remmy goes to shanghai

avg. temp.:  hot & sticky…as always

today’s accomplishment:  calling a taxi

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so i thought i’d talk a little today about the art of taking a taxi here in shanghai.   in truth shanghai is a truly bike-able city.  you can get almost anywhere by walking or biking.  and where bikes leave off, public transportation picks up.  but in this crazy hot and humid weather a taxi is really the only option if you want to arrive somewhere in a solid state and not in a puddle.  i’ve also found it’s pretty necessary on the way home from the market!

initially, i thought there would be no way i’d be able to easily take a taxi since i can’t speak the language.  afterall, how do you tell them where to go if you don’t speak the language and how do you explain how to get there if you don’t know yourself?  i’ve discovered that it’s not as difficult as it may at first appear….especially when you’re staying at a place like viscaya (the housing complex where i’m staying).

can’t get much better than picking up a house phone near the door and simply saying “taxi please” to the guard at the front gate.  a taxi then appears at your doorstep about 5-10 min. later.  you get in, hand them a business card and 5 min. later you arrive at church.

now that’s easy.

but really….the true discovery is the business card.  the business card is the ticket to freedom here in shanghai.  if you have a business card you can get anywhere.  everyone has a business card and if you actually have a job then you have 2!  everyone’s card lists their address, mobile number, and e-mail address.  most info. is listed in both english and chinese.  and many of them have mini-maps on the back to assist you or the driver in finding the street.  when you meet people here you don’t merely shake hands or casually exchange phone numbers, here….you swap business cards.  at first, i thought it was a bit overkill.  like all these too-cool-for-school people passing out their cards.  now i see….the business card is what allows people like me to get around.  as long as i have a card, i can make contact via phone or e-mail, walk to the location using the mini-map, or give the card to the taxi driver to arrive in style! 

now i’m saying…where do i get my business card?