Frustrated in NYC

New Yorker, You may be shock after you read this blog, and then you may not, dismiss me like I am a butler, or you can find out more yourself.

My recent return home after living aboard for over a year and a half I was shock to find out I was totally frustrated in the 24 hours of my arrived.

Let say, how many of you have cell phone?

What about computer?

Have you ever took a second to know what it take to get connected to the internet, or you just do not care, because it just works as long as it is charged, and you pay your phone bill.

If you have never set foot on any foreign soil, and I do not meant the farm in Iowa; do you know how SIM card works? Lets put it his way; our great American phone corporations were holding all American hostage and you know who they are.

They are the company you spend one quarter of your paycheck so that you can get connected, and you do not even own any of their company stock. Just a black hole you dump your cash monthly.

Never the less, all foreign phone are luckily unlocked, that meant we can go any where in the world using the same phone, buy a SIM card at the landing airports welcome or tourist information center, vala, you are connected. But not when you have a US phone that will that work.

Too much information on technology, I know you are smart so you know what I meant, making the long story short, upon my arrival, I saw a very attractive new welcome and tourist center as soon as I existed from the immigration services. I was just thinking the old dusty JFK airport finally getting a facelift and catching up with the world greatest airport.

As I approached the information service, they told me SIM card were in the dispenser machine. I should have known better it is United States after all. However the question is which one, there a at least 6 different SIM card, and the others are all phone card, if you are not careful you buy a prepaid phone card instead.

I went back to the information desk to clarify which one to buy, and if all the SIM cards are 3G. That is the trick it must be 3G or they do not work well. They told me they are all OK and it works. Still have doubt I went to another store, they said the same thing, they are all the same price I purchased one after all everyone gave me the same story and it was 6AM, after a long flight from Asia and a red eye cross country, I just wanted to get to the hotel and rest.

An hour later after some needed shut eye, I proceed to install the SIM card, it is just as easy as open up an can of sardine, because after all the experience does smell like a can of rotten sardine. The phone just keeps on idling and nothing works. I am not getting any messages. That is funny, I specify ask for an international card with Internet access. After further investigation, I finally realized that it is a WIFI SIM card.

What is this, who use WIFI SIM card/ do you know what that means?

There are many places in New York do have WIFI access, that means you can use your computer there, but even in Starbuck coffee you need a password.  You ever try to find Internet connection to use your phone? Why do they even sell that anyway? Everyone have 3G or 4G on their phone.  I was furious why sell WIFI SIM card that is literally useless.

Never the less, I finally got some information on which company issue the card and planning on going there to demand a refund. Good luck with that.

For the time being the very helpful hotel concierge is giving incomplete information on where to find the store near by without telling me a visitors that the store is hidden and not easy to find. After many rounds of returning to the hotel and go about again; because I do not have GPS, because my phone is not working, and I get no email again, my SIM card is not working. I finally found the store.

The better story began by telling me that although the phone company issued the card, but they are not the same as one you can get in the store. In order to get one in the store with 3G accesses, I have top pay for a contract, so they show me the menu.

Good salesman, but I am no fool either, first I told them, I am a New Yorker, living aboard, I know all the tricks of their trade, I only need a SIM card, I am willing to swallow my pride, took the losses and purchase a new one from them. But that is not possible they told me, company policy, no contract. No sale. Well I am s_ _ _ _ ed end of story.

Well phone companies, I will get my revenge; I will blog about this for the world to know you ripe people off. In the end, I have to buy a new SIM card, this time with 3G accesses more expensive than the one at the airport anyway, I also had to buy a one-month contract, just to activate my card. I can’t mention their name however if you sign up to my blog on the Internet, I will email you who they are, that is my sell pitch to you.

Do you think the visitor should sell on 3G SIM card? I travel to many cities in the world I had never encounter such a mess before, perhaps I should report them to the convention and visitors bureau. That is a horrible practice by using helpless tourist as guinea pig for target practice.

Chance Encounter NYC.

One spring day at the Shanghai Metro

There are many time I wrote on the blog that shanghai is not China, when you visit you see this sparling metropolis, and thinking wow China really is the future for all of us. Let look at the facts, this country only been developing for about 25 years, but the transformation from a poor country can’t feed their own people to it is today, the second largest economy in the world in a very short time.

There are anything on the surface seemingly sophosicated, like many of the upscale restaurants or hotels, especially in the tourist district. However take a spin on the metro off the main lines you will see the immediate different even for the ridership, the behavior and their attitude even the taste in their choice of clothing. While unexpected, we are being watch at all time, even when you think the police were there just to give you a false sense of security.

