importer / exporter / banker

importer / exporter / banker are my new titles (unofficially)

with my soon to be departure to the states people are looking at me differently. i can almost see their faces change when i tell them i'm going to the states. as their brains think "what can she bring me back" there facial movements reveal the same message.

it's difficult for me to say no. nicholas literally brought a whole suitcase full of things for me and my mom brought some things too, so it's only natural to think "umm, what do i want".

so far the requests have been...

take video equipment back to the states for someone (that was an automatic no. what would i do with it once i get it back to the states? what if it were damaged on the way?)

the next one requested a tennis racket that turned into two tennis rackets. (if they are pre-paid for and JUST a tennis racket without a bag or frame to keep it from bending, ok)

and the next one is a 'magic eight ball'.

small things i totally don't mind. small things that are easy to pick up, even last min at the airport. things that i can stick between cloths or put in my carry-on..... or even if my good friends, who i see on a weekly basis, ask for something big i would surely make an effort to do it. but the requests that i received were from a-friend-of-a-friend and two students.

then, the other day my taxi driver who i adore, who has taken me to-and-from the airport to receive friends and family asked to borrow $100. my heart sank. while i would like to loan him the money i can't afford to lose $100. i told him the truth. i told him i make enough to pay for my apartment and food and i recently i lost a bunch of students due to the swine flu. (they're not dead, they just postponed their classes until 'it's safe')

my taxi driver will still be taking me to the airport. i hope it's not an uncomfortable ride.