The Great Apartment Search

I knew that finding an apartment would take a significant part of my time when I moved back to Shanghai. My friend Ade recommended a real estate agent and even before I left Chicago I was contacting her with my wish list. My wish list included:
- 2 bedrooms
- Balcony
- Wood floors
- Good security in the complex (preferably 24 hours a day)
- Within walking distance of my new job
- Under 10,000 RMB (about $1500) per month

I arranged to meet Jessica my first full day here to begin to look at apartments. At 10am on Wednesday, the 10th I met her in the lobby. She shook my hand and said, “Very nice to meet you – today we will see 12 different apartments.” I was slightly taken aback, but said, "Ok– let’s go." That first day we wound up seeing 15 different apartments. They were all over the city, but most all (except for 3) were within walking distance of my new office and met all my criteria. Jessica was good.

I was pretty jet lagged though and after looking at so many places, needed some time to evaluate. There are plenty of available apartments, especially those focused on expats because many expats left when the visa laws changed because of the Olympics. Rents have also come down lately which is to my benefit as well. On Thursday I walked the distance between my office and a couple of the complexes and decided that I would focus my search on the Laoximen (老西门) area of Shanghai. I contacted Jessica and we made another appointment, this time for Monday, the 15th. On Monday we saw 6 apartments in two different complexes – 3 that I had seen initially and 3 new apartments. The last apartment that I saw was bigger than the rest and slightly out of my price range. It had a window in the kitchen, higher countertops, three bedrooms (one set up as an office), 2 bathrooms, a balcony, a storage room. There was also a two bedroom apartment in the same complex that I liked as well and I was debating between the two. Finally, I told Jessica if we could negotiate with the landlord on the larger apartment, I would take it – if not, the other was already under my budget and I would take that one.

Jessica negotiated the three-bedroom down to meet my budget. It’s over 150 square meters (1600 square feet) which is double the size of my place in Chicago. The utilities will probably kill me, but it’s on the 22nd floor, is quiet, bright and really nice. There is a big supermarket at the corner, it’s close to the line 8 subway station and there is an excellent health club in the complex. As my former students would say, “It is a very convenient place to live.” 这个地方很方便。

China is still very much a cash-based economy, especially for deposits and initial rent payments. Needless to say, it took a while to get that much cash. At home it would have been so easy to just write a check, but not here. On Tuesday I put down a deposit and today (Friday) I paid the balance and signed the lease.

My landlord and her husband are both Americans and own a company that focuses on Balanced Scorecard Management Consulting. They told me that their initial company was bought out by Hewitt (after offers from Towers, Hewitt and Mercer) in China in 1997, but they think Mercer has better brand recognition now and is growing more quickly. What a small world. My main contact will be my landlady’s secretary (Tracy) who will take care of all the details. I think we might go out for a drink some time together too. We really connected over the last week as we waited for approvals and sat in cabs together babbling in a mixture of English and Chinese that many people would not understand.

I’ll be moving in sometime next week and am looking forward to decorating my place and putting some personal touches in it. When my things that are getting shipped arrive, it will really feel like home and I’ll be ready for visitors!

Please – come to China to see me! I’m going to be here three years (maybe not in the same apartment, but still, here) and will always have space for guests. Shanghai is a vibrant city – a good place to get over jet lag and serve as a springboard to the rest of China and the rest of Asia. You have time to make plans, so come!

Question – What has been your favorite or least favorite house/apartment that you’ve lived in? I love my condo in Chicago; we’ll see how this new place turns out. Please share.

Cheers!

Wandering

Going back to a place where you once lived gives you a new perspective. The place has changed, as have you. Shanghai is a city of constant change and after my relaxing summer in Chicago, I’m not the same either. Today is cloudy with hints of rain in the air and after lunch with a friend I took a long, meandering walk back to my hotel. This wasn’t my neighborhood before and it won’t be after I move in a week or two, but the cooler air made me want to explore.

I saw children chasing their grandpa as he bicycled down the street. I saw a store called “Meat Puppets” (not sure what they were selling), I saw dumpling vendors and flower shops and cute little clothing stores. I smiled inwardly at the Shanghai men carrying their girlfriends’ purses. I stumbled across one of the Blue Frog locations (a western chain known for its burgers). I watched people buy moon cakes to celebrate the festival on Monday.

As I wandered I thought about why I came back. When I’m here I feel an energy – this sense that I can try anything. It’s difficult to describe. From the fashion to the food to the crowded subways to the relief on people’s faces when they realize I speak some Chinese, it calls to me. In being so different, I am more me.

I start my job in a week so I have one free week to wander (and find an apartment, get my banking set up, see tons of friends…) before the real world intrudes on my fantasy or the fantasy becomes the real world. 谁知道？Who knows? Anything is possible.
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Birthday wishes go to my friend Joseph and my cousin Matt. It’s not Friday the 13th this year, but hope your birthdays were great just the same.
Cheers!

