Oops, I'm poor.

Here I am, less than two weeks from America, and I'm poor. Not that I've been wealthy for all these weeks, but usually I do pretty well on my per diem. Unfortunately now, due to my SHOPPING ADDICTION, I'm dirt poor.

After the exhausting weekend, on Tuesday I headed back to the Jade Market. I had some special gifts to pick up, and I thought I might do a bit more shopping. I had written down exactaly what I needed and who I needed it for, but somehow I got off track. I should have tied myself down and not allowed me or my money to get within miles of the market, because it all turned out badly. I shopped my way into bankruptcy.

I picked up some presents, and then started looking around. And then started buying... and buying... and buying! The shopkeepers (more appropriately stand keepers) at the Jade Market are all little old ladies and men, who speak broken English and politely beg you to buy from them. They are patient and they're sweet, and they grab merchandise from under their table trying to find the perfect thing for you. Plus, this is old-fashined Asia, where everything is still MUCH cheaper than the US. The perfect lovely shopping enviornment plus cheap prices plus things that I want/need to own or buy for someone is a Deadly combination. Before I knew it I had spent my per diem for the week (three days before the week was over) and more! I was borrowing money from Dana and barganing my butt off so I could get as much as possible.

Now don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. I love everything I bought, and I wouldn't give any of it back. I'm glad I bought it, I just wish I had more money! I still have things on my list of 'Must Buys' to do before I get home, and now I'm charging room service that I will have to pay in a week or so. One of the things I hate about being an adult and living in the real world is being poor. Probably the hardest thing I had to learn to do in New York was how to budget, and not spend money on frivolous things. I learned that I can't shop when I want, and I can't go out to bars or restaurants when I want. I have to buy cheap store brands, and not go to the fancy farmer's markets where everything is more expensive. I thought than in the long run, if that was what I had to do to live in New York, I could do it. Now though, I've lost those skills! I'm poor and I've been shop shop shopping and the worst part is... I don't want to stop!

Oh well, too bad for me. I haven't been to the bar in days, and I'm trying to find free things to do with my days. I'm eating the peanut butter and jelly, bananas, and grilled cheese in my room, and not the creamy pasta on the late night room service menu. I might go shopping one more time, but I'll only buy the things on my list. And hopefully when I get home and I get to New York, I won't bankrupt myself buying Christmas presents, because I'll already have them.