Chapter 236 Preparations before going abroad
Three days later, Fang Minghua carried a travel backpack and embarked on a journey abroad with the trust of his mother.
The first stop is to report to the Yanjing Writers Association for 20 days of intensive study and training.
Still staying at the Guoxin Hotel in Xicheng where he came to Yanjing last time to receive the award. This time Fang Minghua met an old acquaintance as soon as he checked in, a handsome middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
"Chairman Zhang, Brother Zhang!" Fang Minghua greeted with a smile.
It turned out to be Zhang Xianliang, vice chairman of the Yinchuan Writers Association, carrying a travel bag and asking the front desk clerk what he was talking about.
Hearing someone calling him, Zhang Xianliang turned around and saw Fang Minghua coming in, with a smile on his face.
"Minghua, we are very destined. We just met in Xijing, and now we meet again in Yanjing, and we will go to the United States together!"
Both of them laughed.
After arranging their accommodation, the two went to report to the Writers Association. Zhang Ling also came, a shy-looking girl who graduated from the Chinese Department of Fudan University. She was similar in age to Fang Minghua, but he was not familiar with her.
Later I learned that she was the female writer who wrote "Aftershock", which Feng Xiaogang adapted into "The Great Tangshan Earthquake".
Finally, it seems that I went abroad and lived in the United States.
Feng Mu, vice chairman of the Writers Association, came in and gave a brief speech. Then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a staff member named Jiang, Jiang Xue, a woman in her early thirties, a very capable young woman with short hair, Yan Graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University and is responsible for their training.
“Fear writers, please report your pants and shoe sizes first, and we will go to the Hongdu store to make uniform clothes for you.”
“Do you need to have uniform clothes when you go abroad? "Zhang Xianliang was surprised when he heard this.
"Of course." Jiang Xue pursed her lips and smiled: "When you go abroad, you not only represent individuals, but also represent the image of the country. Clothing is especially important. Or did the national Olympic delegation have to uniform uniforms last year?"
Guan It's his, don't pay for it yourself anyway.
Wait for the clothes to be sent out in a few days.
Oh, Zhang Ling is wearing a white waist dress and black leather shoes, and the two men are wearing gray-blue thin suits, red ties, black three-jointed leather shoes, and even a forward hat!
Everyone went back to their rooms to try on the clothes and looked at each other, feeling very energetic.
Especially Fang Minghua, who is young and has a good figure. He is wearing a suit that looks like Yushu Linfeng. He looks in the mirror and feels very satisfied.
Not to mention the word "handsome"?
It was only after I went abroad that I realized what kind of dress I was wearing. It was the standard dress for domestic officials traveling abroad to the United States.
The soil has to fall off.
On the train to Chicago, a Chinese girl recognized him at a glance: "Are you from mainland China?"
There is a lot of learning content in the 20 days, ranging from national laws to how to take the subway, go to the supermarket, and use knives and forks when eating Western food. Everything is detailed.
Although it was a bit cumbersome, everyone felt fresh and listened attentively.
Fang Minghua is not interested in these. After all, he came from the 21st century. What has he not seen before? Not to mention I have been to the United States once.
For him, the key point is to learn spoken English. He can’t always find someone to translate, right? Also, Li Li's mentor, Professor Xu Yuanchong, once translated Tang poetry and published a book called "One Hundred and Fifty Tang Poems". I also want to bring this with me so that I can use it when I go to the United States.
The training days were relatively easy. Zhang Ling is a girl and likes to read alone in her room. Fang Minghua and Zhang Xianliang live in the same room and often hang out.
After dinner that afternoon, Fang Minghua and Zhang Xianliang went out for a walk. Zhang Xianliang suddenly asked in a low voice: "Minghua, how are you preparing the money to go abroad?"
"Money? Isn't this time a trip abroad at public expense? ? You still have to spend money yourself?" Fang Minghua was a little surprised.
According to the notice in the document, this time I will study and exchange in Iowa for three months. The air tickets, daily accommodation and living expenses will all be funded by the project exchange.
The daily cost is approximately $24.
In China, this would be equivalent to almost one person’s monthly salary for an ordinary employee, but it is common in the United States, but as long as you don’t spend too much money, your life will be fine.
Seeing Fang Minghua like this, Zhang Xianliang couldn't help but ask again: "Don't you plan to buy something and bring it back?"
Oh, this.
"Brother Zhang, what did you say?" Is it the big eight?" Fang Minghua said with a smile. "Where are the eight big items? I asked Jiang Xue privately, we are going abroad for a short period of time. When we come back, each person will have 2 large items and 2 small items. The big items are refrigerators and color TVs, and the small items are electronic keyboards, quartz clocks, quartz watches, etc. But you need to pay for it yourself, right?”
Holy shit!
That's all?
It seems that I can’t fulfill my mother’s wish.
“These things require U.S. dollars. I’m going to go to a bank exchange point. Foreigners don’t accept RMB when I arrive.” Zhang Xianliang explained.
This is true.
Actually, Fang Minghua does not lack this little money.
Sun Lizhe now has a full US$1 million in the account he saved for him in the United States!
These are royalties from manuscripts published in the American "Fantasy and Science Fiction" magazine and later published novels.
However, it is very cost-effective to take this opportunity to exchange for some US dollars.
But what the two did not expect was that Jiang Xue clearly told them the next day: "I am going to talk about this matter today. There is no need for you to ask your family to remit money. The country stipulates that the government sends money abroad. The amount that can be exchanged by an individual is only 50 US dollars! According to the current foreign exchange price, 2.93 RMB is exchanged for one US dollar, which means it only costs 150 RMB.”
“Teacher Jiang, we want to buy some electrical appliances, but we don’t have them. What to do with the money?" Zhang Xianliang couldn't help but answer.
"You will naturally understand this when you come to the United States." Jiang Xue smiled mysteriously.
The 20 days of training were coming to an end soon. In the middle of the training, Fang Minghua took time to visit Song Tangtang’s grandparents in the General Political Courtyard, but he didn’t see Li Li.
What about the article you asked Li Li to translate for you?
Before leaving Xijing, Fang Minghua called the girl and told her about it, and she agreed.
How about going to Yanda again?
Unexpectedly, Li Li came.
This afternoon, Fang Minghua and the others had just finished class. When they returned to the hotel, they saw a girl wearing a dress sitting in the lobby.
"Li Li?"
"Cousin-in-law."
Li Li's "cousin-in-law" immediately made Zhang Xianliang laugh.
He knew that Fang Minghua was still unmarried.
Zhang Ling just looked at Li Li curiously.
Fang Minghua had no choice but to explain Li Li's identity to everyone. When he saw the two of them going upstairs, Fang Minghua asked Li Li.
Then he asked: "Have you finished the translation?"
"Yes."
Li Li took out a stack of manuscripts from her schoolbag and handed them to Fang Minghua.
Fang Minghua took it and turned it over, smiling.
"Thank you, let's go, I'll invite you out to dinner."
"Okay, I haven't eaten yet." The girl was not polite either.
“What do you want to eat? Go to Quanjude to eat Yanjing roast duck or go to Donglaishun Restaurant to eat hotpot mutton?” Fang Minghua asked.
"I heard that a fast food restaurant owned by foreigners has opened on Dongjing Road in Xidan. Can we go and have a look?"
Eating fast food?
(End of this chapter)