neighbors

my neighbors in china have been wonderful- they are helpful, friendly, and when not doing construction, they are quiet.

one of my neighbors is especially helpful. he has helped me through 2 elevator card changes, installing new air conditioning units, etc. i don't think we have ever had a conversation about anything other than something i need for my apartment, and there is almost always something going on. the only problem with him is that at any given time when you are walking down my hallway, there is a high possibility that you will encounter him in his underwear, especially now that summer is upon us. he is a skinny little guy, so his presence is not that overwhelming, but still jarring enough to make me want to run back into my apartment.


i ran into him today when i was leaving and he was in his underwear. he asked me if i had gotten my new elevator card (we are going through yet another change...) and i said no, even though i was about to use the elevator. i figured for the time of day, there would be many people already on it and someone would have a card. i guess he didn't have this same thought though because i swear he was about to jump on the elevator underwear and all when it got to our floor. i guess he had his card on him? he sort of lunged because he was quite a distance from the elevator (i had moved really quickly past him to the elevator...lol), then saw that there were already like 10 people on it, and jumped back.

to him i think he sees me as this like little baby in china that needs help...even when he's talking to me after like every sentence he asks me if i understand lol. he usually talks quite slow and simple, which is more than i can say for most other chinese people i try to talk to!