Finding a place to live in Wuxi.

Hey Ya'll! 

Finding a place to live is probably the top concern in moving to a new country. I wasn't so sure how it would work out, but Tractor Man did a GREAT job! I wasn't able to come over at all before we moved  to Wuxi since I was pregnant at the time, so he had to do it all and I personally think he did great and I tell him this often. 

In finding an apartment you normally have to go through a rental agency. Most companies on "look and see" trips will set you up with a relocation company that will get you set up with an agent to take you around to look at places that fit your needs. 

Before this time you want to think of things that you want and/or need in a place to live. This will help the agent help you find the right fit for you. So here are a few things to think about.

1. How many people are in your family and how many bedrooms will you need?
2. Do you want a yard or would you prefer an upper floor apartment?
3. Do you want to live downtown or away from the city?
4. Do you want to live close to your job (or spouse's job) or are you ok with having to drive?
5. Do you want an apartment or a stand alone house?
6. Do you want to leave near expats or are you alright with being farther away?
7. Do you prefer an apartment within walking distance to most things or are you ok being further out?


Once you find your apartment and are working on negotiations with the rental agent/landlord, you need to know what you are going to ask for. Here in China some of the things that we take for granted in America are not common here, so you need to make your requests known. This is a list of some of the things that we asked for.

1. Western style, large refrigerator.
2. Oven (specify that you want something other than a toaster oven)
3. Clothes Dryer
4. International TV
5. Western style mattress

This is not an all inclusive list by any means, but more of a start to get you thinking. Each situation is different. Enjoy the move! Can't wait to have you here in Wuxi!

Thanks ya'll,

Belle

City Shop Supermarket Delivery Service

Hey Ya'll!

Life with a toddler at home can make it difficult at times to get all of my grocery shopping done. There are days that I go without what I need because I am too lazy to get us packed up to go, even with my driver. Pretty pathetic huh? Ha!


This is where City Shop comes in! This is an Imported Goods store based out of Shanghai and they will deliver to Wuxi every Tuesday. Makes my grocery shopping (especially for cold and heavy items) much easier.

Here is the link.

City Shop Supermarket

The City Shop Delivery Man

I should warn you that most import items at this store are pretty pricey, but you can get some things for the same price as in a local supermarket. The delivery charge is 20rmb unless you spend over 300rmb and then delivery is free. This charge is the same price as a taxi ride to and from a local grocery store and back for me. 

All you need in to do in order to get your groceries delivered is set up an account. You will need your address, an email address and a phone number. If you have your address in Chinese that helps a lot, but not necessary. When you go to the website, you will see at the top righthand side of the screen a button that says "Sign In". You will then see a button that says register and you will just fill in your information. Good luck!!! 

Just some of the good things I have found at City Shop. 

Some of the things that I order from here are: 

Woolite - 94rmb - 176rmb depending on the size of the bottle

Bounce Dryer Sheets - 56rmb for a box

Milk - 26rmb for 1 Liter

Chicken - 21.50 rmb for a pack of 3 breasts

Pork Tenderloins - 34.30rmb for 0.5kg

Clorox Wipes - 54rmb

Stoffers Macaroni & Cheese - 49.80rmb

There is so much more to find. Take a look and have fun shopping! 

Thanks ya'll, 

Belle

Chang Jiang Guo Ji Ya Yuan - Expat Living at its finest

Hey Ya'll! 

I'm a little biased I know since Tractor Man, Pickle and I live here, but I wanted to share our apartment complex with you. There are MANY different complexes in our area that are great for expats and there will be other posts on those places coming soon. But for now, let me share our home with you! 

Welcome to Chang Jiang International Gardens 2. 

中国无锡市新区长江北路o41号。邮编：214028. 

Located in New District on Chang Jiang North Road, we are close to so much. We have two grocery stores within walking distance or an easy taxi ride, lots of great restaurants, playgrounds and a great veggie mart close by. There are quite a few expats in our complex which I love! We have an amazing community that gets together quite often and help each other out as needed. 

One of my absolute favorite things about our complex are the guards. They do a wonderful job and are always extremely helpful and friendly. They remember faces well, even though they do not speak a lot of English. Once, I had a guard see me struggling to bring in my groceries and he came and carried them to my apartment for me. 

Our complex is made up of tall and short buildings that range from 8 floors to 27 floors.

 We live on the first floor and have a basement and a small back yard. Most of the apartments in our complex are only one level and have 3 bedrooms. 

Here is a small view of my apartment. We brought all of our own furniture with us, so the furnishings are not a typical Chinese apartment but you can see some of the rooms. 

