China series, Part 19: Nothings gets done quickly

[Prometheus]

I'll just relate my current situation to give you an idea of how things "work" here.

This past Monday, I noticed a bit of water dripping through the drop-ceiling above my bathtub. Seeing as it was a small drip and knowing that during the holiday no one was going to do fuck-all unless the ceiling actually collapsed, I waited until Wednesday to inform my boss so that she (or one of the assistants) could contact the appropriate people.

My boss called the building manager and someone came up on Thursday morning. It's the water heater. Can they fix it? Yes. Will they fix it? Not without permission from the landlord. None of the people at my school have my landlord's contact info, nor do I. Everything must pass through a former employee who will not give the landlord's contact info to the current boss. This is probably because the former employee probably has some sort of relationship (see: "Guanxi") with the landlord.

Now all conversations must pass from thelandlord to the former employee to the current assistant to me and back.

The landlord had finally decided to replace the water heater and needed the dimensions. I was not about to climb up into the drop ceiling with a tape measure but luckily, I had a clear view of the unit's information label with model number etc., so I took a pic and passed it on.

While that would be all anyone needed in any other place, it seems that people here don't know how to use the internet for anything other than games and shopping, so then a message came back asking if it was OK for the maintenance man to come by and take the dimensions. Sure.

Eventually the maintenance man comes to the apartment, climbs up into the ceiling and takes the measurements. He says he'll pass on the info to the front desk person who will then contact the landlord directly which probably means contacting the former employee who will then contact the landlord.

Around 4:00 on Thursday, I am informed (through the communication grapevine) that a new heater will be arriving on Saturday and will be installed same-day.

Saturday is one of my busiest workdays so I ask, "What time?"

I knew it was a silly question but it's natural. The answer? It will arrive when it arrives because the landlord ordered the heater via TaoBao (China's Amazon). My mind immediately went back to the pic I took and probably how useful the dealer might have found that information, but....

My boss, not wanting me to cancel classes says that she will let me know when the heater arrives. This communication will come from the delivery person contacting the landlord who will contact the former employee who will contact the current assistant who will tell the boss who will then tell me.

Because the delivery person is not the installer, the installer will then be contacted after delivery as well... probably through some other convoluted communication chain and will arrive... sometime. Maybe - just maybe - we will be able to coordinate a time for the installer to arrive that will give me time to cancel whatever other classes and get home to meet them.

Once the installer arrives, they will most likely have to coordinate with building maintenance (if they are not already the same person) to turn of water mains to the apartment as I'm almost positive that there is probably not a valve internal to the apartment going to the water heater. Why wouldn't there be?

This is China. People here are "hard-working" mostly because they seem to make their work harder than it really needs to be.

Time to go to work. I'll update later. Cross your fingers for me.

[Prometheus]

So the water heater got delivered by the installers and was put in before I had to go back to school. Yay!

However...

The installers had to cut away some of the bracing for the drop ceiling, but it seems they only rip out ceilings; they don't replace them. Now I'll have to wait for a whole new round of "communication" to find out when that is going to be fixed. In the meantime I have hot water but the outlet is exposed to the water from the shower head, soooo no showering.

Also, the installers are not trash collectors so the old water heater was left behind. Not to fear, I was told that someone would be by to pick it up. The guy showed up and I thought he wanted 10 RMB to haul it away. That seemed reasonable but I didn't have a 10 so I gave him a 20 and said, thank you.

A little while later, he was back. He gave me back the 20. Seems he wanted to give ME 10 RMB for the privilege of taking away the old water heater but doesn't have cash... just pay by phone. I tried to explain to him that I don't want his money and said thanks again.

A little while later he's back at my door to give me the 10. Honorable. So I said thanks and on his way he went.

A little while after that he's talking about something I can't understand. I used the translation app and it seemed he wanted to give me back the water heater. I called the current assistant so they could speak Chinese, but the trash guy doesn't seem to know how to use a phone and hung up on the assistant, so I dragged the water heater back into the apartment, tossed the 10 back at the guy and told him to be on his way.

