Hi there,

Just a quick, little update on upcoming days. I am excitedly looking forward to the upcoming weeks! First off, we get to see a friend tonight for a movie we haven’t seen in several months. Isn’t it peculiar how relationships work? Some friends you won’t see for months or years and they are still “my friend so-and-so”. Isn’t it fun! We’re planning on steam cooking brownies. (yes, it is possible, and yes, they taste amazing!) Also… tomorrow is my birthday!! Monica and I are going out to a “cultural breakfast”…whatever that means… with some of our friends. FLASHBACK to Christmas: our Christmas gift from Sam was a surprise destination day trip. NOW: I truly know nothing about what is going on tomorrow, and I can’t wait! It’ll be a lively event for certain!

This coming week is also my last official week of work for nearly one month! For those or you who don’t know, Chinese New Year is…monolithic to the Chinese. It is not a trivial la-de-da holiday. Think Christmas in NYC…everywhere. Basically the entire nation is closed for at least two weeks (including banks and some government offices) and most schools have the entire month of February off. I work for a grand total of five and a half days in the whole month of February. The whole vacation is unpaid, and if I make it through the month with my saving mostly intact, it’ll be a miracle. The holiday, however, will be well worth it! So much free time! In this free time, Monica and I are going on a holiday!! Yep! we’re off to Beijing for four days. We’ll stroll the Great Wall, ski learn how to ski fall often while learning too ski, eat at Cold Stone, shop, and so much more! Also, we won’t be alone. Monica’s friend and old co-worker will be taking time out of his busy work schedule to schlep us poor souls around the mammoth city. PTL for that or this trip would be exceedingly difficult.

I know that none of these things have happened yet, but I am just so excited that I had to share! A prayer for safe travels would be extra appreciated. God Bless!

Here I was, just nicely sipping on a bottle of strawberry lemon water when I realized, I’t been over a month since my last post! PTL for Monica or else this blog would just be taking up space on my login page. Thanks Monica! This post for me is a bit of a confession: I had a bad attitude for the first few months I was here. I complained quite often, and vented my frustrations more frequently than I would like to admit! My job and work hours were not what I was expecting, and a 3-4 hour round trip commute was not in the plan either. Still! It was no excuse for my attitude. I am happy to report, though, that the Good Lord woke me up. Nothing besides my commute has change, in fact, some things at the office became worse for a while. God has helped me to adapt to a situation that I assumed would drain the life from me. He taught me many different ways to utilize 7-9 free hours at a desk a day. I have not so thoroughly enjoyed my love of reading this much since high school! I’ve read over a dozen books these past couple months. I’ve also been privileged to read countless articles on a plethora of subjects. (Some of these articles contain odd information that I like to blurt out at random. Talk about some fun times for Monica.) I am learning new gardening tips and my taste in music has expanded in ways that I did not think it would. As an added bonus, He has let me nearly master a couple of techniques of teaching that use to terrify me. I’ve even been privileged enough to have some of the children (even though we cannot communicate effectively) come to love having my classes! I am often greeted by a chorus of “Berney! Berney!” As I walk through on class day. Each class has become increasingly rewarding as both the children and myself are learning something new. I am learning new life skills such as: breaking up fights, pacifying crying toddlers, how to quell the fears of a child who’s never been close to a foreigner, and how to laugh at and make a fool of myself – on purpose – freely.

I do still have my days of, “Nope, I am so done”, but they are swiftly decreasing. So many things learned; so many things still to learn!

Monica has done such a wonderful job telling everyone about Thanksgiving and Do Nothing Monday. I would like to make a quick post as a meaning and thank you to others.

I know many of our readers are in many countries besides America, and some of you may not understand the depth behind the holiday. We have had the privilege to befriend many non-Americans here in China and when we asked them about Thanksgiving, the general knowledge is it that it’s just a holiday for Americans to eat a TON of food. I’m not going to lie, the food is…magnanimous. A feast in every way. Corn, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, cheeses, dips, crackers, vegetable trays, fruit trays, cookies, pies, olives, hors d’oeuvres, assorted casseroles, dressing, gravy, and turkey: each one in it’s own dish, just waiting to be served. But, have you ever heard the phrase “That’s what you do, not what you are”? On Thanksgiving we DO eat enough food for two days, but that is not what the holiday IS.

