This is a McDonald's post! (麦当劳)

I found a McDonald's one day! It's right around the corner from me.



It's a really big McDonald's too! I went in today, actually. I held off from mowing down on my delicious chicken sandwich long enough to take a picture for you guys. Again, sorry it's blurry. I need to know why my camera keeps doing this to me.



I do have to say, though, the portions are a bit smaller here. That makes sense, but today I wish they were a tad bit bigger.

Comparably, McDonald's is pretty expensive here in China. I can get a bigger meal for cheaper elsewhere.

As it turns out, the McDonald's here is a sit-down restaurant! If you go in and sit down, waiters will come and wait on you! Isn't that crazy?

Also, they have a sort of delivery service, I believe. I see people with McDonald's uniforms on riding bikes with big McDonald's box on the back. It's hard to explain, but it's cute. They even have McDonald's bike helmets!

Yay McDonald's! It's nice to see something familiar around here.

Everything is metered in China

It's true! At UMF, room and board covers all of your expenses: hot water, electricity, meals, etc. Not here.

I have to pay for my electricity. Luckily, I usually only plug in my laptop and light.

This is the electricity box in the corner of my room. It tells me how many kuai I have left. My roommate put 40 kuai on it just before she left. Which doesn't make any sense, really. I don't know why she would do that. Unless she's just nice. Which is a possibility.


And I told you about getting hot water in my last post. Here's a picture of my hot water card and my subway/bus card (the hot water card is on the bottom, the subway/bus card is on the top). Sorry it's blurry.


I also have to pay for internet here. That kind of sucks because I'm on the internet all the time.

One thing that UMF makes you pay for is laundry. BJUT makes you pay for a laundry card to do your laundry, too. Although they do offer to wash your sheets for you every week for free.

I need to buy a card to use the phone in my room, too.

I feel like there are other things. If I think of more, I'll post them!

Dorm! (宿舍)

Greetings from China!

I figured my first post would be on where I'm living now!

I don't have pictures of the outside or of the front desk area. I will get those at some point to show you, though!

This is my hall. I live on the 2nd floor. It's kinda dreary looking, but it's not so bad.


This is my room! I live in 211.


Once you walk in, this is what you see! I live on the left side, my roommate lived on the right side. She actually just moved out today, so it looks a little different now.


If you walk in a little bit and look to my side, this is what you see. I like to keep it simple. I only had 2 suitcases and a carry-on to pack, so I don't have much.


And if you turn to the left again, you'd be facing the door. This is what you would see.



Now for the bathroom! Our bathroom is pretty exciting. It has a lot to offer. For example, here you have your standard western-style potty.


And here you have your Eastern potty! I haven't tried it yet, but I will one day. I know I'm just not used to these types of toilets, but I'm so amazed when I see people use these toilets over the other one. I just feel like the other one would be so much more comfortable.


And then we have some sinks (sorry for the flash).


Then if you go in further, there's a little room with 2 showers. I didn't get an outside-looking-in picture of the shower room, but here's what the inside of a shower stall looks like.

Do you see that little gray box? That little contraption is what gives me hot water. I have to pay for everything here! Even hot water. I have a shower card that I stick into a little slot, then I press the red button and I get hot water!

feed my fish

In my spare pre-departure time, I have been effing around with the blog layout. I added some koi fish at the top (that's pretty Chinese, right?). They will follow your cursor if you move it into the white part of the page. If you click in the white part, you can feed them. :)