House hunting yixing style.

HOUSE HUNTING

My "community" - the apartment blocks are about 6 stories and there are probably 24 of these in this community.

On my first day in town it was time to go house hunting so Daisy and I were picked up by the real estate woman who happened to be wearing Christian Louboutin shoes. (Worth about $1000 so there must be money in real estate here)   Shown three flats all in the one community, about 10-15 minute walk from the school.  Thankfully the blocks of flats here only go up to 6 stories and the community has a good feel - lots of trees.  Don’t think I could handle living in a 20 storey high-rise.  

So much for my thoughts that I would be living in a tiny bedsit, cheek by jowl with millions of other people.  The first flat we looked at was huge – 3 bedrooms effectively and felt just too big.  The second flat had lovely light (facing south on 3^rd floor)but no sofa and kitchen, fridge, washing machine and air con were all old.  3^rd flat was good size and had new appliances.  Daisy knew much more than me about what to look for so I’ve taken that one.  Can move in the day after tomorrow.  This flat must have the biggest bed in the world!!  A whole Lao family with all their relatives could sleep well here.    And on the first floor - good not having to carry shopping up 4 storeys.  

The photos below are all of the inspection of my apartment  before the big clean.

The woman on the left is the real estate woman, she of the $1000 shoes.

This is my huge bedroom

Modern kitchen.  No oven

This is the 2nd bedroom.  Don't be fooled by that bed.   Underneath the red fabric is board and the springs are underneath the board.  So with my bed, I'm waiting, waiting for a foam mattress that I've bought on line to be delivered.  At present I have a complicated arrangement where I've put the thin foam from the lounge on the bed and other padding which makes it possible to sleep.

The closed in balcony off my room .  Washing machine and all appliances are supplied.  There is a rail where you hang your washing.  What an efficient system.

The bathroom.  

With a shower over the bath which is on the left. The shower had no shower curtain so when you used it, the whole bathroom got wet.

Every inch of this room has been scrubbed, including the ceiling.  

I just couldn't "like" going into the bathroom, it has no outside window and just didn't feel good.  

So apart from the big clean, I've added a shower rail (great extendable poles you buy at the supermarket) and bright bathmat mat and shower curtain.  There is a plant and little extras to make it a nicer space to spend time in.  Think it's getting there.

Dining area with new fridge.

We called in to the school and met the staff.  All these gorgeous young women who are the Chinese staff.  Foreigners are Herman from Australia who I spoke to on Skype when I was interviewed, Jessie from Dominica, and Robert a kiwi.  Also Nyasha from Zimbabwe who only works on the weekends.   They all seemed so relaxed and easy to talk to and helpful.  They gave good feedback about working for WEBi. 

Saw the lesson plans for all the lessons. It is a dream. So organised after Laos and the work I did on resources in Laos will stand me in good stead here.  

Daisy and I caught the bus home and I went to the supermarket for the first time. Spent ages, just looking and working out what different things were.  I was the only foreigner there and a bit of an attraction for the staff  who followed me around smiling.  

CHINA here I come

It's finally happening.

I feel like I have been waiting for forever.

This is Marg with happy face and the bits of paper that say I can go to China and work.

Last view of Melbourne for a year

First views of China

That's Guangzhou below......hmmm high rise and smog.  Almost dark at 5.45pm

TUESDAY 31^ST OF OCTOBER.

Great flight really (9 hours), China Southern airlines were good.  Bit of a treat after travelling with Air Asia for so long.  On Air Asia, baggage is limited and unless you book and pay extra, there is no food or beverage on flight.  And certainly no films, and the seats are much closer together.  China Southern had the lot: baggage allowance: 2 bags of 23 kg each.  Good meals, lots of drinks and free films.  Watched "Love Actually" again after probably 20 years and a good fun Bollywood film.

My first sight of China was Guangzhou and all the high-rise as you fly in.  Arrived at 5.45pm and it was almost dark, the air was like “pea-soup” to quote my Mum.  Seems like all I’ve read about the pollution here is very accurate.  It’s daylight saving at home so at 5.45 it’s still very much light.  Waited about 2 hours and then the flight to Nanjing.  The only foreigner on the flight.

