We’re now in the process of preparing our new apartment for residence. The apartment grounds and gardens are quite nice – somewhat of a respite from the storm of China. Our building is one of the shorter ones on the interior of the complex and provides some acoustical isolation from the constant sound of construction and traffic outside. Here is the walkway to our doorway:
The entrance way is also graced with a very unusual statue posed in the center of a non-functioning fountain:
We spent a good deal of today cleaning the apartment. Even though this apartment was cleaner than the others that we saw, there is still MUCH to do in order to make it feel like home. As an example of the kind of cleaning required, here’s what Susan swept out from under the bathroom vanity:
We also bought a used refrigerator and clothes washer from a friend today. We were blessed to have another Chinese friend help us pick them up with his van. On the way there, we got stuck in a traffic gridlock, so in typical Chinese fashion, our friend did a 5 point turn and drove up onto the sidewalk and around the snarl. Living here adds new meaning to the phrase “if you don’t like my driving, stay off the sidewalk.”
Of course, the appliances here all tend be on the small size. This is good, since our 3rd floor apartment doesn’t have an elevator (I could just barely manage getting the fridge up the stairs). Our new clothes washer is pretty small (5kg load limit) and only has a cold water inlet. This gives Susan the “opportunity” to fill buckets of hot water and dump them in when washing whites. And she doesn’t need to worry about spilling anything since the clothes washer resides on the back porch (I’ll restrain myself from West Virginia jokes since Tommy may be reading this blog):
Fortunately for us, our new apartment also came with a clothes dryer (on the front porch):
It’s usually hot and windy here, so I think this dryer will serve us well.
A lthough cleaning and hauling applicances up stairs is work, I’m sure you guys are thankful to be getting settled and making your apartment feel like home. Are you going to grow some vegetables or herbs on your porch too?
When you described that statue, I was thinking of something different. That’s hilarious that the woman is upside down on the dolphins head! Strange. I wish I could be there to help you clean, and help you decorate…
How are there no comments on the chicken bones?!?!?!?
GROSS!
love,
S & J
I did see the larger bone and first thought it was a dog bone but then compared it to the broom and realized it was too small. S…good observation that it was a chicken bone…however, really unsettling when you realize it was in the bathroom!
When I consider how much work is required to clean this apartment, I’m thankful that it is the nicest one we saw and that it is only 3 years old. Thick coatings of dirt/dust, layers of cooking grease, untrapped sewer odors, and miscellaneous animal bones represent a significantly different cultural expectation around “deep cleaning.” The people here are very hard working, but inadequate tools and techniques result in a state of “ever cleaning but never coming to the reality of clean.”
You’ll feel like you scrub grime off the kitchen walls and ceiling forever! All those fried dishes create a lot of build up! Looks like a great place! Did someone tell you we’re staying in your house next week??? 🙂
Glad that you are beginning to get settled. I wish I could be there to help you! I am there in spirit!
Glad y’all are getting settled. Looks like lots of work for Susan. Do you have Lysol and Clorox at the Wal-Mart? We’re thinking of you daily.
Brian and SB: We hope that you enjoy staying at our house as much as we enjoyed staying in yours! Be sure that Brian rides that Salsa Bike during your visit. If you take the kids for a hike, be sure to keep an eye on ZiZi when your cross “Kevorkian Pass.”
David: Susan has gone through a lot chlorine bleach over the past few days (and probably inhaled too much as well). Lysol would be good, but we don’t know how to spell it in Chinese.