Last weekend the first time in one and a half year since I moved to China, was also the first time I ever saw the security guards in action in the metro station. For the longest times I thought it was just another job for these poor folks. They never seem to check anything or found anything behind the camera look at bags passing thru day after day inside the metro station. I will go nuts if I have to do that the rest of my life. No one ever get search, what purpose did they serve, Back home in NY we can’t even afford station attendants. I just figure that these guards serve no purpose the government gave them a job with minimum pay, just so they can say that they are employed.

How wrong was I.

On this rainy and cold mid Sunday afternoon, I was rushing thru as usual in one of the busiest metro exchange station. There it was, it happened right in front of me, 5-armed security guards surrounding 6 innocent and frighten looking passengers with light luggage. They were being searched and checking their ID. (That coincidentally reminded me that I really should carry some kind of ID while in China). What ever they were doing and what initiated the investigating, I will never know. However for the first time I feel unease. It proves that all these security cameras all over the city does serve a purpose, it all works, nothing like those in NY. Million spend just for show. Collecting dust and nothing works.

My friend told me later that these passengers that was being interrogated might be from the border provinces. My response is that I thought citizen of China are allow to move freely within the country. The only restricted area that wishes to go must require a permit is Hong Kong. Besides how can the securities knew where they were from? The answer was, “ How they dressed”.

That thought linger on in my mind. How they were dressed. I think they all dress the same; I never pay much attention to it, other than the fact that Chinese women in general are more willing to show their skin than their western counterpart ever will.

While the comment was still fresh in my mind on my way to my suburban destination, I started to look around and I can actually see the different the riders on the suburban line does dress differently. I saw no designer bags as in the more center city metro lines, absences designer label or icon on their clothing. The knock off they wore are of the worst kind, that you can tell it is fake immediately.

But they are colorful, very colorful indeed. Will you ever wear a peacock color tights tug into the fake fur line ring of a 6” heel short boot topped the custom with a bright color short waist length jacket that was a little too light for the winter weather? The huge fake Gucci bag is a dead give away with a big “FAKE” written across it. The worst is that she is a little over weight and in the frame of 5 ft. Tight is not really the dress of choice, or is it? The 6” heels on top of that I am totally speechless.

On the opposite side of the car, a man wore a pair of dark sunglasses on this cold and rainy day. Oh I got it. It is a real deal, unmistakable, “Ray Ban”

The young man on the train all had the reddish brown hair color by the low quality dye their hair was so dry and full that looks more like cover by haystacks, or a wig. Knick off shoes in bright colors are everywhere, tight jeans on the skeleton legs. I hate to be stereotyping, but it is all so true, I am in the star war space ship to nowhere. These rider live on the suburb trying to catch with their center city neighbor, but lack of the sense of sophistication and the basic understanding of fashion and style, rather they just wore what they saw on any department store displace window, without knowing if that is really an appropriate combination.

At the same time, I also saw a lot more traditional clothing from the bygone Mao era that I usually do not see people wearing on the more popular lines. As soon as the train came to a major stop, the entire cart is almost empty. What are left in the cabin are all the people looking like factory workers and farmers. As if I just been beam from one planet to another in a flash. Now I am back in 1969 etc.

I may be a little over reacting, until you take a ride with me. Just like the taxi ride or the dare devil cross the road kind of experience I blog about before. You can’t really see and felt what I meant, and I do not expect you to.

A spring day chance encounter in Shanghai Metro.

Are you ready for som shopping fun

This week, you will read about stories of my experience on bargain hunting.

Everyone come to China thinking they can get huge bargain here, sorry, there is no such term existed, if you are looking for the real mc coy. Any brand name item you may be interested in will cost three times more than you get it from back home. I meant all “Foreign Brand” with made in China label is included.

That does not make sense isn’t it? Isn’t all these items made here should be cheaper? Wrong, that is because there are extra sales taxes imposed on all foreign brands by the government. My word of advice is to buy it in Hong Kong if you want a real bargain discount.

However, if you are interested in something short term, and looks good for once or twice while you wear it, let starts with a trip to the Fabric Market. The famous “Shanghaies tailor made label” will be found missing here. Instead you will only found faceless workers from above the store making your measure to fit orders.

In this experience I found that I could bring any clipping from any magazine the tailors will say no problem they can make it fro you. They all told you that they intern in Italy, and know European cutting by hard. That is exactly what happened to my friend and myself.

These tailors will custom made the fake Italian stitching on the suit, and also added on all the details that you ask for, plus the selection of the highest end materials are all available.

