yeti speak…

just the opposite

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It’s 1 o’clock in the morning and I can’t fall asleep!  My mom was hinting at the fact that I’m coming more unglued (actually she didn’t hint at all; I think the words she used were "stark raving mad") the longer I am away from my wife. 

Not really sure why I can’t sleep tonight.  I didn’t have caffeine this afternoon.  I didn’t sleep in late today.  I didn’t get too much sleep last night.  I was fairly busy and got some exercise today.  It’s not too hot (thanks to the fan.)  I watched a movie in an effort to bore myself to sleep.  I’ve tried listening to soothing music on the Pod two different times now.  I even took a very uncharacteristic bath this evening.

Nothing is working…

So here I am.

Now what?

I was thinking today how things in China are basically like America…just the complete opposite.  Case in point:  buying airline tickets.

Yesterday, I bought plane tickets for my trip to Beijing next week.  Repeat: I bought them yesterday and I am leaving for Beijing next Wednesday.  Does that seem right to you?

Typically in America you wouldn’t even consider buying a plane ticket 5 or 6 days before your anticipated departure unless you had an emergency and/or you were filthy rich.  It just costs too much money to do "last minute" airplane trips.  (Usually this is true.  I know there are exceptions, standby, etc.)  The airlines know that they’ve got you.  Those seats are precious and they fill up fast.  You didn’t plan ahead so we’re gonna make you pay!

In China, you get perks for procrastinating.  I was looking at these tickets (which are all one-way; another thing you’d rarely do in the States because of the price difference) earlier in the week, but it didn’t seem like there was any rush.  I decided to hold out and I got one of the tickets for 10% less just by waiting an extra day.  The ticket was already discounted 20%.  As the day approaches your chance for a deal increases…kind of like playing chicken.  How long can I delay?

In America, if you order a ticket online you better have a valid credit card number with some money in your account or you’ll be hard pressed to find a way to get that ticket.  In China, I wasn’t even given the option to input a credit card (on this specific website I was using).  In fact, the option I was given was Pay Cash On Delivery.  They deliver your tickets to your door!  I’m not joking.  This is no scam.  I’ve verified that this is true and the tickets are real.  Did I mention this is often same-day service? 

That happens a lot in contemporary American life, doesn’t it?–Same day service.  It’s usually more like this, "We’ll try to have someone there some time next week between 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or between 1 p.m. to 7 p.m."  Another one goes like this, "Yes, we can get those tickets to you via FedEx or U.S. Priority Mail.  Shall we just charge your credit card the extra $50.00 shipping fee?"

I know I sound very cynical against my homeland.  I don’t mean to.  I guess I am just impressed by this one specific aspect of life in China.  As a foreigner (especially gifted at scathing criticism) you have to find and hold onto these types of little cultural treasures.  But I’m sure you can only push the procrastination so far before the flights book up.  But obviously, this is still such a different world.

Like America, just the opposite…

Which reminds me, that’s exactly how my wife constructs her sentences grammatically in Chinese.  She often says, "I just try to think of how we would say it in English and then I say the exact opposite."

Now I’m ready for some sl…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2 responses to “just the opposite”

  1. JLo Avatar
    JLo

    Best tip I ever got for trying to go to sleep is to try and do the most boring thing imaginable. I suffered from insomnia in college and I would often get up and tie and re-tie my shoes over and over again. Literally, I bored myself to sleep.

    You ever think the main reason plane tickets are so inexpensive is because the people are typically pretty poor? I mean, most people in America can afford the plane tickets, even if they are more or less last minute. Also, I would wager these conveniences or inconveniences are built around cultural norms. Most households in America own at least one credit card. The credit card usage is mainly done for security. Most of the time my credit card is never charged until I go to pick up my tickets or get my boarding pass. And I think that even then you can pay for the tickets in cash. The credit card is kept to ensure you have a seat or seats. I actually use the nice automated computerized services all through e-tickets, so I can even avoid standing in line. I have never waited for air lines to be shipped to my door, now that I think about it. I just pick them up at the air port.

    When you compare some of the other things in China, like bad apartment maintanence, indoor plumbing and the medical treatment, do you think that potential same day service of airline ticket delivery service really compares? Like I said, I would bet that most of these things are based around cultural norms. Perhaps door-to-door service in China is more reliable than the postal system.

    I wonder how many ex-pats get all cynical about their homeland. I wonder if it occurs for people from different countries.

    I am glad you love where you live, just don’t be hatin’ on your homeland so much.

  2. yeti Avatar
    yeti

    jlo: i’m not “hatin’ on the homeland”. just saying sometimes (not very often at all) things over here feel a bit more streamlined. usually this is not the case. usually the opposite is true.

    as for the general populace, yeah, you’re right, most people here (esp where we live) will never fly anywhere because it’s just too expensive. in many ways that’s why we have the flexibility to say , “OK tomorrow let’s fly to Hong Kong…”

    i would argue that most people in America DON’T buy last minute plane tickets though just because they HAVE the money, unless they are business people or pretty well off. i don’t think americans think that way. you think two weeks out because that’s typically where the pricing divide is. Of course there are exceptions like Southwest and other cheap airlines.

    i miss using credit cards or debit cards rather! don’t get me wrong. it’s a real hassle having to have CASH for everything. i had to go to the bank and pull out all that money i knew i would need for these tickets. but that’s the same for everything we buy here.

    in comparing countries, i would never try to say that china has the advantage because of same-day service. but you have to find the “positive” when you are in a situation to find so many negatives. but certain things like same-day service and the focus on relationships over material items i do appreciate more about this country.

    i do think you are right about these things all being related to cultural norms. for sure.

    another thing i appreciated about traveling here. i had pocketknife in my bag the last time i went to the airport. i thought i was checking it but decided to just carry it on. i forgot about the knife and it went through the security x-ray. in america (i would wager) that knife would be GONE and i would probably be questioned. in china, they pointed out the knife and walked me back to the ticket agent and let me check my bag. i got to keep my knife! you might say this is lack of security, but i think it is just putting the person’s interest first. i feel safer in china than i did in the states. my kids are definitely a lot safer from predators and things. (but we also live in western china which is vastly different from the east. it’s like the louisiana of China. still simple and a bit backward.)

    not trying to debate. most days i’d love to come home for an extended period of time. just trying to see the bright spots of living here. and there are some…

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