My Apps

One of the things I adore most about living in China is the convenience. By convenience, I am referring to several apps that I’m becoming more dependent on daily. By "dependent," I strongly imply that if these apps disappear from my life, my world might possibly crumble inwardly and then burst into flames. They say the things that you love most often hurt you the most. Let's see if these is indeed true:

1.       WeChat

 Over the last few years, I think Americans have heard more about this particular app. This is the app of all apps: the app King. Everyone has it. Friends use it. Families use it. Businesses use it. People in Asia, from my humble observation, even use Wechat more frequently than texting and phone calls combined. I rarely text, and China doesn’t have voice mail on their calls, but neither of these things are truly necessary as long as you have this powerful app. 
Imagine if Skype, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Paypal, and your phone company got together to create 1 master app. It might look a little something like Wechat.

You can leave up to 60-second voice messages, see what your friends are up to, share pictures and videos, upload files, send your real-time location, share music, video chat, voice call...and that’s just a taste of the communication tools.

Need to pay your phone, gas, or electric bill? Use Wechat. Owe your friend money? Use Wechat. Want to buy movie, plane, or train tickets? Use Wechat. Lost and need directions? Use Wechat. Paying for lunch? Use Wechat. Looking to buy or sell something? Wechat. Need a ride somewhere? You guessed it, Wechat!

Nearly every financial responsibility I have can be taken care of easily and securely with Wechat. It’s truly 1 app to rule them all *cue epic Lord of the Rings soundtrack*.  In America, there are many good apps that are useful, but America relies more on different apps performing different roles. Asia…well, they just need Wechat.

As much as I enjoy traveling back to America each summer, I always get a little sad when I step off the plane in Detroit and realize I can no longer pay for my coffee or message my local friends using Wechat. It’s just not used very much in America. (Something about security purposes and not wanting the Chinese government to constantly know what’s going on with their phones…but that’s a small price to pay for such convenience, no?)  

2.       Taobao

Not sure if this is my second-favorite Asian app  (I am rather fond of Didi, the ride sharing app), but I must admit that this particular app does eat away at my savings and is used fairly regularly by yours-truly: Taobao. This is the Asian version of Amazon and Ebay. In fact, Amazon does have a Chinese version, but not many people use the site. Especially not when they have Taobao or JD.

This site houses a variety of sellers and online stores that attempt to fulfill your every need and desire. Food, clothes, electronics, entertainment-related objects, books, and more can all be quickly and easily purchased and shipped to you within days. You can track your goods using the app, to see how far it is along in the shipping process, and the seller will even message you once it’s been given to the delivery companies. These messages tend to brighten my day, and not just because they are bringing my purchases one-step closer into being in my possession. They often bring me immense joy to read when translated by Google.

This app is even one of the main proponents of comfort when considering a bleak, worst-case-scenario future as a dotty-old single woman or a victim of a tragic accident in which I lose the function of my legs. I am no longer troubled by the possibility of becoming a shut in, house-bound, agoraphobic, or the Asian-version of Miss Havisham. Why? Because I can receive everything I need, and more, to survive through the wonder that is this app.

This amazing app, like most online shopping venues, contains things you never even knew were missing from your life. Some of these things are truly what dreams are made of, both the stuff of fantastical musings and the occasional nightmare. To better elaborate this point, let me share with you some of the gems I’ve stumbled upon in the last year. No, I haven’t purchased any of these items (yet). And, no, I'm also not entirely sure what all of these things are...

 

            

        

If I haven’t sold you on the extreme usefulness of this app, I’m not sure what else I can say or do to convince you. Who doesn’t want to interact with the occasional pushy Chinese shop owner because they’d like an outstanding online review? What do you mean you’ve never wanted to navigate a web browser entirely in Chinese in an attempt to receive a refund for that carton of heavy cream that exploded inside the cardboard box that was delivered to you? Who cares that it was only $6. That's your money! 

Ok, so it’s not a perfect system, but this app usually has more hits than misses. The sellers are failry interested in working with you and show great reliability and professionalism. Usually. I mean, something this convenient is worth the occasional mix-up or flub, right? I’d like to think it keeps the app humble. We wouldn’t want it to get a swell, over-popularized opinion of itself. I mean, it’s no Wechat.

