Month: April 2012

C – Currency

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

I have been very blessed to have had the opportunity to travel all my life.  I got the bug when I was 12 years old on a cross country trip with my father and brother.  Every since then, I couldn’t wait to travel on the next adventure.   I have been to 36 states in the US and 12 different countries.  I can deal with trains, planes, subways and taxi’s.  I have even hiked on a few trips.

I can also pick up languages pretty well.  I can ask where the bathroom is in 13 different languages.  So, I would consider that to be a pretty well seasoned traveler.

But, there is one thing about traveling to a foreign country that I just don’t get right away. It is dealing in different currencies.  I drives me nuts.

Now, please understand, I am not a dumb person.  I run a company that deals in three different currencies; US dollars, Chinese RMB and Hong Kong dollar.  It only took me a couple of month living in China before I stopped having to convert everything I purchased into USD.

But, put me in a foreign country, right off the plane and tell me what something cost in their currency, I freeze.  I have no concept of what things cost. And more times then not it gets me in trouble.  

Last year, I was in Singapore.  I gave a masseur a tip that was 3X more then the cost of the actual massage.  I wondered why she kept showed up at my door every night asking me if I wanted another one.

Under pressure, I just can’t do it. I can’t multiply and divide on command.

So, for my trip to Australia, I am starting now.  I am going to get this exchange rate down, if it kills me.  It’s simple, 1 AUD equals what? USD, no RMB.

Oh, hell, maybe I’ll just use credit cards.

B – Best Birthday Present Ever

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

How did this Australian trip come about?  Well, let me tell you. To a certain extent, it was a gift given out of spite.

You see.  I work for a woman who over the years and because of circumstance has become one of my closest friends.

That happens when two people are thrust into a world where the only people they can actually speak to let alone, relate to are each other.  I affectionately call her boss/friend.

Think about your best work friend.    We all have them.  That person you are closest to at work.  You eat lunch together and share company gossip together.  They are that person that just makes being at the office a little more bearable.

But, there is a reason why we call them our work friends.  Besides the occasional happy hour, you don’t really spend a lot of time outside of work with this person.    I mean, let’s be honest.  The only thing the two of you have in common is this mind numbing, creativity sapping, energy-draining job.  Or is that just me.

Now, imagine living next door to that person.  Riding to work with that person every day.  Having dinner every night, too.  I am talking about every night.  A bit scary, right.

But, over the years, we have certainly learned to appreciate each other and all of our weaknesses.

One of those weaknesses is that boss/friend is a shopaholic.  But, on top of that, she feels likes everyone around her takes advantage of her and exploits this.  Do you know those people who ask you to go to the most expensive restaurant in town?  Then, when the check comes, you offer to pay your share and they say no, I got it.  Then later, they complain about the fact that they always have to pay for things?

She will buy stuff for herself, and then buy us the same thing to justify in her mind that she is doing it for us.  It isn’t necessary a bad thing.  She can afford it.  But, seriously, who buys the 1st, 2nd and 3rd version of the Ipad.  1- 4 of the iPhone, too.  For all of us.  That’s is a bit excessive, right?

So, to surprise boss/friend, her boyfriend and I buy her a trip to Australia for her birthday.

We wrapped up the tickets and the itineary and gave it to her at her birthday dinner.  That was in December,  we leave in 14 days and she still doesn’t believe we are really going.    In fact, every week she asks me if I have done this or that for the trip.  It started out as funny, now it is just annoying.

This trip was put together as a much-needed vacation for the three of us.  But also, this trip is a way for us to prove to boss/friend that we are not ungrateful free loaders and we can purchase the big-ticket gifts as well.  Bitch!

A – Australian Vacation

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle6 Comments

In 15 days I leave for my first vacation in 10 years. My first real vacation. I have been on

long weekend trips, business trips with two days of leisure,scouting trips, inquiry trips, business interview trips, and hosting trips, but no real vacation since going to Hawai in 2002.

You might think that since I live in China, it would feel like I have been on one long vacations for the last 5 years, but it really doesn’t.I actually relocated to China just like as if I was in the states and my company relocated me to Illinois from Texas. Longer trip though. Thank God for relocation benefits.

I have a Chinese work permit. I get up every morning and drive to work, just like anyone else in the world. I just do it in China.

Now, I do live in a hotel room at a golf resort and I work in the golf business and yeah, that sounds like a vacation, but let me tell you. It is not.
I pay monthly rent at the hotel. I don’t have to pay for any other utilities, thought. That is kind of nice.
I have to do my laundry just like anyone else. Ok, I pay a lady to do my laundry. But, I have to fix my own meals. That is when I don’t feel like eating at one of the 6 restaurants at the resort.
Oh, and did I mention,  I drive a golf cart to work, not a car. But, I swear in no way does it feel like I am on vacation.

Now, I did travel around China a bit back in October of last year. Actually for 10 days. I went to Hong Kong and Beijing. I saw all the tourist attractions in China such as the Peak and the Big Budda (2nd favorite place on earth) and the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall.  But, that was with my mom and my brother.  I felt like I was more of tour guide then a tourist myself.  And, I didn’t go to another country, so it doesn’t count.  

Australia, now that is a real vacation. New Country, new culture, new experiences and I get to do what every I want to do.  I can’t wait.

If you live in Sydney Australia or have been recently,  let me know what I must see and do!