Landlords

While we were busy moving out of our apartment in Shenzhen, it became apparent that our landlord was an idiot.

Months back Jia got the idea that we should pay the landlord rent from our deposit. We managed to convince him to use half the deposit, so we got out of one-month's rent. He seemed to also agree that he'd give back some of the other half after inspecting the apartment.

In the days running up to our departure the landlord decided he wouldn't give us anything back. Not only that, but he was demanding the keys to the apartment before we left. He went so far as to visit my mother-in-law and wife at 10pm the night before we were leaving to demand the keys. He was screaming up a storm as I entered with my friends who were going to take some of our stuff. Just to shut him up, we gave him one key and told him to get the rest after we left.

He left unhappy. He even tried to threaten my mother-in-law and wife by claiming that he's part of some dangerous gang in Shenzhen (takes a big man to intimidate two women). My comment was that I'm from New Jersey and I could probably get him fitted with some cement shoes. I also figured he was just being a blowhard since no one in an illegal gang would actually claim to be in one. I was tempted to call the cops on him--I'm sure they'd love to get a criminal off the streets.

Fortunately, we all departed from the apartment well before the idiot returned. My mother-in-law didn't even bother to stick around to see if he'd change his mind and return part of the deposit. I don't blame her for not wanting to deal with that scum.

Community Development

Nothing brings neighbors together better than an unscrupulous business trying to skirt the community regulations.

For the past couple months, an old business has emptied out on the ground floor of my building, making way for new businesses. They're opening up a high-class tea house and language training center (neither of which are quite what most people back home would expect). A few weeks ago, there was a notice posted at the entrance to the building scolding the tea house for not obtaining approval for some of its construction, namely some new gas pipes for its kitchen.

The business was kind enough to poll every resident in the building (24 floors with five units per floor) on whether they should be allowed to construct new gas pipes in the building. It was a unanimous "no."

Yesterday, there appeared to be an argument outside when I arrived home. Jia later asked a guard about it. It seems the tea house doesn't care about our opinions (what a surprise), and is going ahead with construction. The building management is rather peeved, as are many residents.

This morning on my way out, I noticed half a dozen new security guards in military fatigues in the lobby. Not sure if the management or business hired them.

Not Quite the Jeffersons

But, we are moving on up to the 16th floor...in another building...about two blocks south.

We signed the lease to the new apartment on Saturday and handed over our deposit. We're definitely happy to be moving out of this poorly built complex and into a slightly better one with a lot more space (I'll have my own office). Overall, it's almost twice the size of our current apartment for just 200 kuai more per month.

It took some time to get the whole situation sorted out with the landlord. First, he decided he didn't want to pay the real estate agency, so he lied to them about not wanting to rent to us. We didn't mind because it saves us 1700 kuai. Jia then had to thoroughly check his ID and such to make sure he does indeed own the apartment. I didn't understand everything that was being said during the conversation, but didn't sound like he really wanted to show her all the necessary documents.

Most amusing part of the conversation was the landlord assuming that I made 50,000 kuai a month and that Jia owned a company. We laughed and told him we wouldn't rent an apartment if we had that much money. Jia explained our work situations and low-balled our earnings a bit. Still, it goes to show that the stereotype of the wealthy foreigner still exists, even among the wealthy Chinese.

Moldy? Old? I need a beer

For the second year in a row, my apartment has mold. This is the problem with living in an extremely humid climate with poorly constructed buildings. I've been looking around online for some good advice as to how to clean up the disgusting and possibly unhealthy green splotches that are appearing all over the walls. I managed to find a site that recommends using vinegar to clean up mold (as well as cleaning just about everything else in the house). I suppose I'll give it a try.

What I find amazing about the mold is the fact that our apartment is always spotless. While Jia and I are working, my mother-in-law cleans this place everyday. I've wondered why, and now I realize that she's convinced if it's not cleaned daily mold and dust will accumulate everywhere. The next thing I plan to buy after the mold clean up is an air purifier. I just wish they didn't cost 900 kuai.

On another note for today, I guess we can finally take away Charlton Heston's gun. The man did some great things in his lifetime--it's unfortunate that he'll probably be best remembered for being a gun nut.

More Apartment Hunting

Yesterday turned out better while helping J. search for an apartment here in Shenzhen. We told one agent exactly what to look for and he really looked around for something that would fit. He had three places lined up for us to see in the afternoon (much better than seeing one and then heading back to the real estate agency office to find another one). The first was in the same building where we saw two apartments the previous day (except this one had a terrible layout with a bathroom smaller than my closet). It was then that our real estate agent took us on a long walk. The second place was pretty good--for some reason the kitchen was open air, it appeared to have been built on the balcony. The third was much better. It was convenient, quiet, the right price, and it had a real bathroom.

