Drop everything!

Let me tell you what happened Tuesday!

A girl from the Waiban's office came to my door and dropped a package off. She also told me that I had another package and they wanted to know who it was from. Well...I don't know who it's from, I can't see it. So she asked what the address was that it was shipped from. I don't know, I can't see the package. So what's in the package, she asked. I don't know, I don't have the package. She looked worried and said, "You don't know the people who sent you the package?" "I'm sure I know the people I just don't know which ones cause I can't see the package." We went through this same conversation at least twice more.

She kept asking if the goods were personal cause I would have to pay a fee if they were because it was a large shipping order apparently. I told her I didn't know. I told her that if she looked on the package it would give the name of who sent it as well as the address. She told me the package was held up in Xian at the customs office because they didn't know any of the information that she was asking.

She was holding some papers and I asked to see them. There on the top sheet was Shipper/Sender information. I showed that there was the name: Land's End and there was the address it was shipped from. There was also a complete listing of what was in the package. [The Americans here went in together and ordered flannel pj pants and divided the cost of shipping.] I asked her if she understood and she said she did. She also said she needed a copy of my passport, visa and entry form. Of course, I don't have any of this on me. But the way China works is that once an order is given from the top down it is immediate. Everyone is supposed to drop everything they're doing and do whatever was asked of them. So...me being in this country I was supposed to drop everything (sleeping) and go down to a copy place and make a copy of all of this. I let her take my passport and make the copies at the office.

I thought we were done. Not so...

Ma Laoshi sends Aiyi to my room to tell me that I have to come down to the Waiban's office right now and talk to her. I'm in my pajamas! Aiyi is handing me my shoes and shutting the door behind me telling me to come NOW. So I'm walking out of the dorm with one shoe on as Aiyi issues me over there.

I get to the office and the only thing Ma Laoshi wants to talk about is that package again. She asks me the exact same questions the girl did and I showed her the sheet again. Then they start arguing over whether or not this sweater that another girl ordered had a hood on it or not and what type of material it was. I don't know! It's not my sweater! I think I made up something to tell them so they would quit going on about it. It was absolutely hilarious!

If I come back to the States and do everything last minute and expect all of you to drop what you're doing immediately, please forgive me. It was drilled into me here! :)