Yesterday I went to go get a haircut at a little place right outside the campus gates. While sitting there waiting, I had a chance to get a closer look at their price list. I noticed that all the prices next to the English was twice as high as the prices next to the equivalent services written in Chinese. I had looked up the characters for haircut so I knew what was what. When it was my turn, I pointed to the Chinese writing for "cut only" which was 5 yuan (about $0.70). The woman told me that price was only for old people and kids. So I pointed to the two prices above it that said "old people/kids" and told here, "These are for old people and kids, not the 5 yuan one." She pointed at the at the English and told me that was the price for me. I tried to question her further but she started talking about stuff I didn't understand so I left. The haircut would have cost me 8 yuan on the English price list ($1.10). It was the principle that made me walk out. I don't like being blatantly lied to and the dual pricing system.
I later asked my language partner how much a haircut should cost and he said 5 yuan. He had gotten his hair cut there for 5 yuan.
Now I may go somewhere else that costs 20 yuan but only has one price list, and I get a shampoo. Plus the knowledge they aren't ripping me off because I am a foreigner.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
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