Briefly, the history of Thanksgiving is the very beginning of American culture. The first year after landing, the Pilgrims had such a hard time that most of them died. The Indians offered their help to the dying men and women from England. Indians taught them how to plant and hunt in the New World. The English were so thankful to God and to the Indians that they set aside an entire day to give Him and the Indians thanks. The tradition was kept up on different days of autumn for the next two hundred years by different colonies and states. It was not until Lincoln’s presidency, and in the midst of the American Civil War, that a steady “day” was set. The official Thanksgiving day is the fourth Thursday of every November.

This holiday is a holiday that brings people together. Family especially, and also friends will gather together to celebrate. Thanksgiving in my home usually meant going to my grandparent’s house. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and my grandparents (from both sides) all gathered in one house. Some years, there were not as many of us as others (they spent the holiday with their spouses family), and twice the holiday was spent without my grandparents. Try to picture, though, a room full of noise. Laughing, clanking cutlery, pots of something boiling, children happy screaming, small dogs barking, and TALKING. This holiday almost physically embodies the words warmth, love, and joy.

Our first year spending the holiday away from loved ones was, strange. Since we had our good friend Reese over for dinner and since we found a place that cooked and sold American turkeys especially for the holiday, this Thanksgiving still held the same sentiment. All of us knew the feeling of wanting to be with our families, but shared the joy of having someone to celebrate with. It was not just a meaningless reason to eat more expensive food. We could be thankful together, and celebrate America together. We still had a feast, lively conversation, and holiday music.

God has truly been good to us this year (as He always is). He has allowed us to come on this wonderful adventure, allowed us to grow in numerous ways, allowed trials to make us stronger and teach us valuable life lessons. He let us experience a new culture, and life on our own. He allowed us to meet the most wonderful people and include those people as our friends. We may complain and loose sight of our goals sometimes, but every day has been a blessing and an opportunity. He has also blessed us with His wonderful mercy and saving grace. Thank you, Good Lord, for all You’ve done for us. We are undeserving and thankful.

Go. Go. Go!

“So, um, Briney. Could you, on Wednesday, Coco’s friend who works with the Guangzhou TV needs a foreigner.”

“I’m sorry, What?”

“Um, Coco’s friend is filming something on Wednesday and could you…pusht….pusht… you know?”

“Nnnooo?”

“Wait a minute.” a couple minutes later. “She needs you to walk in the scene, you know?”

“Oh! She needs me to be an extra in a scene?”

“Yes.”

“Sure thing. Sounds like fun.”

And that is how I ended up in a taxi on my way to film a TV show on Wednesday afternoon. I was dropped off at a building I couldn’t read at a metro stop I had never been to, and I was waiting for a Chinese person to find me… Well, at least I am easy to find in a crowd here. About thirty minutes passed, and I was getting a bit nervous think she couldn’t find me. Suddenly, two people came into my line of sight, and they were making a beeline toward me. “Are you Breet Chappell?” “Yes, sir. I’m Britt Chappell.” After the initial greetings and standard formalities, I was told that the gentleman who had accompanied the director to pick me up would be my guide for the day. We walked a couple hundred feet up the street to an open area where people were selling artsy things on the ground. Upon our arrival to the filming location, I was told what I was doing. I was not an extra. I was acting. o.o Well, that was unexpected. I had even packed a book in my bag so I wouldn’t be bored on set, but… apparently, something important had been lost during translation.

The director explained that the filming that day was for a documentary on my guide’s life. He had been an art seller on this street and one of his first clients had been an American woman. She had given him a pamphlet to an auction in New Kensington and bought some jade. So, guess what I had to do? Yep, reenactment. I had to peruse the trinkets being sold, select a piece of jade, pay, and hand him the pamphlet. I was told, “stand here” and my cue to start the scene was “Go. Go. Go!” in rapid sequence. “Walk slowly.” “Hold the coins closer.” “You buy a piece of jade.” At the end, my guide gifted me with the jade that I used in the shot; a lovely pendant for a necklace. The director and my guide seemed to like me, and everything went quite smoothly.

The whole time I was just giggling to myself. I love watching documentaries, but I always laugh at the cheesy actors who do the reenactment segments…now, now I am a cheesy actor. Oh goodness. The filming drew quite a crowd and a couple takes had to be re-done because of bystanders standing, crowding, or walking through the shot.  It took about forty-five minutes for my filming segment to be over and I could leave. Surprisingly, for an introvert, I was not nervous in front of the camera. Maybe, because I get watched nearly every moment of my life here, the camera was no big deal. Who knows? But, let me just say, I had fun. My hands were freezing and my hair was a wind-whipped mess, but I and my fellow cheesy actor were laughing together and my guide and the director were so kind. Truly, one of the most off-the-wall experiences of my life. I think it even outranks private yoga classes at work. (more on that subject later.) Have a stupendous day, everyone!