The suite will be fitted in three days, or a week, depends on the time that you have. They can even make it the same day if it is required. While all went well and I get my friend a great price for a custom suit approximately $150 USD, and shirt at $20. You feel like they are really making it work for you.  Don’t be fool. My friend wore his suit for one time and the lining stared to tear, that is a very classic case of workmanship. Unfortunately they do not know we are locals. We came back and demand our suit be fixed they were stunned. Never the less, it is still a bargain.

That is lessoning number one, when you pay a penny for the goods you get a penny worth of merchandise. Don’t expect more than that.

Lesson two: you may just want something that is not custom made, what about Sunglasses, shoes, bags or custom jewelry? For starter, they are all made in China, (same goes to your items back home), the difference is at home, your merchandise is at a better quality, and same size knock off shoes can feel different from the left foot to the right. There is no quality control.

You may even try to fool yourself by thinking if you pay a little higher asking price you will get better quality (let say Sunglasses) it will break in three days for no apparent reasons guaranteed.

Lesson three: Never pay more than 1/3 of the asking price to start, be strong, hold your ground, and be prepared to walk away at any time if the seller do not want to meet your demand. There were more stores with the same merchandise in the same market.

If they do not chasing after you for the minimum price you offer that can means only two things. 1. They made their quota of sale that day, or 2. Your price is below what they can make a profit. Don’t act disappointed. They can sense you are a (sucker from miles away, especially Americans).

Lesson four. Always go to the top of the mall and walk down. The shop at the top of the discount mall get little exposure than the one close to the entrance, they are more eager to make a deal. Does that make sense?

I should be a psychology major instead of Advertising.

Never mind that, it is a little too late to make career change.

Let’s move on. Bargaining is not an art form it is a game.

The next story is also a true story.

First rule, before you enter the mall, you should take about 300RMB about 50 USD and separate it from your pile of monopoly money (The RMB). 

Second Rule, make sure you go bargain with a friend, never alone, unless you are a cold hearted pro like myself.

My game started with a friend she likes to purchase some T-shirts, let call her Miss A. I was not aware of it, since I was in another store looking for knock-off shoes. I heard this loud noise outside the store sounded like some argument or pleading. Turn out it was Miss A looking for me, screaming my name out loud in the middle of the mall.

She was hand locked by an 8 months pregnant store owner, trying to push these worthless T-shirt on her, while all the while she scream, “Ed help me, help me.” At the same time another giant of a friend of mine, 6’5 in height with status of an elephant, trying to pull my poor miss A loose from iron craw of the shopkeeper, I thought they are going to tear miss A in half, like in the Roman times.

Got the picture? She survived, and I got to tell her story for shoppers beware. Bargain hunting is not for the lighthearted.

Next scene, Super Ed to the rescue, I jump in, and Miss A told the shopkeeper, my husband is here, ask him. I was told the asking price I look at miss A and say “No” in front of the storekeeper. The shopkeeper turn around and faced me like a hungry tiger, I ignored her and headed to the door, Miss A to follow, but now, the shopkeeper turn around and focus her next move on me. While Miss A follow me out of the store told the shopkeeper she had no money, I control all the cash, and her husband say no, and that is no deal.

You thought that will be the end of the story, and where is the bargaining you may ask? The story did not end there.

The shopkeeper was rather insistence. She follows us down the mall, and waving the T-shirt behind us. I knew then it was time to bargain. I stop and ask her to give me her bottom line, instead she gave me the same price, and I gave her my bottom line. We went for another round. I turn to Miss A and said, “You really wanted these T-shirts”.

She said, “Yes dear please”. I pull out the money I separated on the one pocket and said. ”This is all we had tonight, either we have dinner with it, or you can have the T-shirts and no dinner tonight.” I also told her that we actually do not have enough to pay for the T-shirts.

At that time, the shopkeeper was watching the exchange unfolding step in and say, All right, I will take what you had”. In the end we all got what we wanted.

As for my other friend, he was speechless.

This game was played out three more times in the same afternoon, with a slightly different version. Are you ready for some fun? If you do, come to Shanghai, let me introduce to the art of bargaining.

Hope you enjoy this experience with me.

Chance Encounter Shanghai.

Why is everything in China from business ethnic to booking flights are all against the grid?

Why is everything in China from business ethnic to booking flights are all against the grid?

I had been away for too long that is because of work.

The work schedule in china is not even borderline ridicules it is ridicules.

