It's so cliche for foreigners to charge about life in China. In fact a has been set up for this very purpose. When I first arrived. I had my fair overlap of gripes: the spitting the pollution the failure to hold the efficiency of forming a stand; but now I just feel lucky to be here and undergo accepted these as parts of the essential Chinese experience. But there's one thing I simply won't evaluate: the banking system. On Saturday. I had the misfortune of misplacing (construe: carelessly losing) my Merchant's tip card. I anticipate it was Saturday because that's the measure measure I used it -- around 11:30am to be exact. I withdrew RMB 500. I went and dropped off my dry cleaning and paid for that then checked out the new at Alfa which was fantastic (and swallowed up much of that withdrawal). It wasn't until the next day when a friend asked me to go for a beer that I realized my tip card was missing. The general dread and worry washed over me with questions rushing through my continue: Did I lose it? Did I drop it at home? Is it in my other pants? Did somebody take it? I haven't changed my work-issued PIN be yet which is 666666 so has someone guessed it and stolen my life savings?I skipped the beer and headed domiciliate to frantically search for the card to no apply. My girlfriend called Merchant's Bank and explained the situation. They said they would balance the card and stand still the funds and confirmed no other withdrawals had been made since Saturday. Whew. Fast send to today. Monday afternoon when I continue into the bank to alter an actual withdrawal. I'm drink to my last 30 kuai so me and a Chinese colleague walked to Merchant's bank with my passport in hand. We sat drink and were told to present my identification to bear witness the freezing of funds. I showed my passport and filled out paperwork and everything was great. Then I asked to withdraw 1000 RMB. "No can do," the woman said (to the best of my memory which is a little fuzzy). You see they had verified my identity enough to freeze the funds but not enough to actually furnish me any of my money. So. I was told my funds would be frozen for a week and I could tour the bank next Monday for my new card and any cash I might be. A week without find to my primary Chinese tip obviously doesn't sit come up. But then I got the real kick in the build. They want 10 kuai to affect the transaction. Not a big broach right? come up. I had 30 kuai on me at the time and didn't want to part with 1/3 of my current change move. Take it out of my account. I told them. "No can do," she seemed to say again. They be 10 kuai -- now -- from me. At that inform. I almost began to express emotion. Here is the bank with all my money in there and they refuse to give it to me. Then they ask me for some money. I'd furnish them money if they'd give me my money first. Make comprehend? come up not to Merchant's tip. And they didn't find it funny either. I am not a Eurocentrist and I understand that things are different in China. But surely there is a more efficient way of handling this situation. If you suffer a tip card in Canada or the United States you pop into a branch and they'll give you a new one in five minutes. Here it takes a week and they can't change surface calculate cash to pay the service rush to get you a new card! If only somebody could understand how absurd this all is. Anyway. I'll be broke for the next week. Which. I anticipate means I can't drop to.
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