settling in shenzhen, part three: orange you glad to have your own place?

I have moved into my apartment. It is beautiful. A few days ago, while I was still living with Jane, I picked out furniture and appliances for the place. I went with the school accountant, Jane and the driver. It was an entire day of discussion and debate about what I needed. I spent much of my time testing the furniture while my three friends bickered in Chinese over every piece of furniture. It was a great issue deciding which shoe storage unit I needed. When I interjected that I only have three pairs of shoes in China and that I, personally, didn't see the point of a three drawer shoe holder-thing, there was a pause. They looked at me. Jane translated what I said to the others and thus began another conference. After a few more minutes of this, Jane turned to me and said, "then, you will have to buy more shoes". And it was decided.

They insisted I get a wonderful orangely obnoxious couch. It was thus important when picking out bedding that it matched said orangeness. I pointed out as much to Jane. She nodded sagely and made a bee-line to the only orange, albeit pastel orange, bedding in the store. Because of course, what goes best with orange, but orange? So now I have a bright orange, retro-like couch and a pastel orange frilly, country-style bed. My curtains and coffee table are green. My room is so very Chinese in its it-almost-matches-but-not-quite-ness that it makes me indescribably happy and amused. I love my orange room.