An Almost Rumble at the Bank

I was startled to awake last night around 3 or so in the morning to fireworks. At first, I seriously thought we were being bombed since it scared me so badly. It went on for about ten minutes and car alarms were going nuts. Eventually, I watched from my window as some of our complex's security guards started screaming at the people who were lighting the fireworks. My friends here tell me that I need to chill out about it for the next two weeks! The whole city smells like the Fourth of July to me.

I woke up pretty sore from my skiing adventure yesterday. I wanted to sleep in, but instead I went to the China Bank this morning to transfer some money to my bank at home. I wanted to get it done before the city shuts down for the next two weeks! It was complete chaos! I got there and they were serving numbers 55 and 56, so I settled down thinking I probably had a good hour to two hours to read and people watch. Two and a half hours passed, and they were stuck on number 65 with only one teller window open. People were getting restless and mad. I looked up from my book and watched one man try to punch another man out, but luckily a bank person came between them and the man reluctantly put down his fist. I was most amused by a woman who was wearing a custodian uniform pace back and forth between the aisles. She would start picking verbal fights with other people as she passed by. It was one of those moments were I thought it was probably more interesting thinking about what she was saying than what she was actually saying.

I thought about giving up around lunch time, but I decided to go next door to grab an egg and cheese muffin sandwich and a salad from Starbucks. Whoever decided to place that Starbucks next door to the bank was brilliant! Eventually, I meandered back to the bank where they had finally opened up two more teller windows and things started to move a lot faster. I was giving myself to 2:30 before I needed to catch a cab to get back to work. Luckily, I got my number called at 2:20, four and half hours after I had initially arrived at the bank! I was happy that I hadn't wasted all that time.

Today at work, everyone was sore and tired. I had only one student in my first class tonight. It was with a little boy named "Victor" who says his "V's" like "R's" which is totally cute. It was most relaxed, chill small star class I've ever had. My second class only had three students, but we were a bit more energetic.

I have one more day of work, and then I am on my Chinese New Year break! I can't wait! I get to spend New Year's Eve with Cindy's family, go to the Great Wall again on Friday, and learn to make dumplings with Stephanie's family on Saturday. I really want to be able to come home and make dumplings for everyone!