Seneca (US)

Generally I am happy with the smiles flashed my way by Chinese bank staffers. I am also impressed by their willingness to accommodate me (the girl who stands up to fetch a beaker of water, the guy who does the bank business for me without saying a word for 10 minutes), but I have to say that transacting any business at any bank in China is a chore and no joy.

One time the password of my ATM card had expired. Why do such passwords expire in the first place? I had to go to the bank, present my passport and sign docs. Then I was told that my name was not identical to the name they had on record. The middle name was missing in their records... So I had to go to their headquarters, where I presented the same passport and succeeded simply because staff there had more clout. It cost me several months because the headquarters is in a different city from where I currently live.