#china tip

Even with my wits, experience, streets smarts and college degree I was outsmarted.

After a morning browse through the busy Nanjing Road we came to People’s Square, a main pedestrian intersection with links to several of the cities metro lines. We were passing through to find something to eat when a nice couple approached us and asked if we would take their photo. Nothing weird at all. I often stop people to do the same thing and sometimes offer to take photos for other families as they pass with my experience working Photo Pass at Disneyland. After we took their photo it seemed like a good opportunity to exchange the favor and ask if they could take one of us. Fair is Fair. We started talking to them very casually. They asked us where we were from and vice versa. The girl, Nicole, had changed her name so it would be remembered better in the fashion industry she hoped to pursue. She had studied English at the university and the guy was her cousin, a garlic farmer from outside the city. They were both visiting Shanghai on holiday. We talked for a few minutes. She complimented on how beautiful I was and how young we both looked. Trivial conversation, friendly. It was fun to meet people who we could actually understand. A few more minutes pasted and they asked us where we were going. They said they were checking out some street food they had heard about on a close street and to see if this place was authentically Chinese or not. Lesson Learned: Always know where you are going when strangers invite you to go with them. Nothing was mentioned about tea and we were hungry so we agreed to go with them. They seemed to know the way but we didn’t think much of it since they had this place in mind. The conversation continued, great, normal. She couldn’t believe that Myke rode a Harley since he seemed so nice. They were very interested in our jobs as actors. She expressed her love for Blair on Gossip Girl. I was able to ask many questions I had about Chinese life, her schooling, simple cultural things. We turned a corner and had arrived. Some kind of eatery is what it looked like, the door opened and we were greeted with a smile by the young man in the front and led into a back room. Sounds like the beginnings of a great horror film. Not far from.

We sat down, Myke and I in the middle. I was by Nicole and Myke sat next to his new friend, the garlic farmer. The place was cute actually. The decorations weren’t highly ornate but this is China and it was nice for what it was. We were all handed menus. It was tea. Now even at this point I didn’t think anything was odd. These people seemed warm and friendly and I really do love tea so it seemed like a nice time to have a cup or two with them. The most honest of intentions. I will say I never consider myself naive, a pessimist the majority of when I travel for my own safety. The menu showed some prices of a wide selection of teas. Most were 30/40 yuan. Nicole read on the opposite side of the menu the silk road route that coordinated the types of teas and explained briefly what we were going to be trying. I thought for $5-6 bucks it would be fun to sit with new friends and learn about Chinese tea. She asked if ‘it’ was okay and we agreed. Lesson learned: always have the person define the ‘it’.

The ‘B.S. Tea-Master’, as I call him now in retrospect, began the proceedings. He warmed up the table and brought out clean water and cups and pots. Yay, Tea! Silly, Me. He brought out the lucky frog. Nicole explained to us to rub the top of the frog for prosperity and fortune. Lesson Learned: ask for who’s fortune you are bettering when a stranger asks you to rub a lucky clay frog. The B.S.T.M then poured hot water over the frog as it turned yellow, we all oohed and aaahed. He poured a tea. He would explain in Chinese and Nicole would translate. Each tea had its own properties as far as how it was produced and its medicinal benefits. We were taught how ladies and men properly drink from the tea cups. We were taught that you must drink the tea in three sips to finish the cup. Each tea had its own little quirk as to how to was prepared. One we had to flip the cup over, one we had to inhale for a few seconds before drinking, one turned into a flower before our eyes. Cup after cup we enjoyed until we were asked about a particular tea that the emperor kept only to himself and was dug up from the ground so that now all people could experience it. They said it costs more and we politely declined, thinking for the first time about our pocketbook. We had finished trying and now were able to pick our favorite for him to make a pot. We all talked about which ones we liked. Jasmine. At this time the B.S.T.M. set up four tins on the table. Nicole told us that we could now purchase our favorite teas to take back home as gifts to our families. The prices were very expensive. The medium tins were 318 yuan, roughly $50 us dollars. We asked if there was a smaller size and reluctantly they showed us the one for 238 yuan, saying it would last for four months. We agreed that we would get that and only in Jasmine. They pushed for us to get another as they were each getting a medium one to themselves. Saying how the tea comes from the high mountains so it is clean and pure, hence the hefty price. Again, we politely declined and it was time to pay, splitting the bill up two and two. Our total came to an exorbitant 974 yuan. How could our few cups of flavored water and a crappy tin of scented weeds come to nearly $160 US dollars? At the time, I still didn’t think too much of it since it was one of our first days in China and I didn’t comfortably understand the exchange. It was Mykes face that told me differently. He looked at me and said it was really expensive. At this point we had already consumed the tea and our tin had been packaged. Being the polite people we are it didn’t seem appropriate to question the prices and too late to do anything about it. Myke asked if they took cards and they said only cash. We started to panic at a problem that actually ended up saving us in the end. Myke went out with the B.S.T.M. to the nearest ATM. I waited with our friends. It was still friendly, talking and joking about garlic farming and rules on children in China. Myke told me later that when he was at the atm the young guy was asking him where we were from, as if his english magically appeared. Myke said we are from America, the guy said ‘You are very lucky’.

