It wrapped its sticky palms around our throats and wrestled us into submission.
We yelled "Uncle" pretty quickly.
I expected it to be hard, different, challenging.
What I didn't expect was to be sleeping in an un-air conditioned closet.
Or to have no phones for a week.
It really was a miserable first day.
We arrived on the scene at about 11am Thursday the 30th of August, only to find out that our would-be guide didn't know the address of the apartment they had arranged for me. A number of phone calls later, and an hour sitting, and sweating, on a corner with our many, many bags, and we were met by two English ...men... Boys? Chaps? Who hailed two taxis and directed the drives to our new abode.
It's in the Jocund Garden Community, just north of the Fourth Ring Road. But Google maps doesn't recognize it as a place.
The building itself is fine, but the apartment is... Below even my standards of cleanliness. (For those who don't know, I'm considered quite the messy, untidy, antithesis of a neat freak.)
And the room that would/should be mine continues to be occupied by the teacher I'm replacing. One of the aforementioned English chaps. It is no fault of his, of course, as in true Chinese style those in charge neglected to mention my arrival to him until Wednesday evening. I can't expect him to move all his things out in one evening.
So, I've re-negotiated my contract (I'm quite glad my mommy is a lawyer, or that might have been a daunting prospect) to include a ¥2000 housing bonus. That's roughly $300. From the bits of research I've done, a decent apartment in an area close to my work, and the subway, could be anywhere from $300-$1500. Obviously we'll go with the more reasonable options.
And on to the phone business. Here I would like to take a moment to curse Verizon for their unkind habit of making the iPhone un-unlockable. Uncool, Verizon, uncool. So, after enlisting the help of a Bolivian masters student who has lived here for three years, and three trips to different tech shops, we have found out that we have to buy new phones. Great. We're currently researching which phones will best serve our needs. The Samsung Galaxy has been mentioned, as has another Samsung. My priority is that it have maps, Whatsapp, and email. I'd love to be able to continue playing Words with Friends, but I don't want to pay ¥4000 to do it.
This morning, Monday, September 3rd, I started my new job teaching English at the Meg Bilingual International Academy. I currently teach the Cocoon class, which has four two-year-olds, and the Bumblebee class, whom I have yet to meet. We are fed lunch at the school, but given two and a half hours of lunch break in the mid day, so I am enjoying the free Wifi and over-priced coffee at UBC coffee.
It might be the first truly relaxing moment I've had in the five days we've been here. There is a monk in the booth next to me, clacking away on his iPhone screen. I guess he didn't turn the keyboard sound off. They're playing Mozart in the background, but it's often interrupted by burping patrons and the bell that signals new arrivals. I can tune all that out in favor of A Little Night Music.
Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. The food, surprisingly enough, has been really tasty, so far. We haven't even encountered any weird feet, fish heads, or claws. We didn't eat anything the whole first day we were here. The heat, and strangeness, and turmoil of it all must have completely sapped our appetites. On the second evening (Friday) we ventured into one of the small restaurants around the corner from the apartment. We ordered the sixth thing from the top, sat, and hoped it wouldn't be strange and disgusting when it arrived. To our relief we had ordered beef and potatoes over rice. (Yes, we've had to forgo our vegetarianism for the time being. It is nigh impossible here.) Last night we ordered take-out from the same place and were rewarded with what upon first glance appeared to be zucchini and chicken over rice, but was actually cucumber. Tasty, nonetheless. I wish I could ask for the recipes. And, to make a good thing better, one plate is only ¥12, or $2. The servings are such that, if you're not starving, two people can easily share one plate and feel satisfied.
I'm also enjoying the subway. It's air conditioned in the summer, and heated in the winter, and it costs ¥2 no matter how far you go. The only problem is that it's a bit of a hike from the apartment to the nearest stop (Datunlu East, if you were wondering), and even more of a hike from Super Husband's dorm to his nearest stop (Mudanyuan). I'm thinking about investing in a couple of bikes, one for each stop. Especially if we can get the ones that are built to accommodate two people at a time. Or maybe we'll get a rickshaw, and I'll just make Super Husband cart me around.
My lunch hour is over, and I have to leave the confines of UBC for the chaos of the Fourth Ring Road.
I'm confused, are your guys living apart? Miguel in his dorm and you in the not so clean place? The food sounds yummy. How is the weather over there? Are most places air conditioned?
ReplyDeleteSorry it took so long to reply.
DeleteYeah, we're living apart. For now.
I've just moved my stuff out of the "not so clean place" into my own place.
He lives on campus in student housing. Because my new place is closer to his university than the old one, he may either officially move in with me, or just stay with me most of the time. We'll see.
The weather has been pretty warm recently, which is annoying. The filmy layer of foggy smog abated for much of the last two weeks, but has returned with a vengeance.
Most places have some sort of A/C, but it's only necessary a few months out of the year. I don't think that anywhere we've spent a large amount of time has had the A/C on, except maybe Carrefore, or Ito Yokado.