Kitchen

My pantry area

Pantry area - other view

Second bedroom

Dining Room

Closet area in the master bedroom

Master bedroom

Our upstairs living room. 

One of our 3 bathrooms. 

We have a small backyard that Pickle loves to play in when the weather is nice. 

Our laundry room is outside. 

The entrance to our building. They have stairs and a ramp for easy access. 

The maintenance team here does a great job of keeping things clean and neat. Granted, you do need to keep in mind that we live in China and things are not always "normal" in the way things are done, but things are always neat. 

Fish pond in front of my building. 

View of our complex. 

Walkway to the street. 

Our complex also has a small playground for kids which in the spring and fall is a wonderful place to play! We are out there quite often when we don't have other plans. 

We would love to have you come and join us here in Chang Jiang Guo Ji Ya Yuan! 

Thanks ya'll, 

Belle

Wuxi weather

Having been born and raised in Southern California, I admit to having been sheltered from the "real world" of seasons! For me the only difference between winter, spring, summer and fall were the holidays that occurred during them. Our family lived in shorts and flip flops year round.

When we arrived in China in June, I quickly learned what real seasons were, as the temperature continued to climb until the end of July....and the humidity...don't even get me started. I have never experienced humidity on the level that Wuxi hits each summer. 

So, if you're moving here and wondering if it gets hot, the answer is YES. Hot and Humid. The hottest most humid months are July and August. Light airy clothes and shade umbrellas are most popular during this time, but to be honest, if you're out and about during the day, you are going to want to get home to a cold shower, ASAP. 

Just when I thought I couldn't handle the heat any longer, enter September.

September, October and November are absolutely get-your-butt outside as often as possible months. The weather is gorgeous. Somewhat clear skies, light breezes and lower pollution levels make for some really nice walking weather. 

       Friends walking home from the produce market on a nice autumn day

By the end of November, the chilly mornings often linger into chilly afternoons. It was at this time that I realized, California "winter" jackets are not the same as the rest of the world's "winter" jackets. I was  wearing the warmest jacket I owned and already cold! I bought some scarves and beanies and those kept me cozy til winter officially hit in December.

December, January, February and March are cold. Like, Midwest cold. Layered clothing is your best bet as many of the malls and shops do not have/use heaters. I remember Christmas shopping at Wanda plaza last year wearing UGG boots, jeans and a huge puffy jacket and still freezing. 

I bet you're thinking..if it gets that cold...does it snow?

The answer...rarely....but, it does. 

Check out last winter. Belle and I decided to walk to the produce market. Not one of our shining moments, but I think we both look back on it and get a good laugh.

Overnight snow storm left us a winter wonderland

      Oh, Belle..what on earth are we doing?

By the beginning of April, the ultra-warm winter jackets can be packed away in exchange for a lighter jacket or fleece pullover. The days get warmer as the month goes on, and once May hits, its back outside we go. Although the spring time temperatures are much more enjoyable than winter or summer, this is when the pollution levels seem to be the highest, with a number of days reaching "severe pollution" levels. 

And hey, if this California girl can survive Wuxi's seasons, so can you...

-Elle Lay

English speaking Vets

Our family recently had a very sick kitty and needed to find a reputable vet in town. The vet we had used to help us through the process of getting our cat over here is in Shanghai and that was just too far to drive at such short notice. We knew our cat needed help ASAP, so I asked around and everyone seemed to be telling me about the same clinic, though nobody knew the name of it.  I finally connected with someone who not only knew the name of the clinic, but also the address, name of the English speaking vet and contact number. I also found out there was a second location close to my apartment in New District.

I thought I would share the contact information here for any other pet owners who find themselves in need of veterinary services. 

Paite Veterinary Clinic- Downtown location (next to Blue Bar, across from police station)

 49号 Chongnin Road

tel:13585011204

Ask for Tina

Paite Veterinary Clinic- New District

Changjiang Bei Lu (next to Leadtoast, near Auchan)

18761523911

Ask for Snow

My husband and I felt the care was of high quality and the cost was affordable. We paid 800rmb for consult, X-ray, bloodtests and IV treatment. Don't hesitate to contact Paite for any of your needs!

-Elle Lay

Wuxi Zoo

We took our first trip to the Wuxi Zoo this past spring. 

We had a wonderful time, although it was quite a bit further from New District than I had anticipated. It took approximately 45 minutes by car, but it was a holiday, so quite possibly traffic was heavier than usual that particular day.

Upon arrival, we purchased our tickets (100 rmb for each adult) and headed through the gates. This is where we learned there are two parts to the zoo. There's a theme park on the right, which looks like tons of fun for older kids, and the zoo is down the path to the left. We actually went in to the theme park first  and realized that we had made a mistake. A little backtracking and we found our way to a map which got us steered in the right direction.