Here is an example what I went thru in the first and second month of this year, some of us produced video before understand that it is not possible to produce a video in four days time from scripts revision to full production, but here in China that is what you r client expected. As for weekend, what is weekend, or what is mid night. Client will email you at 1AM to your hotel, or call you some times demanding changes on a weekend, they don’t even care if you are trying to get some rest. If you work for them that is even worst, I saw email client send in the middle of the night demanding their assistances to deliver information to me, so you can wake up the production studio editor to make the changes for them in a couple of hours, so they can see the revision at their breakfast table, if they even eat breakfast.

That is my most recent encounter, average sleep 4 hours a night, some times none for two weeks, no wonder I end up in the hospital for exhaustion for some miracle by doctor’s order I was removed from work and ordered bed rest with pills of course. This is no resort hospital just basic hard bed, white wall, not to white sheet and I slept for two days.

Even under those conditions I did not escape the craw of the devils. I was request to deliver yet another script and another shoot outside of China while lying in bed. I told them I am sick but the message fell on deaf ears. They keep coming thru my mobile.

I felt a lot better now after my daring escape from hell. Now I am in the spa heaven once or twice a week to help me relax until the next wave hit in another two weeks.

Don’t you think that is fun?

Challenging is the word. I do not know if it is what I will call fun work. Plus the long hours of cutting and editing once the shooting is over.

While on the subject about challenging. I had another new experience.

Perhaps I am spoil, for me it is a privilege for not knowing the Chinese language well. I have not paid much attention on my travel arrangement since I got to China over a year ago. If you recall my other story on train travel over the Christmas holiday, you know I have no clue on what I really suppose to do.

There is no difference on the up coming trip to Cambodia, I plan to take 10 clueless expat into the Far East jungle in May, and it is going to be fun, since I have no sense of direction even in the city. After this trip stay tune, perhaps I will have enough materials to write a movie script, I may name it 4 days in the jungle survived and return, or lost. Never the less that is not what I want to talk about. Instead. I like to share my experience of getting ticket to this destination.

After almost a month of research with a travel agent here and missed the first departure date. I decided to do some research on my own. It is horrible that I can’t even trust a Chinese travel agent, because they will organize a tour without knowing how to get you there. I swear it is true and they will quote you flight without including taxes.

First I found out that to get to the destination on a non-stop in 3.5 hours flight time, is only offered by a single government owned airlines, everyone else took between 7-19 hours with extensive layover.  Even more frustration is that it lands at 4AM on any return flight, choices of flight time is not flexible, one flight only. Unless you decided that you have so much time to waste and you like airport. Please remember it is not every airport terminal is like Dubai International. There will be no shopping in most of them.

Secondly, there is substantial saving if you book direct with an airline instead of the travel site. I meant half price off and some times 2/3 savings. I do not know why, perhaps it is because I am on the English version of the web site?

Third, in the US we think that economy class is the cheapest way to fly, I was wrong again there is such a thing call the cheapest price, this price is cheaper than economy fare. No you are not flying in the cargo cabin and there are no animals on board, your meals will be served like in every other flight, there will be seat belt and movies, but no foot messages (just kidding), so what is the difference you may ask?

The reason for the price is much cheaper is nothing “new to all of us” because it is like standard for all economy fare in the US. (I do not mean flight delay). Rather if you book the cheapest price in China, there will be no refund or exchange on your ticket. No credit will be given, you miss the flight you loose your money. I suppose they call it a little different than the meaning is lost in Translation still something new to learn.

However the big difference between economy and cheapest fare here, the price is three times cheaper. In this economy unless you have unlimited fund, what choice are you going to take – economy class or the cheapest price?  Just remember, your choice of seat is the same, not your control just window or arils.

Domestic and international Airfare in China went up tremendously recently. There are a lot of bargain airlines, but their flying record is questionable. I am not sure you really wanted to get on one. They are nothing like our no thrill discount airlines. Perhaps more like the Russian airlines, you are so relief and feel blessed that you arrive in one pieces while all the seats surge forward once the flight touch down on the ground, there is no seat belt to speak off, and some of the seats the bolt came loose during flight. The cabin broke into cheer and everyone claps once touch down is completed, and the plane is on the Taxi runway. At that time you are for sure to know that you had arrived in one piece, I am not saying the condition is the same in Chinese discounts flight, because I had never flown one however I do know that they had so much flights and so frequently I do not think they ever turn off their engine

So these are the reality of aviation in china, and new learning on getting through the maze of booking flights. For the longest time I always wonder why flying to HK, a 2.5 hours flight cost almost as much as flying to UK. Now I understood. I will be smarter next time. The only thing that is reasonable in China is food, therefore eat your heart out and never gain any weight, because there are usually more bones than meat in all the dishes. Cheers.

Chance Encounter Hong Kong.