Got to the Fliport Garden hotel and checked in about 12.30am  China time – 3.30am Australian time.  

WEDNESDAY 1^ST NOVEMBER

Perfect timing: I made my way down to the hotel foyer and  Daisy from HR walked through the door.  We looked at each other across the foyer and she came up and gave me a hug.  What a lovely start to my teaching career in China.  It has a good feel if the HR person welcomes you with a hug.

1 ½ hour car ride to Yixing.  I was amazed that it was nearly countryside all the way.  I expected China to be city everywhere with highrise, but thankfully it isn’t.  In Guangzhou and everywhere along the highway were planted with beautifully landscaped trees and shrubs.  All well cared for and no litter.  It is autumn which really surprised me after spring in Australia and Laos without 4 seasons.   Recognise some of the trees.  I think, pine, golden rain trees, lots of willow, Some bamboo plants. 

Passed small villages of 1-2 story whitewashed houses with tile roofs.  Lots of yellow gold crop which I later realised is rice ready to be harvested.  Saw some highrise (and they are really high)  but not anything like I expected. 

Yixing     Pronounced Yee - shing

Arrived in Yixing.  And I was surprised by all the very modern stores.  Lots of neon lights.  And all the most modern clothes etc. This nothing like Laos. 

Checked in at the hotel. Daisy took me to the bank to convert some money.  They wouldn’t accept my passport and had to use her id card to change the money.

The sun is shining - a good sign.  These are apartment blocks

My first meal in China

We had lunch and Daisy initially wanted to take me to KFC, I think so that I would "feel at home".  I haven’t come all the way to China to eat KFC, so we went to a noodle place and had soup.  My using chopsticks greatly entertains her which is fine by my.  

We called in to the school and met the staff.  More on that later.

Daisy and I caught the bus home and I went to the supermarket for the first time. Spent ages, just looking and working out what different things were.  I was the only foreigner there and a bit of an attraction for the staff  who followed me around smiling. 

THURSDAY 2^ND NOVEMBER

Ready to meet Daisy in foyer at 7.20 and caught the bus to Wuxi  (pronounced oo sie) .  Went to a Govt department of something like health and quarantine for my medical.  Very efficient.  Given a list of all the tests/examinations I needed and what room each would take place in so I just went from one to the other having them signed off as I went.

These included.  Urine sample –(fill the tube that has your UR number on it and just leave it in the rack along with everyone elses urine samples.)  blood tests.  BP, pulse weight, abdo ultrasound, chest xray and minimal doctor examination where he listened to my chest and palpated my abdo and checked lymph nodes.

Wuxi was BIG>  BIG buildings – a bit like how I feel so dwarfed when I am in the proximity of a cargo container.  And the air was like fog.  Didn’t smell but it was really bad.  Once again, beautifully maintained trees and shrubs everywhere.  Clean streets.  1 hour bus ride. 

So we spent very little time there and then caught the bus back.   

Feeling bereft because there is no access to google or gmail on my computer.

Billy at work showed me how to a access the Chinese google called Baidu  Guess what?   - it's all in Chinese!!!! with very little english that I could follow..  Tried to join Proton mail, an email sight which is OK in China but you need a phone number to do it.  (tried to use the Capcha option but it is blocked in China.  Any sight which Is blocked doesn’t come up with a notice to say it’s blocked, it looks as if it will open, but it just takes forever until you realise nothings happening.  You could waste a lot of time just thinking the internet was slow.

One of the teachers Robert was really helpful taking me down to the MI shop and I’ve bought a basic smart phone. The first smartphone I’ve ever owned.  Havent got a SIM card yet (need to decide on my provider)

Sounds like it is hard to get teachers here because all the young English teachers want to go to big cities where there is more of a “scene”… so Yixing suits us oldies. 

Caught the bus home on my own.  Got off too early and couldn’t quite work out where to go so asked at a take away food shop.   and the gorgeous young thing brought me home in her car.  How lovely.  You can do so much without language in common.  Thank goodness I had the card from the hotel with the address..

 Well that's the first few days.  Must admit, Yixing is looking pretty good.

How lucky am I

I feel like I have hit the jackpot.  I've been asked to house-sit a lovely home and 2 siamese cats.