The zoo is quite hilly, so for those who tire easily or have one sort of health concern which makes walking difficult, the zoo rents out mobility scooters for a small fee. We saw many able bodied people riding them, which caught me off guard, but I guess they just didn't feel like walking. For parents taking young kids, take a stroller. They will get tired of walking the hills. An umbrella stroller worked fine for us.

We weren't quite sure what to expect from a Chinese zoo, considering the treatment of humans in some places here strike us as a bit inhumane, but it was not as bad as I had expected. The zoo has a wide array of animals. They've got elephants, camels, bears, giraffes, lions, tigers, panthers (gorgeous!), pandas, monkeys, tons of birds in the aviary, reptiles ( I admit, I skipped the reptiles, they creep me out), hippos and the list goes on.

My beef with the zoo was that the habitats needed some TLC. Many of the animals had areas in their habitats that were meant for a small pond to help keep cool, that were either half filled with water or completely dry. Not a zookeeper in sight. It seemed as though the upkeep of the habitats went ignored, while the park itself was kept quite clean. 

One of our favorite parts (PETA would freak!) was a "live Beast show" which was held inside a tent, with music and announcements at a decibel level that was above and beyond anything we've encountered here so far. It was LOUD. We stood in a breezeway instead of sitting in the crowd so we could get some distance from the speakers, but the show itself was quite entertaining. We saw bears riding bikes, jump roping, dancing to "Gagnam Style" and doing flips between the still rings. Next came monkeys, doing many of the same tricks, and lastly, lions and tigers together. This brought back memories of the circus as a kid, although I don't think I had ever seen a bear on a bike until our zoo experience here.

There are booths full of Chinese food, and kiosks with drinks and ice cream cones. We did not eat at the zoo, so I can't comment on it, but it is available. I think if we go back, we will pack our lunches and take a blanket to sit and picnic halfway through our visit. The park, with its sprawling hills, has many grassy areas which would be perfect for a breather/snack/lunch. 

We look forward to going back when cooler fall weather arrives. It's a wonderful day trip away from the hustle and bustle of town.

See you there,

Elle Lay

Here's the address:

Wuxi Zoo and Taihu fun park  无锡动物园 No.99 Qianrong Rd.

Binhu district, Wuxi 214063

Pregnant in China: comparing costs

Elle Lay again.

With my head about to explode from doing price and quality of care comparisons on our prenatal and birthing options in Shanghai (western style facilities only)--a friend who had recently given birth in Shanghai was right on time sending me a link to expatmedicare.com which has enough information and answers of FAQ's to really make my head explode.

Since it's expatmedicare's information, and not mine to share, head over to their site and scroll to the bottom to find out more about giving birth in Shanghai. They have articles comparing costs and services of Shanghai birthing facilities, both western and local, as well as the most common prenatal services and the costs involved with those. It's quite informative.

The articles are a year old, so prices have probably increased, but it provides a glimpse at what a family may be looking at in terms of using a Shanghai hospital to have their baby.

www.expatmedicare.com

As of August 2013, there is a new birthing option in Shanghai, which is not listed on expatmedicare's website. The facility is Canadian run, and specializes in women's and maternal healthcare. The hospital is called Redleaf. My husband and I will tour it this weekend to see if it's a better fit for us than our current pick of Parkway Health. During a phone call to Redleaf, I have been quoted 27,000 rmb for a prenatal package covering weeks 20-40 and 91,000 rmb for an uncomplicated natural birth, with epidural being an additional fee. It is quite expensive, however, one of Parkway's most popular Obstetricians, Dr. Michelle Lu-Ferguson has left Parkway to join the Redleaf team, and I would like to see her.

Here is a peek at Redleaf's website: http://www.redleafhospital.com/en_main.html

Pregnant in China

Pregnant in China: prenatal care

Hey all, its Elle Lay. I am expecting another baby. I figured I would write about my experience of being pregnant in China, how we decided where to deliver, and the estimated costs (insurance aside) for it all. 

We are still in the midst of choosing where to deliver. Until February, my family had been utilizing the services of United Family Hospital-Wuxi branch, which staffs a Belgian Doctor every Thursday. Although UFH has been great for treatment of the common cold and medication refills, I have been looking for specialist care for my son, and an OB/gyn  for myself. I heard about Parkway Healthcare Systems in Shanghai through another expat friend and decided to give it a try.

Belle and I braved the February cold with our kids and ventured out on the train and metro to see a pediatrician at Parkway. We both walked away from our appointments satisfied. I felt like I had found what I was looking for in a pediatrician, facility and knowledgable reception staff. 

