I still have expenses to take care of in the US, the car, my student loans, and a few random bills. They don't use personal checks in Taiwan (only businesses use them). So every month, just after payday, I have to make a trip to the bank and transfer money from my Taiwanese Savings to my American account. The banks here close at 3:30, and school ends at 3:35, so I usually take care of it during lunch. When I say I, I mean my co-teacher and I. I asked once if I could go by myself and it one look and no words, she said "Ummm, you don't speak Chinese, and you still have trouble communicating at 7-11. What makes you think you can pull off an international money transfer, blondie?"
Part 1: The scooter ride. Everybody rides a scooter here. Suru always brings an extra helmet, I look like the world's biggest dork, and for some reason, I can't ever get the snap unfastened. It's become a regular joke on bank days. I ride on the back of Suru's scooter, and she's a pretty good driver. I got used to it after a while, although I still pray:
Please God, don't let the wind blow us over. And please don't let us get sideswiped by that truck passing us on the right. Suru, that light. It's red. It's red. It's RED! And if this scooter suddenly becomes 160 lbs lighter, please let her notice. Amen.
The bank is five or six blocks away from the school. Then there's the actual transfer of money, which requires lots of translating, and Suru writing everything I just wrote in Chinese. Although today, I had to fill out the form twice, because I wrote too fast, and the teller couldn't read it. Humbled again. So far the process has worked out well. Although I still don't know my Chinese name. Then it's back to school to finish out the day.
This is what the money looks like, by the way:
It's about 30 NT to 1 USD, so when I pull out a 100 dollar bill, it looks really impressive, but it's only $3. Chinese New Year is coming, and the kids all get money in little red envelopes.
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