For a country with 1.4 billion people, you would think there would be a way to mainstream things in the name of efficiency. I have decided that this is not the case, as every body needs a job in China.
Take for example "cards"....
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| I must carry no less than ten cards since coming to China, and that does not include the three credit/bank cards I brought with me. I have a coffee card, a school ID card to purchase lunches and items from the convenience store, a card to swipe to get into my gate and building at the apartment complex, my China bank card, the subway/ bus card, a hospital card, an insurance card, a gas card, an electricity card, and a 'reclaimed water' card. So. Many. Cards. A way to put China to work, I guess. |
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| I have meters all over my apartment. The electricity card gets inserted outside my front door. The gas card for my stove gets inserted under my kitchen counter. The reclaimed water card gets inserted in the meter, IN MY SHOWER. What is a 'reclaimed water' card you ask? It is the ability to flush my toilet!!! Of which, I have not had that ability for two days now. :( |
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| They moved the office of the reclaimed water. Thankfully, my friend Alejandra had to go through this same process last weekend, so she sent me a picture so I knew where to go. |
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| I walked in to the office of "Ocean Ambiance Property Service." It seemed like a good sign. I could use a little ocean ambiance these days. Like, for real. |
After much chittering in Mandarin (the three ladies working behind the counter, NOT ME), I was able to catch about every 10th word. With the usual game of charades, I was finally able to figure out that they were telling me to come back at 1:00pm. Now these people were helping other customers, so I did not understand why I was getting sent away. Begrudgingly, I returned to my apartment, used a bucket of water to flush my toilet AGAIN, and made myself some lunch to wait them out until 1pm.
I returned at 1pm, hoping for success.
It was not meant to be.
A fourth woman was now working behind the counter. She took my card and money, and it seemed as if this transaction was going to work. Soon though, she handed me back my card and money and said "Go Home!"
What the what???
After another game of charades, I gathered that I had credit on my card (I thought I recharged it before I left for the summer). So I went home.
I changed the batteries in the meter. Just. In. Case.
I inserted the card....the meter 'whizzed'....
I flushed the toilet. Nothing.
I took pictures, typed in what I had done in to Google translate, and trudged over to the "Ocean Ambiance" office for the third time in two hours.
I showed her my pictures. I showed her my translated message...
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| Google translate is a beautiful thing... "I changed the batteries, inserted the card, but my toilet still will not flush." |
She said, "Work?" I said, "No, it won't work", (as I waved my hands like the Chinese do for "no").
She then said, "Ummmmm....Work? Work.....er?" Oh! "You will send a worker?! Great!" To which I said, "Xie! Xie!" and bowed graciously.
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| About 30 minutes later, this kind man showed up at my door. He took the batteries out, put them back in. Check. He took the card out, put it back in. Check. He turned the water off and on at the meter. Check, check, and still nothing. Then he turned the water off and back on at the toilet. I don't know why that would work, but it did, and now I can flush the damn toilet once again. Geesh. |
The good news?! About 5000 flushes costs me all of 18y, or $3.00USD
If you'd like to get your giggle for the day,
Chinese engineering beats any Redneck ingenuity
I've ever seen. Watch closely as my friend, Robert,
turns on the water in the men's bathroom at school.
Lollllllzzzzzz!!!!
G'nite, y'all!
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