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November 22, 2005
65% discount with my broken Mandarin !
A few weeks ago I started buying International Calling cards for my calls to UK, very handy when Skype or Gtalk does NOT work here in China.
The cards come in 100rmb credits, and offer quite good value for money. I recently heard from a local that even though it's a 100rmb card, most locals only pay a 3rd of that.
So yesterday I wandered down the shop and asked for 2 X 100rmb International cards, which were handed to me with a demand for 200rmb.
to this I replied:
Wo bu shi laowai ren, Wo shi zhong guo ren!
At this statement the guy and girl behind the counter fell about laughing and decided I could have the said cards for 35rmb each insted of 100rmb as originally quoted.
This may seem a trvial thing, but made me look at my language learning from a different angle, and I am sure someone will be along to translate the statement above.
Posted by shak at November 22, 2005 10:23 PM
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Comments
Ha,that's great! I think they just appreciated the fact that you took the time to learn some Chinese. Too many foreigners can't say more than ni hao. I don't know if they laughed because they were surprised you spoke Chinese or the fact you told them "I'm not a foreigner, I'm Chinese"! Either way you made an impression and saved about $15 dollars. Try this next time if you like; Shang you lao, xia you xiao, pianyi yidian, hao bu hao. Basically it means I've got the old folks living upstairs and the kids downstairs, how about giving it to me a little cheaper. It rhymes and I used it everytime I bargained. Obviously you'll need to ask someone the tones and I'm sure you're a fast learner. A little Chinese goes a long way. dt
Posted by: David Temple at November 23, 2005 1:32 AM
Here it is:
"I'm not a foreigner, I'm Chinese."
My Mandarin is not very good either, but this is one of the first things I learned. You're way ahead of me at bargaining. :)
Posted by: Derek Scruggs at November 23, 2005 3:29 AM
Did your lack of epicanthal fold give you away?
:)
Posted by: Jerry at November 25, 2005 10:20 PM
ROFL! You got a better deal than I did. Not bad. I only got 50% off last time!
Posted by: George at November 26, 2005 5:02 AM
That is a great Price; normally I pay 50 rmb per card. Thanks to you, I’ll have to bargain better next visit to Shanghai.
Posted by: GH at November 28, 2005 11:38 AM
That's pretty funny. I hope you haven't been paying 100rmb all along, have you?
I've never paid the face value on the international calling cards. Even in Hangzhou I only paid 35rmb (which is the going rate)for a 100rmb card. If they tell me anything higher than 45, I just walk away.
Posted by: Gordon at November 28, 2005 10:09 PM