A Serviced Apartment

Last night I was picked up at the airport by a Mr. Yun and whisked away to my temporary home for the next couple of weeks. I’m staying at a serviced apartment in Puxi, about a 20 minute walk south of the Mercer office while I get my bearings and look for a place to live. Serviced apartments are part of the typical expat experience in Asia – my apartment is bigger than a hotel room, with its own washing machine, living room and kitchen, but maid service every day, a concierge downstairs and other hotel perks like a swimming pool and fitness club.
My room is on the 30th floor with a balcony and last night was a rare clear night in Shanghai. I surveyed the neon lights around me and followed the moon across the sky, reveling in the energy and motion that is this city. I am extremely happy to be back.

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Weight

Today I finished packing for the big trip. I have two huge suitcases for which I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to pay an additional baggage fee. If you assume each is 50 pounds and then add my carry on, my computer and my purse, my luggage weighs just about as much as I do. That’s slightly scary. I’m really hoping that I can find a luggage cart at the airport!

Question – What trip did you take where you packed the most stuff? Those of you with children will probably win this one.

Thanks for the suggestions for blog title changes. I also got several emails with additional ideas. I’m mulling them over currently and will decide soon.

The next post is from Shanghai-
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The adventure continues…

About 10 months ago I opened this blog with my question about what I should pack for my trip. I got lots of great ideas – deodorant, a special occasion dress, chewing gum, a travel towel… I used all of that advice and as you know had an absolutely wonderful experience living and teaching English in Shanghai. My sabbatical has been a resounding success. Now, I’m continuing my adventure.

In just a little over a week I am going to be returning to Shanghai, this time on a three year assignment with MERCER, the company that I worked for in Chicago for over five years. I’m transferring to the Shanghai office and will be a “Regional Consultant.” I am excited to have the opportunity of being an actuary in China and apply my technical, logical, actuarial brain in this developing and dynamic country. People keep telling me that they’re living vicariously through me. Well, I’m enjoying being me too.

The last two months in the States have been a whirlwind of friends and family and cleaning and packing. I still am waiting for a couple of loose ends, including my visa paperwork, but I’m sure that it will all work out. I’ve gotten quite a few questions if I’m going to be continuing my blog. Right now that is the plan, but I will need a new title. It’s not “The Shanghai Chronicle – my experiences in China in 2007 and 2008” by “An Actuary on Sabbatical” anymore. It’s morphed into something new.

Question: What should my new title be? What advice do you have as I start this adventure again?

Cheers!
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The Cruise photos

This album is from the cruise and our tour of the Three Gorges Dam. I tried to comment on the water color and how it changed as we moved. One of many interesting things to look at. Enjoy!

The Cruise

The Cruise

When I lived in Spain we used to make fun of groups of Japanese tourists who would come to Toledo, following their guides with a flag and crowding through the narrow cobblestone streets. At that time – over 8 years ago now, I decided that I would never be a part of one of those groups – following the leader, waiting for the bus and looking for the little flag. The last step of our China trip, I had to eat my words.

The cruise that we went on down the Yangtze River was gorgeous. The scenery and gorges called for photos as we drifted down the river. The first full cruising day mom and I went on the shore excursion – along with 80 of our closest friends. We had cruise ID badges, obediently waited for our bus, and were tagged after by the ship’s photographers (who were really cute) as we explored a temple at the top of the hill. Travel fatigue was setting in for me – the site was nice, but not the same magnitude as Xi’an or Beijing and I wound up with a lot of mosquito bites!

That day at lunch we met our dining companions for the next several days – a family from Egypt (mom, dad, daughter and grandmother). They were very interesting tablemates and had taken a trip to India last year that was very similar to ours two years ago, so we had lots of travel stories in common. Our table was always one of the last to finish meals as we shared stories.

As we went through each of the Three Gorges, there would be commentary over the public address system detailing what we were seeing. First we listened in English, then in Chinese, then in German which formed a cycle. I could understand the English, kind of the Chinese and kind of the German – so I felt like I could give the commentary by the end.
The second day we took another excursion in small boats that were rowed by local people up stream where our large cruise ship could not travel. It gave me a better idea of the size of the natural formations and our guide (once again we had cruise ID badges) sang us several folk songs. We sang “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” back at her and our oarsmen raced another boat, getting us wet in the process.

On the final day of the trip the boat traversed the locks at the Three Gorges Dam and then we were able to take a tour (with yet another ID badge) of the site itself. The size of the dam and the amount of water that it is able to control is astonishing. The dam will be finished next year – causing the water level to rise another 20 meters upstream. I heard numbers that the amount of power generated will be over 10% of China’s total. My sister found a technical book that explained the building and plans of the dam and my mom bought another that detailed the impact of the dam. It was a fitting way to end the trip with this technological marvel after we looked at the beauty of the gorges.

China is a fascinating country – the old and the new coexist. Ancient customs and traditions are being preserved (at least for tourists) as infrastructure and commerce are pushing on the boundaries set for the last 60 years. I want to see what happens in the next 60.

Question: Have you been part of a tour group before and followed a guide’s flag? Where were you? Was it voluntary? Tell me a story about your favorite guide.
I have cruise pictures to post and then one more post to wrap things up (and maybe begin again). Thank you for reading.

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