So, now I have a shower I can't use, a broken water heater I don't need, no idea when I'll get the ceiling fixed or the old water heater removed.

Worse than that, I have no hard liquor in the house.

[Prometheus]

The old water heater got picked up. I was informed of the trashman's imminent arrival 3 minutes after he had already left my apartment with the water heater.

[abbey1227]

Feb 14, 2022 2:50:21 GMT Prometheus said:

The old water heater got picked up. I was informed of the trashman's imminent arrival 3 minutes after he had already left my apartment with the water heater.

do you think this sorta Sit-Com would play well there? or would they not find it as funny as I do?

Next question: Do YOU find it as funny as I do?

[Prometheus]

Feb 14, 2022 7:44:05 GMT abbey1227 said:

Feb 14, 2022 2:50:21 GMT Prometheus said:

The old water heater got picked up. I was informed of the trashman's imminent arrival 3 minutes after he had already left my apartment with the water heater.

do you think this sorta Sit-Com would play well there? or would they not find it as funny as I do?

Next question: Do YOU find it as funny as I do?

Everything is funny when it happens to someone else.

[Prometheus]

Update: Someone came over yesterday afternoon to look at the ceiling issue. Seems the heater installers made several cuts in the ceiling panel braces and didn't leave behind all the pieces, so the work couldn't actually be done yesterday as new braces need to be found, priced, and purchased first.

I was actually hoping to hear the dreaded* "mingtian," (tomorrow) but instead heard "houtian" (day after tomorrow) which would be Wednesday. Unfortunately, I have a lot of classes on Wednesdays so we had to settle on "dahoutian" (the day after the day after tomorrow)... Thursday.


* The dreaded "mingtian"

Everything in China that needs to happen will happen "mingtian." This is why you need to stay on top of Chinese people who have promised to do things for you, because they will "mingtian" you to death if you let them.

[Prometheus]

The saga continues.

The ceiling is now fixed but in the process the shower curtain rod has been broken. THAT will be replaced... you guessed it.... mingtian.

FML

[Prometheus]

Two new brackets and some electrical tape and it only took them 45 minutes to figure out how to make that work.


Let's recap. Drip from the ceiling noticed on the 7th. All work completed (electrical tape and all) completed on the 18th.

11 days to take down a curtain rod and 4 ceiling tiles, replace a water heater and replaces said tiles and rod.

All-in-all, I actually count myself lucky. I know people with far smaller issues that have been waiting a month of mingtians to get something fixed.

[ant-mac]

Feb 12, 2022 0:02:19 GMT Prometheus said:

I'll just relate my current situation to give you an idea of how things "work" here.

This past Monday, I noticed a bit of water dripping through the drop-ceiling above my bathtub. Seeing as it was a small drip and knowing that during the holiday no one was going to do fuck-all unless the ceiling actually collapsed, I waited until Wednesday to inform my boss so that she (or one of the assistants) could contact the appropriate people.

My boss called the building manager and someone came up on Thursday morning. It's the water heater. Can they fix it? Yes. Will they fix it? Not without permission from the landlord. None of the people at my school have my landlord's contact info, nor do I. Everything must pass through a former employee who will not give the landlord's contact info to the current boss. This is probably because the former employee probably has some sort of relationship (see: "Guanxi") with the landlord.

Now all conversations must pass from thelandlord to the former employee to the current assistant to me and back.

The landlord had finally decided to replace the water heater and needed the dimensions. I was not about to climb up into the drop ceiling with a tape measure but luckily, I had a clear view of the unit's information label with model number etc., so I took a pic and passed it on.

While that would be all anyone needed in any other place, it seems that people here don't know how to use the internet for anything other than games and shopping, so then a message came back asking if it was OK for the maintenance man to come by and take the dimensions. Sure.

