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IKEA Rescued Me In China!

By
Education & Training with Candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership

It’s National Day here in China today!  This is the anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.  This morning I was up early, still 11 hrs difference ahead from New Brunswick, Canada and got dressed to try to find the Starbucks’ the VP & ESL Teacher took me to before.  As I was approaching the Solano Mall, I realized I was still in a different country.  The western style Solano Mall gates to the mall area were closed.

I came back to my original route and passed it to find a bakery.  I found this wonderful German bakery and got a “latte”.  Drinking it, I realized it didn’t have espresso, but plain morning coffee with lots of milk.  “Too funny!”  Going back to my school’s gates I met a few teachers waiting outside the gates for a bus that would take them to the Great Wall of China.  They had booked it a few weeks ago, so I couldn’t attend, but I bookmarked it for a future trip next week for the national week off.  

   

These are the colorful apartments for the teachers & staff!

Had my “Chinese Physical” this morning, even though, I had a physical from my physician before I was issued the “temporary VISA”.  The school’s HR dept. rep. took me with a school’s driver for communication reasons.  The driver & HR person picked me up at 9:30 a.m. and took me to a very plain looking building 1 hour away (even though we were still in Beijing, due to traffic).   I was given a card & told to go to each room: blood test, x-ray, EKG, eye exam & hearing test.   They checked my ears with a mirror (I have no idea why?).  I was done in 30 mins. 

When I got back from the 1 hr drive, I took a taxi to the Beijing IKEA.  All teachers & staff are issued a small binder booklet that has local facilities for transportation, embassies, restaurants & cafes, hotels, shopping, and tourist destinations. Everything is written in English, with translation in Mandarin, so you can show it to the taxi driver, so they know where to take you.  IKEA in Beijing is HUGE.  It took me a few hours to see what they had.  I found pillows to go with my “orange & lavender” L shaped module couch, duvet cover for my plain white bed and candles and light fixtures to give my apartment some color.  Now, with some modifications, I can live here for the next 9 months!

 

 

We have plenty of storage for a smaller 1 bedroom!

 

There is only a hot plate, like a university/college dormitory!

 

We all have to "hang dry" our clothes, so fabric softner is a must!

 

They do have Western style bathrooms with showers, for my friends who had some concerns on it!

 

It's now very comfortable & I'll be adding some Chinese photos from my travels in the future!

 

Yes, I'm watching CNN International News & I love this motto for living in new areas of the world!

Front view through my apartment window! Elementary school of CIS-Beijing is lower brick building.

Left side view through my apartment window.

Right side view of Middle/High School of CIS-Beijing.

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Comments (14)

Sharon Lord
Maracay Homes - Peoria, AZ
New Home Advisor

Ann-Marie - WOW what an adventure for you!  Good job accessorizing your "new" home for the next 9 months!

Sharon Lord
Argent Decor
AZ Vacation Home Furnishing Service

Sep 30, 2010 02:29 PM
Paula Hathaway, REALTOR, LBA
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Southampton, NY
...A Local Expert in all The Hamptons

Ann Marie: I am so envious of you being able to live there for 9 months!!!--I went 4 times in the 80's--the first of very few who were lucky enough to do business there: Bejing, Shanghai, Tailian in Northern China, near the Manchurian border...I loved it and wanted to live there at some point. I know that is is very different there now; we did not have heat in our hotel rooms or hot water until mid day and we had postage stamp sized towels to dry off with---but we did business and I made some very good product there in Ladies Apparel---Velvet jackets, t-shirts and other items that we could make for America. There were students who followed me around and they even came to my hotel to talk to me--to speak "American" with me---what a wonderful people, the Chinese! I have pictures of me on the Great Wall too and it takes my breath away when I look at those photos today!

I hope you have a great time there; they call us "Old Friends" once we have traveled there. I still have the invitation that the government  sent to my company, allowing me to enter the country. Take care of youself there---I hope you like the people as much as I did---enjoy!!! 

Sep 30, 2010 02:32 PM
Ann-Marie Clements
Candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership - Saint John, NB
Ed.D. candidate, Innovative Proactive Principa

Hi Sharon,  I took the apartment from a bland white to a much needed colorful display.  THANKS!!!  It's been a wonderful week here so far!  It's very safe and the people are very friendly!  Most when they hear me speak, what to learn English, some know a few words, but they are doing better than myself.  I plan on taking "Staff Lessons" at the school, where they teach Mandarin & English to all of the students & staff.  Living here 24/7 will help me assimulate the language better!  ;>))

Hi Paula,  You are so lucky!!!  Having traveled through much of China!!!  I plan on going to as many places as possible and taking photos where ever I go.   The apartments do have air conditioning here and heating.  I still would love to have a "clothes dryer", but it will have to do!  The people here are fantastic!!!  ;>))

Sep 30, 2010 02:42 PM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Anne-Marie - bloom where you are planted wise words to live by, especially for some one who is transplanted on occassion.

