China - Day 25, Saturday

Today started off with a huge weight on my heart. Amy was going home. I have dreaded this day for months. So I woke her up at 9am so we have a little more time together. About 9:30 I decide to check the flight status because of the hurricane. The flight was cancelled! Thank you Irene for giving me a few more days. Unsure now when she will fly out. Waiting for the storm to pass.

Randy and I, with the help of Iris, head to the same furniture store again. Amy and Daniel stay at home. I have Randy try all the couches and chairs. The same young woman is there to help us. We finally decide on a couch and chair. It will be delivered on Tuesday - Yeah!

After that we head to get Randy's cell phone. He needs a Chinese cell phone. The company wants everyone to have a Blackberry.  Iris asks Randy if he wants a legitimate one or is a black market one ok? We leave it in her hands. We go to this huge technology store. One floor is all cell phones. Again they have tons of booths with everyone selling phones.

This is one view on the floor with all cell phones. They only sell cell phones on the floor.

Looking a different direction - phones everywhere. You just can go from booth to booth and negotiate a price.

We looked at a lot of Blackberries and Randy selects one. Iris negotiates a price and ends up with the black market one, which is 3000RMB cheaper (about $450). The black market ones and the legitimate ones are sold at the same store! Phones are very expensive here.

After we go to dinner at a Swiss Restaurant. Randy had found the place online. It serves fondue and for those of you are familiar - Roclette! We are going for the Roclette. Roclette cheese is made in one town in Switzerland. The way it is served it the cheese is melted on the wheel and scraped off onto a plate. You cut a little piece of cheese and wrap it around a small piece of potato. It is wonderful - and of course absolutely no calories!!

This restaurant served it wonderfully. For those of you you know this meal - another reason to come visit!

When we were done, we had to go by Randy's office to pick up the sim card for his phone (see Cultural differences for explanation). We got to see where Randy works.

The sign when you enter Randy's office

The elevators leading up to the offices

Part of the office. Randy will have the corner office - top center - after Jean Claude leaves.

Amy is sitting at Victor's desk and writing him a note. She spent the day with him and Iris not too long ago. Iris is in front of her desk

Daniel is sitting at Randy's current desk. This is a common size for work spaces. Small!

Iris, Randy and Daniel in the lobby.

Cultural Differences/Frustrations 101: You do not buy a cell phone plan here. You buy a cell phone and then you set up/buy a sim card with what ever company you would like (that is why we had to stop and get Randy's sim card. Iris already had the phone number set up) Most people have the phones as pay-as-you-go plans. Mine is. Iris set Randy up with a monthly billing (still not a contract) that they will bill the company. With him on the phone all the time and making International calls, it makes more sense for him.