Laundry

[Tony_onrock]

Well, there is a lot of difference living in China and the U.S.

Back in the states, I learned to do everything myself. I built a shed, fenced the backyard, put a dog house together, dug a pond and took care of the garden myself and even did the downstairs bathroom tiles myself, let alone such things as putting up a frame or picture.

 

Here in China is how house work is done:

At 6:30 the baby wakes up. The nanny feeds her, takes her downstairs to play and comes back at 8:30. I get up. My wife goes downstairs when she feels she had a good sleep, to buy breakfast or orders it and gets delivered when she does not feel like going down.

At 9, I am done eating, the cleaning lady presses the bell and start cleaning and normally let me know if my driver is downstairs to drive me to work.

At 7 when I get home, hold and play with the baby for half an hour and then eat dinner. Then move over to wath TV. The dishes are done, I change into my roller gear, the socks and shorts all cleaned, dried in the sun and folded, my shirts ironed. All work done while I was at work, by the maid. Bottled walter, diper and other stuff are delivered from Hua Lian, the local super market. The delivery is free. Dry cleaners do pickup and drop off, for free also. The cleaning lady empties the garbage on her way out. All these costs only a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S. No chores!

[Joanne]

Joanna took to the washer and dryer pretty much like a fish to water. Although there was some discussion of hanging clothes to begin with. That quickly ended after I taught her how to use them. The dish washer: also pretty good -- but I have to pre-wash everything fairly well.

 

Well, in China it is much cheaper to use help. Sometimes I just wonder, what exactly does a house wife do? No cleaning, washing, cooking or taking care of the baby.

 

I am one of them, am spoiled good. Fortunately, I know how to do all those chores better than my helper. Some of my younger colleagues don't know how to be a housewife (Some are controlled by the helpers).

[esun41]

I'm a lucky man in this aspect. My wife was introduced to dryer sheets and DOWNY. She loves the smell of her washed clothes.

 

I remember my trips to Nanning and the way my clothes smelled after drying on the patio. Smelled like... well... Downtown Nanning.

[Feathers268]

Of course there are limits, but in the case of my bathroom, it was going to be almost exactly what I found over there. It just made sense to me. To my surprise when I walked into her bathroom the first time. I was shocked. I actually froze in the doorway and said to myself, this is exactly what I was going to do. Then her sisters place was the same. Another home of a Taxi driver, the same. All I had seen were hotels which were American or European style. Also the enclosed porch I was going to do anyway. Clothsline? Well that one is new, but I don't mind. It just trims out my ideas to make it Chinese. I had no idea until last year that my ideas would match.

 

Other things I sit my foot down about. We all have our battles to pick.

Anything you want to do for the reasons of thinking it's a good idea is worth doing. I also am quite serious that given the chance, I would put in a garden and pond, something both my father and grandfather have done.(minus the pond) I just wanted to express the feeling that we can do too much in trying to make our wifes feel more at home. In my case, once here, Jen was not interested in transforming the apartment into her little peice of China and now, a year later, she has started puting her own touch to the place and is making it her own. Not so much Chinese or American, but her. Perhaps it's her age or where she is from in China, but she just isn't interested in bringing China here. She is just interested in making this our home.

Edited November 10, 2006 by Feathers268 (see edit history)

[SheLikesME?]

Of course there are limits, but in the case of my bathroom, it was going to be almost exactly what I found over there. It just made sense to me. To my surprise when I walked into her bathroom the first time. I was shocked. I actually froze in the doorway and said to myself, this is exactly what I was going to do. Then her sisters place was the same. Another home of a Taxi driver, the same. All I had seen were hotels which were American or European style. Also the enclosed porch I was going to do anyway. Clothsline? Well that one is new, but I don't mind. It just trims out my ideas to make it Chinese. I had no idea until last year that my ideas would match.

 

Other things I sit my foot down about. We all have our battles to pick.

Anything you want to do for the reasons of thinking it's a good idea is worth doing. I also am quite serious that given the chance, I would put in a garden and pond, something both my father and grandfather have done.(minus the pond) I just wanted to express the feeling that we can do too much in trying to make our wifes feel more at home. In my case, once here, Jen was not interested in transforming the apartment into her little peice of China and now, a year later, she has started puting her own touch to the place and is making it her own. Not so much Chinese or American, but her. Perhaps it's her age or where she is from in China, but she just isn't interested in bringing China here. She is just interested in making this our home.

