My First Beijing Apartment

I'm here! I'm finally in my own place in Beijing! This is my first apartment on my own, and it is very exciting to be moved in and getting settled!

After a long exhausting venture in looking for an apartment, discussing payment with landlords and real estate agents, and traveling back and forth everyday between the Haidian District (in the northwestern part of Beijing) where my school is and the Xicheng District (in an old city "hutong") where I was staying at a charming little hostel with traditional architecture and interior design, this apartment seems to fit me rather well. It is about a 15 minute walk or 5 minute bike ride from my language school. The area is fairly quiet, and the neighbors are very friendly. I'm looking forward to this being my home for a while.

I've signed a year contract. So, if everything goes well, I'll sign on for another year when this one is almost up. The rent is 1,800RMB/month (which I pay in 3-6 month increments), with utilities being about 100-200RMB total (water, electricity, gas, internet, phone, Chinese cable – these are also paid in 3-6 month increments). So, all together that turns out to be about $250/month, not a bad deal! This area is relatively expensive, since it is close to Wudaokou, the center of foreign student life. It is also nearby Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Beijing Language and Cultural University.

My landlord actually lives in the city (Beijing proper); so, his friend, who lives in my building, takes care of everything like collecting rent, maintenance, etc. Actually, they were coworkers, and this apartment area is the housing they were assigned by their "danwei" (work unit). Apparently, the landlord owns this place, and he must also own or rent another place in the city. The manager's son lived here previously with his wife, but since it is a one bedroom, it is no longer big enough for them, as they are now expecting a baby.

The layout and style of the apartment is typical of many in Beijing; however, since it is a one bedroom, it is somewhat special, as these are difficult to obtain and the demand for such places is high. It is also on the first floor, which makes it even better; so, I'm able to bring my bike inside to prevent bike theft (of which I was a victim last year).

As you enter the apartment from the locked entry stairwell, the first room is a small sitting room with an adjacent small laundry area, bathroom, and kitchen. The kitchen is Chinese style, a sink for dishes and food, another sink for the mop, a gas range, 2 windows (one going out to the "mud room" and one going into the sitting room), and an apartment sized refrigerator I requested they add; there is no oven, so, I may buy a small toaster oven. The bathroom is also Chinese style, with a Western style toilet (common in most middle and upper class Chinese homes – many poor people use a public toilet nearby their residences), a sink, and a hot water heater; the water heater connects to the sink and also has a shower wand attached. There is no bathtub or shower area; showering becomes a time not only to clean myself, but the whole bathroom as well! The laundry area consists of a washing machine which connects with a hose to a facet on the bathroom wall. There is no dryer, so, I hang up my clothes outside or in the mud room.

The other part of my new home is a large bedroom with a long table, wardrobes, a bookshelf, a couch, a double sized bed, and a nightstand. Looking through the bedroom glass door and window, you can see the sun room, which doubles as a study. That leads to the mudroom, which is an excellent place for drying clothes or storing items. From the mudroom, you can go out to the patio, which has a small gate accessing the small garden and exercise area between my building and another in our complex.

As you can see, these pictures are after I just moved in. There is no refrigerator in the kitchen yet, the mudroom is full of things the previous residents left behind, and it hasn't been cleaned or organized. I am still in the process of "Adamizing" the place; it's a slow process while adjusting to life here, starting classes, and trying to get in touch with a few friends. When I get the place in decent shape, I'll show you some more pictures. For now, at least you can get an idea of what my place is like.

Thanks for your prayers! I really needed them while I was looking for the right place! Also, I thank my many Chinese friends who gave me advice in my apartment search, and I especially thank one of the staff at my school for bargaining with my real estate agent! That advice was great, and those prayers where certainly answered! This will be a great place to study, rest, and live here in Beijing!

The Red Lantern Inn, my home during my apartment search. I highly recommend it!

The sitting room where I usually keep my bike.

