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Q: In what ways is your lifestyle more 'luxurious' in China?
Well, there are so many ways (mainly poo-related) that life in China is decidedly not luxurious, but I got an ayi to help clean my house for the first time today and I was thinking how I could never do this in Britain. Also, as someone who comes from a very working-class family, I feel really weirdly guilty and have been running around trying to help her and apologizing.
What luxuries do you have here that you wouldn't have at home?
Everything. Absolutely everything... until I moved to another state, away from a dumb rural area with no jobs, and got a pretty awesome job. Now there's no way China can compete.
Don't get me wrong, being in China was awesome, and I got to do things with my life that others would never get a chance to. I loved it there.
Even though I was a total loser when I went to China, I went there with the mindset that I'm going to find a way to better myself, and my future. I think I've done that now. Thank God.
Air conditioning. That would be seen as a luxury back in the uk.
dokken:
Why would we need ac? Its a cold country and we have central heating
Eorthisio:
Europeans don't need AC because unlike in China houses and apartments are built with high quality insulating materials. Whenever I was in Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Southern France, ...) it would be +35 celsius outside but 20~25 celsius indoors anywhere and there were no air conditioners to be seen around. Here in China the buildings are not insulated because they are simple concrete boxes with no proper layers to keep the cold or the hot outside, even in the North they rely on central heating but shut it down and you freeze to death.
ScotsAlan:
They sell air conditioners in the UK. It's a luxury item.
http://www.airconditioner.me.uk/
laowaigentleman:
@eothisio - My country has a bad reputation for housing quality. Perhaps you've heard this?
You're dead right about these places being concrete boxes. The concrete is low grade shit too.
I am about to leave my place and I'm sure I might lose my bond because the door to my spare room won't close properly. It won't close because the door frame is slowly coming free from the concrete which is flaying.
I'll bet the rental agency banks on this occurring for their annual turnover, which best explains why anyone would pay so much to own one of these boxes when renting one is so cheap.
Massage. 120 rmb for 90 mins for 2 ppl. God knows what that would cost back home. Normal massage imean, not happy ending one. Not sure how to ask for them
I clean up before my ayi comes due to same feeling of guilt. Then I clean up after because she wont use cleaning products.
Hotwater:
Similar for sports massage. I get a bad neck occasionally and a sports massage & acupuncture here at a good clinic I know is 100 kuai. Back in the UK I'd be looking at about 600 for the same treatment.
Eorthisio:
My ayi also doesn't use cleaning products, I asked her before but she just won't was dishes or mop the floor with the specific products, she is convinced that cleaning products are bad for the skin and I asked around apparently many Chinese believe the same, can't blame them, god only knows what chemicals Chinese brands put in there. She does a great job otherwise, my apartment is always spotless clean.
dokken:
But crawling with germs. These cleaning products are made not to be too toxic. I do sympathise with their point of view but without soaps what is she cleaning? Just spreading germs around
maggiegirly:
@hotwater Can you please tell me where is the clinic for sports massage and the name as well if possible as we are going to visit Guangzhou soon from OZ,husband gets a bad back occasionally !thanks
massage is a good one.. helpful and affordable - a definite luxury
ayi is only in my dreams... wife says they are useless so she does it all
a/c to me is not a luxury... just a requirement for where I live
bottled water dispenser .... would never have one at home..(use the tap at home)
tough to think of juxury while living on my little pension.
I got GUCCI perfume for my wife and another one for my daughter. $100 x 2 =$200
I got BEYONCE perfume for my sis-in-law. $85
Pretty damn classy girls if you ask me.
they love the luxury!!
Paid apartment, paid utilities, paid holidays, no taxes, no living expenses except food and entertainment, great public transportation (so no car bills), a life assistant to help with the language issues and other living situations.
Eorthisio:
no taxes? on income? you are illegal or you earn 2000RMB per month?
nashboroguy:
My company is responsible for Chinese taxes, per my contract. And, when I file my taxes witht he US government every year, it shows that I do not make enough money to have to pay anything. Simple.
I'm with Hunana. I just can't get an ayi... it's too much like having a servant. I'm also from a working class background, and just can't accept having a servant.
Bottle service- Back in Canada everyone just buys a drink at a time. Bottle service is for the rich or the ones trying to hard. Here its the norm.
Food- Lobster or many seafoods would be eaten at home or if some special occasion. I was watching an American reality show recently and this dude took this girl out for dinner. "Somerhing special because I know how to treat a lady" and this girl was like " OMG Carmichael's!!!!! Your amazing!!!"
It was just this mom and pop steak place. My wife asked me how much it would be and i immediately thought of two things.
1: I know what im having for dinner tomorrow.
2 : This is a perfect reason why we are not moving home. I could totally relate and empathize with these people on TV and I do not want a steak to ever be a luxury again.
Gas: The drivers and the europeans will know what I am talking about. Gas was a huge expense. People would drive farther for a bit cheaper gas. And i remember people commonly putting ten or 20 bucks in their tanks. People would chip in for gas if you went anywhere remote far.
But here, i dont even know the price. Can you imagine putting ten dollars in here?? Going to the pimp and telling them 60 kuai??? Theyd be like cool. Wheres your moto?? No one has ever offered to chip in for gas and i never even though about it untill now. Just go and fill it up untill you do it again. Wierd.
Not much : I go to restaurants much more often than back home. That's it. The thing I enjoy back home are : a garden, running in the woods, long walks in the hills or on the beach, an insulated house with a veranda, a big hoven...
laowaigentleman:
It's the same with me. I miss the walking and mountain biking in the hills. You can't put a price on almost all of the things I enjoyed about home, but the potential to save here is much better simply because there's very little worth buying in China.
Everything. Absolutely everything... until I moved to another state, away from a dumb rural area with no jobs, and got a pretty awesome job. Now there's no way China can compete.
Don't get me wrong, being in China was awesome, and I got to do things with my life that others would never get a chance to. I loved it there.
Even though I was a total loser when I went to China, I went there with the mindset that I'm going to find a way to better myself, and my future. I think I've done that now. Thank God.
Personal trainer. I have a coach at my gym who trains me on grappling and kickboxing. I couldn't afford a personal trainer back home, but here, not all that expensive.
Going to restaurants also is something I can do much more here. Back home, a small, cheapish place would be a once a month luxury. Here, I can eat out every week (or several times a week), and still save.
I have a very good collection of cds dvds and xbox 360 games here in China,I would not have this in New Zealand as they would be expensive.
More street walkers, free access to antifreeze laced beverages, the freedom to spit without feeling guilt. This is ma hoood!
