Tour Guides for a Day or Three

Heather's sister Debbie and her family came to Beijing and we volunteered to show them around. Heather is Mike's sister-in-law's sister so although very distantly related, especially for me, they are family. They are such a friendly couple, they treated us like family they hadn't seen in a long time. We had such a good time and are sad they are gone. I felt like we had a mini vacation along with them which we were really craving. They were only here for three days so it was three very full days to get all the must dos in. We all went to the great wall together. If any of you come to China, Mike is the tour guide to get. I swear he knows everything (Mike says that is not true). They quizzed him on Chinese history all the way to the great wall. We went to a different part of the same section that we were at a couple months ago. We didn't have to climb the mountain as much to get to the sky lift that put us on top of the wall but man, it was one INTENSE hike once we were there. Some of the stairs were so steep that when you got to the top and looked back you could not see most of the stair case, as close to vertical as you can get without falling over backwards, and to add they were not short stair cases. Jack counted 107 stairs on one of the stretches. The individual stairs were extra tall as well. About half way most of us waited in a guard tower while Debbie and her son Joey finished the hike. She got where the wall was no longer restored and unsafe to go past. She said it was all grown over with vegetation and in poor condition. She said she was determined to do the whole thing. Once we were done hiking on top of the wall, we took the toboggan sled down the mountain. It is a lot of fun to do. Debbie was behind Mike, and the person behind her kept yelling at her to go faster, but she was limited in what Mike was doing. Poor Mike was leaning forward with all his weight to try to go faster, and his sled was barely moving.

We got back to Beijing, and after a meal (which ended up being a little too spicy, even asking them not to make it spicy) we went to the Silk Market for some shopping. Shopping there can be an interesting and trying process, as it is all bargaining. Because it is a huge tourist market, they start the prices out very high - sometimes what seems like 500% higher then what is a fair price, or what you can get it down to. Most tourists don't always understand the currency, and are not used to bargaining, so they end up paying double or more what they should. Chelsey and I being the Beijinger's that we are knew a lot of the true prices, so were able to get decent prices for the McFaddens. For example, they wanted some chopsticks. While Mike was not looking, she started looking at the some chopsticks, and had started bargaining. Before the deal was done, Mike got there, and knocked off another 50 RMB/set for the chopsticks. The vendor was not very happy with Mike, as she lost some profit. Another vendor for some Jade said to make sure that Mike and I come back, but don't bring anyone like Debbie back (who was a hard barganer herself, having lived in Mexico before). Mike had to go to work for a couple hours that evening, but we continued to shop. Some of the other vendors were also really hard - This one that we got some silk shirts at would not even bargain until she had done this 15 minute speech on how she had called us a friend, and that if we tried to bargian lower that we were insulting her. We probably should have walked away from that vendor long before we did and found a nicer vendor for silk shirts. Bargaining can be a phsycological game sometimes. They are very skilled at it. It is alot about acting. They will use your generosity, morals, ethics, and compasion to get the ball in their court, just like the girl I mentioned who started of immediatley by using an ageless strategy of trying to make me feel that I owed her something and that she was doing me a favour. By the way, her friend price was over three hundred american dollars for two silk shirts.

Yesterday, they went to the forbidden city, but unfortunatly we could not go. Mike had some training, and I new Jada wouldn't handle a whole day out in the sun with no naps very well. We met them for dinner and had some dumplings. Part of what we did is took them to some resturants and help them order so that they could get good food, as well as know what it was. In the first resturant, Jada was playing peek-a-boo with a little boy, peeking around corners and smiling at him. That is the first time I have seen her actually play with other kids. They are going to send us the pictures, so we will post them when we get them.

They left this morning, and we helped arrainge a driver with a van to take them to the airport, saving them quite a bit there as well. It was a busy couple of days, but a lot of fun. We will miss them, and wish them safe travels.

Mike's Busy Schedule

So I have a new job now. I am teaching English still, just with another company. I now work with "Elite" From New Oriental. It pays 150 RMB (22 USD) an hour, but it is only part time. At least they provide a visa and it will pay the bills, as long as they schedule me for enough hours. But if they don't, because it is part time, I have time to work other jobs if needed. Already, for a little bit anyway, I have two other part time jobs. One that starts on Friday, and another that starts next week. They are both temporary, but are corporate trainings, so pay even more. Just means next week I will be crazy busy! I'll be working most evenings at New Oriental, then Friday nights I'll work two hours at the Hilton hotel teaching some of the housekeeping staff English (200 RMB/29USD an hour). This job lasts for 10 weeks. Then next week, I'll be teaching more English at a hotel in Tianjin Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, 2 hours each morning (at 240 RMB/35USD an hour). The only bad thing about the Tianjin class is the travel - its a little over an hour each way, but considering many times it takes up to an hour to get places in Beijing, it is not horrid. This class lasts about a month or so, so at least I don't have to
So in recap, I'll be teaching whatever hours at New Oriental; Wendnesdays to Friday from 10-12 (plus travel); Friday from 5:30-7:30, all at differernt jobs! Busy, yes it will be. Things will work out, and it will help us get some money for now.