I agree. My wife does not care to be in or around other Chinese neighborhoods. She wants to inagrate into America. She wants her pronunciation to get better. She wants to here English all the time. She knows it will be tough, even though she speaks fluent english.

 

She does not seem to be so interested in the decorating because she does not decorate her place. She had pictures she never hung so she sent them back with me.

 

Nothing is required of me, she says, except to help her learn to drive, provide a car, and help her get a job so she can pay off the debts. One we barrowed for investments and her degree, and another is my house. She hopes to have a new house some day.

 

I chuckle a little about Carl warpedboard because of how well his old house looked then next thing we knew the entire house was torn down for a new one. I am sure she will want a brand new house too, if we can swing it and get it paid off quickly.

 

In the mean time, I hope to have this place ready, but not too ready. Some things she will have to be patient about, like my hobies.

[SheLikesME?]

Alternative is plant some bushes.

 

When down South I had the hotel do my laundry. I looked out the wondow later that day and saw all these cloths, socks, and underwear spread out all over these bushes in this courtyard. Sure enough it was mine. Nothing like your drawers out for everyone to see on a business trip. Heck I didn't care though.

[NewDay2006]

Sure enough it was mine. Nothing like your drawers out for everyone to see on a business trip. Heck I didn't care though.

 

 

 

the only problem with the bushes is the chance of bring bugs into you house and they are not welcome.. you bring one and then you have a colony adapting to life on the "inside"

[izus]

my mom has had this on the side of her house all my life..

even before my girl got here it was rigged in the backyard at our home, the first few months it was never used once.

 

since her mom was here it gets used all the time now

 

its not exactly like this but similar

 

http://www.versaline.com.au/

Edited November 10, 2006 by izus (see edit history)

[izus]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...en-20/ref=nosim

 

 

this is the one

one side hooks to the side of the house...

the othe side hooks to a pole in the ground

[NewDay2006]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...en-20/ref=nosim

 

 

this is the one

one side hooks to the side of the house...

the othe side hooks to a pole in the ground

 

Coooool I might end up getting the nice treatment if she comes and sees this , instead of .... I'm not sure if I would like it

 

thanks a bunch... I hope she doesn't read this, but my sweet girl probably would... I really miss her.

[SheLikesME?]

So maybe I can hang some permanant lines in this new shower bathroom with the big drain in the floor. Lines heavy enough for a person to hang from too, so I can do strange things to her while she hangs there or somethng. Maybe hang the dog while I skin it out. Just thinking Just thinking. Multi task/use lines

[NewDay2006]

So maybe I can hang some permanant lines in this new shower bathroom with the big drain in the floor. Lines heavy enough for a person to hang from too, so I can do strange things to her while she hangs there or somethng. Maybe hang the dog while I skin it out. Just thinking Just thinking. Multi task/use lines

 

Stop dude, they will move this to TC... you getting twisted

 

[SheLikesME?]

So maybe I can hang some permanant lines in this new shower bathroom with the big drain in the floor. Lines heavy enough for a person to hang from too, so I can do strange things to her while she hangs there or somethng. Maybe hang the dog while I skin it out. Just thinking Just thinking. Multi task/use lines

 

Stop dude, they will move this to TC... you getting twisted

 

YOu never lied there. I can't even stand myself. But soooo glad the weekend is here so I can work on the garage/WC.

[SmilingAsia]

My wife does not care to be in or around other Chinese neighborhoods. She wants to inagrate into America. She wants her pronunciation to get better. She wants to here English all the time. She knows it will be tough, even though she speaks fluent english.

I think a multiple language environment is more fun. I just find it interesting that one switches the brain and tongue like TV channels between English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Tagalog.

[SheLikesME?]

My wife does not care to be in or around other Chinese neighborhoods. She wants to inagrate into America. She wants her pronunciation to get better. She wants to here English all the time. She knows it will be tough, even though she speaks fluent english.

I think a multiple language environment is more fun. I just find it interesting that one switches the brain and tongue like TV channels between English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Tagalog.

I would enjoy that. We shall see.