So the Vivid crisis is not over yet, however people are starting to emerge from their isolation. We are still scanned for fever at every super market, and restaurants are still closed to eat in customers. We still cannot enter any apartment compounds without a ticket from the compound management that proves we live there. And you definitely cannot invite outsiders into the compound.

And yet, the owner of our apartment has decided that when our contract expires in April he is selling, and we must move out.

We must move out.

The most common system in China for housing is for the owner of an apartment to rent it to a real estate agency. They then rent it out to people. The agency takes on all responsibility for the apartment like replacing air conditioners that don’t work. The owner sets the rent, and collects a persentage of it.

Our owner’s contract with the agency is up, and they have been trying to extend it at least until the Covid situation has changed so we wouldn’t have to be out looking for a place in a market that won’t let us see the apartments. Unfortunately the owner is adamant, they are selling and any tenant must move. He either has a heart as cold as ice, or is completely ignorant of the situation in China.

We found out on Wednesday.

Do not worry however. We lucked out. We have a co-worker and friend who got stuck in the Philippines during all this. They will not be able to renew their own housing contract next month, and so have decided to move in with their sister nearby. Their apartment becomes available at the same time we needed to move. The owner of that has agreed to rent to us sans agent.

Our friends things will be moved by their family that got stuck here, across the courtyard. We will take control of the apartment on the 5th of April and need to relinquish our place by the 23rd.

The new place is only half a block away, and so closer to the work I am locked out of. We have seen it several times during birthday parties and other trips to visit them. So we know the apartment even though we cannot go see it right now.

Even though it is not far, we are not sure how we will move. Next weekend we will be meeting with the owner to sign. At that time we will be given the compound cards to allow us entry. But our biggest concern is whether we will be able to use a moving van or car, as they might not be allowed into the compound.

Yes I could carry a lot of stuff down the street with my son. But things like the tv, the crib, our cabinets, I would rather just take by vehicle. We shall see what we can do. I will be asking my friend who lives downstairs to help me find out.

Routines save Sanity

During the holidays I was posting daily updates on the virus situation and my family. But then the holidays ended and I had to go back to work.

When I say go back to work, you all understand that I can’t actually GO to work. All schools are closed until further notice. No, classes continue, but have to be taught online. Each teacher, however, had to figure out how they were going to do that.

To see how I manage, check out my class blog

I also was left helping my children with their home classes sent by their teachers. We also took the time to keep them up on the Canadian Curriculum standards.

But this unfortunately left me with little to no time to make daily updates. Instead I will try to update here weekly, please be patient as I set up a new routine…