[look 171]

Tipping for excellence service should be done but 33% is hwy robbery especially if they ask for it.

Our last big vacation was about 6 years in China and other parts of Asia. We were in Guilin. After a long day on the river boat, bike riding along the river to see the karst formation hills. We decided to eat at this restaurant within walking distance from our hotel, since my kids were scream with hunger. It was somewhat late, so we were thinking, why not since there weren't too many people in there.

Communication was a challenge. We were able to speak with our hands and I noticed a bit of commotion behind the hallway. Comes this young man with a shove from the waiting staff. He was no more then 16 shaking like a leaf trying his hardest to serve us, bearly able to make a sound, handed us a menu in Chinese. He mustered a few words in English, the typical Hello, and welcome. He made use of his phone translator that day. I had to make him comfortable by lots of smiles and body language. He made his suggestions on the order, through this poorly written translator. I found out this was his summer job, and he walked 45 min to work daily and now its 9pm. He took one semester of beginning English last year and he got the big shove to come to us by the older staff. The 7 course meal was great and it was too damn much food for the four of us but hey, he recommended it. It was 40 US dollars. I paid the bill and decided to give this young man a good tip. I gave him 30 us dollars. He held it in his hand and he looked confused. As we started to leave, he came to us and handed us the 30 dollars. I told him it was for him and shoved it in his shirt pocket. I saw that big smile and it was worth all 30 dollars. I am told, back at the hotel, people in the rural areas make about 30-40 US a week. We walked out only to see all the other waiting staff trying to look at his money or maybe asking him to split it was my wife's thinking. That kid spend a few minutes with us ans kept coming back to fill our water or tea.