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guys, I'm lonely!
#1

...goes my shout out into the great wide web. As opposed to Jules' move, mine wasn't an april fool's joke, and now I am here in Hefei, in my new appartment. I have blisters on my fingers from cleaning, and the place still looks like a mess compared to anywhere I have lived before. That's because this whole campus is brand new, and we still live in the middle of huge constructions sites from where the dust spreads and creeps into every last corner and gap.

The kitchen utensils granted in the contract are no where to find, except for a rice cooker and a microwave there was nothing. The microwave was dirty beyond any rescue, I tried for a while to clean it but decided I didn't want to use it... so last night there was rice and canned chinese fried fish for lunch and dinner.
I didn't really have anything to do today but it turned out a busy day anyway just organizing things. I went into town to buy some stuff, but also to try the bus connection. it takes around 40-50 minutes to the centre, which is ok for a city, but further than I was used to go in our little "village" of Huainan.

For the phone at my appartment I had to buy my personal phonecard with credit and a PIN. I managed to get it in the post office at the old campus of this university, nearer the city center, even though it was quite a hassle to even find the place. I also had to buy a new sim for the mobile, because with the one bought in Huainan I 1was charged was charged tremedous fees and my credit was used up from just the couple of phonecalls I must have made yesterday (sort of defeating the purpose of MOBILE phones I thought, I am only 150 km away from where I bought the previous card, and the new one was bought from the same provider.) there was also a 30% service charge on the purchase of the new sim card, which I hadn't had to pay in Huainan. I mentioned it and was told that well, this was Hefei. I think things will be slighty more expensive here anyway, even though as not always a 30% rip off.

In the busses there are no assistants like in Huainan, as everywhere in the west you drop your coin in a machine and enter the bus. the huge advantage of the assistants was that they always announced the stops and made sure you got off where you wanted to, even if you had fallen asleep, and especially if you were a foreigner.

In reality there is no need to go anywhere for basic shopping, there is a row of small shops just outside the campus that offer all daily necessities. Only the luxury of the farmers' markets so ubiqitous in Huainan I think I will have to do without here. I asked on of the shop keepers where she goes to buy veggies and she pointed to somewhere behind the row of shops. I had to come back and ask her again because I couldn't find anything and she walked with me to point me to a sort of enclosed court of tiny barracks, in one of which a couple was selling some pretty sad looking vegetables and bits of meat I decided to stay away from. They said they would have fresh stuff in the morning, but I might have to find a different place and settle for weekly stock shopping or something...

The washing machine provided is one of the flimsy chinese kind, I doubt your things will ever get clean in there - leave alone nice clothes, which you don't even want to put in there. mine is even worse, as the water feed is leaking, it doesn't get water and thus doesn't do anything. I will have to get them to fix it so it can be used, so I don't end up having to hand wash all my clothes, which is what many if not most Chinese do. But at least they came and gave me a small portable gas stove today and I bought a little pan, so tonight I am having my own dofu-veggy stirr fry. It's 8 pm, time for a movie and some couch relaxing, but here there is only chinese TV, very bad broadcast quality on top of mostly useless soaps and talkshows. I try the radio even just to have some music....

I haven't taken my cam out yet, I was too busy and had things to carry today. I have a feeling Hefei will not be enchanting in terms of shooting as Huainan, as it is a much more civilized, western city, somewhat normal to us. But there must be interesting parts of it to find.

I hope I can start teaching soon and get in touch with more people. And I hope I am made for this life with the washing machine, and the "Duschklo" (there is no shower tub or screen, the shower is just one small room containing the toilet as well).... Wish me luck!

Uli
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#2

aww SadSad
How long will you be there for?
I guess it has been and will continue to be an interesting experience.

I'm not sure what comfort to give but, at least you've got the internet Smile lol Smile ahh
there there.
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#3

You will see that as soon as you start working eveything will be better. You will meet more people, and they will help...
Changes and moves are very difficult, I know it well...

I wish you the best.... Smile

A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.
Paul Cezanne
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#4

Wow, Uli, it sounds very different to Huainan.

It must be very hard on your own, in unfamiliar surroundings... our hearts go out to you Uli - hang in there!

