Horizon

We will continue on our journey with this week’s top 10 observations from Suzhou.

10. We’re moved into our new digs at Horizon. It’s a decent apartment with enough space for everyone to have a little breathing room. I write this to you from the study, Tammy is at the other end of the apartment surfing the net. She just walked down the hall to tell me to turn on my Skype so she can talk to me without walking down the hall. She must think I’m easy or something, I don’t just chat with anyone on Skype (LOL!).

9. From a US perspective (or perhaps it was just my perspective…too many Kung Fu marathons on Saturday afternoons as a kid), I always thought that the Chinese were a very methodical, patient people. I think that’s an urban legend, especially when they are on the road. If the light turns green, they honk within a nanosecond and then will provide the obligatory honk-honk if the car doesn’t move. Then, if the car still doesn’t move, it’s the 5 second blast to wake them up. Back in the ATL, this is known as road rage, here….it’s just driving. If they pulled some of the stunts on the road that they pull here, it would not be pretty.

8. They didn’t really clean the apartment as well as they should have before we arrived. Warren was putting his stuff away in his room when he found a surprise in his end table drawer. A pack of smokes and some “booty lube”. I’ll let you insert your own comments here. If you don’t know what booty lube is, ask a friend or relative but not in a public place or across the room, it might lead to some snickers and staring. Please don’t walk into the local CVS with a small child and ask the store clerk where to find these items, unless you want to be questioned by the local authorities (don’t say I didn’t warn you).

7. Halloween comes and goes in China. There were some Western kids out doing the standard trick or treat but only in certain places. It was odd to see that but it brought back the memories of trunk-n-treat at CBC. The last several years the soccer league put out a trunk and we sat out for hours getting ready for the kids, eating burgers & dogs and then chowing down on the good candies as the kids came by. When the night was getting late, it was the candy fight in the parking lot. It was a lot of fun, although last year we were stuck next to the “High School Musical” themed area, so we got to watch the same dance routine and hear the same song played over and over. Since it was a church function, it didn’t seem right to “accidentally” cut their power cord but it would’ve saved a lot of agony. Of course, plugging my ears with Laffy Taffy was another viable alternative. I still hear that stupid song now, I can’t believe just by mentioning it I can’t get the song out of my head (oh the humanity!).

6. Speaking of Halloween, we were walking back to the apartment on the 31st when we actually saw a black cat sitting on the fence (or more appropriately, it was watching us). Jacob pointed it out, I’m not certain how he saw the cat but he definitely saw it. Granted, it was on Halloween so it was strange but even more odd is that we’ve not seen a black cat in China since we’ve arrived. Most of the cats are white or orange & white so it was really strange to see this black cat. We had a black cat for many years, Homey (de cat….ala Homey de Clown from In Living Color). Homey was a great cat, she would actually fetch and get up on her back legs and beg (or look out the window, over the top of boxes, etc). It was strange to see a cat do that but Homey wasn’t an average cat. She’s been gone awhile now but you never really forget a pet (especially here….of course I remember Homey, we ate her in a stir fry with the peppers & oil).

5. EVERYTHING here runs on batteries. Our water was cutting out for just a few seconds every 10 minutes or so. You know, you’d be taking a shower and all of a sudden…{bam}..no water. A couple seconds later, it would turn right back on. We thought perhaps a toilet flushing or something but it wasn’t. Turns out the batteries needed to be replaced. Batteries!?!? For the water? Yep, the water meter batteries were running low and so it would cut out on us. We’ve experienced this for just about everything, the lock for the door, the safe, my brain, everything. The water & gas meters also run on cards, so when you get down to a low level of remaining “stuff” you contact the company and they come out to “recharge” the card. Strange but the system seems to work for them. I guess it’s also easier to shut off the water or gas to a delinquent account if they don’t pay, eventually they run out on their own so you don’t have to fight it out to get it shut off.