How beautiful at nighttime

I've been "in residence" since this afternoon and I've been walking around with a smile on my face the whole time. What do I do with all this space?  This is a very beautiful home with all the comforts, and more, of home.  In my guesthouse I live in one room with ensuite bathroom.  My possessions are my clothes, sewing machine and the books and paperwork associated with teaching.  I have one cup, spoon, knife and plate.  I am very happy in my little world and don't miss having a home to myself.  It is only when I stay in this beautiful new space that I realise how different my current life is to the one I led at home in Australia.   

I have not had a kitchen and thus have not cooked a hot meal for more than a year!  So for the next week I will have access to a fully equipped kitchen.  Will be interesting to see what, if anything is produced.  

The view from upstairs

AND, THERE'S MORE............ It just so happens that this house is in the grounds of a temple, so imagine the good Karma. At 5.30 every day, the monks and novices chant which is one of my favourite experiences in Laos.  I can now enjoy hearing this without even leaving the house.  

I'll include some photos taken from upstairs..  The novices have been raking the temple grounds. The people of the Bann (village) are just going about their usual Sunday life. The grounds of the temple are like their back yard.   


Oops the karaoke has just started.  Lao people love Karaoke - the louder the better. When I rule the world, the first 2 things I am going to ban are plastic packaging and Karaoke.   Why is it always people who can't sing who want to get up and show their lack of talent to the whole world?   The good thing about this part of Laos is that you know that on the dot of 12 midnight, everything stops.  It's easy to put up with the noise when you know exactly when it will finish.




Yesterday was the Boat Racing festival and people of this Bann participated,  So their long boat which holds about 50 men is still in the grounds.   This huge boat had to be somehow  manouvred out of the temple grounds and through the narrow streets to the Mekong River.  

That's Mount Phousi behind

One shy cat

The sounds of Laos

Forever, the main sound I miss will be the Monks chanting.
Chickens
the throb of ceiling fans
motor bikes
karaoke
chanting of monks
the sound of Lao being spoken by the people in the massage place next door.
chuck chan
cats meowing.
suitcases on wheels rolling along the streets

Another walk on the wild side

It is "winter" here.  That means that mornings can be cool (12 degrees), evenings balmy and afternoons pleasant.  It's the best time of year. It is the most pleasant time of year to go for walks.  so a couple of times, a friend Emi and her dog Leon and I have been walking.

This Sunday we caught the ferry across the Mekong to Chompet and walked for a few hours.  We actually walked past or through about 7 temples.  

Beautiful to be away from the crowds and more amongst nature.

It's winter so you put a jumper on your dog.

Emi and Leon heading for Wat Long Khoun. Set in peaceful grounds, it was once used by Luang Prabang’s kings as a pre-coronation retreat involving ritual baths, meditation and reflection. The wat was restored in 1995 by the École Française d’Extrême Orient. Of note are the two Chinese door guardians painted either side of the main entrance to the sim, and the murals within.

WAT LUANG KHOUN TEMPLE
Wat luang khoun was built in the 18^th century. At first, it was always regarded as a place for meditation rather than a place for worship, but during King Anourout Manthatourath era in the 19^th century, it was established as the temple for meditation and continued to be one for monks. All the Kings in the past, such as King Sisavangvong and King Sisangvattana became monks in this temple before they  were crowned.

Time: 08:00am-05:00pm, Admission: 10,000 Kip

Your ticket for the wat includes a guided visit to nearby Wat Tham Sackkalin, which is actually a caverepository for old and damaged Buddha images.

3. Wat Tam Sackkalin

 Wat Had Siaw

After about a kilometer of walking you should reach Wat Had Siaw. It’s known for its walking meditation building which unfortunately seems to be used mainly for storage (look for the long narrow building). Walk through the grounds to the back and look for a sign “Vat Nongsakeo 300 m”. The path continues into the forest before splitting. Either path you choose, you have to cross a bamboo fence and continue uphill through the forest.

my community

Walking home yesterday I was thinking of the sense of community I have where i live.
When I go out there are all these people to say hello to.

The family who own my guesthouse.

