Pay as you go
I imagine that there are other ways to get by in China. For me it’s “pay as you go.” Saturday, after waking up with no electricity, I walked my empty (of credit) electricity card to a bank, handed the teller the card and some money and headed back home. I inserted the card into the box in the hallway and flipped the breaker switch back on. I have no idea when it will run out again. Maybe I’ll charge it again before it runs empty so the break from electric power is easier next time.
Monday, the cell phone needed to be charged again. Tuesday, I recharged the internet connection in my apartment. That was an unexpected one to me. It makes it simple. For the cell phone and internet I simply purchase recharge cards at any newspaper stand for 100rmb each, scratch off the stuff that covers the super secret code, dial the number, punch 2 for English, follow the instructions and “bam” I’m done.
I believe it was Monday afternoon that I had a “post it” note on my door in Chinese. I walked it down to the management office and learned that I owed water bill money. I promptly paid the nearly two dollars and headed back to the apartment. I also signed up for a fourteen U.S. dollar teeth cleaning.
Last night (not to scare anyone) I felt horrible. I ate some bad fish or meat two days ago. I know better than to do that. I walked 200 yards to the hospital, waited twenty minutes for my temperature of 102.74º F or 39.3º C to be taken and was promptly escorted to the fever clinic where I began paying for whatever it was they did to me. The entire (nearly two hour) experience set me back around U.S. $25 including medicine and lasted way less than eight hours.
Right now the clock reads 6:18pm Thursday. I skipped a Mandarin lesson (doctor’s orders) and a networking event tonight in order to get back to good health.
Saturday’s hike coming up will be exciting again and I better be healthy for it. The excitement about all of the new products I am sending back to Texas grows daily for me. My level of enthusiasm about this China adventure remains strong.