Myke came back with the guy saying the card didn’t withdrawal cash since the pin wasn’t set up yet. Lesson Learned: Always set up your pin before traveling. Or, in this case, trust that fate will step in and protect you. Reluctantly, the B.S.T.M. agreed that we could pay with card and took our cards in the back. As he walked away Myke and I had to a moment and he asked if we should maybe just pay for the tea we drank, I agreed since it was truly expense after considering how much tea cost in Los Angeles. Myke went out to follow the guy before he charged the card. This was when the tides changed for me. Nicole and Shaun started laughing asking where he was going, to which I explained that the tea is just really pricey. The continued to laugh and say that he had gone to another building to swipe the cards. No this is not where I pull some kung-foo out or flip the small girl over the table, I politely shut down and just waited for Myke to return. He did and the card was already charged. Nicole got her card in the other room and came back to put a receipt and card in her bag in my view. Myke signed in the room. It was time to cut our loses and leave.

At this point we both we were hit with what has just happened. In a blink of an eye, in the time we rubbed that stupid clay frog to now we had been… scammed.

I took a photo of the outside of the tea shop. As I did Myke said they looked in horror. I was already planning my revenge. As walked with them back to the Peoples Square they acted as though nothing was wrong, why should they. During one awkward silence Nicole did mention that things are much more expensive in Shanghai. They asked what we were doing next and Myke wold them multiple times that we were going to explore the city on our own, they didn’t get the picture offering to take us to the Museum, asked if we wanted to go to a show with them later. Our escape plan was in full force. They were about to cross the street with us as we said we were going our own way. I stepped in and asked if we could all get a photo together. Lesson Learned: Always take a moment to get a selfie with the criminals. We lost them.

Beware if you run across these two in Shanghai

The next hour or so we walked around the garden trying to wrap our brains around what had happened. We witnessed multiple old men freely urinating in the public park and hoards of people hacking up and spitting but were unmoved. How could this happen to us? Needless to say, our appetites were suppressed as well. By nightfall, after a long, bittersweet day of adventuring in Shanghai we thought it best to call the credit card company and cancel the card and the fraudulent charge. To get one thing straight, no, I do not think lying to the credit card is a good idea. I do believe that it truly was our best option. Yes, the menu was lightly brushed in front of us but they were dishonest in how much we were consuming and what we were responsible for paying for. In other circumstances we would’ve fought more in the moment but because of our politeness in the face of our new friends we did not. Even our lack of fight, it does not make it okay to be scammed.

The most disgusting part of it all was the core of what happened: These people capitalized on the true kindness of a humble pair of travelers wanting only to learn the culture and history of their country. We didn’t have to stop and take their photo, we could’ve just walked past and said no. We are good people, we love helping others when we can. Especially if it’s something we’re good at.

In conclusion, be careful when traveling in China. I have now read several other tea ceremony scam stories and feel grateful that we got off so easily. It’s unfortunate that because of these stories travelers have to be extra careful around seemingly nice people. Don’t forget to question everything and second guess whether you see the red flags or not. Though it may be true that life is harder for these people, how low does one have to be to prey on kind people?

Be safe travelers!

-Myke and Teri