A Step-By-Step Guide to ...

A Step-by-Step Guide to Running an Errand for my Job.

1. Accept the mission to get enough chocolate for 150 students by tomorrow.
2. Realize this will consume my evening and regret my willingness to help.
3. Talk with my husband about which store would be the best to go to.
4. Ask others opinions about the best store to go to.
5. Decide on my own where I want to go.
6. After dinner and a few moments of quiet, I grab the necessary items: walking shoes, keys, purse, shopping bag, iPod, phone, gloves (still chilly), and plenty of money.
7. Walk to the bus stop.
8. Look at time. Create goal of being back in 1 hour.
9. Get stared at while walking to bus stop.
10. Wait for bus, while reading my library book, looking up every 3 or 4 sentences to keep aware of the buses coming and going.
11. After 7 minutes, realize I don’t have any 1 kuai’s on me… only 100s.  This won’t do.  Call my husband to meet me half-way to give me some bus money.
12. Take a moment in my head to mourn the loss of my 1 hour round-trip goal.
13. Run half way.  Meet husband. Husband makes fun of me in a loving way.
14. Run back, see my bus, run after it, yelling in English, “Hold the bus” and realize no one can understand me.   Miss it by about 20 seconds.
15. Get frustrated and try to flag down a taxi.
16. No taxis are available.
17. Pull out my book and wait for next bus.
18. 5 minutes later, the 382 Bus arrives.
19. Get on without problem, find a seat.
20. Drive for 10 minutes.
21. Arrive at Leader Shopping Center.
22. Walk through the center trying to find the down escalators. 
23. Ask a jewelry saleswoman, “Nihao, wode zhongwen bu hao. Jeige (point to escalator and point up), wo yao jeige (point down).”  Translation: Hello. My Chinese is bad.  This (pointing), I want this (pointing).
24. Saleswoman smiles and points to the down escalators.   I thank her and move on.
25. Get to the grocery store, and wonder where the heck the candy is located.
26. 5 minutes later, find candy and do some math on the best deals.
27. Look around and realized I have no idea where I am in the store.
28. Ask a shopper, “Nihao, wo yao mai. Zai nar?”(Hello.  I want to buy.  Where?)
29. Shopper stares at me.
30. I repeat the phrase slower, and with correct tones.
31. Shopper points to the check out center.
32. I stand in line for 5 minutes.
33. I buy my items, thinking it will cost 300 kaui, but it comes up to 150.
34. Realize I should have bought more.
35. Pay and locate exit.
36. Walk to bus stop
37. Wait for bus.
38. Bus arrives much quicker than expected. And I even get a seat.
39. Arrive back in my apartment complex in 1 hour 20 minutes.  Not too bad!