My New Bike!

Today was filled with awesomeness! The first of which being, I bought a bike! Mine is the bright shiny turquoise one in the middle. It cost me Y170 (which is less then $30AUD) and it came with a lock, basket, and bell! The latter of which I used tentatively only once but they use them here like nobody's business. And bonus points, I actually made it back to uni without killing OR maiming myself on the streets of China! It took me three hours to find the actual place, after having been sent on a wild goose chase by the cleaning ladies/house keepers here at the dorms (I was pointed in the right direction by my Korean classmates), but I went to the first shop I saw, bartered down from Y230, and got told many times how pretty I was, and how much prettier foreigners are than Chinese people. And, yet again, asked about what religion I was - and laughed at when I said I didn't believe in anything.

POINT TWO FOR AWESOMENESS, you won't remember a few entries back, but in Taiwan I was charged twice for a transaction when I couldn't find any banks that would give me any money at like 10PM in Xi Zhi? Well, I got a letter from my bank ages ago saying "we are on your case, it may take up to 45 days for things to be resolved" and then bang, this morning I find that EXACTLY 45 days after that letter was dated, my bank reimbursed me the money the Taiwanese bank charged for AND the $4AUD transaction fee. Which, in Chinese money, is close to two weeks' budgeting! So I am worry-free about my bicycle-buying and trip expenditures (which means I have to go to the bank tomorrow to take out more money - I meant to go today but I forgot my PIN, haha).

Other points are, I have a job teaching English to four kids (three of them are ten, one is twelve) for an hour and a half on Saturdays. I was a nervous wreck the first time last week, but I got on all right and we had fun and making the lesson plan for this week was a piece of cake! Y50 for the time, which is a crock of shit and I'm going to ask for more when I go to the teacher's meeting tomorrow (maybe. I could wimp out on that) but really, I don't mind it for the experience anyway. It's not too far, takes about an hour to get there on the (VERY CRAMPED) bus, but I might try taking my bike out there tomorrow, just to see how I go. But then, I might not, because the bus is so convenient, and it's only Y1, even if it is lung-crushingly packed. It makes the ride interesting, anyway!

I went to an Indian restaurant today, apparently the ONLY one in Xi'an (you'd have thought there'd be more!), and it was delicious. I hadn't realized how much I missed Indian food until I had the opportunity of eating it again, because I got really excited when it was suggested and I think the Palak Paneer was the best I've ever had... possibly because I haven't had it in so long. I also asked Niki about any Thai restaurants, which there are a few of, apparently, and I really want to check them out, because yay for having Pad Thai in various countries!

Also while out, I realized that October is nearly over. Niki is putting together a Halloween party, Godfather themed, and I realized that Halloween is NEXT WEEK. Like, to the day. And then she mentioned the school trip we're going on, and that's in TWO WEEKS. Where did all the time go! I'm not ready for it to be November! I barely got used to being here at all, how is it nearly November! And then, November is nearly December, nearly the end of the year, and then! Then it's only two months until I leave China and that wasn't nearly long enough at all! I won't want to leave, I can tell already, but at least now I KNOW I'll be back. Who knows when, but I'll be back.

And then, there is the HSK exam on December 6, which I plan to take but not study too hard for. It's apparently a ridiculously hard test, the listening section is as hard as we have for our class which I NEVER get unless I'm reading along, and there are ten levels and last year Niki got a level three. Still, I'll see where I am in December, and then maybe take it again next year.

Other interesting things, in point form!

- Bought a bootleg of The Departed, a movie that's out in America right now, and it was AMAZING, EVERYONE MUST SEE IT I EVEN SUGGEST SHELLING OUT MONEY TO DO SO! lmao watch as it's still in Australian theatres when I get back.

- More on the aforementioned school trip: We're off to Henan province, where the only thing I remember there being is the Shaolin temple. There are other things, of course, but I've forgotten what they are, and THE ENTIRE THING cost Y300, which is $50AUD. INSANITY, but the school subsidizes massively and makes short-term or scholarship students pay through the nose for it. Talk about amazing.

- I learned that you can buy a driver's license for like Y2000. I mean, there are technicalities about having to take a driving test, but Niki knows some French guys who have just bought the license and not had to take a test. Too bad I don't have Y2000 lying around because that would be awesome! Bypassing Ls & Ps, definitely worth Y2000!

- Need to buy more sheets. Not this week though, I feel bad about the expenses of bike and last week's paying for the school trip, but on November 15 they turn on the heating and apparently the radiators get everything dirty so I'll get some sheets to put over the radiator vent, and probably move my bed out a little. Also another set on top of that so I can change them every now and then! I am going to be taking home so much bedding, haha.

- It has been FREEZING here, and raining on and off for a couple of weeks. I think I will definitely need some more clothes for winter, just layers and things but I sort of feel bad not taking advantage of the crazy cheap clothes as well!

That's all for now!