Jason & Susan

Just added a new “Series” wordpress plugin to the website to group and link posts of similar topic. Click the zhuang xiu post for example. Now, onto a new series of posts: Pet Peeves (You’ll have to click the permalink, which is the actual post, to view the other posts in the series.)

As we’re getting ready to move, there are just a few things that we need to make sure that are working so that our place is livable.

• Water filter and softener system is properly hooked up and working (need 40 kg of mineral salt)
• Gas heater is working and there’s hot water running on all the faucets
• Internet connection is transferred and hooked up
• Washer/Dryer is hooked

CNC called two days ago and said they will install our internet today. They didn’t give us any time, so this morning, S called them and asked for specific time that they will come install. Even though we only live 5 minutes bike ride from our new place, it’s still an inconvenience to have to drop everything and run over there whenever delivery or installation people come over (which has already happened on numerous occasions). The customer service lady wouldn’t give S a specific time other than “this afternoon.” S insisted on a specific time because there are many errands that she needed to do today - go to ICBC bank and exchange currencies but the process usually takes somewhere between half an hour to two hours (banking in China is very inefficient), then pay the property tax on our place (ridiculous amount!), then go to Ikea to get miscellaneous stuff for the house - all in this particular order due to business hours and money needed. And in between, internet setup, do more packing, clean and organize the new place, etc…CNC customer service lady said, “Before 4pm”. Still not good enough of an answer, S demanded a better time frame because there won’t be anyone in the house if she doesn’t give her an approximate time. Finally, the lady agreed to call half-hour before they come. That was more acceptable, at least there’s a bit of slack time to wrap current errand and run to the new place.

Around lunch, S went over to the new house and did some cleaning/organizing. Maybe the internet guy will come earlier in the afternoon. Or maybe they’ll come without calling (like they always do). She should have gone to the bank right there and then, but instead, 1pm… 2pm… 3pm… Man, she could have gone to and from the bank at least 3 times! But no… the internet guy never showed up nor called. ICBC bank closes at 4:15pm and S was getting nervous about not being able to get to the bank before they close. Sometimes they have very long lines and close the door early! So she decided not to wait any longer, got on her bike (no taxis around the new complex), and rode to ICBC bank, which is about 15 minutes bike ride… in sweltering 35 degrees Celsius (95 F) heat.

And as you might have guessed it, she was almost to the bank when her phone rang. It was indeed the internet guy, who was SUPPOSED to call half-hour before he comes, except he was ALREADY waiting outside our home and about to leave!

*$#@!

Needless to say, S started yelling over the phone. (Yelling seems to be number one preferred way of communication in China) She wasted all afternoon waiting for them knowing they would come without calling and even more annoyed that they came exactly 10 minutes after she left the house. She asked the internet guy to stay put and she turned around, biked another 10 minutes in sweltering heat and almost dying of dehydration. The internet guy hooked up the internet in 10 minutes and the time was already 4:00pm. There was no way she was going to make it biking to the bank, so she called Mr. Yang (taxi driver we frequent) who happened to be around the corner to take her to the bank. She made it to the bank at 4:12pm just when the guard was ready to close the door and rushed over to the foreign exchange window. Fortunately there was no line. When she gave the teller her bank book and passport, the teller told her that they don’t do foreign exchanges after 4pm!

$#@!!!!!!

She was milliseconds from beeping out ungodly profanity, but instead, begged, begged, and begged until the teller gave in and exchanged $10,000 USD into RMB. (The ridiculous amount of property tax we needed to pay).

So that was two of the four things she needed accomplished today. There wasn’t enough time to pay the property tax and go to Ikea. Ha! What was she thinking anyway when planning out her day? In China, sometimes it takes an entire day to accomplish something as simple as mailing out a package or wiring money or getting something fixed.

Never believe them when they tell you when something will be done or when they will come. They are NEVER come on time and expect them during the most inconvenient of time.

And deadlines mean NOTHING. Our zhuang xiu was supposed to have been done end of May but even now, middle of July, there’s still a bunch of little things that are not finished. We’re moving in anyway since we can no longer live in SMIC LQ.