chinese friend. His wife and her friend saw me walking along the main road and took me the the restaurant, where we had rice, delicious fish soup, potatoes, veggies, and some tofu. Since I was invited, the meal was free, although my Chinese-American-Chinese friend said he was repaying previous kindness on my part. So the cycle continues.

I bought another bing hong cha for 1.5RMB before my afternoon class at the university.

My late-day nap was interrupted by my nieghboor bearing the gift of home-baked bread. Thanks Kyle! Along with some peanut butter and coconut jam, this provided an excellent dinner.

A Chinese friend came over and we I taught her the magical game of “Uno”. Thanks for the cards Mom!

I was invited the local bar where the foreigners hang out. Sometime you want to go where everybody knows your name. And they’re always glad you came. Before stopping by the watering hole I bought dinner number two- a 2.5RMB “egg-pancake”.

A(bottomless) glass of tea costs 10RMB at Freedom Bar. This is pricey, but I can select the music from the computer, practice Chinese with the friendly owner, and hang out with my friends at a place which is not our homes. Additionally, one can run up a tab. I  paid Yange 10RMB for a beverage consumed on a previous night.

A quick note on foreign teacher solidariy in Jiujiang:

We all know each other, and we all get along well (9.8 times out of ten). This is because there are only about twenty of us. We come from various professions, counties (Mexico, Nepal, England, Canada, Australia, Bangladesh, and the US of A) and we have different beliefs and values. However we all love to travel, we all teach, and we all try to help each other out. It is a good thing. Sometime I feel that I can see our troubles are all the same. Sometimes I want to go where everybody knows my name.

Furthermore, I would like to thank Chad for the delicious pico de gallo he made for poker night. He is my cherished colleague and friend

Daily Expenditure- 30RMB

Total Expenditure- 396.3

 
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