Day 3

12.04.18

Ticking the boxes - Physical examination at Nanjing International Health Centre

• Before you can start work in China, you have to pass a physical check up (Cost: 444RMB)
• I spent about an hour there today going through the tests: 
• B Ultrasound 
• Blood test
• Sight and Ear Nose and Throat (basically getting you to read numbers and say aahhh)
• Blood pressure and general measurements
• X-Ray 
• General cardio check (this is where they put some wires on you)

All about the business

Found basketball courts a short walk away from my place but also found out that it costs 20 RMB just to play there. Next time I find some free basketball courts, I'ma set up a shop there and charge 15RMB

A little ceebs...

The ONLY issue I have with 一点点 (translation: a little), which is my favourite brand for bubble tea is that they don't accept WeChat Pay (which is ridiculous in China because even your local fruit store will accept WeChat pay)

Mobile plans in China 

I went to the local China Mobile (中国移动）dealer to reactivate a SIM card today. Here are some things I've learnt about mobile plans: 

• To set up a mobile plan as a foreigner, you must go to a special store that can accept passports as ID, otherwise you can only use your residency card. You can't just rock up to any dealer store to set one up if you're 老外.
• Some packages include national data allowances and provincial data allowances - and national data gets used up first. 
• I'm on a 100RMB data package (paying way too much) - 5GB national use, 5GB Jiangsu use
• If you have no call allowance, you won't be able to access data (even if it hasn't run out yet) - this happened to me today.
• You have to pay before you use - no concept of postpaid here...

Favourite noodles 

皮肚腰花面 - Nanjing specialty pork skin, pork kidney noodles 

There's a local joint that I've been going to for years near Xinmofan Road station - great vibes, always busy

Dilemma in the can

I'm still unable to flush the toilet so I've been filling buckets of water and pouring it down...

Haircuts in China

• Who said customer service doesn't exist in China? Sometimes, it's actually too much. If you want to experience amazing and sometimes over the top customer service, go to a hair salon.
• Someone will open the door for you. You're greeted at the door. Someone comes to put your things in the locker. Another person takes you to wash your hair. You're taken to the seat, they'll give you some water/tea. 
• You choose who will cut your hair. Cost depends on level of experience for the hair stylist.
• Being the cheapo and not really seeing the value in paying an extra 50 or 100 even for a better stylist, I go for the 30RMB haircut. 
• Some young skinny dude comes over and asks me what I want - I just want my hair to be fixed and not look messy. 
• He keeps encouraging me to get a certain look and pushes me to go for it AND I keep getting baited. The exact thing happened to me last time. The hair stylist will offer great suggestions for how your hair would look and then push you to get it - if you don't want it, you will be saying NO constantly until you're ready to pay (very aggressive on that front)
• As soon as I agreed on getting a perm, I was brought a fruit platter (they reserve them for when you spend more). 
• All the people in the hair salon actually have weird haircuts and they're usually 'sha ma te'
• 杀马特 (Chinese subculture of young urban migrants, usually of low education, with exaggerated hairstyles, heavy make-up, flamboyant costumes, piercings etc. a play on 'smart')

Chinese phrases of the day

南京天气很变态 - Nanjing's weather is really abnormal (though the word is usually used as perverted)

*Nanjing weather has gone from 29 sunny and hot to 17 rainy all day within the three days I've been here.