Starbucks in Jinli

Seventy-two kuai for two tall lattes and a passion fruit juice. This may sound a bit excessive on a PC budget (seeing as this is about 3 days living allowance) but the way I see it is I’m just fulfilling goal number two of the Peace Corps, helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. Now thanks to me, Ayi and Nancy will forever understand that Americans pay way too much for coffee. The toughest job I’ll ever love! It was actually very cute to see the both of them clutching their cups with both hands almost in fear of dropping their overpriced beverages. They took me to Jinli Street today, which is fashioned after a neighborhood during the Qin Dynasty. There were dozens of shops selling traditional Chinese kitsch. After downing her Starbucks, Ayi said with a small smile that foreigners like this place because it’s “very Chinese”. A good time was had by all.