Hope you settle in quickly and I also hope that you find some others to keep you company too. Big Grin
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#5

I am sorry to hear that you are so depressed with your lot. Just keep thinking that even this will pass. Either things will improve, you will grow accustomed to them, or you will return to the west. I know that it is hard to treat it all as an adventure when you are cut off from your support network.

Good luck - our thoughts are with you.
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#6

Uli, I'm sorry to hear that you're in the dumps... figuratively and too literally.

Remember that you can always come back to visit Toronto, with its high-quality restaurants.


[Image: piers-070327_3277327-web.jpg]

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#7

Poor Uli, Hang in there, In a month you will look back and laugh. (Hopefully).
It sounds worse than our Greek S/C holiday apartment.
We had a huge pan and a little coffee thing and hens and cockerels all around. They started crowing at 4.am
We usually got in at around 2 am Sad It was only fun when we got home. Smile

Lumix LX5.
Canon 350 D.+ 18-55 Kit lens + Tamron 70-300 macro. + Canon 50mm f1.8 + Manfrotto tripod, in bag.
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#8

you described your surroundings so well Uli I really feel for you. Hope you make some friends soon.

Canon stuff.
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#9

Guys, thank you so much for your kind and supportive thoughts!
I must have spent most of the time since I got here cleaning, and some progress is visible now.
It keeps me busy too, and the only bad time was really last night when I did not feel like sitting down by myself on the uncomfortable wooden bench with no cushions and pretend to watch Chinese TV which I don’t understand anyway. So yes, ADAM, there is hardly anything I am more grateful for right now than the internet!
Also, my mom supplied me with a set of great books a while ago, so I can survive on them.
The other good thing is that there is always a concierge downstairs, I have met two of them so far. They both speak some English and I also practice my Chinese with them, which they always compliment me on.

After another work shift this morning my 3 (!) balconies are now uncovered from a quarter inch of dust each, remains to be seen how enjoyable it is to have them in the middle of all this construction, but at least now I like looking at them… 

I also had some pictures, a few of which were ones returned from Magazines and forwarded to me, and those we took in Huainan the other weekend, so I had something to tape to my naked walls.

Matthew, I think one would have a hard time finding any place that would not commit ALL of the named “infractions” (what kind of a word is that? Can you commit one? Or eat it….?)

Thanks again everyone, I’m really glad for your warm thoughts.

Greetings, Uli
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#10

matthew Wrote:Uli, I'm sorry to hear that you're in the dumps... figuratively and too literally.

Remember that you can always come back to visit Toronto, with its high-quality restaurants.


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/ro...27-web.jpg
What do you need to do to FAIL this inspection???
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#11

Someone probably has to die on the premises.
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#12

Toad Wrote:What do you need to do to FAIL this inspection???
Lol.. hey at least the washrooms are clean... Big Grin
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#13

was it before or after you ordered that you saw the sign, matthew?

Smile
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#14

Toad Wrote:What do you need to do to FAIL this inspection???
That's exactly what I was thinking -- I guess you have to score a perfect 8/8? At least they took the garbage out...

Uli Wrote:was it before or after you ordered that you saw the sign, matthew?
Big Grin I've actually never eaten there -- I tend to hit the low-budget restaurants, and ironically this place is above my usual price range.

Back when Toronto brought in the publicly posted inspection results, it caused some pretty big changes. That first summer one of my favourite restaurants was closed, one was given a conditional pass ("improper storage of liquid wastes" was my favourite infraction) and the the third -- the one that got the green pass card -- was the one where I saw the mouse run across the kitchen. That place does a great chicken curry, though, and I'm not squeamish. I've been going there for twelve years.

Uli, I do hope this is cheering you up... Wink

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#15

was the one where I saw the mouse run across the kitchen. That place does a great chicken curry,

Is the chicken in the curry in very small pieces? Big Grin Big Grin

Lumix LX5.
Canon 350 D.+ 18-55 Kit lens + Tamron 70-300 macro. + Canon 50mm f1.8 + Manfrotto tripod, in bag.
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#16

Smile

seriously, I think there are mice in most every place, it must be really hard to keep them out. They know what's good too!
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