When transfering planes in Beijing, I nearly missed my flight to Chengdu. My flight from San Francisco came in about 40 minutes late and I had 30 minutes before my second flight began boarding. After hurrying to wait in the passport check line, I had to pick up my bag and check it out again. While I was heading upstairs to check in for the next flight, an airport worker asked where I was going and I was more than willing to allow him to escort me to the proper counter.
"Quickly. Quickly. No time." I was well aware of this. The helpful man got me checked in quickly and led me to the security line [a mere 10 meters away]. Before we got to the checker, he told me he'd get me through quickly but I had to pay him. I looked at him slightly shocked. He repeated that I must pay him. So I pulled out my wallet and offered him a 100Y ($16) bill- the only size I had- but he said,
"Too little... three is OK."
I repeated, "Three?" slightly incredulous.
I do the math in my head- almost $50 US, but hand it over anyway rather than risk angering him and missing my flight as a result. I paid him, got through security and hustled to the gate where I was the last one on the plane.
Only a few minutes later do I realize what has happened. I was not generously helped by a kind soul who noticed the face of a lost foreigner. I was taken advantage of by an opportunistic man who saw a white face and wanted to make a quick buck. I realized all he did was show me the correct counter to check in- something I could have found a few minutes slower. There was no one in line before me to check in, and all he did was get the attention of the woman at the counter. Again at security, he actually did nothing, just handed my ticket to the checker who had just done the exact thing with 5 people ahead of me. And yet I paid him 300Y. This is no small amount of money, certainly more than any tip I'd ever given before- ever. I'm upset.
But I dont feel as used as I maybe should. I was tired and in a hurry and I made a mistake- the first of many to be sure. Its a long trip ahead and I have to start learning from my mistakes. I will definitely be more weary in the future of someone offering what turned out to be very little help, and be much more resistant to paying someone for services for which I didn't ask. However, I find solice in the fact that other chinese people seem to be very polite to me (on the second flight, an attendant- they are all female- seemed to be delighted to hand me a newspaper in English that I had not even asked for) and I choose not to let a small issue like this delusion me from the people or places I visit.
- Excerpt from my travel journal Aug 23 2006
World Map
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
My First American Moment
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4 comments:
oh you silly american, you know you like being used.
Pinocchio also got into trouble when his strings were first cut. Don't be the fool like him. Be wary of trusting someone who doesn't first earn your trust. Have fun, but remember, everyone is basically out for themselves first. But then, you already know that, right?
Hi Evan. I'm very proud of you.
No worries. There will always be people trying to make a buck. Some will be more aggressive than others. You will take this experience and turn it positive.
You may have to pay for some services in the future, however you will pay them and let them know that what you give them, is all that they will get.
so, it turns out the chinese are meaner than the italians. when i forgot to pick up my bag at the airport in rome (note: i was drunk when i got on the plane at 5 am, and no one told me that my bag wouldn't be checked through) the security with machine guns escorted me backwards through customs, didn't demand a tip, but then left me abruptly. i went to three info desks before i found an attendant who spoke english, in the process i also went through a door that said (in four languages!) do not enter. this final attendant told me i was in the wrong place and that i needed to go through the black unmarked door to my left and speak with his "colleague".
through the door was an attendant at a messy desk with a black phone (think private eye), and a warehouse full of luggage. somehow i found mine, made it through customs a second time, and the flight that i had been ridiculously early for was now boarding, and i was on the other side of the check-in counter. luckily, the guy who alerted me to the fact that i needed my bag in the first place said, "what? you just like standing in line twice?" and sped me to the front of the line.
all for FREE!
wait...is this your blog? or mine...
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