my pimpin’ apartment

Let me just say, I am SO happy I shelled over the extra bucks to live in an apartment rather than in a dorm-like setting.  Even though I signed up for having a roommate, there are currently no roommates to be had so I have a two bedroom place all to myself.  At first I was bummed about this because I was looking forward to having someone I could have an instant bond with, explore the city with, and maybe study with.  After almost two weeks here though, I have to admit I do like having the place to myself.  There is no sharing bathroom time, and I don’t have to pick up after myself right away (though I am relatively clean anyway).

Those who chose the campus living are less than thrilled with their accomodations.  They have the “shower” which is really just a shower head in the corner of their bathroom.  For those of you who haven’t expereinced this, it really is a pain because it soaks your whole bathroom.  Since they are on the first floor they say sometimes it can smell like sewage, they have no minifridge or anything, and one of them is kinda tall so his feet hang off the foot of the bed.

My only complaint is that my washing machine floods my bathroom, but that is supposed to get fixed soon.  And no, I don’t think it is because I am using it wrong.  Everything is fine until it drains, which it does through a hose into a hole in the floor.  For some reason after it drains, the water comes right back up out of the hole.  This makes me think it is a clog or something, but I am not about to go try and fix it myself and risk making it worse.  Besides, I don’t want to go through the trial and error of finding out if my DIY techniques worked.  Silly me, I tried using it a second time after the first flood, thinking maybe it was just a fluke, but it wasn’t.  So basically I am tired of scooping water with a bucket (yes it was deep enough that I could scoop with a bucket).  If somebody else is in charge of fixing it, and they test it, and it floods, it is their responsibility to clean it up.  That is how I see it anyway.

Away from the negative and on to the positive.  I have plenty of space, my shower is fantastic, the AC works great, and my bed is big (even if it isn’t winning any prizes in comfort).  I am on the 19th floor of what I think is a 20 floor building.  All the apartment buildings in the area must be one big complex because they all look exactly the same.  And you know what else is in the area?  The second largest mall in the world!  Yep, can’t really complain about that.  That is where the Starbucks is, that is also where my language classes are so I am here quite a bit.  I haven’t explored it much yet except for the supermarket, which is really more like a Wal-Mart and has everything… except notecards.  Apparently China has no need for notecards, but that is another story.

OK, that is enough talk.  It is time for pictures.

Entrance hall in my apartment with hip colorful lights

Spacious living area

Cheerful orange kitchen

Where I spend the sleeping hours

See the hole on the right side?  That is where the water pumps out of.  I don’t think it is supposed to do that!