My Chinese Home

   I am no longer homeless!  Its a good feeling, especially because its been a long time since I had my own place, longer than just the week I've been in China.  I moved out of my apartment in Nashville on June 27 and have been living in campgrounds, hotel rooms, and the guest room in my parents' house for varying amounts of time since then.  So the hotel room in China was just another in a long string of temporary housing, but I will be in my new apartment for 10 whole months!  An eon!
   When I first came to see the apartment, I was astonished at the size, for one person.  I think it could honestly be a fine apartment for a couple, but since the rent is still cheaper than I was paying in Nashville for half of a 2-person townhouse, this is great.  The landlord is super nice as well; he lived in the UK for 6 years and so speaks English well.  He and his wife picked me up from the hotel, drive to my institute so a chinese friend could look over the contract (resulting in a contract signing in the parking lot!)  There was a brief moment of panic when I realized that he wanted 6 months rent at one go -- that's a TON -- but after I explained that I get paid by the month and I'm a student so I don't have extra money, I managed to get a bit of extra time.  Apparently the key word is to mention that you won't be able to eat if you pay that much, which worked right away.

The living room complete with couch, TV, and trinket case.

Kitchen, which smells like a Chinese restaurant thanks to the people below me.

Study area

     After lugging my suitcases up the elevator and into the apartment, Hao (the landlord) took me to the internet store, the police station, and the bank, all in the neighborhood.  He also turned on my utilities, read all the meters, and got my internet hooked up.  Really very nice of him!  It is a very Chinese neighborhood here, I haven't seen a single other white person since I moved in and I get stares when I walk around.  I suppose people will get used to me eventually!  There is a grocery store directly below my apartment, with wares spread all over the sidewalk generally, and a park right across the lane, with benches and trees galore.  My bank is very close and there is even a foot massage place a block away!  Perfect!

The park across the street.  Notice: blue sky for the first time yesterday!  

The entrance to my apartment building is the door in between the red signs.  The red signs are grocery/vegetable stores.

     I have spent the last several days setting up my apartment, buying necessities at the store (a whole other story, Chinese Carrefour is a different beast all together from French Carrefour!) and exploring the neighborhood.  Yesterday on a 2-hour exploring jaunt, I found a great park, a mall, a subway station, and 3 KFCs!  I shall not want for greasy chicken in China it seems.  More to come soon on other recent experiences as we have been working to set up the logistical aspects of our lives here in China for the past several days.

The view from my living room window.

My apartment address (send me mail!!): FANG CHENG YUAN 1-5-JIA-1908, FANG ZHUANG, FENG TAI DISTRICT, BEIJING 100078, P.R.CHINA