Today is cleaning day. Judy heads out to school and I begin scrubbing floors, sinks, etc. I want to be ready when the Sundan ordered is delivered. I’m almost done when the dryer and other items arrive. After putting everything away, I start figuring out how to vent the dryer. Judy calls and lets me know our phones are not working. Judy has the BISS phone she can use, but I can only receive calls, not originate any.
Staff at Judy’s school is trying to set-up our police station visit. Again I can only receive calls, no outgoing. Judy lets me know that I need to be at BISS at 2:30 pm so we can travel together to the police. I use the train (too cheap for a cab today), and arrive on time. Can’t find the people I need, and after borrowing phones I’m told to meet Judy back at BISS at 4:30. Back to the train and home. This is becoming a TIC (This Is China) Day. Apparently more are to come, according to the old-timers at BISS. Back at home, we meet a substitute agent who speaks no English. He takes us to the police station. It’s a pretty drab building. Process takes about ½ hr. and we’re headed home, “Temporary Housing Permit” in hand.
After some rest and food. I take off looking for “phone cards”. I use my translator app and someone actually understands. I am guided to a very small store I’ve visited before, just outside the complex gates. I’m getting good at gesturing and pretty soon they sell me two cards for my phone. Now, how do I load this card on my phone? Clerk helps out and punches numbers on my phone and then numbers off the card, and the phone starts working. I tell them I need two more cards. I’m led to another nearby shop (same family), and the mom sells me two more cards. A young girl (12-13) enters one of the cards. I get her to help me load the next card. There are instructions in English, if you know which buttons to push, and she does.
I finish off the evening with a visit to Metro for groceries and other necessities. I’ve been looking for coffee filters & coffee. Tea is everywhere, but not coffee. I find coffee filters. I purchased coffee in Starbucks yesterday and had it ground. I’m ready for tomorrow morning. No long hike for coffee. I return home, the conquering hero, with phones and groceries. I’m baaaaad!