NO ONE USES THE POSTAL CODE SYSTEM IN SHANGHAI????????????


Lists. We know what they are. There are thousands of them. There are some you hate. There are some you always keep in your head because it makes you happy. There are some, no matter how you to try to remember, you will end up forgetting. Some lists make people happy e.g. what to buy for your loved ones. Some make ME happy e.g. list of things to bring back to Jakarta (that means I'll be having a holiday). Some lists will make you laugh to yourself e.g. list of jokes to tell your girlfriend. The same list may be a happy one for some, but a dread to others e.g. list of baby names.


To me the list I hate the most is KIV list. What are those? KIV stands for Keep-In-View. These are the kind of lists that you must always have around in mind, and you can't throw it away. No matter what. I hate those lists because sometimes it has no end-date, sometimes you don’t even know whether you have to do it at the end.


Today I have 3 KIV lists. 1st: get a cleaner to clean the house. 2nd: find a barber. 3rd get my unit’s address.


The 1st of the three. The other time when we moved to this apt in Longcao Rd, you might recall, our unit was awfully DIRTY. We were pretty innocent at that point in time – we let the tenant go without paying a single cent for cleaning the house. The other time you might remember there was an angel (by the name of Wang Ah Yi – Auntie Wang) who came during our distress to help us clean the house. I bargained for a sum of 20 yuan for a single visit – initial price of 25. Then onwards, she told us she’d come over on Thurs 7 pm (and probably Sunday at 12 pm). That week of course, we had a to work late and could only leave the office at 7pm – when we got home, it was already 8 pm (too late). We waited for Sunday – she’d probably come. Not a chance.

Audrei told us she’d give the tenant a call – to clean up whatever mess 2 weeks after we move in. I guess she was pretty busy that she forgot. We didn’t blame her. So we closed the kitchen and today, I bought one roll of tape to prevent the small roaches from entering the living room (we suspected that they are coming from the smelly kitchen). I taped the bottom of the door.

Today, I had asked another potential cleaner by the name of Li XiaoJie (Ms. Li) to come by and clean up the house. She got here just in time – 12 pm. I had early lunch (11am) – so as to prevent myself from going hungry during the clean-up. I was cleaning up – the whole place was messy, and thought that I would ask her to clean up ONLY the toilet and kitchen. I also told her the aircon was dirty – she had volunteered to ask the security guard to check the aircon – one of those common dirty Chinese tricks – overly eager to do the job even before the price is agreed upon. I told her “no need to do that……”


As always I said “我们先谈价钱吧” – let’s talk money first. She asked me what kind of price I’m willing to offer her. I didn’t want to be the first to make the move, cause generally it is bad. But in the end nobody wanted to set a price, so I went ahead – 20 yuan. Just like Wang Ah Yi’s price the other time. She turned her head from side to side. I had expected her to say like 50 yuan… Ok. Chinese are known to be “knockers” (as in “tukang ketok” – OK that came out wrong). Well anyway she said 100 yuan. I was like shocked!!! Is she crazy? I told her “I know the market price ok – this is way too expensive”.


After beating around the bush, we finally come to a dead halt again. We grew increasingly impatient cause nobody wants to lower or increase the price. Then she said “好吧，通常这样的话是看缘分” (the relationship between employers and cleaners are normally a destined one – we’re just not fated). I was like laughing laaaaaaahhhh… Sialan. Ngakak sial… Here it is just cause we can’t agree on the price, she’s trying to be philosophical. I was already pissed and I said “缘分归缘分，事实归事实” (destiny is destiny, but FACT is different). HAHAHA. BUT I had meant to say “缘分归缘分，现实归现实” which means “destiny is destiny, but REALITY is different”. I only realized afterwards when I flipped the dictionary pages and found out I was wrong, because FACT and REALITY sound so similar in Chinese. She must be thinking likewise “STUPID boy, trying to be philosophical”. Darn it! Lol. I told her 25 yuan and she was gone. So there I was, desperate again. I ended up cleaning the FREAKIN DIRTY toilet and the whole house all myself. Haha. Again.


2nd in my 3. This one was easy. I need to cut my hair cause the last time I cut it was in Jakarta – about 5~6 weeks ago. Guys need to cut their hair every 1 month. I surveyed the surrounding, and found like 3 hair-cut services. The first one had a guy sitting slouching in his seat (barber) – I leaned forward from the window to ask him the price. He said 4 yuan – OMG that’s like less than GOCENG rupiah lahhh yawwwww.. Gila gunting yg dipake karatan kale yahhh… Scary. OK – KIV. Um, I walked 2 doors and found one salon – nice, 10 yuan. Another 2 doors, 15 yuan. Nice. Ok, will cut my hair soon.

3rd and final one. Address. This was pretty tough. The surprising thing is that NO ONE in Shanghai uses the POSTAL CODE system. I asked the security guys below – don’t know. Security auntie – don’t know. Main door security – also don’t know. There are tonnes of shops beside our apartment – none put a postal code. NONE. It’s crazy. I ate my dinner at 10pm at JiJiXiaoZhen (soon to be my favourite eating place) – it was raining heavily, coldest it has ever gotten since I came to Shanghai. I sat down, thinking of IDD calling Sandra for Stephany’s (tenant’s) number – cause I need it to write an application letter urgently. Real urgent. I had 1 minute left on my IP card – so I thought it would be useless. I came out from JiJiXiaoZhen – there it was, HanTeng hotel. I thought “how to problem-solve??” The hotel guy probably knows the postal code, but why would he gave it to me?? Do I go in and just ask what’s your postal code? That’s dumb lahhhh… So I went inside and asked “How much is your room price? OH so and so… Ok can I have your address please???” I noticed there was no postal code on the brochure – cannot be. I asked him “what’s your postal code??” He gave it to me. There it was – right at the bottom of the brochure, a small six-number figure, written wrongly somemore… Walaw. The last number a 5 instead of a 3… Walaw… Haha… At least problem solved.

Actually there’s a 4th in my KIV list – renew my visa. Sando has applied from Jakarta and gotten 6 month visa. Me? I applied in Spore and gotten a 2 month visa. You know what is needed for renewal? 1 photograph, 5 documents – including business licence of the company (ORIGINAL!!!!) Crap la…How to get??? Ask employer ahhh???? Siao weh… and a registration form of residence from my local police station. Crap lahhhhhhh… Dumb.