After I made it to the city center, I started to feel it might be easy for a foreigner to deal with the great size of Beijing.
After
I
made
it
to
the
city
center
,
I
started
to
feel
it
might
be
easy
for
a
foreigner
to
deal
with
the
great
size
of
Beijing
.
With growing confidence, I decided to take the subway to the hotel, not realizing that the network didn't go that far.
With
growing
confidence
,
I
decided
to
take
the
subway
to
the
hotel
,
not
realizing
that
the
network
did
n't
go
that
far
.
Impressed with the cleanliness of the station, I bought a ticket and boarded the first train that came along.
Impressed
with
the
cleanliness
of
the
station
,
I
bought
a
ticket
and
boarded
the
first
train
that
came
along
.
After a few minutes I asked in English of course a young man seated next to me where I should get off closest to the Friendship Hotel.
After
a
few
minutes
I
asked
in
English
of
course
a
young
man
seated
next
to
me
where
I
should
get
off
closest
to
the
Friendship
Hotel
.
Wearing a smart business suit and tie, he would surely speak English, wouldn't he?
Wearing
a
smart
business
suit
and
tie
,
he
would
surely
speak
English
,
would
n't
he
?
Unfortunately, he couldn't understand me but seemed very friendly.
Unfortunately
,
he
could
n't
understand
me
but
seemed
very
friendly
.
I showed him the room card with all the information of the Friendship Hotel in Chinese characters.
I
showed
him
the
room
card
with
all
the
information
of
the
Friendship
Hotel
in
Chinese
characters
.
He looked at it, and then his eyes moved quickly to the carriage subway map.
He
looked
at
it
,
and
then
his
eyes
moved
quickly
to
the
carriage
subway
map
.
Next, he raised three fingers of his right hand.
Next
,
he
raised
three
fingers
of
his
right
hand
.
In Australia, raising fingers at someone is not usually nice, but this man wasn't smiling.
In
Australia
,
raising
fingers
at
someone
is
not
usually
nice
,
but
this
man
was
n't
smiling
.
At the next station he showed me two fingers.
At
the
next
station
he
showed
me
two
fingers
.
Now in Australia, that's really rude, but I got the message.
Now
in
Australia
,
that
's
really
rude
,
but
I
got
the
message
.
When we stopped at the third station, he didn't just point to the door, but got up, took me out of the train, and led me to the top of the stairs, and out onto the street.
When
we
stopped
at
the
third
station
,
he
did
n't
just
point
to
the
door
,
but
got
up
,
took
me
out
of
the
train
,
and
led
me
to
the
top
of
the
stairs
,
and
out
onto
the
street
.
Then he stopped a taxi and told the driver where to take me.
Then
he
stopped
a
taxi
and
told
the
driver
where
to
take
me
.
All this came from a man who couldn't speak my language, and I couldn't speak his.
All
this
came
from
a
man
who
could
n't
speak
my
language
,
and
I
could
n't
speak
his
.
I was now speechless, especially when he refused my offer of money.
I
was
now
speechless
,
especially
when
he
refused
my
offer
of
money
.
I felt a little embarrassed having even thought he would accept a tip.
I
felt
a
little
embarrassed
having
even
thought
he
would
accept
a
tip
.
This experience made it clear I had to learn some Chinese quickly or my adventures might start turning into bad luck.
This
experience
made
it
clear
I
had
to
learn
some
Chinese
quickly
or
my
adventures
might
start
turning
into
bad
luck
.
After I made it to the city center, I started to feel it might be easy for a foreigner to deal with the great size of Beijing. With growing confidence, I decided to take the subway to the hotel, not realizing that the network didn't go that far. Impressed with the cleanliness of the station, I bought a ticket and boarded the first train that came along.  After a few minutes I asked in English of course a young man seated next to me where I should get off closest to the Friendship Hotel. Wearing a smart business suit and tie, he would surely speak English, wouldn't he? Unfortunately, he couldn't understand me but seemed very friendly. I showed him the room card with all the information of the Friendship Hotel in Chinese characters. He looked at it, and then his eyes moved quickly to the carriage subway map. Next, he raised three fingers of his right hand.  In Australia, raising fingers at someone is not usually nice, but this man wasn't smiling. At the next station he showed me two fingers. Now in Australia, that's really rude, but I got the message. When we stopped at the third station, he didn't just point to the door, but got up, took me out of the train, and led me to the top of the stairs, and out onto the street. Then he stopped a taxi and told the driver where to take me.  All this came from a man who couldn't speak my language, and I couldn't speak his. I was now speechless, especially when he refused my offer of money. I felt a little embarrassed having even thought he would accept a tip.  This experience made it clear I had to learn some Chinese quickly or my adventures might start turning into bad luck.