Abracadabra: they vanished!

As I was saying earlier… Once we were back from Hong Kong, we took a much needed rest, from our vacation. haha. oh boy. The next two days were spent sleeping in, reading, talking, playing Blackjack with M&M’s, and wandering the streets of Guangzhou. Then the fish bit. No. Literally. They did.

I don’t know why, but when Monica and I saw that there were tiny fish that would eat the dead skin off your feet we thought it would be something fun to try. In the seven-ish months that we’ve been here we never got around to it, that is until last week. We were walking through an underground mall when we passed a skin eating fish stand. This is what it looked like: three large tanks full of fish, each tank is divided by glass long ways down the middle, there are two chairs on each side of the tank facing each other. My grandpa, when he saw this set up, stopped and said “that looks interesting.” When we walked back by after dinner, we said why not?! We paid $3.00 a piece for twenty minutes in the fish tank. After our feet had been sprayed with alcohol, the nerves kicked in. Papa had no issue, he put his feet in and relaxed. We women, on the other hand…were in great distress. It feels exactly how you think it does, and then some. They get between your toes. They get the underside of your foot. They get your leg. Tears. So. Many. Tears. Laughing and crying. Twitching and shivering. Twenty minuets stretched on for, what seemed like, an hour. We were the entertainment for all the Chinese sitting by and passing by us. Papa, however, was completely relaxed and enjoying himself. That was…something else.

Their second to last night was a little extra special. All of our close friends (our China family) came to the apartment for dinner. Casandra, Tianne, Reese, and Sam all came and ate with us. All of the stories we’d been telling them finally had faces and personalities. Our friends here are unbelievably animated, waving their arms in huge circles, laughing loudly, talking, talking, talking… We love them so much and it was such a pleasure to see them interact with my family so well. Such a blessing!

The last two days of their stay here, I unfortunately had work. They did, however, get to come to my office and see where I work. We had lunch together both days, and on their last night here, they took Monica and I to a nice Italian dinner. Then, GBDay. 4:30A.M. saw the three of us standing in the street, flagging down a taxi. By 5:45 they were checked in and I had said goodbye. I won’t lie, there were more tears. My poor cab driver must have been uncomfortable. Their whole visit went by way to quickly. As if someone said “poof!” they were already gone. Every day they were here, Monica and I were so spoiled. They paid for every meal out, bought our groceries, and brought us delicious American treats. I can’t believer it went by so fast, but I am incredibly grateful that they were able to experience my life here for a moment. They saw my commute on a busy train, they were stared at and approached by complete strangers, they experience first hand the frustration of not speaking the language, and so much more. Thank you, Mama and Papa for taking the time and spending the money to come all the way to the other side of the world for a visit. It meant so much to me (and Monica.) I love you guys. I miss you guys, and I can’t wait to see everyone again!

               One time there was a blond woman who walked into a hair salon. She looked at the stylist and said, “ I need my hair cut, but no matter what, you cannot take off my headphones.” The stylist thought that was strange, but agreed. After a short while in the chair, the blond woman fell asleep. The stylist was having great difficulty cutting her hair with the headphones still on her so the stylist thought, “Well, she is asleep and what she doesn’t know won’t hurt.” An hour later the stylist was finished with the cut and put the woman’s headphones back on. The stylist tried to shake the woman awake, but she wouldn’t wake up. She had died. The stylist was very distraught and thought the headphones might have a clue as to what happened, so she picked them up and listened to what they said. She heard this: “Breath in…Breath out… Breath in… Breath out…”

                Lately it has been feeling like the stylist took off my headphones. One thing after another was coming down the line and big and small stresses were threatening to cut off my air supply. God, however, knows me and loves me so much! This past week He put my headphones put back on…so to say. My mom and grandpa flew to China to visit! After everything that happened with the apartment, my job, and trying to balance sleep, a social life, a fitness routine, and chores with work, I was starting to get a bit helter skelter, this visit is just what the dr. ordered.

