Patience is a Virtue

By Laura McLam

July 26, 2008

 

Beijing is a fast-paced, modern city.  People work, relax and party 24 hours a day. 

People run onto subway cars equipped with TVs and blinking stop indicators.  Restaurants deliver every kind of food imaginable before I can think about how hungry I am.  The city is buzzing with its 17 million inhabitants.

 

But sometimes, when life here isn’t swirling around me, patience is a necessity.  I use to work with mentally and behaviorally challenged kids.  I know how to be patient, very very patient.  The thing is, I can understand when children with Down syndrome or autism act in a way that seems irrational.  I have a harder time with situations such as the following:

 

Yesterday I went with some friends to the Simatai section of the Great Wall (which was amazing.)  We arrived at the bus station (which was more like a stand) at 6:30 a.m., as our guide book suggested (even though the tour bus didn’t leave until 8:30.)  We were told to wait and ushered off to the side.  After sitting on the ground for 20 minutes, we were told to board one of the dozen buses lined up in the huge parking lot.  The bus gradually filled up and got hotter and hotter.  Then they told everyone to get off the bus to buy our tickets.  Then everyone got back on the bus (which still wasn’t running so was still unbearably hot.) 

Half an hour later, we were told to get off the bus again and get on a smaller bus.  The smaller bus filled up fast and parents starting putting their kids on their laps to open up seats.  There wasn’t enough room.  So we got back on the bus we were on before. 

All of these directions were given in Chinese.  Wu ting bu dong.  We just followed the crowd.  Maybe if we understood the directions,  all the shuffling would have made more sense.  Maybe if we were more familiar with Chinese culture, all the shuffling would have made more sense.  None of the Asian passengers seemed fazed. 

 

I’ve had similar experiences exchanging money, sending postcards, etc.  Most of the time things move fast in Beijing but sometimes things are really slow.  When slow combines with 95 degrees and 90% humidity, my patience is definitely tested.  But in the end, the Great Wall trip was certainly worth it, my money was exchanged and the postcards were sent (I hope.)  On bad days I grumble but on good days, most days, I just think its all part of the experience.