Eventually the maintenance man comes to the apartment, climbs up into the ceiling and takes the measurements. He says he'll pass on the info to the front desk person who will then contact the landlord directly which probably means contacting the former employee who will then contact the landlord.

Around 4:00 on Thursday, I am informed (through the communication grapevine) that a new heater will be arriving on Saturday and will be installed same-day.

Saturday is one of my busiest workdays so I ask, "What time?"

I knew it was a silly question but it's natural. The answer? It will arrive when it arrives because the landlord ordered the heater via TaoBao (China's Amazon). My mind immediately went back to the pic I took and probably how useful the dealer might have found that information, but....

My boss, not wanting me to cancel classes says that she will let me know when the heater arrives. This communication will come from the delivery person contacting the landlord who will contact the former employee who will contact the current assistant who will tell the boss who will then tell me.

Because the delivery person is not the installer, the installer will then be contacted after delivery as well... probably through some other convoluted communication chain and will arrive... sometime. Maybe - just maybe - we will be able to coordinate a time for the installer to arrive that will give me time to cancel whatever other classes and get home to meet them.

Once the installer arrives, they will most likely have to coordinate with building maintenance (if they are not already the same person) to turn of water mains to the apartment as I'm almost positive that there is probably not a valve internal to the apartment going to the water heater. Why wouldn't there be?

This is China. People here are "hard-working" mostly because they seem to make their work harder than it really needs to be.

Time to go to work. I'll update later. Cross your fingers for me.

So basically, you got to play a real world game of Chinese Whispers...

How can you tell who won? 

[Prometheus]

Feb 18, 2022 9:57:33 GMT ant-mac said:

Feb 12, 2022 0:02:19 GMT Prometheus said:

I'll just relate my current situation to give you an idea of how things "work" here.

This past Monday, I noticed a bit of water dripping through the drop-ceiling above my bathtub. Seeing as it was a small drip and knowing that during the holiday no one was going to do fuck-all unless the ceiling actually collapsed, I waited until Wednesday to inform my boss so that she (or one of the assistants) could contact the appropriate people.

My boss called the building manager and someone came up on Thursday morning. It's the water heater. Can they fix it? Yes. Will they fix it? Not without permission from the landlord. None of the people at my school have my landlord's contact info, nor do I. Everything must pass through a former employee who will not give the landlord's contact info to the current boss. This is probably because the former employee probably has some sort of relationship (see: "Guanxi") with the landlord.

Now all conversations must pass from thelandlord to the former employee to the current assistant to me and back.

The landlord had finally decided to replace the water heater and needed the dimensions. I was not about to climb up into the drop ceiling with a tape measure but luckily, I had a clear view of the unit's information label with model number etc., so I took a pic and passed it on.

While that would be all anyone needed in any other place, it seems that people here don't know how to use the internet for anything other than games and shopping, so then a message came back asking if it was OK for the maintenance man to come by and take the dimensions. Sure.

Eventually the maintenance man comes to the apartment, climbs up into the ceiling and takes the measurements. He says he'll pass on the info to the front desk person who will then contact the landlord directly which probably means contacting the former employee who will then contact the landlord.

Around 4:00 on Thursday, I am informed (through the communication grapevine) that a new heater will be arriving on Saturday and will be installed same-day.

Saturday is one of my busiest workdays so I ask, "What time?"

I knew it was a silly question but it's natural. The answer? It will arrive when it arrives because the landlord ordered the heater via TaoBao (China's Amazon). My mind immediately went back to the pic I took and probably how useful the dealer might have found that information, but....

My boss, not wanting me to cancel classes says that she will let me know when the heater arrives. This communication will come from the delivery person contacting the landlord who will contact the former employee who will contact the current assistant who will tell the boss who will then tell me.

Because the delivery person is not the installer, the installer will then be contacted after delivery as well... probably through some other convoluted communication chain and will arrive... sometime. Maybe - just maybe - we will be able to coordinate a time for the installer to arrive that will give me time to cancel whatever other classes and get home to meet them.