4. This is one of those “be careful what you wish for” things. Back in the States, I was out of the house early and on my way to work before the kids left for school. I would eat my breakfast (you guessed it, a Pop Tart…the breakfast of champions) at my desk while sitting and drinking my coffee while I reviewed my e-mails and got ready for the day. It was always a bad start to the day when I was interrupted in my morning ritual. Now, I’ve been able to eat breakfast with the kids and drop them off at the bus stop. This may sound great but it has some drawbacks. Now I get to hear the kids go at each other from the first moment they get up until they get on the bus. “You take too much time in the bathroom”, “Hurry up, I’m done eating and want to go back to the room”, “You’re wearing my socks”….and on and on it goes. I know, they are kids and this is what they do. It’s not that huge a deal but some days…..ARGH!!!! (The battle cry of all parents)

3. Another quick note about the apartment, we asked for a larger washer since we have 4 people living here and the kids go through clothes rapidly. So, we move in and the washer isn’t hooked up, the plug doesn’t fit the outlet (and it isn’t even close). So we look at the washer and I’ll be darned if it isn’t in German. German! We’ve gone back to the landlord and indicated this isn’t going to work. First, the plug-in is for European plugs and not for a Chinese plug. Second, the water hookup is all wrong for the water inlet valve. Third (and you’re out!), it’s in German. In Chinese, we can get by with it since we can have people translate it for us to learn which cycle is which. In German, the landlady can’t read it and we can’t read it so there’s no one to figure out how the darned thing works. I know she’s going to have a fit since the washer is brand new but it doesn’t work. I’m sure she went the “cheapa cheapa” route on it and now it’ll come back to haunt her. We may decide to keep it if we can read it but it doesn’t look good right now. But just sit back and think about it, we’re in China and they get a washing machine from Germany (Farfignuten or whatever that phrase was, you know what I’m talking about). Now what does that say about their faith in their own stuff?

2. Ketchup must be worth a fortune in China. One of the four major food groups (is it still four? I think the food pyramid has been replaced but who knows….and really who cares. Did anyone really stick to that thing as for their diet plan?), at least for me. Anytime here when something comes with ketchup, they bring this tiny little bowl/plate with a dollop of ketchup. The bowl/plate is about 6-8 cm is width. I would put the amount of ketchup to perhaps one of those squeeze ketchups you get at the drive through. It’s just enough to know it’s ketchup but not enough to have some for all of your fries and burger. We’re always asking for more, especially for Jacob since he isn’t satisfied unless there’s enough ketchup to make his french fry look like a match stick with the big glob of ketchup on the end. That would be okay but he’s a triple dipper. One dip of ketchup for about 1/3 of the fry is his average. They need to see how Wendy’s operated; you fill your own little cups of ketchup, as much as you wanted. Now that’s the way it should be.

1. Look out Suzhou; the Dudley’s have an e-bike. Yes, that’s right, we purchased an e-bike from an Expat that is leaving to live in Shanghai. The bike is 3 months old and we got a really good deal. We took it for a test ride and it’s tough to get used to it but eventually we’ll be riding down the road just like the locals (oblivious to everything around us). We’ve got to be extra careful since we are Westerners there may be the temptation for the locals to try and get hit so they can get paid off. Kind of the ambulance chasers but in this case, e-bike chasers. See what the Westerner is willing to pay to you once he hits you (or your kid). We’ll try to stick to the non-crowded areas so there’s plenty of room to maneuver around. I think we’ll get a chance to perhaps see a little more of the city with it but we’ll have to get better on it first. Right now we look like kids with their first bike (pedal Jimmy, watch out for the bush….).

Final note of the week

The temperature has finally changed here in Suzhou. This morning it was into single digits, which is really odd since it has been in the mid-20s for quite some time. That was a good temperature, now…not so much. We’ve got the winter stuff so we’re prepared but it makes life a little different when you want to catch a cab and such. After all, it’s the big city and now we get to test ourselves and see what we’re made of when it’s too cold to go outside.