(no subject)

[lizzybennet]

We are moved into our new apartment. When I say "new" I mean it in every sense of the word. This place was just finished being built within the past week. I can't post pics yet because I have no idea where my digital camera is, but when I find it, you shall see all.

We now live on the third floor instead of the 11th. I like it much better. The whole building was designed by an American architect and it shows. For example, there are bars on all the windows. No kids are going to tumble out of these windows. That's very reassuring. The lighting in the living room is amazing. The furniture, it's so-so. The beds are ok, the tv is awesome. The couch is like faux cream colored suede. The first thing Petey did was step on it with a muddy shoe. Yes, we stained the couch within 30 seconds of walking in the front door. We had movers helping us, so fortunately we didn't have to carry everything up the stairs ourselves (there's no elevator).

It was pure craziness for the first two hours after we arrived. Angela, the assistant in charge of purchasing everything for the apartment, and Sailing called me downstairs to pick out the bedding. As we are the first to move in, we get first pick. There really wasn't much of a choice. The boys ended up with light purple checker board pattern and we have light purple flowers (cartoon-like daisies). Bedding is done differently here. Each set comes with a flat sheet, a pillow case and a duvet cover. The flat sheet covers the mattress and we sleep directly under the blanket. The duvet cover comes off when it needs to be washed. We were given 8 sets of bedding. This is on top of the bedding we brought from AZ, and the bedding the bought for us for our previous apartment. Why did they buy new bedding again? I'm not sure. Honestly, I really wanted to pick out our own set. There are some super cute things that I've seen in the department stores, etc. Ah well.

Also, they bought us a set of dishes, a pot and pan and a rice cooker. I already have all those things. Chris told them that, yet they still went out and got them anyway. And they complain because money is so tight in the budget. You can see how things are run sort of haphazardly in this program. I suppose this is to be expected as it is such a new program. This is the first semester after all.

After I picked out the bedding, I came back upstairs and tried to start organizing the place. Everytime I got started, I got interrupted. People kept knocking and knocking. Let me tell you something about the way people knock in China. There is no waiting patiently while the person inside walks to the door. You knock, and knock and knock until someone comes. I've even had people rattle the doorknob. They aren't trying to be rude, this is just how they knock. So, not only were people knocking non-stop, but two members of the staff apparently have keys to our place. They let themselves in when I didn't answer the door the moment after they knocked. That was a surprise. I'm telling myself that this was only because we just moved in and that they wouldn't do so under normal circumstances. Also, everyone had to come by to say hi and see how we are doing. That was nice but it did add to the confusion.

We have no gas in the kitchen yet, so I'm not able to cook or wash dishes in hot water. I thought that meant we had no hot water in the whole apartment, so I had Zack take a cold shower. Turns out the water heater in the bathroom is electric. I just needed to turn it on. Poor Zack. He took it in stride :)

Also, we have discovered two creepy looking greenish, very leggy centipedes inside. I knew we'd have more bugs here, since we live in a rural area now, but I wasn't expecting such an unwelcome guest on our very first night!

Comments

[hermionesmum.livejournal.com]

Your appartment sounds fabulous, even if the programme organizers leave a little to be desired. Cream sofa and kids! That sounds like somebody wasn't thinking.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

yes, my thoughts exactly! However, when I mentioned it to one of my chinese neighbors, she told me I needed to buy some covers for the couch. To me, it doesn't make sense to cover a brand new peice of furniture. whatever, they bought it and I'm doing my best to keep it clean, but I make no promises! :)

[texastea.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a much better place, in the long run. I did like the look of your neato other place, though, with all its oddities.

We should send you a plain old American sliding bolt door lock, so that when you get up in the morning, there's no way somebody can see you schlepping around braless or butt-scratching.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that maybe if someone saw me butt-scratching, maybe they'd be less inclinded to barge in? Fortunately, the entering without knocking ended after the second day. As for braless-ness, I figure this is my house. I'm taking off my bra at 8 pm, and anyone who decides to drop by after that will see what they see.

[risingpheenix.livejournal.com]

That's university system budgeting for you *lol*!

I can't wait to see your pics, although, as I am absolutely terrified of centipedes and millipedes, please, please give me plenty of warning that a 'pede pic might be coming up *lol*.

How is the rest of the campus? Did you get much of a chance to stretch your legs?

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

lol, yes, I have plenty of opportunities to stretch my legs on this campus! For one, it is built in a hilly area, so we are constantly walking up and down hills or stairs. And secondly, everything is super-duper spread out. We really need bikes to get us around, but we haven't had a chance to buy them yet. The campus itself is quite lovely, although there is a lot of construction being done, so there is lovliness mixed with messiness.

[risingpheenix.livejournal.com]

What about the stores and such, where do you go for groceries?

