My Arch Enemy

Since arriving in China I have acquired various things, a sudden like of Starbucks and McDonald's, an appreciation for Halloween, a compelling need to hold a baby panda in the near future, and an Arch Enemy. I know most of you are probably reading this and thinking there she goes again with the exaggerating, but I assure you this is real.

My Arch Enemy

To the unsuspecting eye this toilet looks innocent, and for expat eyes in China it looks inviting. That's when it gets you though. This toilet has the power to break and fix it's self at whim. I'll be in my apartment and the toilet will be broken, I'll get the woman who is working in my building and as soon as she come into my apartment it will be fixed again!

It all started in September, when my toilet stopped working, I couldn't flush it. Plumbers would come it would work for a little bit, fix it, and leave. Then  maybe two or three days later it would break again. The problem progressed and by the end of October the water in my toilet was constantly running. In order to flush my toilet I needed to pour a bucket of water into the toilet bowl.

Then on November 15th something changed. My friend Matt was visiting from Shanghai and I left him in my apartment as I went to tell the woman working that my toilet was broken. I had finally had enough. As per usual when the woman got to my apartment my toilet was magically fixed. I'm still suspicious that Matt had something to do with it.

The toilet appeared fine as I parted Baoding to have a weekend trip in Beijing.

I came back the afternoon of November 18th to a rather disgusting surprise. When I flushed my toilet its contents would gush out of the base of the toilet. 

It was so gross.

Now it has been nearly a week there have been more Chinese plumbers in my apartment then I care to admit and I sit here waiting in fear of the next time I flush my toilet.

I miss America.