Met the woman I'm tutoring. She drives a Mercedes and her husband is the CFO? of the biggest and most important news agency in China. So I'm intimidated. Especially since I don't know how to teach and they have still insisted on paying me 150 RMB per 40 minute lesson (a little over 20 US). I think I will be giving three lessons a week. Though the meeting was somewhat awkward (I was expected to suddenly start good educational conversations and didn't know where to start), it was a fun day because Desiree was also there and in our waiting time I was able to learn about the dreadful aspects of her job. Like bribery, it's obscene. So obscene I can't talk about it on the internet.
A few memorable points involving vehicles:
At 13:40 Desiree arrives in a fancy black car (with driver), hands me a dripping cup of coffee, and then we go off to the office building where Mrs. Liang (English name Jean) works. After the awkward meeting, Mrs. Liang goes off to the dentist in the car with a driver and Desiree has to drive the Mercedes to get back to her work place, which made both of us tense. When we first got in, a video screen in the middle of the dash was playing Beauty and the Beast. I finally got it shut off without breaking the car. Also I managed to not spill coffee. Then I road on the subway for the first time. Then I took a cab the rest of the way home.
I am in awe of Beijing cab drivers. They are fearless and clever individuals on the road, their cars like impatient but nimble beasts navigating a rocky and log-filled stream.
And seeking advice: What do wealthy, middle-aged women want to talk about? (quick! I go back tomorrow)
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