Day 2

11.04.18

Negotiating contracts

• Landlord comes back today offering 2750/mth (knowing that nothing has been signed yet) and copped a massive rant from my aunty who basically said he wasn't a man for going back on what he promised. 
• When the contract is signed, the first payment is 4 months rent (1 month as deposit, 3 months paid in advance), they call this 押一付三
• The agent fee is usually one month's rent (this is split between landlord and tenant, and it might not be equal depending on negotiations)
• The contract is usually for 12 months, but the good thing about going through an agent is that if you decide to leave halfway, they can find other tenants to fill that void to keep the landlord happy.

Registration of Accommodation

To apply for a residency permit, you have to register your accommodation within 24 hrs of landing in China. Usually, this doesn't matter if you're just travelling, but since i'm working here, I need it. 

I didn't realise they were so strict on it - so when I went to the cop shop after 48 hrs, they referred me to the Security Centre far away from the city to get it...

Then the guy told me that I could just scan some QR code and do it on WeChat for next time ... Lesson: EVERYTHING in China can be done on WeChat.

Got screamed at for being dumb at the local supermarket

I was trying to find a toilet cleaner so I asked the lady at the supermarket. She directed me to the aisle but I literally didn't know what it was. I asked her again and she gave me the "你怎么会找不到呢，这里全都是！！！"

What's the point of having a signature?

So I was setting up a bank account and it took longer than expected because there was something wrong with my signature. Cool signatures are not accepted in China. Signatures in China is just printing your name. And by convention, it's Surname before First Name. 

Finally have WeChat Pay and Alipay 

I've locked up my wallet as it has no use. Do they have Gucci branded online wallets?

How Chinese is this?

The parking officer is supposed to tell you not to park in the reserved bays. Instead, he'll charge you 10RMB to park there and pocket the money himself. 

Chinese Phrase of the day

When my aunty tried reasoning with the landlord after he went back on his offer: 男子汉大丈夫 (are you a man?)