                    They flew in on Sep 30th. I’ll admit, I did the sappy run-to-them thing you only see at airports. Happy tears and lots of hugs later, it was time to get them home to rest. We had a rather smooth trip through the metro, not too much snuggle time with complete strangers. Once we were all safely at the apartment, it was time for presents! I ma such a child when it comes to presents. I was practically sparkly from the sugar rush. The next three and one half days saw us three plus Monica traipsing through Hong Kong and Macau. We had so many adventures! Including, getting caught outside in a monsoon, eating dinner at Victoria Peak, seeing beautiful museum pieces, and spectacular casinos. We got a little lost, had problems with our transportation, and I think my mom and grandpa walked more in those four days than in the last four months combined. We ate copious amounts of food… Oh my word so much good food. So much western food. The trip back to Guangzhou was quick and painless, and after taking no less than three modes of transportation, we were finally able to sleep at our apartment.

                   These last few days have been so fun. Monica and I get to show them so much of this culture. Much of it comes as quite a shock to them, they can hardly handle it for very long. They are not use to hordes of people flooding a tiny doorway, sharing backside space with someone you don’t know, and having to use toilets that are flush with the floor (see what I did there…). I think the way my grandpa phrased their visit so far was perfect. He said, “It’s been startling, but fun.” More to come after I’ve had to send them home, for now, have a wonderful day!

I know Monica just wrote a beautiful update on the apartment, but a couple more things have happened. We now have our very own stove! It came Tuesday night. Now all we are waiting for is a hose to connect the stove to the gas line and we are golden. On our last trip to Ikea we found a big sale on a dining room table with chairs. Under $100 for a table and four chairs. It looks a bit cheap, but it still has a homey touch. Candles!! So many candles, our house smells like coconut and vanilla whenever we’re home. We both also have chairs for our rooms. I can’t describe how nice it feels to have a place to sit in the house that isn’t the couch. It allows our lives to have division. We aren’t eating, sleeping, and watching a movie all from the same spot. We get to eat at the table, sleep in our own rooms, and watch movies on the couch. When it comes down to it, it truly is the little things that make the biggest difference. Granted, this apartment sucked up every ounce of savings we had since moving here, but the end result is nice. It feels good to have a home here. And since we are in the middle of town, we will get to do so many things we couldn’t do before! In fact, I have already joined a gym that Cas goes to, and I am going to it with her tonight! Prayerfully, we’ve learned a valuable life lesson and this won’t happen to us again. Thank you to everybody who has been praying for us during this, and also thank you to our families, who helped us any way they could.

This past Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the school I’m a consultant for took all of us on a full expenses paid vacation! I had seriously never hear of such a phenomenon before. I thought, when they first told me about it, that They would pay for the hotel and I would pay for my food. NAYNAY. All of it was paid for. The only thing out of my pocket was souvenirs and snacks. And that was only the beginning of the coolness that was this trip.

Day one.
Again, I had to be up at an unholy hour of the day for a vacation. I was out of the house before Monica was even awake! I was at the office, the meeting place, by 7:45am (please keep in mind that I live about an hour away with clear traffic.) Since we didn’t have to be there until 8:30, yes I was that early, I made a pit stop at my friendly neighborhood Starbucks. The baristas here now know me as soon as I walk in. They even repeat my order back to me before I make it. But, on the up side, I sometimes get cute, personalized notes on my drink cup. Finally, 8:30 rolled around and everyone was prepared, except for one… Everyone was loaded up in the van we rented and we had to wait 30 more minutes for Ray, the head teacher, to make it. Then the driving started. It was a seven hour car ride to our destination for the day, but it was fascinating. As I stared out the window, my eyes must have mirrored those of a child. Pure fascination with the world around me. As I watched, the skyscrapers, smog, and city lights faded away to be replaced with towering, black and white rocks covered in a forest of trees and bushes, bright green grasses, and clear blue skies. I must have had the goofiest grin on my face half the time, I was just so excited for a change in scenery!

I will admit though, I fell asleep during the ride… I was exhausted from so little sleep the night before and the entire two weeks previous… Sorry! We stopped for lunch around 1:00 at a rest area. Please, allow me to describe the restroom in a public, Chinese rest area. First, I shall begin with the smell. I knew it would be bad when Ray gave me this little nugget, “I have been here before. It is horrible.” I was still a couple feet away from the entrance to the restroom when my unfortunate nostrils were struck with the pungent aroma of hot urine. Yes, you read that right. If you all remember the Chinese style toilet is a hole in the ground, maybe you will understand the issue this presents for women. There’s about thirty stalls in a concrete box. The only ventilation for the box are the windows. It is hot and humid without a breeze. Basically, all the ventilation is doing is steaming the smell. As I am perusing the stalls in search of a clean one, I notice something most unfortunate. The floor is wet, and no, not from water. I discover an acceptable stall ie: the one with the fewest puddles. The toilet paper…goes in the waste basket, not the toilet. I feel like I need a shower at this point. You think I get to wash my hands at least. NAYNAY. I get to rinse. The Chinese people, as a general rule, do not use soap in the bathroom. They believe that if one person touches the soap pump with dirty hands, that they will be dirty. So they prefer not use soap and just touch everything, but soap, with dirty hands…no, it does not makes sense to me either. I have never been so relieved to get out of a bathroom… On the road again!