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

We've been going back into town for groceries. The program employees two full time drivers and they will take us into town if we need them to. It's actually been quite a bit of drama about the driver situation. Mariannette thinks they should drive us everytime we need to go to town. It's obvious to me that the program leaders want us to us public transportation as much as possible. There has even been a bit of a falling out with the guy whose job it is to coordinate the transportation. We were told before we moved out here that our nannies would be able to get a ride out here on a daily basis. On the first day, Lee Weiping (he's the guy in charge of coordinating the transportation) told us No, the nannies could not depend on the program for a ride and they needed to ride a shuttle back and forth. When Sailing called him, at Mariannette's request, and told him that we were assured several weeks ago that the nannies could depend on a regular ride, Lee Weiping replied "It is not my job to make sure their nannies have rides!" Ok, I can see that, but Mariannette wasn't taking that for an answer. She went over his head to Henry and now everything has been worked out. I feel bad for Lee Weiping. He went to law school and specializes in Chinese Law. The program employed him to help them work through all the legalities and now he is stuck having to make sure everyone who needs a ride has one. He must feel that he's doing work way below what he is qualified for. Anyway, all that just to tell you that so far, getting groceries hasn't been a problem :) I suppose the biggest problem that I've run into is when I'm out of just one ingredient. For example, I wanted to make pancakes the other day but I had no eggs. I can't just walk (or drive) to the closest store. I have to make sure that when I do go to the store, I get everything I need. I can't allow myself the luxury of forgetting something. I've started keeping a list as I think of things I need.

[risingpheenix.livejournal.com]

Wow, you impress me all the time. We constantly run out of stuff. But we have four Publixes within 3 miles of us. Can you imagine that? Four! How ridiculous!

Marriannette worries me. She seems so rude and pushy. She reminds me of Jane in some ways.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say that she's rude and pushy. More like, assertive. She and her hubby just feel that the program should provide for and pay for virtually all their needs here in China. I suppose Chris and I take more of the attitude that this is just like any other job and we need to provide for our basic necessities ourselves.

We actually get along pretty well but we just haven't had much chance for one on one time. We always have the kids or husbands in-tow. Although, she did borrow almost all my dishes for the halloween party that she threw on Thursday and hasn't returned them yet. How are we suppose to eat with no plates? I went down to get them back from her yesterday and they were all dirty because she had used them for lunch. Uh, ok....when do I get them back? It's getting a little awkward. Honestly, though, I don't mean to bad mouth her. I like her. She's just a unique bird :)

[risingpheenix.livejournal.com]

I think I would think along the same lines as you and Chris. It's a job, just in another country. If you were in the military you might get housing paid for, but everything else you would have to take care of yourself.

You know, this is what makes you such an awesome person. I see her as pushy and rude, you say she's a unique bird. I like your positive attitued. Because I'm a unique bird too and you still like me. *hugs* I'm so glad you're you!

House Warming.

[jorod74.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the new digs...and i hope once the utilities are all on, you can feel like you live in cleveland until you go shopping.
disappointed in ya, babe, lol. New pad and you didn't make the kids take their shoes off or run em through a car wash? slipping, girl, slipping. It's murphy's law about white and dirt.
anyway, glad to see you are taking the new place and the little things in stride. laugh about the cold showers; cause it is cute. as for the centipedes, buy some Oscars (fish) and feed the centipedes to em. or collect the centipedes like Pokemon cards...lol.
be good and take care. how's classes?

Re: House Warming.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

what, you think I have some kind of control over my kids or something like that? HA! Of course, there was mud right outside the front door. The kids know to always take their shoes off when they enter a home, but (of course! again) they didn't this time. Ah well, I was able to get it pretty clean.

Class is crazy. I can't wait for this semester to be over!

[goal145.livejournal.com]

The flat sheet covers the mattress and we sleep directly under the blanket.

Somehow I feel validated - that's how my husband and I sleep at home!

We've got a mattress pad and a fitted sheet under the flat one, but he's a bit strange about not having his feet constricted by a sheet tucked in under the mattress, so we sleep on top of the sheets and under the comforter.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

We did that at home too! My husband is exactly the same way, he can't stand to have his feet constricted by a tucked in sheet either. Now I realize he probably came by that habit from the two years he spent in Taiwan. Whenever I have to sleep with a comforter and flat sheet now, I don't like it. I really like the way they do it here, because I feel like the washable comforter cover keeps things cleaner.

[goal145.livejournal.com]

We bought the largest capacity washer we could find, but there's still not a lot of room in there for proper agitation when we put the comforter in... But we take what we can get!

Only thing is, it causes the comforter to get pretty lumpy as the batting shifts around inside. One with a washable cover would be awesome. I wonder if they have them here in the states, or if it would cost a lot to import...