So, after our first night, things in China got a whole lot better. Although the language barrier is difficult, people always try to help us no matter where we are. On day two we began looking for an apartment and within three days we had picked one and were waiting to move in. It is close to a metro station and to the school Andrew will work at. It is in a nice, new community that is lined with greenery, water falls, and koi ponds. Our landlord had all of the requested furniture (closets, tv stands and tvs) made/delivered/installed and within 3 more days we were moved in. The apartment community is nice, the apartment layout if fabulous but, as with many other things in China, the details are lack luster. For example in out entryway/office, we have this nice exposed brick but when the workers painted the ceiling, they dripped paint onto it and didn't bother to clean it...wtf? My opinion of this so far it that there is a disconnect with the people who do this type of work, painting, plumbing, etc.. they really don't care and there is noone to hold them accountable for discrepancies in their work. Of course the owner of the apartment should have been fired up over it but then again, he's not living here so what does he really care, and who is he to correct a professional, even if the work is shoddy? - its an odd way of thinking about things... I can't quite comprehend it yet. Below are a few other obseravtions from our time here in China...
"San ge, San ge, San ge" - pronounciation: Sang-ah ; translation: Damn! They have three kids! We hear it everywhere we go. Andrew gets alot of thumbs ups from old men and we all get smiles and whispers. Its such an interesting reaction and no matter where we go, or how many times we go there we hear it constantly, and in the exact same fashion: "San ge, San ge, San ge"
Chinese dogs are amazing - first you have to know that traffic here is ridiculous. There seems to be no pattern but some how everyone is following the same routes. Knowing that, it is amazing to see a pomeranian or poodle (I see alot of both) running next to a scooter and watching for on coming traffic. The dogs are so obedient. Typically they walk without a leash next to their owner and if for some reason they loose sight of them, they stop and look frantically for their owner. They cross the street better than some humans I've seen and seem to also know this invisible pattern of the streets.
A dog owner can make just one call to their dog and it comes running - I am truly fascinated by it and don't understand it but, I am going to get to the bottom of it - I really need my children to follow directions like this!
Chicken feet, Duck head anyone? We have found going to a sit down restaraunt daunting at times and if the menu has no pictures, we now just get up and leave... we still do not know many words and it becomes somewhat of a spectacle when we get to a point of saying "Chicken?, Chicken?, Is this Chicken?"... The few time we have pointed to a menu and tool a chance it was a 50/50 split on getting something we would actually eat. Don't get me wrong, the food here is great but sometimes when you order beef or chicken, you get bones, feet, head.. and we just aren't use to that - at least Andrew and I aren't. To this point Drake has eaten a chicken foot and Avery has nibbled on a chicken head but, that still doesn't mean I want to order it for dinner! Shrimp and prawns also come out in their natural state, and as much as I like shrimp, with each head I have to pull off, my appetite decreases dramatically. Another thing the kids have taken a liking to is "duck neck" - yes, it is packaged as a treat and smells like vienna sausages and you can feel the vertebrae in the package...China is NOT handicapped accessible: It really is the most mind boggling thing and maybe I noticed it sooner than most since we travel with Colten in his stroller everywhere we go. Nanjing has a great public transportation system, brand new metro and it is so clean and convenient but not stroller, wheel chair (or any other physical impairment) friendly. Very few stations have an elevator into the station and those that do, rarely operate it. Also it is pretty common to carry a stroller 30-40 stairs up or down, only to find an escalator going your way at the next level. And if you do happen to catch an escalator down, you will find the opposite – 30 stairs to pass before you reach the train. It seems to be some weird joke by the Chinese transportation system, and I will admit – I have double over laughing several times at the insanity of me and my husband carrying Colten in the stroller with a full basket down two flights of stairs only to find ourselves at a conveniently placed escalator or lift, also known as an elevator in the U.S., its enough to drive one mad! Chinese humor – I don’t get it.
High Heels: The Chinese sneaker. We walk everywhere, and even if we get a taxi somewhere or take the train, you can believe it only lessens our steps by a few… maybe I should get a pair of six inch stiletto boots to help me get from point A to point B, that’s what the Chinese women seem to do. Fashion is so important here in China and even if you are not dressed to the T, you better have some hot shoes on! I have tried to where heels here, and I am luck I didn’t twist my ankle in the process – maybe I have weak American ankles from sitting all day and driving everywhere my whole life – who knows but, one thing is for sure – these Chinese women are rockin’ the heels… Maybe that is why foot massages are so important here.
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