Moving in and out from one country to another is one my true pleasures, especially to countries where cultures and traditions are very different. So one day, I booked a one-way ticket to China, packed my clothes, rented a small house online, and I was ready for my next adventure, and oh boy! It was an adventure, indeed.
I have learned so many things in China, met a lot of friendly people, and experienced a lot of incredible things. But I must say, it is so much different in China that it is ever around the whole world, especially in the countryside.
5 years ago was the first time I visit Shanghai, and today will be the first time to share with all of you the weirdest things I have noticed in Chinese homes that I still can’t comprehend. The things I saw gave me the questions that don’t let me sleep at night.
No Guests
Technically, when we want to meet up with our friends or family members, we invite them home and cook them dinner. We believe that we would be more comfortable at home, and we wouldn’t be losing a lot of money. But in China, they rarely invite guests to their home.
In fact, they all meet up in a restaurant, and they take turns. The one good thing about this one is the fact that to never worry about your house being too dirty for visitors. However, an excellent lunch for 5 people in China in Wudang costs only $50.
No Showers and No Bathrooms
In the town where I stayed, there were a lot of houses that looked like concrete boxes. The inside design is very simple but they don’t have any bathrooms or showers. If you need to take care of that business, you have to go outside where the toilets are actually located, but there are still no showers!
I remember talking to a cleaning lady who lived in that area, she told me that she takes showers at work. The weirdest thing about these houses is the fact that they don’t have bathrooms, yet, they must have 2 things in the house: Mao Zedong portrait in the biggest room, and a Good Luck character written on the front door.
No Toilet Bowl
Of course, most of the houses have bathrooms. But, they don’t have a toilet bowl. How? Let me explain: I have visited a friend who was living in a modern apartment. Obviously, I had no doubt that his bathroom wouldn’t look like the ones we know.
The second I got inside, I was very confused. They don’t have the traditional flush toilets, they just have floor pans, literally. When I asked him he said that it helps with our digestion system. Well, I can’t argue with science!
No Bathtubs
The apartment I rented was the same as most houses in Shanghai, the shower is placed above the floor, which means the water gets everywhere in the bathroom. Bathtubs are known to be very expensive.
Luxurious hotels and rich people in big cities are the only ones capable to afford it. However, I didn’t have a problem with that because it truly saved my time because I was washing myself and the floor at the same time.
Small Kitchens
Chinese kitchens are not just small, they are tiny. It was built to hold only a sink, the stove, a few drawers, and one small person. Also, they cook their food in a special Chinese frying pan named “wok” that demands high heat, which is why they always cook on gas.
Speaking of that, they don’t have central gas supply, so they constantly keep cylinders with bottled gas in the kitchen.
Expensive Lodges
The price of renting lodges is shocking and not understandable. In the town where I stayed, they had a rental fee for an apartment that goes up to $200 per month, and the most expensive one is $300. Considering the diversity of prices, it is huge.
However, a small room in Shanghai can cost you $600 per month, and in case you want to treat yourself and rent a decent apartment, get ready to pay $2,500-$3,000 per month. It is crazy!
No window frames
Technically, they do have window frames, but you will have to set them yourself. When you purchase a new apartment, you will receive it with no window frames. They believe that the house is finished and ready to be used, without the window frames.
So if you ever rented a house in China, be prepared to see your neighbor’s windows wide open where they dry their linen on, and honestly, it is a not a beautiful view.
Secured Windows
After they frame the windows, they must set bars to them. This seems like a great idea to keep the thieves away from your house and belongings. But, they don’t actually use it for that cause, the bars are set to prevent children from falling out to the concrete.
Moreover, every residential complex has big gates and security to guard it every day. During the nights, all the gates must stay shut.
No Heating System
You read that right! They don’t have a heating system in their houses, which is why they use electrical heaters in the bathrooms. Also, they have one more essential element in their bathroom that I still don’t understand the use of it: an electrical heating lamp on the ceiling.
Sometimes I tried to understand, but I was too scared and weird out. Thankfully, the extra jackets I bought were real handy during the cold, shivery nights. We are way too spoiled in our country, people.
No Heating at all…
In central and south China, they don’t have any heating equipment in their house, not one. I had friends who thought that 32°F to 50°F in winter is actually warm. They couldn’t imagine what it is like to have 40°F inside your house when it is 30°F outside.
In fact, they don’t even care about it. They just make sure to wear extra clothes inside their home. On the other hand, people who live in the concrete boxes set open fires in their house with firewood.
In conclusion, everything I mentioned does not necessarily exist in every corner of the country. China is a huge land that has many different traditions. You can find two neighboring villages that can’t understand each other because they speak different dialects.
However, this is only my personal experience that I don’t claim it to be universal. After all, I have had one of the best experiences in China that were truly life-changing.