But let me tell you about the water situation here, which I haven't done before. First of all, I am sure you know that one does NOT drink water from the faucet not even the natives do that. Peace Corps (PC) gave us all a water distiller, and it works well. I think just boiling the water, as the Chinese do, would be OK too. The water HEATER is a rectangular box hanging on the kitchen wall 21 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 6-1/2 inches deep. There are three knobs on the front. After about a year here, I learned that two of the knobs were designated for summer and winter settings. The third one is for water temperature, and I haven't been able to budge that one. A huge vent, about 6 inches in diameter, runs from the box to the outside through the kitchen window which has been BROKEN to make it fit, so there are small openings around the vent pipe. Three pipes come out the bottom. One goes to the gas meter beside the box, and the other two go heaven knows where. Also on the bottom is a battery case, which is almost impossible to open; you need a special tool, as I found out when the batteries went dead one time. In spite of all this equipment, I cannot seem to get lukewarm water. It is either scalding hot or icy cold no in between. When I turn the faucet to hot, the box makes a loud clicking sound, and after a minute, the scalding water comes out. When I move the faucet to the right, the noise stops and the water goes cold! Sometimes for a split second I get warm. The heater also works for bathroom water, but it makes showering comfortably difficult.
Seventy-five years into her life, Carol Preston signed up for a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in China
The Far East
In my apartment theres no such thing as lukewarm water!
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March 28, 2009 - 12:00 a.m. EST
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Carol Preston
Special to the Daily Journal/Daily Messenger
Carol Preston
By Carol Preston
Seventy-five years into her life, Carol Preston rearranged her world completely. On July 7, 2007, the Salem resident signed up for a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in China. Preston, who is a retired teacher, will prep local instructors to teach English to other Chinese. Preston has agreed to share her experiences with Daily Journal/Daily Messenger readers from time to time in this column.
March came here pretty much like a lion, so we will anticipate its going out like a lamb! The weekend was a busy one all with pleasurable doings. Besides the all day classes on Saturday, some student friends came at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and spent until 1:30 p.m. cooking a meal, which was delicious!
Classes are a joy, as usual. I think I am finally learning how to do it and feel good about what I do. I wish I had felt the same sense of fulfillment when I taught years ago.
But let me tell you about the water situation here, which I haven't done before. First of all, I am sure you know that one does NOT drink water from the faucet not even the natives do that. Peace Corps (PC) gave us all a water distiller, and it works well. I think just boiling the water, as the Chinese do, would be OK too. The water HEATER is a rectangular box hanging on the kitchen wall 21 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 6-1/2 inches deep. There are three knobs on the front. After about a year here, I learned that two of the knobs were designated for summer and winter settings. The third one is for water temperature, and I haven't been able to budge that one. A huge vent, about 6 inches in diameter, runs from the box to the outside through the kitchen window which has been BROKEN to make it fit, so there are small openings around the vent pipe. Three pipes come out the bottom. One goes to the gas meter beside the box, and the other two go heaven knows where. Also on the bottom is a battery case, which is almost impossible to open; you need a special tool, as I found out when the batteries went dead one time. In spite of all this equipment, I cannot seem to get lukewarm water. It is either scalding hot or icy cold no in between. When I turn the faucet to hot, the box makes a loud clicking sound, and after a minute, the scalding water comes out. When I move the faucet to the right, the noise stops and the water goes cold! Sometimes for a split second I get warm. The heater also works for bathroom water, but it makes showering comfortably difficult.
I have also found that handling and trying to keep track of seven handheld devices can be difficult! I have the TV and DVD remotes, as everyone does, plus my A/C-heat control, my cell phone, my calculator, my recorder and my removable disk not to mention my camera.
The other day I misplaced the AC/heat control and spent at least a half an hour looking for it. It is absolutely vital around here. I looked in wastebaskets, dirty laundry, garbage, bedclothes, drawers every place I could think of. I KNEW it had to be in the apartment because I hadn't gone out and no one had come in. I fretted about that for a couple of hours and finally found it inside a cupboard, where I had absentmindedly laid it on top of a pile of clothes, apparently when I went in there to get something else. Chalk it up to aging, I guess.
That same week I went to Walmart to pick up a few necessities. This is about a 40-minute trip, walking and monorail, each way. When I got there and was ready for pay for hand lotion (you have to pay for that in the cosmetic department), I found I had forgotten my billfold with all my money. Luckily I did not have a cart FULL of stuff. On the way I had left some papers off at the copy shop. So I had to make the 40-minute trip back to my apartment, get my billfold and go pay for and pick up the copies. I decided Walmart could wait until the next day. That all wasted about three hours.
I just received an e-mail from PC headquarters with an early COS (close of service) form. The actual COS date is Aug.14; we are entitled to ask for July 17 or 31 with the approval of school authorities. I have just filled out my request for July 17. I am hoping to spend a few days in Beijing before I actually head for the United States, but that is uncertain at this point. At least things are beginning to happen to make me realize it won't be long before I come home! (I guess it is time with the memory lapses I am experiencing!)