Sep 30, 2010 04:45 PM
FN LN
Toronto, ON

Hi Ann-Marie - When you go to the western style shops and malls, did you notice that they play western music in English?  I noticed this back when I visited Formosa many years ago.

Oct 01, 2010 12:10 AM
Cherise Selley
Selley Group Real Estate, LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Realtor

Ann-Marie,

Thank you for letting us peek into your life in China.  I enjoy reading your experiences and am rooting for you this next year in education.

Oct 01, 2010 02:21 AM
Ann-Marie Clements
Candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership - Saint John, NB
Ed.D. candidate, Innovative Proactive Principa

Hi Kathy,  I got that plaque when I lived in Vancouver, WA, many years ago and put it in every home so far I've lived in...  ;>))

Hi Marc,  I did notice that and was surprised, but then again, they are catering to the North American tourists & temporary live-ins like myself...  I also noticed the department stores have clothing in sections according to color; red clothing from every designer in one section, while green in another (with slacks, tops, coats, etc all mixed in by color)... I've never really seen that anywhere else...  ;>))

Hi Cherise,  Thanks!!!  I think this year is going to be fun, plus the "teacher's dorm" never seems to stop socializing!   ;>))

Oct 01, 2010 03:18 AM
Anonymous
Karen Martin

Hello World Traveller,

Trying to keep up with your new posts to see whats going on week by week. Thanks for taking the time to share with us all, your apartment looks good, not sure about the Jetson's dining table and chairs...haha. Hotplate you say, not fair after your bar sink episode. Keep in touch, staying busy on this end, SOLD one this week!!!

Oct 08, 2010 03:30 PM
#8
Ann-Marie Clements
Candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership - Saint John, NB
Ed.D. candidate, Innovative Proactive Principa

Hey GIRL!!!  Now, that I think about it, I do have the Jetson's kitchen!!!  Too funny!!!!!  I got a toaster oven from my principle yesterday that another teacher had left behind, so now I can cook Toast with my Almond Butter!!!  Stay tuned, I just went to see The GREAT WALL and took many, many, many photos...  ;>)))

Oct 09, 2010 01:16 PM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Anne-Marie - Hope you had a happy thanksgiving ..... yesterday for you now ..... Sorry I forgot about the time difference

Oct 11, 2010 01:53 PM
Ann-Marie Clements
Candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership - Saint John, NB
Ed.D. candidate, Innovative Proactive Principa

Hi Kathy,  THANKS!!!  We had a local chef at "Chef On The Go" who volunteered to make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for all of the school staff & faculty.  Ironically, he was a chef from New York City, my old home town.  It was a FABULOUS DINNER!!!  Including apple & pumpkin pie...  Then I went to my 1st Tai Chi class to work off the additional dinner's calories!!!  haha 

BTW:  We are exactly 12 hours ahead of you....

;>))

Oct 12, 2010 02:27 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Ann-Marie:  This all sounds so very exciting.  The pictures look great, and the one where you took the picture that shows YOU in the reflection in the mirror... cute dress... I like it.

So, are you treated as a celebrity ?  I am guessing that you would be.  And with all your chinese students so eager to learn english... really... it sounds sooo exciting.

The "Bloom Where You're Planted" picture... I love it.  That is Mary Englebreit.  I love her stuff.  When you took that picture, you took it too "straight on"... and the flash shows in the middle of it.  Could you re-take it at just a slight angle so the flash is not in the picture ?  I'd love to copy the picture and enlarge it on this end.  Thanks so much.

You are in my thoughts !  Please keep updating us.

Oct 29, 2010 07:48 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Ann-Marie--OMG I have not been on your blog for a while, so I naively stopped in to just say a quick hello. I almost fell out of my  Chair. First I thought it was just a vacation, then I started going back to the beginning of the story. Holly Tamale...I will go back and comment on some of your previous post, first I wanted you to picture my shock anyway have fun and let us know if they start Censorship of you post or our comments:))) BTW here in Los Angeles, I had two clients who were buying investment properties, so keep your ears to the ground and maybe we can get some referral business for you.

Nov 01, 2010 01:54 PM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Good Morning Ann-Marie:  I just got your email about joining the "Wall" group.  I did.

So... are you back ?  Are your teaching days in China complete ?  And, you also mention your Canadian citizenship is almost complete ?  Cool Beans !  Tell me more...

Hope you are well, and that you have a wonderful time in China.  Gentle Huggs.  Missed "talking" with you... :(

                      September 11, 2011

Sep 11, 2011 02:43 AM