Ok, adapting to life in Shanghai has been full of events that you can't plan for. For one, Matthew's school bus didn't show up on the first day of school. Why you ask? Well, because the bus coordinator didn't read my instructions on the form. After completing the form and faxing it in so he could be on the bus schedule, the bus coordinator just read our street address and assumed that we lived in a different apartment building that happens to be on my road. Hmm...let's see, there's quite a few apartment buildings on my road, why did he just assume I would be in that building? Anyway, Matthew was late for the first day of school. Luckily, I was able to have Mr. Wu, the Company driver take Matthew and I to school. I found Henry, the bus coordinator. I was armed with a copy of the marketing brochure for the apartment building, a street map that I highlighted to show where we lived and last, explained to him that the bus driver cannot just drop my kid off on any corner. I wanted Matthew delivered to the front of the building. Let's just say Henry got my point loud and clear. Matthew arrived home safely that afternoon. I think the New Yorker in me got to him.So, moving right along. We've had sporadic problems with our phone service and internet connection. Sometimes, when I get a call, I would get a very annoying beeping sound much like a fax machine. Sometimes the calls come through but, you get this horrendous sizzling sound and you can't hear the other person because the sound quality is horrible. The piece d'resistance is when you can't dial out. Then comes the internet problems. I am usually unable to get internet connection because it's very slow- not high speed cable- it's ADSL and it's as slow as molasses. I've had the phone company up here at least 15 times since I've arrived in Shanghai and they never seem to be able to solve the problem. I usually get the "it's not my assignment" speech and you'll have to call a computer specialist. Ok, if China Telecom is providing the phone service and the box that allows me to get internet access, I believe that the internet problem is part of the phone company's responsibility. However, the workers don't see it that way and we're back in the vicious cycle again.
Yesterday, after losing both phone and internet service, the phone company sent the Three Stooges to see me. Larry, Curly and Moe walked into the apartment shortly after lunch and I knew I was do
omed. They came up with the brillant solution of separating the phone line from the internet line (ok- I've asked them to do that a month ago and they told me it wasn't necessary) so instead of the single line being split for telephone and internet, I have a dedicated line for phone service and a dedicated line for internet. Sounds like a easy fix right? Wrong!!! Three hours go by and Larry, Curly and Moe completely dismantle the wiring behind the wall and left a pile of dust. They then turn to me and say:The Three Stooges: "Tai Tai, ni dian nao hen hao le. Wo men chu le."
Meaning Lady, your computer works now. We're leaving.
Me: (in my limited Mandarin peppered with Cantonese) You're leaving? What about my phone? I have no dial tone and it still doesn't work.
The Three Stooges: You have to wait until tomorrow for it to be fixed.
Me: Tomorrow? Why?
The Three Stooges: It's not our job to fix the phone. Someone is working on it at the facility. It will be done by tomorrow sometime.
Ok. I'm being held hostage by the Three Stooges. I speak to the building engineer, Mr. Huang, who is well aware of this problem and he is the one left cleaning up the mess that Larry, Curly and Moe left behind. He was kind enough to tell me that he will follow up with the phone company on the status of my phone.
I am happy to report, that the phone situation has been resolved. I can actually receive phone calls now. Though, sometimes the phone does have that annoying beeping sound but at least the sizzling sound has gone away. You learn to accept things are they are here in Shanghai.
