Day 9 QT- Tech
I can’t even imagine to think where this year would have taken me had it not been for the technology I’ve had to rely on daily. But it’s not always great.
This isn’t going to be a post on the Great Firewall of China, but feel free to Google that if you’re interested in that side of geo politics.
When my MacBook was couriered from safe keeping to my hotel, I was excited. This piece of metal was one of the reasons that I came back here. Chinese customs policies on devices with batteries means that there was no way I could have had it sent back to Australia. But, for almost a year, I hadn’t touched it. I then had the excruciating task of having to download a years worth of updates to the operating system and the programs I need to be able to teach online. Let me tell you, that problem combined with rather ordinary hotel wifi has stolen so many hours of my peaceful quarantine. In the end, I had to use my mobile 4G data to download 16gb worth of stuff and will receive a hefty phone bill to match. All in the name of education baby! Outcome- NO WINNER
Yesterday I spent half the time fighting with the airlines website because it wouldn’t accept my phone number or my name. Mum in all her love and wisdom granted me a name so long it doesn’t fit on any documents and for a bonus, gave me two hyphens to live with. Well, this is a DAILY struggle in China where the majority of names are either two characters. My name? Forget it, 100 different combinations later. I decided to just call the airline because I was irritated. Technology lost in this battle, the operator was so kind and once she saw my details understood my predicament and sorted me out in 5 mins. OUTCOME- Tech lost
Today, I used the technology to continue my physiotherapy treatments and I don’t know how, but I managed to sweat and laugh more than when I did these treatments in person. I’ll be sore tomorrow, but luckily, apart from a couple of online classes, this should be a good day to continue doing… nothing. Outcome- Tech wins
In terms of COVID tracking, China’s tracking system is unmatched in the western world from what I’ve seen. I personally had no problem with Australia’s COVID tracker but as an iPhone user, found it cumbersome. To enter other provinces within China, get on trains and planes, you have no choice but to flash your COVID QR code which links to your latest test results, before you’re allowed to board. For me to get back to Hangzhou, I need the Fujian and Zhejiang province codes up and running before I leave the hotel. Sound confusing? It is, but there is one thing you can trust as an expat here, it all works out in the end. Outcome- China wins