We left Guangzhou at 9:00am; we arrived in Guangxi at 5:00pm. Totally worth it. The town we stayed in is a resort style town situated at the base of some of the black hills of rock. A river flowed through the middle of town. The air was clean and fresh, I could see the sky, and the honking was definitely less frequent. Our first dinner while on vacation was outstanding. We walked around about thirty minutes looking for the right restaurant, there were so many to choose from, at least thirty on each side of the street. Ten dishes. They ordered ten different dishes. Duck, egg, vegetables, fish, jelly egg, tofu, etc. all graced or table that night. Each dish was a treat. After a wonderful meal, it was time to go shopping! Now, after dark, the throngs of people appeared. The streets were jam packed with shoppers and sellers. Not only were there stores, there were outside stands and carts also. And, of course, I bought stuff… Chinese candy and a wonderful tea were added to my pack. After we all had some fresh juice, it was time to go back to the hostel.
– End Day 1

So we got up at an ungodly hour for a vacation…

This past “weekend” (Monica’s weekend is Monday and Tuesday. My days off are Monday and Thursday-I switched this week to M/T) Monica, Reese, and I went to the “magical place” called Hong Kong. Sunday started for me around 5:30am. 5:30am is not my favorite time of day… After a bit of morning stress we were finally headed off to work, me with the suitcase in tow. I was supposed to get off work at 5:00 exactly, but my boss heard about our apartment troubles and sent me off to look at two apartments her friend had found. I didn’t end up leaving the office until 5:15. I know this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but remember the suitcase… It’s a little more than seven minutes walk to the metro from my office, then there’s the escalators and long hallways. Ok, just three stops until my transfer. Done. By now, it is 5:30 and I am getting anxious text messages from my traveling companions. Finally, the Yangji transfer…complete with massively crowded escalators. TOO LONG. I carried the suitcase up the stairs both flights, to my transfer line. Just 4 more stops and I’m at the train station. Two more flights of stairs and I am briskly walking to the train terminal. It’s 5:45 now. Anxious phone calls now plague my fatiguing body. I’m through security. One more flight of stairs. 5:55. Phone call, “Where are you?!” “I’m here. I can see you.” “Hurry up!” -_-‘’’ One more flight of stairs and I am finally in the check in area. 6:00. By 6:05 we made it into customs. 6:10 rolled around and we were finally on the train. My arm is practically numb from carrying the bag past all the over crowded escalators, but at least my wonderful traveling companions purchased my coffee for me. Part one of our Hong Kong vacation was not quite as relaxing as I’d hoped.

Then the first little adventure…So, I drank a ton of water and some coffee. A trip to the restroom on the train was inevitable. Ok, so a train in motion is not exactly the smoothest thing in the world, clue number one. Secondly, does anyone know what a Chinese style toilet looks like? Anyone? No? Let me explain. It is a ceramic hole in the floor with foot divots on the side. How do you use this you may ask. Well, it’s called a squatter. Any further questions? Remember, the train is in motion and there is a squatter. As a female, this was an interesting section of the trip. Although, I spent the majority of the train ride sleeping and listening to music. Once we arrived in Hong Kong a quick trip through customs had us up and out into the hustle and bustle of the city. Reese guided us speedily to our lodgings and we checked in around 9:30. When we opened the door to our room for the weekend, we were greeted with one double bed. “ummm. I thought you booked two beds.” “I thought I did too.” I went to the front desk to ask, apparently a double room means two people, not two beds. I am now familiar with guest house lingo, but that didn’t help me much then. I went back in and explained my mistake to Monica, we had a good laugh, and lay down for a rest. Less than an hour later we were wandering the streets searching for the clock tower where we were supposed to meet Reese. He had just finished checking into his place, the Chung King Mansion (if you value your life, never stay here if you come to Hong Kong…)

The clock tower from the harbor has a spectacular view. Hong Kong at night is… everything you could dream. Skyscrapers backed by mountains. The lights from the buildings sparkle and dance on the water. The neon signs light the night sky and outline the clouds. Truly a sight to behold.

