Author: Den Hoopingarner

The lady who comes to my apartment every week (the local term for this kind of worker is “Ayi,” which literally means “aunt.” What does that say about Chinese culture?!) to clean and do my laundry left a note for me this week. She says that because of inflation, she has to raise her rate from Â¥100 to Â¥120 per week.

I now have to pay the scandalously high amount of US$20 per week to have my apartment cleaned and my laundry washed.

Even with the raise in rate, this is still less than my coworker Steve paid his Ayi, who did a crummy job of cleaning his apartment and who took naps in his bed while he wasn’t home. So I don’t mind forking out a few extra bucks for my Ayi, who does a terrific job.

“Eternally loyal to Chairman Mao.”

  

This sign was mounted above the front door of a store in town.

The weather has been warming up – lows have been above freezing, and highs into the 50s, for the last few weeks.

The city-wide centralized heating systems were turned off the other day, which means that the air quality has been improving. Less burning of dirty coal = less air pollution.

It looks like I have survived my first Shenyang winter.

The fruit stalls that were operating inside have moved outdoors. You can get good fruit at pretty good prices – at least 50% less than in the U.S. I bought some oranges today, plus some carrots and peppers for lunch tomorrow, and lemons for hummus. Total cost was about $5.

Not a carjacking, a cartjacking. Let me explain.

I went to Ikea today. About halfway through the store, with a half-dozen items in my cart, I got a little lost, so I decided to consult a map of the store. The map was right next to a busy part the store. In order to avoid being That Guy and having my cart block traffic, I very considerately parked my cart off in a side aisle, and walked over to the map.

Silly me: I abandoned my cart for more than ten seconds.

I figured out where I was and where I wanted to go, and turned back to get my cart.

My cart was gone.

I looked around, and spotted a some people pushing my cart down the aisle, putting their items into it. I figured that it was an honest mistake. Surely they will soon look into the cart, realize that it isn’t theirs, and return the cart to me, I thought to myself. So I stood where my cart was, with a bemused smile on my face, and waited for them to return my cart to me.

Silly me: I forgot that I was in China.

They did indeed realize that it wasn’t their cart, but instead of returning it to where they found it, they started to remove my items, and to dump them into a nearby basket! Then they wheeled off with my cart! I was so dumfounded, I almost didn’t have time to react and take a photo of their crime.

After retrieving my items, I thought about confronting the cartjackers, but then I figured that it wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t become a diplomat so that I could fight with Chinese cart thieves. I have bigger fish to fry. I could carry my items to the checkout area.

Silly me: I forgot that I was buying ceramic bowls and glasses, and that I was in the middle of an Ikea.

My arms are very tired now.