A Stately Pleasure Dome

Hello, all. Sorry for the long delay. I've been resting on what laurels I've given myself for my last post, while silently planning its rival, a comprehensive opus with thick brushstrokes and an open composition; an Impressionist masterpiece, worthy of the subtle colors and leisurely pace of life that have "impressed" me thus far. Needless to say, the self-imposed pressure has been tremendous, and I've failed miserably. As a break from my high aesthetic standards, I've decided to write a post that emulates in form the very antithesis of art, which is, of course, MTV Cribs. In any case, I'll try and be more frequent about posting from now on, and will try and take myself less seriously.

Yes, a pleasure dome fit for the Khan himself! Upon first entering the campus, we immediately drove to my new apartment, about which I’d been harboring some misgivings. Chinese apartments don’t generally furnish many luxuries, including “standard” ones that we’re accustomed to in the US, such as hot water, toilets, stable electricity etc. My worries were dispelled immediately as Ma Ming opened the door and ushered me in to a veritable Xanadu. The apartment is simply enormous: a dining room with seating for four, as well as hot water heater and refrigerator; a bathroom with washing machine, heated shower, and western style toilet (no gates to Gehenna here!); a kitchen with stove, rice cooker, and utensils; a palatial living room with southern exposure, as well as television, sofa, and two chairs; two offices, one of which is furnished with its own desktop computer; two bedrooms with queen sized beds; and a sun porch on the southwest corner for drying laundry and, as I’ve found pleasant of late, reading a book in the afternoon with the windows open. There are windows on three sides, affording pleasant and sunny views over one of the campus quads, and the entire apartment is clean, well-lit, and well-furnished. If all of this wasn't enough, I was in the midst of unpacking when a group of students (no doubt an envoy from Mr. Ma) arrived at my door with a large basket of apples and oranges. To paraphrase the inimitable Michael Glantz (though he likely doesn't remember), I felt like a sultan. See the photographs I've taken for a better view: A Stately Pleasure Dome

This is not to say that my new habitat is perfect. In fact, just beneath the surface lurks the dirty, though actually rather obvious, secret: everything is "Made in China." Yes, despite its appearances, the shoddy materiality of certain objects has come to light. While great-looking from ten feet, from two it's obvious that the wardrobe, for instance, is merely particle board with a crumbling faux wood veneer, and just the other day the handle to one of the windows on the porch snapped off in my hand. Furthermore, because of the proximity of the desert and the general aridity of the climate, every surface is thinly powdered with an almost imperceptibly fine layer of dust. It's something you just get used to, I suppose, and I have no complaints; this is almost certainly the largest apartment I will ever inhabit. It really beats hell out of being an unemployed, penniless, ne'er-do-well, living with his parents, and all I had to do was travel half-way around the world.

A pathetic post, but the curse has been broken. Do check out the photos. Stay tuned for my next post, which may or may not feature the grisly horrors of a day long visit to a rural Chinese hospital. To pique your interest, I'll say but two words: pancreatic ultrasound. See you soon.