Living Like a Local

It's been over a month since we moved and since we've embraced a new way of living. It's true -- to a certain extent, the new place came with a new lifestyle. We're much more "in" with the locals now. Our neighbors don't speak English (or Japanese, as was the case at the old place). Our lobby is no longer manned by young, uniformed employees (in fact, it's not manned at all). And there are bugs. Big ones.

This guy was as big as my fist. 

But I love it. I love sitting at the big dining room table and writing. I love watching the sunsets from the windows in our living room. I love parking my new bicycle (with basket!) in the communal bike parking shack.

Of course the place isn't immune from issues (we live in China after all), but it has soul and I appreciate soul. Like the nice old man who lives across the way with his birds (presumably) and is the only man in China (other than my husband) who lets me off of the elevator first.

The building ("Willow Court") dates back to 1934 and holds all kinds of secrets. Like the resident doctor who, during the Cultural Revolution, was forced to work as a janitor, but would still answer house calls (on this phone).

We're known around these parts as the young foreign couple with the small dog, and hopefully we're not invading the locals' space, just giving them something to talk about.