Living with the Locals

Hello, hello!

*insert generic excuse that culminates in the following reasons on why I've once again fallen behind in my blogging duties: I was busy, forgetful, and/or tired; I've had no time for adventuring; I've forgotten the entirety of English language and now only communicate with grunts and hand gesturing; and/or I've been too busy marathon-ing "The Office" for the umpteenth time.*

Now that the excuses are out of the way, please accept my humble apology and let's proceed.

This year, as most of you who are relatively familiar with who I am and where I am (for those not familiar with me, I shall enlighten you quickly: Sarrah, lives in China), I have found myself blessed beyond the average expat by having the good fortune of living in a comfortable & fancy (by my impoverished standards) apartment. It's a reasonably priced 90 square meter home with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, an adorable kitchen, a cozy living room, and is fully furnished. My own place to host parties and with my students and practicing "adulating." I pay my own bills and  everything.

Of course, this gem of mine is not truly my own. I am only a renter, after all, and my fabulous apartment has come hand-in-hand with the dutiful gamble every tenant signs up to: what kind of landlord did I get?

Ah, the landlord.
I think the great Forest Gump may have said it best when describing such individuals in his renowned "box of chocolates" speech. (That is what his speech was about, wasn't it?) Landlords, like those relatively cheap heart-shaped Valentine's Day candy boxes are a true mystery. While you really don't know what you're going to get, once you start the renting process you do realize what flavor chocolate you'd rather not indulge in. After all, a chalky, toothpaste-filled, lovely-to-behold-at-first-glance-but-will-sucker-punch-your-taste-buds type landlord will absolutely ruin your renting experience, regardless of how affordable or luxurious your residence may be.

I'm relieved to be able to inform (and humbly brag) that my landlord is a very pleasant, even-tempered, and ridiculously helpful individual. For my first renting experience, in any country, I must say the bar has been set fairly high. For a first grab inside the chocolate box, my landlord will be a hard act to follow. He's the chocolate from the box that you grab without much thought, not really sure what's lurking inside, but soon find that you are pleasantly surprised by your choice. While this chocolate seems ordinary to any other chocolate, it is not filled with sharp orange zest, but instead a delicious peanut-butter flavor enriches your chocolate experience.

(Yeah forgive me, that metaphor got a little weird...)

From a geographic standpoint, my apartment is located near some mountains, tucked away in a little corner of the city. While I'm not really close or terribly convenient to downtown (where the fun hustle-and-bustle of Qingdao society exists), I am privy to less traffic, friendly  locals, cleaner air (usually), and gorgeous scenery.

Also, in addition to these perks, my dwelling resides in the same building complex that my school is in, so my daily commute to school is a mere 7 minute walk (10 if I'm stopping to smell the flowers or smile at cute Chinese babies).

I was told that before this area was more developed there was a village located here. A company wanted to come in and build apartments, so they gave the villages quite a hefty sum for the land and each person received their own apartment as well. Many families own multiple apartments and are fairly well-off financially. This means that the community is tight-knit and self-sufficient, and a fair number of unused apartments were available, so many of the residences were willing to lease these spaces to teachers from the 2 schools (including my own) that recently relocated to this area.

In this community, "everybody knows everybody" (like a Chinese Mayberry), and the area feels very safe and familial. After dinner most evenings, many families go outside for leisurely strolls. On the street, when passing another resident, it's common to exchange a smile and a friendly greeting. Regardless of how much or little I might interact with the other locals on any given day, overall I feel accepted and welcomed in this community. I've felt this harmony from the day I first moved in.

When I first moved to this area at the beginning of the school year, I returned to my apartment late one Saturday evening. My hands were full of grocery bags, and as I trudged up the countless stairs to reach my door I was completely focused on making it inside my apartment so I could be reunited with my one love, my bed. Early the next morning I awoke to the sound of my phone ringing. Poor Chinese language skills. on my part combined with the actual brainpower it takes to translate so early in the morning made this call more than a little difficult for me to understand.