The lovely family next door.  Their little boy was less than a year old when I moved here.  He will be 2 in November.  so watching him grow.  Watching the pregnancy of his Mum.  She has just had another baby.  We have't met yet

The lady who looks after her granddaughter.  As well as seeing her on the street often, we met at the childrens hospital when I was volunteering there and her little one needed some treatment..  Since then she always has a warm welcome - she in Lao and me in my halting Lao.  She has even taught the little girl to put her hands together in Sabaidee.

Vanh the young man who works in the guesthouse down the road.  He's learning English and we have conversations about  what we are up to.  At Lao New Year he and a young friend spontaneously took me to show me the celebrations.

Emi around the corner.  Occasional dinner companion and Australian owner of Ma Te Sai (comes from where) who is a source of information on all things Lao and the bits and pieces that us expats need to know from time to time...

Little Peyo who is about 18 months..  The first Lao child who didn't cry when I spoke to her.

The man around the corner who does my photocopying who is always so helpful.

Teaching at my local temple a 3 minute walk away.  The respect I have for the young monks and novices.

The places where I eat.  The 15.000 kip places with such good food and friendly smiles.  At IQ inn they know my order without me having to ask.. And the young men  who run our favourite restaurant.  They work so hard and want to do such good for their communities and the future of this country.

Young people at my library.

People who you smile at and say sabaidee  because you often walk past their shop or house.
There are always people to smile at and say hello to.

And  I often run into "the Smiths"  on the street.  My family who are not family but related to my cousin's husband.  Strange coincidence.

That's just the people I meet in my neighbourhood

And of course, our new friends the newlyweds, the boys down the road .

In Home Footcare in Luang Prabang

In Home Footcarer on her way to work.  She is carrying all 

the equipment needed.

The service in progress

Many of us know that as we get older it might be harder to cut our own toenails and care for our feet. Luang Prabang has it’s own “In Home Footcare Program" and there could even be a few tips for Victorian Local Government to pick up from the Laos program. 

My observation would be that older people in Laos tend not to go out a lot.  I suspect this could be because of the many trip hazards in the streets.  Laos would be an Occupational Therapists nightmare.  Wherever you walk outside there are things to trip you up:  chords across the footpath, sleeping dogs, holes, open drains, Motorbikes parked right across the footpath and on it goes. 

The ever-thoughtful Laos people have developed their own footcare program.  It has been very difficult to take photos of these carers as when asked, they refuse to have their photos taken.  

The service can take place any time of night or day. - even at the night market.

                                                                                

          

                               Another carer on the way to work

Women ride bikes up and down the streets.  You can just signal to them as they ride past.  They have a set uniform and are covered from head to toe no matter what the temperature might be:  long pants, shirt with long sleeves (often of the tartan flannelette variety), gloves and cloth hat, usually with fabric all the way around the back so that their neck wont get burnt.  The reason for such covering seems to be that Asian people want to keep their skin as pale as possible.  Dark skin, among women especially, may mean that someone is a labourer and you wouldn’t want to advertise that fact.  (Women here also do the hard jobs on building sites.)

Materials needed to set your self up as a In Home Foot Care worker.:

•    Bicycle
•    Shallow plastic bowls for people to soak their feet in.  (Just fill them from   a local tap.) 
•    Small plastic stool about 150cm’s high for the worker to sit on.  The   “client” just puts their foot up on the workers thigh and the service can begin.
•    A covered plastic basket which contains, nail polish remover, cotton wool balls, file, clippers, various creams for ailments, nail polish and a cut lemon to rub on toes.

People of all ages can benefit from this program

It appears there are many advantages to the Laos program that Local Government in Victoria could consider implementing, including:

• There is no need for pre-booking and phone calls to make appointments – just yell out to the woman as she rides past.  This would save valuable time for the office staff.
• Equipment is kept to a minimum and is light and easily transported.. 
• The need for each client to have their own clippers is eliminated as clippers are sterilised between clients with a quick rub of nail polish remover.
• In addition to the basic service, application of nail polish is also offered for no additional charge. 
• Carers would maintain their fitness as they ride from client to client.  
• The total cost for the entire service per client is around $2.50 Australian, which includes all on-costs.