早! Good morning everyone! It is Saturday the 19th - 6:43 A.M I am still waking up every day around 5. Don't know why! Must be adjusting still? Well yesterday I was so tired from everything that I had fallen asleep at 9 which is really early for me. Yesterday morning started off with me making instant coffee, dressing, and then running over next door to the flagship office at 8:30. On my way I grabbed a 煎饼 for breakfast. Let me describe it as, perhaps the Chinese version of a breakfast burrito? Lol A large crepe with an egg, seaweed salad, beansprouts, 油条 youtiao (fried dough), oyster sauce, and hot chili oil. It is very good hot! When I got to the flagship office, since my cell still wasn't charging I called my landlord and met with him in front of my hotel at 9.
My landlord was soooo very sweet! A man in about his 50s, slightly taller than me, thin, and he wore circular reading glasses. Kind of a distinguished looking fellow; he spoke slowly with me even though I could understand, -honestly, I would too if I was allowing a 外国人foreigner rent my place out! Anyways, it turned out that my apartment's location was on a 30 second walk away from the hotel and the flagship office. So close that I pick up the flagship office's wireless Internet signal. We went through about three locked doors until I got to my apartment on the third level (most foreigners seem to have ended up with fourth floor apartments - the number 4 “四”rhymes with death in Chinese). I open the last door to my apartment 302, and the 客厅 living room is huge! It was furnished, and had wooden floors. To the direct left was the master bedroom, -bigger than most bedrooms I've ever had. I have a full-sized bed, a set of closets to the right of my bed, and a dresser to the left. Further to the left is a little balcony which is separated by a curtain, where there is a desk to study. =) There is plenty of room for a painting easel. Moving along, I was feeling very spoiled and fortunate! He showed me the roommate’s room (who wasn't back yet, but had left her belongings), the kitchen and bathroom. Everything was quite dirty, and I don't mind - I can clean. But I was very impressed with how he described the water heating to be solar powered; when it is cloudy I turn on the electric heater. Apparently all the homes here in the area are solar powered this way. In the kitchen, however, I also have two gas burners. Basically, I couldn't have asked for a better apartment for the price.
I will pay an advance of 5 months - until July 18th. The last day of my semester is July 1st, and I figured that will give me enough time to move out to my next city. The rent is 2600 RMB per month. I will pay the entire electric bill at the end of the stay. I have some paperwork to fill out, and then I have to register residency with the local police department. The landlord was so nice that he said if I needed more time to stay he had no problem extending my time here. I replied that I would absolutely be happy to tell the next cohort of students about him and his apartment, and that made him equally as happy. I think I am earning more 关系 "guanxi" (connections) points lol!
Later that morning I helped Natalie move her luggage into her apartment. I went to the bank to exchange my dollars (I can only pull out 1800-2500 rmb from the ATM per day) so I have to do this daily to have enough for the landlord. We got a McDonald's coffee and ate 煎包 (jianbao) steamed & fried dumplings with meat inside. They have this soup inside, so there was a sign above our table, that said be careful of dumplings squirting LOL. We bought some cleaning supplies, and I took pictures for my student card. I also find it funny that everyone here thinks I am Russian.
方银 (my friend from yesterday) helped me go back to the cell phone store to check out what the matter was. Good thing I saved my receipt! It turns out that they had put the wrong charger in my box! Lol No wonder it wasn't charging! 方银 also offered to help me move my things into my apartment today - I will definitely take him up on that!
At the end of the day yesterday (8 pm) I went back to my apartment and started sweeping and mopping（打扫房子 - dasao fangzi) cleaning my house. Starting with my room, and into the living room, and the bathroom. In the middle of mopping the living room, my new roommate just happened to open the door. Sometimes I feel like I am in a movie; what perfect timing!? She is SOOOO SWEEET! Can I take her home? lol 李岳 “Liyue” is her name, and she is from Qingdao! I, so far have to say – Everyone who I have met from Qingdao in my age-range (20’s) has been super cool, so Kudos to Qingdao 人 (people) =） We then went downstairs to meet her boyfriend and get dinner. She wouldn’t let me pay, but I will be much more stubborn next dinner, right now I am thinking of which gift I brought to give her as a house – warming gift
Well, after reading this perhaps you can see why I was exhausted last night and crashed at 9? Ha! Well, now I am listening to a Wang LiHong CD that I bought yesterday, it is pretty good! I will review my new words from yesterday, and wait for 方银 to come over and help me with my luggage. 再见 See you later 凯琳 ~ Caity
No comments:
Post a Comment