Priorities
As Randy and I were dividing up the money in my wallet last Monday, he wanting enough for cab fare and lunch for his last few days of work here and me wanting to make sure I had enough to pay both Chinese tutors this week, I realized that every week we spend as much as 700 RMB on Chinese lessons. Myles's classes are 300 per week, and mine are 400.
At 700 per week, that is about 2450 per month. That is about what many Shekou foreigners are paying for an experienced Chinese ayi helper for 6 days of week, 8-10 hours a day ('way up from the 1000-1500 they were paying when I first came here two and a half years ago). Wow. If I gave up the Chinese lessons, my house could be mopped (not just swept, but mopped) twice a day, my dishes and laundry would be done for me, and I wouldn't have to cook so much. I could have pretty painted fingernails.
But then again, we wouldn't have such a vocabulary, would we? And I wouldn't get to enjoy this scene three mornings a week as he waits for his tutor.
I guess this pretty much shows where our family's priorities lie.
At 700 per week, that is about 2450 per month. That is about what many Shekou foreigners are paying for an experienced Chinese ayi helper for 6 days of week, 8-10 hours a day ('way up from the 1000-1500 they were paying when I first came here two and a half years ago). Wow. If I gave up the Chinese lessons, my house could be mopped (not just swept, but mopped) twice a day, my dishes and laundry would be done for me, and I wouldn't have to cook so much. I could have pretty painted fingernails.
But then again, we wouldn't have such a vocabulary, would we? And I wouldn't get to enjoy this scene three mornings a week as he waits for his tutor.
I guess this pretty much shows where our family's priorities lie.
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