So, naturally, when I became pregnant, I assumed I would make the monthly, bi-monthly and eventual weekly trek to Shanghai to see an Ob/GYN at Parkway. I liked that they direct bill my insurance provider, and have two American OB's on staff. When I returned to Wuxi from the USA at the beginning of June, I made my first appointment with Dr. Chen At PHS for June 22--a Saturday-- so that my husband could come with me. 

Meanwhile, I had a major meltdown out a week and a half before my scheduled appointment. I woke up and just had this terrible feeling I couldn't shake. I've had multiple losses, so my track record isn't the best. I expect the worst, and felt that maybe I was going to miscarry. So, we found ourselves in the waiting room of the Wuxi Woman's hospital VIP floor. Emily, an English speaking nurse who works on the VIP floor walked me through the visit. They weighed me, took blood, started a composition book for my pregnancy (my medical record, I am guessing) and ultimately ended up doing an ultrasound to confirm viability. The Wuxi Woman's hospital was dark, dingy and half of the halls were without proper flooring and lighting. We rode to the ultrasound floor in an elevator shared with a woman who had literately JUST given birth. There she was lying naked, half covered by a sheet, with her baby is riding along in a bassinet with a nurse. So much for privacy!

When I went for the ultrasound, I was informed that men are not allowed in the room during the consultation. I basically had to put on my big girl panties and face the future of my pregnancy alone. Fighting back tears (okay, I didn't fight em, they were flowing), I laid on the table, let the tech gel me up and waited for the news. Unlike the USA, the screen is not angled towards the patient. Only the tech and nurse get to look. Maybe this is because the Chinese nationals aren't allowed to know the sex of their offspring? I'm speculating there, but none the less, it didn't help my anxiety. Thankfully, Emily spoke up and said, "your baby fine. Alive." They gave me a gestational age a few days older than I expected, no print out of the ultrasound and sent me on my way. We got our fapiao and when all was said and done, total cost was $20 registration, $16 ultrasound, $150 blood work, $8 doctor fee. For peace of mind, it was totally worth it.

When June 22 finally rolled around, we took an 8:30 train from Wuxi to Shanghai main station, then hopped on Metro line 1 to Huangpi street (4th stop). After a 3-4 block walk, we arrived at Parkway for my appointment with Dr. Chen. A nurse escorted us back to triage, my vitals and weight were assessed and she took my history. From there, we went to an exam room where we met Dr. Chen. He asked about my previous losses, medical procedures, and immediately went proactive. My husband and I were impressed with his concern over my previous losses and his efforts to get this baby to full term. He ordered an ultrasound, which we had to wait for, but once inside the room, it was exactly what I was accustomed to at my MFM's office in the USA.  A nice adjustable exam chair, huge television monitor facing me and new ultrasound machines. The tech spent at least 10-15 minutes taking measurements of the fetus, uterine size, cervical length, ovaries, etc. Dr. Chen joined in on the viewing and told us everything looked "perfect".

We scheduled our next appointment for the nuchal translucency test for three weeks later and headed to the checkout area to settle our bill. We had an issue with our policy not being located on our insurers database, so we had to pay up front and submit the claim ourselves. 

This is the only complaint I have about parkway.....the cost.

Wanna have sticker shock?

The bill for consult, ultrasound and progesterone pills was over 4000 rmb. That's $600 US dollars for one appointment. The ultrasound alone was $440. Our insurance policy has a coverage limit of $14,000 usd per pregnancy, so at $600 a visit, I worry that we might reach that limit before we even get to the giving birth part of it all! Parkway does offer a package deal for prenatal visits, in which the patient pays up front for a pre-determined number of visits, keeping the cost per visit lower...actually much lower than what we just paid. The drawback? Our insurance carrier won't pay for services ahead of time. This means that we will need to have an invoice (fapiao) for each visit, detailing the cost and care provided and I will have to send the claim to insurance myself for reimbursement. Also, who's to say I will need all the appointments that the package covers?

Billing and insurance headaches aside, I think we will probably commit to my prenatal and birth at Parkway because I felt most comfortable with the quality of care, cleanliness of the facility, friendliness of the staff (well, except for the receptionist who was more into playing Candy Crush saga on her phone than welcoming us to the clinic) and ease of making appointments. Oh, and.....they ran on time, give or take ten minutes. 

In a pinch, Wuxi women's hospital served its purpose. If any of my pregnant friends had some sort of concern or worry and weren't up for the trek to Parkway, I'd say Wuxi women's would be just fine. It's definitely cheaper, but for me as an American, it pushes me a little out of my comfort zone. 