Monica has done a superb job on describing our trip around HK. But, if you will, allow me to ad a bit of my side, especially to the Victoria Peak experience. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I am not fat, I am however nearly 70 lbs. heavier than Monica and 30 lbs. heavier than Resse. The whole peak excursion had me sweating through my denim. Literally. I don’t even want to convey the dampness of my t-shirt from this “walk”. My bangs were matted to my forehead, the rest of my hair stayed back like it was gelled there, and I had sweat dripping down my arms and legs. Sweat does not normally drip from these areas, but let me tell you, it was that day. Praise the Lord for air-conditioned buildings!!! When we finally arrived at the peak, Monica and I high-fived. I was proud of us. The view. Oh my word. The view. From the peak you can see all of HK it seems. Skyscrapers don’t even come close to the height of the peak and you can look across the entire bay.

The next day was much more relaxing. We woke up at a leisurely time, ran a couple errands then boarded our train home. We immediately went to see 2 more apartments that night before we went home. I think we rolled home some time around 11:00pm. Busy, busy vacation with plenty of sight-seeing. I can’t wait to go back!

Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for a frustration blog. Where to begin…

Monica and I are moving out of our current apartment. We have to because our contract is up the first of October. We want to because our commute is over an hour and a half. We think our list of requirements is reasonable: western toilet, kitchen with stove, 1 bedroom, newer, 4,000. We were told that it would be difficult to find this in the area we wanted, so we expanded. We saw 3 apartments in a place not on our list. Only one of them kinda passed out test.

Before we went out the second time we were warned that sometimes real-estate agents will tell the landlords to jack up the rental price so when then “negotiate it down” they will still be making more money. Armed with this new information, we took one of Monica’s friends (and co-worker) with us. We saw 2 apartments. The first one was quite large and had 2 bedrooms in the are we wanted, but the apartment needed a lot of work and was in a sketchier area. The second had 1 bedroom, was newer, was in a complex with many other foreigners, and still in the area we wanted. It was just farther away than we were hoping. Both apartments were 4,300. Later, after the three of us were done looking for the night Chris, Monica’s co-worker, called the agency that had the 1 bedroom listing. He asked how much this one bedroom was. 3,200!!!!! 1,100 less than what we had been told! They had raised the price when they told us how much it was. We were fuming. Trying to cheat us because they think we are rich and we won’t find out.

Then we were taken by another friend of ours – who is also Cantonese – to see 2 apartments in the area we wanted. Both of them were no goes. The first one was OLD. Chinese toilet, dingy, smelly, the outside walk is not lit, mildew all over the ground on the footpath, UNSANITARY kitchen, completely boxed in by other buildings. Very big NO. The second one was 4,500. It was definitely nicer. 8th floor, elevator, safer area, better view, very clean. As we were walking out of it, it turns out that the cost is actually 5,000! What?! 4,500 is negotiable, we can get it within our budget. 5,000 is way too high. Not Cool.

And that was only the apartments themselves, not all the frustrations that come with trying to get landlords to show their apartments. This one did not call back, this one can only do after 7:00, this one said they can’t come today (15min before we were scheduled to see it.) Craziness. We have seen 7 places and still don’t have one. The ones that seem perfect for us get snapped up before we even look at them. We may go back to the building with the one apartment we really like (where the agent or landlord tried to cheat us) with Monica’s Chinese friend. He should be able to get us the actual price of the unit. Prayers for wisdom and guidance are needed…and prayers for a perfect apartment to fall into our laps would be appreciated.

I think the crazy thing for me is how the real-estate market works here. Coming from a family of real-estate agents, I am use to the American process of buying, selling, and renting houses. Here, nothing is similar. Apartments are gone within 3 hours of being posted and basically if you don’t get it right now then you don’t get it. Plus, the landlords and agents sometime don’t work together so well ( not just our experience but others also) so appointments are actually “maybes”. And agents are not quite as trustworthy as my family. Basically, if you are a foreigner in China and you need anything, HAVE A CHINESE FRIEND! They know actual value and will be able to communicate for you. Even if a person speaks Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) they could still get ripped off. Careful awareness is key.

There is HOPE! Once we are settled into our new place, picture will follow, for now…this is it. 😛