Aiyah!
Friday, 30 May 2008
Slept the whole flight over. Had a layover at Narita Airport in Japan. My first time in Japan! Although it really doesn't count. Got on a plane to Beijing. Fell asleep immediately. (I can sleep through both takeoff and landing now! Which both impresses and worries me.)
Upon landing in Beijing, I suddenly feel overwhelmed with the task in front of me. The new terminal is HUGE! Then again, that's how a lot of China strikes me. It's very nice.
I navigated the airport express bus into the city without any hitch, then switched to a taxi. I knew the name of the hotel in English, but not in Chinese. The taxi driver started scolding me, lots of "aiyah! this is such a hassle!" and "aiyah, how do you expect me to drive you there and you don't even know where it is!" I tried to reassure him that I knew where it was and I would recognize it, I just didn't know how to say the name. He then pulled the taxi over and told me to get out and ask someone for directions. Umm, I responded, since you think my Chinese is so poor, wouldn't it be better if you asked? Keep in mind this whole conversation is taking place in Chinese. Lots of aiyahs and grumbling later, we pull up to the hotel. All in all, a 3 minute drive.
Slept the whole flight over. Had a layover at Narita Airport in Japan. My first time in Japan! Although it really doesn't count. Got on a plane to Beijing. Fell asleep immediately. (I can sleep through both takeoff and landing now! Which both impresses and worries me.)
Upon landing in Beijing, I suddenly feel overwhelmed with the task in front of me. The new terminal is HUGE! Then again, that's how a lot of China strikes me. It's very nice.
I navigated the airport express bus into the city without any hitch, then switched to a taxi. I knew the name of the hotel in English, but not in Chinese. The taxi driver started scolding me, lots of "aiyah! this is such a hassle!" and "aiyah, how do you expect me to drive you there and you don't even know where it is!" I tried to reassure him that I knew where it was and I would recognize it, I just didn't know how to say the name. He then pulled the taxi over and told me to get out and ask someone for directions. Umm, I responded, since you think my Chinese is so poor, wouldn't it be better if you asked? Keep in mind this whole conversation is taking place in Chinese. Lots of aiyahs and grumbling later, we pull up to the hotel. All in all, a 3 minute drive.
posted by Stefanie at 9:31 PM
2 Comments:
HAHA yeah hopefully your Chinese will improve while you're there =)
Did you ask him how he planned to transport the masses of people who are about to descend on the city for the Olympics without a word of Mandarin?
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