My 300 RMB room. This has been my bed for the last three months. I'm still having the mosquito net up since the last mosquitoes managed somehow to live on in our room until really recently. On the table is plates with food that my room mates eats from time to time. Often he cooks every three days and then eats from it during the coming two days. He's got a little rice cooker next to my bed where he heats it up. I have to be careful not to hang up things close to that part of the bed since they will smell like the food from the cooker. On the table you can also see the bottles of various skin products that the guy sprays on himself during the evening. I have no idea what it actually is and I think it is rather rare among Chinese guys.
The heater is very warm and easily compensate for the very think windows. We sometimes have to open up a little to make it more comfortable!
This is how it looks when coming in from the outside door. I live on the 3rd floor of one of the common rather depressing looking soviet-style apartment blocks. The kitchen is right ahead, my room to the left, and the other room to the right.
Even if it is the 3rd floor the guys still drags their bike up. Probably a good move since otherwise they would be stolen rather quickly. It doesn't really make the place more cozy though. The most compelling thing about the whole place is that there is a piano there!! I have no idea what it is doing there.
This is where I fight for some space to wash my face and brush my teeth during the morning rush. In the window you will find slices of meat, vegetables, oils, eating utensils, toothbrushes, washing powder, and ErGuoTou (Chinese rice alcohol).
The cooking spot. I don't think it has ever been cleaned. This is the saddest part in a pretty sad apartment. I'm not really sure how Chinese perceive this. My flatmates, their guests, and their girlfriends don't seem to think twice about it, but for example WangJun said she wouldn't want to live in a place like this. I'm still wondering if it has to do that it is Chinese males or that it is people that come from the country side. Maybe it takes both. Maybe I shouldn't generalize. It would be pretty easy to clean it up.
Where the the three other guys are eating, sleeping and watching TV.
This is the toilet and shower. It smells BAD and is freezing cold. The shower has to be turned on 30 min in advance if you want hot water. When showering only a small spray reaches desired place because the water leaks out in all directions! In the corner is the common "trash corner".
If you wonder why I live in this place, read my previous post.
2 comments:
Just stumbled in..
Johan, don't be offended when I say that the apartment depicted in those pictures is completely revolting. I feel like having a shower just looking. Lived in Asia for 10 years and I've never seen anything like it. I've just scratched "China" off of my list of want-to-visit places.
Girls really don't mind that place?
Love the blog-
I'm not offended, and I wouldn't recommend anyone else to live in a place like this.
You really don't HAVE to live in a room like this if you visit China. This place is rather shabby even in Beijing standard. You could possible consider spending a little more on the rent. I think the standard is quite similar to how most students live in China, except many of them live up to 8 people in one room. We were just two. They didn't let me live in the students dorm at Peking University, so I tried this instead.
Well, I didn't let many of my friends know that I lived in a place like this, and I didn't put it up on my blog until I had moved to my new place. Didn't want to make people at home worried. And yes, I think most girls would mind. I didn't have my girlfriend there at the time. :)
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