Visa bus
(Shaky crowded no.2 bus – not rush hour: Suzhou, China)
Today has been productive and wasteful of time simultaneously. For anyone fooled by these posts of glorious sunshine, beaches, massage and fun, living in Asia isn’t a holiday all the time. Since my tourist visa is fast running out, I had arranged to make a working visa application to the Police with my new prospective employer. That’s right, once my new visa arrives, I am officially an English teacher. I’m probably more anxious about that prospect than any of my future students, but I never wanted to be idle here, I get bored far too quickly.
I took a taxi early (with the address written on a piece of paper after one attempt to say the address in Chinese) and met my employer who revealed that he forgot to list more documents that I would need to bring. So I travelled back across town; from SND (Suzhou New District) and home to SIP (Suzhou Industrial Park), the journey is approximately 20-45 minutes in a taxi dependant on traffic and costs around 30-45 yuan each time (up to £4.50) but the bus is two yuan for any journey (20p). Quite a discrepancy; as a girl who doesn’t like to waste money, I decided on the way back to wait on a bus, especially considering the return journey I would have to make again to deliver the documents. If I know where I’m going, the bus is easier than a taxi; no mispronunciations of Chinese streets, no lost drivers and buses are still available in the rain. I learned a few things very swiftly; there are very few seats and with the number of older people on the buses, I have to stand. Do not leave by the front door, but by the middle door (or the driver will cuff you) and hang on to anything for dear life.
Of course there was some nominal staring, but after all, I didn’t see any other palefaces hanging from the handrail. I think my kind are referred to as ‘tai tais’; a term reserved for the lazy wives of rich businessmen and often used by them as an ironic aside. Amusing as it might be for a while, I hope to fill my time here with teaching, learning, travelling and working on my own projects. Besides the stares and the crowding as we approached rush hour, the experience was much more interesting than a taxi. Taxis here move at the speed of light, swerving and honking, or are stationary. Buses plod along with their cheerily ringing bell and polite announcements of every stop in an automated digital lady voice. Perhaps I’m painting a rather too idyllic picture! Perhaps I’m just excited to discover a new environment where I can listen to middle aged women chatter, see some of the city that has previously been hidden and just learn to be comfortable being me in China.
BIG THANKS to Simon for sorting out the weird issue with no pictures. Apologies. It’s funny because I’m the analogue girl and I can’t figure these problems out. Because of him, Rosie still meets China!
