ICBC Banking Purgatory

One key piece of advice: If you ever live in China, don't use the ICBC Bank.

It's been a bit of a frustrating last few days, but I'll start from the beginning.

Tuesday I woke up with the feeling of freedom! I had no work to worry about and just needed to concentrate on getting my apartment cleaned and packed up, enjoying my time in Being and eventually dealing with my banking situation.

EF hosted a big get together in a bar in Sanliturn Tuesday night. There was free food and beer and it gave me a chance to say good-bye to the Beijing 2 teachers and other people that i have met along the way. I also just enjoyed hanging out with my friends. Laura brought along Amy, my mentor teacher, and it was wonderful catching up with her. It was a fun night.

Wednesday was suppose to be the day that I was to get my new visa back in my passport. I was waiting around the school waiting for the delivery, but it just wasn't showing up. I got in touch with the EF visa lady and she told me that she just didn't getting around to picking up the passports today,,,sorry! Ahhhh!

Yesterday, I went to the head EF office and was able to pick up my passport and new visa. They wanted me to pay for the new visa, which I didn't know I needed to do, but I told them that I couldn't pay for it until I got my bank account open. Luckily, they made me swear to pay it to the accounts manager at my school before I left.

I made my way back to my neighborhood and excitedly handed over my passport and a note in Chinese from my friend Sue who told them what I needed to do. The teller helped me open a new account. My heart dropped when I went to the ATM and the only money on it was the 10 quai I had to give them to open the account! I was able to go up to the school and Sue came down to help me. They told me that I would have to wait until June 9th to pick up my card which means a whole additional week without any access to my money and mouching off of my friends here which just sucks. I also learned that EF had only paid me for nine days from last month.

I went back upstairs to the school to talk to Laura about my payroll problem, and talked to some of the other teachers about my banking situation. Everyone said I should go back to the bank tomorrow and just cry and ask to speak to someone in English.

So, this morning, I went back to the bank, waited the obligatory hour to see the teller who just nodded her head at me and showed me the date when I should come back to pick up my card. I just sat there and said "I need to talk to someone in English." There was five banking people who came out of no where and were just talking over me. Eventually, I was escorted to a VIP room where they hooked up a phone and I was able to talk to someone in English who just told me I would have to wait.

I hated making a scene, but I had been told that other foreigners have been able to get their bank cards back earlier. Nick and Miles both didn't have to wait seven days when their wallets were stolen. I just didn't want to feel like I was taking advantaged of. It wasn't my proudest moment.

So now, I am kind of in banking purgatory. Cindy has loaned me some money so I can eat, but I can't really do too much else. I've been catching up on sleep, cleaning and packing, going to the gym and watching too many episodes of "Bones." My Internet has been shut off at my apartment, too, so I've been searching for wireless places, too.

I guess I really am being forced to slow down.