- 08
- Aug
the BEAST!
Check out that bad boy! It is huge, gigundo, massive, etc… All those fancy words I love! And it has many many many settings, all in a language I can’t read, bonus! And get this- it plays a SONG when the load is finished! And it has a handy timer that counts down as the load washes- 1 hour, 14 minutes for a large load with 2 rinses and 4 spins, in case you were curious!
Beast was delivered from another apartment (we bought it used) to our 3rd floor apartment and installed- including taking away the old mint green one- for a massive fee of 20Y (roughly $3). Pretty sweet!
Tomorrow, Beast will have a new friend to play with- we’re calling her Beauty. At a slender 6kg capacity, compared to Beast’s 7.2kg capacity, Beauty is a lovely shade of grey. She plugs into the wall and is otherwise known as a DRYER! Hello!!!! I am so so so excited! I seriously hate crunchy towels! And there’s this kinda “off” smell that develops due to the humidity and I’m just so happy I will no longer smell like that!
Keith’s cell phone half broke again today. It is still deciding if it is really broken, I’m not sure what the final verdict will be. I’m thinking I learned a lesson here- called “don’t buy local brands! even if they are the only ones sold in the store that are actually in stock!”. On a positive note, we contributed to the local economy and might get to make another contribution at some point in the future on another phone.
My mom wanted to know what the “purple” was in the girls’ ice cream last night….
Why purple yam, of course! I mean, they eat red bean, green bean, corn, etc… in their ice cream here, why not ube!?
Today I interviewed an ayi- ayi is the word here for a house helper. We really liked her and she will start on Monday. It is culturally expected and appropriate that we hire an ayi during our time here. She will be with us 3 days a week for 6 hours each day. It is totally a weird thing for me, because I’ve obviously never had a helper before! I’m not sure what all she’ll be doing, but I’m super excited to have a native Chinese speaker that I can practice with!
I forgot my camera tonight at dinner, but we had a funny experience. We went to a little Chinese place. We have eaten here before, and tonight we were trying some new dishes. We usually order 3 dishes and take home leftovers to have the next day for lunch- just makes life easier the next day. Well, I ordered a chicken/vegetable/garlic dish and then a tomato/egg dish (really good!) and then was ordering some shrimp and pork dumplings (jiaozi). They asked something along the lines of “How much do you want?” Well they were asking in jin, which is a local form of measurement. I’m not so good at jin yet and I don’t really know how many pounds or kg are in a jin. So I just said one. Oh. My. Goodness. Enter the motherload of dumplings! It was definitely enough for like 10 people to eat. So we brought home enough for tomorrow’s lunch, dinner, etc…. Thankfully they were delicious!
Next on my to do list: Learn how to say 1/4 jin.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:02 am
So what does “fuzzy control” mean on the washer top? Does it shave off little bumps off clothes while they wash?? LOL
Your helper can do lots of things — wash, clean, watch the kids while you take a break and read or whatever. Enjoy!!
August 8th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Kimberly, I enjoy reading your blog so much! Thank you for the peak into what life is like there!
August 8th, 2007 at 9:43 am
“We went to a little Chinese place.” — Hmm… you’re in China - aren’t they mostly Chinese places?! I just found that amusing. STILL quite enjoying reading about your experiences!
August 8th, 2007 at 9:45 am
LOL!! You wanted to feed an army right?!
Very cool on the new Beast and super cool that you get a Beauty too!!! And a Helper ?! WOW I want a helper!!!! LOL! Hope she can help you with your Chinese!
Hope you have a great night!
August 8th, 2007 at 9:56 am
that is too funny - I hope you like dumplings! Love your new washer and I know EXACTLY what you mean about the crunchy towels. When we were stationed overseas, dryers were just sometihng nobody used - except me who had to go out and get one because I had to have it! It sounds like you guys are settling in and I really enjoy reading your daily adventures. Enjoy your help - I had the same overseas and really got spoiled! Alex
August 8th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Oh I am SO jealous!! My drier just died & we had to replace it yesterday. I got one of the cheapest I could find…at $358!! And we had to bring it home, install it, and get rid of the old one ourselves! Hmmm….maybe a move to China would be a good idea? LOL! Love the insight on eating at a Chinese place. I always wonder when we go to eat “American” Chinese food, if anything on the menu here would actually be on the menu in China.
August 8th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Kimberly, I just sat here and read most of the last week’s entries to our dds. We have laughed with you and been amazed at your experiences. Now they know more about the family whose photograph is on our refrigerator and we think about when we talk to Dad at dinner time. I’m so excited to hear more of your adventures in China!
August 8th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Yay for Beast - and another for Beauty!!!
I’m glad you weren’t stuck for long. I WISH my washer had a song when a load was done!!! I’ve ALWAYS said there should be an optional alarm on the washer just like on the dryer! I’m forever forgetting the wash after it’s done b/c it’s in the basement and well, I’m forgettful! If I remember I set a timer upstairs… but well - back to the forgettful thing! 
So another trip to see the “cell phone master”?
August 8th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Kimberly, you are da bomb and we love reading your blog… Keep up the great work and we love seeing pictures and hearing about your daily experiences…
By the way, nice washer… Can’t wait to see the dryer!!!
August 8th, 2007 at 11:56 am
That is so cool! And I am cracking up at the comment above about the “cell phone master” hahahaha
I can’t believe how inexpensive everything is there! Do you mind me asking how much you got the beast for?! I am so curious to know!
August 8th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
WooHoo on Beast and Beauty, LOL! Yam ice cream, don’t think that would be a top seller here
August 8th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Kim, This is the first time I visit your blog. I had been following your adventures through DST. Then I found a post talking about your blog and jsut had to check it out. WOW is all I can say. You are so brave , I do not know if I could move across the world. I love to read all about your arrival in china and all teh new things you are learning. Thank you for taking the time to blog and let us live through your stories. SO glad you got a new washing machine life with out is impossible. A nani wow I guess I will have to move to China if I ever want one jeje. My your stay in china be blessed and eventful.
Sunshine
August 8th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Just wanted to say that I’m enjoying reading your blog. Isn’t moving countries fun??? And the language barrier and cultural differences make it even more so, LOL! Enjoy the household help - consider it that you’re helping the local economy.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
love the beast! can’t wait to see beauty! non dryer towels…ewwww… lol!
August 8th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Hooray on getting a new (musical!!) washer AND a dryer! And a helper–whoo hoo!
I am still not sure on the purple yam ice cream–looks pretty, tho.
Good luck with the phone–
August 9th, 2007 at 2:19 am
Kimberly, you crack me up! Love the fact that Beast will be getting Beauty for company, lol!
August 11th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Really easy to make the tomatoes and eggs - really easy…and yeah, they do order dumplings by the jin (1 jin - 1 lb) and unless you go eat ding xing or in cantonese dim sum, you’ll always be surprised at how much dumplings you get.
August 13th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Wow! A house helper. Can’t wait to read what all she does. How much does that cost a week?
Love that the washer plays a song! LOL!