This real estate agent knew a whole lot more about customer service than any of the others from the other day. He spoke a little English to compensate for our lack of Chinese skills. He was even understanding when J. said he liked the apartment but wanted to wait and look at a few more first.

My only complaint for the day is that I walked a bit too much and my knee is killing me. J.'s on his own today because I can't do much walking.

Purple Monkey Dishwasher

Sometimes people don't listen, no matter how many times you repeat a very clear and simple request.

J. came back from his break back in the States. Of course, he doesn't have a place to live yet. But, he's working with another former co-worker near me, so I volunteered to help him hunt for an apartment (what a schmuck I am). I realized yesterday that Jia and I were extremely lucky when we found our home on the first day of searching. Apparently, getting what you want in this neighborhood is impossible. We had set limits of price and the request for a bathroom large enough for someone to take a shower while NOT having to sit on the toilet to do so.

We began our journey through the Dante's Inferno... er, Nanshan at around 11 am. We spent nearly four hours talking with various real estate agents (there are about 20 agencies within a 15-minute walk) with the help of my mother-in-law. The agents showed us two apartments in those four hours--both of them were terrible. The first one had a washing machine in the bathroom (and no other location for it) while the second one had a bathroom the size of my shower. Perhaps I should mention at this time that J. is not a small man. After the second viewing, the agent pointed to the building across the street from my home and said that it was very nice and in my friend's price range (Jia and I had seen an apartment in that building). I whipped out my Chinese at this point: "Tai xiao le! Waiguoren xi huan da ce suo." (It's too small. Foreigners like big bathrooms.) This point seemed lost forever.

In 11 hours of searching apartments, we saw a total of 5. Of those 5 apartments, only two were livable spaces and both were in the same building. The first of the two we were told was 2300/month. Unfortunately, it was unfurnished and the owner decided to raise the rent by 200/month because he saw foreigners. The second we were told was 2500 and furnished. It turned out to be 2800 and the owner refused to negotiate price with foreigners.

There was also the debacle of one agency making an appointment for us at 8 pm. This was the same one agency I told about how small the bathrooms were in that particular building. Guess where they took us--to an apartment that had a bathroom smaller than my shower, equipped with a child-sized toilet with a picture of Winnie the Pooh on it. At that point I was too tired to care and refused to talk further with those agents. Jia was with us at that time and started yelling at them in Chinese. I understood a bit of what she said (mostly things about bathroom size and them not listening to what J. wanted).

While having a few late beers, we spoke with J.'s future boss. Apparently, he has started looking for apartments near his school. He had a great idea--he typed up the demands for an apartment and passed it around to agencies with the note that they were to only contact him IF they found an exact match. Maybe we'll all have better luck today--I certainly don't want to walk around for another 11 hours in this heat.

On another topic: I must thank a couple friends for a lot of help with planning for the U.S. tourist visa application for Jia. I had lunch with them Thursday and got plenty of useful information--much better than what the consulate gave me last Monday.

rolling along

Jia and I are all ready for our new apartment when we return from our little summer trip. Nice quiet neighborhood with plenty to do nearby. I even found out the other day that my Aussie friend (another castaway/escapee of Tsinghua Experimental School) just got an apartment nearby--great coincidence. That means I have a foreigner I can associate with in my extra free time (which I might have even more of starting in the fall).

I also got to check on the progress of my tuxedo at the tailor shop. The shirt is looking quite good and everything should be set by the end of the month (just in time for me to meet my parents in Beijing). If this thing comes out alright, I may just have to get a few suits made.

Only downside lately is that the air conditioners keep failing at work. I don't work well when it's too freaking hot in a room. And I'm sure it's not a great first impression for prospective students to sit in a classroom for an hour with the temperature settling around 30C.

Wrong Foot

This was not how I imagined the beginning of the new year of teaching at Tsinghua Experimental School in Shenzhen in China.
At the beginning of summer vacation, I was told that there would only be one apartment available for continuing staff. Fortunately, I was the only one staying for the summer. I took over a friend's apartment because he had Internet access that I could use. At the end of the summer I was supposed to move to room 617. As it turns out, there's a problem: the room smells like a sewage dump. So, I get 615. More problems there. Now I'm told I will not get a larger fridge to store all my food for cooking. Not only that, I don't get bed sheets or a quilt. Why? Well, they neglected to tell me to keep the sheets and quilt that I was provided last year. That was all I'm supposed to get. Thanks for telling me--I could've used that memo two months ago! Now I'm in the battle to get the school to pay for my new sheets because, as I see it, it was due to their own negligence that I don't have any. Until they pay for this necessity, I will call as often as possible with any little problem I have that I may be able to fix myself.