Before we ended the call, I couldn't glean much information from him regarding why he was calling.
1. He was insistent on telling me something and extremely patient with my poor understanding
2. He was not a delivery guy. I was very sure of this fact...I asked twice.
3. He knew where I lived.
4. He was about to bring me money. I wasn't sure why, but when someone tells you this, you don't argue. Just go with it.

After our call ended, I rose from my bed, confused but expecting this strange guy to arrive at some point that morning. Shortly after I was dressed there was a knock on my door, and after opening the door I was immensely grateful that I didn't hang up on him when he called, for standing on my doormat was a middle-aged Chinese guy holding my wallet.

Apparently, I had dropped my wallet the night before near the entrance gate to my apartment complex, and this good Samaritan had found it. Between carrying all my bags and arriving home so late, I didn't even notice it was missing. He had opened my wallet and found a copy of my rent agreement, which had my address and phone number, so was able to call me and return my "money."

I was so impressed with the caliber of the community and this guy's honesty. I wasn't missing any money or cards, and he didn't even ask for a reward (well, not in the conventional sense.) He did ask if I could teach his elementary-aged son English, however, I was able to politely decline, in what I hoped was only a mildly-awkward response.

Living in this new location has granted me both feelings of security and adventure. Safe adventure. Is that an oxymoron? It's an ideal location to experience interesting occurrences without having to venture out too far. In fact, I've had many interesting and humorous interactions with others merely standing at the front door of my apartment, from people who knock on the wrong door (and are surprised by the sweatpants-clad white woman who does not even remotely resemble their Chinese friends/family members) to the time a nice, but insistent woman arrived to borrow some dishes I had put away in storage (I thought she was a cleaning lady my landlord hired and was slightly confused and annoyed when she began to search all over the kitchen, and then the entire house, for pots and pans).

And I'm constantly surprised by the level of adventure that I encounter inside my apartment building. One morning I walked outside to see that my next door neighbor's doormat was pushed away from the door. I don't really blame them for wanting to put some distance between them and their mat. If my doormat had, what I'm hoping was dog, poop sitting on it, I'd push it away from where I live too. When I came home from work the offending object had vanished, and apartment 501 had reclaimed their doormat. This will remain a mystery to me, because as far as I know, they don't own a dog...

Another exciting occurrence shortly after I moved in: my downstairs neighbor (I'm on the fourth floor, he was on the first) died. Ok, I can't prove it, but the evidence was not in his favor.

1. He was constantly coughing up lung-fulls of what sounded like his own lungs...so. poor health.
2. One day, the coughing stopped, after which there was a procession of wailing women who walked through the neighborhood.
3. Said wailing women entered into my building and,  what I assume was, his apartment. 
4. For a week or so after this, incense appeared in the stairwell and was constantly burning right outside his apartment

Now, I'm no detective, but I think it's safe to assume he no longer lives here. But you know what they say, "out with the old, in with..." Too soon? Yeah, you're probably right.

My community also has a variety of useful resources: a couple of co-op stores (both general grocery and fruit/veggie), drinking water pumps, trash collections, a couple local restaurants, and several walking/hiking paths nearby leading up the mountain behind us or inside the horticultural expo neighboring us. I've been told the locals have a "free" entrance to the expo, which involves several openings cut into the expo's fence. Sounds legit, right? However, as tempting as this avenue is to my thrifty nature, there are plenty of genuinely free paths for me to venture down with much less risk. It's one thing for the locals to take this discounted shortcut, they could more easily blend in with other paying expo-goers.

While I'm no expert, I think the horticultural staff would notice the sudden appearance of a giant white girl perusing
the park. While waiting for the bus, people driving cars often slow down to stare at me, so I know I'm not someone who can sneak into a park without drawing much attention...

Fortunately, over this year I've had the opportunity to walk many of the public paths and trails with my students before the weather got cold.
As spring has officially sprung, I'm hoping to venture out on these paths again soon to more fully enjoy the flowers blooming. Rest assured, I'll try to have an outdoor adventure soon, and I'll be sure to return here shortly after said adventure to share my experience.

In addition to my renewed commitment for regular blogging, such adventures and more awkward encounters with the locals of Qingdao are a little something for both of us to look forward to in the near future.