Once the installer arrives, they will most likely have to coordinate with building maintenance (if they are not already the same person) to turn of water mains to the apartment as I'm almost positive that there is probably not a valve internal to the apartment going to the water heater. Why wouldn't there be?

This is China. People here are "hard-working" mostly because they seem to make their work harder than it really needs to be.

Time to go to work. I'll update later. Cross your fingers for me.

So basically, you got to play a real world game of Chinese Whispers...

How can you tell who won? 

I won because I didn't run out and buy any hard liquor.

[ant-mac]

Feb 18, 2022 12:29:50 GMT Prometheus said:

Feb 18, 2022 9:57:33 GMT ant-mac said:

So basically, you got to play a real world game of Chinese Whispers...

How can you tell who won? 

I won because I didn't run out and buy any hard liquor.

Are you quite sure that's a win?
The last time I bought booze, what I was after was all on discount.

[Prometheus]

Feb 18, 2022 17:59:23 GMT ant-mac said:

Feb 18, 2022 12:29:50 GMT Prometheus said:

I won because I didn't run out and buy any hard liquor.

Are you quite sure that's a win?
The last time I bought booze, what I was after was all on discount.

My liver thinks it's a win.

[ant-mac]

Feb 18, 2022 23:12:01 GMT Prometheus said:

Feb 18, 2022 17:59:23 GMT ant-mac said:

Are you quite sure that's a win?
The last time I bought booze, what I was after was all on discount.

My liver thinks it's a win.

Have you considered getting a second opinion from your hypothalamus and pituitary gland?

[Prometheus]

Feb 18, 2022 23:28:05 GMT ant-mac said:

Feb 18, 2022 23:12:01 GMT Prometheus said:

My liver thinks it's a win.

Have you considered getting a second opinion from your hypothalamus and pituitary gland?

They seem to be on board with my liver.

TBH, it has been oddly pleasant to go to bed at a decent hour and get up actually feeling refreshed. The couple of holiday parties that I've been to where imbibing was done left me feeling worse than ever the next day.

[ant-mac]

Feb 18, 2022 23:37:53 GMT Prometheus said:

Feb 18, 2022 23:28:05 GMT ant-mac said:

Have you considered getting a second opinion from your hypothalamus and pituitary gland?

They seem to be on board with my liver.

TBH, it has been oddly pleasant to go to bed at a decent hour and get up actually feeling refreshed. The couple of holiday parties that I've been to where imbibing was done left me feeling worse than ever the next day.

We must be getting to the age where we just can't do some of the things we used to.

Once upon a time, various fast food franchises were a firm part of my five food groups... McDonald's, Subway, KFC, Barnacle Bill's, Domino's Pizzas and so forth...

But no more. Very few treats are as pleasurable as they once appeared and the cost or downside seems to be steadily increasing.

PS - Thankfully there is one exception... Domino's. I can still regularly enjoy take out pizza whenever I wish.
And as I've never been a heavy drinker, I still seem to be able to enjoy my occasional HLLs and shandies without any dire consequences.

[Prometheus]

Feb 19, 2022 0:35:40 GMT ant-mac said:

Feb 18, 2022 23:37:53 GMT Prometheus said:

They seem to be on board with my liver.

TBH, it has been oddly pleasant to go to bed at a decent hour and get up actually feeling refreshed. The couple of holiday parties that I've been to where imbibing was done left me feeling worse than ever the next day.

We must be getting to the age where we just can't do some of the things we used to.

Once upon a time, various fast food franchises were a firm part of my five food groups... McDonald's, Subway, KFC, Barnacle Bill's, Domino's Pizzas and so forth...

But no more. Very few treats are as pleasurable as they once appeared and the cost or downside seems to be steadily increasing.

PS - Thankfully there is one exception... Domino's. I can still regularly enjoy take out pizza whenever I wish.
And as I've never been a heavy drinker, I still seem to be able to enjoy my occasional HLLs and shandies without any dire consequences.