My first days. Welcome to my new "home".

     Because I had arrived on a holiday weekend, and after schools were closed for the weekend anyways, I had 2 whole days to wander the streets and get the lay of the land.  The building I am living in is brand new and we all refer to it as, "the dorms".  My room is probably 16'x17', plus the kitchen/laundry "area" and the bath/shower.

     Each room has its own water heater for the shower and the water comes very hot very fast.  I was never a fan of scalding showers, and the unrelenting heat makes taking a cold shower a bit of joy, even if I have to stand in the bathroom and direct the water down the drain.  The first thing I learned about the Chinese way of life, is that if there is a cheaper way to do something, they just haven't figured it out yet.  The "craftsmanship", or quality, of the construction is piss poor at best.  None of the edges are finished and the drain in the bathroom seems to be at the top of a small mound.  At the end of each shower, I have to "shovel" the water into the drain.  If I don't do this, then the floor is likely still holding puddles when I have to go pee later.

     We each have our own in unit washing machine as well.  All of the directions and levels/settings are in Chinese.  Someone else showed me how to use it for a "normal" cycle and so that is what I wash everything on.  I don't know if anyone, aside from the extremely wealthy, has a dryer for their clothes.  You have two choices, hang them outside or hang them inside.  I find that planning ahead, based in part on the weather, is required to do laundry.  Not a good idea to wash if it will rain all day.  I bought a very large fold out drying rack from Ikea, but if I am going to be home all weekend, drying anything inside takes up my entire free space.  I chuckle every time I think about the fact I had to move to China to FINALLY get an in unit W/D...well, technically, the "dryer" is outside, but at least it is just right on the balcony.