The incidence on bad Chinese

I am back after being exiled to the labor camp since the beginning of the New Year, 8 days workweek is just a little hard to bare, but then it is China, they made their own rule. It is not worth it when the government mandates three days off to celebrate New Year and then work 8 days afterward to make up your time off, that is no holiday at all, some how that is how that works here.

Needless to say the first change I got I party my heart out until 2AM then finish the labor camp with the last of a 12 hours workday. When the weekend finally arrived, I crashed that is another insight into the life of living in Dreamland.

I have been in Shanghai over a year now, My Chinese is getting better, I can do basic communication with my language skill, or at least that is what I thought. I know a lot of hidden places in this city because I love to browse around the old streets when I have the free time. There is really no other ways but to explore by walking.

I can even give out direction to the locals that some time it is better just to stay on the metro to get to the destination instead of the train, bus and walk route they been doing it. That does not mean I do not get lost here. As a matter of fact that is a standing bet if I will get to some place on time without end up in the different party of town, or on a different floor of the meeting point agree upon. That is entire differ story that the one I am going to tell you about here.

I mention that I think my Chinese is getting better correct? Well over the Christmas holidays. I was traveling with family via the train to Suzhou, a city about half an hour away from Shanghai. The local train came out from a smaller local station instead of the new modern station. I did not know that being a foreigner, I couldn’t purchase ticket in the same building as the local. First that is because we do not have a Chinese ID   to use the machine. Secondly we are require to show a physical Passport before ticket will be issue. Third ticket for foreigners were not even sold in the same building as if we were diseased, had to be quarantined to another building.

So I went to purchased ticket as I as told, all went tell, no words were exchange, just money and gesture, and that is where my problem started. After I finally figure out what all the Chinese on the ticket meant, I realize I have less than 15 minutes to make the world record dash to cross the street, thru the tunnel, cross the plaza, up the escalator plus get thru the security check point in order to make the gate before it closes. If you have ever watch the amazing race that it was it was like, except I am traveling with senior member of my family with luggage’s that made it even harder.

The best had yet to follow, to be on the safe side, I decided to ask for direction before I get lost and miss the train. My family I am traveling with was foreigners, and I am obviously Asian, that was just the start. I was being polite; since most of the guards in Chinese train station do not speak English. I ask the Guard in Chinese to point me to the boarding gate and waiting room. Instead of answer my request, he turn to my family, and response to them in English to let them know that being a tour guide my Chinese is that worst he ever heard. How insulting, and My family was laughing so hard almost lost their footing, not because of my bad Chinese, but the guard had mistaken me as their tour guide, next time I am going to carry one of those tour guide flag with me.

Not that funny to me, but then when I told

It will get better. Until the other day, I was at my familiar French bakery the story to my local friends they laugh out loud and agree. I think I should take out their name from my party invite list.

Never the less I though that was just an incident, I did not pay that much attention to it, until one day at one of the French bakery I patron frequently, while I was paying for my purchase, the manager said I knew you are Americans, but you are Chinese also, how come your Chinese I so bad.

By now, I am fed up with all of them from now on I am only going to speak only English to them, the hell with being polite trying to speak Chinese to the locals they just have to deal with me in English until they don’t know what I am talking about then I can say how come your English is so bad for being a shop keeper for expats.

The sad part is that most of the time they don’t know what we are talking about id we spoke on English to them, they knock their head as if the understood, but in fact they don’t. You wanted to buy bread you may end up buying Bugs, no exaggeration.

So, should I go back to mandarin school? No I am not, I have no time for that, I know I can get by 70% of the time, there are plenty of people understood me especially the Taxi drivers, they know where I wanted to go, I suppose all those hours spend riding the metro, learning all the name a d pronunciation of all the stops from the above head speaker pays off. I can speak (perfect) subway Chinese. That is a credit I can claim. I even know the difference in tone and in writing between a lane, a street, a road, and a district. Of course after many late night Taxi ride end up in dark street I had never saw before I learn to pronounce everything correctly, at 80% correct at 70% of the time.

As you can see it is a lot of fun living aboard speaking the language alone is a challenge. Just try to point at the picture on the menu instead, it is perfectly acceptable. Pretend to be smart-ass doe not pay off there. You may end up with something entire different that you think they were. The other night at the restaurant, one of my friend wanted to be in charge, he thought he ordered meat from the picture that he recognize the word pork instead he got the fat and the skin but not the lean meat. I was in no mood to be merciful that night, I made me ate all the fat pieces in the pot.

I am kind of evil these day don’t you think?

Chance Encounter Shanghai.