My cozy little wash room.

My First Beijing Apartment

My quaint little kitchen.
The washing machine.

The bedroom and adjoining sunroom study.

The mudroom with previous residents' stuff.

My First Beijing Apartment

The patio on laundry day.

View of the park and building behind my place.

My apartment building, looking up from the patio.

View from the park.

Over the River...

It was an exciting moment, and I had been looking forward to it for quite some time...

The day before, I boarded the train for Beijing. Since I had taken the iron horse from Hong Kong to the country's capital last year, I anticipated an exciting trip - friendly faces in my train car with an innocent curiosity in who this young foreigner might be, interesting conversations in the hard sleeper bunk area about everyday life in China, stories of visiting various tourist and cultural sites in Hong Kong, and learning more about Chinese language and culture in a very practical, down to earth setting. Last year, due to whatever technical difficulties, our train left late, and the schedule was somewhat altered. So, this year, as scheduled, we passed over the powerful Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) even earlier in the wee hours of the morning than we did last year. I knew I'd have to wait until another time to see the longest river in Asia which flows from the soaring mountains of Tibet and pours into the magnificent Pacific Ocean.

I was getting ready to eat my lunch up on my top bunk, since it is rather inconvenient to move my things up and down, when I heard the announcement over the loud speakers that we were about the pass over the impressive Yellow River. Immediately, I grabbed my camera and scrambled down from my hard sleeper. I had wanted to see this for such a long time. As I looked out the dirt speckled window with a kind retired lady in my bunk area, the power of the river and the extent of its influence created in me an excitement and a gratefulness to be there at that moment in time! To see such an important facet of the Chinese geographical, historical, cultural, and social sustenance was absolutely breathtaking.

Thinking back on the moment, it is actually rather bittersweet. A giver of life for hundreds of millions of people, the river provides the life giving element for so many mouths. A devastating plague of death for millions of others, the river's floods represent many of the harsh realities of life throughout history. The Chinese have endured the bitterness of the tragic existence in this fallen world, and they have much to teach us about being thankful not only for celebrating the abundance of life but also for the lessons we can learn from the unwanted disasters.

It is a bittersweet moment...
A giver of life, a plague of death... A time to rejoice, A time to weep... A time to learn...
Over the River...

A Fragrant Aroma

My time in Hong Kong this August was absolutely remarkable! Visiting with friends I'd met a couple of years ago in the United States and some I'd met last year in the former British territory was a great time, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to see them and catch up with what's been going on in our lives.

While there, I took the opportunity to get some physiotherapeutic work done on my back and neck, as I had been experiencing some pain, pressure, and discomfort in those areas. I feel much better after those treatments, and I am trying to faithfully continue in the exercises they taught me. This therapy should prevent further problems from developing in the future and thus keep my medical bills low.

My time at the international church was very enjoyable! It was refreshing to see their enthusiasm and excitement as Chinese, Filipinas, Myanmarians, United States citizens, and a Colombian worshipped together in unity and joy! It was fun to visit with some friends at a Chinese church and pleasantly surprising to see a lot of new faces there this year!

The aroma was truly fragrant, as is so beautifully described in the very name of Hong Kong the "Fragrant Harbor."

A Tailor Made Trip

As I prepared this week for my trip to Beijing tomorrow, there were people to see, things to do, and stuff to buy. The trip will be a 24hour train ride, and I am excited to get some rest on my "hard sleeper" bunk. I love traveling by train in China! It's relatively inexpensive, convenient, interesting, educational, and enjoyable!

When I flew to Hong Kong, one of my new suitcases started coming apart at one of its seams. So, this week, being an experienced procrastinator, I finally stitched it up. Once again, I am thankful for my sewing classes I took in highschool. Thanks Mrs. Sievert, you're the best seamstress in the world!

Once I get settled in Beijing and have regular internet access, I'll update this journal again. Please pray for traveling mercies!