Finding a Placement Teaching English in China: My Experience with NDI (Part 2)

Part 2:

(Apologies for the delay) 

I was told by Alice, the "headteacher" at Zhengzhou's branch of the New Dynamic Institute (NDI) that somebody called Carol would meet me at the Airport, but just in case "something went wrong", I was given Carol's number. "What could go wrong", I naively thought to myself, while on my KLM from Amsterdam to Beijing, planes are usually pretty reliable and how hard can it be to get to the airport?

I realised almost immidiatley that I was still in European mode, expecting efficiency, expecting smooth sailing and counting on organisation when I should have been lowering my standards to meet the Chinese way. Now despite lowering my expectations, nothing could have prepared me for the chaos that was Beijing Capital Airport. During my 2 hour transfer, I was told to queue to leave the airport, then queue to get back in again, almost missing my flight in the process. The Experience made me sure that the baggage handlers in Beijing would lose my suitcase.

Beijing Capital Airport, The Hub of Nightmares

My cynicism was to be proven right at Zhengzhou airport when an attendant from China Southern Airlines guided me away from the luggage carousel half an hour after all the other passengers had left with their luggage in tow.

"Come me", She said,

 I followed knowing full well what she meant. She lead me into a funny little office where she asked me if I knew anyone in Zhengzhou. I gave her Carol's number and she rang it. The two spoke for five minuted before the attendant handed the phone to me. I was told by my new colleague that my luggage was in Beijing and I could collect it in a few days. Meanwhile, I should get the bus to Zhengzhou City Centre.

I had to navigate myself around Zhengzhou City to find my only contact in China

"I thought your were supposed to meet me at the airport"
"No", she unequivocally replied,
"But Alice told me that you were suppos.."
She interrupted me mid-sentence "Alice didn’t say that, you take bus",

I was starving, weary and in no mood for an argument.

"Which Bus?"
"Shuttle Bus, then 37 west until you get to Renmin Lu"
"Pardon?"

She repeated herself and I wrote her instructions in my notebook, so much for a nice easy airport pickup like the website had boasted.

The attendant helped my buy a ticket for the Zhengzhou Airport Shuttle Bus and somehow I navigated my way to the Renmin Lu stop of the number 37 bus with the help of some very broken Mandarin but I wasn't complaining, I enjoyed the adventure.

My Mandarin is Broken at best

Carol was waiting for me at the bus stop and I was escorted to my expensive little hotel (foreigners are thought of as rich in China). She then wandered off as quickly as she had appeared and I was once again by myself. Before I went to sleep, I popped down to the local supermarket to buy some bananas, water and crisps as the journey had left me needing sustenance.

That night I slept like a baby, dreaming of what my new life in China might bring.

End of part 2.

(I promise part 3 will come soon!) (And I'm pretty sure part 3 will be far more interesting, part 2 was rubbish)