Apartments, Medical Exams and Typhoon's ... OH MY!

     So much happens every minute of every day here in Shanghai that it is proving very difficult to keep up with a blog. I found this challenging last year but even  more so now! I mean, I've only been here 2 weeks and already so much has happened that I simply cannot keep up. I have sectioned off this post into three categories.The first is my encounter  with the oh so dreaded Muifa; the second, my search for my first apartment and third, the full body Medical Examination every working alien needs to go through when applying for a working visa in China.

MUIFA!!!!

  All you folks that watch the weather net work or endless amounts of news may have subtly stumbled upon news of her. She was the massive typhoon that was suggested by Chinese officials to be the country's strongest typhoon of the year and the warning actually caused quite a stir here in Shanghai. Her impending arrival even drove some of the Shanghai bars to close early... and that's hard to do! 
  
  So with all this hype Erika and I naturally got a little excited as neither of us had ever experienced a Typhoon or hurricane before. We were eager to be huddled up all cozy and bunkered down in our hostel with fellow travelling expats to lean on for support if things got too rough. Unfortunately, like most things here in China, it was all a big LIE! ... Well, maybe that's a little harsh, but people here do tend to over exaggerate about everything! Its called keeping face. Any way, I was mostly disappointed because we had scheduled our move in date to our brand new apartment around this pitiful drizzle of a storm!

    Really I should consider myself lucky, the storm dissipated just as it was about to hit the mainland, luckily no on was hurt here in shanghai and I get to see another day. But, so were clear... it would have been pretty sick to say that my first week back in Shanghai I got to sit through it's biggest Typhoon. Maybe next time..  




APARTMENT HUNTING: 


Well,
  Erika and I are quite efficient apartment hunters if I do say so myself! It really didn't take us long to find our dream home here in the city. Luck was on our side too as we ended up hooking up with a great agency (Plugging Big Panda Agency  right now! If any one is looking to move here go with them they are by far the most helpful and honest!). The first apartment we looked at, though way out of our budget, allowed us to meet up with this great agent by the name of Ben. Honestly without him I don't know how we would have gotten through. He went above and beyond to help us out with everything, but also without holding our hand every step of the way. The dude just got it!  He knew we were newly graduated Western girls looking for a reasonably priced but chic apartment, and understood that this was something we needed and also wanted to figure out on our own. By subtly guiding us through the process we knew we had someone who we could trust and wouldn't steer us wrong if we got into trouble. He was even so helpful as to give up some of his commission fee for the apartment so we could get a better deal. Overall very great guy! 


  The signing process itself though... HOLY! What an ordeal! 
We literally sat down (Erika, Ben, Mr. and Mrs. Guoa (our landlords), and I ) for 3 hours negotiating god knows what because most of it was all done by Ben and the Guoa's... and obviously in Mandarin. Erika and I pretty much just sat there smiling and looking pretty.  We later figured out that most of that negotiation was them talking about whether or not they could put padded mattresses for our wimpy backs on the beds... the answer was finally a no ...my poor, poor back :( 


 After what seemed like an eternity in my jet lagged mind, we finally  managed to get around to the actual signing of the lease and payments. 


  * Note: If any one is going to move to Shanghai please note that the payments for renting an apartment are very different then back home. Normally we pay first and lasts months rent and the land lord says : "Ok Done!" and every one goes home happy. That is not the case here. We had to pay a deposit of one months rent right then and there, plus 2 months rent and a managerial fee (actually I  just paid the 2 months today ... so I'm broke!). Basically you have to pay  a lot of money up front and then on a bi-montly basis. If I didn't know how to budget my money before, I definitely will by the end of this whole experience! 

Our living room!! You can see the door of my room as well on the right! 

In the end we are extremely happy with our find. The apartment is located  in a great area (Jing'an) with tones of food places, subway and basically everything we will ever need. It is beautiful and a major steel ... Wo ai!   (I love) 




MEDICAL EXAMINATION!


    Well, this is something every alien must go through to acquire a working visa in China. The full body medical exam! A completely ridiculous, unnecessary waist of time and money but Hey! It's China so why the heck not! 


   First thing's first, it took me longer to actually get to the hospital then to complete the actual medical check it self.  So, I arrived at the hospital and was immediately issued a number and sent to a room to change into my robe and little booties. After which I was shuffled off from room to room, with orders being barked at me, pointing, poking, prodding, "ahh-ing", deep breathing, needle pricking and then BAM! Just as fast as I got there it was all over. 
   Somehow within the half hour I was given a surgery check, EKG,ultrasound, blood sampling, radiology exam and full body x-ray. What they possibly could have tested for is beyond me! However, it was a very interesting and hilarious experience!  One I most certainly will not be forgetting!  
  When I got my results delivered to me 3 days later the booklet  said that everything was normal, except for my heart...
The EKG indicated that my heart was ... wait for it.....
   "Basically Normal"
Goodness Gracious China!!!