Here's the contact info:

Wuxi Hospital for Maternal and Child Healthcare

http://www.upmg.us/wx

Huai Shu Alley No.48 

Tel: 051082700410

Direct line to Emily (English speaking nurse on VIP floor): 13951581399

Parkway Inpatient and specialty clinic

3rd floor

170 Danshui Rd

Shanghai (xintandi area) 

24 hour appointment desk: 02164455999

Website: http://www.parkwayhealth.cn/

Electricity Bills - Explained!

Hey Ya'll! 

One of the things that has been super confusing for me here is our bills. Since our sweet landlord helps us handle most of them, I just have no idea what we are really paying. But since I keep getting "late" notices on our electricity bill, I decided I needed to look into this further. 

My dear friends over at Wisdom International Education helped me put this together. There are three levels of electricity here in China, and as an American expat, you can go ahead and plan on using all three levels. Ha! Our family loves to use our AC on a regular basis and add to that our clothes dryer and our electricity levels sky rocket!

This example below is not my bill (I wish it was!!!) but you can look at the explanations given so when you move over you will know how to read your bill. 

This is the "past due" notice that gets put in your mail box. Apparently is is really common since most of the mail boxes in my building have one each month.  The box at the bottom is the different locations of the State Grid offices where you can pay your bill. 

State Grid is where you go to pay your bill. It took me 5 minutes to take care of it. Just take your pink slip and money with you. 

Hope this helps! 

Thanks ya'll, 

Belle

Fun in the Sun

Hey Ya'll!

I wanted to share with you one of Pickle's and my favorite places to be during warm sunny days. This is a free outdoor play ground in New District. They even have a large grassy area next to it for the kids to run and play. 

In spring and fall, you can almost always find us here! Come out and join. 

Park Address:  Chun Jiang Road at Rongqiao Mansion. 春江路  directly across from Xincheng Central Park 新城中央公园.

The equipment is in great condition and all the kids love it. 

The wonderful grassy area next to the playground. So much fun! 

They have great tables and chairs for lunch or a snack, or even just for watching the kids play. 

Far Eastern Department Store - My FAVORITE!

 Hey Ya'll!

I wanted to share with you where I love to buy my meat here in Wuxi. This place is called Far Eastern. A dear friend of mine took me here one of my first weeks in China because they had a Dunkin Donuts (which at the time was my favorite cup of coffee) and I fell in love.

Far Eastern Dept. Store Supermarket 远东百货超市

---

0510-81809998
531 Zhongshan Rd, B1 Far Eastern Dept. Store
无锡市崇安区中山路531号(远东百货地下一楼)

 This place became a haven for me when I was still too overwhelmed with the craziness that is the other grocery stores. It is quiet and clean, with wide aisle and carts that push easily. Pure heaven for a homesick starved woman! Ha.

When you go to Far Eastern, go inside and down to Level -1. Everything you need is right there. Fresh meat, fruits and veggies, cheese, eggs and so much more.

The meat section is wonderful. This is the place where I buy my ground beef. If they are running low of it when you go, they will grind more right there for you. The staff is very helpful. The prices for meat is wonderful. For ground beef is is approx 89rmb for 1kg. 

This is the entrance to the grocery store. It is on the bottom level of the department store. 

Even Pickle loves to shop here...they have kids carts that they can push as well as "car carts" that they can drive while you push. He loves it! 

They have a wonderful fruit and veggie section here as well, but I will tell you that it is EXTREMELY expensive. But when I first started shopping in Wuxi, this was all I would purchase until I got a better feel for where else to shop and at better prices. The main thing I go for here is meat. 

Also on this level, but outside the Fresh Market is a wonderful bakery to get some fabulous bread, Dunkin Donuts and Cold Stone! Also, right as you check out from the grocery store, there is a shop that sells cream puffs in different flavors. This is Tractor Man's favorite stop here and any time I go I always pick him up a treat. Yummy! So many wonderful reasons to come! And now up on Level 1 they have added a Pacific Coffee Shop. So grab yourself a cup of coffee and a sandwich for a light treat. 

The fabulous Bakery. 

We love shopping at Far Eastern! 

Can't go wrong with a good donut and if you are adventurous, you can try a Pork Floss Donut. If you do, PLEASE tell me what you think! 

Ice Cream....glorious glorious ice cream. Makes me feel like I'm back at home when I have a bowl. 

After you finish shopping (or before....) head up to Level 6. Here you will find their food court that has lots of restaurants. There is a Japanese place that has one of my all time favorite sushi rolls. 

Go enjoy a day of good shopping and some yummy treats. 

Thanks Ya'll, 

Belle