What to bring to China... PATIENCE!!

Hi Everyone,

So, 2 hints for all those who wish to travel to China.
1) DON'T GO TO A WEDDING EXPO
Thought before: "What a great idea, it will be fun, meet business contacts, see pretty dresses"
Thought after: "Need air, can't breathe, being gawked at and surrounded, so many flyers being thrown in my face, can't see the exit sign! H.E.L.P.!!!!!!!!!"

Let's just put it this way. It was an experience!
.. another experience that I probably would have liked to have gone without was China's efficiency!

2) DON'T EXPECT EFFICIENCY... PATIENCE IS A NECESSITY!
So for all those who don't know, I have set up a bank account in China to be able to access money for the next couple of months so I don't have to pay the huge fees for accessing it on my Aussie bank card.

Here's what's happened:

1. Mum sent me money, so the bank calls my Chinese friend Li Cheng to get us to come down and sign for the money.
2. Get down there, discover that I can't sign for the money... I need my passport (which the police have for 1 week to process for a residance permit. )
3. Finally today, was able to go to the Police/Visa office to get my card. . . Arrive at 1pm... discover that in China they take a 2 hour lunch break! The office is shut from 12pm-2pm.
4. 2pm... we run in the door and get in 2nd spot...sitting there waiting, a lady comes up to us and tells us we are in the wrong building. You hand in your visa in this building ... you collect it in another. OF COURSE we should have know this! ... D.A.H.!
5. Finish queing in the next building. Get to the front of the line... no we don't give out the visas here, you ahve to go down to THAT line down there. (this then happened again at the next line)
6. 3rd line in the 2nd building... FINALLY HAVE PASSPORT BACK (after handing over 400kuai.
7. Back in the taxi, across the other side of town again... TO THE BANK!
8. Line up again... get the counter, fill out 2 forms back in the que again!
9. ... ... ... 45 minutes later back up to another counter... sign 10-12 more pieces of paper. (they like paperwork!) wait... ... ...
wait... ... ...
*sigh*
10. Comes back, wants to know what I will be using MY money for. Well drugs of course what do you think?!? ... Li Cheng kindly informs him it is for my rent for accommodation!
11. Another 10 minutes go past... I get my money!
12 Another 5 minutes go past... I get my passport! YEY ... HOME!!! walked all the way back down the street, inside the university and on the home stretch. NO... WAIT! A PHONE CALL!
13. We're marching back up to the bank again, because 'sorry' they forgot to print my name as STEPHANIE HELEN COWLEY then only put STEPHANIE HELEN. So I have to go and RE-fill out some of the forms.
14. FINALLY back home, paid the accommodation and in my room ... 4 hours down, 3 hours of it waiting around in ques!

So yes, patience is a virtue! ... make sure you pack it in your luggage when you come to visit this beautiful country. Yes, I still call it beautiful, because even with it's processing and efficiency faults. The people and culture are still beautiful! and I love them!

Zai Jian for now!

Steph xx